Bethany and Niko’s wedding had everything: a proposal that began with a maple leaf, family-made details full of love, and an autumnal celebration that was full of colour and quiet celebration. All of these special memories were captured perfectly by the wonderful Dani Bartlett Photography – we couldn’t imagine this love story without her lens.

Bethany and Niko met in 2015 through Tinder (although she tells her parents they met at Uni!). “We spoke for a little while before meeting up, and we just never stopped after that. I met Niko six months after I moved to Melbourne, so he definitely became one of the reasons to stay. I rejoiced the day he got rid of his ripped jeans, which had worn through the heel of his shoe. I’m pretty sure all his friends know exactly what pair I mean,” she shared.

For Beth and Niko, the proposal was anything but ordinary: equal parts heartfelt, hilarious, and perfectly them. Beth had always dreamed of having a ring from somewhere meaningful to both of them, and Japan held that special place. So, during their 2023 trip, she asked Niko to pop the question while they were there. Hakone, with its incredible scenery, became the setting for the moment, but things didn’t exactly go as planned.

“I may have said no the first time,” Beth laughs. “He got down on one knee and presented me with… a maple leaf as a ring. I had trouble taking him seriously! Hence why our wedding ended up with a slight maple theme. It’s also my fault for suggesting we go ring shopping together after he proposed.”

Niko admits nerves got the better of him that night. “I knew what Beth’s answer would be, but I was still so nervous. We’d been drinking, and at some point, I convinced myself it was a great idea to cut off a maple branch, shape it into a makeshift ring, and propose. She gave me a very amused no. Honestly, I went to bed confused but tipsy, not entirely sure what had just happened.” Thankfully, Niko didn’t let the maple mishap stop him. “The next morning, I had a brilliant idea: if a maple leaf doesn’t work, surely an egg salad sandwich would. And apparently, I was right!”

If there was one thing Bethany knew when it came to wedding dress shopping, it was that she didn’t want to be overwhelmed by endless options. “I’m the kind of person that the more options I’m given, the less I’m unsure. I chose the Teuta Matoshi dress because it better reflected me, with daisies embroidered throughout, and it was truly beautiful. I cut it fine, receiving a week before the wedding. I also didn’t wear a veil!”

Niko, on the other hand, knew he wanted a classic, black suit with a dried boutonniere that matched the flowers in Bethany’s hair.

Dani Bartlett captured each and every warm moment alongside Niko and Bethany. “She was so relaxed with our curveballs and with our style. Everyone we’ve shown photos to has been deeply impressed with how well she captured us, family and friends. I feel lucky in that Dani knew my sister (a wedding videographer in SA), so I had way less anxiety about how the photos were going to turn out. We absolutely do not regret the decision to use Dani at all.”

To go along with the autumnal theme of the day, Bethany decided dried flowers were the best option. “I ordered a dried flower bouquet so we could enjoy them long after the wedding as well. I ordered lots of dried flowers, and Niko’s amazingly creative sister created our arbour from them.”

Sunshine Social had the four things Bethany and Niko love most – casual, colourful, full of Melbourne charm and incredible food. “We didn’t want anything that required a lot of decision making or thinking on the day, and Sunshine Social were amazing – they flexed with what we wanted and they made it all work.”

The signage, decor, flower styling and the incredible arbour were all created by Niko’s talented sister. While Bethany’s mum and family also helped create the maple leaf cookies as gifts for the guests.

The whole concept of walking down the aisle while everyone watched made Bethany super nervous, so instead, she and Niko stood at their arbour and beckoned everyone over when they were ready. For the actual ceremony itself, neither Niko nor Bethany wanted to plan anything out. Instead, they just let it flow naturally; their only goal was to make their loved ones laugh and spend the rest of the night celebrating – all made so much easier with the help of their celebrant Benn Stone!

The top five things that made their warm, autumnal wedding so special to Bethany and Niko were:

“1. Having it local, and using localist suppliers.

2. Hiring the doughnut and coffee van.

3. We somehow managed to get a 25-degree day in May!

4. We took our photos before the ceremony and reception, which allowed us to include our cats.

5. Our people travelling from all over to be there.”

As someone who plans events for a living, Beth admits it was a little tricky at first to switch gears into “wedding mode.” “The budget was a lot smaller than what I usually work with, so it took me a little while to get into it,” she shared. “But in the end, I made so many decisions with Niko and that made it so much easier. He was so helpful and happy to be bored with wedding details at any point, so it just reinforced what I already knew about him.”

When it came to the dance floor, Niko’s sister made sure to keep tradition alive… her version of it, at least. She was the first to jump up and lead the way, a playful bit of payback from when Niko had done the same thing at her own wedding!

Congratulations to Bethany and Niko on a day filled with laughter, love, and the quirkiest little details. And a big thank you to Dani Bartlett for capturing it all so beautifully.