North East
Wedding Guide
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Love snares Jessica and Richie ONLY in Australia could you be enjoying an intimate picnic at Olinda Falls in the Dandenong Ranges to celebrate your anniversary, when a cheeky kookaburra swooped down and stole a slice of cheese right beneath your nose. That’s exactly what happened to Richie and Jessica Bon when their two year ‘dating’ anniversary date also became the day Richie proposed. After the rude interruption by the kookaburra, the couple were able to complete their lunch in peace and afterwards walked MR & MRS: The Vine Hotel at North Wangaratta was the venue chosen for Jessica and Richie’s reception. to the falls where Jessica set up the selftimer on her camera to take a photo of the two of them with the cascading water in the background. Richie timed his proposal just right - getting down on one knee just before the timer ƚĵŠƁ͂ ŧǥ͂ˮ͂ ųĵŶŀĵīƁřƠ͂ īĝųƁƅŶʼnŠŁ͂ Ɓņĵ͂ şŧşĵŠƁ͂ on camera. The couple met at Kew Student Residence in Melbourne having moved from North East Victoria to pursue tertiary studies, źƁĝŶƁʼnŠŁ͂Ɓŧ͂ıĝƁĵ͂ĝƁ͂Ɓņĵ͂ĵŠı͂ŧŀ͂ƁņĵʼnŶ͂ǰ͂ŶźƁ͂ƠĵĝŶ͂ and getting engaged two years later. With the proposal complete and the announcement made, Richie and Jessica settled on November 14, 2020 to get married and hold their reception in Beechworth, rather than down in Melbourne where they were living. By mid-June, Australia (and the rest of the world) was in the grip of the coronavirus pandemic and the reception venue Jessica and Richie had chosen was unable to host them as previously expected. By August, Victoria was in stage four lockdown and Jessica and Richie couldn’t travel to consider any alternatives so they decided to wait until COVID restrictions were clearer before choosing another venue. In mid-October, when travel bans were still in place, Jessica’s parents began to look at venues in Wangaratta and tentative plans and guest lists were made based on the ev Ń % $%! ,.+,+/! / 0$! /!("ő0%)!. 3!*0 +Ƣ 0 (%* ((/Ł er-changing approved gathering numbers.
PHOTO: Simon Pickering Photography
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A joyful tangle of love at the Vine AT the very least, Jessica and Richie wanted to be able to celebrate their special day with immediate family members and Richie’s Nonna and Nonno so the announcement of 20 guests allowed was welcome. The outdoor deck at the Vine Hotel in North Wangaratta was chosen as the new reception venue and Jessica and Richie decided to hold the ceremony closer to home as well - the modern Wangaratta Wesleyan Methodist Church getting the nod as it had been the church Jessica’s family had been part of for many years. “Originally, we wanted an older style ĪƅʼnřıʼnŠŁ͂Ɓŧ͂ǰ͂Ɓ͂ĝ͂şŧŶĵ͂ƁŶĝıʼnƁʼnŧŠĝř͂ĝĵźƁņĵƁʼnīˮ̣͂ Jessica said. “However, the air conditioning was excellent on the 30 degree day and the chairs and wall colour ended up matching quite nicely with Richie’s burgundy jacket and the ĪŶʼnıĵźşĝʼnıź̥͂ıƅźƁƠ͂Ŷŧźĵ͂ıŶĵźźĵź˳̣ As the date neared, the timeline for the easing of restrictions came out, Jessica and
RELAXED: The preparations on the day saw Jessica and her bridesmaids ready ahead of time.
