Between towering pines and the quiet song of lyrebirds, Jade and Zach’s story unfolded in a way that felt almost otherworldly. Their forest elopement was intimate and deeply personal, a day when time seemed to slow and the outside world slipped away. With Olivia Rose Photography behind the camera, every fleeting glance and rain-soaked moment captured not just the day itself, but the feeling of losing yourself and finding love in the forest.

After working at the same organisation for a while but rarely running into each other, it took some divine intervention to bring Jade and Zach together. “Jade manifested my attention with Hollywood detective-like murder boards linked with red yarn,” Zach shared.

A few months before Zach proposed, he and Jade had moved into their dream home together. That home is away from everything and everyone they knew, the perfect place to start this new chapter of their lives. “I had held the ring for a few months before asking the question, agonising over the right place to do it, until I realised that there was no better and more meaningful place to us than our living room after a long weekend away from home. I set the ring on the windowsill before we left, and it was waiting for Jade to find it when we came home,” he explained.

Jade and Zach came across a few stray photos of The Firs Picnic Area in Barrington Tops Forest online, and they instantly fell in love. “We found a campground nearby and made the trip one weekend to check it out. The spot, which is a failed pine plantation from decades ago, appears out of nowhere in the middle of classic Australian bush and feels like you have stumbled into another world. The pines create an entirely different atmosphere, and they soak up all ambient noise, leaving nothing but the birdsong from passing Lyrebirds,” Jade recalls.

“I will regularly reflect on when I was standing in my dress, under the camping canopy of our 4WD, out of sight from the guests who began to arrive. From there, I heard the moment that they all saw the location for the first time and the high-pitched squeals, gasps and audible ‘awes’ were exactly what we had hoped for.”

Zach wore a charming brown vest and jacket combo from Joe Black, with a pair of dark green pants and a burgundy tie purchased from the op-shop – the perfect look for the moody vibe of the day. “I never thought I would have a wedding day that I look back on so fondly, knowing I was present and able to enjoy every moment… Everything was beyond what I could’ve dreamed of; there was a fair bit of the day that we left up to the professionals, rather than picking every small detail, and this paid off immensely,” he shared.

Jade chose a long-sleeved, satin gown from Shona Joy for her look, perfectly matching the ethereal vibes of the forest. “I was really impressed with the quality of the fabric and the fit for the price, as I did not prioritise the dress in our wedding budget. I don’t think I could have found anything I liked more. When asked what I was looking for, I jokingly said that I wanted to look like a ‘Bridal Morticia Addams’ and ironically, I think that’s exactly what I ended up with,” she explained.

“The champagne colour was perfect for a more ‘aged’ look that wasn’t too stark against the forest. It had a small train that felt bridal, without being too cumbersome. I also altered my mother’s veil, removing some weight from it, adding more beading and dying it with coffee to better match the dress.”

The aisle, which was loosely marked between the pine trees, led up to the beautiful ceremony space styled by Elope Barrington Coast. Jade walked towards the space as “Arrival In Nara” by Alt-J floated between the pines. “This was the first time I had seen her in the full dress. We came together and walked our aisle side-by-side,” Zach shared.

These ethereal, moody florals were arranged by Pete from Bloom Daddy. Firefly Creek Flower Farm, a local supplier, supplied all of the stunning Dahlias and Zinnias. “Pete took the inspiration from our mood board and, despite none of the flowers we wanted being in season, created something that nailed every aspect of our vibe and love of flowers.”

After their celebrant, Georgia Fletcher, finished their ceremony, Zach and Jade held the cake-cutting ceremony. “We wanted the day to be reflective of us. We wanted it to give a glimpse into the moments of our relationship that most people don’t see. We are really quite private people, and having moved away from most of our family and friends, we had never had these people together in one place, much less being there to focus solely on us,” they explained.

“Our decision to have a small-scale elopement played heavily into our ability to be comfortable to show that side of us, and be the moment that felt like it was uncompromisingly representative of us.”

The cherry on top of this moody wedding was the incredible vendor team Zach and Jade were blessed with. “Honestly, every single one of them was amazing. Everything and everyone was lovely and exceeded any expectations we had for the day,” they shared. “Luckily for us, our top local vendors collaborate in the team, Elope Barrington Coast. EBC made the planning enjoyable, and we fully trusted their talent and creativity to create the day.”

A core part of their day was planned around their adorable dog Dexter! “He wore a custom boutonniere to match my own from Bloom Daddy. Dexter was a major element that we knew we needed to include. Having him able to be there pushed us to look more at state forests, and that is what led us to the location we chose in The Firs.”

Olivia Rose Photography captured each and every moody, ethereal moment throughout Jade and Zach’s day, and they couldn’t have been happier with the results. “Olivia perfectly captured the magical day, when we look at the photo, we are transported back to our special day. Liv also filmed a video of our day, which we will cherish.”

When it came to choosing what made their moody forest elopement so unforgettable, Jade and Zach could easily pinpoint the details that turned their day into pure magic. In their own words:

“1. Moonan Cottage was a central part of our elopement. What started as a local accommodation choice for our guests ended up being a stunning location for our reception on a beautiful, historic property, bordered by a babbling brook. Beautiful memories were made here for our family, particularly over the amazing dinner prepared by The Wilderness Chef.

2. The journey from the cottage to the location is a steep, meandering climb up the Barrington, with stunning country views.

3. The cake… not only was it a great addition to the ceremony, allowing Olivia Rose to capture some more candid snaps of our day, but it was the best cake we’ve ever had. Baked Culture created a vanilla sponge cake with passionfruit curd and caramel, topped with vanilla mascarpone and a torched meringue.

4. Getting soaked in the rain at the end of the ceremony not only made for some stunning photos but also allowed us to really just be present and let go.

5. The Elope Barrington Coast team outdid themselves in every way and made the entire day and lead up to feel very easy, which allowed for us to truly be present and enjoy the day.”

Instead of a traditional first dance, Zach and Jade waited until most of their family had gone to bed to share a private moment. “We had a dance together, outside, under the fairy lights to end the day, just before midnight, as Lana Del Rey was playing.”

Congratulations, Jade and Zach, on this incredible, magical celebration! And thanks to Olivia Rose Photography for not only capturing everything, but for also sharing it with us.