Real Wedding – Brooke & Chris, Teesdale VIC
Brooke and Chris’ dream day was brought to life by an A-team of Ivory Tribe vendors that each embody their ‘effortlessly sophisticated’ brief.
Woolbrook Homestead provided a charming backdrop with an unpretentious rural energy, yet refined photo-worthy beauty at every turn.
And who better to capture such understated elegance than the incomparable Tess Follett, who carries with her a calming presence and unmatched intuition for noticing the special, unscripted moments as they unfold.
For the formalities, the polished but always personable Jo Betz was a celebrant match made in heaven. Her storytelling and sincerity ensured the ceremony was among the couple’s favourite parts of the day.
When it came to finding a timeless gown that captivated attention yet complemented all the other styling choices, a creation by Kyha was the one dress that truly made Brooke feel like a bride.
Dive into the details and gallery of an expertly executed day that was the stunning sum of all its parts.
The meeting.
We met in late 2013 in our hometown of Warragul in Gippsland. Chris was working at a local bar and restaurant, and one Friday night, Brooke’s Dad happened to be there catching up with some mates. Chris messaged Brooke on Facebook, saying she should come by since her Dad was around. After finishing her waitressing shift at another nearby restaurant, she stopped in at the garden bar. A few dates, sneaky nights out and Chris asked Brooke to be his girlfriend.
‘The one’.
After a few years of dating and living three hours apart while we both went to university, we moved into our own place in Melbourne. It was so easy, fun and like living with your best friend, this was when we both knew we were “the one” for each other. We couldn’t get enough of each other – every adventure, night out and overseas trip after that just made us fall more in love.
The proposal.
In 2023, we both took 12 months leave from our jobs to travel overseas, mainly in Europe. Brooke’s Mum, Dad and three of her four sisters joined us on holiday for three weeks in July/August. Whilst we were travelling in the region of Puglia, on the coast of Italy, Chris got some alone time with Brooke. We went for a cocktail or two near the ocean. We had a drone and would often fly it to capture amazing photos and videos. Chris suggested we get a photo overlooking the ocean but instead he asked her to marry him whilst they were on the rocks overlooking the ocean. Just as Chris was asking Brooke to marry her, three lightning bolts hit the water in the background (the whole thing was caught on video by our drone!), we then went for the most amazing dinner with Brooke’s family. Walking into the restaurant was such as an exciting surprise for everyone.
Planning process.
We returned from travelling in January 2024 and knew the first priority was booking a venue. We weren’t entirely sure where we wanted to have it, only that it had to be in Victoria. We visited about 10 venues before we found Woolbrook Homestead and fell in love with it straight away. It was the perfect place that allowed us to tailor the day exactly how we wanted. Once the venue was locked in, we booked each vendor one by one, doing plenty of research along the way. Most of the planning was wrapped up in those first few months. Closer to the date, we focused on bringing all the details together, including building our signage. There were plenty of late nights spent at Bunnings and Spotlight but seeing it all come together made it so worth it.
One thing we knew we couldn’t compromise on was having an on-the-day planner. We were confident in planning the day and making sure everything was perfect, but we needed someone to take the reins on the wedding day itself, someone who could keep everything on track and ease the stress for us and our families. Hayley from Smith and Co was incredible in that role, and we would highly recommend having an on-the-day coordinator to any couple.
Style inspiration.
From the very beginning, we were drawn to a timeless black-tie aesthetic – something classic, elegant, and effortlessly sophisticated. We wanted a style that would never go out of fashion and would still look stunning years down the track. Our goal was simplicity with a touch of understated glamour, avoiding anything overly elaborate or flashy.
We found the most inspiration from real weddings featuring specific suppliers. Seeing how others used local vendors was incredibly helpful, especially since our wedding was in the same area. It gave us confidence to choose suppliers who came highly recommended by other couples. Since we’re not from the Geelong area, relying on these real wedding stories and recommendations was invaluable in guiding our planning and helping us find trusted vendors.
The ceremony.
