Nestled in the breathtaking foothills of the Grampians, Natasha and Dale's wedding was a perfect blend of classical romance with a contemporary twist. The private estate set the stage for a day that seamlessly married European elegance with the raw beauty of the Australian countryside. The ceremony unfolded in front of the estate's dramatic archways, a timeless backdrop that added to the enchantment of the moment. Natasha, radiant in a couture gown crafted from Italian silk, and Dale, dashing by her side, embodied elegance in every detail. The couple forwent the traditional cake-cutting, opting instead for an exquisite ‘dessert moment’, creating memories as sweet and unforgettable as the day itself.
Our Love Story
The Day We Met
Dale was single, and a mutual friend suggested he reach out to me. Dale decided to follow me on Instagram – as the modern-age love stories go – and respond to an Instagram story I had put up of some cocktails I was sharing with a friend, “Would you like to go out for a coffee some time?”. I responded, “I’m not sure how you got from cocktails to coffees, but sure!” The next day was Valentine's Day. I was one of the few single girls in an office full of women when, towards the end of the day, one single red rose arrived with my name on it. I thought these may have been from a girlfriend. When I opened the card, it was signed, “Coffee, not Cocktails – have a great day!” With no sign-off! Only one person could have been there. He’d asked our mutual friend where I worked and shot his shot. I could have either taken this as way too forward or as very funny banter. I chose the second. The rest is history!
The Proposal
It was nearing my 30th birthday, and Dale had planned to take me away to a regional country town called Daylesford and then to Hamilton Island in QLD. Sitting at one of our favorite restaurants, The Lakehouse, Dale started rushing dessert, which was making me annoyed, along with the fact he said our plans after our romantic lunch were to go back to the accommodation so he could watch golf. We finished up, and Dale suddenly said he wanted to go look at the turtles in the lake (there were no turtles in this lake), so we went down. He pointed at something on the grass. I turned around, then turned back to him, and he was down on one knee, proposing. It was a blur! We celebrated for the next week on a yacht on Hamilton Island. It truly was one of the best weeks of our lives.
The Engagement Ring
A pear shaped diamond on a diamond band from jewelers Paul Bram. It’s absolutely stunning.
Our Wedding
The Vision
Our vision was always to pay homage to classical romance with a modern twist. Having a PR and events background, it was engrained in me to try and visualize and incorporate those 1%ers – things that were deemed ‘different’ and left lasting impressions with guests and through images and videos captured of the day.
Our Team of Vendors
We got so very lucky with our vendors. It really was a magical experience working with each creative through the process. My favorite moments were with Alex from One Mimosa Please – she just understood my vision, and together we weren’t afraid to explore different or crazy ideas (she had a lot of influence in the on-the-day styling). Our celebrant, Kahani just understood exactly what kind of ceremony we were after – romantic but not too serious or long. Our caterers at Cookes Food produced a menu that was equivalent to some of the best dining experiences we’ve had in Melbourne, and being foodies, that was a big must. I could go on and on!
The Location
The most beautiful private property in at the foothills of the Grampians in Victoria is called Mount William Station. It had elements of Europe mixed with the Australian countryside, rolling grounds, a pool, a tennis court, and even a mini golf course! (all important for our recovery the next day!). We were one of the very first people to ever get married on the property, which was such a beautiful privilege. The owners, the Abbott family, were just incredible to deal with, and we have made friends for life and incredible memories thanks to their generosity. The venue is now open to couples looking for the perfect place to get married.
The Ceremony
We loved the ceremony. This was the most romantic and raw moment of the day. Hearing each other's voices was magical. The ceremony was held in front of the dramatic archways of the property, which were adorned by two concrete urns and an overflow of flowers.
The Reception
We wanted this day to really be all about who we are as a couple. We don’t take ourselves too seriously, we love having a good time and spending time with all our loved ones. So it was only fitting that we threw tradition out the window when it came to aspects of our reception. We had upbeat music playing during dinner – it felt like a boozy long lunch (dinner) with all our favorite people in the room (we avoided any background/elevator music). We had a pasta wheel on display with a chef serving up vodka pasta for entrées, and we had tequila shots on each of the tables as guests sat down. Rather than cake cutting, which felt very traditional to us, we decided to do a ‘dessert moment’ instead. We had hulled lemons filled with sorbet piled up on a round silver platter that was held by two waiters as we came out to ‘I Follow Rivers – The Magician Remix’ by Lykke Li, The Magician. Holding two large bottles of Belvedere with sparklers on the end, we poured some over the Lemon Sorbet dessert.
