Sophie and Hannah’s wedding was an adventurous elopement for the ages. Set in the breathtaking landscapes of Queenstown, the couple tied the knot at Jack’s Point with their closest family and friends by their side. The weekend was filled with shared meals, late-night dessert runs, and the kind of laughter only great company can bring.

After their intimate ceremony, they took a helicopter to the snowy peaks of Coromandel, where they embraced the elements and captured stunning photos with their photographer and planner, Kate Craig-Brown. Their day concluded with an intimate dinner at Nest QT, a perfect end to a celebration that was both adventurous and deeply personal—just like their love story.

When Sophie walked into work one day ready to be trained, they had no idea the person training would be their future wife! Just before Sophie and Hannah officially started dating, Hannah moved to Canberra, so the couple were long-distance for two and a half years – until Sophie moved to Canberra to be with her.

Sophie was the first one to pop that all important question – but she wasn’t the only one! On a surprise getaway to the Hunter Valley, the pair got very tipsy at a wine tasting at Audrey Wilkinson Winery, where they had a private picnic. “I popped the question by giving her a book I had made with photos and memories from our adventures together and reasons that I loved her. The last page said “will you marry me?” and I pulled out her bespoke parti-sapphire engagement ring,” Sophie shared.

It wasn’t long after that Hannah got them back! They were on a two-day trip to Kangaroo Island, where plenty of adventure was had. It was when they were in the national park that Hannah took Sophie over to the rocks to take a video. “She took me over to the rocks where we took a video of ourselves, and then she kneeled down, and I proceeded to lose my mind!”

Hannah was a blushing bride in this gorgeous soft pink wedding dress from Brides of Sydney, paired with white leather platform Converse and a fur shawl for those colder moments. “It looked unreal amongst the scenery. She later traded the fur for a leather jacket for dinner, which was very her,” explained Sophie.

To get ready that morning, Sophie and Hannah were surrounded by their best friends and family, and they spent their time soaking in the loving atmosphere. “Our ‘Best Person’, Rob, made an insane breakfast spread for everyone. It was so good, people thought we had it catered!”

Sophie wore this striking two-piece velvet suit in a stunning forest green from Shane Ave, with a black lace body suit underneath and a pair of black RM Williams.

For their wedding party, they each had a ‘Best Person’ and then three other best people in the party. Each wore either a charcoal suit or a dress that matched the mountain terrain that backdropped the ceremony.

As Sophie explains, the florals were chosen in a natural goth style. “We chose dark red and white flowers, with as many natives as possible. A “natural goth” vibe, as I never grew out of my emo phase.”

Hannah and Sophie are both huge nature lovers, so it came as no shock to their friends and family when these two adventurers had their ceremony at Jack’s Point. “We had a beautiful blue sky day with snow on the mountains behind us. When we went up to Coromandel Peak after the ceremony, we had the same beautiful views and weather. We truly felt as if we were on top of the world.”

Since it was an outdoor ceremony, they had no set aisle, just this gorgeous arbour and a rug to stand on – so they walked together. “It was a nice metaphor for our partnership, always facing things together.”

They wanted the ceremony to be super intimate and have that raw, emotional feel. Their celebrant, Philippa, led the couple and their guests through the process, with Sophie saying, “She was wonderful. We felt like we had known her forever.”

As Sophie is Jewish, they also included a few traditions like glass-smashing and a Ketubah. “Hannah surprised me by hand-making a beautiful swirled blue glass ball at the glassworks near our place in Canberra that we stepped on during the ceremony. The Ketubah was a stunning blue and white paper-craft design that featured our agreement to be partners and friends always,” they explained.

Sophie’s favourite photo from the whole day was of their friends and family cheering and laughing together after the ceremony. “It really shows the day’s vibe and how loved we felt.”

Their wedding wasn’t just a one-night event, but a whole weekend away! To welcome guests at the beginning, Sophie and Hannah had hand-crafted welcome packs for everyone. “We included a small mountain glass, a small bottle of their favourite spirit or liquor, some local chippies, a handout with information about the weekend and the wedding, some instant hand-warmers, and a handwritten note from us.”

After the ceremony, the couple took a helicopter up to the Coromandel Peak, where their portraits were taken in the elements. “We were sliding around in the snow. It was hilarious, and we were so glad to have Hannah’s sister, Chelsea, and her husband, Shane, up there with us to keep us upright (for the most part).”

Kate Craig-Brown from Lost In Love planned and captured the whole day for the lovely Sophie and Hannah – and they wouldn’t have had it any other way. “Kate Craig-Brown was unreal. She not only facilitated our elopement, but she was so organised, professional, and lovely. She was like a mountain goat on those hills!”

The top five things that made their wedding so special were:

“1. Having our friends and family with us,

2. Getting ready with our best friends,

3. Dancing to hava nagila and earth, wind, and fire after dinner!

4. Singing in the chopper together and flying amongst the mountains,

5. Being able to live stream the wedding and seeing all the comments from our friends and family overseas.”

Hannah’s favourite memory from the day was when they were flying back in the chopper from their photo shoot. “We were blasting Shania Twain’s “Feel Like a Woman”. It was this surreal joyful moment, where we just cut loose! There was no pressure to be anything or look like anything, just us celebrating on top of the world together.”

Congratulations to Hannah and Sophie on your incredible adventurous elopement! And thanks to Kate Craig-Brown Photography for submitting it for us to share.