Real Wedding – Maddie & Jack, Flinders VIC
From their first meeting, when Jack’s best mate announced to the group that Jack had met his future wife, to their emotion-filled proposal, Maddie and Jack’s wedding day was one epic occasion, long in the making!
This celebration packs a punch on so many levels – from the stunning styled details, the gorgeous country meets coastline backdrop, to the dynamic romance between Maddie and Jack. And the tears Maddie sparked in Jack as she appeared at the end of the aisle, a modern-day princess in her Prea James gown from Bluebell Bridal, had us wiping our eyes!
A colour palette of white on white florals, layers of textural detailing, and raw timber touches enhanced the natural beauty of the setting to perfection, while deep juniper bridesmaids gowns added to the effect.
For a truly magnificent moment, we can’t get enough of the sunset shoot. Be Here Be Now have captured with true artistry the love and laughter between these two against a coastal vista to truly wow.
As the last rays dipped below the horizon and the festoon lights flickered on, the celebrations hit their crescendo, guided by music maestros Melbourne Entertainment Co. This is one dance floor we want to be on! Scroll on for your dose of modern style meets epic party.
The meeting.
Maddie: We didn’t meet in your conventional dating setting; we met on Schoolies.
Jack: Lining up at Cheeky Monkeys, Byron Bay, on the 3rd night at Schoolies! Madds was pushing in.
The ‘one’.
Maddie: I don’t think there was an exact moment where I knew Jack was the one. I think we realized pretty early in the relationship that what we had was really special and that we had a future together.
Jack: On the 4th day at Schoolies, one of my best mates announced to the entire Schoolies household that I’d met Mrs Ryan the night prior.
The proposal.
Jack: I proposed at Wategos Beach in Byron Bay whilst holidaying there in 2019. Looonnggg story, but a number of my original plans went out the window based on weather whilst we were in town (torrential rain for about eight days straight). I wasn’t set on the day, time or place for the proposal but spent the first few days scoping out options as we cruised around enjoying different beaches. Then, I finally got a few hours to myself after dropping Madds off for a facial and got to work! I picked up a picnic rug, baskets, champagne, etc. and dropped into Raes on Wategos to come up with a plan of attack with the manager there.
I wasn’t keen on proposing in the restaurant and wanted to do it on the beach away from crowds, but unfortunately couldn’t leave the picnic rug and other items on the beach unattended because of the rain. So the plan was to get settled at the restaurant with a drink, then sneak down to the beach via the back door when ‘going to the toilet’, to set up the picnic rug, etc. and call Madds to come down and meet me for a surprise.
All was shaping up nicely until the weather cleared up and the sun started shining just as we parked out the front of the restaurant. It didn’t look like the weather would hold out for long, so I (rather awkwardly) suggested that Madds head into the restaurant solo while I ‘searched for my lost phone’ (got things ready on the beach). Madds (rather reluctantly) proceeded to the restaurant to be told it wasn’t yet open while I was scrambling to get things set on the beach! Within a minute, she was calling me asking me where I was, before I popped up from the beach and walked her over to the setup.
Again, rather awkwardly, we both sat down as I struggled to come up with the words and came to terms with the hectic couple of days I had gone through to try and get to this moment! Soon enough, I got her to stand up and dropped the knee. I have absolutely no idea what I said or what she said, but there were tears, a ring on her finger and a popped bottle of champagne when I came back to earth a few minutes later.
Planning process.
Maddie: The planning process was really fun in the beginning, and we took our time finding the right suppliers. Then COVID hit, and we had to postpone our planned 2020 wedding. The lead-up was a bit of a roller coaster, waking up each morning praying for a doughnut day of COIVD cases. Jack also competed interstate for rowing every weekend in the six weeks leading up to the wedding, so every spare moment we had together was spent planning, discussing and organizing the final details.
Jack: I enjoyed researching and locking in our superstar vendors but hated the lead-up and uncertainty given the ever-evolving COVID situation, especially in the final months and weeks leading up to our day. I’m so grateful now, looking back, that we managed to get everything off the ground during our small window of opportunity!
Style inspiration.
Maddie: We wanted the wedding to be really relaxed and fun, and I think everything flowed from that. We found most of our suppliers through Instagram, and I loved reading all the real weddings on the Ivory Tribe website.
Jack: The farm & sperry tent were the first decisions we made; everything else seemed to fall into place around them.
The ceremony.
Maddie: The ceremony took place at my parent’s property in Flinders. Jack and I have spent a lot of time there over the years (including multiple lockdowns), and we have so many treasured family memories there. It was the perfect place for us to get married. My parents put an incredible amount of work into the garden in the months prior to the wedding, and it looked magical on the day.
