Beach Swims, Cowboy Hats, and a Killcare Wedding
Saskia (she/her) and Emily’s (she/her) wedding was built around the things that matter most to them: the ocean, great food, good music, and the people they love. Set at Killcare Beach on the Central Coast, their day began with an early morning swim and unfolded with beachside portraits, a heartfelt ceremony, a feast shared among family and friends, and a dance floor filled with cowboy hats and hugs. With the beach just steps away and both of their parents walking them down the aisle, it was a celebration that felt completely at home in Killcare.
How did it all begin?
Saskia: We met via an algorithm, and our first message to each other came from a prompt I wrote about therapy: “In the 90s, you had me at hello. In 2020, you had me at ‘I go to therapy’!” Emily messaged to say that “the world would be a better place if everyone went to therapy,” and I was so enamoured by her fiery, sensitive response that I wanted to meet her and talk about everything with her.
It took us a few weeks to meet. I was so tempted to invite Emily to Mardi Gras for a first date but refrained and waited for a reservation at a great bar in the city instead. We met, we laughed, we questioned each other, we were curious, and we laughed some more. Time went so fast that we ended up at a restaurant for a late night dinner around 9:30pm.
Later that night, we walked to the tram where Emily tried to tap on. “Error!” Being the problem solver, I suggested she use her debit card, but was quickly ushered away with, “You can go now.” I spent the rest of the night wondering if I’d completely misread the date, only to receive a text from Emily the next day saying she’d had a great night. The rest is history.
Our celebrant, Stand By Jaime, summed up our relationship perfectly during our ceremony, describing us as “two trees growing in the same pot,” slowly weaving our roots together through every phase of life. It’s a description that still feels exactly right.
How did you make sure your wedding felt like you?
We had so much fun planning our wedding. The vendors we worked with were incredible, and all the details we got to plan came together so smoothly.
We were very intentional from the beginning and prioritised what we loved most first, such as affirming vendors like Stand By Jaime, good music from Ben Fox Band, delicious food by Pachamama Catering, and being as close to the ocean as possible at Killcare Surf Life Saving Club. Perhaps that is why the wedding day felt so much like us.
I think we struggled with balancing suggestions from well intentioned loved ones with our own preferences. We were told that we didn’t ask for much help, which I am actually very proud of us for, because the day was very us.
Was there ever any question about where you’d get married?
We spend so much time at the beach. If we’re not working or at home, we’re at the beach, so we couldn’t have imagined getting married anywhere else in the world.
We chose something local, accessible, and private: Killcare Beach, where Aussie beach meets Bouddi National Park. It’s the perfect balance of Australian beach and Australian bush.
Killcare Surf Life Saving Club also has a wonderful blank canvas wedding venue that is affordable and surrounded by natural beauty.
What helped you keep your wedding budget under control?
Prioritise your essentials and non negotiables. Limit your guest numbers to only the people who will enhance your day, and for everything that is suggested to you via word of mouth or social media, talk it through as a team and balance it against your budget.
The elements of the wedding that we could do ourselves, we chose to do, which saved us a lot of money.
Delegating to friends and family is worth its weight in gold! We asked sisters to be timekeepers, brothers to be chauffeurs, and family members to be flower arrangers and additional stylists.
How did Kendell Tyne help bring your wedding day to life?
We chose the amazing Kendell Tyne Photography because she was local to the Central Coast, and the photos in her portfolio were stunning. They included beach and nature imagery, which we were very drawn to.
Our minds were made up when we met her for the first time. She has a beautiful warmth and humour, which we needed on our wedding day. She even guided us through how to plan the day, haha, and put our minds at ease as two shy, awkward women in STEM.
Our experience with Kendell was nothing short of exceptional. She arrived early, crowd managed, counselled nervous family members, and captured the day perfectly. The photos were nothing short of stunning, and we were blown away by the turnaround time to access the gallery.
Tell us about your wedding feast!
We chose Pachamama Catering, who came highly recommended by the locals. Ali, the owner, is a perfect blend of food and soul. We had a beautiful, intimate wedding tasting in her home, and we fell in love with her food, hospitality, and organisational skills.
Ali has a huge variety of options for a wedding feast, and we had trouble choosing just seven dishes.
We loved the idea of a feast style arrangement, so our guests shared seven dishes amongst themselves: harissa eggplant, prawn and chorizo paella, pomegranate slow cooked lamb, roasted chicken with caramelised onion, fennel, and burnt butter sauce, fattoush salad, potato dauphinoise, and maple carrots with crispy chickpeas.
Can you walk us through the day from start to finish?
We woke up together in our spectacular Airbnb and went for an early morning swim at Killcare Beach. It started the day in exactly the right frame of mind and carried through for the rest of the day.
We hosted breakfast for Saskia’s family while hair and makeup with Karen Dyer Makeup and Hair got underway. Emily’s family arrived for lunch, and with a wedding playlist curated by Saskia playing in the background and views of Killcare Beach, we laughed and relaxed until it was time to get ready.
Kendell Tyne Photography arrived early, and Saskia got ready first in her three piece pink suit before sneaking out to hide while Emily got ready. Our first look was at 2:30pm, with Emily coming around to pinch Saskia’s bum before we headed off for couple photos so we could enjoy the evening with everyone.
Before the ceremony, we shared one last glass of champagne with Emily’s brother, who then drove us to the venue. We met our parents, who walked us down the aisle, and at 4:15pm our short but beautiful ceremony began. We cried, everyone cried, and then we got to seal it with a kiss.
After family photos and beach portraits with Kendell, we joined our guests for champagne, a delicious feast by Pachamama Catering, dances with our dads, and our first dance. Then the dance floor opened, and the rest of the night was filled with dancing, cowboy hats, and lots and lots of hugs until curfew.
We can say, hand on heart, it was the best day of our lives.
Was there a vendor who completely exceeded your expectations?
Ben learnt our processional song and performed it acoustically for our ceremony, and he did it to perfection. He was such a fun, warm, and accommodating vendor.
We only wish we’d been able to listen to more of his music during cocktail hour because his voice is awesome!
That said, every other vendor was just as amazing.
What wedding traditions felt important to include?
We were very intentional about the choices we made around tradition.
We chose our mothers to be our witnesses, and we walked down the aisle with both of our parents by our sides as a representation of how important they both are in our lives and their acceptance of our love.
We also chose vendors who were openly affirming and displayed that on their websites, which was particularly important to us. A special mention goes to Stand By Jaime, who is a member of the community herself and had also recently married her wife.
Captured by Kendell Tyne Photography
Cake Baked Bouquet
Catering Pachamama Catering
Celebrant Stand By Jaime
Dress Boutique Brides of Central Coast
Florist The Petal Sisters
Hair & Makeup Karen Dyer Makeup and Hair
Music Ben Fox Band
Rings Rachel Beth Jewellery & Meg Maskell Fine Jewellery
Suit Designer Veronica Maine
Venue Killcare Surf Life Saving Club
