Real Wedding // Grace & Chris’ Orchard Estate Wedding

Grace and Chris were married at the ever so stunning Orchard Estate. A romantic ceremony was held in amongst the enchanting macadamia orchard followed by cocktails next to an old vintage caravan bar. Their reception resembled a luscious tropical oasis secluded from the outside world. A stellar team effort by the suppliers to bring their gorgeous day to life. Read on to see just how beautiful their wedding day was.

Tell us your story, how did you both meet?
Chris and I met at a mutual friends bar in Sydney called ‘The Passage’ on the eve of Christmas, 2015. My best friend was dating one of his university friends but we had never met before. We clocked each other immediately but it took a few wines before we got chatting. It was so unexpected but the best surprise.

How did the proposal happen?
We went to Copenhagen for a long weekend over Easter. I was so oblivious to Chris’ plans because the trip was my idea. It was a gorgeous sunny but chilly day, we bought rosé and picnic goodies and rented a little boat to explore the river and canals. Our boat broke down halfway through our travels, so Chris proposed as we floated down the river waiting to be rescued. It was perfect. We spent the afternoon bar hopping in proposal bliss.

What were the reasons for choosing the Orchard Estate as the venue for your special day?
We loved the Orchard Estate for so many reasons. The fact we could do both the ceremony and reception in one place was important to us as well as being able to stay on site. We really loved the beautiful blue barn, the gorgeous beams, but also that it was a bit of a blank canvas to style our way. It feels really simple but classy. The macadamia trees were truly stunning for our ceremony and wedding photos plus the positioning on a hill means you enjoy beautiful views of the surrounding area.

What style were you striving for with your table settings, florals and reception? Was there a certain look or vibe that you wanted to create?
Three words really; simple, modern, understated. We wanted everyone in black tie, to make it feel a bit chic but not glitzy and OTT. This was really our motto for everything from flowers to table settings.

Were there any vendors that you particularly loved working with and why?
We had a pretty stellar experience with all our vendors but particular shout outs go to Katrina our celebrant for making our ceremony feel very personal and joyful, Jake and Andy for keeping the tunes on point all day, and Shane Shepherd for capturing all the love and fun of the day on film for us to keep forever.

Overall, what was your most favourite part of your wedding day and why?
We ducked out from the reception with Shane to get some photos in the evening light. When we came back into the reception all the people we love most in the world were sat at the tables, rowdily singing along to Crowded House’s – ‘Better Be Home Soon’. It captured exactly what we wanted our wedding to be, relaxed (despite the black tie) and a giant party with all our best mates!

Grace & Chris xo

Suppliers
Venue: The Orchard Estate // Celebrant: Katrina Holt // Hair & Makeup: Alex Outson Beauty // Photographer: Shane Shepherd // Florist: Bower Botanicals // Musician: JANDA Events // Cake: Rebellyous Cakes // Bar Hire: Austream Affairs // Transport: Byron Bay Double Deckers // Catering: Fig Tree Catering // Lighting:  Byron Audio // Furniture & Styling: The Wedding Shed // Planning & Coordination: Byron Bay Weddings