Our ceremony ended up being one of our favourite parts of the whole day. Brooke walked down the aisle with both of her parents, and we had all our siblings by our sides at the altar, which made the moment feel really personal. We wrote our own vows, and they were heartfelt and honest. There were definitely a few tears from both us and our guests. Our nephews were our ring bearers, and our Mums were our witnesses, which meant a lot to us. They’ve both been huge influences in our lives, and it felt special to include them in such an important way.
We made the decision to take care of the legal signing just after the ceremony, once we’d had a chance to greet our guests. We wanted the ceremony itself to flow without too many formal pauses. So when it came time for the classic “you may kiss the bride,” we kissed, the music started, and we walked well, danced back down the aisle to greet everyone. It was relaxed, full of love, and exactly how we wanted it to feel.
The outfits.
Chris: I wanted a classic and stylish look that maintained the elegance of a wedding yet didn’t take any attention away from the bride. I wore a classic black tuxedo with a shawl lapel, a white shirt with black stud buttons, black bow tie, white pocket square and flower. All the groomsmen wore the same suit but with a plain white shirt instead and a white pocket square.
Brooke: I went dress shopping with my Mum, sisters, and best friend and we had the most wonderful day trying on a wide range of styles, as I wasn’t sure on exactly what I wanted. By the end, there was one dress that made me truly feel like a beautiful bride, that’s the one I chose. We all shared such a special moment together when I put it on for the first time. It was a day full of love, laughter, and unforgettable memories.
Favourite moment.
One of our favourite moments of the day came just after the mains were served. We stepped away to take some sunset photos, and when we returned, we paused on the hill that looked out over the marquee. Seeing all our favourite people laughing, chatting and simply enjoying themselves, with smiles on their faces, was such a special feeling. It was a beautiful reminder that they were all there to celebrate us.
Meaning of marriage.
Marriage, to us, is a lifelong commitment, a promise to keep choosing each other every day. It represents teamwork, deepens our bond, and strengthens the connection we share. Marriage is meaningful. It’s grounding. And it’s also incredibly exciting.
Wedding soundtrack.
Aisle: Turning Page by Sleeping at Last
Reception entry: Move On Up by Curtis Mayfield
First Dance Song: Who You Love by John Meyer, Katy Perry
Planning surprises.
We were surprised by just how many moving parts there are when planning a wedding – it can honestly feel like you’re juggling a hundred things at once. At first, it was a bit overwhelming trying to keep track of everything, but, over time, it started to come together and feel more manageable. Breaking it down step by step really helped.
Words of wisdom.
The best advice we received, and something we’re so grateful we followed, was to slow down and truly soak in every moment of the day. We made a promise to each other to be present throughout, to pause and appreciate all the little moments as they happened. Unlike the common saying that the day flies by, for us, it felt perfectly paced. From the ceremony to the last dance, we were able to genuinely enjoy every part of the day. By the end, we felt so thankful to have those clear, vivid memories, mental snapshots of a day we shared fully and deeply together. And don’t leave each other’s sides – this is your day so enjoy the whole thing together.
Also, have a clear vision for how you want your day to look and feel and stick to it. It’s easy to get swept up in other people’s opinions but staying true to what you and your partner want is so important.
One thing that really helped us was thinking through all the different scenarios of what could go wrong on the day and having a plan for each. It might sound intense, but it made the lead-up so much smoother. We planned everything in detail for months and we genuinely believe that’s why we didn’t run into any major issues. Good planning brings peace of mind and makes the day feel exactly how you hoped it would.
If you love luxe celebrations in a rural setting, swoon over Nicola & Brayden’s real wedding here.
