Rob and Rianne : The Wedding
Have we got another dream wedding for you – prepare to dream of running away to the countryside. This time we head south to the Southern Highlands for the magical wedding of Rob, an electrician, and Rianne, a Shoppers Insights Executive at Unilever.
On the proposal:
“Rob went to an amazing effort in scheming the most romantic and unexpected adventure I will never forget – every second is still vividly clear in my mind. Early Saturday morning, a couple of girlfriends and I had locked down plans for coffee and breakfast but they had surprised me with a spontaneous road trip down south. 2 hrs later, we finally stopped at a cute cafe in Shellharbour.
Rob had planned for his best friend Andrew to post a perfectly timed picture on his Instagram of his freshly painted boat in Minnamurra (15 mins away) as a decoy for Mel and Alisa to drive down to meet him. As Andrew’s first passengers, we rowed across the beautiful lake leading to an island sandbank, which led to a hidden path filled with flowers, photos and a beautiful picnic marquee on Mystics Beach with Rob standing at the very end.
Rob read Ephesians 5 and asked me to be his wife with a timeless Tiffany Bow ring. He had planned every detail. His next surprise was the perfect ending with an extravagant dinner with both our families in Kiama at the Sebel Harbourside. The day was absolutely perfect and flawless in every detail – we’re very blessed that we were able to share our special day with our precious loved ones."
The wedding was held in the beautiful countryside of Bendooley Estate, which inspired the whole theme of the day. The featured colours were drawn from the warmth of the area, the peaceful lake, misty mountains, and cypress oak tress.
On the favourite moment:
Rianne – “I’ve never seen Rob cry so much until our wedding day. He started to cry when my sister walked down the aisle, during the ceremony and during the speeches. He’s definitely a big softie!”
Rob – “The bridal walk was a pretty long walk - about 2-3 mins with 5 bridesmaids. My favourite moment was finally seeing Rianne from a distance walking from the homestead, around the rose bush and down the aisle with her parents.”
The speeches from both families were particularly memorable, celebrating love, joy, resilience, commitment and blessings, complete with laughs and tears. Their close relationships with their families’ were reflected every step of the way, in preparation and on the day.
The couple utilized some of their handy skills in preparation for the day as well. Rob and his groomsmen made a tall wooden cross that stood in front of the ceremony, and along with a close family friend also built wooden centerpieces for the tables. The pieces were painted and lacquered by Rob’s mum to perfectly match the wooden beams within the Berkelouw Book barn where the reception was held.
On the meaning of marriage:
“Our engagement was an 18-month mission filled with lots of love, prayer, patience, joy and above all, trust in God’s perfect timing. As we become united in marriage, we know our commitment to each other as husband and wife should not be taken lightly or loosely - we understand that every day for the rest of our lives will take sacrifice, forgiveness, gentleness, selflessness and grace.”
On the dress:
“Initially, wedding dress shopping was a bit of a disaster and bought my dress off the rack. As soon as I arrived home to show mum, she saw rock size holes underneath the tulle and of course I didn’t see it amidst the chaos… After a few months of procrastinating and tried a few dozen more dresses I finally found my perfect gown with the right combination of lace and bead from Brides of Beecroft.”
Rianne managed to lose her engagement ring in the cold of walking down the aisle (thankfully spotted by her dad), but the rest of the day went by without a hiccup, and was filled with love, friendship and joy. Check out their little wedding video and you will understand the wonderful vibe that surrounded the whole day.
The couple’s advice for anyone preparing their own wonderful wedding:
- Don’t buy your dress off the rack. The dress should fit you perfectly and complement your body – and bring your mum along for the ride of seeing her little girl take this step.
- Consider a wedding planner. The couple actually won the opportunity to have a wedding planner, and it turned out to be the best thing for them. Their planner, Amira (For Thy Sweet Love), ensured everything was covered and planned for, always providing support and friendship.
- Date nights. The couple made date nights a priority even in the lead up to the wedding, with a rule that there would be no discussions or planning about the big day.
- Let it go. Make sure you cherish every moment and don’t waste the day by getting caught up in the little things.
Vendors: Photography - Callan Robison Photography // Bridal Gown & Veil - Brides of Beecroft & Mori Lee // Shoes - Panache Shoes // Flowers - Andy's Posies // Rings - Tiffany & Co // Bridesmaid Dresses - Review // Groom's Suit - MJ Bale // Groom's Shoes - Aquila // Groomsmen Suits - Ron Bennett // Ceremony & Reception - Bendooley Estate // Bonbonnieres - Glasshouse Candles // Wedding Planner - Amira Fleming (For Thy Sweet Love) // R&R Lights - Sammy and Lola // Stationery (Designer and Printer) - Terrace Press // Makeup - Makeup by Megan // Hair - Hair Beauty and Soul // Music - Bronwyn Kenny & Band // Cinematographer - iHeartProductions
