Real Wedding – Samantha & Mitchell, Strath Creek VIC
As childhood sweethearts, Sam and Mitch had a long time to envision how their dream day would run. For Sam, that did not include a sweeping thunderstorm that poured rain over their outdoor ceremony a half hour before they were due to exchange their vows.
But thanks to their incredible A team and stunning venue, Flowerdale Estate, the resulting last-minute move inside merely added to the celebratory vibes and created a sense of excitement that set the tone for the epic party to follow.
Sam and Mitch’s wedding ethos was anti-formal, laid-back, fun and colourful – and wow, did they deliver.
Kaleidoscopic florals in tones of vivid vermillion, lavender and scarlet by the ultra-talented Love Alfalfa juxtaposed against the natural beauty of the venue to perfection, while Melbourne Entertainment Co created upbeat intensity and fun through their soundscape talents.
Looking every bit the chic, contemporary couple, Sam and Mitch wore Karen Willis Holmes and Instituchu, respectively, both having loved the experience and result with these two legendary fashion houses.
We adore every light-filled, candid frame by Nikki McCrone Photography, and we suspect you will too.
The meeting.
If you ask me, Mitch and I met at Primary School! I was a year above him, and he was the school captain with my best friend. If you ask Mitch, we met (re-met!) at a mutual friend’s 21st birthday many years later. So yeah, we were childhood sweethearts!
The one.
Mitch came on a family holiday to Japan for my mum’s 60th. No one in my family is good with directions (especially when they’re in Japanese.) Mitch has a photographic memory, so he studied the train systems and was our personal tour guide the entire trip! No one had to check a timetable or a map, which ultimately made them fall in love with him! That’s when I knew he was a keeper.
The proposal.
We were on holiday in Bali after Mitch was working interstate for six months and needed a break, so I thought the trip was for him. Little did I know he had snuck in a cheeky check-in at the AYANA resort in Jimbaran Bay. When we checked in, I was convinced he was planning the proposal that night. The receptionist started rattling off all of these incredible inclusions – a 24-hour private butler with access to a buggy, vouchers to their bars, spas and restaurants, exclusive access to VIP sky lifts, etc. It was insane!
She turned to me and said, ‘He must love you!’ I knew it was on! After a very romantic dinner at the Rock Bar, it was a very disappointing buggy ride back to our private cliff-top villa. I felt his (empty) shirt pocket and told him it was a wasted opportunity. As soon as we got back to our private cliff-top villa, he got down on one knee, and it could not have been more magical! (Woops!).
Planning process.
Both my sister and I studied Event Management before becoming teachers, so we have an absolute passion for party planning, hosting and all the little bits and pieces that come along with it! My sister, mum and mother-in-law helped out tremendously. We often had craft nights where we drank wine and designed miscellaneous things on Canva – the invitations, signage, menus, jar labels, and name tags. My mum made 200 mini strawberry jam and tomato relish jars as wedding favours! It was so nice having our personal touch on everything. It made our wedding so much more special.
Style inspiration.
Over the years, I picked up elements of weddings that I absolutely loved, and things that I would do differently. I had a list in my notes app with our non-negotiables. We knew that we wanted a venue that allowed drinks on the dance floor (yes, we’ve been to many where you can’t!) We knew we wanted fun music that was going to keep both the oldies and the youngies on the dance floor. We also just wanted our wedding to represent us, laid back, fun and colourful! We didn’t want a super traditional formal wedding at all. (We were also the last two standing at the kick on accommodation at 2am, dancing to The Righteous Brothers!)
I definitely found real wedding inspiration to be the most useful. I also LOVED watching real brides’ wedding journeys on TikTok. Watching them plan their wedding and document the process gave me a lot of inspiration. I used wedding magazines to find vendors and then looked at their work on Instagram. This was such a great way to visualise what your wedding could look like. It was also a great way to discover other vendors. We were very happy to take on vendors’ recommendations too, which is how we found some of our amazing A team!
