Flowerdale Estate wedding photos: Lyndsay and Jared walk hand in hand through a wide green paddock toward gum trees and rolling hills, Victoria
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Real country wedding · Strath Creek, Melbourne

Flowerdale Estate Wedding Photos: Lyndsay & Jared

Flowerdale Estate · Strath Creek VIC · Melbourne

Country Wedding · Heritage & Historic Venue Wedding · City: Melbourne · Venue: Flowerdale Estate

A lamb grazing beside the ceremony chairs, bridesmaids in emerald green and proteas in every bouquet. Lyndsay and Jared kept their whole spring wedding at Flowerdale Estate in Strath Creek, from the homestead verandah to vows under a festoon-lit pergola, then a wander out into paddocks so green they almost glowed. The night belonged to the Pavilion: a high kick through the green doors, a full dance floor and speeches that had everyone in tears of laughter. We were there for all of it.

The gallery
Sheep graze in a green paddock below rolling hills and bush at Flowerdale Estate, setting the scene for a country wedding.
White ceremony chairs and timber benches face a flower-trimmed pergola on the lawn, with paddocks and tall trees behind at the historic estate.
Pink weeping blossom frames the old stone cottage with its white tin roof at Flowerdale Estate in Strath Creek, a heritage corner of the property.
In black and white, Jared runs a hand through his hair at the mirror, shirt and bow tie on, at the country estate.
Jared, in a cream dinner jacket and black bow tie, looks out over a red-leafed hedge from the Flowerdale Estate homestead verandah.
A loved one in a dark green top laughs as she talks with Jared beside a green-framed window on the heritage verandah.
A loved one in dark green hugs Jared tight on the verandah, its green posts running back along the historic homestead.
A loved one's hands fasten the cufflink on Jared's cream jacket sleeve, the red hedge a soft blur behind him.
Jared stands with a loved one in a dark green wrap dress on the green-railed verandah at Flowerdale Estate, Strath Creek.
In black and white, Jared leans on the verandah railing in his cream jacket, the country garden soft and pale behind him.
Two groomsmen in sunglasses and navy ties laugh with cans in hand on the verandah of the Flowerdale Estate homestead.
Jared and his groomsmen knock their cans together on the lawn under tall pines and bush, a relaxed start to the day.
Jared grins with a can in hand beside a laughing groomsman, a bush-covered hill rising behind the lawn.
Jared tells a story with his arms wide as his four groomsmen in navy ties gather round on the country estate lawn.
Jared and his groomsmen tip back their cans in unison, an old cream ute parked behind them in true country style.
Jared walks up the lawn with his groomsmen, cans in hand, past an old ute with green hill paddocks behind at Flowerdale Estate.
Jared and his groomsmen stride across the grass beside a clipped hedge and the heritage homestead roofline.
Jared and a groomsman press cheeks and laugh, cans tucked together, on the sunny lawn of the country property.
Jared and a tall groomsman smile side by side with cans in hand, native shrubs and pines behind them on the historic estate.
Jared gives a groomsman a thumbs up mid-chat, both holding cans under the pines of the heritage estate.
A groomsman throws an arm around Jared as they share a laugh, cans in hand, on the rural property's lawn.
Jared and a dark-bearded groomsman wrap their arms around each other's shoulders on the lawn at Flowerdale Estate in Strath Creek.
A closer frame of Jared and the dark-bearded groomsman beaming, red and pink buttonholes pinned to their lapels.
Jared shakes hands with a groomsman with tousled hair, cans in their other hands, on the green country lawn.
Jared and the tousle-haired groomsman stand arm in arm on the grass, orange-flowering native shrubs and bush behind them.
Jared poses arm in arm with a grinning older loved one in a pale blue jacket and floral shirt on the lawn.
Jared stands with his hands in his pockets before flowering native shrubs, a bush hill rising behind at Flowerdale Estate, Strath Creek.
A half-length portrait of Jared in his pale jacket and navy bow tie, smiling softly against native bush.
A lamb grazes on the lawn in front of rows of white ceremony chairs at Flowerdale Estate in Strath Creek, a true country wedding touch.
Lyndsay and Jared's invitation, edged with painted succulents, stands among red proteas, white blooms and silver gum leaves.
Lyndsay's red protea and succulent bouquet sits in a white gift box tied with sheer ribbons, the bridesmaids' posies beside it.
Pearl earrings and a pearl strand spill from a burgundy box beside the wedding rings threaded on a grey cord.
Nude strappy heels wait on a white bedside table beside a vase of native sprigs in the heritage homestead bedroom.
Lyndsay's lace gown hangs from a white canopy bed in a historic bedroom of the Flowerdale Estate homestead.
Beaded lace climbs the straps of Lyndsay's gown as it hangs from a timber hanger by the white bedpost.
Lyndsay's bouquet of red proteas, succulents and gum leaves rests on a grey blanket at the end of the bed, ready for a country wedding.
