Ali & Jess – A Same-Sex Wedding In Canberra

Bel Combridge photography Southern Highlands Australia country lesbian two brides wedding Dancing With Her

Tell us about the proposal.

A: I proposed to Jess at a surprise weekend away in the Kangaroo Valley.

I had told Jess she was taking her away for a thirtieth birthday celebration, and as Jess walked outside onto the deck – I got down on one knee and popped the question. They went out for a celebratory dinner and arrived home to their closest friends, waiting for them!

Unbeknown to Jess – I had invited them down to surprise her for her birthday. As they yelled ‘SURPRISE,’ and Jess fell to the floor in shock, Jess looked up at me and exclaimed – ‘do they know we are engaged?’

Everyone squealed and hugged and celebrated together long into the night. It was such a memorable weekend to be surrounded by the people you love most.

What lead you to your wedding venue?

A & J: When we started wedding planning, we knew that we wanted to be surrounded by nature and have the ceremony and reception in the same place so everyone could relax and enjoy the day right from the start. We found the perfect venue in the Southern Highlands, on a native flower farm. There was so much bushland and even a resident tabby cat called Wilbur, which we loved as we have two ginger girl cats ourselves – Frankie and Daisy.

Did you embark on any DIY projects?

A: Only a few! Jess did all the table flowers and styling herself. The day before we left to head up to the venue, the kitchen was full of flowers and eucalyptus branches.

We also got a custom neon sign made on Etsy.

Tell us all the details of the wedding day.

A & J: The wedding day was perfect, it was a warm 26 degrees [78 Farenheit], and we have never felt so much love in the one place as we did on that day.

We honestly don’t think any wedding has ever had that many tears and hugs as ours did.

We were both walked down the aisle by our Dads and exchanged personal vows we had written for each other. It was a really special and intimate day, as we really wanted to share what was in our hearts.

Dinner was served family-style down the middle of the tables, and a Banoffee-style cake was served as dessert. By the time the speeches had ended, the dance floor was wild right from the first song. There were even people dancing on top of shoulders at one point.

At the end of the night, we hopped on the bus with half of the guests. And spent the night in the house with our bridal party, continuing the celebrations until the sun came up.

Being married is surreal for us. It takes getting used to calling each other ‘my wife,’ but it’s the best feeling in the world. We are so lucky that we found each other all those years ago, and we can’t wait to spend the rest of our lives loving each other fully.

Now you’ve done it all, what’s your best wedding advice to pass on to other couples?

A & J: Take the time to decide on things you can’t live without and things that are nice to have but not necessarily a must-have. Spend time researching together, and don’t be afraid to ask as many questions as you can.

We are glad we had the two days before the Southern Highlands wedding with all of our bridesmaids. It was so lovely to spend that time relaxing and being excited together.