Romantic Misty Wedding at Gabbinbar Homestead

With mist drifting across the gardens of Gabbinbar Homestead, Katie and Josh’s wedding unfolded like a quiet little dream. Rich with Scottish heritage, heirloom details and playful touches of whimsy. Every heartfelt moment was captured by Daniel Chafer Photography and Sunny Day Films, whose timeless imagery perfectly reflected the romance of the day.

Katie and Josh didn’t meet under perfect circumstances; they just had perfect timing! In 2014, Josh was backpacking his way across Australia while Katie was deep in law school. What began as a chance meeting quickly turned into hours-long phone calls, late-night study sessions from opposite ends of the country, and a habit of falling asleep on the line. Distance didn’t keep them apart – if anything, it drew them closer. “For his 20th birthday, I splurged and bought Josh a $45 TigerAir flight to the Gold Coast, and the rest is history. We continued dating long-distance for a few months, aided by many a TigerAir flight, but we quickly realised we couldn’t be apart. In July 2015, Josh moved up to the Gold Coast, knowing nobody except me,” Katie shared.

Josh proposed to Katie on her favourite beach in Far North Queensland, surrounded by the dwindling light of the day and no one else – thanks to some light rain. “Unbeknownst to Katie, her whole family was in on the secret, and when we returned from the beach, everyone was waiting at the door, ready to celebrate!”

Both her ceremony and reception gowns were brought from the wonderful team at The Art of Bridal. Her first look was a bespoke Alena Leena gown, with a beautiful off-shoulder moment and flowing skirt. “I had a vision for the neckline which the designer executed beautifully, and I fell in love with the floral silk lace – it reminded me of my late grandmother.”

Instead of a traditional wedding party, Katie and Josh had their mothers and sisters wear coordinating colours. “My mother and sister wore shades of pale blue (which tied in with the wedding florals and my bouquet) and Josh’s mother and sister wore navy and dark green (which tied in with his kilt).”

In a heartfelt nod to Josh’s heritage, he wore a traditional kilt made by St Kilda Australia especially for the wedding. “The first time I had ever seen him in a kilt was when I walked down the aisle, which was incredibly special.”

The moment Katie and Josh set foot on Gabbinbar Homestead’s grounds, they were instantly enchanted by the romantic views. And that love was only enhanced the day of their romantic wedding when the mist rolled in. “The meticulously manicured gardens and charming homestead perfectly captured the magic and nostalgia of the Scottish Highlands.”

Following close behind her sister, Katie walked down the aisle with her mum and dad by her side. She walked with all four of her late grandparents, inside a locket pinned to her bouquet. “A short time before the wedding, a Scottish singer whom Josh and I had long ago bonded over our love for released an acoustic cover of our special song. It felt meant to be. I walked down the aisle to our special song (a Scottish folk song) covered by our favourite artist.

Their ceremony was sincere and full of love, thanks in part to their talented celebrant, Laura Ryan! “We chose not to have any readings, but wrote and exchanged personal vows, which were one of the most special moments of our lives. On our wedding day, a beautiful fine mist encircled our ceremony space. It created the most ethereal vibe, and so many of our guests commented on how magical it felt!”

When it came to their flowers and styling, Katie and Josh drew inspiration from the Scottish countryside – think elegant, classic and a touch nostalgic. “We were drawn to soft whites, hues of natural pale blues and pops of lively bright green to tie in with the beautiful Gabbinbar surrounds. Our florist team at Harper Arrow did a wonderful job of bringing together our vision!”

Behind the lens for this romantic, misty wedding was Daniel Chafer Photography, capturing each and every moment in his classic, timeless, emotion-forward style.

Katie has this sage wisdom to share with couples planning their own special celebrations: “Try to enjoy the wedding planning process – it can be so much fun. We look back so fondly on those months of folding envelopes in the living room and picking out cake flavours.”

All of this timeless stationery and signage was designed and created by Katie and Josh themselves. “The invitations, welcome sign, menus, place settings, wedding website, etc. We made it a really joyful activity that we’d do together while listening to music or cooking. We had an assembly line in our living room for months!”

There were little touches of whimsy sprinkled throughout their reception, like their live illustrator, Frankie Wallace! “We loved adding unique elements of whimsy to the day, to create opportunities for special moments for our guests (and us!). Our favourite element was our wonderful wedding illustrator, who created watercolour portraits for our guests to take home, in lieu of traditional favours,” Katie shared.

“We also had a vintage telephone audio guestbook, a gelato cart during cocktail hour, and customised film cameras for our guests to use during the reception.”

For their first dance, Katie changed into her next look of the night – a sleek Vagabond Bridal gown. “I loved the intricate beading, the bow detail and the sleek silhouette – it was just such a perfect dress for dancing!”

They began their dance as “Better Man” by Paolo Nutini floated through the air. “Another song close to our hearts. It was Josh’s suggestion, and it was utterly perfect.”

Her final look of the night was a traditional going-away outfit just in time for the send-off. The best part? She wore a vintage brooch gifted to her grandmother from her grandfather on their own wedding day in 1951!