Elsie and Brenton (our favourite pug-lovin’ pair from issue nine) admit they’re not the most organised people. Despite having over a year to plan their wedding, held on Elsie’s family property in the Hunter Valley, they left most things until the last minute. £Basically a year of relaxing and two months of frantic organising and panic! says Elsie who in that time, somehow still managed to co-ordinate food, flowers, a first class photographer and a beautiful, custom made gown.
£Brenton’s aunty, Jenny Walsh is an incredible dress maker. I already knew that I didn’t want a standard wedding dress and after a quick conversation with Jen I knew that I wanted her to create it for me. My aunt, also named Jen gave me a huge piece of vintage French lace. The lace was from a convent and was over 100 years old.
As an antique dealer, finding something old however was never a problem for Elsie who wore the same veil and headpiece that her grandmother wore on her wedding day, many moons ago. Captured by Justin Aaron Photography, most of their decorations too, were collected over time from different markets and antique stores.
£We are both collectors and lovers of old, weird and wonderful things. We didn’t want the wedding to be a formal affair. We wanted it to be an eclectic feast of treasures, flowers, love and smiles. I think we got it just perfect! explains Elsie whose favourite detail was their stunning crimson-coloured ceremony backdrop, put together by Kamisha of Little Wren Flowers.
A lot of love had gone into planning their very special day and upon seeing his bride for the first time Brenton (who’d spent the course of their engagement learning a lot about DIY sign writing) couldn’t help but be overwhelmed with emotion.
£Elsie’s father has passed away and their special song together was Lay Lady Lay by Bob Dylan, this was the song that her brothers walked her down the aisle to, says Brenton who was later laughing hysterically as he watched their two pugs, Cakey and Maggie, devour canapû?s and leave dirty paw prints everywhere.
It seems everything is funny when you don’t take it all too seriously. Like Elsie says, £relax, don’t be precious about your plans and float along. Do it your own way.
If you missed out on your copy of issue nine, be sure to pick one up via our online store – postage is FREE! Keen to see more wonderful work by Justin Aaron Photography? Simply click here, here and here! Alternatively you can view his full portfolio here on the Hello May directory. More of Little Wren Flowers incredible arrangements can also be seen here.
CREDITS Photos Justin Aaron Photography // Bridal gown Jenny Walsh // Hair Brendan Peel Salon 114 // Rings Auld & Grey // Grooms shirt Geoffrey Beene // Grooms pants Godwin Charli // Bow tie and page boys David Jones // Grooms shoes Country Road // Watch and groomsmen gifts The Horse // Flower girls Bloch // Florist Little Wren Flowers // Ceremony and reception private property, NSW // Catering Lesley Taylor // Cake and cake topper Robert Molines // Prop and furniture hire Crab Apple Vintage and Auld & Grey // Teepee Katalane // Printer Ken Rowe // Celebrant Janice Oxenbould.