The Bride wore a Cathedral-Length Veil for her Garden Ceremony

“The venue was absolutely stunning—one of those places you have to experience in person,” Emily recalls. For the couple, who were planning from Sydney, the journey could have felt daunting. Instead, it was unexpectedly smooth. “The food and drinks package was exceptional, and the service was first class. Since we’re based in Sydney, finding a venue from interstate could’ve been challenging, but Gabbinbar made the entire process seamless and exceeded all our expectations.”

From the beginning, Emily and Blake wanted a balance between refinement and comfort. “We wanted the styling to feel elegant and timeless—something that would still look beautiful in photos years from now but the overall vibe on the day was relaxed, joyful, and full of fun. It was important to us that our guests felt comfortable and could enjoy themselves!”

The late-summer weather added its own generosity. “It was warm - great weather! That was important to us,” Emily notes. Choosing a place where ceremony, photos, and reception could all happen together gave them the gift of presence. “Having everything—ceremony, photos, and reception all in one location. We didn’t want to lose time travelling between venues or miss out on any part of the day. It allowed us to be fully present, soak up every moment, and spend more quality time with each other and our guests. It made the whole experience feel seamless and stress-free.”

The floral design followed the same philosophy. “We went for a white and green palette, keeping the colours classic and timeless, but played with texture and structure to give it a more modern, organic feel. Rather than having everything look uniform, we embraced a bit of an ‘elegant chaos’—each floral arrangement on the tables was slightly different in height, style, and flower choice. It created this beautifully layered look that felt intentional but not overly styled. The consistency in colour tied everything together and made the space feel cohesive, but still full of personality and movement. It was modern, a little wild, and perfectly us.”

Her bridal look echoed this understated timelessness. Emily wore Katherine Tash from Sphere Bridal — “simple elegant and timeless” — paired with a Madame Tulle veil and silk scarf, and Jimmy Choo heels. Her bridesmaids were dressed in black silk gowns by Bec + Bridge, while Blake wore black tie, his suit tailored by Belance. Together, the effect was one of pared-back sophistication.

Music and food became the heartbeat of the day. “One of the standout moments was when our best friends performed a hilarious rendition of Shannon Noll’s What About Me—but changed the lyrics to What About Emily. It had the whole crowd in stitches and completely set the tone for the night.” A saxophone and violinist carried the rhythm from afternoon to evening, their sound still remembered by guests.

The feast was no less memorable. “The food at Gabbinbar was absolutely incredible. We chose the Mediterranean feasting menu, which was perfect for creating that shared, relaxed atmosphere we wanted. From the moment cocktail hour began, the service team made sure I didn’t miss a thing—they even followed me around with canapés so I could try everything, which I really appreciated! One of my personal highlights was the mini cheeseburgers during canapé hour—they were such a hit. The whole dining experience felt generous, beautifully presented, and full of flavour. Our guests are still raving about it!”

For Emily and Blake, the essence of the celebration crystallised late in the night. “It was the reception and seeing all of our favourite people in one place, letting go on the dance floor and genuinely having the best time. There was this moment we looked at each other and just said, ‘This is exactly what we hoped for’.”

Looking back, their reflections carry a quiet clarity. “We are so glad we took the time to be present, and didn’t sweat the small stuff—because the day turned out even better than we imagined. On the day it was incredibly special to be surrounded by so much love not just from each other, but from every single person who came to celebrate with us.”

Now, married life begins with a gentler pace. “We are most looking forward to slowing down a bit, our wedding was fun and I wouldn’t change a thing but it we just want to go back to enjoying the little things, and finally saving some money again!”


More from the day: View the full collection of images that tell the story here.