Wedding Date: 7 January 2022

Emily wears our Mira Gown

What was your wedding venue (ceremony & reception) and why did you choose there?

Our ceremony and reception were both at Bimbadgen Palmers Lane. We loved this venue as it has such a beautiful outdoor ceremony location and also provides wet weather options. We also really wanted the ceremony and reception at the same venue which this venue allows for. The reception area at Bimbadgen Palmers Lane is a beautiful barn style building which allows you to add your own creative style and touch to it as it is a beautiful blank canvas. The staff were also so accommodating and helpful which made planning the wedding a breeze!

Did you have a wedding theme/style? If so, tell me about it please!

Our theme was summer cocktail dress. A lot of our guests wore florals, bright colours and prints which we loved.

How did you and your now Husband meet?

Technically we first met at a night club in Newcastle. I was out celebrating the end of the HSC and Sam a year older was out with his mates. We had a few mutual friends and briefly interacted that night but it wasn’t until a year later that we properly spoke to each other. Sam had commented on a picture of mine on Instagram and then followed up with a message on Facebook. We spoke for a couple of weeks then went on our first date to sushi train and a movie. After that we saw each other nearly every day and the rest is history.

What is your proposal story?

We were in New Zealand on a holiday when Sam proposed. We had been travelling around the south island in a van for a week. I thought maybe that trip Sam might have proposed but after spending days hiking, leaving the van unattended and sharing backpacks etc. I thought there was no way he was hiding a ring anywhere. After a week Sam suggested we get some nice accommodation as a little treat away from the van. I didn’t need any convincing and we happily booked a beautiful air bnb in Kaikoura. We spent that afternoon drinking local wine and picked up some takeaway food which we took back to the cottage and had by the indoor fire. I had put a movie on and paused it to go place some more wood in the fire and when I got back to sit on the lounge Sam had appeared in front of me on one knee. We both cried and laughed and felt so loved up. We called our families that night then enjoyed one more week in New Zealand in our love bubble before flying home and celebrating with our friends and family.

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How did you hear about Prea James Bridal?

I came across Prea James Bridal on Instagram and immediately fell in love with the beautiful fabrics, classic designs and effortless beauty of all the dresses.

From where did you purchase your gown?

I purchased my gown from Hope X Page from the beautiful Alex!

What do you love most about the gown?

It’s hard to list one thing! I really love the beautiful fabric and cut of the dress. Not only is it timeless and flattering, it was also incredibly comfortable to wear.

Are there any special details about your wedding that you would like to share? (A particular reason you chose the venue, or the date, or did you have a special ritual in your day that was important to you?)

We made our first dance a special part of our day which I am so glad we did. We took dance lessons leading up to the wedding and picked a song that we had both loved for years. This made practicing so much fun and provided another occasion for us to bond and feel extra loved up. It was an exciting part of our wedding night to be able to surprise our guests with our choreographed dance. They all loved it and it was a great way to kick off the dance floor for the rest of the night.

Were there any details that you (and friends and family) made yourselves?

We added a few personal touches to the day where we could. We had greenery from our front garden hedges sit on top of each name place setting and I collected flowers over the year prior from bunches I received from friends and family and dried these out for our flower girl to sprinkle whilst walking down the isle.

Finally, Do you have any words of wisdom for couples planning their big day? This can be to do with any part of the wedding – eg, planning, budget, or the day itself.