Rustic Wedding at The Truffle Farm Canberra

Rooted in faith and rich with meaning, Sophia and Jeremy’s wedding was a reminder of how you can honour both God and culture in the same moment. Set at Truffle Farm Canberra, they blended Sophia’s Narrunga and Kaurna heritage with Jeremy’s Chinese background, creating a wedding that was a tapestry of who they are. With scripture, cultural symbolism, and surrounded by their loved ones who travelled from across the world, it was the perfect celebration, captured entirely by Acacia and Grace.

Since they met at church camp, it was no surprise to any of their guests that Sophia and Jeremy wanted to create the perfect faith-based wedding. It was Enlighten 2024 that led them to their marriage, when Jeremy proposed to Sophia with the Canberra Symphony Orchestra playing in the background.

Local Canberra seamstress Kathryn Lemmin worked with Sophia to bring her dream gown to life, creating the perfect princess look. “Getting the perfect dress doesn’t always involve exactly the right fit at first – it takes a lot of tailoring, but Kathryn did a great job,” Sophia shared. “Nisal MUA also flew all the way from Melbourne for the event.”

In her wedding party, Sophia had her sisters and her high school best friend, all wearing pomegranate-red dresses. “I told them that as long as they had the same fabric and colour, they could wear whatever they felt comfortable with. I’m glad I made that decision, as they all looked beautiful and felt beautiful.”

Their venue of choice for this faith-based rustic wedding was the beautiful Truffle Farm Canberra. “We wanted a venue with lots of space for all of our guests, in nature, with really good food – and we found it!”

Jeremy wore a tobacco-coloured suit with a lining decorated with First Nations artwork and a matching tie from Theodore. “I wanted to combine our cultures – red symbolises luck and good fortune in my family’s Chinese culture, while the First Nations artwork brought in a bit of Sophia’s culture and heritage. I also wore the watch which Sophia bought me for my 26th birthday, a utilitarian but funky Casio GA-B2100.”

His wedding party was made up of his primary and high school friends, each wearing cream suits to complement Jeremy’s own tobacco tones.

Sophia walked down the aisle to her nana’s favourite song, “Can’t Help Falling In Love”, performed live by Hidden Brass. Her parents, Janine and Justin, walked on either side of her.

The ceremony was perfectly Christ-centred, with the help of their Pastor Matt McGaw. “We wanted to speak to all of our family and friends so that God could meet them where they were at. Our readings were Mark 10:42-45 and Corinthians 1:13. We also had live music from the Equippers Canberra worship band and Hidden Brass, a brass quintet.”

Native bouquets and pieces were created by Poetry in Flowers to complement the rustic colour scheme. “Proteas are Sophia’s favourite flower, and Sophia has been going to Poetry in Flowers as her local florist since her teenage years. We’re also having them encased in resin by Bloomy Days!” Jeremy shared.

Their adorable ring bearer brought the rings down the aisle in an Optimus Prime figurine, with Jeremy popping open the chest cavity to retrieve them – his favourite detail of the day!

When it came to picking their witnesses, there was no one else but her and Jeremy’s mothers they wanted to sign with them. Hidden Brass performed “Romantic Flight” from How to Train Your Dragon, cementing the moment with the soundtrack from their favourite movie!

Stephanie from Acacia and Grace was the photographer for this faith-based rustic wedding, and was the first and only photographer that Sophia and Jeremy even considered!

Their favourite shot Stephanie captured throughout the day was this shot of the two of them kissing under Sophia’s veil.

Sophia comes from the Narrunga and Kaurna peoples, and to honour that, her mother gifted kangaroo skins to her and Jeremy. “In Narrunga Kaurna culture, babies typically receive kangaroo skins. Since Sophia did not receive one as a baby, her mum provided them for her wedding.”

For Sophia and Jeremy, the best part of planning their wedding was the reminder that it isn’t just about them – but about God. “Being forced to remember that the day isn’t about any particular persons or events, but about glorifying God.”

Trumpets at the ready, Sophia and Jeremy’s friends gave a grand introduction to their reception. Their live band, Campbell’s Ramble, took over for their first dance to “L-O-V-E”. “Their band leader, Dr Constantine Campbell, came out of retirement from weddings gigs just to play for our wedding!”

The five things that made this wedding so unique and heartfelt for Sophia and Jeremy were:

“1. The pastor who baptised Sophia was the one who married us, and the pastor who baptised Jeremy was the one who delivered the sermon.

2. We had family from all over the world – Hong Kong, America, South Australia, Queensland, the Northern Territory, and Victoria.

3. We were able to integrate our cultures together.

4. The amazing live music during both the ceremony and the reception.

5. Hearing our friends and family be candid (and a bit cheeky) about us during speeches.”

If there was one piece of advice Sophia and Jeremy would want you to know, it’s this: “Always know your non-negotiables, and let everything else be what it will be. Learn to delegate.”