Alyssa + Matt celebrated their love at a beautifully stylish venue in Hunter Valley, the Covenant + Circa 1876. Since the venue itself is so picteresque, Alyssa + Matt kept decor to a minimum, with simple rustic accents and white florals. We’re in love with the whimsical charm and elegant details of the entire day. Grab a tissue and watch this sweet couple’s wedding video (curtesy of the talented Anchored Cinema). It’s well worth a few minutes of your day!
Tell us about your proposal.
We were driving around New Zealand in a camper van and were in Dunedin. One morning we woke up early and went to Tunnel Beach for Matt to have a surf. Not long after he left, he quickly returned and convinced me to go down onto the beach to watch the sunrise. It was absolutely beautiful, we were the only ones there. Matt set up his video camera, got down on one knee and asked me to marry him. It was perfect :)
How did you know your partner was the one?
Matt: I knew Alyssa was the one for me when I would come home from working away, she would put up with my pestering, my uncleanliness and all with the most gorgeous smile on her face. Alyssa is the most caring creature and I’ve loved her from the moment I saw her.
Alyssa:
From the moment I met Matt he has filled my life with happiness and laughter. He makes me feel special every day. Matt had been asking me out for a while, so he thought he would be creative and send me a ‘resume’ styled towards applying to date me. This included his skills (paying on the first date, being punctual etc), as well as his ideal dates (a home cooked meal with a glass of red), and he included mutual friends as references. This landed him a date ☺
What do you love most about your partner?
Matt: Kind & caring nature and how she is always putting someone else before her.
Alyssa: He can always make me laugh – whether I want him to or not, and he makes me feel special everyday. He is such a positive person and this reflects off to those surrounding him. We share the same values and outlook on life.
What was your favourite part of the wedding day?
Matt: How stunning Alyssa looked and the dance floor vibes.
Alyssa: Sitting at the bridal table looking out at all of our loved ones together in the one room all having fun was definitely a highlight for me. There was so much love and laughter filled into the day.
Describe your wedding theme/style.
Modern classic - We fell in love with The Convent / Circa 1876 right from the moment we saw it. It has such a beautiful vibe all around the grounds. I wanted a simple elegant look with white florals and contrasting dark greenery, with lots of brass / gold décor. We also had frameless candles to create a romantic vibe. The venue already has so much character so we wanted to make the most of this and not overload it with decorations. I chose all of this myself – I bought every wedding magazine I could get my hands on, and instagram / Pinterest helped me in getting ideas for the kind of styling I wanted.
It was really important for us that our guests have fun! So as our favours - We booked a bus to pick up our guests and take them home from Newcastle. We also had lawn games to keep them entertained while we were off getting photos, and Jerome (our entertainment) was quick to get everyone up and dancing at the reception.
I would say being super organized was the key with planning our wedding. I booked everything as soon as I could, and it made everything run smoothly and wasn’t stressful. I wanted a calm environment on the day and that definitely helped.
What is marriage to you?
Creating a life together with your best friend. Having your partner there to love you and share the happy times together, as well as support you and make the hard times easier.