Richie decided to push back the date of their wedding to November 28 so that as many people could attend as possible. Due to physical distancing guidelines and available space at the venue, around 65 of the original 100 planned guests attended and although there was a little rain around,
PHOTO: Simon Pickering Photography
it didn’t cause any issues and helped to cool the temperature down. “The day went so well and smooth - getting ready with the girls in the morning, we were ready ahead of schedule so we sat down with a spread of food and watched źŧşĵ͂ŧŀ͂TŶʼnŠīĵźź͂ ʼnĝŶʼnĵź͂ʏˮ̣͂7ĵźźʼnīĝ͂źĝʼnı˳
“I was feeling very relaxed and only started to get nervous when I got out of the car at the church but it was so exciting and lovely to see my closest friends and family all there; especially after the year we’d had and not having seen some of them for nearly ƁņĝƁ͂ƚņŧřĵ͂Ɓʼnşĵ͂ıƅŶʼnŠŁ͂řŧīŗıŧƚŠ˳̣
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Simple and beautiful the order of the day
EVEN though Emma and Sam Cunneen attended the same high school, it wasn’t until years later that their paths crossed at the annual Winery Walkabout in Rutherglen ĝŠı͂ƁņĵƠ͂ņʼnƁ͂ʼnƁ͂ŧǥ͂˳ Fast forward to 2020, when the pair got engaged and looked forward to celebrating their nuptials with 130 guests after a short ĵŠŁĝŁĵşĵŠƁ˳ Unfortunately, the COVID-19 pandemic had other plans and by the time their wedding date arrived on November 7, 2020, Emma and Sam were only allowed to have ʎʍ͂ŁƅĵźƁź˳ “Although it was a bit disappointing to not share the ceremony with all of our family and friends, the intimate and low key źƁƠřĵ͂ƁƅŶŠĵı͂ŧƅƁ͂Ɓŧ͂Īĵ͂ųĵŶŀĵīƁˮ̣͂ şşĝ͂źĝʼnı˳ “I had spent a lovely, but busy, day in Melbourne with family choosing my dress before any of the hard lockdowns started, so I didn’t have to worry about not having the ıŶĵźź͂,͂ƚĝŠƁĵı˳ “Sam’s suit was a tuxedo style and was hired from Ferrari Formal Wear in Albury źŧ͂ņĵ͂ƚĝź͂źŧŶƁĵı͂Ɓŧŧ˳̣ Emma and Sam’s wedding ceremony was able to be held at the family farm as planned, but the choice of food and type of reception ņĝı͂Ɓŧ͂Īĵ͂Ŷĵ̘ƁņŧƅŁņƁ˳ “We ended up sharing Tomahawks Takeaway for our wedding dinner instead of the country cocktail-party style menu we had planned on, which was kind of funny,” şşĝ͂źĝʼnı˳
IMMEDIATE: Emma and Sam were only able to have 10 guests at their wedding in November, 2020.
PHOTO: Belinda Denney Phography
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LOVE WINS: Despite numerous changes to their plans, Emma and Sam were delighted with their wedding day.
PHOTO: Belinda Denney Photography
Cherishing the day with family
THINKING back to the day, Emma said she remembered smiling and laughing a lot and taking their wedding photos was so much fun. “It seemed to go by so fast - there was a lot of running around between beauty apųŧʼnŠƁşĵŠƁź͂ĝŠı͂ĝııʼnŠŁ͂ǰ͂ŠʼnźņʼnŠŁ͂Ɓŧƅīņĵź͂Ɓŧ͂ our ceremony area but it was so wonderful,” she said. ̢,͂ ƚĝź͂ ŁŧʼnŠŁ͂ Ɓŧ͂ ņĝƙĵ͂ ǰ͂ƙĵ͂ ĪŶʼnıĵźşĝʼnıź͂ and had been really excited to do all the fun things like get my hair and makeup done with the girls and sit around sipping cham-
North East
Wedding Guide
pagne before the ceremony, but instead I got to spend a very special afternoon in Bright with my mum, eating cake and sipping coffee. “We ended up not having a bridal party at all but one of my most cherished memories from the day was opening a personalised gift from one of my (intended) bridesmaids, Gabriella. ̢[ņĵ͂ ņĝı͂ ųŶĵųĝŶĵı͂ ĝ͂ ŁʼnŀƁ͂ ĪŧƟ͂ ǰ͂řřĵı͂ ƚʼnƁņ͂ thoughtful little things like chocolate and strawberries and sparkling water and there were note tags attached explaining how she
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and I would have shared them together if she had been able to be there.” While Emma and Sam didn’t have a speīʼnǰ͂ī͂ƚĵııʼnŠŁ͂Ɓņĵşĵ͂ʼnŠ͂şʼnŠıˮ͂ƁņĵƠ͂ŗŠĵƚ͂ƁņĵƠ͂ wanted something classic and simple, and that shone through via the pretty country ŁĝŶıĵŠ͂DZ͂ŧƚĵŶź͂ĝŠı͂ƚņʼnƁĵ͂īņĝʼnŶź͂ĝƁ͂Ɓņĵ͂ŀĝŶş˳ “Despite it not quite turning out like we thought it would, Sam and I did feel very blessed and loved all day and the low-key atmosphere turned out to be very ‘us’,” Emma said. “We felt so much happiness and love from
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the people who could be there and it also reminded us what a wedding is really about, which is sharing love and memories with each other and our families. “We are really looking forward to having a cocktail party style reception on our farm later this year with a food truck, live music and lots and lots of fairy lights.” Emma and Sam were also able to steal a few special days away in the post-wedding glow at Pambula and Tathra where they spent the week relaxing on the beach and enjoying delicious food.
