Photographer: Natalie Salloum — *Photographer:* *Natalie Salloum*

Wedding Date: 22.02.2020

What was your wedding venue and why did you choose there?
Borrodell Vineyard, Orange, NSW. We chose this location as it is in Rob’s hometown of Orange and somewhere that we went to several years ago together for lunch and thought how perfect it would be to get married there one day. It has stunning views of the area and delicious food & wine.

Did you have a wedding theme/style?
We just wanted something that was low effort, yet simple and elegant. This meant foraging in our relatives gardens for different native plants and having natural colours that complimented the setting.

How did you and your now Husband meet?
We met when we were living on campus in college at UNSW 10 years ago.

What is your proposal story?
We went down to Mollymook, NSW on a weekend getaway- well actually it was a surprise for me as Rob had organised the weekend (first. time. ever!). He told me we were going on a camping trip, but I was slightly confused as we had not packed for a camping trip. We then pulled into the driveway of Bannisters by the Sea, which was a gorgeous. Rob proposed on a walk through the national park near Narrawallee beach. A pod of dolphins swam past at the exact moment too which made it extra special.

How did you hear about Prea James Bridal?
A friend from work told me about Prea James and I was instantly hooked!

From where did you purchase your gown?
Hope and Page

What do you love most about the gown?
I instantly loved the dress (even without looking in a mirror). It felt like butter! It was simple, elegant, and just so comfortable. The fact I could walk freely in it really drew me in.

Are there any special details about your wedding that you would like to share?
We were lucky with the date we chose! So many ‘2s’ which I have heard are meant to be good luck.

Were there any details that you made yourselves?
I had a sapphire brooch that my great great grandfather had given to my great great grandmother in 1904. I put this on my bouquet.
I wore my mum’s veil. My friend Lou McGilvery did all the flowers- she did such a wonderful job!
Our mum’s crystal vases on the tables. We made all the names for the tables, all the signs, all the hanging green foliage.

Finally, Do you have any words of wisdom for couples planning their big day?
I kept thinking of the wedding as a big dinner party with friends, and I felt like that kept me in check in terms of sticking to budgets. We wanted it to be fun, relaxed and we felt like the day was just that. On the day, we both felt very calm (excited too). You know the person you’re marrying is the one for you and that you’ll have a wonderful time no matter what. It just went so fast – you’re having the best time, but it all goes by in a flash. Lucky for photos!