An outback romance for the ages, it really was written in the stars that Oliver (Olly) and Amber (known to her people as Floss) would wed here, at the bride’s childhood home in Tulloona, northern New South Wales. Amber, glowing in custom Melinda O’Donoghue, and Olly, timeless in M.J. Bale, married in the olive grove; the same one planted when the bride’s mother was pregnant with her 30 years prior. “So it was only fitting that we would get married there,” explains the groom, who also proposed on the property, by Floss’ favourite cedar tree.
The newlyweds sing the praises of local vendors, as well as kin and community members who rolled up their sleeves to support – it’s clear these two are surrounded by a whole lot of love. They also gave a shoutout to their photographer, Konrad, aka Tropical Romance. “We still can’t believe some of the photos are actually from our wedding day, they are so glamorous. Konrad was very obliging to our request of not wanting to be taken away from the party for too long, and our guests even commented that they thought he did an excellent job at this.”
Scroll on to see the pics in question, plus details on bringing this wholesome, family-centred soiree to life.
A DIY wedding at the bride’s family home
“The whole setup was quite DIY, being at Floss’ family home, with a pretty hectic week leading up to the wedding to get everything done. One pretty crazy detail, which happened months earlier, was the pond in their backyard was tripled in size with some DIY water features installed in the pond. Tricky (Floss’ dad) also finally got his dream BBQ deck, which we know can’t imagine the property without. We are a very big hosting family, so it has been the perfect addition.”
A classic, comfortable custom bridal gown by a rural Australian designer
“I loved my dress. I went to Brisbane with my mum and dad about 10 months out from the wedding and, to be honest, I didn’t feel like myself in any of the dozens of dresses I tried on. Feeling a little defeated, I asked Melinda O’Donoghue if she would make my dress, and when she said yes I felt totally at ease. She truly is such a talented person and I knew she wouldn’t let me walk down the aisle looking or feeling unhappy. The dress was not really something I gave much thought to, to be honest, I just wanted something simple and classic, and my only brief was that I had to be able to prance around the garden like a fairy without needing 10 girlfriends to move me. And she did just that. Because the dress was cut on the bias, and because Melinda is such a perfectionist, she did tell me that she was tearing her hair out over my dress. But every time I showed up for a fitting, everything was perfect. Remarkably, she never actually took any proper measurements. She does almost all of it by eye, which is just wild.”
A groom in tried and true M.J. Bale
“The suit came from M.J. Bale. I had been to a few fittings at the shop in Woollahra before and really enjoyed the vibe of that place, so it was a no brainer for me.”
Magic garden moments straight after the ceremony
“One of my favourite moments was straight after the ceremony, we were both so happy and got to enjoy a few moments talking just the two of us as we walked across to the garden for the reception. Everything looked so perfect, the disco balls were shining, Floss’ dream spritz bar was fully stocked, our dog Hank was trotting along next to us. We just couldn’t believe we’d just done the thing, and we were laughing like kids.”
A family affair, married by mum
“One really special thing for me was that my (Olly’s) mum, Lucinda, was the celebrant. She had previously done this for my sister’s wedding, and it was really awesome to have her marry us. Both of our older siblings did a reading, and my younger sister and Floss’ younger brother were our MCs for the night. Everyone nailed it.”
Standout NSW wedding vendors
Food was unreal courtesy of Relish Catering, photography was in the capable hands of Tropical Romance, the band was The White Tree Band, and all the local people who helped out were outstanding. Honestly, everyone who helped out with the wedding was great. They were very lucky.
More good stuff
Is this wedding album just what you’ve been dreaming of? Get in touch with Tropical Romance Photography. If it’s time to sort out the suits, click here to browse M.J. Bale’s latest offering. Then dive into the blog for acres of inspo from real weddings like you’ve never seen before.
CONTRIBUTING VENDORS Photographer Tropical Romance Cinematographer Studio I Do Florist Potter Studio Stationery Vistaprint Printer & Signage Print Anything Venue Private Family Property Catering Relish Catering Wedding Favours Macintyre Brook Grove Hire Items Gold Event Hire Entertainment The White Tree Band Celebrant Lucinda Stump (Family) THE BRIDE Bridal Gown & Veil Designer Melinda O’Donoghue Getting Ready Le Rose Stories Shoes Badgley Mischka Accessories Yojani Boutique Hair Chris Lawless Hair Makeup Sarah – The Soul Spa Fragrance Jo Malone Bridesmaid Dresses Morrison Bridesmaid Gifts James Cosmetics, Oroton THE GROOM Suit, Bow Tie & Groomsmen Suits M.J. Bale Shoes R.M. Williams