A woman under a black styling cape smiles softly with her eyes lowered as her makeup is finished.
Lyndsay in white and her four bridesmaids in mint satin robes line up in the green-framed doorway of their room at Flowerdale Estate.
Lyndsay and her bridesmaids stand on the historic homestead's timber floorboards in matching white slippers stitched with their names.
Lyndsay in her white robe lifts the skirt of her gown beside a timber fireplace and brass candlesticks in the heritage room.
Lyndsay shares a look with a loved one in a burgundy beaded dress and pearls, both smiling close together.
Lyndsay twists open a rose gold bottle in her white robe, her protea bouquet resting in her lap.
Lyndsay pours a pink drink into a stemless glass printed for the bride, her robe tied and her bouquet in her lap.
Lyndsay smiles out of the window between heavy curtains, glass in hand, in the warm light of the historic homestead.
Lyndsay's dad, in a cream jacket, waits with a loved one in a floral dress in a doorway at Flowerdale Estate, Strath Creek.
Lyndsay's dad stands with a smiling bridesmaid in emerald green holding her protea bouquet tied with white ribbon.
Lyndsay stands still as bridesmaids in emerald do up her lace gown under the timber ceiling of the Flowerdale Estate homestead.
Lyndsay waits in her pearls and beaded lace gown, emerald bridesmaids reflected in the heritage room's tall mirror behind her.
Lyndsay's hands rest crossed over her lace gown, a pearl bracelet on her wrist and her engagement ring catching the light.
Lyndsay smiles off to the side with pearl studs, a pearl necklace and a crystal vine pinned into her dark curls.
Lyndsay looks down by the window in her open-backed lace gown, timber floorboards running into the hall at Flowerdale Estate in Strath Creek.
Red proteas, succulents and trailing ferns spill from Lyndsay's bouquet against the skirt of her lace gown.
Lyndsay looks over her shoulder, curls falling down her open lace back, her bouquet held low in the soft window light.
A bridesmaid in emerald fastens the lace strap at Lyndsay's shoulder while the others help with the buttons.
Lyndsay sits at the foot of the canopy bed in the heritage bedroom, pearls on and her protea and gum leaf bouquet across her lap.
Lyndsay gazes towards the window from the end of the white bed in the Flowerdale Estate homestead, her bouquet in her lap.
Lyndsay laughs with her four bridesmaids in emerald gowns, their country posies of proteas and native sprigs in hand.
Lyndsay and her bridesmaids smile straight to camera, gathered around the bench in their suite inside the historic homestead.
Lyndsay smiles back in the arched lounge at Flowerdale Estate, Strath Creek, her lace train spread across the polished floor.
Lyndsay looks back over her shoulder, her long lace-edged train fanned across the red rug and timber floor of the homestead lounge.
Lyndsay glances back with a smile beside a white column and patterned armchair in the heritage lounge, the buttons of her lace back on show.
Lyndsay looks down at her bouquet, her fitted gown pooling into a long train beside a studded leather sofa.
A laughing Lyndsay turns her head before her country wedding, dark curls spilling over the buttoned lace back of her gown.
Lyndsay looks back at us over her shoulder, red proteas and succulents in her bouquet bright against the lace.
Lyndsay stands with a bridesmaid in an emerald lace-topped gown in the 19th-century homestead lounge, bouquets held side by side.
Lyndsay and the bridesmaid in emerald lace grin at each other in the historic sitting room at Flowerdale Estate.
Lyndsay poses with a bridesmaid in an off-shoulder emerald gown by the white column of the heritage lounge.
Lyndsay and her off-shoulder bridesmaid turn to each other and laugh, rust cushions on the leather sofa beside them.
Lyndsay stands with a blonde bridesmaid in an emerald halter gown, her lace train curling across the floor of the historic homestead.
Lyndsay and the blonde bridesmaid beam over a shared spill of red proteas, succulents and silver gum leaves.
Lyndsay stands beside a bridesmaid in a ruched emerald gown and pearls, bouquets held together before the country ceremony.
Lyndsay and the pearl-wearing bridesmaid smile shoulder to shoulder, a floral cushion and long white curtains behind them.
Lyndsay stands between her dad and a loved one in a burgundy beaded dress in the heritage homestead lounge.
Lyndsay smiles sideways at a loved one as her dad grins behind her shoulder, her protea bouquet in close focus.
Lyndsay's dad kisses her hand as she beams, a loved one in burgundy smiling beside them before the ceremony.
A festoon-lit timber pergola dressed in red proteas and gum leaves stands before the heritage roofline of the Flowerdale Estate homestead.
Jared waits beside the festoon-lit pergola with his groomsmen, the historic homestead's tin roof and white lacework behind them.
Guests settle onto white chairs and timber benches for a country lawn ceremony before the verandah at Flowerdale Estate in Strath Creek.
A bridesmaid in an off-shoulder emerald gown walks down the grass aisle past seated guests, a white gazebo behind her.
