Paige + Zeke

A PHOTO BOOTH PROPOSAL, HOMEMADE DECOR AND OUR LOLA GOWN.. PAIGE AND ZEKE’S OUTDOOR WEDDING IS GIVING US ALL THE FEELS.

X THE PROPOSAL

I HAD ABSOLUTELY NO CLUE THIS WAS COMING! WE WENT INTO LONDON FOR THE DAY TO CELEBRATE OUR ANNIVERSARY. IN THE EVENING WE FINALLY MADE IT TO OUR FAVORITE SHOP (ROUGH TRADE). WE FOUND IT WHEN WE FIRST STARTED DATING, WE HAD NEVER HEARD OF IT BEFORE. IT’S A BOOK AND RECORD STORE WHICH ALSO HAS A STAGE IN THE BACK FOR LIVE MUSIC. IN THE CORNER IS A PHOTO BOOTH. WE WENT IN THE PHOTO BOOTH AND AS SOON AND THE PICTURES STARTED TAKING HE PULLS OUT A RING AND ASKS ME TO MARRY HIM. THE REACTIONS IN THE PHOTO ARE SO FUNNY! I DIDN’T EVEN SEE THE RING AT FIRST! IT WAS SUCH A SHOCK AND I JUST LOVE THAT WE HAVE THE PHOTOS OF THE MOMENT FOREVER!

X THE VENUE

STRAIGHT AFTER ZEKE PROPOSED TO ME I WAS DUE TO TRAVEL AROUND ASIA FOR A FEW MONTHS AND THEN HEAD BACK TO AUSTRALIA TO WORK FOR A FEW MORE MONTHS! SO FINDING A VENUE WAS DIFFICULT. I DEFINITELY WANTED TO GET MARRIED OUTSIDE, NO BUILDING IS AS BEAUTIFUL AS OUTSIDE. HOWEVER GETTING MARRIED OUTSIDE IN THE UK IS ALWAYS RISKY BECAUSE OF THE WEATHER SO I DID WANT SOME SORT OF SHELTER AROUND ABOUT. I EVENTUALLY FOUND GILDINGS BARN. IT WAS BEAUTIFUL! I COULDN’T BELIEVE MY LUCK! IT’S A HUGE BARN WITH LOADS OF LAND AND IT WAS JUST PERFECT. I WAS VERY LUCKY WITH IT, IT CAME WITH BEAUTIFUL RUSTIC WOODEN LOOKING TABLES AND A KITCHEN SO WE COULD SELF CATER.

X THE DRESS

I SAW THE DRESS IN AN INSTAGRAM POST ABOUT 2 YEARS BEFORE I WAS ENGAGED. I CAN’T REMEMBER WHAT PAGE IT WAS ON AND HOW I FOUND IT BUT I JUST THOUGHT IT WAS THE MOST AMAZING WEDDING DRESS I’D EVER SEEN. AND IT WAS UNUSUAL TO WHAT I HAD SEEN. IT WASN’T BIG AND POOFY, IT DIDN’T HAVE 100 LAYERS, AND IT WASN’T A SHINY LIKE MATERIAL. ANYWAY I SAVED THE NAME ‘DAUGHTERS OF SIMONE’ ON MY PHONE AND FORGOT ABOUT IT. ONCE ZEKE PROPOSED TO ME IT WAS THE FIRST SIGHT I WENT ON! BECAUSE I WAS TRAVELING AROUND SO MUCH I DIDN’T ACTUALLY HAVE ANYTIME TO TRY IT ON. I BOUGHT IT. IT WAS SO LIGHT AND PERFECTLY SUITED TO ME, I WAS ABLE TO RUN ABOUT AND DANCE ON THE WEDDING DAY. I LOVE IT SO MUCH.

X DIY PROJECTS

WE DID EVERYTHING OURSELVES. WE WERE ON A VERY TIGHT BUDGET. WHEN I SAY ‘WE’ I DON’T MEAN ME AND ZEKE HAHA, I MEAN ME, MY MUM, MY SISTERS, BRIDESMAIDS AND MOTHER INLAW. ONE OF MY BRIDESMAIDS WORKED IN A PUB SO SHE COLLECTED ME BEER BOTTLES AND WINE BOTTLES WHICH I PUT FLOWERS IN ON EACH TABLE. MY FATHER IN LAW CHOPPED CIRCLES OF WOOD FOR ME TO PUT THE CUP MY MUM BOUGHT A HEAP OF MATERIAL AND MADE ALL 130 ODD NAPKINS WITH HER SEWING MACHINE! SHE WAS A TROOPER! ZEKE BUILT US THAT BEAUTIFUL ARCH WAY WITH WOOD WE FOUND IN THE WOODS AND THEN WRAPPED IT WITH VINES FROM MY GARDEN. MY MUM ALSO MADE OUR WEDDING CAKE WHICH WAS AMAZING! MY MUM ALSO ACTUALLY MADE ME LITTLE CROCHET FEET DECORATIVE…THINGS HAHA. THEY DON’T REALLY HAVE A NAME? BUT I HATE WEARING SHOES, ESPECIALLY HEELS, (MAINLY BECAUSE I CAN’T WALK IN HEELS) THIS WAY I DIDN’T HAVE TO WEAR SHOES AND I DIDN’T THE WHOLE DAY. I WAS SO RELAXED, I DIDN’T HAVE AN UNCOMFORTABLE DRESS I HAD TO KEEP PLAYING WITH AND I DIDN’T HAVE SHOES THAT HURT MY FEET. IT WAS AMAZING. DIY MADE MY WEDDING SO MUCH MORE BEAUTIFUL.

X ADVICE

PUT AS MUCH OF YOU INTO THE WEDDING AS POSSIBLE. I MEAN PERSONALITY WISE. ME AND ZEKE ARE BOTH OUTDOORSY, WE LOVE TO TRAVEL, AND WE GOT MARRIED YOUNG. SO WE DIDN’T WANT AN EXPENSIVE FANCY HOTEL WITH A 3 COURSE MEAL, MAYBE IF WE GOT MARRIED IN 10 YEARS TIME THINGS WOULD CHANGE. BUT WE JUST PLANNED IT EXACTLY HOW WE WANTED, WE THREW TRADITION OUT THE WINDOW, I MEAN, WHAT BRIDE DOESN’T WEAR SHOES?

PHOTOGRAPHER — MEGHAN LORNA
VENUE — GILDING BARNS