Enchanted: that’s the word that floated through Danielle and Kavindra’s summer garden wedding, and not just because it was their aisle song. At Sunnybrae Estate, surrounded by pastel petals and honey-tones, they created a celebration that was deeply family-oriented. With Dusk Till Dawn behind the lens, every moment feels alive, a gentle reminder that when love and family come together – the result is pure magic.

At the bright age of 19, Danielle and Kavindra crossed paths for the first time. And everyone, including their friends, could see the spark waiting to ignite. “Our friends – who clearly saw it too – gave us a little nudge in the right direction.”

And once that spark had lit, there was no separating these love birds. Kavindra took the next step in their relationship during a trip to the breathtaking Cook Islands. “Without Dani knowing, I had the ring ready and booked us a romantic stay on a secluded island in Aitutaki. On the deck of our overwater bungalow, surrounded by the turquoise lagoon, I asked her to marry me – capturing the moment on video to share with our family later. That evening, we celebrated with a private candlelit dinner on a quiet stretch of beach, watching the sun set over the water,” Kavindra explained.

Kavindra wanted to add his own surprise to their summer wedding – so he started the day off in a classic black Oscar Hunt tuxedo, perfect for the formal setting of the ceremony. For the party part of the night, he had a sleek white jacket lined up for a fresh twist.

Their wedding parties were made up of their siblings and close friends. The groomsmen wore classic black tuxedos to match Kavindra. The bridesmaids wore stunning cream dresses to complement the honey-toned summer colours.

In the lead-up to the ceremony, Kavindra and his wedding party stayed at his parents’ home. And the morning of, they celebrated by participating in some traditional Sri Lankan customs, including a special kiri bath meal and lighting the ceremonial lamps. “While our wedding in Adelaide followed a more Western style, we later travelled to Sri Lanka for a traditional homecoming celebration.”

Danielle thought she wanted something modern, but the moment she put on this beautiful princess-style gown, she was a goner. “I completely fell in love with the traditional look. It felt straight out of a fairytale – dramatic and a little over-the-top, but in the most magical way. Shopping for it with my mum and sister made the experience even more special.”

Sunnybrae Estate in Adelaide was the venue Danielle and Kavindra chose as their home base for their summer wedding, drawn in by its beautiful gardens. “We particularly liked the marque look for the summary vibes,” Danielle shared.

“We chose a soft palette of pastel and honey tones for our flowers, aiming for a romantic and elegant feel. We left the creative design in the hands of our florist, Botanical Architecture, trusting their expertise to bring our vision to life. The result was stunning!”

As Taylor Swift’s “Enchanted” floated across the warm gardens, Danielle walked down the aisle with her father on her arm.

Kavindra and Danielle wanted their garden ceremony to feel cosy and intimate, surrounded by the ones they love the most. “We included as many family and friends as possible: our page boys and flower girls were our cousins and nephews, and our witnesses were close friends and family. The ceremony was deeply emotional and beautiful, made even more special by our personalised vows, which allowed us to share our hearts with each other and everyone present,” they explained.

The five things that made their summer garden wedding unique to Danielle and Kavindra were:

“1. The involvement of our family.

2. Our first dance, with our siblings performing live and sharing the moment with our parents.

3. The surprise fireworks.

4. Blending cultures with Sri Lankan traditions.

5. Watching how happy everyone was for us.”

Dusk Till Dawn was the perfect team to capture Danielle and Kavindra’s day – tackling both the photography and videography. “We chose them not only for their incredible work but also because they’re a couple; their natural chemistry made us feel so comfortable and at ease throughout the process. They captured beautiful, candid moments that perfectly reflect the joy of the day. Before the wedding, we also did an engagement shoot with them, which was a great way to break the ice and get comfortable in front of the camera!”

One of their favourite details hidden in the reception set-up was this stunning sign hanging at the bar! “Adorned with flowers, the sign featured the lyrics from our first dance: “My Darling, You Look Wonderful Tonight.” It was such a sweet, personal touch that made us smile every time we saw it.”

The true mastermind behind the absolutely incredible styling found throughout the day is Emily from Memory Lane! “She brought our vision to life beautifully and made the whole planning process so enjoyable,” Danielle shared.

“We didn’t DIY anything – neither of us is particularly creative-minded, so we left the details in the capable hands of our specialist stylist. Their expertise brought our vision to life beautifully, allowing us to enjoy the day without the stress of DIY projects.”

If Danielle and Kavindra could leave some wisdom for couples planning their own weddings, it would be not to worry about what could go wrong. “On the day, nothing can truly ruin your wedding – just focus on enjoying the moment, celebrating with your loved ones, and soaking in all the joy,” they shared.

“A funny story we still laugh about is how stressed we were leading up to the wedding, trying to make everything perfect and even having a few close calls with wardrobe malfunctions. On the day itself, we were so caught up in the joy of it all that we didn’t even notice when I accidentally cut my hand – and, without realising, got blood on Dani’s beautiful white dress! By that point, we were so in the moment and in love that it didn’t bother us at all. Looking back, it’s hilarious how stressed we were about things going wrong, because nothing could have ruined the day. Some of the wedding photos and videos even show the bandaid on my hand, and it’s now a funny little reminder that always makes us giggle. We probably would have been upset before the wedding, but now we absolutely love it.”

For both Danielle and Kavindra, involving their families in every part of the wedding was their favourite element of the planning process. “From sharing ideas to making decisions together, it made the process so much more meaningful and enjoyable. Their support, input, and excitement added a special personal touch to every part of our wedding.”

And of course, how could they not pick these stunning surprise firework shots as their favourites?! “Only Dani and I knew about it, so we gathered everyone outside, who thought we were about to have another dance. After the countdown, the fireworks lit up the sky, and the photo perfectly captures a private, intimate moment between us amid the joyful shock and happiness of our family and friends,” Kavindra explained.

Their first dance was to “Wonderful Tonight” by Eric Clapton, made even more special as it was performed live by their siblings’ band – Hitch Perfect! “My brother played guitar, Dani’s brother was on piano, my sister on drums, and Dani’s sister sang. The moment was magical. Halfway through the song, I invited my mother to join the dance, and Dani invited her father, so we finished the song dancing together as a family. It was a truly beautiful and emotional moment,” Kavindra shared.

Thank you to Dusk Till Dawn for capturing every moment of this heartfelt, family-filled celebration with such warmth and artistry. And of course, congratulations to Danielle & Kavindra: what a day to remember!