Jared and his groomsmen stand in line beside the festoon-lit pergola at Flowerdale Estate as the celebrant waits by the verandah.
A bridesmaid in emerald lace walks the aisle smiling, guests turning in their chairs on the sunny country lawn.
A bridesmaid in a cap-sleeved emerald gown beams on her way down the aisle past the heritage homestead.
The blonde bridesmaid in an emerald halter gown smiles her way down the aisle beside the historic verandah.
Lyndsay leaves the 19th-century homestead on the arms of her dad and a loved one at Flowerdale Estate, Strath Creek.
Lyndsay's dad and a loved one in burgundy walk her across the lawn, the historic homestead's chimneys and verandah behind.
From behind, Lyndsay walks the aisle with her dad and a loved one, her long train trailing over the grass of the rural estate.
Guests stand in the dappled shade as Lyndsay is walked towards the pergola, tall trees framing the aisle at Flowerdale Estate in Strath Creek.
Jared waits at the end of the aisle, hands clasped and bush behind him, as Lyndsay, her dad and a loved one draw close.
Lyndsay's dad and a loved one bring her to Jared in front of the long heritage verandah, groomsmen looking on.
Lyndsay's dad shakes Jared's hand and claps his shoulder at the head of the aisle before the Flowerdale Estate homestead.
Jared reaches for Lyndsay's hand as she joins him on the country lawn, a loved one in burgundy stepping back beside her.
Guests film on their phones from the timber benches, the loved one in dark green among them, at the country estate ceremony.
A loved one in burgundy wipes away a tear on the front bench beside Lyndsay's dad during the ceremony.
Jared smiles at Lyndsay under the festoon lights, his groomsmen lined up before the historic homestead lacework.
Two loved ones, one in dark green and one in a pale blue jacket, listen from a timber bench with rows of guests behind.
Lyndsay and Jared face each other under the pergola as guests look on, paddocks and hills beyond the trees at Flowerdale Estate.
Guests in the front rows watch closely, one holding a glass of bubbles, with more guests standing along the heritage verandah.
Guests stand on the lawn beside a tall clipped hedge and old trees, watching the vows at the country estate.
Seated and standing guests fill the lawn before the historic tin-roofed homestead at Flowerdale Estate, Strath Creek.
Guests burst out laughing in their white chairs in front of the verandah, one woman clapping her hands.
A row of seated guests grins at the ceremony under old trees by the clipped hedge of the rural property.
The four bridesmaids in emerald stand with their posies under the festoon lights, farm hills beyond the trees at Flowerdale Estate.
Jared's four groomsmen stand with their hands clasped beneath the festoon bulbs, the gravel path and bush behind them.
Lyndsay and Jared hold hands and smile at each other, a green country hillside showing through the trees.
Lyndsay and Jared hold hands before the celebrant under the timber pergola, a green hill behind them at Flowerdale Estate in Strath Creek.
Lyndsay's dad sits forward on a timber bench with his hands clasped as the loved one in a floral dress takes a photo.
The loved one in burgundy listens with her hands folded, a guest beside her holding a camera, near the historic verandah.
An older couple watch from the front row, she in pale blue lace and pearls with a purple order of service in her lap.
The older loved one in a pale blue jacket and floral shirt watches in sunglasses, phone in hand, by the tall hedge.
Seated guests smile through the ceremony in a row of white chairs at the historic estate, a tall hedge and festoon lights behind.
Jared reads his vows into the microphone as Lyndsay listens under the pergola, green hills beyond at Flowerdale Estate, Strath Creek.
The bridesmaids in emerald smile as they listen, a green paddock on the hill behind the clipped hedge.
Lyndsay reads her vows from a card into the microphone, Jared listening as the country hills roll away behind the pergola.
The older couple in the front row laugh with their purple order of service beside the heritage verandah of the Flowerdale Estate homestead.
The older couple share a laugh, he with his chin on his hand and she in pale blue and pearls holding the order of service.
Lyndsay's dad beams from his seat with the loved one in a floral dress beside him, the historic verandah lacework behind.
The loved one in burgundy smiles with guests along the front bench, the 19th-century homestead's green doors behind them.
Lyndsay slides the ring onto Jared's finger as the celebrant holds the microphone close, soft bush blurred behind.
The wedding party flanks Lyndsay and Jared under the festoon-lit pergola, rolling farmland beyond the trees at Flowerdale Estate.
Lyndsay and Jared sign the register at a small timber table on the lawn of the heritage estate, a bridesmaid and a guest leaning in.
Lyndsay signs the register at a small timber table on the lawn as Jared watches, a big old tree and green country hills behind.
A groomsman in a pale blue check jacket leans in to sign as a witness while Jared steadies the register on the grass.
A bridesmaid in emerald bends over the timber signing table as the celebrant holds her folder, more bridesmaids by the pergola on the historic estate.
