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Katie & Cameron - A Princess Wedding at Gabbinbar Homestead

Where do we start? White Lily bride Katie and husband Cameron’s wedding was whimsical, romantic, and could have been straight out of a fairy tale. Hundreds, if not thousands, of pastel flowers, an abundance of fairy lights, and all set in one of Queensland’s most gorgeous wedding locations: Gabbinbar Homestead. Not only was their wedding day exactly what Katie had dreamt of since she was five years old, but it was also unique, refreshing, and unlike anything we had seen in a while.

The Story of Katie & Cameron

This week’s White Lily bride met het soul mate at work at the age of 19. It wasn’t until after the couple had moved on from the company, that they reached out to each other privately. Eight years later, Cameron finally came up with a grant plan to pop the question to his hopelessly romantic girlfriend. He knew that her expectations were high, so he went all out and proposed during their trip to Vietnam and Cambodia:

The Engagement Story

 Early in our Vietnam trip, we were going on a full day hike and I was clearing out Cam’s backpack to fill it with our hiking stuff. I can’t tell you how or why, but when I felt a gym towel tucked away in a secret compartment I knew without a doubt that there was an engagement ring wrapped up in there!!! Of course, I knew it was going to happen in Halong Bay and all day I was thinking about what to wear, where to get my nails done, how I was going to do my hair, what my Instagram caption was going to be, etc. BUT when we got back from our hike and Cam was emptying out the bag, he tipped everything on the floor including that goddamn gym towel and nothing. fell. out! It happened in slow motion and I felt my heart fall to the floor along with the empty towel. (Little did I know that I was 100% right and Cam had just moved the ring box when I was in the shower because he knew I was on to him!!) 

Fast forward to Halong Bay. I’d been mad at Cam for days because he still hadn’t proposed after 8 years and I had gotten my hopes up yet again. When I realised Cam had booked a private boat for just the two of us (because he hated cruises), I yelled at him for splurging and not saving for an engagement ring! We had a private chef who cooked us a seven-course lunch and then we went kayaking which helped cheer me up.

When we got back to the boat, I went and got dressed for sunset drinks on the top deck. I had absolutely zero clue that while we were kayaking and I was getting dressed, the staff on board had set up the most magical setting with rose petals scattered everywhere, ribbons, bows, and paper butterflies tied to the mast and a balloon letter sign that said: “will you marry me”. 

As I was heading to the top deck I noticed the ring box and started bawling immediately. Cam had to help me up the ladder because I was shaking so much. Cam said the most beautiful little speech and gave me the biggest bunch of roses along with the most perfectly designed ring, and I screamed yes before his knee even hit the ground! 

A Pastel Fairy Tale Wedding

Katie and Cameron absolutely blew us away with their grand yet intimate dream wedding. Soft blush petals, baby blue accents mixed with creamy ivories, and surrounded by the luscious greenery at Gabbinbar Homestead. What a dream!

…we were able to create an elegant, intricate, enchanting, captivating, pretty as a picture, timeless, fairy tale wedding fit for a princess and her prince…There was flickering candlelight and an abundance of florals everywhere you looked. It really was a wedding set in a dream and I could not have pictured anything better – even after 25 years of planning.

Must-Checkout Wedding Vendors 

All of our vendors were standout, but I cannot thank or recommend Kirsty from Storybook & Co. highly enough. As our wedding planner, she went above and beyond from day one and still to this day shocks me with her thoughtfulness and attentiveness to everyone she comes across. Kirsty did everything, including coming along to site inspections, taking me dress shopping, answering roughly 3 million calls and texts and emails, comforting me when every new covid case or lockdown was announced, finding the perfect suppliers and vendors, ensuring all of the favour labels were facing the same way on the tables, and arranging an (incredible) stand in hairdresser at 6 am on the morning of the wedding when mine went into hospital.

I was convinced that I was going to be the worst bridezilla ever, but Kirsty always kept me calm and I trusted her judgment completely, so I was able to hand off things for her to do, rather than stress about doing them myself like I normally would. In fact, there were about 100 things that I wouldn’t have even thought of if it wasn’t for her! No stone was left unturned and no detail was missed.  

Carissa and Serena, our wonderful flower wizards from Emunah Events, also deserve a massive shoutout. They nailed the brief and crafted the most showstopping floral arrangements throughout the ceremony space and into the reception area. All of our guests commented on how incredible the flowers were and how perfectly they tied with every other detail. The girls came back at the end of the night to repurpose the flowers into hand-tied bouquets for all of our guests to take home with them. Those added touches and the personalised service that Emunah Events gave us will never be forgotten.”  

Katie’s Princess Wedding Dress

When it comes to princess wedding dresses, Nicole Milano is a must-try. With a wedding as fairytale-like as Katie’s, she wanted to make sure that her dress made her feel like a true princess. She put on BARDOT and instantly knew she found the one: “What didn’t I love?! The giant train, the sweetheart off-the-shoulder neckline, the lacework and beading, the sparkles, the silhouette, the millions of compliments I got….. haha! “

What made your White Lily Couture experience special for you?

Unlike in other bridal stores, I never felt rushed to purchase a WLC gown. I didn’t feel rushed during my appointment and was able to try on a ridiculous amount of gowns and change up the accessories. I definitely didn’t feel rushed when I finally did find THE ONE. The girls let me keep it on and sashay around for what was probably hours. There was such a great selection within my budget and it was so nice to have our own little space & mirror to try on the gowns and toast our champagne when the decision was made. The whole experience was intimate and memorable and I never felt like just another number or order for the girls at WLC.” 

Wedding Day Memories

I definitely remember seeing my 6-foot-something, impassive and always pokerfaced father, ugly-cry the whole way while walking me down the aisle. I remember asking Cameron “are you sure?” when he said “I do”, and then doing a little happy dance on the spot when he placed the ring on my finger. But honestly, the whole day was perfect and I cannot pick out just one part. I was on cloud 9 all day! It was so humbling seeing all of our guests come together to celebrate our love and to see all of our plans and visions brought to life by our incredible dream team of vendors.” 

Complete the sentence: Being married means knowing your partner has no doubt that they want to spend the rest of their life with you. It means having someone to go through life’s ups and downs with, and knowing that you will have each other’s backs always. Being married means never giving up on each other.

Venue: Gabbinbar Homestead 
Photographer: Casey Jane Photography 
Videographer: Alexei Malko Films 
Celebrant: The Lady Who Weds 
Florist: Emunah Events 
Stylist: Storybook & Co 
Cake: The Sweet Society Co 
Hair: Cassie - The Hair Artist Collective 
Makeup: Erin Fedele Beauty & Makeup Artistry 
Bridesmaid dresses: Model Chic 
Suits: Gibson Suits 
Pianist: The Daft Pianist 
DJ: G&M Event Group 
Wedding Planner: Storybook & Co 
Stationery: Laura Elizabeth Design 
Lawn Games: Brisbane Backyard Games 
Photobooth:In The Booth 
Robes: Le Rose

                                                                                 


 

brisbane bridal brisbane brides Brisbane wedding dress brisbane weddings Gabbinbar Homestead gabbinbar homestead wedding nicole milano nicole milano australia princess wedding Real Weddings white lily bride white lily couture

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