On this gorgeous summer day in the Yarra Valley, Brooke and Josh said their “I dos” in front of their closest friends and family. Situated at the gorgeous Zonzo Estate, this couple exuded a fun, chill vibe while keeping to a timeless dress code. They planned the day with plenty of creativity and accessibility, so they could relax and enjoy their summer wedding. Warren Photography joined the couple to capture every intimate moment and relaxed atmosphere throughout the day.

Josh and Brooke met in high school. It was in year 11 that they became closer, hanging out at parties and getting to know each other more. “We went on a dinner date and the movies, which was very awkward, thanks to me. Josh had a biking accident two weeks after this, which completely changed his life forever. This didn’t stop us or our connection with each other. Seven months after the accident, we started dating – and the rest is history,” Brooke explained.

Due to Josh’s injury, he knew he couldn’t get down on one knee to propose, so he concocted a special plan. “He created a cartoon book of all the fun adventures we had got up to while dating, including our travels and what we liked to do as a couple. This took him over a year to create, as he designed it all himself. Then, after dinner one night, we went down to a nearby beach, and he gave me the book. On the last page was a picture of a ring, and he asked me to Marry Him. There were lots of happy tears to go along with it all!”

Brooke knew two things when we went to buy her wedding dress – 1. She would wear flats, so any dress would be altered to fit her height. And 2. She didn’t want anything too over the top – minimal details, nothing puffy or itchy. She set her sights on a comfortable gown and instantly fell in love with the first one she found at Luv Bridal! “I went with my mum, and it was my very first time trying on wedding dresses. When I tried on the dress, I ended up buying it; I knew it was the one from the moment I put it on. It felt comfortable, I felt like myself,” she described. “While trying on my dress, our first dance song came on, and it made me even more certain I had to get this dress as it was the one for me. I waited a few months for the dress to be made and delivered. I also altered the dress just before the wedding to make it fit even better than it already was.”

Two of her best friends from primary school and her sister-in-law were in Brooke’s wedding party, wearing gorgeous Model Chic dresses in Brooke’s favourite colour—pink. Three of their nieces and nephews were also in the party. The junior bridesmaid wore this summery purple dress, and the page boy and ring bearer wore black shorts, white shirts, bowties, and adorable suspenders.

Both Josh and Brooke loved the Yarra Valley region of Victoria, often taking day trips to explore the rolling hills and luxurious wineries. After some research, they stumbled across Zonzo Estate and decided to visit—and surprise, they instantly fell in love with the spectacular views and compassionate team. “We had a few key things we were looking for in a venue; for instance, we wanted to have an outdoor ceremony, but we know how unpredictable Melbourne weather can be even for a summer wedding, so having a beautiful option for indoor and outdoor was a must. We were also looking for a wheelchair-friendly venue where Josh could wheel around all day/night without worrying about steeps or uneven ground.”

Josh wore a classic black tux from Peter Jackson, wanting something timeless. His groomsmen wore similar attire but in suit form to allow his tux to stand out. Since Josh is a wheelchair user, he needed to find a jacket and shirt that would sit nicely in the chair. So when Brooke went to get her dress altered at Artistic Styling Clothing Alterations Boutique, he tagged along. “She did an excellent job at understanding Josh’s needs for his suit. They were able to come up with a solution to his jacket always falling off his shoulders. He was able to comfortably wear his outfit all night without having to worry about it slipping.”

All of the menus, name place cards, table numbers and venue signage were designed by Brooke and Josh. Sprinkling little touches of creativity throughout the day.

To kick off the ceremony, Brooke walked down the aisle with both of her parents, one on either arm. An acoustic version of “You’re Still The One” by Shania Twain filled the air as they walked.

Having an outdoor summer wedding in Melbourne is always a risk, but the beautiful clear skies promised their outdoor ceremony to go ahead. Overlooking the vineyard, the couple took the next step in their relationship.

Brooke chose to sit during the ceremony, bringing her and Josh on the same level. Their celebrant, Sharon Cook, helped this couple turn their ceremony dreams into reality. “Our celebrant was excellent and made the ceremony exactly what we envisioned. We read our vows to each other, making it so special for us.”

Brooke’s favourite detail of the day was the pure joy of being surrounded by all of their closest friends and family to celebrate their love. “We also had amazing weather, not too hot, not too cold, or windy. We really wouldn’t have changed anything about the day.”

Josh’s mum is a florist at Cherry Gay Florist, and the couple always knew she was going to create their flower arrangements. “I found an inspiration photo and gave it to Josh’s mum to replicate. She was able to source fresh flowers very close to the wedding to make our flowers perfectly. We incorporated pink into the flowers to match with the bridesmaids and add a pop of colour.”

They chose to have John Warren from Warren Photography capture the relaxed, summer wedding vibes of the day.“He was a superstar on our day. We chose him as he was very confident, knew what he was talking about, which is exactly what we were after, made us relaxed and had shot at the venue many times before.”

Their first dance song was something Brooke and Josh had chosen years ago. “Thinking Out Loud” by Ed Sheeran is not only a romantic ballad that speaks of eternal love but the first line of the lyrics “, when your legs don’t work like they used to before”, drew some laughter from guests.

Unknown to Brooke, Josh had a surprise up his sleeve for their first dance. “He had organised with his groomsmen to stand for our first dance but is unable to stand without physical assistance. His groomsmen politely interrupted our first dance and I thought they had arranged a dance routine, only to see them helping Josh stand,” she explained. “There was not a dry eye in the room, especially from me. It made it so special and an amazing surprise for our special day.”

Some advice Brooke and Josh want to leave for future married couples is this: “Have fun, relax and plan early,” they shared. “We decided that if the weather was bad, we had a backup option which was just as beautiful as outdoors; we knew this was out of our control, so there wasn’t much use stressing about it.”

Of all their photos from the day, Brooke and Josh’s favourites must be during the sunset. “We had such a beautiful sunset out, and John was able to capture it perfectly. We also loved the photos under the lights when the sun started to set.”

Congratulations, Brooke and Josh, on bringing this relaxed summer wedding to life! And thanks to Warren Photography for sharing these beautiful photos with us.