The celebrant signs beside Lyndsay and Jared at the small table, a stone urn and garden bed behind them at Flowerdale Estate in Strath Creek.
Lyndsay's hand rests over Jared's on the signed certificate, dark red protea leaves blurred in the foreground.
Lyndsay and Jared beam at the signing table with a bridesmaid and a groomsman behind, a clipped hedge and rural hills beyond.
The older loved one in a pale blue jacket and the loved one in dark green smile from a bench at the historic estate.
Lyndsay and Jared kiss under the festoon-lit pergola at Flowerdale Estate as the bridesmaids raise their bouquets and the groomsmen clap.
The older loved one in a pale blue jacket claps on his bench as guests in dark green and pink cheer beside him.
The loved one in burgundy claps on the front bench, guests applauding before the heritage lacework of the Flowerdale Estate homestead.
Lyndsay's dad claps from the timber bench in his cream jacket, the loved one in burgundy beside him and the historic verandah behind.
Lyndsay and Jared throw their arms wide under the pergola as a bridesmaid straightens her train and the groomsmen look on.
Jared hugs the older loved one in a pale blue jacket after the vows, a woman's hand resting on his shoulder from behind.
Jared hugs the loved one in dark green by the pergola at Flowerdale Estate, Strath Creek, while the older loved one in pale blue waits.
A guest in a pink jumpsuit beams as Lyndsay turns to greet her on the lawn, country hills showing past the hedge.
Jared wraps an older loved one in navy lace in a hug as the loved one in burgundy waits by the Flowerdale Estate homestead verandah.
Lyndsay and the loved one in burgundy share a long hug, the bridal bouquet in her hand and the 19th-century verandah behind.
Lyndsay hugs an older loved one in navy with glasses before the verandah lacework at Flowerdale Estate in Strath Creek, her protea bouquet in front.
Lyndsay rests a hand on the shoulder of a smiling guest with magenta hair, a groomsman walking past wine barrels by the historic homestead.
Lyndsay opens her arms to the loved one in a floral dress and pink jacket as her dad grins beside them on the country lawn.
Lyndsay's dad wraps her in the biggest hug before the tin roof of the Flowerdale Estate homestead, a guest with a camera behind them.
The older loved one in pale blue lace and pearls holds Lyndsay close, the older man from the front row just behind.
Lyndsay hugs the older man from the front row, a lace heart in his hand, beside the heritage verandah.
Lyndsay and Jared walk back up the grass aisle at Flowerdale Estate grinning as guests stand and clap among the white chairs.
Jared holds Lyndsay's arm and grins as they head up the aisle, guests clapping and filming beside a white marquee at the country estate.
Jared leans in to kiss Lyndsay midway up the aisle as guests cheer either side, tall trees and a white marquee roof behind.
A blonde bridesmaid in emerald links arms with a groomsman to follow up the aisle past a low stone wall at the heritage estate.
A bridesmaid in pearls walks out on the arm of a dark-bearded groomsman at Flowerdale Estate, Strath Creek, another pair close behind.
The bridesmaid in emerald lace smiles at us as a groomsman with an undercut walks her out beside the heritage garden's clipped hedge.
A bridesmaid in a strapless emerald gown laughs out loud on a groomsman's arm, her protea posy tied with white ribbon.
Jared doubles over laughing beside Lyndsay at the historic verandah steps as bridesmaids in emerald and groomsmen gather round.
Two bridesmaids in emerald burst out laughing with their protea posies beside the long verandah of the Flowerdale Estate homestead.
The whole wedding party and guests gather on the country estate lawn for a big group photo between a clipped hedge and a white marquee.
Every guest throws their arms in the air behind the wedding party at Flowerdale Estate, Strath Creek, the white marquee edging the lawn.
Lyndsay and Jared stand side by side as a hand fans out her train, old trees of the historic estate behind them.
Lyndsay and Jared stand in a family group of six with her dad and three loved ones before a clipped hedge at the heritage estate.
A closer family frame of the six on the lawn, her dad and the older loved one in a pale blue jacket at either end.
Lyndsay and Jared pose with the loved one in dark green and the older loved one in a pale blue jacket under an old tree.
A landscape frame of the same four smiling before the clipped hedge, a white birdcage hanging in the greenery behind.
Lyndsay and Jared stand with her dad and the loved one in burgundy beside an ivy-covered trunk at Flowerdale Estate in Strath Creek.
Her dad and the loved one in burgundy flank Lyndsay and Jared in a closer frame, the heritage garden hedge bright in the sun.
Lyndsay and Jared smile with her dad and the loved one in a floral dress and pink jacket on the historic estate's lawn.
A larger family group lines the hedge with Lyndsay and Jared, the older couple and the guest with magenta hair among them.
An extended family group crowds the lawn around Lyndsay and Jared at Flowerdale Estate, an ivy-wrapped tree spreading above.
Lyndsay and Jared stand with the bridesmaid in emerald lace and a young man in a navy suit and bow tie at the heritage estate.