The feeling of walking down the aisle with all your loved ones together (especially after a lot of time apart) and then seeing Jack at the end of it – I don’t think it could have been more special than that.
Jack: The weather was absolutely humming! The rain and clouds from the morning had completely cleared, and golden rays hit the babe town walking down the aisle (and some of our guests). It was a huge build-up of emotion as Maddie walked down the driveway with her dad (all guests could see, but I wasn’t allowed to look). When I finally saw her at the top of the aisle, the waterworks turned on hard.
The look.
Maddie: My dress was from Prea James Bridal. There were quite a few from her collection that I loved, but there was definitely a standout that I ended up choosing for the big day. The process of finding a dress was not as easy as I thought. In the beginning, I struggled to find something that I really loved, and that felt like me. I wanted something really simple and relaxed. Then I found Bluebell Bridal; their team were amazing in helping me find the perfect one.
Jack: Everything was from P Johnson. Andrea from the Windsor store looked after me from the get-go and did a stellar job!
Favourite moments.
Maddie: It was so hard to pick a favourite moment, but the ceremony was pretty special.
Jack: See above (babe town walking down the aisle).
Meaning of marriage.
Maddie & Jack: An adventure.
Wedding soundtrack.
Aisle: Higher Love by James Vincent McMorrow
Signing: Angels by The XX
Recessional: Chateau by Angus and Julia Stone
Reception: World of Our Love by Client Liaison
First dance: Dancing in the Moonlight by Toploader
Funny stories or near disasters.
COVID-19! The dancefloor was nearly off the cards. And the many other near-disasters that come with COVID-19.
Words of wisdom.
Maddie: Enjoy it! Soak up every minute; the whole day flies by so quickly. Take some time out away from the festivities to check in with each other during the night.
Jack: Take time to zen out together in the week prior to your day – we got a massage together the day prior, and it was epic! I could’ve done with two of those.
Last words.
In times where things have not been easy for anyone, we feel so incredibly grateful that we got our special day with all our loved ones, and it was more wonderful than we could have ever imagined.
Does DIY feel more like Disaster Incoming um, Yes? A wedding planner or on the day coordinator can be the difference between a stress-free lead up to your dream day, or a whirlwind of endless to-do lists. For some of the most organised, fabulous folk in the business, check out our directory.
MADDIE & JACK’S VENDORS
We used Pinterest for inspiration and scoured Instagram to find our perfect wedding day suppliers. We were so lucky to have such an amazing team of people. We literally couldn’t fault anything, and the day ran so smoothly. If you are planning a wedding, I can’t recommend each of them enough!
Ceremony & reception venue: Private Property in Flinders (Maddie’s parent’s house)
Celebrant: Ace of Heart Ceremonies – Tanya Robertson. An absolute gem who set the scene for an amazing day. Both our families couldn’t believe how well she captured our relationship during the ceremony. Everything was seamless, relaxed and beautiful, just as we had hoped.
Photography: Be Here Be Now – Shani & Christian. We couldn’t have asked for a better photography team. Shani and Christian had a big impact on our special day – the calming tips and ‘sponge’ advice they shared in the week prior to the wedding, helping the groomsman tie their ties, reminding us to breathe during the ceremony, we wouldn’t have been anywhere near as relaxed without them. Our bridal party and many other guests praised their subtleness and positive energy on the day. We knew they were a perfect fit for us from the initial zoom call we had with them, but they by far exceeded our expectations.
Styling: Just us.
Florist: Poppy Culture
On the day coordination: Pop Up with Style. Although we planned everything on our own, at the last minute, we enlisted Pop Up with Style to run the day for us. We felt we needed someone to coordinate all our suppliers and to help us navigate the COVID requirements of having a wedding on a private property. Everything ran so seamlessly we can’t thank Kaylah enough for being our go-to on the day.
Hair: Shannon Brache Hair
Make-up: Sophia Pafitis
The dress: Prea James Bridal at Bluebell Bridal
Veil: Bluebell Bridal
Shoes: Gucci
Bridesmaid’s dresses: Shona Joy
Suits: P Johnson
Catering & bar: Pot & Pan – we can’t tell you how many compliments we received from guests on the spread!
Cake: Fig and Salt
Entertainment: Just Me Plus One (Vanessa, Chadwick & Jorge) during the ceremony and canapes. Nathan with his sax (Melbourne Entertainment Company) to get the D-Floor up and about later in the evening.
Hire: Undersky and Pepper Sprout – the sperry tent, lights and naked teepee all looked incredible, and the pack up/ pack down was very seamless.
Honeymoon: Still TBC – waiting to hopefully adventure overseas next year!
