Intimate Tasmanian Micro-Wedding at Villa Howden

Set against the European charm hidden in sunny Tasmania, these high school sweethearts tied the knot with their beautiful micro-wedding at Villa Howden. Full of sentimental touches, Ash and Josh crafted the perfect intimate celebration with the help of Gee from Dear Leone. Doxa Visual helped the couple to capture their day. Please join us as we delve into the details of Ash and Josh’s wedding!

These high school sweethearts met in year eight, and after two years of orbiting around each other, they took the plunge into the rest of their lives together and started dating.

Christmas Day was the perfect time for Josh to propose to Ash. Surrounded by the twinkling lights of the tree and the quiet hush of their home, he picked Ash’s favourite day of the year to make it even more magical.

Josh opted for a classic black suit and bow tie look to pair with the elegant, Euro-summer vibe of the day.

Adding a sentimental touch to the morning, Ash bought two lockets for her and Josh’s mums – filled with photos of their own wedding days. “I also included their parents’ wedding day; both sides of the grandparents weren’t able to make it to the wedding, so I wanted to include them somehow, and I thought a locket would be a great keepsake,” she explained.

For her own look, Ash wore a stunning Olya Mak gown, purchased second-hand for the day. She finished her look off with a bracelet gifted from her sisters-in-law that held both of their birthstones, so Ash could always have them with her.

The final sentimental detail of her look was the photo of her nanna clipped onto her bouquet, a tradition both of her sisters had done on their own wedding days.

As this micro-wedding was quite intimate, Josh and Ash skipped a wedding party. They did, however, ask guests to dress in their brightest spring colours.

Villa Howden in sunny Tasmania was the venue of choice for this European-inspired celebration for two reasons: “1. Tasmania had always been on our list of places to visit, and 2. It felt like we were in a European country while still being close to home. The atmosphere that it gives off is such an elegant, cosy vibe that we just loved.”

A cover of “You’re Still The One” by Aber Leigh Irish floated through the summer air, as Ash and her father walked down the aisle.

For Josh, this moment is his most-loved memory. “The biggest memory for me was the ceremony, in particular, Ash walking down the aisle and reading our vows. Standing there in such an intimate setting with my beautiful bride, exchanging our vows surrounded by our closest family, just made the entire experience feel like something from a dream,” he shared.

The ceremony was light and casual, exactly as they had dreamed it to be. “With just a few short stories from when we were teenagers and first fell in love to now, being full-fledged adults and still going strong. We also didn’t have a ring bearer; we just had a ring warming ceremony, which I loved the idea of.”

The five things that made this Euro-summer wedding so special for Ash and Josh included:

“1. Having our entire family there

2. Having such a caring team behind the setup & running of our wedding

3. The margaritas!

4. Seeing everyone genuinely smiling/laughing & having a good time

5. That it was the perfect aesthetic that I’d dreamed about.”

The best piece of advice Ash and Josh want to leave for couples planning their own dream weddings is this: “Communication is key, always express your feelings and needs to each other, and most importantly, never stop making each other smile and laugh.”

Gee from Dear Leone was the mastermind behind the styling and planning of this beautiful, beautiful day. “We gave her full rein over the majority of the day. Our flowers were done by The Romantics. My bouquet was a bunch of white lilies, and then we also had arrangements of white and green hydrangeas,” Ash explained. “Every week was exciting to see what Gee had come up with for style ideas; she just took the load off and made everything look so effortless.”

Jac from Doxa Visual was the photographer who captured these stunning moments. “Jac was absolutely fabulous, very down to earth, and she made us feel so comfortable on the day and gave us great indicators on how to pose casually in our photos.”

Even though they love each and every moment captured from the day, the photos from the dinner [catered by Storm Bay Chefs Table!] hold a special place in both Josh and Ash’s hearts. “Because we are both very family-oriented, we both love our family dinner nights, so to have both sides together at once was very special to us. Also, now it’s even more special because both sides have moved away from us, so we don’t get to enjoy the family dinner nights we once took for granted each week.”

Their first dance was very casual, swaying along to a MOD SUN cover of “IRIS” as guests watched on. “It’s a song we had been playing on repeat for the last year; it also has fitting lyrics of not wanting the night to be over.”