Wholesome garden wedding at home, alert! Belle and George’s is a good one, folks. But this bride and groom admit their vision for the day didn’t start out aligned. Belle (who wore a gorg green Gucci gown) was thinking of something intimate and overseas, whereas George (classy-AF in custom InStitchu) was keen for his UK friends and fam to experience a big Aussie wedding. Both great options! In the end, getting hitched at Belle’s parents’ Southern Highlands home was “the way to go”. The newlyweds told us that the process of co-creating a celebration that reflected elements important to them both brought the pair together and “was an apt way to start our marriage!”
Take a scroll through Belle and George’s beautiful wedding album below – snapped by Scott Surplice, you know it’s a winner! But first, our chat with the new Mr and Mrs…
THE VENUE “We looked at some venues in Sydney near the water but, in the end, decided a garden wedding on Belle’s parents’ property in the Southern Highlands was the way to go. This allowed us to maximise time with visitors from overseas and for our family and friends to spend time getting to know one another over the weekend of festivities. It felt comfortable and special to have a garden wedding at one of our family homes, a place where we spend a lot of time.”
THE VIBE “There was no theme for the wedding, though the garden provided some inspiration for the colours and feeling of the day. Every decision was made together with intention. We were most inspired to have a special celebration for our guests with many close family and friends involved and having roles on the day. The wedding ceremony was held under an English Oak tree in the backyard behind the house. Guests gathered here first and then moved around to the front garden for drinks and jazz before heading into the marquee for dinner, speeches and dancing. We liked that people moved around the property from the afternoon to the evening and didn’t see the tent until it was almost time for dinner – this brought a sense of reveal or staging to the day, which is always my favourite part of a wedding.”
FAVE DETAILS “Belle’s Dad drew a sketch of the house and garden for our wedding booklet, Belle organised a surprise performance, which was an acoustic version of ‘Summer Rain’ by Belinda Carlisle sung by our friends Peter and Steph with guitar by Belle’s brother Paddy. [Also], the dance floor. One of Belle’s brothers’ friends, Tim, was the DJ. There was non-stop dancing from when it started until the end of the night.”
COOL CUSTOM “We had friends and family take part in the ceremony. Two of our brothers lit a candle to remember our loved ones who have passed as well as those who could not be there in person, of which there were a few really important people. We also made sure that those people were present in our choices of readings and music throughout the day.”
THE DRESS “I found my Gucci dress online and then made an appointment to try it on in-store. I was after a dress that I would feel like myself in rather than a traditional style wedding dress. From a young age, I had decided that if I got married I wouldn’t wear white. For me, the traditional symbolism of white didn’t make any sense. It was more important to wear something that I was comfortable in and felt a million dollars in on the day!”
THE SUIT “My suit was tailor-made from InStitchu. I wanted something classic black but something suitable for Summer. After looking for a while in stores, I decided to get it custom-made, and it was definitely worth it.”
Skip over to the Hello May Directory to see more 11/10 photography from Scott Surplice. Or, if you’re not sure what to wear, learn more about InStitchu’s made-to-measure offerings here. Brides, we haven’t forgotten about you! Here are the bridal designers and boutiques you absolutely should have your eye on, and for even more garden wedding inspo, head here.
CONTRIBUTING VENDORS Photographer Scott Surplice Planning Support Garth Phillips Florist Josie Smith Stationery Michael Morgan, Josie Smith Venue Private Family Property Catering & Cake Maker Flavours by Dee Hire Items Rustic Event Hire Marquee & Lighting Hire Katalane Event Hire Sound Hire Paddy Morgan Entertainment Tilly Street, Arthur Washington, Tim Boyd Cocktails Trolley’d Celebrant Elizabeth Waggott Rings Pip Stent THE BRIDE Bridal Gown Designer Gucci Shoes Scanlan Theodore Accessories Pip Stent Hair Vibe Salon Bowral Makeup Katie Moore Bridesmaid Dresses Hansen & Gretel THE GROOM Suit InStitchu Shoes Charles Tyrwhitt Groomsmen Suits Moss Bros
