A soft pastel garden-party wedding at Lancemore Macedon Ranges
For Britt and Jack, one thing was non-negotiable: creating a wedding that felt like a true escape for their guests. They envisioned a weekend away from the city, where celebrations could unfold slowly and meaningfully – and Lancemore Macedon Ranges delivered the perfect setting for it all.
With the venue setting the tone, their vision evolved into a soft pastel palette that worked in harmony with the garden-party surrounds rather than competing with them. The result? A celebration that felt fresh, relaxed, and effortlessly elegant.
The bridesmaids, dressed in a wash of pastels, blended seamlessly into the landscape with lush, textural bouquets, while Britt’s strapless gown added a modern romantic edge. Jack grounded the look in a traditional black tux, bringing a timeless contrast to the softness of the day.
The celebration truly came alive thanks to the team behind the scenes. Melb Entertainment Co. delivered dancefloor moments to remember, keeping the energy high and guests on their feet all night. Meanwhile, every detail was beautifully captured by Mad for You Creative, preserving the magic for years to come.
The meeting.
We knew of each other from the area we lived in, before the dating app era (Sept 2013), when you just had to shoot your shot. Jack’s approach was commenting on an Instagram photo of my fresh new blonde bob haircut, accompanied by a duck-face pout. He chose the pointing finger, raising hands, and OK-hand emojis, and I responded with a winking kiss emoji. Shortly after, we struck up a conversation via Messenger.
A couple of months later (Jan 2014), I was at work when my colleague mentioned her friends had been in a car accident. I soon realised that Jack was one of them and decided to go with her to the hospital after work, which was very unlike me, in the hopes of seeing him and making sure he was okay. He’d been discharged hours earlier and was visiting one of his other friends in the hospital, but had already left, so we just missed each other. I sent him a message to check in and then decided to go see him the next day. From that day, we spent time together every day for the entire month: I was on uni break, and he had broken ribs and was off work. We’d listen to music, go out for lunch, and chat for hours; the Ed Sheeran Multiply album got a serious beating.
We’ve now been together 12 years. In that time, we’ve travelled, progressed in our careers, bought our first home, got our dog Koda, and are now married and renovating that home.
The one.
Neither of us can pinpoint the exact moment, but it always felt like we’d known each other forever. We fit into each other’s families easily and quickly, which was incredibly important to us – and a dealbreaker we didn’t even realise we had.
The proposal.
We went for a morning walk, like we usually would – me blissfully unaware, and Jack sweating bullets, psyching himself up to ask. Not because he thought my answer would be no, but because it was such a big moment after being together for 10 years. He stopped in the middle of the Williamstown Botanical Gardens and asked me if I was ready, to which I replied, “Ready for what?” and then I realised it was happening. He got down on one knee, and everything after that became a beautiful blur.
Planning process.
It started off with an engagement party not long after the proposal, which was an amazing night. It exceeded all our expectations and really set the tone for the wedding. After that we started the planning process which was a rollercoaster of emotions. I’d take my ideas to Jack, and he’d offer an opinion which helped me make decisions because otherwise it was endless choices. I made sure any of his non-negotiables were included and kept him on track timeline-wise with anything he had to organise.
Being a graphic designer, I loved brainstorming, planning the styling, and figuring out how it would all come together. The production manager in me scheduled every tiny detail and stressed myself at times, but looking back, the day turned out beautifully. Every bit of effort paid off.
Style inspiration.
We knew we wanted the wedding to be an overnight stay or weekend away out of the city, ideally with a Friday ceremony and a recovery day on Saturday. So we looked for venues that could offer that, and initially let the venue type guide our styling decisions. Once we knew it would be in a vineyard or on a property with an outdoor ceremony, we started planning what would complement the setting from both a styling and practicality perspective. From there, we decided on a soft pastel colour palette that wouldn’t compete with the garden-party setting and embraced the season’s summery vibe – light, romantic, whimsical, and elegant.
The ceremony.
After ten years together, it was a truly momentous occasion for all the family involved, with some travelling from overseas to be there. The day was emotional and intimate, with just the right amount of humor, and it felt like everyone present was truly in the moment.
The outfits.
I booked appointments at a few boutiques across a long weekend and took my mum with me to help me decide. I think I tried on about 30 dresses overall and decided on the dress at the second-to-last place we went to – Made with Love Bridal. I kept gravitating towards the same style, so I knew it was what I felt best in, and the cut, detailing, and fabric also suited the overall style and theme of the wedding. I placed the order the following morning, as I knew I couldn’t sit on the idea—I’d cogitate too much. Jack wanted a traditional tux with a few subtle details that were different from his groomsmen. We felt the masculine, traditional tux complemented the soft, feminine style of my dress and added to the romance and elegance of the day.
