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The Real Wedding Of Kristel & David – Bawley Vale Estate, NSW

A couple kissing while holding a bouquet of flowers.

Check out the incredible details from Kristel and David’s nature-filled, moody and marvellous Bawley Point big day.

Wedding shoes, bouquet, and accessories.
A woman wearing a wedding dress smiling.
A white dress on a haner.

THE PROPOSAL //

It was a belated birthday/anniversary weekend away to the Hunter Valley. Dave organised most of it and there was no sign that it was going to be anything other than just another weekend away. We booked a room at the Convent, a gorgeous building with a fountain in the courtyard and a long driveway lined with trees.

We checked in on the Thursday and spent the afternoon beer and cider tasting. We had dinner booked at the restaurant onsite – Circa 1876, so we hung around the room and had a bath and a nap before getting ready for dinner. I did my hair and makeup and was paying no attention to Dave who was already dressed and ready and pacing around the room. We got the hotel to drop us to dinner in their golf buggy and the restaurant was beautiful. We ate and drank until we could barely move and then decided to head back to the room to turn in for the night as we had a wine tour booked the next day. It was probably around 10pm and I told Dave to ask the waiter to arrange the golf buggy to cart us home cause I was too full to move.

He kept saying no and then finally convinced me it was a nice night and we should just make the short walk back to the accommodation as it would be “good for our digestion”. We started our short walk back and we had to walk the long driveway lined with trees. We got to the courtyard at the end of the driveway, and the gorgeous fountain was lit up with pretty lights and the building also looked particularly beautiful. Dave whipped his phone out and started taking pics of the fountain, so I followed suit. I couldn’t get my camera to focus properly on the lights so I was calling out to Dave to help me fix it. I knew that he was behind me and I thought he was taking photos of the tree-lined driveway so when I turned around to find out why he wasn’t answering me it was safe to say I was well and truly shocked to see him kneeling in front of me with a box in his hand. He looked like a deer-in-headlights and blurted out “will you marry me” and then I started crying. I said something along the lines of, are you serious or is this real.

Then he stood up and we kissed and he gave me the ring and then he was like, wait did you even say yes? Haha. And then I was like, yes yes yes a million times yes. Because it was late at night on a Thursday, all of our family and friends were in bed asleep so I couldn’t call anyone to tell them. I barely slept and woke at 5:30am and waited until 6am to start calling everyone. It was so lovely hearing all their congratulations. Then we got to celebrate the whole next day on the wine tour.

A bride and two women beside her wearing black dresses, each holding a bouquet of flowers..
Two women wearing black gowns fixing the brides wedding dress.
A bride smiling and holding a bouquet of flowers.
A man wearing tuxedo.
Three men walking wearing tuxedos.

The Most Memorable Moment //

Our ceremony was phenomenal. So personal and really captured who we are as individuals and as a couple.
 
Wedding sign: Welcome to the wedding of Kristel and David.
A bride an two bridesmaids in black dresses holding bouquets, standing together at a wedding.
A man and a woman walking
A beautiful outdoor wedding ceremony by the lake, with the bride and groom under a floral arch.

THE VISION //

I originally wanted our colour scheme to be Black, Green, White and was leaning more towards silvery greens like eucalyptus. But as I was scrolling our florist/stylist’s Instagram over the months counting down to our wedding I would just see white/green everything for every wedding and just before our last meeting with them I did a complete flip and decided on Black, Blushes and Nudes. I was definitely going for dark/romantic/moody vibes. Our florist absolutely nailed the brief, and we could not have been happier with how it all turned out. The venue had never seen the floral stands on the tables before and they loved them.

A bride and the groom holding hands.
A couple walking together.
A groom lifting up his bride.

YOUR DAY IN YOUR WORDS //

It was easily the greatest day of my life. Surrounded by all of our closest friends and family made it the most special day and I love to constantly relive it by watching our wedding video and looking through all our photos.

A bride and her bridesmaids, a groom and his groomsmen walking together.
Wedding party celebrating

THE ADVICE THEY’D GIVE TO ANOTHER COUPLE //

Ignore traditions and do what resonates with you as individuals and as a couple. Don’t do things for the sake of doing it. It’s your day, eat what you want and do what you want. Your guests will just be happy there is free food and grog.
 
A rustic wedding reception in a barn with wooden tables and chairs.
A couple smiling at each other with people celebrating behind them.
Newly weds cutting their wedding cake.
A wedding party smiling for a photo in front of trees.

THE DRESS //

Rachel Gilbert Bridal

THE VENUE //

Bawley Vale Estate

A couple kissing.
A man speaking on a mic.
A silhouette picture of a couple dancing.
Women dancing.
A group of men dancing in their underwear at a wedding celebration.
A man dancing in his underwear at a wedding celebration.

THE CREDITS //

Photographer // KLD Photography

Videographer // Mitch Hickman Films

Flowers // Mandy Costin, freelance

Catering// Citrus Catering

Hair // The Mane Aesthetic

Make Up // Divine Makeup Artistry

Invitations // Zazzle

Suits // Alexander Michaels – Cambridge Suit

BY OLIVIA MACKINNON

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EDITOR OF ONE FINE DAY

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