Meet the couple (tell us a little bit about you both): Will is a computer enthusiast and works for a music streaming startup. Emily is a kindergarten teacher and works in the public sector, in education policy. They started a weekly Shitty Movie Night™ with friends in 2016 which is still going strong to this day.
Why did you choose the Yarra Valley/Dandenong Ranges as your wedding location? We wanted to get married at a winery because we knew the food would be amazing – and we wanted the ceremony to be outdoors with beautiful scenery.
How did you choose your ceremony and reception venue? It was important for us to have both the ceremony and the reception in one place to make it easy for our guests and for us. The Farm was a beautiful venue and a bit smaller than others we had visited, which suited our guest count and the general relaxed vibe we were going for.
What was your wedding theme? Not a theme as such but our number one rule was that it be a fun party – not super formal or traditional.
What made your wedding unique? The groom turned up in a bus, and his sister was the best woman!
What were the highlights? The food was incredible, and the mulled wine was a huge hit, we’re pretty sure a few guests were politely coaxing the recipe from the bar staff towards the end of the night. Seeing everyone hit the dancefloor after a few years of cancelled events and family celebrations was also really heartwarming and surreal.
Is there a story behind your dress?
Emily: I bought it online in 2020, and it still fit me in 2022…..so that is a pretty amazing story I think!
Tell us about the groomswear, who chose the colour? Emily’s dad actually brought up sage as a potential colour scheme for bridesmaid dresses and groomsmen ties – he knew we were thinking native flowers and eucalypt vibes.
What type of entertainment did you have? DJ Spotify – with a seriously curated playlist created by a beloved and hip member of the family. It was 12 hours and 10 minutes long and very 2009-inspired.
What was your wedding menu for the day? Did you have any special drinks for your guests? The menu was all shared plates, which worked really well as it encouraged guests to chat, and meant there was plenty of everything. Highlights were the antipasti with baked cheese, beetroot gnocchi, smashed potatoes and doughnuts with preserved lemon curd.
Was there any wedding vendor that particularly stood out on the day? If so, why? The Farm stood out because the staff were so attentive and the food was amazing. Our guests loved the ceremony created by Naomi (our celebrant) and said it was very ‘us’. The floral arrangements by Forget-Me-Not Floret were another talked-about feature and exactly what we envisaged. Finally, Gina (photographer) was so fun and really made everyone feel at ease. Plus she made us both look good!
Advice for couples thinking of getting married in the Yarra Valley/Dandenong Ranges? Do it! Definitely travel to a bunch of different venues and do a wine tasting for ‘research’. Because it’s a bit out of town, organising a bus to a nearby hotel for guests is also really worth it – takes the stress out of relying on taxis and, party bus!
What’s your best advice for planning the perfect wedding?
Find a venue that has an A+ event manager (like ours) and can do a lot in-house on your behalf. We didn’t have to worry about catering, the cake, table runners, candles,….for example, we didn’t need to have arcane knowledge of the art of napkin folding.
Anything else you’d love to share?
Definitely recommend getting married during mulled wine season. Also, all our vendors were SO kind to us and worked with us to postpone our date twice..three times?..due to the virus-which-must-not-be-named. We truly do thank them for making our day so fun and easy.
Photographer: Gina Cawley Weddings
Florist: Forget Me Not Floret
Ceremony and Reception Venue: The Farm Yarra Valley
Catering: Cake & Kind: c/o the venue
Stationery: LilyKiss
Celebrant: Naomi Korolew
Engagement ring: Kim Victoria Jewels
Transport: Crown Coaches
DJ Equipment: Josh @ JC Party and Photography
Styling support/Event Management (on the day): We can’t speak highly enough of Claire at The Farm.
Bride Credits
Bridal gown designer: Needle and Thread
Bridesmaid dresses: Oleg Cassini Au
Hair and makeup: Hannah Hocking Hair and Makeup
