A White-on-White Marquee Wedding at Barunah Plains
Mia and James celebrated their wedding at the stunning Barunah Plains, choosing to turn their day into an entire weekend of connection, celebration and country elegance.
Set against the sweeping grounds of the historic homestead, the couple embraced everything the venue has to offer – from private vows shared before the ceremony, to a relaxed recovery celebration the following day. Their ceremony unfolded beneath lush green foliage, with cascading white florals creating a soft, romantic focal point within the natural surrounds.
James looked timeless in a classic tuxedo with a white jacket, while Mia opted for an effortlessly elegant gown with a low-back silhouette, later changing into a fun second look made for dancing the night away. Bridesmaids wore a neutral palette that allowed the florals and Barunah Plains backdrop to shine.
From cocktail hour by the pool with champagne and roaming oysters to an open-air marquee reception glowing under festoon lighting, the celebration flowed seamlessly from day to night. With incredible food, music and a packed dancefloor, it was a joyful, elevated country wedding made even more seamless with the support of their planner, By Plush.
Beautifully captured by Tess Follett.
The meeting.
We met 11 years ago through friends in Yarrawonga, a country town where I holiday, and James was living at the time. We crossed paths a few times before getting to know each other properly at a friend’s party, then hit it off from there.
The one.
I don’t think there was one big, defining moment – it was more a growing certainty over time. Everything just felt easy, natural, and we could be completely ourselves around each other.
The proposal.
We were away for my 30th birthday in Lorne with my family and a small group of friends. James took me on a sunrise walk along the beach and got down on his knee. I was completely shocked but of course said yes. We went back to our Airbnb and had a champagne breakfast to celebrate.
Planning process.
We decided to plan our wedding in under six months, so we went into the planning process expecting it to be quite stressful. In the end, it was actually far more relaxed than we anticipated. We found our wedding venue Barunah Plains online and when we enquired, they happened to have our date in December free, so we locked it in straight away, which made everything feel very meant to be. From there, having our planner (By Plush) was an absolute game changer. She took care of the details and kept everything running smoothly behind the scenes. It meant we could focus on enjoying the lead-up rather than feeling overwhelmed, and really soak up the excitement of the whole experience.
Style inspiration.
We wanted a venue that allowed all our guests to stay on site, so the weekend felt less like a formal event and more like a big party with the people we love. Good food, delicious drinks and great music were important to us – we wanted it to be fun but also relaxed, rather than overly formal. Having everyone in the one place also meant the celebrations didn’t have to end after one night, so we could keep the good vibes going with a second party for the recovery the next day.
The ceremony.
We had an outdoor ceremony outside the Barunah Plains homestead, which was beautiful – especially in December when everything is so green and lush. It created the most stunning backdrop and set the tone for the whole day.
My Aunty had the role of unofficial celebrant, which brought such a warm and intimate energy to the moment. It made everything feel more genuine and very “us”. We also had an official celebrant to assist with the legal side of things.
Before the ceremony, we also chose to do a first look where we shared our vows privately, just the two of us. It was such a special moment to take it all in without the nerves or pressure of an audience. It made the ceremony itself feel even more relaxed as we already had that quiet, personal exchange together.
The outfits.
James wore a classic black tuxedo. We always knew he wanted something timeless that wouldn’t date.
For me, I was drawn to something simple and comfortable. I didn’t want anything too over the top, just a dress that felt like me and that I could move in and enjoy the day. For the end of the night, I changed into a second party dress which was a bit more fun and made it easy to dance and fully relax into the celebration.
Favourite moment.
We loved everything about the whole day and wish we could do it all over again. One of our favourite moments of the day was making our entrance into the marquee reception. As we walked in, the sax player was performing and instantly created such an incredible atmosphere – it lifted the vibe in the room and set the tone for the rest of the evening.
Meaning of marriage.
For us, marriage is about taking that next step and choosing each other properly. It’s making those promises and knowing you’re in it together no matter what. It also feels like becoming our own little family and building a life side by side.
