The Blog write-up for this Wedding is written by Roslyn (The Bride), Engaged on the 18th of April and married 5 weeks later!
I have to say I am a very very lucky girl to have such an amazing and understanding husband (I can use that word now….husband!). Most people thought I must have had the wedding planned out and ready to go, but actually it was quite the opposite!
Callum proposed to me on the morning of the 18th of April, but he had asked my Dad’s permission 4 weeks beforehand. After he proposed, he asked if I would like to consider my dad’s health in setting the date for the wedding. Dad, heartbreakingly, has mesothelioma (asbestos lung cancer). So without hesitation we began planning the wedding.
That afternoon we went down to the beautiful Dreamers, set in the heart of the North East High Country in Tawonga South. The most beautiful setting for a wedding! After discussing our situation, Wendy suggested the 25th of May. Our first reaction was – we can’t possibly organise it in 5 weeks!!! But here we are! By the end of the weekend we had our caterer, “Straight from the Ovens”, booked, who I might add, did the most amazing tapas for our cocktail style reception and we had booked our beautiful Celebrant Iris Bloomer (Callum’s mother).
On the Sunday morning a spanner was thrown in the works when Dad had a bit of a turn and was rushed into Albury Base Hospital by ambulance.
While he was sleeping, and being looked after by the fantastic team at Albury Base Hospital, Mum, Callum and I went on the hunt for flower girl dresses! Mum asked me – “How will you decide the colour?” – to which I replied…whichever dress we see that we like, that will be the theme colour! So Charlotte’s dress, (our 1yr old flower girl) ended up being the decider – sweet little dusky antique pink dress. One hour in Myers and the flower girls dresses were sorted! Alterations were completed over the next few weeks by our lovely family friend, Jill.
The next morning, while Callum kept Dad company in Hospital, Mum, one of my girlfriends and I went shopping for Bridal gowns, not expecting to find much on our first day. A very quick 2 hours later, the dress, earrings, hair piece, and shoes were sorted and purchased! Callum and Dad couldn’t believe it! Not only that but we had ordered flowers as well by the wonderful Jannoel Florist in Wodonga who could not have been more generous or helpful.
In the following week we booked the wonderful John Mitchell as our photographer to capture the day, we chose the wedding rings, ordered invites and sent them off giving our poor guests short notice and only 9 days to RSVP!!
Between night shifts we bought the beautiful bridesmaids dresses and managed to match the colours. Suits were ordered, flower girls and page boys shoes were on the way!
The last two weeks were bedlam as we finished our house renovations and put it on the market! There were multiple 4 hour drives up to Albury for dress fittings and hair and make-up trials. Lots of shopping at shops such as Typo for props, Spotlight for lace, jute string and hessian, along with jam and spice jars from all over the place. This was followed by many evenings of craft and sewing to prepare flower jars, bunting and other decorations to give the day a personal touch.
A last minute dash before the weekend saw Callum shopping around with a list of things to buy along with express post orders for fairy lights and umbrellas in case it rained!
Our wonderful aunties, parents, sisters and friends cooked cakes and slices for our dessert buffet and the day before the wedding was spent hanging fairy lights, preparing flowers, and setting up jars for flowers and other props in the garden pavilion reception centre at Dreamers.
After all that, the day came…. and everything ran so smoothly, with our hair by hairdresser Leanne Miller from Gloss Hair, Albury, and make-up, nails and other beautifying bits and pieces by Cheeky Bits in Mt Beauty, and of course Dreamers with their beautiful gardens, reception venue and accommodation surrounded by lily pond, ducks and rustic charm. Everything went brilliantly and I was only 30 minutes late!!
John arrived early and was busily clicking photos of everything from preparations to post-ceremony shots – he had done a great reconnaissance job looking for good picture venues.
Dreamers would be stunning on any day with any weather but we were so lucky – Autumn colours, brilliant blue skies, snow on the surrounding hills, 17 degrees, and a full moon in a clear sky that evening: just perfect.
Callum and I were so grateful to our wedding party of 10 nephews and nieces (age range 18 months to 22 years) for making the day so cheerful, to our beautiful bridesmaid Katelyn and groomsman Ryan for helping things to run so smoothly, and to a number of special friends who helped us so much over the last 5 weeks.
My wonderful and very special Dad was there to walk me down the aisle, my Mum and Callum’s parents there with such amazing support, our families and friends there to celebrate with us, John Mitchell doing a brilliant job of capturing all the smiles, laughs, love and of course a couple of tears.
We may have only had 5 weeks to plan our wedding, but I swear with all my heart I wouldn’t have changed a thing. It was the most special day of my life.
Dress: Maggie Sottero- Jack n Jill Albury
Shoes: Diana Ferrari
Ring: by the Groom, Michael Wilson Jewellery Eltham.
Hair: Leanne from Gloss n bean Hair Albury 02 6023 6200
Make up: Cheeky Bits, Mt Beauty 0357 544 458
Ceremony, Reception and Accommodation: Dreamers Mt Beauty
Celebrant: Iris Bloomer (Grooms Mum) 0411 080 551
Flowers: emma@Jannoel Florist, Wodonga
Suits: Opal Ivanhoe Formal Hire
Table Decorations at Reception: Roslyn
John Mitchell Photography 