The Special Touches
We created a beautiful photo linen backdrop that had a big silver star and moon, along with our initials, N+D, sewn into it. This ended up being the hero piece of the day. The star and moon in the backdrop had been featured on our invitations, and we made sure that every touchpoint throughout the day had meaning and a reason behind it. Our invitations flowed into the wedding quite a bit, with our heart emblem featured as part of the mirrored welcome sign that was protruding out of the pool. One week before the wedding, the photo moment backdrop was completely reimagined, as I wasn’t happy with the concept. It took a village and an incredible vendor in One Mimosa Please to pull this off! The tablescape included vintage silverware that I had taken 12 months to source through various marketplaces. It was special knowing each piece was lovingly sourced by us and had its own history and story behind it. Candelabras, which had been wedding gifts centuries ago, were given new life front and center in our own love story. For the florals on the tablescape, It was important that each guest had their own special 'moment’ with no arrangement or flower moment the same.
Our Favorite Moment
Hearing each other's vows was such a special moment. The night before was a special moment for us also: having the grounds to ourselves with our bridal party, dining under the stars – just in front of the arches we would be married at only 24 hours later.
Our Style
The Bridal Looks
The main bridal look was a one-off couture gown made from Italian silk that I designed alongside Mariana Hardwick. Built on the body with a fully corseted foundation, it featured a drop waist, asymmetric draping and a layered voluminous skirt. I was after a look that was minimal and classic, but also unique and modern. My second dress was created by Mariana Hardwick and has just been released in their newest collection for 2025 brides, now called the ‘ALIA’. A corseted French lace gown with a draped skirt features a scalloped edge and a thigh-high split.
The Groom Looks
Dale wore MJ Bale, with a black tuxedo and black bow tie – later changing into a white suit jacket with a single red rose when we came out to do our ‘dessert moment’.
Our Bridesmaid’s Looks
The bridesmaids all wore complimentary colors that steered away from a primary palette and played into the romantic theme of the day. Jewel tones of burgundy, chocolate, emerald green and pink are balanced out with bouquets of different, complementing anthuriums with long, trailing bows.
Our Groomsmen’s Looks
All MJ Bale! Black tuxedos to compliment the groom.
Our Advice
For The Planning Process
Planning a wedding isn’t romantic, which is ironic considering this is exactly what the day is all about. Give yourself grace, know everything will come together, and your vendors will become your best friends throughout the process. Your florist, your venue staff, and your celebrant – they've done this countless times before and are there to help with any questions you might have! Also, this is the time to really know what you want. We created a mood board early via Google Slides, inserting in anything we liked from Pinterest to this board, and slowly started to realize there was a theme to what we liked. So, we refined it and kept using it as an anchor or reference whenever we were confused about whether something would fit into the overall ‘look’ of the day. As brides, we are bombarded with so many things – TiKTok, Bridal IG pages – it doesn’t end! So it can get overwhelming and confusing. If you have a visual anchor point, this helps to keep you on track.
Finally, no matter what you do, remember: this day is all about the celebration of you and your fiancé’s love story. If you're lost and overwhelmed at where to start, ask each other: Who are we as a couple? This will also be your guiding light as to how your day will look. Do you love tradition? Do you both like a good time? Are you country people at heart? Do you love the sea? This will help you decide what works best for you two. There are no rules when it comes to Weddings, though I’m sure many sites will tell you otherwise, and if you're true to yourselves and who you are as people, this wedding will be as incredible as you both imagine.
For On The Day
Take a moment to take it all in, and be in the moment! Don’t worry about anything other than soaking everything in. If you have the right vendors around you, you’ve clocked off.
For Post-Wedding
We were lucky enough to go on a honeymoon right away, but understand that this might not work for everyone else. You will need time to decompress, though, so take the week off afterward if you can and spend time together in your new wedded bliss and reflect on what was a magical day.
Vendors
Photography: Bianca Virtue
Videography: Moon & Back
Wedding Stylist & Stationery: Alexandra Drinkwater
Venue: Mount William Station
Florist: Simona Turco
Cake & Catering: Cookes Food & Events
Celebrant: Kahani
Music: DJ Marc Lucarelli
Hair: Salon Gabrielle
Makeup: Nicole Aquilina
Style
Bridal Dress: Mariana Hardwick
Bridal Shoes: Magda Butrym
Bridal Jewelry, Wedding & Engagement Rings: Paul Bram
Groom & Groomsmen: M.J. Bale , Julius Marlow
Bridesmaids: SIR. , Rachel Gilbert , Gauge81
