Real Wedding – Cass & Daniel, Yarra Valley VIC
An emotion-charged ceremony marks one of Cass and Daniel’s most moving wedding day memories. From there, the rest of their Yarra Valley celebration unfolded exactly as they had dreamed it would – a relaxed and romantic gathering with their loved ones.
Set in the natural elements of their outdoor venue, they embraced the summer vibes and allowed a glorious on-site vineyard to settle in as a backdrop and dictate their soft and subtle colour-scheme.
The soft light surrounding them and radiant smiles from the couple, and all who were in attendance – there is much to muse over here, and Courtney Laura has captured it beautifully.
The meeting.
Daniel and I met in January 2011 working at the Australian Open tennis tournament. Daniel had been working at the tournament for a few years already but it was my first year. During the first rain delay, the rookies were asked to buddy up with one of the more experienced to learn the method of drying the courts and setting them up before play could resume. I surveyed the four options of who I could buddy up with, made a very quick assessment, and took some long strides towards Daniel. We buddied up that day and for the remaining three weeks I did my best to run into him whenever and wherever I could.
The ‘one’.
That first look into his deep blue eyes had me completely hooked. We communicated so freely and easily and became fast friends. I couldn’t wait to see him every time we met up and we quickly found out how much we had in common; our interests, our values, and how much we enjoyed making each other smile and laugh. He made my heart race from the start. When he told me he was in love with me about two months into dating on one of our beach dates, I knew I was, and always would be, in love him too.
The proposal.
Daniel and I spent three weeks driving through Germany in September/October 2018.
Almost a week into the trip we were driving in the south of Germany and visited Neuschwanstein castle. The afternoon was spent exploring the beautiful castle and surrounds.
Unfortunately, being quite a busy tourist time in Germany, the place was packed with tourists and there was a lot of shuffling through throngs of people to get to the incredible lookouts, which provided amazing views of the castle, hills and surrounds. Daniel, seemingly unimpressed with the 10/10 views on offer, was intent on finding a better spot. On hands and toes we scaled this cliff-face for a better view. Already suspicious, this was the tipping point for me.
Finally finding a stunning, and very high, secluded spot, Daniel sat down and encouraged me to sit beside him. No sooner had my bum touched the dirt, Daniel explained his unusual behaviour and presented me with this incredible ring. We were both in tears at this point, only exacerbated by Daniel asking, first in German, then in English if I would marry him. It was a definite yes from me!
The process.
We were so lucky to have a 16-month-long engagement which meant we could address every aspect of the wedding individually and sequentially and not feel any pressure making a decision. We focused on finding a venue and selecting a date first and then moved on to photographer, florist and celebrant as knew having a wedding during high season would mean we would need to get in early in order to secure who we wanted. It was important for us to make our decisions together so would often sit together after dinner and discuss our top three picks and come to an agreement from there.
Style inspiration.
Given the outdoor venue and summer season we wanted a relaxed, romantic feel to the wedding with as many natural elements as possible. The backdrop of the vineyard played a large role in planning the subtle colour scheme of grey, navy and blush as we didn’t want to detract from the beautiful setting.
The dress.
I had fallen in love with my dress before I set foot in the boutique after following Anna Campbell on Instagram. The detail of the bodice paired with the beautiful and romantic summer skirt perfectly fit with my idea of what I wanted. I wanted something that made me feel like me as well as making me feel so special, classy and bridal – without being gaudy or extravagant in any way. The beading on the bodice is stunning and unique compared to any other wedding dress I have seen.
Favourite moments.
When I walked down the aisle, both Daniel and I had tears streaming down our faces. It was such an emotional moment and I was so glad that he had not seen my dress before that moment. The celebrant began his speech but for the first few minutes of the ceremony, Daniel just kept repeating “you look so beautiful, so stunning” and that moment is one I will always treasure.
Meaning of marriage.
Marriage means so much to us. It signifies the beginning of our family unit and legalises what we already know to be a special connection. We’re lucky to have amazing examples in both our parents and grandparents that demonstrate to us what strong marriages look like.
Wedding soundtrack.
Aisle: Acoustic cover of Next to You by Chris Brown and Justin Bieber
First dance: Don’t wanna miss a thing by Aerosmith
We also mixed my parents’ and Daniel’s parents’ wedding songs for mother/son and father/daughter dance: Can’t Help Falling in Love by Elvis Presley and True Love by Elton John and Kiki Dee – respectively).
Funny stories (or near disasters).
I got ready at my parent’s place the day of the wedding and my dog and my parents’ dog were there throughout the day. They were both so excited with all the attention they received and felt that all their Christmases had come at once with unlimited pats and head scratches from everyone coming and going throughout the day. Until mum and I were locked in my room putting on my dress for the first time, they were indignant at being left out of the spotlight!
Planning surprises.
I was pleasantly surprised with just how supportive our family and friendship network was throughout the entire process. From phone calls checking in and offers of support to meals being brought over the week of the wedding (this was incredibly helpful!), we were excited to have so many people invested emotionally in our wedding outside of the bride and groom.
Words of wisdom.
Enjoy the process (you will hopefully only do it once!) and send emails and talk to suppliers. They live and breathe weddings and have unlimited knowledge and advice. You will know that you have found the right people when they listen and understand what you want out of your day.
Last words.
I love the person I am when I am with Daniel. He definitely brings out the best in me and is a huge supporter in all I do. I am so lucky to have found a partner who is absolutely my best friend in all aspects. We share similar values and approach life with the same sense of adventure. We have shared so many incredible experiences and I am so excited for this to continue when we are husband and wife. Everything I do and plan to do in the future, I want to share with him.
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CASS & DANIEL’S TRIBE
Ceremony and reception: Wild Cattle Creek Estate, Wandin North – Rhiannon was invaluable in coordinating and making sure the day and night ran smoothly. We loved having everything on site from the ceremony, reception, photos, and accommodation for us, family and the bridal party.
Celebrant/Officiant: Nick’s Celebrations – Nick was the perfect mix between personal and professional. There was so many laughs and tears throughout the entire ceremony.
Photography: Courtney Laura Photography – We knew the three of us clicked instantly when we first met Courtney – it’s hard to imagine a better team! She became one of our family on the day and produced some unbelievable images.
Florist: Sassafras Flower Design – We gave Jess complete creative control over the florals and want an incredible result! The canopy over the bridal table was so unique and beautiful.
Hair: Hair by Amanda Audrey
Make-up: Rebecca Kotze Makeup Artistry
The dress and veil: Anna Campbell
Shoes: Nine West
Rings: The Diamond Guys and Anton Jewellery
Bridesmaid’s dresses: Shona Joy
Groomsmen’s suits: Yd.
Groom’s accessories: Blaq
Favours: BloomsPrint stickers
Cake / Cake topper: Pollen Pastry – Krista was a dream to work with and her cakes tasted delicious.
Stationery / Signage: Creative Distinction – Naomi went above and beyond for us and her attention to detail is unparalleled.
