Prior to their wedding day, Lauren and Joshua watched their love grow. Their love for basil, that is. Josh’s sister Liz and partner Tim volunteered to grow 60 pots of basil from seed for their table settings that would later double as gifts for guests. £As well as making us a double loveseat swing to hang in the tree!, says Lauren. It was a lovely contribution to their day and not the only one Lauren’s sister designed their wedding invitations, while Josh’s mum surprised them with beautiful vine heart decorations she’d made.
£The whole process was made so much easier because both our families were so excited and really did the lion’s share of organising the details and keeping things moving forward, says Lauren. £We really learned the value of asking for help, and that the nicest part about planning a wedding is getting everyone involved seeing the excitement of others and their desire to make a contribution to our wedding day was really amazing! Perhaps they knew they may never get married otherwise. £We got engaged two and half years ago but things kept getting in the way of setting a date!
When it did finally happen, it was a beauty, so thank goodness Stories by Ash was invited along to capture all of the action. Held at the tranquil Mango Hill Farm in Peachester, Queensland, guests enjoyed the stunning surrounds of the Sunshine Coast hinterland while sipping champagne. Lauren, who rocked a lace Lover the Label gown and Hobes gold leather sneakers, says, £neither of us wanted a themed wedding, so our emphasis was on making sure people felt comfortable to relax and have a really good time. Seating was casual, with less chairs than people, which meant the whole night was a fun game of musical chairs and dancing wherever you stood.
One of the more memorable moments of the night was arguably the weather. £We were so lucky with the weather! It had been raining all day and some guests drove through hail storms only to arrive to clear blue skies by the time of the ceremony.
Among the bright blue skies and lush green landscape there were also splashes of yellow. £The colour yellow did end up popping up in a few places as a nod to the way we got together, says Lauren. £Before we started going out, we were friends through work and used to share pieces of writing with each other. I wrote part one of a short story called The Yellow Balloon for Josh, then Josh replied with part two then we started dating! We had two friends read out parts of our story in the ceremony which was really special!
And as for what happens in part three? We might just have to wait and see.
Lauren and Josh’s wedding was originally published in issue five of Hello May magazine, which you can purchase here with free postage!
CREDITS Photos Stories by Ash // Bridal gown Lover the Label // Veil Tirra Lirra Atelier // Shoes NineWest and Hobes // Flowers Rebecca James Floristry Designs // Rings Katherine Bowman // Bridesmaids Alice McCall, Honey & Beau // Grooms shirt Prada // Pants Dr Denim Grooms shoes Hobes // Ceremony and reception Mango Hill Farm, Peachester QLD // Catering Dalton’s Catering // Stationery Amy Anderson // Hair AKA Togninis // Makeup KJ Artistry // Celebrant Robyn Ramsay.