Real Wedding – Nicola & Brayden, Swan Bay VIC
One of the luxuries of a private property wedding is the ability to prioritise elements that are most important to you.
For Nicola and Brayden, that meant a relaxed energy, memorable fare and ample beverages.
Understated, elegant styling that complemented the natural beauty of the property and surrounding views delivered the desired country chic aesthetic and the theatre of Nicola’s fashion-forward Kyha gown – featuring a dropped waist bodice draped with soft tulle and a full skirt – was a striking juxtaposition to the rural setting.
There’s perhaps no higher compliment for a vendor than having a couple select their wedding date around your availability, but such is the must-have talent of photographer Tess Follett – and with one glance at Nicola and Brayden’s gallery, it’s not hard to see why.
Swoon over her magic-making abilities below, where the couple also share their insights into the level of admin required to host and execute a luxe DIY affair.
The meeting.
We met in Year ten of high school, when our two campuses merged at senior school. We were told by everyone around us that we’d be great together, but it took an 18-month friendship first before making it official!
The ‘one’.
For Brayden, he knew early on that we had something special, but for me, it was a bit more of a slow burn. Once I realised just how incredible he is, I couldn’t believe I had been so blasé! It is knowing you simply cannot see life without one another, and the feeling of being home.
The proposal.
In August 2023, we took a trip to Puglia, Italy. Two weeks into the trip and we had our first day of rain. The sun eventually came out at lunchtime and the humidity called for a swim down at a small, secluded beach. Fortunately, the morning rain had kept everyone else away and the beach was all to ourselves. About half an hour after popping the question the heavens reopened, and we were saturated on the walk home.
Planning process.
Being a bit of a type-A personality, I took charge of the planning process, liaising with and booking all our vendors. This was easy, though, as Brayden and I were on the same page with style, vibe and the type of vendors we wanted there on our day, so I had full trust in him. We were fortunate to secure all our first-choice vendors and immediately connected with them from our initial consultations. Brayden was then responsible for the execution of the set up in the week leading up to the big day and being the ‘yes’ man in the whole planning process.
Style inspiration.
Understated, simple, elegant, minimalistic styling to highlight the natural beauty of the property and the views – country chic. Our priority was to provide good food, plenty of alcohol and a good time. Not too much else mattered to us!
Brayden and I were on the same page from the start that we wanted the styling to be very laid back and simple and let the location shine. With no wedding planner or stylist as such, the styling ends up falling in your lap. With this, I tried to keep it minimal by focusing on quality linen, stationery and simple décor. Over the months prior, I collected various types of bud vases for the tables and ensured there was cohesion in the flowers I was choosing, the style of stationery, and the colour of the linen – to ensure the overall vibe matched. Keeley (from Marry Me Murrihy) was the one who set it up and ensured the vision was met on the day, which meant I didn’t need to attend the venue at all in the morning.
We drew a lot of inspiration from previous weddings held on the farm by Brayden’s cousins, uncles and aunties. From attending various weddings over the years, you definitely pick up on things you like and different style inspiration. I found Instagram, reading other real weddings on Ivory Tribe, and recommendations from vendors were the most useful.
The ceremony.
Our ceremony was just how we wanted it – relaxed and fun. Kahani was pivotal in setting the tone for this and making us feel so comfortable. It can be extremely daunting having everyone looking at you, but as soon as I reached the end of the aisle and got to hug Brayden, I felt a wave of peace. The weather was perfect, still and overcast, with the swans floating on the bay behind us. There is something so special about marrying the love of your life in such a sentimental location, with all your favourite people there. It wasn’t lost on us that this wasn’t just an important moment in our lives, but after 11 years together, this was just as emotion-filled and exciting for our loved ones who had been front and centre over the years.
The outfits.
Finding a dress wasn’t as easy as I had hoped! I ended up taking a trip to Sydney to try on some gowns by a designer that wasn’t Melbourne based and ended up with a ‘top three’ of completely opposing styles. In the end, I loved the theatre that the Beau Gown from Kyha gave me, and I loved the juxtaposition of a bold gown in such a rural, rustic setting. Once I decided on the Beau Gown, I knew a second dress was essential! I ordered the Lorella dress from Rat & Boa 12 months out, and it was exactly what I was after. The silky, low back moment was perfect for the dance floor.
Favourite moment.
