Anwyn and Marcus

To cap today off – we have the most gorgeous country, at home wedding – but this time we have  headed South, it’s in Victoria! There is a sense of history to today’s wedding – the historical venue, the special place amongst the sun dried grass. It’s the kind of Australia that holds a special place in my heart.

Anwyn explains how she met Marcus. “We met on a night out in the city, both out on guys/ girls nights respectively. We spotted each other across the room, stared at each other for a couple of hours and by midnight went our separate ways with the others’ phone number.”

Annevi Petersson took today’s photographs. I love Annevi’s captures of the atmosphere – the old candlesticks, the golden rolling hills and the couple who are so deeply in love, all pulled together to tell one beautiful story.

The group traveled from Melbourne and stayed at the Euroa Butter Factory where they also got ready for the wedding.

There was just a little hiccup in the day. Anywn explains, “A very funny ‘almost disaster’ moment was when my step dad returned from taking Annevi to where the boys were supposed to be getting ready, to say that the groomsmen still hadn’t arrived and Marcus was in hospital! Everyone immediately erupted with “SHHHH! She isn’t supposed to know!” I found it amusing as I knew it wasn’t serious (he had had an infected finger for a couple of days) and I knew the boys could pretty quickly throw on a suit and be ready to go. I kept forgetting about Marcus’ sore finger during the ceremony and in my nervousness kept squeezing his sore hand, which as a good new husband he bravely endured hehe…”

Bernadette Fisers styled the makeup for the girls.

Anwyn chose a strapless gown from Mark Holt Bridal in Sydney, where she grew up and her parents still live. Cecilia Fox created the luscious floral arrangements for the day

The ceremony was held on Marcus’ family farm. Anwyn explains “Our ceremony was held outdoors on ‘the top hill’ of Akoonah, Marcus’s family farm near Euroa, Victoria. It’s our sanctuary from our normally busy city lives and we often walk to the top hill in the evenings; it’s where we got engaged! It has family history too as one of the earliest photos of all of Marcus’s brothers (he’s one of four) and his father is taken on the same hill. The weather held out beautifully, staying warm and sunny until 7pm when everyone was indoors at the reception. Relief!”

Anwyn walked down the aisle to Angus & Julia Stone’s ‘Bella’. She explains “In a nice coincidence, my parents are friends with the Stone family in the Northern Beaches of Sydney!

I expected to be so nervous that I didn’t really enjoy this part of the day but it was amazing… Our celebrant advised against a practice ‘walk down the aisle’ and this was excellent advice as every moment was very raw and real, heartfelt and incredibly emotional. It wasn’t at all rehearsed or staged and I’ve heard from friends and family that they all felt the emotion too!”

Anwyn says “The hill on the farm will always be ‘our’ special place and somewhere we will always be able to visit.”

Anwyn describes the day as “Relaxed, gorgeous, surrounded by our favourite people in one of our favourite places in the world.”

One of Anwyn’s favourite memories is bringing family together. ” My family have been split in half since I was very young; this was really the first everyone has been together at an event like this in almost 30 years which was very special for me. I never thought it’d actually happen!”

Anwyn’s bridesmaids wore gown ins shades of dusky pink from Carla Zampatti and Bianca Spender.

Of photographer Annevi, Anwyn says, “Annevi was perfect; she is both a fabulous photographer as well as a great friend. We met years ago in Design college and from there she went on to study & become a successful photographer and return to her native Sweden. She travelled all the way back to Oz for our wedding which was very special.”

Anwyn and Marcus’ rings were from Keshett Jewellery.

Anwyn and Marc held their reception at a private barn (Killeen Barn) next door to their farm and had it catered and coordinated by Plunkett Fowles. Anwyn says “Our reception was held on the farm next door in a stunning old barn. Plunkett Fowles were AMAZING coordinating the reception and providing catering. We are both foodies so fabulous food and wine were very important to us and Plunkett Fowles delivered, even more impressive as they were working away from a kitchen in less than perfect conditions (squeezed into an old horse stable to avoid the pouring rain)!”

Anwyn owns Songbird Design and created the stationery herself. A lot of the decorating was done by family & friends. “We did our own wedding stationery, table decorations, hay bale seating, directional signage and most of the native flowers and proteas were grown on the property and arranged by mums, cousins and aunties.”

The wedding cake was handmade. Anwyn remarks, “Marcus’s Auntie Rosie made our beautiful wedding cake, Kahlua caramel mud on the bottom and traditional fruit cake on the top layer.”

For the first dance, Anwyn recalls, “Marcus prefers the classics when it comes to music, so we selected Al Green’s Let’s Stay Together. We didn’t have any lessons but had fun attempting Marcus’s ‘signature dance floor twirl’ in my wedding dress – he did manage to step on it once or twice!” Top Dog Entertainment provided the music.

Congratulations Anwyn and Marcus! Thank you for sharing your wedding day with us on Polka Dot Bride! Thank you also to Annevi Petersson for sharing the captures of the day!