Georgie & Wade

I have to be honest, the wedding of Georgie and Wade, it’s not about beautiful details, it’s not about beautiful flowers and gowns and tablescapes (although they all exist). It’s about a storm that was drought-breaking, it’s about guests pitching in to make the wedding happy anyway, about the bride and groom who realised what’s most important, as their wedding, planned for months literally blew away before their very eyes. This is a story of what matters, of how love, family and your community are the most important part of life, of how everything else, when it comes down to it, will fade away, Oh and it’s a story that these two will regale many a time over the years to come. Thanks to Thom Dwyer, we’re sharing it all in pictorial glory.

After meeting at the country cup in a “Sea of farmers and cowboys” where Wade, with his blonder surfer curls and suit immediately stuck out to Georgia, the pair became friends, before finally falling in love. Wade popped the question after a particularly epic year, Georgia sharing “The proposal happened after a long year in where Wade and I worked A LOT! Wade worked away quite a bit of the year and I had spent most of the year doing weekend overtime on top of our full-time jobs and investments. We had just brought our home, we’d renovated, built and moved two other properties and I was 9 months pregnant. To say it was the biggest year yet was an understatement, to top it all off Wade proposed. In the car on the way to the hospital. To deliver Martin (our firstborn). Rightly so, he thought if he left it until the last push he would get a kick in the nose.. although this was his original plan. needless to say, Wade’s sense for timing has always been immaculate.”

Georgia and Wade started their day with a first look, which allowed them to spend time together with their photographer.  “Thom was perfect for our day, super relaxed and made us feel comfortable in a not so comfortable environment.” remember Georgie, “He also allowed me to take some creative directive. He really catered for every stressed out moment I had as a bride with a brewing lightening storm on her wedding day. (I wish this was colloquial language but it was not the case). Thom worked in unpredictable weather, with animals and various locations, a recipe for disaster, but took it all in his stride and showcases his talent in the moments captured.”

The bride found her gorgeous Grace Loves Lace gown very last minute, explaining “I had tried on about 30 dressed, all lovely but just didn’t depict me. I have an eye for the unique. 2 weeks before the wedding I impulse purchased my dress. It had tassels on the hemline that followed right along the train. It had an American Indian/ 1920’s flapper style feel. I just couldn’t get over those tassels. They really took me. Plus I love to shake my tail feather and the tassels made it that much more fun and flamboyant on the dance floor. The experience is hard to describe. When I wore it my outfit I just thought this is the closest thing I can visually express as my persona. I was confident, comfortable and ready for this journey ahead.”

The bride chose Hillandale Garden to execute her vision for the fresh flowers on the day, noting

“I have a love for the random and love the beauty in dishevelled mayhem. This was the take with our arrangements, I just wanted something big and wild and whatever was in bloom at the time. Sarah from Hillandale actually did all of our centrepieces and bouquets. with the help of my beautiful friends who set aside their day to get the show on the road while I was off getting pampered.”

 

The couple chose a private farm for their wedding. “We had a few Venues over the course of the day. our Ceremony was held at “Dreamland Farm” in Evans Plains NSW, in my grandmother’s garden. Our reception was set up and meant to be held in the orchard of Dreamland but we had 28mm storm that hammered down about half an hour after the ceremony that drove us into a nearby shed on the property. It’s not often you can say that between some very good friends, some trusty zip ties and an incredible 94-year-old grandmother you can pull off a DIY wedding.”

And the extra best bit Georgia and Wade had told their guests to join them for an engagement party – to add to the relaxed vibe they wanted! “Wade and I had a surprise wedding masked as an engagement party” explains Georgie, “We had a total of 200 guests, with 60 of them being children. at that time Wade and I have had 9 years of relationship history. We got together when we were 18 (we are both 28 this year) we didn’t want the stress of what a traditional wedding can often bring, and it was unnecessary. What we wanted was a banging party where our friends and family could laugh and be in the moment with us, that was relaxed and organic in its proceedings with a marriage in the middle. Having a surprise wedding really gave us autonomy and freedom for that. We also wanted our guests to feel as though they made a special contribution to the day which is why we suggested instead of a wishing well or gifts if people would like to bring a favourite share dish. We felt this gave a gentle homespun feel, it also allowed for a lovely segue into a conversation for those who did not know one another. It also really threw them off the scent it was actually a wedding!”

The bride walked down the aisle o the arm of her father. “We had a live musician with his harmonica and guitar sing Angus & Julia Stone’s “Wedding Song” and we had my father Colin walk me down the aisle. Our ceremonious trot back down the aisle was “Home” by Edward Sharp and the Magnetic Zeros. Another great tune for the harmonica.”

Georgie and Wade chose Kris Rose to make it official. “The ceremony really depicted the feel of the wedding. Scatters of traditions, we had my father give me away. I chose to wear my veil down on my way down the aisle, where dad gave me away to Wade and lifted my veil. My youngest sister was my maid of honour, our nieces and nephews the flower girls and ring bearers. My eldest sister did a reading of the Apache wedding blessing. We also got the crowd to participate in the nuptials. Something our very creative celebrant thought of, where after the celebrant asks the parents for their blessing she asked the crowd for theirs in unison. It was very special.”

The tables were set with boho-inspired details. “We did a LOT of DIY. I have some very good friends who owned a venison farm so we used deer antler racks in our centrepieces, along with 100’s of metres of fairy lights strung throughout the orchard. it was very mystical once the rain cleared. We had tradies as makeshift barmen” tells the bride.

And then the rain began. “What started out as a beautifully classic garden party- ended in 200 people bolting for the closest shed for cover. In a matter of moments after the ceremony had taken place, a giant storm came rushing over “Dreamland” not just any storm but the rain that we had not witnessed in years. Upon the back of what has been dubbed one of Australia’s biggest Droughts came a lightning show and 28 mm of rain over 2 hours. Flash flooding, power outages and fallen trees was part of the entertainment of the night.

Fortunately, we had roughly cleared out a nearby shed as a security policy for the night. But not actually expecting it to rain we didn’t move chairs, tables or decorations in. Many drenched guests, some strong men and a resilient attitude meant the party went on! In the end, the wild weather just encouraged wild behaviour in the best sense of the word.”

“There was one moment that I clearly remember, just before the storm hit I went to my car to feed the baby for a bit of privacy there we were sitting in the calm silence just witnessing what was unravelling in front of us. People were running left right and centre for cover, the poor man who ran a jumping castle for the kids was trying to batten down the hatches so his bouncing castle got ripped away. All the food, wine, decorations, tables, lights, floral arrangements the lot completely drenched. All the work that everybody had put in weeks, days and hours leading up to the wedding completely ruined.

At that moment I had a really clarifying thought. “Oh well, This is completely out of my control”. After that it was easy, everybody was together, we salvaged some food, we found the poor musician who was left to fend for himself in the chaos, the wine was saved and the party went on.”

  And to the sound of rain on the roof and Dobbie Grey’s “Drift Away” the newlyweds took to the dance floor. “Grandmother Marge is always a fabulous ballroom dancer who instructed for 40 years. So we really had a winning card there. She heard the song and helped us choreograph a lovely little kitchen sink waltz with a few fancy moves. Wade is strong enough to throw me around like a little rag doll so we added a jump and flip, to be a little cheeky.”

A big congratulations to you both Georgie and Wade – thank you for sharing your stories with us, on such a  momentous day. Thank you also to Thom Dwyer, for sharing today’s celebration!