Sarah and Julian are a gorgeous couple who had been together for five years before they said, “I do.” They celebrated their union with a rustic, countryside wedding in the Southern Highlands that was pure and romantic. The colour palette they used was made up of soft tones that complemented the natural environment beautifully, and made for an exquisite photo shoot. Take a look at their stunning day below, and discover what marriage means to them.
Tell us about your proposal. I knew Jules was planning a surprise trip away for my birthday so I had a hunch that he would pop the question for the few months leading up to it. In fact, I was telling people before we left I was coming back an engaged woman …it would have been pretty embarrassing if he hadn’t asked! He took me to Bali and on the night of my birthday he had planned a beautiful private dinner on the beach at The Breeze in Seminyak. He proposed after our first sip of champagne which meant we could enjoy the rest of the night and reminisce and plan and celebrate. It was truly perfect.
What do you love most about your partner? I always felt that I was a lot to handle, but Jules has never once made me feel that way. He loves every part of me (even the not-so-great parts). He’s hilarious and wonderful and he’s the number one person I want to hang out with, whether we’re travelling the world or just ordering pizza and watching Netflix.
What was your favourite part of the wedding day? It’s so difficult to pick one favourite moment of my wedding day. The moment before I stepped out to walk down the aisle was an absolutely beautiful moment. I had my six best friends with me and my dad by my side, and I have never felt so loved. I knew I was stepping out to marry the man of my dreams, and I just remember looking at my dad, taking a deep breath, and thinking, ‘this is it’. I had been so incredibly nervous and anxious all day leading up to the ceremony, but in that moment, all my stress vanished.
Describe your wedding theme/style. Throughout the planning process I struggled to articulate exactly what I wanted from the wedding in terms of styling, but when I look at the photos, it came together EXACTLY how I wanted it to. We knew we wanted to get married in Berrima, in the Southern Highlands because Jules’ parents live there, we live in Sydney, and my family live in Canberra. It seemed like the perfect middle ground. I wanted a country wedding, but was conscious of it becoming too rustic, as that’s not my style. I wanted it to feel luxe and glamorous, without being over-the-top and ostentatious.
One of the key words I kept in mind throughout planning was ‘romantic’. I went for a soft, flowing gown and wore my hair loose and wavy. Bendooley Estate is such a romantic venue, from the green gardens and wild fields to the gorgeous charm of the Book Barn, so I knew that I could do nothing at all in terms of styling and it would still be stunning.
What is marriage to you? To me, marriage is about waking up every day and actively choosing to be with your partner. You’re accepting someone else completely and choosing to love them unconditionally, even when times are tough and life gets hard. Knowing that someone else has chosen to love you unconditionally in return is a pretty powerful thing. There’s a certain feeling of obligation that comes with it and it really inspires me to be a better person in all aspects of life. I was surprised by how strong my desire to be a good wife was, because whenever I thought of being a ‘good wife’ it brought up negative connotations of keeping the house clean and having dinner on the table every night. But to me, I feel such a sense of responsibility to support Jules, care for him and make him happy – and I know he feels the same for me.
