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 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 went off, perfectly capturing the moment on camera. The couple met at Kew Student Residence in Melbourne having moved from North East Victoria to pursue tertiary studies, starting to date at the end of their first year 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 ever-changing approved gathering numbers.
MR & MRS: The Vine Hotel at North Wangaratta was the venue chosen for Jessica and Richie’s reception.
PHOTO: Simon Pickering Photography
PERFECT TIMING: Richie proposed as the self-timer went off at Olinda Falls.
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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 building to fit a more traditional aesthetic,” 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 bridesmaids’ dusty rose dresses.” 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 some of Princess Diaries 2,” Jessica said.
“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 that whole time during lockdown.”
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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 and they hit it off. Fast forward to 2020, when the pair got engaged and looked forward to celebrating their nuptials with 130 guests after a short engagement. 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 10 guests. “Although it was a bit disappointing to not share the ceremony with all of our family and friends, the intimate and low key style turned out to be perfect,” Emma said. “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 dress I wanted. “Sam’s suit was a tuxedo style and was hired from Ferrari Formal Wear in Albury so he was sorted too.” 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 had to be re-thought. “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,” Emma said.
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 appointments and adding finishing touches to our ceremony area but it was so wonderful,” she said. “I was going to have five bridesmaids 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. “She had prepared a gift box filled with 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 specific wedding theme in mind, they knew they wanted something classic and simple, and that shone through via the pretty country garden flowers and white chairs at the farm. “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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Photographer: Belinda Denney
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 Milawa is flanked by rolling hills, stretches of vineyards and captures some of the region’s most spectacular views. All of which provide the ideal setting for your wedding ceremony and reception. Situated on eight acres of manicured gardens and vineyards, Lancemore Milawa is unique to the region, offering an authentic country estate experience while still providing all the benefits of a modern hotel. With a choice of both indoor and outdoor spaces available for wedding celebrations, Lancemore Milawa ensures that your dream wedding will come to life - whether a small, intimate celebration or grand affair. Located in the heart of North East Victoria’s gourmet region, Lancemore Milawa sits at the foothills of the bountiful King Valley. Lancemore Milawa offers a number of unique locations throughout the property for you to exchange your vows in front of your loved ones. Beautiful lush gardens provide an idyllic setting for a romantic ceremony, while the elegant lounge, furnished with fabrics and art gathered from around the world, provides the perfect backdrop for indoor ceremonies or wet weather contingencies. Alternatively, there are many churches within the local area and surrounds for the ceremony to take place prior to the reception at Lancemore Milawa.
PERFECT ESCAPE: Lancemore Milawa offers accommodation and a beautiful wedding venue.
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