The bridesmaid in emerald lace and her navy-suited companion join Lyndsay, Jared and two loved ones in a row of six.
Lyndsay and Jared pose with the older couple on the historic homestead lawn, she in pale blue lace and pearls, he in a pinstripe suit.
The bridesmaids in emerald and the groomsmen in navy ties line up either side of Lyndsay and Jared at Flowerdale Estate, Strath Creek.
The bridesmaids and groomsmen walk towards us laughing with Lyndsay and Jared in the middle under the old trees of the historic garden.
Jared points and tells a joke as the bridesmaids in emerald and the groomsmen in white shirts crack up beside him.
A guest in a navy suit holds up a tablet for a selfie with loved ones before the verandah of the Flowerdale Estate homestead.
A group of loved ones, the guest with magenta hair at the front, smiles before the long tin-roofed heritage verandah.
Lyndsay and Jared laugh among a row of friends kicking up their heels, a bridesmaid in emerald and green country hills behind them.
Lyndsay and Jared stand with the blonde bridesmaid and a friend in a pink blazer on a gravel path at the historic estate.
A curving drive and timber fence lead to the Pavilion at Flowerdale Estate, glass-walled with green doors under a big blue sky.
Jared stands with his four groomsmen on old stone steps beneath tall pale-trunked trees, a fenced paddock rolling away behind.
Jared lifts Lyndsay into his arms for a kiss on the stone steps as his groomsmen grin around them on the 19th-century estate.
Jared holds Lyndsay off the ground, her lace train hanging low, as the groomsmen laugh beside an old dry stone wall on the heritage property.
Lyndsay and Jared stand among the four bridesmaids in emerald on the stone steps at Flowerdale Estate in Strath Creek, pale trunks rising high behind.
The bridesmaids in emerald gather round Lyndsay and Jared between two dry stone walls, a green paddock and bush beyond.
Jared leads Lyndsay down the worn stone steps at Flowerdale Estate towards an open paddock, green country hills rising under a pale sky.
Lyndsay gathers her lace train and smiles back at us on the stone steps, a fenced paddock and the hills of the historic estate beyond.
Jared rests his head against Lyndsay's beside a farm gate, her long embroidered train fanned across the gravel.
Lyndsay and Jared touch foreheads and laugh, hands clasped, the pale trunks of the heritage estate soft behind them.
Jared kisses Lyndsay's temple as she smiles to camera with a fern-trailing bouquet and a lace heart charm, a paddock behind.
Lyndsay and Jared smile side by side on the stone steps at Flowerdale Estate, Strath Creek, a green paddock and bush-covered hills behind.
Jared lifts the end of Lyndsay's embroidered train as she steps down onto the gravel, open country hills ahead of her.
A wider view of Jared carrying her train down the dry stone steps, a fenced paddock and the historic estate's rolling hills to the right.
The wedding party wanders as tiny figures across a broad green paddock at Flowerdale Estate in Strath Creek, beneath a long line of tall gums.
The wedding party stands spaced in a line across the hill paddock, sheep dotted on the slope and green country ranges behind.
Lyndsay and Jared lead the bridesmaids and groomsmen striding towards us through long grass, a stand of gums behind on the heritage property.
The wedding party walks up through knee-high grass in a long line, tyre tracks curving across the country slope behind them.
Lyndsay and Jared walk hand in hand amid the wedding party across a hill paddock at Flowerdale Estate, sheep grazing near the gums.
Lyndsay and her bridesmaids hug from behind and glance back over their shoulders, her lace train trailing through the paddock grass.
Lyndsay stands in front of her four bridesmaids in emerald, holding up her skirt in the long grass of the historic estate.
Lyndsay walks arm in arm with her bridesmaids along a grassy rise on the rural estate, an old tin roof and hedge behind.
Lyndsay and the bridesmaids stroll towards us through the green paddock at Flowerdale Estate, Strath Creek, posies in hand and rolling hills behind.
Jared and his groomsmen walk off across the paddock with cheeky hands behind each other, two of them grinning back at us.
Jared and his groomsmen in navy ties stride towards us through the grass of the heritage property, bush-topped slopes either side.
Lyndsay and Jared kiss in a lush paddock at Flowerdale Estate in Strath Creek, tyre tracks running through the grass towards the hills.
Lyndsay looks back over her shoulder as she and Jared walk hand in hand into the paddock, a green country hill ahead.
Hand in hand, Lyndsay and Jared head across the long grass of the historic estate towards tall gums and bush-covered hills.
A close view of their joined hands as they walk, a lace heart charm on white ribbon swinging from Lyndsay's wrist.
Lyndsay and Jared become two small figures in a sea of grass at Flowerdale Estate, tall gums and rolling country hills around them.
Lyndsay looks down with a soft smile as she walks beside Jared, holding her skirt and protea bouquet against the green paddock.
