This gorgeous love story started looooong before the 27th of February 2020. Hannah and Cody actually grew up 7km down the road from one another in a dairy farming town. How cute is that? Cody would watch his sister’s dance performances, which Hannah was also involved in and Hannah’s dad was the local Father Christmas, so there may or may not be a photo floating around with Cody on his FIL’s lap.
They caught the same bus as teens but their story really started in 2010 on a night out at a club, with Cody’s unforgettable pickup line… wait for it…. “Your dad keeps crossing the cows in the morning when I’m on my way to work, making me late.” Good one Cody!
From that fateful night, their love story began and the rest is history as they say.
How do you feel you balance or complement each other, and how do you feel this played out during wedding planning?
I (Hannah) am a people pleaser and Cody is more of the practical kinda guy, he always helps to ground and calm me when things get overwhelming or when things don’t quite go to plan. A perfect example of this was our unexpected change in wedding venue!
Our sense of fun is very similar though so we were always on the same page when it came to the overall vibe.
Did you both have similar ideas about what you wanted for your day?
Yes we both wanted something more relaxed and fun to celebrate our love after the official bits were done, we wanted to recreate a fun feast for everyone. We chose to remove the “traditional” bridal table from our brief and mingle with our friends on long tables for a laid back vibe.
During the planning process, what were the aspects you both decided were the most important?
The overall atmosphere, great food, entertainment and a whole lot of love!
What was the style/look/feel you wanted for your wedding?
We wanted a minimal/modern style but timeless and elegant at the same time feel. We just wanted a really grand party.
We wanted to create a fun-filled and relaxed vibe. A style that would get us mingling with everyone. We also wanted maximum dance time also!
How did you go about choosing your venue and vendors? Were any friends or family involved who you would like to mention?
Our original venue actually cancelled on us, and this started the hunt again for a beautiful lush green location, that was beautiful in itself. Credaro was perfect! We both grew up surrounded by nature so to us this was so important to find!
We also chose a clear marquee to help bring the outdoors in.
All of our vendors were incredible! I researched for months to find our perfect dream team! We chose them as they reflected our style. I think it’s so important to find suppliers that suit you as a couple and the style and vibe you are after! (We could not agree more!)
Any unique features about your day/the lead-up? What did you want to wow your guests with the most?
Our ceremony was super important to us, after all, that’s the official part!
Our celebrant was more of a storyteller and created a custom ceremony that captured our love story. This reflected our personalities perfectly and had us laughing for most of the ceremony.
We also took dance lessons prior which made our first dance so much more special. I grew up dancing and it was a huge part of my life and my friendships to this day. Cody doesn’t mind busting a move either! My bridesmaid’s brother in law choreographed our dance to be epic. We wanted a show stopper that reflected us!
What was your level of involvement in planning and styling your wedding?
100% full involvement! I mean I had been dreaming of this day forever.
We did hire a stylist to help which was amazing and took so much of the stress out of the process, so we as a couple could really enjoy the planning! Dom (Blush and Bloom) was so knowledgeable. I loved bouncing different and unique ideas off her. She is willing to try anything and helped execute our different ideas perfectly!
What was your favourite aspect of your wedding (apart from getting to marry the love of your life!) and why?
I absolutely loved the design process of the entire day and seeing the aesthetic we had pictured come to life was just MAGIC! But our favourite part was having all of our family and friends there to celebrate with us!
Oh, and literally just dancing ALL night!
Reflecting back, what is your best piece of advice for other couples planning their wedding?
Sit down as a couple and create your top 5 non-negotiable, dream WOW factors. This way you are both involved in what’s important to each other for your big day. Doing this then helps to prioritise your budget and re-evaluate your areas of spending.
Never give up no matter how overwhelmed you may become. You only get to do it once! Enjoy every aspect of the planning and give 100% to every part of your day! It’s the best way to feel no regrets!
And just remember to show gratitude to everyone who helps you out throughout the whole process. Wedding planning can be a big job but it’s so very worth it and doesn’t need to be stressful.
Vendors Involved:
Photography: Sarah Tonkin Photography
Styling and Set up: Blush and Bloom
Venue: Credaro Estate
Furniture, linen and decor: Hire in Style
Marquee: South West Event Studio
Lighting: Southern Light Events
Dancefloor: Lumin 8 Events
Makeup: Gemma Collins Makeup Artist
Hair: HBM Studio Bunbury