An idyllic option in Milawa AN idyllic country retreat, Lancemore Aʼnřĝƚĝ͂ʼnź͂DZ͂ĝŠŗĵı͂ĪƠ͂ŶŧřřʼnŠŁ͂ņʼnřřźˮ͂źƁŶĵƁīņĵź͂ ŧŀ͂ƙʼnŠĵƠĝŶıź͂ĝŠı͂īĝųƁƅŶĵź͂źŧşĵ͂ŧŀ͂Ɓņĵ͂Ŷĵ̘ ŁʼnŧŠ̥ź͂şŧźƁ͂źųĵīƁĝīƅřĝŶ͂ƙʼnĵƚź˳ řř͂ŧŀ͂ƚņʼnīņ͂ųŶŧƙʼnıĵ͂Ɓņĵ͂ʼnıĵĝř͂źĵƁƁʼnŠŁ͂ŀŧŶ͂ ƠŧƅŶ͂ƚĵııʼnŠŁ͂īĵŶĵşŧŠƠ͂ĝŠı͂ŶĵīĵųƁʼnŧŠ˳ [ʼnƁƅĝƁĵı͂ŧŠ͂ĵʼnŁņƁ͂ĝīŶĵź͂ŧŀ͂şĝŠʼnīƅŶĵı͂ŁĝŶ̘ dens and vineyards, Lancemore Milawa is ƅŠʼnŵƅĵ͂Ɓŧ͂Ɓņĵ͂ŶĵŁʼnŧŠˮ͂ŧǥ͂ĵŶʼnŠŁ͂ĝŠ͂ĝƅƁņĵŠƁʼnī͂ īŧƅŠƁŶƠ͂ĵźƁĝƁĵ͂ĵƟųĵŶʼnĵŠīĵ͂ƚņʼnřĵ͂źƁʼnřř͂ųŶŧƙʼnı̘ ʼnŠŁ͂ĝřř͂Ɓņĵ͂ĪĵŠĵǰ͂Ɓź͂ŧŀ͂ĝ͂şŧıĵŶŠ͂ņŧƁĵř˳ rʼnƁņ͂ ĝ͂ īņŧʼnīĵ͂ ŧŀ͂ ĪŧƁņ͂ ʼnŠıŧŧŶ͂ ĝŠı͂ ŧƅƁ̘ ıŧŧŶ͂ źųĝīĵź͂ ĝƙĝʼnřĝĪřĵ͂ ŀŧŶ͂ƚĵııʼnŠŁ͂ īĵřĵĪŶĝ̘ ƁʼnŧŠźˮ͂;ĝŠīĵşŧŶĵ͂Aʼnřĝƚĝ͂ĵŠźƅŶĵź͂ƁņĝƁ͂ƠŧƅŶ͂ ıŶĵĝş͂ƚĵııʼnŠŁ͂ƚʼnřř͂īŧşĵ͂Ɓŧ͂řʼnŀĵ̘͂͂ƚņĵƁņĵŶ͂ĝ͂ źşĝřřˮ͂ʼnŠƁʼnşĝƁĵ͂īĵřĵĪŶĝƁʼnŧŠ͂ŧŶ͂ŁŶĝŠı͂ĝǥ͂ĝʼnŶ˳ ;ŧīĝƁĵı͂ʼnŠ͂Ɓņĵ͂ņĵĝŶƁ͂ŧŀ͂BŧŶƁņ͂ ĝźƁ͂qʼnīƁŧ̘ Ŷʼnĝ̥ź͂ŁŧƅŶşĵƁ͂ŶĵŁʼnŧŠˮ͂;ĝŠīĵşŧŶĵ͂Aʼnřĝƚĝ͂źʼnƁź͂ ĝƁ͂Ɓņĵ͂ŀŧŧƁņʼnřřź͂ŧŀ͂Ɓņĵ͂ĪŧƅŠƁʼnŀƅř͂9ʼnŠŁ͂qĝřřĵƠ˳ ;ĝŠīĵşŧŶĵ͂ Aʼnřĝƚĝ͂ ŧǥ͂ĵŶź͂ ĝ͂ ŠƅşĪĵŶ͂ ŧŀ͂ ƅŠʼnŵƅĵ͂ řŧīĝƁʼnŧŠź͂ ƁņŶŧƅŁņŧƅƁ͂ Ɓņĵ͂ ųŶŧųĵŶƁƠ͂ ŀŧŶ͂Ơŧƅ͂ Ɓŧ͂ ĵƟīņĝŠŁĵ͂ƠŧƅŶ͂ƙŧƚź͂ ʼnŠ͂ ŀŶŧŠƁ͂ ŧŀ͂ ƠŧƅŶ͂řŧƙĵı͂ŧŠĵź˳ ĵĝƅƁʼnŀƅř͂ řƅźņ͂ ŁĝŶıĵŠź͂ ųŶŧƙʼnıĵ͂ ĝŠ͂ ʼnıƠř̘ řʼnī͂źĵƁƁʼnŠŁ͂ŀŧŶ͂ĝ͂ŶŧşĝŠƁʼnī͂īĵŶĵşŧŠƠˮ͂ƚņʼnřĵ͂ Ɓņĵ͂ĵřĵŁĝŠƁ͂řŧƅŠŁĵˮ͂ŀƅŶŠʼnźņĵı͂ƚʼnƁņ͂ŀĝĪŶʼnīź͂ ĝŠı͂ ĝŶƁ͂ ŁĝƁņĵŶĵı͂ ŀŶŧş͂ ĝŶŧƅŠı͂ Ɓņĵ͂ ƚŧŶřıˮ͂ ųŶŧƙʼnıĵź͂ Ɓņĵ͂ ųĵŶŀĵīƁ͂ ĪĝīŗıŶŧų͂ ŀŧŶ͂ ʼnŠıŧŧŶ͂ īĵŶĵşŧŠʼnĵź͂ŧŶ͂ƚĵƁ͂ƚĵĝƁņĵŶ͂īŧŠƁʼnŠŁĵŠīʼnĵź˳ řƁĵŶŠĝƁʼnƙĵřƠˮ͂ ƁņĵŶĵ͂ ĝŶĵ͂ şĝŠƠ͂ īņƅŶīņĵź͂ ƚʼnƁņʼnŠ͂Ɓņĵ͂řŧīĝř͂ĝŶĵĝ͂ĝŠı͂źƅŶŶŧƅŠıź͂ŀŧŶ͂Ɓņĵ͂ īĵŶĵşŧŠƠ͂Ɓŧ͂Ɓĝŗĵ͂ųřĝīĵ͂ųŶʼnŧŶ͂Ɓŧ͂Ɓņĵ͂Ŷĵīĵų̘ ƁʼnŧŠ͂ĝƁ͂;ĝŠīĵşŧŶĵ͂Aʼnřĝƚĝ˳ PERFECT ESCAPE: * !)+.! %( 3 +Ƣ !./ accommodation and a beautiful wedding venue.
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