If you’ve ever wondered what it looks like when two people throw the kind of wedding that’s 100% them: this is it. From a chance teenage romance in Blenheim to a joy-filled party in Perth, Dylan and Melody’s wedding was a riot of colour and upbeat energy. There were alpacas, disco balls, rainbow tablecloths, and a bridesmaid lineup straight out of a dopamine dream. Every magic moment was captured by Amy Jaye of Sunny Daze Lovers, who was basically part of the wedding party by the end of the day!

Dylan and Melody first crossed paths when they were 15 during a New Year’s Eve celebration in their hometown of Blenheim, New Zealand. After two years of dating, they parted ways amicably, with Dylan moving to Perth and Melody going off to university. “As fate would have it, my parents later relocated to Perth – where Dylan was living – and after I finished my studies, I joined them. Dylan and I reconnected, started spending time together again, and the rest, as they say, is history.”

At the end of 2022, Dylan and Melody took a trip back to their hometown to visit friends and family, and decided to go on a drive to the beach… (for no reason in particular…) “The first beach was… not the vibe. Picture people smoking, some leftover rubbish, and definitely not proposal material. So we tried the next bay over, Monkey Bay, and it was magic – just the two of us in a quiet little cove.

We started skimming rocks and trying to find the perfect flat ones. I was deep in rock-search mode when Dylan got down on one knee behind me with the ring, patiently waiting for me to turn around. He mumbled something along the lines of “Will you marry me?” and I immediately screamed. At some point, I asked, “Wait – did I even say yes?” and he said, “Did I even ask properly?” Pretty sure we both blacked out, but it was very us and very cute.

Afterwards, we went to another beautiful beach where we drank champagne and listened to the most perfect busker playing nearby –honestly, it felt like a movie. Then we celebrated with my best friend Katy and had dinner with Dylan’s mates,” she explained.

Melody’s gown was a stunning off-shoulder, long-sleeved number from Graces Loves Lace. “I went dress shopping with two of my bridesmaids and my mum, and our first stop was Grace Loves Lace, which, by the way, has the most stunning showroom. The very first dress I tried on ended up being the one. I wanted something timeless – something I could one day pass down to my daughter, or that looked like it had already been passed down from my grandma. It felt romantic and nostalgic, but also totally me,” she shared.

“It was such a surreal moment – especially since we’re not usually the teary type (okay, I actually cry a lot, so maybe just the others aren’t). But we all got emotional! I did try on dresses at another boutique afterwards, but nothing compared. A week later, I went back and said yes to the dress.”

Within her wedding party, Melody had Ansa, Katy, Lucy, Maddie and Eloise. They were given their dress brief a year prior to the wedding – just pick a dress you love, in any colour, cut or style. “My only rule? I never wanted anyone saying, “she made me wear this.” As the dresses were chosen, we’d add them to a hilariously bad Photoshop group pic to check they didn’t clash. There were a few returns, a few “oops, wrong shade” moments, and some dress drama along the way – but we got there! And in the end, everyone looked amazing and felt like themselves, which was exactly the point.”

Just before the ceremony, while Melody and her wedding party were nervously waiting behind the hedges. The tavern next to the venue has a playground out the back, and the group spotted some little girls spying on them through the bushes. “They were clearly living their best lives. At one point, they called out, “Are you princesses?” Naturally, we all said “Yes!” and started waving and blowing kisses like royalty. It was such a surreal, fairytale moment – and honestly, the perfect distraction to calm the nerves. Now, I’m not entirely sure they actually thought we were princesses… but that’s my version of the story, and I’m sticking to it.”

With such a colourful wedding party, Melody knew that they had to keep Dylan’s outfit classic and straightforward. He opted for a timeless black suit with a bow tie from Suit Vault. His wedding party wore matching suits and bow ties to keep things clean and cohesive.

The thing Dylan remembers most about the day was this: “My sweaty hands at the altar! I quite like being a background character, so I was understandably quite nervous to stand in front of a bunch of people and be the centre of attention, but the ceremony was awesome, it was full of laughs, and you couldn’t wipe the smiles from our faces, also the people that we chose to share our day with. A lot of them travelled far and wide to make it over to Perth to have the most awesome week, seeing their faces being so filled with big grins and tears to celebrate us tying the knot was pretty special.”

When looking for their dream venue, Dylan and Melody got really lucky on their second visit! Lily Farm House had just opened, and is this beautifully transformed family home with the perfect warm, relaxed charm they were after. “It had everything we wanted: a bar (very important), a stunning indoor area for the reception, and both a front and backyard for all the garden party vibes. There was even a bonus: the neighbours’ horses, who spent most of the day spying on us over the fence like very judgmental but photogenic wedding crashers.”

Melody walked down the aisle to a beautiful cover of “Adore U” by Fred Again, sung by Sidney. “My stepdad John walked ahead, and then my lovely mum joined us, so I had one on each arm – which felt really special. I’m so glad we did a rehearsal beforehand, though… without it, we might’ve ended up in a bit of a tangle. But on the day, it all came together perfectly.”

They had so many incredible vendors in their dream team that Melody couldn’t pick just one standout. She does, however, want to shout out the incredible collaboration between Kristy from Wed with Whitt and Lauren from Veils and Vibes! “But if I had to pick a standout, it would be Kristy Whittaker. She was incredible. So low-maintenance, so organised, and just completely got us. She met with us, wrote the most perfect ceremony, helped us write our vows, printed everything out, and made sure it all ran smoothly. She was also our MC, so she was with us throughout the day, keeping everything flowing effortlessly,” Melody explained.