The ceremony.
Our ceremony was not what I had planned, due to the weather. I felt so sad about this for such a long time, as I had pictured us being married outside for so long! I pictured us walking off to the prosecco tower and kicking off canapée hour under the stunning oak tree while the acoustic guitarist played our favourite music as people mingled in the sunshine.
But now that I reflect on our wedding four months later, I can see that those parts aren’t the important parts. What made our ceremony so special was that we all made the most of it, the weather was out of our control, and rather than let that ruin our day, we had a blast!
One of my favourite parts of our ceremony was how laid back it was. A few beer glasses were tipped over in the crowd and Mitch yelled out ‘Taxi!’ during his vows which made everyone laugh. Our beautiful 4-year-old nephew bolted up with the rings at the wrong time, and everyone laughed and cheered. It was little moments like these that we loved. We laughed the entire ceremony!
The outfits.
I was always drawn to the bubble sleeve dresses, I thought they looked so fun and unique. Most of the dresses I saw were from Karen Willis Holmes, so I booked an appointment (my first and only!) with my sister, mum, and mother-in-law, and we walked out with a bubble-sleeve wedding dress! I tried on three dresses in total, and the other two just weren’t it. The best part about the wedding dress process was that I could choose the skirt, the top, and then just add the bubble sleeves to create the perfect dress! I felt like an absolute princess in my dress. It was so flattering and fun! I couldn’t wait for Mitch to see my dress; that was one of the highlights of the day. He told me it was ‘very Sam’ – sexy and fun!
As for Mitch – classic Mitch! He probably went suit shopping two months before the wedding. We went to In Stitchu in Melbourne CBD, and we chose a classic tux. It was fun going with him and trying on different bowties and shirts. I didn’t know what a lapel was until then.
Favourite moments.
So many favourite moments. I think hearing Mitch’s vows was so incredibly special. Walking into the ceremony with my parents by my side and seeing all our favourite people after a very disappointing start to the wedding was unreal. It made me feel so at ease and happy. I knew it was all going to be okay as soon as I walked in – rain, hail or shine! Such a surreal moment.
Meaning of marriage.
Marriage means locking in your forever teammate. Mitch and I have been together for ten years; however, being married solidifies that we’re in this together (hopefully) forever. I’ve heard so many of my friends answer the question of ‘how’s married life’ with ‘oh yeah, nothing really changes’ and I get that when you’ve been together for so long, however, I do believe some things change. It’s a new chapter in life, we’re now legally obligated to be each other’s therapists, chefs and co-pilots on this wild ride. It’s also just so exciting to say, ‘My husband!’
Wedding soundtrack.
Aisle: Elvis – Can’t Help Falling In Love
Reception entry: Kungs Vc. Cookin’ On 3 Burners – This Girl
First dance: The Teskey Brothers – Forever You And Me
Father/Daughter, Mother/Son dance: Van Morrison – Days like this
Funny stories (or near disasters).
The weather! Sunny and warm all day, and then 30 minutes before the ceremony, a storm rolled in and it absolutely poured! Not ideal when you planned an outdoor ceremony. It was very touch and go for a while, not to mention our acoustic guitarist had rear-ended a ute on his way to the wedding and called to say he may not make it (luckily his girlfriend saved him on the side of the road.) It was a very stressful start to the wedding. I was so relaxed and chill all day, and then bam, stress and tears! Luckily, it ended up being the best day ever!
Planning surprises.
That planning a wedding and being a bride becomes your entire personality?! I was surprised by the amount of admin that was involved. Lots of research, emails, meetings, deposits, etc. I would work all day and then spend most nights on the laptop checking things off the wedding to-do list! I didn’t quite know what to do with myself after the wedding.
Words of wisdom.
