Sandra & David ‘s Garden Winery Wedding

Sandra & David

I love a garden wedding and I most certainly love a winery wedding, so when you combine the two like Sandra and David did into a garden winery wedding, you know it will be something truly beautiful. Sandra and David chose Jonathan David  to photograph their wedding day.

As for how they met, Sandra and David tell, “We met four years ago – initially at an unsuccessful speed dating event, and then again through mutual friends while having breakfast a couple of months later. We seemed to hit it off much better the second time around! We dated for many months and traveled together. David had bought the ring and organised a fantastic date in Manly at which he hoped to propose. On the way to the beach Sandra’s brother called to us that he had just proposed to his girlfriend! David then carried the ring around with him for 11 more months, across the globe, just waiting for another perfect opportunity to propose. He finally got his chance on a chilly winter night in Mexico City.”

Sandra chose the Maggie Sottero “Madrid” gown. She tells, “I guess I was pretty lucky to find the dress the first time I went shopping, but I still tried on what felt like hundreds to get there. As soon as I saw it, I knew it was different to all the others and had the kind of character I was looking for. The lace was absolutely beautiful.” Her bridesmaid wore a pink dress from Review.

The groom and groomsmen wore navy suits from George and King.

Sandra and David chose Circa 1876 for their wedding, noting, “Roberts is hands down the best venue we’ve come across. It is absolutely gorgeous, and fit in perfectly with our theme of a vintage wedding. The decor is really rustic and authentic to its original purpose which gave off a great country vibe. We had our ceremony out in the garden next to the vineyards, and inside Circa 1876 restaurant for the reception. The weather was excellent – the light started to filter through the trees just before the ceremony which gave it a really special feeling.”

Sandra walked down the aisle to Heartbeats – Jose Gonzalez.

Vicky-Jayne Streatfield officiated the ceremony, Sandra and David remembering, “We kept the ceremony relatively brief, and included readings from the bride’s brother, and the groom’s mother.”

Of their photographer, Sandra remarks, “Having good photos was important to us and we were fortunate enough to find and book Jonathan David for the big day. We had met with him beforehand and seen some of his impressive work, and found him to be a very relaxed and professional kind of guy. And he did not disappoint – he managed to capture every special moment on the day without being intrusive, and has left us with an extensive collection of beautiful pictures and a finished album which will last a lifetime.”

Guests played garden games and drank champagne as the sun set.

Peonies Floral Designer styled up floral arrangements of pink peonies and deep pink roses, Sandra remarks, “Darlene from Peonies went over and above our expectations for flowers and table settings. We were limited in our communication before hand, as we were organising the whole thing over long distance, but she listened to what we wanted and transformed that into an amazing setting with intricate detail that all our guests remembered for a long time.”

For handmade details, Sandra tells, “We anticipated a fairly hot day, so handmade some vintage paper fans for guests to use during the ceremony. We also slaved over a hot stove making homemade strawberry jam and spiced pear chutney as favors for wedding guests.”

The bride and groom were in for a big surprise as they sat down for dinner, Sandra remembers, “A standout of the day was a surprise a cappella performance from the bridesmaid (my sister) and some members of her local harmony chorus! They had been practicing in secret for months beforehand and made the trip all the way to the Hunter Valley for the weekend to surprise us. I was overcome with emotion when they started singing, and was just floored with the amount of effort my sister had gone to to orchestrate it all. It’s something I’ll always remember, and I still get a little emotional when I think about it.”

Of their first dance, Sandra remembers, “We had a few sneaky lessons beforehand, and danced to Wonderful World by Sam Cooke.”

Congratulations on your marriage Sandra and David! Thank you for sharing the details of your day! Thank you to Jonathan David for sending this wedding our way!