“The combination of Kristy and Lauren from Veils and Vibes was magic. Lauren styled the absolute hell out of the day – it looked amazing – and she was also our on-the-day coordinator. She somehow managed to be everywhere and nowhere at once, always one step ahead. Anything I needed, she sorted. It was just so easy.”

Amy from Sunny Daze Lovers was actually the first vendor Melody and Dylan booked after locking in their venue! “I’d been quietly stalking her work for a while and just loved how natural and joyful all her photos felt. Nothing looked overly posed; everyone just looked genuinely happy, which was exactly what we wanted.

Dylan and I aren’t huge photo people; we’re a bit awkward in front of the camera, so having someone who could make us feel comfortable was a must. When AJ arrived, she instantly brought the energy. She hyped everyone up and honestly just felt like another friend hanging out with us (who happened to be taking amazing photos). The bridal party shots were quick, easy, and felt totally natural. She’s an absolute pro, and I’m so glad we had her. This is also my reminder to go write her the glowing Google review she 100% deserves!”

Tarryn from Sonny and Willow was the perfect vendor to create all of these incredible vibrant florals found throughout the day, “We never had a strict colour palette – it was more of a “go with the vibe” approach. Once all the bridesmaids had chosen their dresses, I sent our (very dodgy) photoshopped group pic to Tarryn, and she somehow worked her magic to make the flowers match perfectly.

We ended up with the most stunning mix of relaxed roses, hydrangeas, and just all-round dreamy florals. When I saw them on the day, I literally gasped and thought, “This can’t be mine… I definitely didn’t pay for something this good!” Tarryn absolutely nailed it,” she explained

The top five things that made this vibrant country wedding so special were:

“1. The people – Having all our favourite humans in one place was everything. It’s such a rare thing, especially when you live far from family and old friends, and it made the day feel truly magical.

2. Each other – At the heart of it all, it was about us. Among all the chaos and colour, we kept coming back to that, and it made every moment feel grounded and meaningful.

3. The flowers – Tarryn from Sonny and Willow absolutely nailed it. The florals were dreamy, vibrant, and completely transformed the space. They brought so much personality and beauty to the day.

4. The food – We chose food we actually love to eat. It wasn’t super fancy, but it was so good. Comforting, delicious, and totally us.

5. The vendors – Truly, no notes. Every single one of them brought their talent, energy, and heart. They made the day run smoothly and feel effortless, which is no small feat!”

Working in collaboration, Tarryn and Lauren from Veils and Vibes created the most beautiful outdoor styling. “Lauren, our stylist and on-the-day coordinator, also helped by sending through fabric swatches for the tablecloths, and that’s how we landed on our patchwork, granny-chic, rainbow tablecloth moment. Tarryn even tied the flowers in with that, and somehow it all just worked. It felt like a joyful explosion of colour and personality.”

Their reception was fun, vibrant and oh so them – with so much colour, flowers and disco balls. “It was a bit of a sensory party in the best way. One of the standout details (and definitely the most talked-about) was the alpacas from Littlebrook Alpacas. They were such a hit – super cute, ridiculously soft, and the ultimate conversation starters. Plus, they were total pros: not a single spit incident. A win for everyone involved!”

This party wedding had too many heart-warming moments for Melody to pick just one favourite. “Having all our favourite people in one place was probably the biggest highlight. When you live in a different country from your family and oldest friends, that kind of gathering feels like a once-in-a-lifetime moment. But then I think about the speeches… and the food… and suddenly I’m back to square one. Every time I try to pick a favourite, something else pops into my head. So no, I’m officially terrible at choosing – but in the best possible way,” she explained.

“And a special shoutout to Kate Batter, who whipped up the most beautiful cake on short notice. I couldn’t have asked for a better crew.”

“This Will Be” by Natalie Cole was their first dance song, something they’d planned just a few days before the wedding. “We actually worked with a choreographer about four months before the wedding to learn a proper routine, which felt very organised for us! But during that time, my cousin sadly passed away, and a similar song was played at the funeral. After that, I just couldn’t bring myself to practise – it felt too emotional. Fast forward to three days before the wedding, and my Maid of Honour basically staged an intervention and made us rehearse,” Melody shared.

“We ended up dancing to This Will Be by Natalie Cole: it’s upbeat, joyful, and just felt right. It was fast-paced, full of energy, and even featured a surprise appearance from Dylan’s twerking skills (which no one saw coming). I’d also bought these gorgeous Louboutin heels for the lifts and the photos… but I was having so much fun, I completely forgot to put them back on!”

For Melody, her favourite part of planning was when it was all over. “Okay… this might be surprising, but honestly? The end of it! I’m definitely not a party planner or a type A personality, so the whole process was a bit of a struggle for me. That’s where Lauren from Veils and Vibes was an absolute lifesaver. She took so much off my plate and made everything feel manageable. Without her, I probably would’ve eloped out of sheer overwhelm! Wait, Dylan has just told me to say dancing on our friends’ shoulders to “Untouched” by the Veronicas.”

From the rainbow of dresses to the alpacas stealing the show, Dylan and Melody’s wedding was anything but ordinary – and that’s exactly what made it unforgettable. Congratulations, Dylan and Melody! And thanks to Sunny Daze Lovers for sharing these beautiful moments with us.