From an Ugly Christmas Sweater party in 2017 to the perfect overseas holiday, this White Lily Bride, Rachel, and her new husband, Travis haven't been ones to shy away from the fun, adventure, and perfect wedding day. Learn about Rachel's tips for brides-to-be, how they chose their wedding venue, and more below.
The Love Story
Rachel & Travis hit it off at an Ugly Christmas Sweater Party at Dalgety House in 2017. They knew almost instantly that there was common ground with similar values and outlooks on life. "We think identically," Rachel said. "This means our trust and respect in each other is through the roof and our values are aligned. I always joke that he's basically the male version of me!"
The Proposal
After dating for nine months, Rachel and Travis jetted off to America for the perfect birthday celebration for Rachel. "We were in Joshua Tree at the time, and really into our travel and photography," Rachel explained how Travis pulled off the most perfect proposal. "He told me we had to get up super early for 'golden hour' to try and nail the perfect photograph of this amazing caravan park we were staying at."
Little did Rachel know, Travis' plan all along was to time the perfect proposal with the perfect sunrise. Travis had planned the entire proposal to ensure the couple got the perfect proposal photo the next morning. Rachel and Travis were engaged for five years before getting married. The pair weren't rushed to get married, and were so glad they took their time to have the most meaningful day in the end, "Words cannot describe it." Rachel said when asked about her perfect day.
The Planning
Rachel and Travis were married at Summergrove Estate, which is just over the border from Queensland into New South Wales. Although, in times of COVID, Rachel, and Travis weren't able to get into New South Wales to view the venue.
When asked about how she chose the perfect venue, Rachel said, "One of Travis' colleagues had been researching for her own wedding, she had put together an excel spreadsheet of every venue in Australia!" Talk about an amazing work colleague! "She had ranked them with their awards, star rating, and price tag. She said she had found the highest rated, best price wedding venue in Australia - Summergrove Estate."
"Although we were locked out of New South Wales at the time, it just felt right - so we booked it, sight unseen!" Rachel was drawn toward the traditional white chapel wedding that Summergrove Estate can provide while also including both her and Travis' individual styles. The pair were able to have their traditional elements in their wedding while also including a rustic barn-style reception, with a touch of bohemian vibes thrown in the mix.
The Dress
Rachel wore NAROZA by Enzoani, but she didn't say YES at her first appointment. Rachel was wedding gown shopping around the time of Justin & Hailey Bieber's wedding. When Rachel saw Hailey Bieber's gown, she knew that was something similar to what she wanted to get married in. So, she booked her second appointment at White Lily Couture and after expressing to her consultant what she was looking for, Rachel tried on NAROZA and said YES that day.
Although NAROZA was her dream dress in the end, it wasn't exactly what she thought she would walk away with, "In my head, I originally wanted the fairytale wedding A-Line dress, yet when I tried those on I just couldn't fall in love with one of them on my first visit to White Lily. My least favourite look was the mermaid cut or something fitted, to begin with, which is actually more along the lines of what I ended up going with after some further thought and I'm so glad I did!"
When asked about advice that she would provide future brides, Rachel said, "There is no such thing as 'the one & only perfect look'." She continued by saying, "There are always going to be multiple looks that are perfect. I find shopping online to be really helpful, I found gowns that I thought would look good on me first so that I wasn't confused and overwhelmed in my appointment. Once you've found your favourite look, use that dress as a guide and then make the dress work to suit you!"
The Finer Details
Rachel described her wedding day as perfect. She said that even the very minor hiccups that occurred didn't even feel like hiccups because she and Travis were so wrapped up in their newlywed bliss with their guests. We asked Rachel what the most special part of the day was for her to which she said, "Walking down the aisle, locking onto Trav, and forgetting everything else."
Complete this Sentence:
Being married means: “Never having to go through life alone again. Having an extension of yourself in another person that now makes up your team. Everything you tackle, you tackle together."
The Vendors
Weddings certainly aren't built in a day, something Rachel recognized from the very beginning! "Natalie, our Wedding Coordinator from Summergrove Estate, and Jake, from Janda Events who was our MC, Celebrant, and Musician, were absolute rockstars!" Rachel said. "They were both so supportive during the whole process before, during, and after the event - they were two shining beacons of lights! Roxy from Bunch It Up made our floral vision come to life and our photographer Corrina worked her butt off all day capturing epic shots." She continued. "Lia from The Vintage Flower Box squeezed us in to get our flowers pressed into a keepsake frame from a phone call the day after our wedding!"
The Dream Team (AKA Travis ' & Rachel's Vendors)
Wedding Dress: NAROZA by Enzoani
Venue: Summergrove Estate
Photography: Corrina Louise Photography
Florist: Bunch It Up
Celebrant, MC & Musician: Jake, from Janda Events
Cake: Milk & Honey Cake Creative
Wedding Gown Alterations: The Wedding Sewer
