S C O T T & C L A R E
F R O M T H E B R I D E …
The Meeting…
We met at school when we were 16 and 17.
The Proposal…
We got engaged at the end of Bobbin Head Jetty where Scott first asked me to be his ‘girlfriend’ back in 2003! He proposed with a fake ring just to make sure I said yes to marrying him and then gave me the real ring after I had said ‘yes’… cheeky bugger!
Wedding Style…
I’ve been a wedding photographer for 10 years working with my Dad in our family business David & Clare Oliver Photography. I’ve seen a lot and I mean A LOT of weddings over the years!! I’ve been lucky enough to fly overseas and shoot weddings in castles, weddings on beaches in remote Island locations or in the middle of Singapore in the most amazing venues you’ve ever seen…I wanted our wedding to be all about family and the fun our family has when we come together. This is what Scott and I love the most!
We love our family farm in the Hunter Valley. It is our place of relaxation, fun and time with family. We love our animals, Rooster (my horse) and Nell (our dog) so they had to be a part of the day and no church or reception venue is big enough for a dog, a horse and our crazy Irish family… so it was a no brainer really!
Pre-wedding Celebrations…
I had a surprise hens party. My mum and sister organised a long lunch at The Cottage in Balmain which was amazing. The food is to die for and the staff at the cottage were fantastic. We had our own private room on our own level of the Cottage. The chef custom designed a menu of 8 courses for our party of 25. We ate, drank champagne and played silly games all afternoon. It was great fun!
Bridal Party…
I had 5 bridesmaids and Scott had 5 groomsmen. We had Theo the page boy and Nell our dog was the ring bearer. Rooster, Tully, Beau, Azada, & Annie were the horses and then my four riders that I called my ‘horsey maids’ as they were just as important and involved as the bridesmaids – Kathie, Louise, Holly and Hannah. My very handsome strapper, Noel, helped me get on and off my horse and looked after all the bridal equine jobs!
The Dress…
I wore the first dress I tried on… Rhonda Hemmingway is my idol! When I said to Rhonda I wanted to come and try on a dress for my wedding she said she had just the dress for me…and when I tried it on we went no further, it was perfect. Rhonda Hemmingway has always been a number one name in the industry and she leads the trends with her elegant timeless designs. I have always admired her work and she knows exactly what to put a bride in with their figure and style! Her endless knowledge of design shines through the masterpieces that line the walls in her gorgeous Double Bay boutique. She designs and makes dresses for royalty and I was getting married in a ‘shed’ yet every time I went to see her she made me feel like royalty!
Bridesmaids Dresses…
The bridesmaids dresses were from Zimmermann.
The Flowers…
Yeng Tan created the bouquets. I asked for soft purples and she came up with the most amazing creations. She knows what works, what is in season and I had every faith in her decisions! My horses wore floral garlands which Yeng had never done…I was very excited to see how she would make them and she did not disappoint in true Yeng style – they were amazing!
My Aunty Collette is a florist and created the floral decorations for the shed, the garden and the ceremony. She arrived the day before and spent two days arranging the most beautiful flowers for the ceremony and reception.
Ceremony…
Our wedding ceremony was held by the dam on our property on The Allyn River. We have an amazing outlook across Torryburn, a very famous horse stud, and the valley. Being a photographer I know the best images are taken at outdoor wedding ceremonies as you have more space, lighting and a nice backdrop. I chose the dam as I knew we would get some great reflections for photos. The ceremony was followed by canapés in the back garden of the homestead. The fiddlers then lead the guests down to the shed for the reception.
Photography Studio Impressions & David & Clare Oliver Photography Ceremony + Reception Venue Private property Bride’s Dress Rhonda Hemmingway Bridesmaids Dresses Zimmermann Hair Danielle Tedesco 0408 113 371 Makeup Makeup by Ashleigh 0427 207 501 Flowers Bouquets & animal wreaths by Yeng Tan, reception and ceremony flowers by Collette Gallacher Catering Cateraid Dessert Buffet The Brownie Bar Entertainment Skarratt and Watts 1800 675 565 + Furnace and the Fundamentals
Check out part II of Scott and Clare’s country wedding!
MW x