Ash and Shannon are clearly one couple with twice as much swagger and sense as most. Wanting to create a happy and informal summer celebration, they gathered their favourite friends and family and treated them to a night filled with good food, plenty of wine and live music under the stars.

In a few sentences, how would you describe your wedding day? Was there a particular vibe or theme you went for?

The best blend of happy moments we hoped and anticipated it would be – both together, and with family and friends.

Seeing each other for the first time, at the point of entrance to the ceremony. For us both, that moment indeed held the magic we envisioned.

Did you write your own vows? If so, what made you do that and did you use anything in particular for inspiration, for example, love quotes?

Yes we did. Our vows centred around our mantra and favourite song ‘I’ll run with you’ by Ben Kweller. We feel the song and lyrics truly defines our relationship of being together anywhere and always feeling ‘at home’. It also touches on our love for travel and seeing the world together. We had a neon sign made up with these lyrics which tied our vows into our reception – and it’s a nice little keepsake after the wedding to have up at home.

What’s the best piece of advice you took on when planning your wedding?

We wanted a venue that allowed us to host our reception outdoors given we had a summer wedding. We wanted something that was informal (we are not formal people) and allowed for our guests to mingle on the lawns and be ‘under the stars’. The lawns were perfect to have our live band on the grass, photo booth and couches in the barn and then more seats and picnic rugs amongst the gardens.

Barristers Block also had numerous parts of its property where we could hold our ceremony, which ticked another box for us. A waterside setting, close to a forest fringe, with a backdrop of deer and vines was perfect for us. And, we could also stay a couple of nights in the guest house which we loved (a Sunday twilight picnic overlooking the property afforded some necessary reflection and debrief with the dust having settled). Ultimately, the venue was very ‘us’.

What’s one thing you wish you knew before you started planning?

Enjoy the moment. We really enjoyed planning (as we had 18 months to do so) so we loved ticking things off – slowly. We were on the same page and made every decision together which we felt was a good way to do it. Accept though that there will be some minor hiccups along the way, but embrace these challenges as a team (and, realise this is true of life in general too!). It sounds cliche but just be YOU throughout the process.

Finish this sentence. The best (or most unique) thing we did at our wedding was…

Remain ‘us’ through and through, this included no awkward cake cutting.

CREDITS: Photos Danielle Symes Photography // Videography MediaCam Productions // Flowers Botanic Phlox // Ceremony, reception and catering Barristers Block // Stationery Kirby Meyer and Magnolia Press // Bridal gown Jonathan Simkhai // Brides shoes Jacquemus // Hair piece Syd Hayes // Veil Joanne Altham // Accessories Cult Gaia // Bridesmaid dresses Bec & Bridge // Groom and groomsmen suits Jack London // Grooms hat Nick Fouquet // Rings DDS // Hair Jason Fassender // Makeup Ali Buss // Music Ciaram Granger, Anthony Callisto, Brad Iversen, Simon Baldock, Dean Fioretti and Russell McGlone // Celebrant Clare Parsons.