You might remember this wedding, photographed by Hello May fave Lakshal Perera, from the cover of issue two! Given the issue has long since sold out, and the fact that there were way too many awesome photos for us to be able to squeeze them all in the magazine, we thought we’d share the rest with you online today… especially as these two have the sweetest ‘how we met’ story we ever did hear.
About five years ago Hayley’s good friend (and future bridesmaid) Emmeline thought she’d play matchmaker and sent Hayley a photo of her childhood friend Jon with the following email:
£Hey Hayley, This is a photo of my really nice awesome friend who has bees. His name is Johnny Monson. He has a really nice family. His dad is a bee farmer in Mildura and a pretty good one too. Nice honey. It’s like edible gold… gold I tell you! He is also an aircraft engineer who has his pilot’s license so he could take you up in a plane if you wanted to. Doesn’t he just sound dreamy?
£He is quite good looking? not my type. He is blonde with really blue eyes. Not as blue as yours but still really nice. He went to the same school as me and was in the same year as my sister, who also thinks he is really nice.
£He loves Mildura though so maybe you could move there with him. I think you should take him and he will make you sweet honey and be rich! Yay! Then if you get married, I can claim the credit for it. Ok it’s settled. Hayley Monson it is. – Emmeline
With friends like Emmeline who needs online dating! Hayley and Jon met, fell in love and here we are just over four years later sharing their wedding, held at iconic Boyd Baker House, deep in Victorian bushland. Hayley tells us, £I’m not sure who wouldn’t love Boyd Baker House, but we completely fell in love with it when we visited the property one very rainy April afternoon! Jon and I are very much into Grand Designs and architecture so have a real appreciation for mid-century design.
Hayley and Jon had a picture perfect ceremony, but how could you not with the fabulous Jo Betz as your celebrant. For the reception they ran with a yellow and amber colour theme Hayley, who just so happens to be the owner of amazing vintage clothing store Deerfield Vintage, personally went about collecting 180 dinner plates and side plates for the reception which she says, £was a huge task I didn’t just want any old plate from op shops, I had a strict colour theme criteria going on! Every plate had to have either dark yellows, golds, silvers or whites. I went to every single swap meet, collectables fair and antique store within a 100km radius.
Ever the gentleman and not one to let his soon-to-be wifey have all the fun, Jon got in on the DIY action too! Hayley tells us, £Jon made his own candles for the tables. We purchased the preserving jars and Jon filtered and poured the wax and even added some citronella to keep the mozzies away.
The plates were not the only thing vintage at the wedding! Hayley found her 1950s vintage dress on Etsy store Dear Golden. £I feel so lucky to have found my dress! says Hayley. £I just love her and I refuse to wear her only once! Sometimes when its just me and Kevin (my cat), I’ll get her out and wear her around the house, and sometimes even out to the postbox!
Editors note: Whilst Hayley’s gorgeous gown is one of a kind vintage that you would be hard pressed to find a replica of, the good folk of Studio White in Tasmania created a ‘Bluebell’ gown modelled off Hayley’s wedding dress and you can read all about it, including how to purchase, here.
CREDITS Photos Lakshal Perera // Bridal gown Dear Golden, Etsy // Flowers Pomp and Splendour // Shoes Rachel Simpson // Hair + makeup Candice DeVille // Bridesmaids dresses Vintage Blue Moon and Mill Street Vintage via Etsy // Grooms suit Roger David // Suspenders Meadow // Bow ties Hanks Haberdashery via Etsy // Shoes ZU // Ring Wedding Rings Direct // Ceremony + reception Boyd Baker House // Catering Hudsons Famous // Music Top Dog Entertainment // Celebrant Jo Betz.