Real Wedding – Emma & Carl, Hesse VIC

July 12, 2023 In Black and White, Country, Garden, Real Weddings, Rustic, Victoria By Ivory Tribe

Real Wedding – Emma & Carl, Hesse VIC

Emma and Carl’s gorgeously glam day was as much about epic fun and boundless party vibes as it was about the fresh modern style and timeless monochromatic theme. From Emma’s full-skirted stunner of a gown by Karen Willis Holmes, complete with chic headband, to the bridesmaids and flower girl in sleek black, this day balances contemporary dynamism with timeless class.

Beautiful Barunah Plains sets the scene for a vision of a day, enhanced to perfection with confetti-like clouds of creamy blossoms by floral artist Flowerqueen. The juxtaposition of historic, ivy-covered buildings, the rustic shearing shed and perfectly manicured lawns culminate in visual vibrancy alongside the crisp black and white detailing and fresh minimalist details by theming and planning superstars Pop Up With Style.

And who else to kick off the fun but our friend Megan Thompson, starting the party in the best way, with a ceremony filled with light-hearted moments and succinct personal touches.

This day obviously looked the part, but for us, it’s the electric emotion cascading from every frame captured by visual poets Nikki McCrone photography and Apertura videography. Dive in to revel in the party magic!

The meeting.

We met on the apps in 2014.

The ‘one’.

I don’t think there was a specific moment, but our relationship moved quickly once it got started. We had moved in together within six months and then started saving for a house, so I guess we both were pretty committed by then.

The proposal.

Carl proposed in December 2021 at our recently purchased block of land. It took a bit of planning to get me there, he had my two closest friends in on the secret, and they suggested we go there to take some cute photos of the kids in the bushland nearby. I should have known something was up when they suggested I wear a nice dress. I was so surprised, and it was nice having them all there.

Carl had also organised babysitters and booked a hotel and dinner for that night which was a lovely surprise too.

Planning process.

Once we toured Barunah Plains, we knew straight away that we wanted to have the wedding there. The property is stunning, so we pretty much booked it straight away.

From there, most of the planning happened smoothly. Once we had the suppliers booked, it was really smooth sailing. My bridesmaids and family kept asking if they could do anything, but it was all organised, thanks to Jess!

Style inspiration.

My brief to Jess and Kahlie was black and white, modern style. I wanted the day to feel timeless, but I also wanted our guests to feel comfortable and relaxed.

I did a lot of my research just looking through Pinterest and Instagram. I loved looking at real weddings to get ideas, as I wanted ours to feel authentic and not too staged.

The ceremony.

We wanted a very quick and relaxed ceremony. We loved the fact our two kids were involved; they really made it special. Megan, our celebrant, was great at helping us make this happen. We are not particularly lovey-dovey people, and she created a ceremony that was meaningful and fun.

The outfit.

I had a pretty good idea of what I wanted for my dress, and after some browsing online, I made a booking at Karen Willis Holmes. The dress I chose was the first one I tried on, and I loved it from the get-go.

I knew I wanted the bridesmaids in black, and I thought it would be a bit different to have Ivy (flower girl) in black as well.

Favourite moments.

Carl’s speech was a showstopper. He is usually a man of few words, but he really turned it on for his speech. He had everyone laughing and crying!

Meaning of marriage.

Marriage to us is really just formalising what we already have. A partner to share our lives with along with our children.

Wedding soundtrack.

Aisle: Angels by the xx (sung by Andrew Loadsman)

Reception entry: California Love by Tupac

Planning surprises.

How everything just comes together on the day. After booking vendors and suppliers so far in advance, it’s hard to imagine how it will all work, but somehow it does.

Words of wisdom.

If you can, engage a wedding planner. We couldn’t have organised this without one. From getting quotes from suppliers to tiny details on the day, Jess and Kahlie took so much of the pressure off us. This meant we were able to enjoy the whole experience with minimal stress.

As Emma and Carl’s wedding day demonstrates, your venue can truly set the scene for every element of your vision to unfold. For a line-up of our favourite wedding venues this season, check out the blog and get booking, here!

EMMA & CARL’S VENDORS

Most of our suppliers came by word of mouth from friends and family. Ali from Barunah Plains suggested Kahlie from Pop Up with Style, and they were a great fit for us. They helped us choose any suppliers we didn’t already have booked.

Ceremony venue: Homestead Lawn, Barunah Plains.

Reception venue: Shearing Shed, Barunah Plains. As Barunah Plains is a little bit out of town, we wanted as many of our guests to stay for the wedding and recovery nights. The venue can sleep up to 70 people, and for everyone else, we offered glamping-style accommodation for them to book.

Celebrant: Megan Thompson. Megan was great. Relaxed and to the point, which is exactly what we wanted.

Photography: Nikki McCrone Photography

Videography: Sasha Gavrilovic, Apertura. Nikki and Sash made everyone feel so comfortable. They were both so relaxed and made the day even more fun!

Styling and décor: Kahlie and Jess, Pop Up With Style. Kahlie and Jess were an absolute godsend; we certainly wouldn’t have been able to have this wedding without them! They were so helpful and thought about every little detail for us and our guests.

Florist: Holly Spence, Flowerqueen. Holly is so good at her craft. We trusted her wholeheartedly and knew what she would put together would be incredible!

Make-up: Kellie, The Makeup Hub. Kel is a legend and is so good at what she does! She was so relaxed on the day and made us all look and feel amazing!

The dress: Karen Willis Holmes

Shoes: Pink Inc

Rings: Custom Gems and Jewels

Bridesmaid’s dresses: Bec and Bridge

Flower girl: Light in the Box

Suits & bow ties / ties: Formal Red

Catering & bar: Fourside Food and Events. Katie and her team were fantastic both on the day and in the lead-up to the wedding.

Favours: Personalised initialled tumblers

Cake: Mizy’s Sweet Boutique

Stationery / Signage: Ink Hearts Paper

Entertainment: Andrew Loadsman and DJ Marc

Accommodation: Twilight Glamping