“It’s so hard to describe but being married is just the best??” - This week’s White Lily bride Ella and now-husband Dane left us speechless with their incredibly special and romantic Gabbinbar Homestead wedding in Toowoomba, Queensland. After getting engaged in 2019 and having to make the heartfelt decision of going ahead with their wedding, despite border closures, Ella and Dane’s special day came together in the most beautiful way. From florals to dress, their moody wedding theme was planned out perfectly, and we call ourselves beyond lucky to have been part of Ella’s big day.
Ella and Dane’s Meet-Cute
Being married means "spending the rest of your life with your best friend and favourite person. Having one person above all others that you want to experience life with and go on new adventures with that you can smooch all the time."
Rewinding to the beginning of their love story, Ella and Dane’s so called meet-cute was the perfect lead up to their picture-perfect wedding day: “We had followed each other on Instagram and one night saw each other across a train platform and the next night I was invited to my friend’s 18th birthday but wasn’t sure if I was going to go. I checked the friends list of who was going and saw that Dane was invited which helped me make up my mind. I went and we met properly and have been together pretty much every day since.” We’ve said it before and we will say it again: LET THE UNIVERSE DO ITS MAGIC, PEOPLE!
The Proposal
As expected, their proposal story was just as romantic as their wedding day. Getting in just before Covid could ruin his plans, Dane surprised Ella with a ring during their trip to Japan in 2019: “Dane had planned a walk through a rainforest trail to Mino-o falls in Osaka. I was apprehensive because we’d just arrived and was cautious about spending too much money but we went (thankfully) and when we got to the falls Dane called me over for a better view of the waterfall and as I was taking a picture he started talking about how hard the last few months had been for him keeping a secret from his best friend and when I turned around he was on his knee and asked me to marry him…”
A Gabbinbar Homestead Dream Wedding
With a canvas as beautiful as Gabbinbar Homestead, it is no surprise that Ella and Dane’s special day ended up looking like an absolute dream. Styled by the talented Danielle from Til Death Events and adorned with the most extravagant mix of florals by Oh Snapdragon Floristry, the Brisbane couple’s wedding day looked unlike anything we had seen in a while: “I would say that it was a very moody and romantic vibe that we were going for and that we were able to achieve with our incredible stylist and florist. It was exactly what we wanted and such a beautiful day. We were incredibly lucky to find the vendors that we did. Literally, everyone went above and beyond in the lead-up to our wedding and on the day to make our day fun, easy, comfortable, and full of love. We truly love everyone that we chose, they were all amazing.”
A Pronovias Dream Wedding Dress
What can we say, LARISA by Spanish designer Pronovias is a dream. When we first took her to one of our shoots at Gabbinbar Homestead, we knew that she would excite a lot of bridal hearts: “That gown was truly like nothing I had ever seen before. The first time I saw it was from a shoot that White Lily posted at Gabbinbar (our chosen venue) so it kind of felt like it was meant to be. What really got me was the fine detailing on the bodice and the HEAVENLY sleeves.” 
What did you love most about your White Lily Couture bridal experience?
“The team at White Lily are amazing. They’re so inviting and I was super lucky to be able to work with Milly both times who was just incredible. She made me feel so comfortable, provided options (although I did know I was going to choose Larisa before I even got there haha). The passion that everyone has for what they do is so admirable, you all know what you’re talking about which then made me feel so confident in the choices that I made. I wouldn’t have gone anywhere else.”
Wedding Planning with Ella
There is no better person to ask for wedding planning advice than a bride who has just successfully put together her dream day. Upon asking Ella for top tips she would like to pass onto future brides, she advices to give yourself enough time to plan and source vendors: “Look at reviews, ask questions and take it all in. You spend months and months planning this day and you should have fun with it :) I would also recommend hiring a wedding planner or wedding stylist. Danielle (our stylist from Til Death Events) made planning and organising decorations and deciding what mood/style/vibe you want to go with and on the day set up a dream.”
2021 Weddings
2021 weddings all have one thing in common: uncertainty! With that being said, it it amazing to see how vendors have shifted their processes and procedures to accommodate for all circumstances: “We had a number of family members and friends that couldn’t come because of Covid. My dad, brother, and sister, Danes sister, one of my bridesmaids, one of my best friends, and Danes grandparents. It was a really hard decision that we had to make about proceeding with the wedding as planned but Gabbinbar organised a live stream of our ceremony so they could watch no matter how far away they were (I also FaceTimed my Dad throughout the getting ready process so he could see everything come together and took him on a tour of the grounds).
Our amazing celebrant Jac also contacted my bridesmaid Rachel who couldn’t be there and had her write us a message and made a little cut out of her so that she could be there in a way as well. Our vendors really stepped up to make sure that our guests and family that couldn’t be there still felt included which was so wonderful.”
Venue: Gabbinbar Homestead
Photographer: Sam @andevercollective
Videographer: Kieran @andevercollective
Celebrant: Jac Moore @moorecelebrations
Florist: Gabby @ohsnapdragonfloristry
Stylist: Danielle @tildeathevents
Cake: Katrina @cakehouse.by.katrinaallen
Hair: Lisa @_lisa_jane @petertiganiandco.hair and Nicholas @nicmackennahair
Makeup: Belinda @belindanicoll_
Bridesmaid dresses: @asos
Suits: Dane @tonybarlows / groomsmen Xile
Rings: @annelies.ellanora.jewellery
Nails were done by Kumi @nailsbykumi
