LOVE: RACHAEL + MILES | MODERN RUSTIC WEDDING MELBOURNE VIC

TANGLEWOOD ESTATE REAL WEDDING MELBOURNE JESSICA ROSE PHOTOGRAPHY

"Nice flowers and good stationery are important but at the end of the day its about you and your partner sharing special time with each other and all your family and friends." Rachael & Miles

Together for 4 years & engaged for 2 years before saying their vows in front of 85 of their closest friends and family at Tanglewood Estate. Rachael and Miles tell their story about how they changed their minds from a Bali Wedding to deciding on the gorgeous relocated Chapel that is Tanglewood Estate.

How did the two of you meet? Well the first time we actually crossed paths was a mutual friend’s 21st birthday party in Port Melbourne however we were both dating other people at the time! A few months later we were both single and I (Rachael) added Miles on Instagram and he accepted. We then started talking on Facebook and finally caught up at Miles house, the best thing was, when we went to get dinner I (Rachael) had to drive because Miles didn’t have a license at the time and to make it even more funny was when we went to pay for our pizza, he had also forgotten his wallet!

Tell us about the proposal: Miles had bought the ring and was planning to propose on our up coming trip to Japan with Family and Friends. He hid the ring in a shoe box in his cupboard, he said that sometimes he would quickly go look at it, yelling out to me to check I wasn’t coming in the room!! He found it so hard to wait that long that he did it earlier on a lovely Spring afternoon at Torquay Beach. We had booked a nights stay at a cute little Air BnB, we pulled out a picnic blanket and he gave me a message in a bottle asking ‘Will you marry me?’, it was super simple but so romantic, just perfect, and he even managed to sneakily film it with our Go Pro!! Everyone was super thrilled and excited so we rushed back the next day and had a lovely celebration lunch at Casa De Playa in Mornington.

What led you to decide on your Wedding venue? We had originally planned to get married in Bali, we even found a venue we liked whilst we were on a trip there. It was later after that in which we thought that some of the most beautiful venues are right here on our doorstep! Miles went to high school with Donna who owns Tangle wood’s sons so we had started to see some images of the estate and weddings there. When we first arrived there to look at the venue we fell in love with it immediately. It felt like the perfect place, private and secluded with views down to Safety Beach (one of our favourites in Summer time) with an array of beautiful textures, colour and light. The beautiful relocated Chapel reminded me of my childhood in Country Victoria, very similar to the ones I used to see there, and once we stood inside it, we knew this is where we wanted to be married in front of our most special people. The reception space ticked all the boxes, it was the right size for the amount of guests we wanted and the view from the deck to the lake was awesome and we could totally imagine the good vibes and party times!

What was the inspiration behind your Wedding theme? We actually didn’t really have a ‘theme’ to be honest. We just selected things based off what we liked! We knew we wanted it to be simple yet slightly romantic with a modern aesthetic. We really focused on letting the natural beauty of Tanglewood be the start with ascent floral arrangements that were warm, romantic and with a pop of rich colours. Rachael designed the stationary which we also wanted to be minimal and modern to be complimented by the textures and florals. The neon sign that was on the barn door was actually a last minute add in, our good friend Jo has recently started her own business The Style Hire & Co and she posted the sign and we just knew we had to have it and it was the bridge between all elements of the wedding, tying it all together whilst reflecting our fun and modern vibe.

Your most favourite moment/s of the day: When we spoke about this question we thought it was almost impossible to pin point a single moment. Miles said it was everything, the entire day! I really loved before the Bridal party left the house we had time to sit down and have lunch all together at the table and it was just a special moment to pause and share a meal before the big event!! The ceremony itself has been one of our favourite parts of the day, its nerve racking, exciting and emotional. One moment we will hold close to our hearts was sharing the sunset together. We patiently waited for the sun to pop out below the clouds, the sky grew brighter and more amazing with every second, and as it set it was the biggest and warmest sunset we had seen, we felt that this was Miles’ Dad, Chris who passed away last year, giving us a sign of warmth and love. It was super special and the photographs of it just capture it so well, we will cherish those forever.

What was your favourite detail/s about the day? The flowers were amazing! When I walked down the aisle and was standing with Miles I actually said omg the flowers are awesome! The colours and textures were exactly what I envisioned! We absolutely loved the food, we had family style sharing plates and it was delicious. I actually had so many people say that was the best wedding food they have ever had and we agreed! We even wished we had asked for a left overs bag for the next day haha!

Tell us about your dress & suit shopping experience: Mum, Tamsen (best friend), and I made a long weekend trip to the Gold Coast where we went to Grace Loves Lace. I tried on 5 dresses, loved about 3 but really loved the Sloane gown. It was everything I wanted, it was super comfortable, made me feel confident and sexy and the bell sleeves made me think of Stevie Nicks (who I love!). In regards to the Suits, Miles and the boys got their tailored suits through Briggins Suits which looked insane! The quality and fit was so beautiful, when I saw Miles standing there, he took my breath away, so handsome!! The actually store is really great for the Groomies to go to also, beers, barber and suits!

What does marriage mean to you? Marriage is about true commitment to one another and to living life together. It’s about putting in effort and giving time to each to enjoy all that life has to offer together, helping and enabling each other to grow and be the best version of yourself you can be in hard/tough times, and most importantly having good times and laughs together.

What advice would you offer to other couples planning a Wedding? Enjoy it and don’t stress about small things because yeah nice flowers and good stationery are important but at the end of the day its about you and your partner sharing the special time with each other and all your family and friends. Also, get a videographer!!!

Any stand out vendors for the day? Someone that went above and beyond? The staff at Tanglewood Estate were awesome, I didn’t need to worry about a single thing! Jessica Rose was so great to work with, she made you feel comfortable and it was awesome to always see her great smile behind the camera. The photos are amazing, looking at them makes us so happy and nostalgic, she captured memories that will last for ever.

Rachael Mary was so fun and calming, she has a fantastic presence about her which makes her so easy to work with. The films are insane! If I could make everyone get a videographer at their Wedding, I would!!

Also, Megan our celebrant is the best celebrant I have ever seen. She married my brother and his wife, and we just loved her so we followed suit! She has such a vibrant energy about her yet she is so organised and makes sure you know that you have nothing to worry about! Also, great fashion (which is important for the photos haha!)