Amanda and Alex tied the knot at the stunning Branell Homestead in Laidley on the 4th March 2017!
They both got ready at different spots on site; Alex in one of the cabins up at the top of the property and Amanda down at the Homestead itself. While she and her bridesmaids were getting ready, the ceremony was being set up, but at that stage it was still uncertain whether or not the rain would hold off until after the ceremony. It had been raining hard all morning, and the ground was quite wet, so the boys came up with a giant fan to try and dry the ground in time for the ceremony – and it worked!
In the morning the couple exchanged gifts via Amanda’s bridesmaid; Amanda sent her up with a beautiful card and a brand new Playstation for her soon-to-be husband, and Alex sent down a pair of beautiful earrings and a card that made Amanda cry.
At the Homestead, the couple’s two little dogs were also part of the big day; they were dressed up in bow ties and flower collars, and they were very cute! In fact, they took part in most of the official day, from walking down the aisle until the reception!
Amanda’s bridesmaids wore floor length purple dresses, while Amanda’s gown was a stunning A-line gown with lots of lace detail on the neckline and down the bodice, and diamante detail around the waist. The flowers were gorgeous fresh bouquets of pink, white and peach flowers of different kinds and sizes, and several kinds of lush greenery to create a beautiful textured creation.
Over at the cabin, the boys got dressed in charcoal suits with black ties, and Alex wore a darker grey/black suit to set him apart as the groom. They all wore white rose boutonnieres and very cool converse shoes!
By the time the ceremony rolled around, the weather gods had decided to play nice – at least for a little while – and the ground was dry enough for the guests to walk on to find their seats. Alex waited anxiously at the bottom of the aisle, and finally the moment came for the bride to make her entrance! After the bridesmaids were led down by the groomsmen, and the dogs had also made their way down, Amanda’s time was finally here, and it was a very emotional moment as the two lovebirds saw each other for the first time! The ceremony itself was equally – if not more – emotional as both bride and groom (and bridesmaids!) cried during the beautiful vows the couple had written to each other. The couple just got to do their first kiss before the rain started to pour again, and we all rushed under the cover of the Homestead verandah for the signing of the register and introduction of the new Mr and Mrs. If rain on your wedding day is supposed to bring luck, Amanda and Alex must be a very lucky couple!
By the time we were ready for family photos, the rain stopped again, and we also got an hour of bridal party photos around the property before it started dripping again. Even towards the end, Amanda and Alex made the best of it and used a fancy white umbrella to shield them from the rain.
Back at the reception, the happy couple made their entrance and mingled with their guests, and their two dogs even had a playpen where they could watch all the action! Amanda and Alex had organised fancy gourmet woodfire pizza to be served, and it was very popular. They even had dessert pizzas, which was very cool! There was a DJ who played the couple’s favourite tunes all night, The Entertainer Marc Woolston, then there were speeches and cake cut, the couple’s first dance as husband and wife, as well as father-daughter, mother-daughter and mother-son dances. After this, Amanda tossed her bouquet for one lucky lady in the crowd to catch. We then took the couple away for some sparkler photos with the beautiful lit up venue as a backdrop. When we got back, Alex and Amanda gave their guests their own sparklers to enjoy all at the same time, and it made for some magical moments captured in photos!
Before the evening was over, Amanda popped back up to her room and changed into a second wedding gown, a beautiful simple loose fitting dress that she could dance the night away in!
We were so thrilled to be a part of Amanda + Alex’ big day, and we wish them all the best for their future together!
Branell Homestead Wedding Photography