Lyndsay smiles across at Jared as they walk, his red beard and pink buttonhole soft in the foreground.
Lyndsay and Jared stand on a mulch track beside a wire fence at Flowerdale Estate, Strath Creek, a green paddock and rounded hill behind.
Lyndsay wraps her arms around Jared's neck by the wire fence as he holds her bouquet, laughing face to face on the farm track.
Jared dips Lyndsay low for a kiss beside the paddock fence, her bouquet ribbons swinging from his hand.
Lyndsay holds up her skirt as she and Jared walk the mulch track along the fence of the heritage property, a grassy rise beside them.
From behind, Lyndsay and Jared walk hand in hand along a curved path edged with old cobblestones past the historic estate's garden beds.
Lyndsay and Jared stroll beside the lake at Flowerdale Estate in Strath Creek, a weeping willow, tall gums and distant hills around them.
Lyndsay and Jared embrace on the grassy bank of the lake, a weeping willow trailing into the water before a green country hill.
Lyndsay and Jared rest their foreheads together at the water's edge, the willow's long fronds hanging beside them on the heritage estate.
In black and white, Lyndsay and Jared gaze at each other by the lake, the rural hills and the willow framing them.
Jared kisses Lyndsay's forehead on the lakeside lawn at Flowerdale Estate, her train swept across the grass and the hills mirrored in the water.
Lyndsay and Jared face each other on the bank of the historic estate's lake, her long train curving over the grass.
Seen from behind, Lyndsay and Jared look out across the lake to a sunlit country hill dotted with trees.
A three-tier semi-naked cake trimmed with dark succulents stands on a wine barrel in the Pavilion at Flowerdale Estate, green lawn through the window.
A timber jigsaw guest book waits on an easel beside a wine barrel and chalkboard sign at the historic estate's reception.
A chalkboard sign asks guests to sign a puzzle piece, pens standing in a glass beside dark succulents on the barrel top.
A timber card box with a heart-shaped tag sits open on a wine barrel by a green-framed door, photos of the couple pinned below.
A grazing table of dips, cheeses and cured meats sits on timber trestles inside the glass walls at Flowerdale Estate, Strath Creek.
A white napkin at Lyndsay's place carries a timber name block, silver cutlery set either side for the country reception.
A bottle chills in a silver ice bucket beside a log planter of succulents and a sprig of gum nuts on the long timber table.
Three timber log planters filled with succulents line the long reception table at the historic estate, cross-back chairs behind.
A woman in red and black lace and a bearded man in a navy suit lean together laughing at their table.
A blonde guest in black lace and a man in a grey jacket and floral shirt smile from their seats in the busy country reception.
A guest with long red hair and a black wide-brimmed hat hugs a dark-haired woman close at their table.
Two women in a navy floral dress and a green patterned top smile side by side as the room fills at the heritage estate.
Three guests, one in blush and pearls, share a hug in the Pavilion at Flowerdale Estate, its green-framed doors behind them.
The same trio grin closer to camera at their table, a wine barrel standing by the green door at the back.
The blonde guest in blush and pearls rests an arm on a young man in a navy suit and bow tie by the glass wall.
Three women in navy florals, green and red and black laugh together over glasses of red wine on the rural estate.
Two young women in red and dark floral dresses beam side by side at their table, a timber fence and lawn through the glass.
A woman in a coral top and a young woman with glasses in a polka dot dress smile at the table by the patio heaters.
A moustached guest in a teal shirt and the woman in coral sit smiling at the table, a path and potted plant behind.
The older couple smile from their table at the heritage estate, she in pale blue lace and pearls, he in a dark suit.
A bearded guest in a navy suit and teal tie sits with the guest with magenta hair, long timber tables stretching behind.
The bridesmaids and groomsmen line up on the drive, one in rainbow socks, while Lyndsay and Jared wait by the heritage homestead behind.
A blond man in a dark suit takes the microphone before a full room of guests at Flowerdale Estate in Strath Creek.
The blond man in a black bow tie calls the next entrance on the microphone, a guitar on its stand and bush outside.
A bridesmaid in emerald and a groomsman in striped socks step through the green-framed doors from the historic grounds, cheered in.
A groomsman spins a laughing bridesmaid in emerald across the polished floor under copper lamps at the country estate reception.
Guests at a long timber table cheer as a woman in a floral top films the entrances inside the Pavilion at Flowerdale Estate.
A bridesmaid in emerald and pearls links arms with a bearded groomsman, drink in hand, striding in past a wine barrel at the heritage estate.
A blonde bridesmaid in an emerald halter gown gasps with laughter as a groomsman dances her in for the country reception.
Lyndsay and Jared walk hand in hand through the tall green doors at Flowerdale Estate, Jared punching the air.
Lyndsay beams as Jared waves his arm high, leading her in over the polished floor past the historic garden outside.
Lyndsay and Jared stand smiling at the edge of the floor as guests clap from long tables at the rural estate.
