Guests are still raving about “literally everything” from Hayley and Richard’s Tweed Valley destination wedding, held at Botanica at Plantation House, and honestly, so are we. The flowers (joy in floral form), a cheese stack served as a savoury wedding cake alternative, dad’s red Mercedes, the bride’s gold sphere kitten heels and the girls’ morning-of robes all deserve their own mention. The couple add that chilled red on the wine list and party pies on the dancefloor were a hit. We bet.
This dynamic duo booked Baker Boys Band for entertainment and Wilde Visual for photography, both with plenty of glowing feedback to report. As for their venue, the ACT-based pair say choosing Botanica at Plantation House was an incredibly quick and simple decision.
“We always knew we wanted to get married in the Tweed area, it’s a special region to us and the place we escape from cold Canberra winters to. My sister had been to a wedding at the venue before and raved about it, and after checking it out a week after our engagement, the decision was made.”
Enjoy the memories, inspo and a heaping dose of joy from Hayley and Richard’s day below.
What was the vibe of Hayley and Richard’s Tweed Valley wedding?
“Overall we wanted the vibe to be fun and joyful, like a big dinner party with all of our loved ones, with everyone feeling relaxed, comfortable and happy. It’s a joyous occasion, lots of colour, laughter and fun.”
Favourite details: colourful wedding flowers and standout photography
“The flowers were to-die-for. Estelle from The French Petal is a true artist. Our approach was to take the path of least resistance on things, as we didn’t want wedding planning to be a stressful, onerous thing. As such, we were heavily dependent on the venue and flowers doing a lot of the heavy lifting, and boy did they deliver. Our photographer Wilde Visual were incredible. Jess and Camilla made us feel so relaxed and comfortable, supported and encouraged, and we just had a great time with them. They were absolute experts at keeping us on time without us feeling rushed, and guiding us wisely through our day. Lastly, my dad’s red Mercedes. My father has had this car since I was four, I have photos of me washing it in my togs as a kid. To have my dad drive Richard to the venue in the car, and for us to clamber all over it for pictures, was so lovely. Plus it was a real crowd pleaser with the toddlers present.”
Honouring loved ones
“Richard lost his grandparents in the last couple of years, and they played a big role in his life. They were married for close to 60 years and had a marriage to aspire to. I was sure to quote his ma in our vows with her favourite catchphrase about her husband, Richard’s grandfather. It doesn’t matter where you go, so long as you take me with you.”
A little ceremony moment
“Our two nieces were our flower girls. They were one and a half and three at the time and were so excited to be flower girls. During the ceremony, the little one broke free and approached us with an outstretched hand to Richard. He held her hand and then she grabbed mine, and mid ceremony there she was swinging on Richard and my arms. She was so happy and it made everyone laugh.”
The wedding day playlist
“I walked down the aisle to an acoustic cover of Blink 182’s First Date. They are one of our favourite bands. The recessional song was an acoustic cover of Natalie Cole’s This Will Be (An Everlasting Love), and we didn’t have a first dance.”
Why Hayley and Richard chose to do a first look
“We’re really glad we did a first look. We wanted to spend as much of the day together, so it was nice to get that additional time with one another, have an intimate moment together and take the pressure off before the wedding.”
More Tweed Valley & NSW wedding inspiration
Loved this celebration? Explore more weddings by Wilde Visual or discover Baker Boys Band, the entertainers behind this bash. Then browse our full directory of NSW wedding vendors and explore beautiful wedding venues in NSW for every style of celebration. Dreaming of something further afield? Browse destination weddings here.
CONTRIBUTING VENDORS Photographer Wilde Visual Florist The French Petal Stationery & Signage Blossie Venue, Catering & Photo Booth Botanica at Plantation House Cheese Stack Kat Harvey Cheese Entertainment Baker Boys Band Celebrant Hitched by Fabs Rings AG Designer Transport Currumbin Valley Bus & Coach Bride & Groom Accommodation Oceanfront Beach House Pre-Event Earth Beer Company Post-Event Cudgen Surf Life Saving Club THE BRIDE Bridal Gown Designer GWM Getting Ready Friday Flamingo Shoes JW Pei Accessories ByNye Hair The Beauty Lineup Makeup Petula Jade Fragrance Bon Parfumeur Bridesmaid Dresses Dominique Healy, Shona Joy, Cue Bridesmaid Shoes Charles & Keith Bridesmaid Gifts Gorman, Bon Parfumeur, Kosas, Mejuri THE GROOM Suit Theodore Watch Tudor Grooming Barbers of Belgium Shoes & Groomsmen Suits Peter Jackson Groomsmen Gifts R.M. Williams
