Catherine & John | Little Church
If you feel like a hug then wrap your arms around this epic wedding day and it’ll hug you back just as hard! Just don’t forget to pack a coat, bring your brolli and expect a little bit of November Rain (no reference at all to the Gn’R’s classic!) because hey, we are in “sunny” Trentham, Victoria which is where I met Catherine & John. Both under the same roof but separated by stairs, the anticipation, the nervousness and excitement was prevalent while I started with some snaps of John getting ready and looking super sharp in a classic Joe Black tux. Upstairs it was the same with Aimmee applying the final touches to Catherine’s hair and makeup before John’s sister came up to help Catherine slip into a stunning Rebecca Ingram wedding gown. With time ticking away we quickly choreographed Catherine & Johns first look which unsurprisingly ended in joyful tears, big hugs and a slight rise in temperature! It had been raining steadily all morning and as Robert from RR Classic Car Hire pulled up in C & J’s ride, an immaculate 1950’s Rolls Royce, it was a quick shuffle under umbrellas before they boarded to take their last ride as de facto. A strong turn out of both families and friends were waiting for their arrival at the iconic Little Church in Spring Hill, just a hop, step and jump away from where Catherine & John were starting their journey from Trentham. With their imminent arrival everyone hurried into the church as the rain started to ease just in time as the Rolls pulled through the gates and Catherine & John stepped out under a single umbrella. The lovely Megan Thompson, Macedon Ranges own commitment pro announced that the couple had indeed arrived and called on Jarrah Thompson (not related!) to start playing his acoustic guitar rendition of the King’s “Can’t Help Falling In Love” and sing the couple in. John made his way in first and was greeted with a big cheer as he found his way to the front of the church, and ready to see his Catherine appear from outside who was also greeted by a rapturous applause!
Megan then proceeded to tell their story and the reasons why everyone was here in this church. As well as being a wedding venue The Spring Hill Church is synonymous for being also a Peony Farm, and open to the public during the month of November for self picking! This is where John proposed to Catherine so it was only fitting that they tie the knot here, in November of course! And of course all floral arrangements and Catherine’s bouquet were peony’s picked from the farm, flawlessly arranged to perfection by Harper & Grace Designs.
It was a quick 20 mins later that C & J exchanged rings, were pronounced Mr & Mrs, signed their official documents and were leaving the chapel to a shower of peony petals, claps and applause!
But there was no time to lose, as the weather had cleared and their portrait location photos were scheduled for historic Piper Street in Kyneton. Their driver Robert was at the ready and somehow was able to beat me into town; and I’m local, but I did get boxed in back at Spring Hill to be fair!
Catherine and John had discussed with me that they wanted an urban architectural feel to their location portraits so Piper Street in historic Kyneton fit the bill perfectly where we visited the old Butter Factory, a certified National Trust of Australia 1870’s manor named “The Lawns” and then finally to a suite of 1850’s established shops, architecturally and historically significant to the state of Victoria (and now to C&J!) but more specifically; that stone arch doorway with matching timber doors and a red rose vine creeping up the entrance around the corner from the main street was the chef’s kiss!
We headed back to Spring Hill to continue the celebrations, to eat, to cut cake, to head into the photobooth and to dance under a canopy of ancient gums watching the rain clouds work their way around us. As the sun went down over the horizon so did the temperature and the coats, dressing gowns, onesies, whatever worked came out and the dance floor got one more good round before it was time to leave, but not before a few more snaps in that iconic church! C & J curated a who’s who of wedding pro’s to set the perfect scene for a perfect day and it all played out to absolute perfection. So yeah, I’m not afraid to use that word again because it’s true, Catherine & John, you are PERFECT for each other and it shone through the whole day.
Thank you for inviting me into your world to capture all the love, light & magic!
Ad’s xoxo
Venue – Little Church Spring Hill
Celebrant – Megan Thompson
Makeup & Hair Stylist – Aimmee
Catherine’s Gown – Rebecca Ingram Fairytale Bridal Boutique
John’s Tux – Joe Black Mens Suit Warehouse
Floral & Event Design – Harper & Grace
Furniture & Marquee – Elderberry Events
Tunes – Jarrah Thompson
Cake – Fork Yeah Baking
Photo Booth – Showtime Fotobooth
Catering – Smokey Boiz & Havana Caravan Bar
Ride – RR Classic Car Hire
