If there’s one thing to take away from Sarah and Dave’s intimate, Barossa Valley wedding at Vintners Bar & Grill, it’s to invest in a good photographer. Scroll down to see some incredible portrait shots by Lilac in Hand, as well as special moments shared with close friends and family (and plenty of delicious food).

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How did you meet? We were ‘plus ones’ to a birthday party. We both noticed each other but will continue to debate who spoke to who first.

Hit or (near) miss: I was so determined to be punctual on the day that I rocked up a little too early to the ceremony and had to do another slow lap of the venue so all our guests were ready.

The dance floor got pretty rowdy with microphones flung, luckily no breakages.

The proposal:

Wedding venue: We knew we wanted a Barossa Valley wedding (where Dave is from) and good food was important to us so Vintners was a no brainer. It’s also a beautiful venue, with vineyards surrounding so it was perfect for us to have both the ceremony and reception there which we were really keen on.

Wedding vibe: Our primary focus was making everything relaxed and enjoyable for our guests. We purposely had a small wedding (which luckily worked with COVID restrictions) so that we could spend quality time with all of our guests throughout the night.

Traditions: adopted, adapted or ditched? We followed a mix of traditions based on what worked for us – we did do our first look just us (and our photographer) and had couple and family photos before the ceremony which worked well for us as it meant we could spend more time celebrating with our friends.

The outfit/s: Sarah: I knew what I wanted from the outset and luckily found something pretty easily from Kyha Studios. This was also helpful given I was trying to organise [the dress] during lockdown.

Dave: Suit was from M.J. Bale and I wanted something classic and elegant; great excuse for a new suit.

Standout vendors: Our photographer (Lilac in Hand) were awesome and we loved their vibe which contributed to a fun and relaxing day. The staff at Vintners were also fantastic and super accommodating which made the day stress free. Our musician (Brad Bryksky) was awesome and made for a lot of fun on the dance floor. Barossa Distillery also came up with some personalised wedding favours (cocktails) which were a hit!

Soundtrack: Aisle: “Sea of Love”, by Cat Power. First dance: “Tiny Dancer” by Elton John.

Budget: Approx. $40k. We were lucky that we didn’t have to be super strict and we spent probably a little more than originally intended (but it was worth it!).

Words of wedding wisdom: Spend your time, money and effort on the things that matter to you and not what you think you need to do. We also had a few friends who were already married so asked them what they wouldn’t do again.

I’ll always remember… Going off for our sunset photos, we drove to a nearby paddock/hill. Sarah was determined she could walk but immediately fell over on her knees on a cattle grid. Luckily no damage to the dress!

The future: Moving back to Adelaide and spending more time with our family and friends, and starting a family of our own later this year.

CREDITS: Photos Lilac in Hand // Venue and catering Vintners Bar & Grill // Celebrant Melanie Millen // Florist Leaf & Lotus // Bridal gown Kyha Studios // Bride’s shoes Loeffler Randall // Accessories Sarah & Sebastian // Groom’s suit M.J. Bale // Stationery Peppermint Press // Rings Paul Shadiac // Hair and makeup Sarah Craker // Music Brad Bryksy // Furniture hire Honoured Hire // Favours Barossa Distilling Co. // Transport Greenock Creek Charter // Dress alterations She Sews.

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