Shannon and Jeremy’s love is all-time, people, from the sweet proposal story (complete with a Scrabble board and Grew & Co ring that the bride describes as “the perfect reflection of both of us”) to the way they describe their vows… “This was such a wonderful way for us to design a love letter for each other, laced with hidden personal references only we understood. It was as if we were in our own secret place that everyone could see.”
Shannon’s beautiful L’eto Bridal gown was e-v-e-r-y-t-h-i-n-g and that veil (also by L’eto)… Oh! That is a seriously special piece, friends, embroidered with the couple’s favourite sonnet. “When we first started dating, Jeremy was trying to describe what falling in love had been like. He said it reminded him of something he had once read – “I love you without knowing how or when or from where…” Little did he know this had been one of my favourite sonnets of all time and I picked up where he left off, saying, “I love you straightforwardly, without complexity or pride…” The incredible Anya from L’eto brought my vision to life! All of Anya’s veils are works of art but this was so incredibly special and will become an heirloom for life.”
Not to be outshone, Jeremy scrubbed up nicely in light linen by M.J. Bale, and they nabbed themselves a couple of gorg Grew & Co rings to seal the deal, with a couple of the greatest photogs we know, Corinna & Dylan, manning the camera and La Lune Cinema on video, making sure the mems are documented for life.
THE VENUE “We had been to Bowral for a friend’s wedding in October 2019 and were searching online for a place to get breakfast the next morning when we stumbled across Bendooley Estate. We knew it would be where we got married from the moment we visited their ‘Book Barn’ space. Then we saw their ‘The Stables’ and it was as easy as that. It was the most perfect mix of modern architecture and design with the romance of the countryside.”
THE THEME “The inspiration was for something clean, timeless and classic. We wanted the space to feel romantic but maintain that industrial feel. The Stables space at Bendooley Estate really speaks for itself. You could do nothing to the space and it would still shine!”
DIY “It’s no secret weddings can be expensive, so I wanted to do whatever I could to cut costs where possible and my vendors were so incredibly supportive of this. I bought all the outdoor wooden games from Kmart, and I designed the menus and notecards myself using our wedding logo.”
THE DRESS “My dress was from the brilliant Anya at L’eto Bridal. She worked with me to customise her ‘Piece 26A’ design to incorporate my vision of a lower back and longer train. Anya made me feel so beautiful throughout the entire process. It was such a special experience and one of the real highlights.”
THE SUIT “Jeremy wore the Robertson suit from M.J. Bale and their lovely linen shirt. We wanted something relaxed and elegant. It was really important to both of us that we felt like ourselves on our wedding day.”
REFERENCES “It feels like we’ve come full circle as we actually found most of our vendors through Hello May. I went online and bought some past issues of the magazine and just flipped through, looking at the weddings that spoke to me and then listed the vendors they used. We found our incredible photographers, Corinna & Dylan, first, who then recommended our wonderful videographer Joel from La Lune Cinema. We also wanted to pick a florist and stylist who had worked with Bendooley Estate before and was local to the area. Bendooley recommended the wonderfully talented Jess from Botanica Style Co.”
TAKE ON TRADITION “Before our wedding I had a conversation with my dad about walking me down the aisle. We both agreed it wasn’t a tradition that spoke to our relationship. Instead, we had a father-daughter dance to our song. My father is my best friend and this was how we chose to celebrate that on the day.”
A WORD OF ADVICE “Challenge tradition if it feels comfortable for you. I looked up the history of all wedding traditions because of who I am personally. I walked myself down the aisle, my bridal party sat with their partners, I had two men of honour, we didn’t have a cake, we did a speech together… the list goes on. Find comfort in challenging what you are told is important, only then will you find out what is important to you.”
STANDOUT VENDORS “Is it too cliched to say all of them? Everyone became so much more than a ‘vendor’ they ALL became friends and advisors. Corinna & Dylan, our photographers, captured not just our wedding but our hearts, forever. La Lune Cinema‘s pure passion and professionalism translate to every piece of their work. Anya from L’eto Bridal – the architect of modern bridal style – learnt who I was in order to make my dress and veil. And Oliver Thomson, our celebrant and the advocate of our love story, cared about what was important to us.”
Feeling inspired yet? Of course you are! If you’re loving hard on this team of NSW vendors, get in touch with them asap before they book out for your wedding date! You’ll find photographers Corinna & Dylan, cinematographer La Lune and celebrant Oliver Thomson all over on our directory, not to mention ring masterminds Grew & Co and suiting superstars M.J. Bale. For even more heckin’ gorgeous big days, pick up a copy of our print issue 34, where this wedding was originally published, or grab our inaugural Wedding Planning Guide and the latest Real Wedding Special. Inspo for days, friends.
CONTRIBUTING VENDORS Photographer Corinna & Dylan Cinematographer La Lune Cinema Stylist & Florist Botanica Style Co. Stationery Bliss & Bone, La Boda Printer Moo (place cards) Ceremony, Reception & Catering Bendooley Estate Hire Items Event Hire Services Photo Booth In An Instant Signage La Boda Entertainment Kartik Kunar via Oberon Lane Celebrant Oliver Thomson Rings Grew & Co Transport Berrima Buslines THE BRIDE Gown & Veil L’eto Bridal Hat Eugenia Kim Robes Le Rose (robe), Sleeping W. The Enemy (jumpsuit) Shoes Cult Gaia Hair&Makeup Rachelle Facelo Hair & Makeup Artist Bridesmaid dresses Shona Joy Bridesmaid gifts Witchery (earrings), Piyama (getting-ready shirts), Nordyo (embroidered handkerchiefs) Flower girls’ dresses Maya & Ma Flower crowns Botanica Style Co. THE GROOM Suit & Shirt M.J. Bale Shoes R.M. Williams Groomsmen suits M.J. Bale