Lyndsay's buttoned lace back and Jared's cream jacket face the long table as guests cheer inside the reception hall of the heritage property.
Guests laugh along a timber table under copper pendants in the Pavilion at Flowerdale Estate, an older man grinning in front.
Lyndsay and Jared cut their three-tier semi-naked cake on a wine barrel beside a recycled timber wall, country hills through the glass.
Lyndsay and Jared begin their first dance by the open green doors, an old tin-roofed cottage of the historic estate soft outside.
Jared twirls Lyndsay under his arm in the doorway at Flowerdale Estate, Strath Creek, her train gathered in one hand.
Lyndsay and Jared reach for each other's hands mid-dance, sunlight spilling across the stone path to an old cottage on the heritage estate.
Jared dips a laughing Lyndsay low on the polished floor, festoon lights glowing on the verandah at Flowerdale Estate in Strath Creek.
Lyndsay and Jared sway forehead to forehead in a burst of late sun by the open doors of the country reception.
Jared grins over Lyndsay's shoulder as they dance across the polished concrete inside the Pavilion at Flowerdale Estate.
A bridesmaid in emerald lace twirls a groomsman beside a wine barrel hung with photos, the 19th-century estate's blossom and verandah outside.
The bridesmaid in the off-shoulder emerald gown and a groomsman in a navy tie pause their dance to smile, rural hills beyond.
The blonde bridesmaid in emerald laughs out loud as she dances with a groomsman, the green-framed doors open to the historic garden.
A dark-bearded groomsman grins back at us as he dances with the bridesmaid in a ruched emerald gown and pearls.
The bridesmaid in emerald lace dances with a groomsman with spiked hair, the heritage homestead roofline showing through the glass.
The bridesmaids and groomsmen join Lyndsay and Jared on the dance floor before the tall green-framed doors at Flowerdale Estate.
A groomsman throws a high kick mid-dance with his bridesmaid as the wedding party fills the floor at the country estate.
A laughing bridesmaid in emerald and pearls poses with a guest in a pinstripe jacket who flexes his arm for the camera.
A bearded guest in a grey check jacket laughs with a groomsman on the crowded floor as the farm estate party gets going.
A bearded guest in a floral tie dances eyes closed with a blonde woman in an off-shoulder floral dress at the country party.
The older couple hold each other close on the dance floor of the Pavilion at Flowerdale Estate, she in pale blue lace and pearls.
Jared, red beard and black bow tie, leans cheek to cheek with a smiling loved one in a dark wrap dress at the historic estate.
A guest in a floral shirt and bow tie wraps two laughing women in a bear hug as a guitarist plays by the bush.
Two friends, one in pale blue and one in a plum fitted dress, dance hand in hand and pull faces under the copper lamps.
A long-haired guest in a black hat hugs a smiling woman in navy satin beside a timber trestle at the heritage estate.
The loved one in burgundy stands arm in arm with a bridesmaid in emerald and a guest in an embroidered black dress.
A blonde guest in pale blue points and laughs beside a bearded friend holding a drink as dancers crowd the historic estate's hall.
A bridesmaid in emerald lace lines up with guests in rust, red, dark green and floral dresses at Flowerdale Estate, Strath Creek.
A smiling couple pose by the photo-covered wine barrel, she in a black leather jacket and he in a cream blazer, at the country estate.
A groomsman in a grey tie stands beside a beaming guest cradling a sleeping newborn, gum trees and farm hills behind the glass.
The guitarist sings with his acoustic guitar, a tall gum and the green lawn framed in the clear wall of the Pavilion at Flowerdale Estate.
Lyndsay shows off her ring to a guest in a floral shirt as friends mingle in the reception hall of the heritage estate.
Lyndsay doubles over laughing, her lace train looped over her arm, as a guest in a floral shirt and bow tie jokes beside her.
Lyndsay stands among six women, the loved one in burgundy beside her, the iron lacework of the Flowerdale Estate verandah through the window.
Three friends, one a bridesmaid in an emerald halter gown, pose at the driveway's stone edge under big old trees on the country lawn.
Guests gather with drinks on the timber deck outside the bar shed at Flowerdale Estate in Strath Creek, its green trim in late sun.
Lyndsay stands with a blonde friend in a red floral dress beside a wine barrel and the green door, the historic verandah behind the glass.
Three friends pose at a timber fence at Flowerdale Estate, Strath Creek, as sheep graze the green paddock and hills behind them.
Jared chats with a woman in an olive satin dress and a guest in a white shirt by a wine barrel at the rural estate.
Lyndsay leans her head against a loved one in a yellow floral dress, eyes closed with happiness, at the 19th-century homestead estate.
A woman in a dark green wrap dress and a friend in a zebra-print top hug for the camera in the heritage estate's reception hall.
A couple sit close at a long dinner table, she in a striped blouse and he with a red beard, at the country estate.
