Wedding | Gemma & James

Tell us a little about yourselves!

We met in 2016 and had our first date at a whisky bar in the city, not long after we moved to Canberra for work where we lived together for 4 years before moving back to Melbourne. In 2024 we went on a once in a lifetime trip to Greece with a group of our dearest friends where I proposed to James on the Island of Lefkada. Never being super traditional, we took a while to figure out what our wedding might look like and slowly started to plan a day that felt like what we wanted and not what was expected. We’re both creative and curious and ensure to never go a day without a good laugh. We don’t like to take life or ourselves too seriously and that has held us in good stead as we navigate life together.

Why did you decide to get married where you did?

We got married at my family home in Hurstbridge which is a truly special place for both of us. It was the place that shaped me as I grew up and a place that we now both really enjoy together and spend a lot of weekends there getting away from the city and back into nature. It is a place that all of our friends and family have also spent time at over their lives so it felt really special to bring everyone there to celebrate.

How many guests did you have?

Just under 70 guests.

What was your budget?

We had a budget of $40k and spent pretty close to that.

Tell us about your outfits.

For me I really didn’t think I would end up wearing a white wedding dress and I spent most of my time looking at other non-traditional dresses. I did know however that I wanted to wear something that was made in Australia and made of a really beautiful natural fibre so I was so pleased and surprised to find a lovely white Beare Park dress in a style that felt so very me. They only had one left and it was one size too big so with the magic of Alterations By Emily she was able to alter it perfectly for me. With my dress being more traditional than I had planned, I wanted some colour for my shoes and went with a super comfortable and vibrant heel from Amambaih. My necklace was from FARIS and I loved how well it suited the neckline of the dress.

James knew the exact style he wanted and really enjoyed the process of getting his suit with PJohnson. We both love fashion and so he wanted to have some fun with his accessories and went with an amazing tie by Dries Van Noten. James owns more shoes than clothes and so getting a custom shoe felt like the right decision and he worked with the team at Post Sole Studio in Collingwood to design a really great pair.

What was the most important aspect for you, in terms of planning your wedding?

We wanted to focus on the experience of the day and find fun and unique ways that we could incorporate the things that were really important to us and ensure that everyone was having a really really good time.

Everything else was less important and so when we found vendors that were totally on board with our ideas and approach it made the process so much easier and we just left them to do what they do best. It made the process actually quite fun and we’re both very aligned creatively so were on the same page throughout the whole planning journey.

Were there any elements that were important for you to incorporate?

A big reason for doing the wedding at my family home was because we had an ambitious idea to use all the incredible produce, flowers and foliage that my parents spend so much time growing. It was a bold ask but they were really open to it and we are so grateful to them for all the work that went into getting all the veggies and flowers ready. We then had to find a florist and a caterer that were open to using the fruit, vegetables and flowers that we had grown and were so lucky to find a bunch of suppliers that were open minded and excited! Sitting down to eat, surrounded by our closest friends and family to eat produce grown in the garden bed just 20 metres away is a memory and experience we will never forget.

We also wanted to have our friends and family really involved on the day so we had our dear friend Marijke unofficially officiate our wedding which felt incredibly personal and special, we had James’s brother MC canape hour up in ‘The Shed’ and then our other friends Ric and Dan MC’d the dinner portion with more friends DJ’ing throughout the night. Having them so involved made the day feel so intimate and special and it took the pressure off one person to ‘host’ the entire day.

James also loves to draw, so he designed all the signage and menus taking inspiration from the produce that was being grown on the property. He also spent a good few hours handwriting all the name placements using pastels, which looked so good on the day.

Any tips for couples getting married?

Gemma’s tip: Weddings are as stressful as you make them so just focus on yourselves and the experience and moments that you want to have on the day. Good music, great food and your community are all you need.

James’s tip: It was actually a tip that I received from my mate — always stay close to your wife on the day because it can be so easy to get dragged away in conversation, so remember to always keep each other near to experience the entire day and night together.

Are there any vendors that you would like to tell us a little more about?

They were all truly incredible but a special shout out to a few stand-outs! Our caterers and on the day coordinators Firecracker Events. Cassie and her team are completely unmatched true professionals. They were so easy and reassuring and completely on board when we suggested using our own produce.

Our photographers Emotions & Math were absolutely brilliant. We wanted it to feel editorial, creative with some candid moments in between and they completely nailed it. They gassed us up all day and captured some really thoughtful moments that we didn’t get to see on the day which has been so special to look back on.

We have zero notes for our floral stylists SOYA. A young, energetic bunch who were so open to making use of the florals and foliage that we had grown. So talented and they made some incredible arrangements with these crazy trombochinno’s that we had been growing specifically for the wedding — we were so happy to have them just create something really fun for us.

Photography & Videography: Emotions & Math @emotionsandmathweddings | Planning & Styling: Firecracker Events @firecrackerevent | Flora: SOYA @soya_florist | Ceremony & Reception Location: Hurstbridge (family home) | Celebrant: I Do with Darren @ido_with_darren | Hire: The Table Station @the_table_station | MUA: Lisa Mortimer @lisamortsmakeup | Hair: by a friend | Catering & Beverages: Firecracker Events @firecrackerevent | Cake: by an Aunt | Stationery: Gemma & James | Entertainment: Friends & family | Dress: Beare Park @bearepark | Suit: PJohnson @pjohnsonworld | Alterations: Alterations By Emily | Engagement Ring: Eloise Falkiner (Gemma); Natalie Marie (James) | Shoes:Amambaih & Post Sole Studio @post_sole_studio (James) | Necklace: FARIS @faris