Favourite moment.
Way too many to count, but the dancefloor was one of the best parts. We had been moving around the room, talking to everyone, when our DJ came and found us, saying, “Stay on the dancefloor!” Shortly after, he played Jack’s favourite party song, “Man! I Feel Like a Woman”, and everyone ran over and belted it out. From that moment on, we hardly left the dancefloor, and at the end of the night, “I’ve Had the Time of My Life” played as our last song while we got lifted onto the boys’ shoulders. It was so rewarding to look around the room and see everyone having a good time.
Meaning of marriage.
Choosing your partner in crime for life – your best friend, your favourite person to help you through the hard times and celebrate the good ones. In the simplest way: us, our dog, our future kids, as one unit – a traditional idea of unity.
Wedding soundtrack.
Aisle: Simply the Best – Sidney.
Recessional: Home – Good Neighbours.
Reception entry: Saving Up – Dom Dolla.
First dance: Speechless – Dan & Shay.
Father & Step-Father/Daughter, Mother/Son dance: Stand by Me – Ben E King
Funny stories (or near disasters).
Thankfully no near disasters but we decided to hand write a letter on the back of every person’s place cards and left it to the week of the wedding, severely underestimating how long it would take. The day of our rehearsal we were frantically writing on them so we could drop them off at the venue prior to the day. However, it was worth it, as it was a little surprise for the guests and they loved it.
Planning surprises.
Just the sheer amount of detail and planning for every moment, person and location when you are doing all the coordinating yourself.
Words of wisdom.
Try to enjoy the whole process as it’s part of the experience not just the wedding day. Be clear on what the non-negotiables are for each of you and don’t waver from those. Avoid leaving things to the last minute because there are always a million little things to do then that you need that time for and you want to enjoy that last little lead up to the day. Make sure the day is authentically about each of you and you’ll have the best time, and if things don’t go to plan there is a high chance your guests won’t even realise.
Britt and Jack’s Vendors
Ceremony and reception venue: Lancemore Macedon Ranges
Celebrant: Jorgia Brown – Jorgia was phenomenal in the lead-up and on the day. She made us feel at ease and that she had everything under control (which she did), and her delivery during the ceremony felt so genuine, with the perfect amount of humour, and she made the moment really special. Our guests even went out of their way to tell us that she did such a nice job of telling our story. I’d recommend her every day of the week!
Photography: Mad for You Creative – Sarah and Jenna. The girls were incredible; I’d hire them again in a heartbeat! They were very professional but also really easy going and made us feel comfortable despite not being used to getting our photos taken. Making us laugh during the whole thing which made for some amazing candid photos and made the time enjoyable. The guests didn’t even notice they were there because it was so seamless.
Videography/Content: MTL Socials – Molly was so lovely to work with – professional, calm and effortless. She captured so many amazing moments that we would’ve otherwise missed. The footage is invaluable, and she was also super seamless with the guests not realising that she was capturing their candid moments.
Styling: Designed by me (Britt)
Florist: Bacchus Marsh Florist
Hair: Svetlana Kitanovski
Make-up: Makeup by Enrica – Enrica is such a beautiful person and made me feel so good, her attention to detail and care is unmatched. She had done my makeup a few times before and I’d loved it every time so I knew I was in safe hands. I told her I wanted to still look like me but elevated and she delivered just that.
The dress: Made with Love Bridal – Posie dress. The process was very easy, and they delivered the dress earlier than expected. The measurements were near perfect which meant I needed very little alterations made.
Shoes: Tony Bianco
Rings: Kavalri
Bridesmaid’s dresses: Billy J Boutique and Shona Joy
Suits and accessories: Black Tie Classic
Catering and bar: Lancemore Macedon Ranges
Cake / Cake topper: bakes by her – The best cakes you will ever eat, they look amazing and taste even better. Helena takes such care with her work and is so creative, nailing the brief every time. Our engagement cake was one of hers, so we had complete confidence because she never ever disappoints!
Stationery / Signage: Designed by me (Britt) printed mostly via Peterkin Paper & Printery, Your Social Event for printing the fabric seating chart and welcome signs
Entertainment: Melbourne Entertainment Co. – Nathan DJ
Transport: None as we got ready on the property
Décor: Designed and sourced from various places by me (Britt)
Hire: Wishing well and table number hire via Etsy
Honeymoon: Hamilton Island