BROOKE & CHRIS’ SUPPLIERS:
Ceremony and reception venue: Woolbrook Homestead
We stumbled across Woolbrook Homestead on Instagram, and it turned out to be the most incredible find. Anise and Lachy have such a beautiful property that we were lucky enough to make completely our own for our wedding day. They are incredibly easy going and so willing to help bring any vision to life, no matter what you have in mind. Woolbrook Homestead is absolutely stunning, with so many different spaces to choose from for your special event or wedding. There was no question in our mind, this was the perfect place for us to get married. One of our biggest non-negotiables was having onsite accommodation for our guests and the flexibility of a late curfew so the night didn’t have to end too soon. We also wanted a setting that felt laid-back and unpretentious, where everyone could just relax and enjoy themselves. Woolbrook delivered all of that and more. It struck the perfect balance between elegant and effortless beautifully refined, yet warm, welcoming, and full of fun. We can’t recommend Woolbrook Homestead highly enough.
Celebrant: Jo Betz
Jo was truly a dream celebrant. From the moment we met her, she put us completely at ease gently guiding us through the planning process with warmth, care, and so much kindness. She went above and beyond to ensure our ceremony felt deeply personal, heartfelt, and “us” in every way. Jo was recommended to us through a videographer we were interviewing, who told us, “She’s the best in the business.” They weren’t wrong. We feel incredibly lucky she was available for our date, it felt like fate. Having her there to officiate our wedding was such a gift. We honestly couldn’t imagine anyone better.
Photography: Tess Follett
Tess is truly gifted at what she does. Her professionalism, calm presence, and incredible eye for detail made our entire experience an absolute joy. From the moment she arrived, she had a way of putting us completely at ease, we spent the whole day laughing and having so much fun! We’re still getting comments from friends and family about how much fun she made every photo moment, and you can see it in the images, pure joy, never any awkwardness. We never had to worry about what to capture; Tess was always one step ahead, intuitively noticing the special moments as they unfolded. The photos are beyond stunning, we honestly can’t believe how beautifully they turned out. Tess is not only incredibly talented, but also such a lovely person to be around. We feel so lucky to have had her capture our special day and can’t recommend her highly enough. We discovered Tess on Instagram and instantly fell in love with her style, elegant, timeless, and full of those “in between” moments she’s known for capturing when no one’s watching. Those ended up being our favourite shots. Booking her was one of the best decisions we made.
Videography: John Kurt
John was so great to deal with on our wedding day. He was recommended to us by the owners of Woolbrook Homestead, who had recently worked with him for their own wedding and couldn’t speak more highly of the finished film. What really drew us to John was how different his work felt from most other videographers. His style stood out, it’s artistic, thoughtful, and beautifully understated. That uniqueness is exactly why we chose him and we feel so lucky to have had him capture our day.
Styling: Belleford
Brooke’s sister, Georgia, is an interior designer who owns her own business, and she was the creative force behind the entire wedding look. She brought the day to life with her incredible vision and styling, working closely with Brooke and Chris to create something truly special. From the big picture down to the tiniest details, Georgia’s eye for design meant everything came together beautifully and the pressure was completely off their shoulders. Brooke and Chris felt so lucky to have her involved throughout the whole journey, it made the day feel even more personal and meaningful.
Florist: Pepperberry Flora
Pepperberry were absolutely amazing to work with for all things floral at our wedding. They went above and beyond to make everything look incredible, even bringing in trees to line our marquee, which completely transformed the space and created the most beautiful atmosphere. The flowers were breathtaking and truly one of the standout elements of the day. They also added thoughtful touches, like bundling up bouquets for our guests to take home, something everyone commented on and loved. We’ve admired their work for years at other events around Gippsland, where they’re incredibly well known, so there was never any doubt they’d be our wedding florists. We honestly couldn’t recommend them more highly.
Hair: Chumba
We absolutely loved our hair and couldn’t have asked for a more talented, down-to-earth team. Chumba has been Brooke’s go-to salon since she was little, with locations in both Melbourne and her hometown of Warragul. When it came to the big day, she knew she could trust Tiarne and Belinda completely. They were so efficient and worked like a dream team, making every bridesmaid, and both Mums, look and feel amazing. Everyone looked fabulous, and the whole morning felt fun and relaxed thanks to them.
