Tom and Rosie's wedding took place in a dreamy September setting in northern Australia, surrounded by lush fields and picturesque countryside. The family's magical garden, drenched in greenery and flowers, was the perfect setting for this celebration. The marquee exuded warmth and romance and became a wonderful place of energy and fun for guests, both during the reception and for a lively after-party. Rustic charm and the beauty of nature became an integral part of this unforgettable event, filling it with warmth and unique charm. Read more about this wedding below and enjoy the images captured by our talented member House of Lucie.
Tell us a little about yourselves. How did you meet? What do you do for a living? What are your hobbies?
We met in Emerald, a small country town in Central Queensland, at the hospital on rural rotation. We were both immediately drawn to each other but ultimately ended up going back to our respective home bases, several hundreds of kilometres apart. It wasn’t until we moved closer to one another that we made it official. We work as rural doctors and really enjoy our line of work. Outside of work, I'm partial to collecting indoor plants and Tom is an avid soccer player.
Can you share your engagement story?
Tom planned an elaborate ruse to propose to me at Mona Farm in Braidwood, New South Wales, a place that he knew I had been drooling over on Instagram. However, he informed me that we were just stopping by briefly, whilst en route to visit extended family in Bateman’s Bay. Tom had also organised a photographer to capture the surprise who went above and beyond, dressing up as a gardener, overalls and all. I was shocked because I had patted Tom down at the airport in case he was bringing a ring with him! Fortunately for Tom, our jeweller knew me too well, and had suggested Tom pack it in a pouch, and not a box, so I didn’t feel it in his jacket pocket during the pat down.
Where was your wedding? Why did you choose this venue?
We got married at Tom’s parents’ property outside of Yungaburra in the beautiful Atherton Tablelands (Cairns Hinterland). Tom’s parents had always hoped to host a family wedding having spent years establishing a beautiful garden. We knew we wanted to get married in a rural area, surrounded by farmland, and at a venue with no curfew.
What was the concept behind your wedding and how did you find your inspiration?
We didn’t have a specific concept but did take inspiration from other garden-themed weddings. Perhaps it was slightly whimsical with the decorations and florals but certainly our outfits were on the more modern side. There was a slight nerdy streak in that our vases were recycled medication vials collected by our anaesthetic colleagues.
How long did it take to plan your wedding? Did you encounter any challenges during the planning process?
We got married 12 months after our engagement but spent 10 months planning. We were very proactive in getting things sorted well in advance as we were intending to take an overseas holiday in the months leading into the wedding. We had some family illness pop up six months prior to the wedding whic created some extra stress being unsure if we should go ahead or postpone. Fortunately, we were able to keep our schedule as planned and everyone was able to attend. One major set back in the run up to the wedding was Tom’s Dad, who had been preparing the property for the wedding, fell from his bike and broke his hip 6 weeks out from the wedding. He had a hip replacement and managed to get back on the tractor.
Tell us about your outfits. How many different styles have you tried?
Tom got his tuxedo from P Johnson in Sydney after some recommendations from friends. I chose two dresses, both by designer Sophie et Voila from Sphere Bridal Gallery in Sydney. For the ceremony I wore ‘Guru’ gown and for the reception wore the ‘Dune’ mini. I was confident from the moment I tried them on that they were my dresses.
How many guests did you have? And what was the seating arrangement at the wedding like?
We had just over 100 guests and had seven staggered long tables.
What was your first dance song? Did you choreograph or improvise?
We danced to ‘Steal the Light’ by the Cat Empire. We ended up choosing to get some rumba lessons and learnt some steps which we threw together on the day.
Did you have any special performances or entertainment?
My cousin, Julie, who is a professional musician and songwriter, sang and played ukulele for our ceremony. We then had a live acoustic singer and guitarist for canapés who became our DJ for the dance floor.
What was the most memorable moment from your wedding day?
For us both, it was walking down the aisle. I asked Julie to sing ‘You’ll never walk alone’, the anthem to the Liverpool Football Club that Tom supports. It was a surprise for Tom, albeit, a rather corny surprise. However nothing prepares you for the excitement and love you feel walking down that aisle. We also wrote very memorable personalised vows that had us laughing and then quickly dissolving into happy tears.
Are there any vendors that you would like to tell us a little more about?
Helen Toms was a local retired florist who went above and beyond to collect blooms from her own and her friends’ gardens, but also tracked down some tulips for me from the Netherlands. She also took on the task of decorating and lighting a 27 metre marquee with her grandsons. We had the most delicious cake, made by Teeze Cakes, a local cake and dessert shop. We showed her some inspiration photos and the cake was executed better than I could ever imagine. We also would like to thank Khara our photographer from House of Lucie who was incredibly down to earth and captured our happiness perfectly. Khara was our only vendor that wasn’t local and we were honoured that she went to the effort to travel all the way to our wedding.
Did you have any special or unique elements (such as a signature cocktail or a fragrance) at your wedding?
We ended up doing signature cocktails which were really enjoyable. Tom opted for a margarita, and I chose a davidson plum gin sour, and Teddy (the dog) went for an old fashioned.
What gift from guests do you remember the most?
Julie’s gifting us with her amazing voice during our ceremony and Rosie’s Aunt who painted us a portrait of our beloved dog, Teddy.
What advice would you give to couples who are currently planning their wedding?
After hearing that Tom did nothing but run around on the morning of the wedding, in retrospect, a wedding planner/coordinator would have been really helpful! Trust yourselves and try avoid seeking too many opinions, back yourself.
Photographer: @houseoflucielove
Florist/Styling: Helen Toms
Celebrant: Amanda Loftus
Dress Designer: @sophieetvoilabridal
Bridal Stockist: @spherebridalgallery
Suit Designer: @pjohnsontailors
Jeweller: @jbdtownsville
MUA: @jordanlane.makeupartist
Hair Stylist: @innergoddesshair_
Catering: @ochrecairns
Cake: @teezecakes
Live Music: @julie.claude_
DJ: @mattyboi.live
