Real Wedding – Kat & Matt, Newlyn VIC
When Kat visited Matt on his family farm, she found it hard to resist a man on a motorcycle cuddling a border collie, and she knew he was the ‘one’ from that day on.
This loved-up pair wanted to embrace the great outdoors for their wedding celebration, and thankfully the weather gods shined upon them when they set up tipi’s for their family and friends to celebrate under the New Year’s Eve sky.
They danced all night long, and even shared a kiss as they were hoisted above their friend’s shoulders, so happy that the day unfolded even more brilliantly than they planned.
Smith + Archer was behind the camera, so get scrolling and see the day in all its glory.
In Matt and Kat’s words…
The meeting.
This seems strange in the age of Tinder, but a mutual friend set us up on a blind date. This was about five years ago.
The ‘one’.
Kat – I knew I’d found someone special when I first visited his family farm. A man with a motorbike, cuddling a border collie. How could I resist?
The proposal.
It was a regular Friday night at home after work. Kat was grumpy there wasn’t a glass of wine waiting for her and Matt was annoyed that Kat wouldn’t get off her phone. But he got down on one knee with a beautiful Krista McRae sapphire ring (all of his choosing) and here we are!
The process.
A team effort. We were very keen to make sure were both equally involved in planning the wedding. The six weeks leading up to the wedding were crazy, lots of frantic running around and decision making! People kept trying to tell Kat it was her day. Wrong, it was ours!
Style inspiration.
One of our main requirements was that we wanted to bring our own wine and ideally be outside. So we ended up going down the full BYO wedding path. We also wanted to keep it casual, while making sure there was plenty of food, and food trucks fit that bill. Quirindi Stables was the perfect venue, and we were extremely lucky with the weather.
The dress.
A beautiful Suzanne Harward gown. I was originally looking for a non-white dress, but a friend convinced me to come along to a Suzanne Harward sample sale. I knew the minute I put on my dress that it was perfect, and walked out with it half an hour later!
Favourite moments.
So many moments! Seeing each other at opposite ends of the aisle, the fabulous speeches, curious horses coming to say hi during the sunset photos and the raging dance floor. Plus our new years’ kiss, sitting on our friends’ shoulders, was pretty epic.
Meaning of marriage.
Being part of a team.
Wedding soundtrack.
Brides-mates aisle song: Girl from the North Country by Bob Dylan and Johnny Cash version
Brides aisle: This is Us by Emmylou Harris and Mark Knopfler
Signing: A Lion’s Heart, Tallest Man on Earth and If I were a Carpenter by Johnny Cash and June Carter
Final ceremony song: Obvious Child by Paul Simon
Funny stories (or near disasters).
At the end of the night the band played Hey Jude by the Beatles. It was a lovely moment with Matt and I slow dancing surrounded by a circle of our guests. We decided there was time for one more song and the band asked for a request, probably expecting something similarly sweet and romantic. Cut to us screaming “play Pony” and the wedding ended with us all dancing to Pony, by Ginuwine.
Planning surprises.
We actually really enjoyed putting the ceremony together. Our celebrant was great and really open to our ideas, like having a friend speak about how we met in lieu of doing a reading. We also spent a lot of time writing our vows to reflect what we actually wanted to promise to each other. Our plan now is to get them framed so we don’t forget them!
Words of wisdom.
The planning is more difficult than you expect but the day will make it all worth it. And when the actual day comes, stick together. Don’t divide and conquer trying to say hi to everyone,
Looking for a photographer to capture all your magic moments? Here are our favourites!
KAT & MATT’S TRIBE
Ceremony and reception location: Quirindi Stables – Sue and Kieran were the most lovely and accommodating hosts. Sue has a great collection of rustic furniture and decorations, which we could use and arrange as we liked.
Celebrant/Officiant: Lee-Anne Clavarino. Lee-Anne is the mother of one of our friends and just starting out. She did an amazing job.
Photography: Smith & Archer – Ali is a legend and I think her photos speak for themselves!
Florist: Wootton and Nicholls – Zara is fantastic and again, I think her flowers speak for themselves.
Hair and make-up: Melinda Wain – Such a pleasure to deal with, she even managed to fit in our mums at the last minute to do their makeup
The Dress(es): Suzanne Harward
The Suit: Oscar Hunt
Veil / headwear: Wootton and Nicholls (flower crown)
Shoes: Edward Meller
Rings: Pieces of Eight gallery (Kat’s ring was by Krista McRae)
Groomsmen’s suits: their own – Chino and white shirts
Catering: Judder Bar Eats and the Forge Pizzeria – So many guests commented on the quality (and generous quantity) of the food. We actually had Judder Bar cater our recovery the next day as well.
Cake / Cake topper: The Brunswick Whey (cheese tower) – We never want to buy cheese from anywhere else now.
Stationery / Signage: Paperless Post
Entertainment: The White Tree – It might not be an exaggeration to say they made the wedding…
Transport: Little’s Coaches
Décor: TipiKata
