Crazily enough, these two lovebirds were friends for about 10 years before getting together, three weeks before Hayley moved to London, no less. “We did long distance for almost a year before Martin decided to pack up his stuff to move over and travel the world with me,” explains the bride. “I’m pretty sure it was pictures and video calls from the Amalfi Coast that got him feeling FOMO!”
After seeing the world together, the pair headed home to tie the knot in the picturesque Southern Highlands, and the very talented Tom Coburn was on hand to capture the magic. We loved these images so much, we published them in the Real Wedding Special Vol. 8 and are excited to be sharing them here today…
THE VENUE “Martin grew up in the Southern Highlands so when we came back to Australia for a short visit it was a no-brainer to look for a wedding venue around there. It also reminded us of the UK countryside where we got engaged and lived together for our first two years. We did look at a few venues in Bowral, which were all beautiful and had something unique to offer, but we loved the vibe of The Stables at Bendooley Estate which felt like the perfect contrast of rustic grandeur.”
THE INSPO “We really loved the idea of a season-driven wedding theme. Our wedding was in April and we both had a vision in mind of colours and textures for our special day. Everything worked out perfectly!”
A TOUCH OF TRADITION “We incorporated a quick tea-ceremony right before the reception for our family. We are both born and raised in Australia however it was important for us to honour and recognise our culture by paying our respects and showing our gratitude to our parents and elders.”
STANDOUT VENDOR “Tom Coburn – our photographer and a true artist. We were absolutely blown away by his work.. The day goes by extremely quickly which means certain moments can become a bit of a blur. However, Tom managed to capture each emotion and moment which has allowed us to relive each second of the wedding through his photos. The photos were also an accurate representation of our day. Tom is such a lovely person to be around and was a calming influence throughout the day.”
A WORD OF ADVICE “Trust the vendors to let them do their thing as they are experts in their field and do not drown in all of the details. Try your best to ignore the noise, and understand what you both truly value and want for your special day. Planning a wedding does take up a lot of mental capacity which can lead to stress, particularly weeks leading up to the big day, so we found it valuable to step away from wedding planning and block out time to explore a new activity together (we tried golf) or plan a simple date night and appreciate each others’ company.”
To see this epic wedding in print, you can shop our Real Wedding Special Vol. 8 here – because we love you guys so, use DOUBLETROUBLE at checkout to receive a FREE gift, valued at $14.95!
CONTRIBUTING VENDORS Photographer Tom Coburn Cinematographer Anne Esteban Productions Florist Ivy Floral & Co Stationery Vistaprint, Gracious Me Shop via Etsy Printer E.W Lee Design & Print Ceremony & Reception Venue The Stables, Bendooley Estate Cake Cake Arcade Cake Topper EtchedEngraving via Etsy Photo Booth PhotoBoothMe Signage Ivy Floral & Co Seating Chart The Sundae Creative Entertainment Jets Music Celebrant Nina De Borde Rings ArtfulRings via Etsy, Bronze Jewellers Transport Berrima Buslines THE BRIDE Ceremony Dress Vanessa Cocchiaro Paris via Net-A-Porter Reception Dress Miss Selfridge Shoes Valentino Accessories Samantha Wills Hair Missy Veyret Makeup Yen Make Up Bridesmaid dresses Shona Joy Bridesmaid gifts Miz Casa & Co THE GROOM Suit Walker Slater Shirt Suit Supply Tie OTAA Cufflinks Aussie Ties Shoes Joseph Cheaney & Sons Watch Longines Grooming Laurence Gamboa Groomsmen Suits Moss Bros