Write a list of your non-negotiables and refer to this throughout the planning process. Make sure you stay true to what you both want. At the end of the day, this is going to be your core memory that you will think about endlessly. For everyone else, it’s another wedding! (No one will ever care as much about your wedding as you!)
We bought a stack of foam light sticks from Amazon for the dance floor, which were an absolute hit! People who felt awkward about dancing had something to hold, which was amazing, and the kids were obsessed with them! They also made the best photos ever.
Undoubtedly, Sam and Mitch’s vision was realised so beautifully through the talents of their vendors. If you want to create a low-stress, supported and stunning wedding day, lock in some of the indomitable talent found in our Directory.
SAM & MITCH’S VENDORS
Ceremony & reception venue: Flowerdale Estate. This family-run business is a dream! They could not have been more accommodating and helpful. Beautiful people with an incredible venue that we will visit forever.
Celebrant: Lisa Brown. We found Lisa on Instagram. She was a 10/10 celebrant. So organised, friendly, warm and kind. She had a great sense of humour and ran an incredible ceremony despite the last-minute changes. Everyone complimented her!
Photography: Nikki McCrone. We found Nikki through our friends, as she was their wedding photographer. Nikki is a WIZARD! Her photos are magical. She is so efficient and knows exactly what to do to get the shot. She has an insanely good personality and makes you feel so comfortable. We laughed the entire time we were with Nikki!
Videography: Ryan Lee. We were given Ryan’s details through Nikki. Ryan was a sweet, soft and gentle soul who you often forgot was even there. His videos were incredible. They make me cry every time I see them. We loved the balance of Ryan and Nikki together.
Florist: Love Alfalfa. I found this business online and, after receiving a number of florist quotes, decided this one was the one for us! Elle’s work is stunning. Every single person who looks at our wedding photos compliments the flowers! They were even better than I thought they would be. So bright and vibrant and happy. She snuck in and snuck out, and even let us return the vases to her the next day and waived the cost!
Hair: Maddy Hall. Maddy is a friend of my hairdresser. She is amazing and spent the day perfecting all seven of our hair! I loved my hair (before the rain hit it!)
Make-up: Stefania – SD Make Up and Hair. I found Stefania through a friend, as she was hired for her wedding. She was brilliant! Everyone was so happy and looked a million bucks! We loved working with her
The dress: Karen Willis Holmes. The girls here were fantastic and made me feel like a real princess! We loved our appointments here. They were so helpful and a pleasure to work with.
Veil: JJ’s House. They were recommended by a friend. They are super affordable, as I didn’t want to spend too much on this.
Shoes: Billini. I wore the Idana white heels. Very comfortable shoe! Lasted all night.
Rings: Sam’s engagement ring – Armans Fine Jewellery, Sydney. Sam’s wedding ring – Larsen Jewellery. Mitch’s wedding ring – Uniform Black.
Bridesmaid’s dresses: Mismatched dresses in shades of pinks and reds. They vary from different stores, such as Zimmermann and Billy J.
Suits and bow tie: InStitchu. Mitch hired his groomsman suits from Ferrari located inside of MYER.
Catering & bar: Onsite by Flowerdale chef. Cannoleria cannoli cart for dessert.
Favours: Mini jars of homemade strawberry jam and tomato relish made by my mum, Sharon! People LOVED them!
Cake / Cake topper: Miss Trixie Drinks Tea. I’ve had Alice’s cakes before and they are THE BEST! We went for a vintage heart-shaped cake in white with red glitter cherries in a Vanilla buttercake, tart lemon curd, and freeze-dried raspberries. I ate this for the following week, yum!
Stationery / Signage: Made by my sister and me on Canva and on the Cricut.
Entertainment: Acoustic guitarist – Tom P and Saxophone DJ: Jeremy (both from Melbourne Entertainment Co).
Honeymoon: Minimoon straight after: Healesville with the family in a giant Airbnb with the golden retrievers! We visited wineries, played golf, and drank champagne all week. The real honeymoon is Italy! August 2025.
