A Cozy Winter Wedding at Bendooley Estate’s Stables
There’s something fitting about a cozy winter wedding in Berrima for two people who fell in love in the snow. Emily (she/her) and Zoe (she/her) met while working a ski season in Canada, her as a ski instructor, Zoe as a chef, and what started as a spontaneous dance floor kiss grew into a life built around food, travel, and their dog, Maggie.
Years later, they both proposed to each other on that same mountain before returning home to plan a cozy, food-driven celebration at Bendooley Estate. With flickering candles, family-style dining, and heartfelt moments captured by A Little Bit Snappy and officiated by Marry Me Natalie, their day felt grounded, full-circle, and unmistakably theirs.
How did your story begin?
Zoe and I met in Canada in 2019 while working winter seasons, me as a ski instructor and her as a chef. We’d actually worked at the same mountain the year before but somehow never crossed paths. When we finally met through friends, the timing just clicked.
At a “ladies and gents” themed staff party, I spotted Zoe dancing, walked straight up to her, and kissed her. From there, we were inseparable. Disney+ and pizza nights, saying “I love you” after two weeks, and soon moving back home to Sydney together when COVID hit.
Since then, we’ve built a life with our dog Maggie and even ran a restaurant together. When we returned to Canada years later, I proposed in the snow, and Zoe surprised me by proposing back. It was the perfect full-circle moment.
What challenges came up during wedding planning?
The hardest part was definitely the financial side of things. We didn’t want anything extravagant, but the costs still felt overwhelming. For a while, we talked about eloping just to make it easier, but we realised that wasn’t the reason we wanted to elope, it was just about money.
In the end, we decided to prioritise celebrating with our friends and family, even if it meant more stress at the time. Looking back almost a year later, we have no regrets. It was the most amazing day, and we’re so grateful for everyone who showed up to celebrate with us.
What drew you to your venue?
Once we got engaged, we started searching for venues around the South Coast, Southern Highlands, and Hunter Valley. We knew we wanted something out of Sydney. A lot of places didn’t feel right, were too expensive, or required external catering, which we wanted to avoid.
When we came across Bendooley Estate and saw photos of The Stables, we immediately loved it. We booked a visit, and it was perfect, the only one we did. We’re both winter people, and it felt made for a winter wedding (plus, it was more affordable!).
The space itself was stunning without needing much extra styling, and the team was so flexible and easy to work with. We’d heard great things from others, and it just felt right from the start.
Do you have any advice for managing the wedding budget and expenses?
We’re probably not the best people to ask. We’re total impulse people and didn’t set a budget beforehand. Being some of the first in our friendship group to get married, we didn’t have much to compare costs to either.
As planning went on and we saw all the extra add-ons available, we had to decide what really mattered to us. We chose to spend on food and music and save on things like florals and styling. We kept the flowers simple, just the bridal party pieces, candles, and small arrangements that moved between spaces, created by Leah Mitchell Floral.
I tracked everything in a spreadsheet, from vendors to payment dates, which helped a lot. We also made multiple smaller payments over time instead of big invoices at the end. That made the lead-up much less stressful.
How did you choose your photographer and videographer?
Both our photographer, Emily from A Little Bit Snappy, and videographer, Mitch Hickman Films, were incredible. Mitch was actually one of the first vendors we booked. He’s well known to Bendooley and came highly recommended. After seeing his work, we knew he was perfect. He was so much fun on the day, managing to hype everyone up while also capturing the quiet moments.
Finding a photographer took a little longer. We wanted someone with a soft, natural style. Not too bright, not too washed out, and who would make Zoe feel comfortable in front of the camera. A colleague recommended Emily, and we loved her portfolio and energy right away. She even photographed our engagement party, which made us feel so at ease with her before the big day.
On the wedding day, Emily and Mitch worked together seamlessly. It honestly felt like having two extra friends there, and the photos and video turned out perfectly.
How did you choose the menu?
Food was a huge focus for us. With Zoe being a chef and both of us loving to eat out together, we wanted the meal to feel personal. Bendooley Estate’s menu felt homely and comforting, like something your mum would make on a winter night, so we went with a family-style dinner.
We served lamb shoulder, pumpkin and ricotta tortellini, and Atlantic salmon with roast veggies and potatoes. We wanted everyone to have plenty to eat (and no one went hungry!). We also had charcuterie, wedding cake, and late-night sliders that were a big hit.
My mum made our cake, just like she did for all my birthdays. Decorating it together that morning is one of my favourite memories.
Can you walk us through the wedding day?
We woke up with our bridal party and family to mist and light rain, calm and cozy. Coffee runs were made, scrambled eggs cooked, and we got ready with our favourite people, with hair and makeup by Bride To Be Makeup Company. We did a first look with our dads before heading off, and right as it was time to walk down the aisle, the sun came out.
The ceremony, led by Marry Me Natalie, flew by, but one of our favourite moments was Zoe’s Ma being the surprise ring bearer. Our celebrant had hidden the rings under a guest’s chair, and it turned out to be her grandma, the woman who inspired Zoe’s chef career. It couldn’t have been more special.
After drinks and canapés, we warmed up by the fireplace before dinner. We kicked off the reception with our first dance, which helped us relax for the night ahead. There were emotional speeches, an unplanned singalong during dinner, cake, and non-stop dancing with music by Ev Entertainment and live sets from Glenn Lumanta. It was the most perfect day. We’d do it all over again in a heartbeat.
Were there any wedding vendors who really stood out?
All of our vendors were incredible! So helpful, responsive, and made the day run perfectly. But we have to give a special mention to Marry Me Natalie. She made us feel completely at ease and honestly felt like a best friend officiating our wedding. From the first email to the ceremony itself, she set the tone for the whole day, and so many guests commented on how amazing she was.
How did you approach traditions that don’t always translate for LGBTQ+ couples?
We didn’t feel like we needed to change much. We both wanted to walk down the aisle, which was easy to plan. Zoe went first with her dad and bridal party, then I followed with mine. It gave us both our own moments.
For the first dance, we didn’t want to dance through a whole song, so we invited our dads up at the end to join us with our bridal party. It felt natural and personal.
Both of our families are so accepting, so aside from having two brides, it all flowed just like any other beautiful wedding.
Photography by A Little Bit Snappy
Celebrant Marry Me Natalie
Florist Leah Mitchell Floral
Hair & Makeup Bride To Be Makeup Company
DJ Ev Entertainment
Live Music Glenn Lumanta
Dress (Emily) Le Lee Studio via Eternal Bridal
Dress (Zoe) Grace Loves Lace
Rings Lane Gems & Jewellery
Venue Bendooley Estate
Videography Mitch Hickman Films
