Dreamy Summer Wedding in Spring Bay Tasmania

Three days in a new country was all it took for Alex and James to find each other, and everything that followed seems to carry that same sense of certainty, from a whirlwind beginning to a wedding that asked everyone to pause and take it all in. Surrounded by Tasmania’s coastal landscape, they shaped a celebration that was as much about the experience as it was about the moment itself. It felt open and heartfelt, and thanks to By The Wilde, it’s now captured forever on film.

We’re sure many millennials have met their match through an app, but how many have met their person days after landing in a new country? Alex only had three days in Australia before he met James, and they’ve been at each other’s side ever since. “We became each other’s person and knew this was different,” James shared.

Pump House Point was the perfect spot for Alex to propose to James, in the beautiful reclaimed and converted hydroelectric building on Lake St. Clair. “We had a weekend escape that I thought was for our anniversary. Alex waited for a perfect break in the weather on a typical Tasmanian day that was rainy and blowing a gale, to go out for a walk on the edge of the lake with frozen fingers and propose,” He explained.

James and Alex worked with P.Johnson in Melbourne to pick out matching suits. Alex wore a green suit jacket to match the nature of the venue, and James chose a classic white suit jacket to go with the softness and beachy vibe of the venue. “They made this the best experience and made this decision so easy.”

Their wedding party was made up of friends and family (from across the globe in Alex’s case!). Their shared wedding party had Alex’s father and brother, James’ brother and three of their best friends. “We went with the idea of a collective wedding party and didn’t split this group up; they were all so special to us, so we love the fact that we got to share them all. The boys wore suits in more of a casual style with black jackets, and the girls wore soft pink. We wanted colours that would tie in well with us but also match with our venue and floral choices.”

This stunning underground silo was the perfect dreamy spot photographer Omar spotted for James and Alex’s first look. “He found the best spot in Spring Bay Mill that gave us the perfect backdrop and space for us to have our first look. This time was so special and allowed us to have a moment together, and then our wedding party joined us so we could have a moment with them. They could see us, and we could have a pre-ceremony bubble. This time was perfect!” James shared.

Alex added, “I remember the shift from nerves to calm. I remember the feeling of pure love and connection with those around me. I remember the first time I saw James in our private reveal. Most importantly, I remember most the feeling of not wanting our day to end!”

Spring Bay Mill was the venue of choice for James and Alex’s dreamy summer wedding, made even more perfect with the on-site accommodation for their travelling guests. “We knew we wanted a venue that could act as a night away and let our guests and ourselves be fully immersed in the experience, something that would feel like a true event. When Alex moved to Tasmania, he lived on the east coast, so this also had a special place in our hearts. Spring Bay Mill offered all of that and more. We had more than enough accommodation for everyone and a mix of glamping tents and rooms. We loved the mix of the beach and the nature, as well as the rustic architectural vibe of the old woodchip mill, which has been converted into a stunning wedding venue. The team at Spring Bay Mill were also just easy to deal with, they gave us the whole property to work with and so many stunning locations. We knew we were onto something good when we were struggling to find which areas we wanted to get married in and have the reception because they were all so good!”

For florals, Alex and James worked with Morgan from The Event Connoisseur, their wedding planner, and Carolyn from Curate Botanica to bring their vision to life. “We wanted something different, and they helped us work with florals with interesting shapes and colours, mixing dry florals with soft roses and stunning greens that helped to enhance the beauty of the venue. Using rocks as a base made it feel like the florals were truly coming out of the space and really ticked all the boxes for something stunning but non-traditional.”

James walked down the aisle to a rendition of “Lay All Your Love On Me” by ABBA as a tribute to his late mother. Their brand, The Foley Artists, did an incredible version on violin, guitar and banjo.

With the help of Kate Uren from The Party Celebrant, James and Alex’s ceremony was fun from start to finish. “With our ceremony, we wanted to look around and feel comfortable with all of our people. We both read our own vows and had the best celebrant, Kate, who made our day so fun. She truly made our wedding feel like we were surrounded by friends and a celebration, not a formality, before the party.”

When it came to their dream team of vendors, James and Alex couldn’t have been happier with the group they put together! “Working with vendors that didn’t mind doing something different and really allowing us to make it us. I think finding perfect vendors can be so hard, and ours ended up feeling like family.”

They wanted to give a special shoutout to three of their favourites:

“1. Omar from By The Wilde created the best photos but was more than that he went above and beyond to build a connection with us and helped with ideas along the way.

2. Kate, our celebrant, was truly a party. She helped us so much with planning and knew exactly how and what we wanted to feel on the day. She is such a genuine person and a true party starter.Now that we’ve mentioned Omar from By The Wilde, we need to dive more into their incredible work for Alex and James. “Omar was amazing, the fact that we still have guests telling us how comfortable they felt and getting to see us and our wedding party be so natural and having fun. Omar had amazing ideas for photos and captured our vibe perfectly. He’s created art that we are truly going to treasure for the rest of our lives,” James gushed.

3. Morgan from The Event Connoisseur was a perfect wedding planner. We didn’t have any hassles on the day, and we truly got to enjoy our special day. She made sure everything was perfect and went off without a hitch. I still don’t know how she took the words we would say to her and somehow turned them into a vision board. It was like she was in my head in the best way possible.”

Now that we’ve mentioned Omar from By The Wilde, we need to dive more into their incredible work for Alex and James. “Omar was amazing, the fact that we still have guests telling us how comfortable they felt and getting to see us and our wedding party be so natural and having fun. Omar had amazing ideas for photos and captured our vibe perfectly. He’s created art that we are truly going to treasure for the rest of our lives,” James gushed.

The reception space was the perfect balance of sophisticated, rustic and dreamy, all wrapped up in the warm glow of candles. There were also a few DIY touches thrown in to make the most of their guests’ experience. “We DIY’d a wedding Tote bag for our guests, as this was a destination wedding, we wanted our guests to have a glass handy and some supplies for the day. We also DIY’d small wine labels that our guests could write messages on. We keep these for bottles we open on our anniversaries, and we get to relive moments or get advice from our guests. It’s a great little ritual and makes anniversaries a little bit more special,” James shared.

“Just being able to take in the space of our venue. I think a lot of couples forget to appreciate the space that you chose to get married in/at, and it’s a big day, having those moments for you is what it’s all about.”

This was the part of the night when James changed into this incredible jacket! Made by the talented team from Melbourne designer Reigner, it was the perfect look to get the party started. “I worked with them as a surprise for Alex to create a jacket that embodied different parts of our journey and meeting, and parts of our lives now with our two beautiful dogs.”

While all of their photos are incredible, James and Alex have a soft spot for the sunset portraits. “We got to be so natural, and it’s the perfect mix of our day, our love and the special island we get to call home,” they shared.

“While we were getting our sunset photos, we had a special visit from a seal playing in the water only a few meters away from us. Such a candid moment, but so special.”

When it came to advice for couples planning their own weddings, James had this wisdom to share: “Make some space for you guys on your day, and it’s hectic, it’s busy, but make some time so you can both take in what you’ve both planned. Also, get vendors that feel like family!”

Their first dance was to “Love Somebody” by Lukas Graham, a moment made all the more magical as they were surrounded by their friends and family. “As we finished our band, The Foley Artists started the party and jumped into a DJ set with a saxophonist, which was the best end to a special moment with all of our guests up and dancing.”