Surrounded by family and friends, with no obligatory invites, Bec and Carla shared a relaxed wedding in Camperdown Commons in Sydney.
Aside from your wedding, what is your favourite memory together?
Our first trip away. Carla took Bec to one of her favourite camping spots, Seal Rocks. It felt like quite a step – Carla was sharing a very important place, and as anyone who has been camping with others knows, setting up camp can make or break a friendship or new relationship. It’s where we discovered our shared love for the beach and the outdoors and truly realised how much fun we have together.
Tell us about the proposal.
We were camping at Seal Rocks (again) and were at the end of a week of lying on the beach, reading, surfing, and snacking. Bec knew a proposal was coming but thought it would come later in the year, on our anniversary.
It was the last night of the trip, and we were doing nothing out of the ordinary. Bec was sitting under an acacia (wattle) tree, having a beer while Carla built a fire for dinner. Carla looked up and knew it had to be in that moment, in that place. It was quiet and intimate and so perfectly us.
In place of an engagement ring, Carla has a tattoo of that particular species of acacia (wattle) down her left arm.
Talk us through your wedding day.
Our wedding day was perfect. It had been raining for weeks, and we had resigned ourselves to a potential washout. However, the weather began to lift the day before, and we woke up on our wedding day to clear skies.
The day needed to be easy and feel like us, so we drifted away from many wedding traditions. The morning started at home with a coffee and snuggle with the dogs before they were whisked away by our fantastic dog walker. After that, we got ready (mostly) together. Carla had not seen Bec’s dress before, and our wonderful photographer Martine was there to capture the first look and a few special quiet moments. We were both inherently uncomfortable in front of the camera and were full of nervous energy, but she made us feel so at ease.
Arriving at the venue together, our nieces and nephews were hanging over the fence and eagle-eyed, very excited to be the first to spot us coming in. We chose not to walk down an aisle and spent time greeting our family and friends right away. It was the first big celebration following two years of restrictions and lockdowns and was the first chance for some members of our respective families to meet.
The venue was exactly as we had imagined it would be and reflected the kind of day we wanted to have. Laid back and easygoing without too much fuss, natural elements, and a personal touch in the details. Very early on, we decided to do our own flowers. We both love Australian natives and happily took on the challenge of arranging with the safety of a ‘more is more’ approach.
Awake in the early hours on the day before the ceremony, sitting in the car cradling coffees in the dark, there definitely was a moment of ‘What have we got ourselves into!?’ but it brought us so much joy to see the space decked out exactly as we imagined, with elements we created ourselves and filled with the people we love.
The ceremony was short and sweet, officiated by our friend from the dog park Paul. We wrote our own vows, which were equally short and sweet, though still managed to make our mums tear up.
With the formalities over, we had a quick drink and shared many hugs before heading to a few spots around the venue for photos. Photos complete, we settled in for a long day of food and drinks. Lunch was a very casual affair, with share plates and an open bar. The food was delicious and plentiful, the drinks well mixed and appropriately potent. The questionable selection of a roast beetroot salad was not realised until it was placed on the table, but incredibly all outfits made it through unscathed.
Advice for other couples planning a smaller wedding?
Do it your way. We wanted a small, intimate wedding to have the time and space to appreciate every moment.
Invite the people that you love spending time with, no obligatory invites.
If kids are included in the guest list, keeping them busy is essential. We put together activity show bags for our crew, ensuring they always had something to do and deliberately chose a venue with enough space to burn some energy if needed. We wanted our nieces and nephews there on the day but also wanted to make sure their parents had a chance to enjoy themselves too.
Photography by Martine Payne
Boutonnière & Hairpiece Petals of Joy
Cake Black Star Pastry
Catering & Venue Camperdown Commons
Celebrant Friend- Paul van Reyk
Dress Designers Natasha Duffy, White Meadow Bridal
Engagement & Wedding Rings Larsen
Hair Dollie and Stella
Jacket & Vest Jack London
Makeup Sofia Leigh Bridal
Pants Country Road
Shirt Charlie Boy
Shoes RM Williams
