As proven by Real Wedding Special couple Jill and Ben, you don’t typically expect a potentially life threatening run-in with a wild animal the night before your wedding…. but this is Australia and, let’s face it, crazier things have happened.
£I was having my last phone conversation with Ben, whilst driving in the car with my bridesmaids, when suddenly a giant Kangaroo jumped out in front of the car. We had to slam on the breaks and luckily only hit his tail. It was a very frightening experience for all of us including Ben who all he could hear was 4 women screaming for their lives. It certainly didn’t help with my nerves! says Jill, able to laugh about it after the fact.
Fast forward to their wedding day, beautifully captured by West Oz fave Nectarine Photography (who also shot Jenna + Luke’s day), this pair had no trouble attaining their luxurious, bohemian vision at Arimia, a winery just north of Margaret River. With tonnes of natural foliage, earthy tones, an awesome tipi and oodles of amazing vendors (like Gold Wedding Hire and stylist/florist/cake maker extraordinaire Tiffany Keal Creative Studio) in tow, the bride admits that picking just one favourite moment from the day was nearly impossible, but walking down the aisle was a standout.
£The weather was perfect, the setting looked like a fairytale and to have all our friends and family there for us was surreal. We couldn’t see each other until I was almost at the altar, then to finally see the big smile on Ben’s face is a feeling I will never forget. Pure happiness, explains Jill, who spent 8 months working on the design for her wedding dress before realising in the end, she just didn’t love it.
£I then had 2 months to design and make a whole new dress and although it was stressful at the time it was the best decision I could have made. The dress is such an important element and really sets the mood for how you feel in the lead up to the day, she tells us, though her flair for fashion wasn’t able to save her from those infamous, ultra-pesky Australian flies.
£During the ceremony there were quite a lot of flies around? I thought I was safe under my birdcage veil until one got caught under it. I tried to shoo it away without anyone noticing but it was trapped. We had to stop the ceremony and Ben had to help get it out.
While marriage for some gives their relationship an entirely new meaning, Ben jokes that it’s merely a good excuse to put on a few kilos, while Jill goes another route: £For me nothing has really changed in our lives, but it has given me a euphoric feeling and made the bond between us even stronger.
Want to see more weddings like this one? Pick up Issue 13, on sale now!
CREDITS Photos Nectarine Photography // Bridal gown and veil Donna Tobin Couture // Robes and bridesmaids gifts Home Bodii // Bride and bridesmaids shoes Tony Bianco // Accessories Accessorise Now // Hair Head Studio // Makeup Brittany Lovell Makeup Artistry // Rings Broadley’s Fine Jewellery // Bridesmaid dresses Shona Joy, Zimmermann and Lover // Bridesmaid gifts and page boys Country Road // Groom and groomsmen suits and bow tie Politix // Shoes Julius Marlow // Socks Bonds // Watch and groomsmen gifts Komono via The Iconic // Barber / grooming Scarborough Barber Shop // Page boys Melody Of Cuteness via Etsy and Next // Event Stylist, florist, stationery, cake, wedding favours, prop + furniture hire, signage Tiffany Keal Creative Studio // Florist SABU Designs // Stationery Annie P. Paperie // Ceremony, reception and catering Arimia, WA // Decorative elements Favour Lane // Prop and furniture hire Dunsborough Wedding Co, The Zest Group, Cape Marquees, Empire Events, Ferguson Valley Events, Gold Wedding Hire and Hire Society // Teepee The Zest Group // Lighting Empire Events and Cape Marquees // Entertainment Bella Blakemore and and DJ Paul Malone // Celebrant Carla Paterson // Transport Classic Jaguar Limousines // Cinematographer Ian Rogers Production.