Gosh we have so many, it is hard to choose. First and foremost, we both loved the moment when you first see each other after all that anticipation! Everything else around you blurs out at that point in time and you just feel so incredibly happy. We also decided after our sunset photos to go sit on a lounge that we had set up that was facing back towards the marquee with everyone inside, and we had a few minutes there just the two of us to watch everyone and what we had created – it felt like a movie. Finally, we also loved it when we entered the dance floor in the farm buggy later in the night. It was a way for me to ‘re-enter’ in my second dress and felt very us.
Meaning of marriage.
Having your best friend in your corner and on your team for life. It’s the commitment of love, respect and admiration for each other, no matter what phase of life or storm you are weathering – it’ll be together.
Wedding soundtrack.
Bridesmaid’s aisle entrance: Come Away With Me – Norah Jones
Bride’s aisle entrance: Adore U – Sidney
Signing: Joy Of My Life – Chris Stapleton, and Sweet Symphony – Joy Oladokun & Chris Stapleton
Recessional: I Like Love (I Love Love) – Solitaire
Reception entry: Sunchyme – Dario G
Second Dress/Dancefloor entry: It’s That Time – Marlon Hoffstadt & Fisher
Near disasters.
The biggest threat to us and our wedding style was the weather, and although everyone tells you not to worry about it, it was very much a major concern! Thankfully we had perfect weather on our day, but the following day when we were back at the wedding site for our recovery day, it was torrential rain and strong winds, and the marquee had completely flooded by 2pm. 24 hours later and we would have had a very different wedding day!
Planning surprises.
It wasn’t really a surprise as we knew what we were signing ourselves up for, but the decision fatigue and level of admin required when hosting a DIY wedding was strong in the couple of months leading up to it! Having to think of every little detail and ensure nothing was missed kept the mind very busy.
Words of wisdom.
We were hyper aware from the beginning that we didn’t want the wedding to dominate our whole lives or personalities in the lead up! There are so many other things going on if your life that too much emphasis on the wedding isn’t healthy. We would set aside one date night a month to chat about all things wedding, and we found this gave us a good balance. It made the planning process fun and enjoyable.
I’d also say, if you connect with a vendor after the consultation, book them in and don’t think too much about it! To keep things simple, I never did multiple consults for the same type of vendor, as the admin can really pile up, and I didn’t want to give myself the chance to second guess – trust your gut!
If you’re still curious for more private property BTS, check out Ella & Mitch’s real wedding.
NICOLA & BRAYDEN’S SUPPLIERS:
Ceremony & reception venue: Private Property – We were lucky enough to have our wedding on a family farm in Swan Bay. Over the years, we had always envisioned ourselves getting married there, but we did spend some time checking out some other venues in the planning process. We were hyper aware how much work, money and time goes into planning and executing a wedding that is in a paddock, but ultimately the sentimental pull of having it in such a meaningful location won. Not only is it a beautiful spot right on the bay with breathtaking views, but it holds so many memories for Brayden spending time growing up there and has become an incredibly special place for me over the past 11 years.
Celebrant: Kahani Celebrant – She is one of the most radiant, gorgeous humans you will ever meet! She was born to be a celebrant, and we feel so lucky that she was part of our team. She has the innate ability to tell your story in the most authentic and organic way, like she has known you for years, whilst also setting the perfect tone for the day. She made you feel like you had one of your close friends right up there with you and brought a level of calm that we needed.
Photography: Tess Follett – It was no secret to anyone close to me that investing in an incredible photographer was at the top of my priority list. I had seen Tess’ work over the years on Instagram, and adored it from afar, so when it came time to start planning the big day, Tess was the first vendor I reached out to. I knew we had to have her, so we chose our date around her availability, and it was the best thing we did! I can’t express enough how talented she is, and just how happy we are with the photos. Not only is her work incredible, but she is also a beautiful person, who made us feel so comfortable and at ease in front of the camera.
Videography: Ryan Lee – Wedding Films – Ryan was one of the vendors that we locked in later in the planning process. Initially, I really struggled to resonate with a lot of the films I saw online, they didn’t quite feel as relaxed and authentic as we wanted. I then stumbled across Ryan’s Instagram, and found myself utterly obsessed with his style. He captures the in between moments; the reactions, the little looks between guests, every different emotion, and managed to perfectly capture our day in its raw form. He is such a lovely, calming person to have in your corner too, and we absolutely adore him. Tess and Ryan have worked together on many weddings over the years, and we really felt this connection and seamlessness on the day.