Make-up: Georgia Glen Makeup Artist
Brooke first met Georgia a few years ago while they were both working as nurses in an Emergency Department in Melbourne. When it came to choosing a make-up artist for the wedding, Georgia was at the top of the list. Talented and beautiful inside and out, her make-up style perfectly matched the effortless, natural look Brooke and her bridal party wanted. All the girls looked stunning and effortlessly beautiful. Georgia was also a joy to have around on the wedding day, and Brooke couldn’t recommend her more.
The dress & veil: Kyha
When Brooke began her search for a wedding dress, she knew she wanted something timeless and modern, simple, yet stunning. Determined to find the perfect gown, she visited just three bridal studios. The moment she tried on her dress at Kyha, she knew it was the one. The style made her feel beautiful and confident. Although Brooke wasn’t initially sure what she wanted, after trying on a few options, the dress she chose perfectly flattered her and felt just right. The team at Kyha were lovely throughout, making the entire experience truly special. Brooke also chose her veil from Kyha. While it was a simple, classic veil, it perfectly added that beautiful bridal touch and helped complete the overall look.
Shoes: Lana Wilkinson
Finding elegant and feminine shoes has always been a challenge for Brooke, especially with size 11-12 feet. One of the hardest parts of her look was finding shoes that fit well, were comfortable, affordable, and looked exactly how she wanted. After months of searching on Instagram, she finally found the perfect pair from Lana Wilkinson. They were comfortable, classy, and felt perfect the moment she put them on. It’s rare to find women’s shoes that go up to size 11, but Lana offers them and they fit beautifully.
Rings: Suzy’s Fine Jewellery
Brooke’s Mum’s best friend owns a jewellery store in our hometown, where her Aunty also works, so there was never any question about where we’d have our rings made. With Brooke’s Aunty’s help, we designed them exactly as we wanted, making the whole process really special.
Bridesmaid’s dresses: House of CB
We discovered these bridesmaids dresses on Pinterest and instantly fell in love. We knew we definitely wanted black to match our wedding theme but were unsure about the style. We chose this dress and when it arrived, like a scene in the movie The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, it fitted all the girls perfectly. Every bridesmaid felt flattering and amazing in it, which was exactly what we wanted – they needed to feel comfortable for the whole day. The dresses received so many compliments and were fantastic quality.
Suits & ties: Peter Jackson
With our black-tie theme, we knew from the start that we wanted classic black tuxedos, timeless, simple, and handsome. After visiting a few stores, we chose Peter Jackson for their exceptional quality and the convenience of multiple stores interstate for our other groomsmen.
Catering & bar: Smith and Co.
We honestly can’t speak highly enough of Smith and Co, they are hands down the best caterers we’ve ever encountered. They catered and coordinated our wedding day, and from start to finish, the experience was absolutely flawless. The entire team was lovely, efficient, and completely on top of every detail. Nothing was too much trouble; they truly went above and beyond to meet every need. Our guests are still raving about how incredible the food was, and how genuinely kind and attentive the staff were. Not a single glass was left empty all night! A special thank you to Camilla, who managed all things catering, she was responsive, helpful, and made the entire process easy and stress-free. Everything she organised was perfect.
We also want to give a huge shoutout to Hayley, our amazing wedding day coordinator. Calm, thoughtful, and detail-oriented, she ensured every little thing was taken care of, from making sure we ate, to brewing tea for our older relatives. By the end of the night, it truly felt like she was part of the family. If every event had a Hayley, we’d be set for life. We wholeheartedly recommend Smith and Co for any event, big or small, they’ll nail it every time. We found them on Instagram, and they came highly recommended by Woolbrook Homestead and many family friends in the Geelong area, who described them as “the best of the best.” They absolutely lived up to that expectation.
Smith and Co staff also expertly ran our bar where we had the freedom to purchase our own alcohol and create custom cocktails for the big day. We even had heaps of fun doing wine tastings with family in the lead-up to the wedding! The bar was a huge hit, guests couldn’t stop raving about our drink selections, and the staff kept the cocktails flowing all night long.
Cake: Gippsland Cake Co.
