D E B A N D C A R O L
Surrounded by family and friends, Deb and Carol said “I do” in an intimate vineyard wedding that captured their celebration of love and equality perfectly. The rustic beauty of their wedding venue paired with a night full of dancing and beers on tap made for an enchanting day that the couple and their guests will treasure forever.
Distance Makes The Heart Grow Fonder…
Deb and Carol’s love story began in April 2013 as a long distance relationship after a mutual friend introduced Deb to Carol’s clothing line, CharlieBoy. Deb joined the CharlieBoy team as a logistics specialist and a few months later, the couple met for the first time at one of Carol’s tradeshows in Melbourne. It was at this tradeshow that Deb knew she was in love.
Zestful Zip Line…
The proposal took place during a trip to Fiji for a friend’s wedding which happened to fall around the same time as Carol’s 40th birthday. Deb had planned to take Carol zip lining for her birthday and at the top of the zip line trail, Deb surprised Carol with a proposal. “I was totally surprised and amazed that Deb managed to not lose the ring after zip lining upside-down in her very inappropriate shorts,” laughs Carol. The couple announced their engagement once they had returned to Sydney at Carol’s 40th birthday party.
Sentimental Ceremony…
Once they were back from their romantic Fijian getaway, the wedding planning began! “We basically wanted a massive celebration with all the people we love from around the world in a place we have always loved”, shares Deb. Carol’s parents used to have a holiday house in Lemon Tree Passage, Port Stephens which the couple visited frequently and it became a very special and sentimental spot for the pair. The couple chose to tie the knot at Murray’s Brewery, a beautifully picturesque brewery and winery in Port Stephens.
Vote Yes…
“With the ‘Yes Vote’ being passed, it was even more important for us to throw a big party to celebrate our love and have it recognised legally,” shares the couple. This factor strongly influenced the colour scheme for the big day – white and green with a hint of rainbow! The rustic, vineyard style ceremony was achieved with the choice of a gorgeous brewery and vineyard location where the couple could eat, drink, be merry and celebrate equality with their nearest and dearest.
Colour Pop…
The bridal party consisted of Deb and Carol’s four nieces, two nephews and two dogs. “Our nieces and nephews were so proud and excited to play such an important part,” recall the newly weds. Carol’s three bridesmaids wore white lace/tulle dresses, baby’s breath crowns and engraved silver necklaces they were given when Deb and Carol asked them to be part of the bridal party. All the bridesmaids carried brightly coloured parasols instead of bouquets for a fun pop of colour!
Looking Sharp…
The bridal party by Deb’s side wore shirts and waistcoats that had been designed and handmade by Carol to match Deb’s outfit. “Deb’s niece decided she wanted to wear a similar outfit to Deb, so we said she could wear the same outfit as our nephews,” shares Carol. “We are all about gender neutral outfits after all!”
Wedding Pup-tials…
The bridal party also included the couples Miniature Daschund, Nunu, and Carol’s parents Jack Russell, Kim. Carol designed and handmade shirts for the dogs to match Deb’s CharlieBoy shirt as well as a backpack for Nunu who was the ring bearer for the ceremony. “Despite the heat of the day, Nunu performed her duty perfectly!’ shares the couple.
Dashing And Dapper…
Deb wore a 3 piece bespoke suit that was designed by Carol and made by Germanicos. As with the groomsmen, Deb’s shirt had been designed and handmade by Carol while her shoes were bespoke by Germanicos.
Lace Goddess…
Carol’s wedding gown was the ivory Megan dress from Grace Loves Lace. Carol wanted a simple backless lace dress that would work with the vineyard ceremony so she fell in love with her gown as soon as she saw it. Carol also wore a baby’s breath crown to match her bridesmaids.
Picture Perfect…
Deb and Carol’s rustic romance was captured perfectly by their wedding photographer, Mitchell Ferris from With Heart Photography. “He spent so much time with us pre-wedding getting to know us as he wanted to genuinely tell our love story,” shares the couple. “When we look through the photos we feel like we’re re-living the magical day!”
Family Ties The Knot…
A really special moment for the couple on the big day was having Carol’s cousin, Catherine Bateman, as the wedding celebrant. Catherine was there on the very first day that Deb and Carol met so the couple loved getting to surprise their family by having Catherine as their celebrant. They also asked Catherine’s partner, Geraldine Hickey – a well known Melbourne based comedian, to MC for the big day. “They both expressed to us that their roll in our marriage was such a celebratory moment after such a long battle for equality,” says Deb and Carol.
Cheers…
The reception took place at the same venue as the ceremony and was styled by A Beautiful Occassion. The styling championed the colour scheme with white and green flower arrangements and featured a light up ‘Love’ installation. The couple had a cocktail reception with very substantial canapés so that there was something to please everyone. “One of the best parts was that our guests could enjoy all Murray’s famous beers on tap – about 10 craft beers to choose from as well as the local wines,” says Carol. The couple gave each of their guests a custom made Murray’s Brewery bottle opener as bonbonnieres that had the wedding date and details printed on them.
Break It Down…
Another memorable moment from the big day was the couple’s first dance! “We had help with choreographing our wedding dance and took 3 months of private dance classes with Matthew at DUTI Studios,” shares Deb. The dance style was Jazz/Funk/HipHop To “Want To Want Me” by Jason Derulo. Other songs on the couple’s wedding playlist included “Still Falling For You” by Ellie Goulding as the ceremony song, “Your Song” by Elton John for signing the register and “Raise Your Glass” by Pink played as the newly weds entered the reception.
Live In The Moment…
Deb and Carol are loving married life and are counting down to their September 2019 honeymoon in Italy and the Greek Islands! After the rollercoaster of planning and hosting an unforgettable wedding, the happy couple have tips for future husbands and brides-to-be. “Ultimately, don’t worry about anyone else,” shares the couple. Deb and Carol had so many guests coming from overseas so they were very concerned about making the wedding worthwhile of their time. “We were so pleasantly surprised to discover that our guests just wanted to have the best day and be there for us,” says Carol. So, remember to be in the moment because on the day there is nothing more you can do but enjoy yourself!
If you’re planning a vineyard wedding, you need to read all the tips we’ve got here!
Venue: Murray’s Brewery / Photographer: With Heart Photography / Decorators: A Beautiful Occasion / DJ: Silent Shout Entertainment / Hair Stylist: Sarah Wall Industries / Bridal Gown: Grace Loves Lace / Grooms Outfit: CharlieBoy and Germanicos / Wedding and Engagement Rings: Ronald Crisp / MC: Geraldine Hickey / Celebrant: Catherine Bateman