On-The-Day Coordinator: Marry Me Murrihy – After hosting our engagement party a year prior on family property, I was very sure from the beginning that we needed to bring in an extra set of hands for the wedding to ensure our day ran smoothly. I felt confident in planning and booking all our vendors but knew we needed someone on the day to take the stress off ourselves, and our family. In comes Keeley Murrihy, our savior. From our first meeting three months out at the wedding site, I knew she wouldn’t let anything slip through the cracks. She was my sounding board, my reassurance and our hype lady. She is so hardworking, passionate and switched on with all the logistics that come with executing a wedding. Our day wouldn’t have been nearly as enjoyable without her, and we are so grateful.
Florist: Emma Lane Flowers – Emma was amazing, she did such an incredible job of understanding exactly what we were after and executing to perfection. We couldn’t have been happier with her work. Emma looked after the ceremony, my bouquet, the men’s buttonholes, the bar flowers and the arrangement under the welcome sign.
We also worked with Geelong Flower Farm on the parts that I wanted to DIY (bud vases on the main tables and bridesmaid bouquets), and they were terrific in supplying the flowers. I met with them a few months prior to select what I was after, and they placed the order.
Hair: Alex Fielding Hair – Like so many of our vendors, Alex was a calming influence on the morning. She had come recommended by so many in the Geelong region, and she did an amazing job of nailing all six of our different hair styles requests.
Make-up: Makeup by Giuliana – I found Giuliana through Instagram and was so glad I did! She really listened to each individual request and made us all feel beautiful in our own tailored way. She is the ultimate professional and I loved having her with us all morning.
The dresses: Kyha & Rat and Boa
Veil: Kyha
Shoes: Charles Keith & Cotton On – Because the dress was such a statement, I kept the shoe very simple. I didn’t want to make life any harder for myself, and walking on uneven terrain with an enormous amount of tulle around me meant I opted for flats. I found a pair from Charles Keith online, and they were terrific, so comfortable and chic. For my second dress, I originally had a pair of heels ready to go that complimented that look. Two days out from the wedding, I found myself realising the last thing I would want to do is put heels on for the dancefloor, so I ended up finding a fair of white open flats from Cotton On – they were perfect.
Rings: Kate & Kole – Brayden got my engagement ring from Kate & Kole, so it was only natural to have them create our wedding bands too. We made a trip up the NSW coast late last year and called into their showroom to choose our wedding bands. They were amazing to work with, and we got both of our rings engraved with ‘the love of my life’.
Bridesmaid’s dresses: Significant Other, Bec & Bridge, ASOS – This was quite easy for me, as I left it up to my bridesmaids to choose. The only requirements were that they were butter yellow in colour, and not strapless. Originally, I had envisioned them in blue, but as I incorporated blue into other elements of the day, I decided butter yellow would complement this well. I didn’t mind what brands they were from, just that each of them felt comfortable and beautiful in them.
Suits & ties: Eddy Elias – Brayden has always had a great experience with the team at Eddy Elias, so it was an easy decision to get his and his groomsman’s suits made there.
Catering: The Tipsy Colt – Gabbi and the team at The Tipsy Colt were incredible! It is no easy feat to feed 125 people for a sit-down wedding in the middle of a paddock, out of a small marquee tent. Not only did they do so with no issues, but the quality was terrific – serving delicious canapes, shared mains and sides, and woodfired pizza later in the night.
Bar: We secured the physical bar through Friday Hire , then the alcohol through The Grog Guy and sourced our bar staff through Havana Caravan Bar . They were all amazing and no task was too big for them.
Cake: Bilby – We both never wanted a traditional wedding cake as such, and we liked the idea of a ‘dessert table’. I had been to a new café/bakery in Geelong and loved their cakes. I chatted with the owner, Matilda, to see if she could make us a variety of different cakes and tarts for our wedding. She created four incredible desserts, and we got so many compliments on them.
Stationery / Signage: Atelier Creative – Early days in the planning process, I came across Atelier Creative on Instagram and loved Lauren’s style. She created our wedding invites, as we decided to use the same font/style as them for our on-the-day stationery.
Entertainment: Chook & Moluck – We created a Spotify playlist and borrowed friend’s speakers for the post ceremony, canape music. From 6pm onwards we had DJs Chook & Moluck. They were awesome, they read the room and nailed the vibe. We had never heard them play prior, but they were highly recommended by a friend and we absolutely loved them.
Transport: McHarrys Busline
Hire: Friday Hire (Bar and entry sign stand) Elderberry Events (Marquee and furniture) Ell Events (Linen)
Honeymoon: We had the most relaxing, laid back ten days in Margaret River, Western Australia. We spent our days beach hopping, relaxing and eating amazing food. Couldn’t recommend it more.