Wedding soundtrack.
Aisle: Beyond – Leon Bridges
Reception entry: Freed From Desire – Gala
First Dance: Like A Prayer – Madonna (remixed version)
Funny stories (or near disasters).
My dress wasn’t ready until the day before the wedding. There were multiple alterations and issues from the start, which was stressful at the time, but it all came together in the end.
Planning surprises.
The biggest surprise was just how much detail goes into planning a wedding. There are so many small decisions you don’t even think about until you’re in it.
It also really reinforced how valuable it is to have a planner. Having someone to manage all those details and keep everything on track made such a difference and took a huge amount of pressure off us in the lead up.
Words of wisdom.
Try not to overthink every detail. It’s so easy to get caught up in everything, but it really does all come together in the end. Focus on what actually matters to you as a couple and let the rest fall into place.
On the day, just be present and enjoy it. It goes to quickly, and some of the best moments are ones you didn’t even plan for.
Mia and James’ Vendors
After locking in Barunah Plains as our venue, they recommended By Plush for the planning. Olivia from By Plush then helped us to find all of our suppliers, who were all incredible.
Ceremony and reception location: Barunah Plains was a stunning venue and the perfect setting for both our ceremony and reception. Ali and the team were easy to deal with – very helpful and organised throughout the whole process. The on-site accommodation also made it so convenient for our guests, allowing everyone to fully relax and enjoy the entire weekend with us.
Celebrant: Ashlee Glen handled all the legal aspects of the ceremony and made the process completely seamless. She guided us through the paperwork and requirements, which took a huge weight off our shoulders.
Photography: Tess Follett was incredible. She made us feel completely relaxed throughout the whole day and captured everything perfectly in a way that was so us. We love her style, and the way she photographed not just the staged moments, but also our guests and all the little candid moments. The photos feel natural, full of life, and really tell the story of our day exactly as it happened.
Content Creator: Content by E – Chloe captured our wedding amazingly. By the very next day, we had the video which was such a treat. It let us relive all the moments and emotions while they were still so fresh. The quality and attention to detail were exceptional and it tells the story of our day perfectly.
Styling: By Plush – Olivia was simply the best. She was our absolute saviour from start to finish, taking care of every detail and making the whole planning process completely stress-free. We honestly couldn’t have done it without her.
Florist: Lal Floral – Hannah completely nailed our vision. We gave her the brief for the flowers, and the results were stunning. Every arrangement was beautiful and exactly what we had imagined.
Hair: Tia Fagan Hair – Our hair stylist, Tia Fagan, was so relaxed all morning and made the whole getting ready process fun and easy, perfectly creating the styles that I and all the bridesmaids wanted.
Make-up: Makeup by Annalise is truly an artist. She made all of us feel beautiful, listened to exactly what we wanted, and was such a fun, uplifting presence while we were getting ready.
The dresses: Gown – Made With Love Bridal Second dress – Meshki
Veil: Made With Love Bridal
Shoes: Bared Footwear
Bridesmaid’s dresses: Sndys The Label
Suits and accessories: MJ Bale
Catering, bar and cake: Smith & Co Catering – Camilla and the team were amazing. Their catering and bar staff were exceptional and professional, and the quality of the food was hands down the best we’ve ever had at a wedding.
Stationery / Signage: Xanthe Blyth created our stationery and signage to perfectly match the style and vibe of our wedding. Every piece felt so thoughtfully designed and really tied the whole look of our day together.
Entertainment: Deus Sax – Harry played acoustic and vocals during our cocktail/canape hour, then led our guests to our marquee for our dinner. He brought the vibes, incorporating sax into our dinner, then also DJ’d the dance floor the rest of the night.
Hire: Friday Hire provided furniture that was stylish and unique, with pieces that really stood out compared to standard options. Their selection added a nice touch and helped create the perfect outdoor wedding look for our day.
Honeymoon: Thailand