We came across a cake design on Pinterest and instantly fell in love. After hearing glowing reviews from family and friends, we chose Gippsland Cake Co. and they couldn’t have been more amazing. We showed them the design, and they recreated it perfectly, it looked stunning and tasted even better. Beautiful, delicious, and exactly what we’d hoped for!
Stationery / Signage: DIY
With my sister being an interior designer, she brought incredible ideas and creative vision to our wedding signage and overall aesthetic. Once we settled on the look and feel we wanted, our family jumped in to help bring it all to life. We created each sign from scratch, using wood, a Cricut machine for lettering, and card from Officeworks. It was a true DIY project, filled with love and teamwork, and the final result was exactly what we had imagined.
Entertainment: Little Wolf Entertainment
Where do we even begin? Little Wolf is, without a doubt, the ultimate wedding band, an insanely talented group of musicians and genuinely wonderful people. From the moment we booked them, we had zero doubts. And yet, they still managed to exceed every expectation. Gaia and Tim set the most beautiful tone for our ceremony, the full band lit up the dance floor at the reception, and Tim kept the energy high between sets as DJ. And the saxophone? Absolutely electric all night long. A few months later, our guests are still raving about the music and the unforgettable atmosphere Little Wolf created. They’re not just performers, they’re vibe-creators, moment-makers, and total professionals. Brooke went to school with founders Tim and Piper, she has fond memories of their performances at school assemblies. The moment she heard they’d launched their own entertainment company; she knew they were the perfect choice. Little Wolf made our wedding everything we dreamed of and more. If you’re looking for a band that brings heart, soul, and serious talent, look no further. They are simply amazing.
Transport: McHarrys
With Woolbrook Homestead being a remote venue, we wanted to ensure that guests not staying on-site could relax and enjoy the night without worrying about transport. McHarry’s, recommended by Woolbrook, made this possible with ease. They provided a large bus for multiple pickups and drop-offs from Geelong city centre, along with a minibus to collect guests from nearby properties. Everything ran smoothly on the day, they were punctual, professional, and completely stress-free. We highly recommend McHarry’s for any couples planning a country or out-of-town wedding in Geelong area.
Hire: Elderberry Events / Bay Events / Twilight Glamping
Linen: Ell Events
Candle holders: Ikea
We chose to keep our table settings and décor minimal and refined, letting the natural beauty of the venue and the warmth of shared food shine through. Ell Events provided our table linens and were a dream to work with, professional, organised, and delivered everything directly to the venue.
For florals, Pepperberry styled delicate arrangements down the tables, carefully woven between candle holders. We intentionally kept things low and simple to allow space for our shared mains and conversation. Each place setting featured a printed menu we created ourselves, topped with a sprig of rosemary, a sign of remembrance for my cousin Caleb who recently passed away. It was our way of keeping his memory close on such a special day.
We used Elderberry Events for our marquee, tables, chairs, bars, lounges, umbrellas, and gas heaters for our cocktail area. They came highly recommended by Woolbrook and were an absolute pleasure to work with, efficient, professional, and their equipment was top quality.
For all our glassware, crockery, and cutlery, we used Bay Events, who we found online. They were equally reliable and delivered excellent products that added a polished touch to our setup.
Many of our guests stayed on-site at Woolbrook in stunning glamping tents provided by Twilight Glamping, another trusted Woolbrook recommendation. The setup was beautiful, and our guests couldn’t stop raving about how warm, comfortable, and luxurious it all felt, especially after a big day of celebrating.
These vendors truly elevated our wedding experience and made everything run so smoothly.
Honeymoon: South Africa and Zimbabwe
We’d always dreamed of visiting South Africa, so it felt like the perfect destination for our honeymoon. We wanted a trip that was exciting, relaxing and completely stress-free, which is exactly what Go2Africa delivered. They took care of everything from flights to accommodation and activities, tailoring the trip around what we wanted to see and do. We visited Cape Town, Kruger National Park, and Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe, each place so breathtaking. It was the trip of a lifetime and the perfect way to start our new chapter.
