Welcome to Charlotte and Charlie’s absolute fairytale of a backyard wedding. Fresh off the back of an 18-month caravan adventure around Australia, the college sweethearts got hitched at a very special Blueys Beach, NSW, family property – the very same breathtakingly beautiful garden in which Charlotte had imagined getting married since she was young. “My best friend Sally can attest to the many thorough discussions throughout high school planning exactly how a wedding could fit in the space. It was very surreal to see it all come together.”
This duo’s favourite elements were those “hand-crafted by family and friends”, including the bride’s stunning ceremony look made by her grandmother. Meanwhile, Charlotte’s new hubs was looking dashing too, with Charlie sporting a suit made by our friends at M.J. Bale.
We’ll never be done admiring this wedding album by Sera Luna Co., and we think you’ll love it, too. So scroll away and enjoy getting lost in Charlotte and Charlie’s magic day.
THE VIBE “There was no distinct theme, but [there was] definitely an Italian undertone for the food and drinks (all stemming from our love of negronis). Colour-wise, we chose a natural-style palette of blues, yellows, browns and greens to complement the beautiful back garden.”
FAVE DETAILS “My favourite details were those that were hand-crafted by family and friends. The invites were designed by my sister, the cake was made by a close family friend, and the flowers were arranged by my aunties and grandmother. It meant nearly all details from the day had a special touch from a loved one, which filled the space with even more love.”
THE DRESS “My ceremony dress was so special to me and was an obvious choice. It was made by my grandmother for my mum’s debutante around 35 years ago. I was lucky that my mum had been going through storage only months before the engagement (there is something special about a mother’s intuition!). There is no other dress in the world that could be as special as this one is to me!”
THE SUIT “Charlie’s main concern was ensuring that he found a suit in a colour that would match the beautiful aesthetics planned by my wonderful family! Once the colour was locked in, it was relatively easy to find a suit with the help of the M.J. Bale team in Warringah Mall, Balgowlah.”
MEMORABLE MOMENT “After the ceremony, the two of us snuck away for a glass of champagne to sit down for 10 minutes and reflect on our love for each other and the beautiful ceremony. Another amazing moment was watching my good friend (and wedding invitee) in her Olympic final race in single scull rowing. It was scheduled for 5.45pm, so we paused the dancing to run inside, watch and cheer her on. She came fourth – incredible!”
COOL CUSTOM “The night before the wedding, the wedding party and parents had a large sit-down dinner. As per our summer traditions, before we ate, everyone at the table took turns to say ‘cheers, love you’ to the person next to them. Whether you have just met the person sitting next to you or have known them forever, everyone gets to share the love and be grateful for being together.”
Proud member of the backyard wedding fan club? Us too. There’s more of this wedding’s ilk here. If you, like Charlotte and Charlie, plan to throw a bit of Mediterranean spice on your backyard bash, check out these Riviera garden styling ideas. Need some assistance in the suit department? M.J. Bale — these guys nail it every time. Check them out here on the Directory. Hungry for more inspo?
CONTRIBUTING VENDORS Photographer & Cinematographer Sera Luna Co. Venue Private Property Celebrant The Freshwater Celebrant Florist Valley Fresh Flowers Catering The Wingala Chef Bar Kubarz Newcastle Entertainment Mane Events Décor Simply Seated THE BRIDE Bridal Gown Designer Grandmother of the Bride Reception Dress Aston Bridal Veil Madame Tulle Shoes Gucci Hair & Makeup Bonnie Lee – MBLBride Rings Madison Miel Dor THE GROOM Suit M.J. Bale Shoes Baxter Groomsmen Suits M.J. Bale
