Brooke & Joel

 Today’s beautiful winery wedding from photographers Goldsmith & Co has a wonderful mix of chic elegance and plenty of fun – like a falling umbrella just as the couple kissed!

Here’s how the couple met, as told by Joel in his wedding speech. “So Brooke and I met at around the age of 13 or 14, year 8 in high school. We were introduced by a mutual friend. And over the next few years we ended up having a number of classes together, and became pretty friendly. In year 10 Brooke asked me to do the Deb with her, and I agreed, and then later on that year we had the year 10 snow trip, which Aaron’s already touched on. Where I managed to get a sneaky kiss or two out the back door of the accommodation block.

So after we got back from the snow trip, I thought, hey, I like this girl, I should probably ask her out. So I grabbed the house phone, didn’t have a mobile yet, mustered up all the courage a 15 year old boy has, and called Brooke up and asked her out. I was ruthlessly shot down. I know, she turned down all this. So I thought, oh well, it was worth a shot, and pretty much gave up.

Now, and I’m not sure exactly what happened here, either Brooke was just playing hard to get, or me giving up somehow made me mysterious and sexy. I like to think it was number two. Either way a few weeks, or a month or so later, Brooke started getting quite friendly again. And so I’m thinking oh, I might have another chance at this. So one night, just after my 16th birthday, it was a Saturday night, and I got a call from Brooke latish one night, and she was having a few friends over at her house, and the phone sort of got handed around to a few of Brooke’s friends and someone suggested that I come over. So I snuck out, went to Brooke’s house, and managed to get another sneaky kiss or two that night, and it was fairly soon after that we pretty much became inseparable.

And that was over ten years ago. Since then we’ve finished high school together, spent almost a year living a few hours apart, moved to Geelong to study together, lived in tiny apartments, lived in share houses with other people, moved to Melbourne to start our careers, and travelled to the other side of the world and back. It has been an absolutely amazing decade, and I couldn’t have wished that I’d be able to spend it with someone as beautiful, as loving, or as fun to be around as Brooke.”

Brooke worked at bridal gown designer Mariana Hardwick before moving to Perth literally last week, so it was always going to be set in stone that her wedding gown would be brilliant. Brooke tells, “My gown was designed by a friend, Anthony Tandiyono, and all of the team at Marianna Hardwick helped out making my gown, and made sure they popped their heads in on any fittings to get a sneak peek. My closest work friend Alissa and Anthony were able to attend our wedding. I’ve never seen Anthony so proud and so blushed! So much love went into designing and making my gown and I felt so amazing. My favourite compliment was from a older family friend who liken me to the beauty and style of Grace Kelly.

Brooke spoilt her bridesmaids with sentimental gifts, telling, “I bought various size pearl bracelets and a bangle with lock and key, then selected 2 personal charms for each of my girls; my oldest friend, Andrea is very talented with most musical instruments so I selected a treble clef and music notes. Jessica who worked with me at Mariana Hardwick, a tape measure and a very Brunswick bike; Skye, the youngest currently spending 2 years in London a “party” bangle and an aeroplane; Kelly, my maid of honour, one never to be tied down, always wanting to travel, a bird and a cage, and a Thai elephant, one of her favourite things. The girls and I stayed in the reception venue’s penthouse apartment on the wedding’s eve, I gave each of them a gift box, with their bangles and pearl bracelets, vintage harlequin Champagne glasses engraved with their names, nail polish, and nail polish remover, spongy inner soles for their heels, a bottle of Moet and finally a floral dressing gown.”

Brooke’s bridesmaids wore navy lace dresses from Next.

For the processional, Joel chose ‘My Baby’ by Julia Stone.

Brooke and Joel were married at Basalt Vineyards. Brooke telling, “Shane and the team served bubbles and beautiful cheese platters after the ceremony; we were married in front of the vines, and had photos at the beautiful cafe cottage.”

Brooke tells the story of the falling over umbrella! “Running late to the ceremony, we arrived at the vines, just as the wind picked up. The groomsmen came and met the bridesmaids each walking down the aisle arm in arm. Then came my father, we walked slowly down the aisle, smiling and chatting a little amongst ourselves. We both joked the market umbrella I was about to stand under wasn’t looking too sturdy. He kissed me on the cheek and shook Joel’s hand, as I stared at the umbrella, both Joel and Wendy our celebrant sort to assured me “we put some bricks on it…” “…it will be fine”. I nodded and we started the ceremony.

Everything went perfectly – my nightmares of mixing up words were out of my mind, we had made it to the easy part; “you may now kiss the bride.” I stared into my husband to be’s eyes. I was so intent on him and he on I that neither of us noticed the large white market umbrella falling over us and knocking me on the head. Just as quickly as it went down the groomsmen sprang into action and had it standing upright again. Everyone went quiet except for me. I lost it with laughter, and everyone breathed a sigh of relief and joined in for a little giggle. After a moment I regained bridal composure and we shared our first kiss as husband and wife. Later at the reception, among the comments a romantic friend commented “Did you plan that? it was just perfect, the umbrella came down and you had a private moment to kiss!”

Of their photographer, Brooke says, “We love our photographer, and his wife! Getting the right photographer was so important for us. We met Brett and Jane in a local cafe and immediately clicked. We scheduled an “engagement” shoot with them and were so thrilled with the results. Their photos were intimate, warm and natural. We had a rehearsal dinner the night before where they took some more casual family photos, and on the wedding day everyone knew them and felt so comfortable with them. Our photos are everything we wished for and more.”

Celebrations continued at The Deep Blue, Quality Suites. Brooke remarking, “After 6 different event managers, we still had a great team on the night, the food and food service was perfect.”

Brooke purchased graphics from WingedImages on Etsy to use throughout the wedding stationery and decor. She tells, “I uploaded images from Etsy, French provincial styling, bird cages and swallows. I worked with a friend Sarah, who was completing a Graphic Arts Diploma at the time, to do the formatting. By using a local printer to print and trim on Kraft paper we developed a cost effective French provincial look. On each A4 page there were 2 place cards, an invite, a wishing well card, the jam jar labels and accommodation details. Each invite package was wrapped in twine, and had an RSVP enclosed.

To tie in the provincial styling and kraft paper, I purchased hessian for our table runners then printed the table number directly on to ivory cotton which were then sewn on to be visible on each table. My belt, Jessica and I, worked together for 2 years, and wanted to do something together for my dress. Joel had brought me copper millinery tools for Valentines the year before so I created silk petals and Jessica made silk flowers and she appliquéd and beaded my belt and shoes with the flowers, lace from my gown and Swarovski pearls and crystals.”

Chef Claire Wombell of Pudds Cafe (03) 5562 5119 made the couple’s wedding favors – jars of homemade jam and the wedding cake.

“Our MC- Felicity Barker, a family friend, did the most amazing job, introducing each of the bridal party individually and our parents with little stories. It really got the reception off to a fun start and kept the evening relaxed and intimate.”

For their first dance, Brooke remembers, “Our first dance, we took 6 lessons each 2 weeks apart and hardly ever practised, but our teacher still asked us to train for competitions with her, from our request for a simple waltz, she encouraged us to do dips, and even finish with a lift! We stepped on to the dance floor to Michael Buble – Hold On. We got through the first dip without a foot wrong, then our parents joined in and decided that it was now their turn to dance with the newlyweds. We had expressly told our bridal party & MC that we had a whole dance routine planned out but forgot to mention it to our parents! We giggled, both happy we didn’t have to do the lift.”

Congratulations on your marriage Brooke and Joel! Thank you for sharing your day with us! Thank you also to Goldsmith & Co for sharing today’s images.