The loved one in burgundy, a buttonhole pinned to her beaded dress, sits at dinner beside a smiling older woman in navy and glasses.
Two women smile side by side at dinner, one in a red patterned blouse and one in a cream jacket, at the historic estate.
A grey-haired guest in a pink tie and a curly-haired friend clink bottles at their table in the Pavilion at Flowerdale Estate.
Two women lean together at a dinner table, one in a green leaf print and one in leopard print, a bridesmaid passing behind.
A silver-haired guest in a black jacket and a friend in a grey blazer laugh over beers at a long table on the rural estate.
A grey-haired guest in a checked shirt rests his chin on his fist beside a woman in a pale pink jacket at the heritage estate.
A couple smile at their table by the clear wall at Flowerdale Estate, a white timber fence and the green country lawn outside.
A woman in a rust lace top and a guest in a navy blazer grin over a wine glass at the historic property.
Three friends in pale blue, black and white lean in for a smile at dinner, the loved one in burgundy seated behind them.
A woman in a white off-shoulder top hugs the arm of a bearded guest in a black print shirt at the country dinner.
A bridesmaid in a cap-sleeved emerald gown and pearls stands with a curly-haired guest by the green door and the timber stairs.
Lyndsay smiles among guests with bubbles on the deck, the heritage homestead's verandah and chimneys behind at Flowerdale Estate, Strath Creek.
Lyndsay stands with a laughing groomsman holding a beer, her lace train spread across the deck boards of the rural estate.
Lyndsay poses with a guest in a navy suit on the deck, bare branches and the garden of the historic estate behind them.
Guests chat along a timber-railed path above the lawn at Flowerdale Estate in Strath Creek, green-roofed buildings and tall bush beyond.
A groomsman in a navy tie throws his head back laughing as friends crowd around him outside the bar on the deck.
A red-bearded guest in a checked shirt tells a story to two friends by the bar shed and patio heater at the country estate.
Seen through the clear wall, guests mingle with drinks while others dine at long tables under rows of pendant lamps at the heritage estate.
Guests dine at long tables beneath copper pendant lamps, tree-covered hills filling the glass walls of the Pavilion at Flowerdale Estate.
Guests take photos at a timber fence above a wide green paddock, a line of gums and the hills rising behind.
Three women in rust, white and striped tops hug for the camera by the green door, the garden of the historic property behind.
A guest in a grey blazer and a friend in a zebra-print top rest heads together at a candlelit table on the country estate.
Jared stands on the lawn with a smiling guest in a black dress and red lipstick, festoon bulbs strung above the country garden.
Lyndsay and Jared stand arm in arm with the blond man in a tuxedo before the lit white gazebo at Flowerdale Estate, Strath Creek.
A guest in a navy blazer and a woman with long ombre hair smile together at dinner on the heritage estate, the hall buzzing behind.
Six guests gather around a wine barrel topped with a timber slab and gum leaves, the hills of the rural estate behind the glass.
Jared leans over his four groomsmen at the bridal table, a white weatherboard cottage outside the glass at Flowerdale Estate in Strath Creek.
A woman in a navy top with pastel spots and a smiling bald guest in a dotted shirt lean together at a busy dinner table.
Lyndsay and Jared stand with a bridesmaid and a groomsman in the Pavilion at Flowerdale Estate, green paddocks beyond the glass.
Three women in green, gold lace and black smile together at a long timber table as the evening fills the heritage estate's hall.
A young couple sit close at their table, she in a dark floral slip dress, the green stairs and doors of the reception hall behind.
Three older guests share a laugh at their table at Flowerdale Estate, one in a bow tie throwing his arms around the other two.
A guest with a moustache and floral tie sits beside a blonde woman in a green floral dress at dinner on the historic estate.
A silver-haired guest puckers up for the camera beside a bearded friend in a tan suit and black tie, beers lined up on their table.
A woman in a rust top beams with the silver-haired guest in the Pavilion at Flowerdale Estate as a waiter in an apron stands by.
A guest in a pink shirt and a woman in a pale floral dress smile at their table, a green uplight on the post behind.
A guest in a black checked shirt and a woman in an off-shoulder black top grin over their plates at the busy country dinner.
A guest in a tan jacket and a woman in a white lace-up blouse lean in over their mains at Flowerdale Estate, Strath Creek.
A guest in a pinstripe suit clamps bread in his teeth beside a smiling woman in a leather jacket at the rural reception.
Two guests in a navy blazer and a patterned shirt talk over dinner, the green-railed stairs lit up behind them at the historic estate.
A bearded guest in a grey blazer and a blonde woman in an embroidered black top smile side by side at a crowded table.
A woman in a leather jacket and turquoise earrings sits with a bald guest in a navy blazer over salads at the country estate.
A guest in a paisley tie wraps an arm around a smiling woman in a cream jacket and pearls at dinner on the heritage estate.
Lyndsay and Jared sit at the bridal table among the wedding party in the Pavilion at Flowerdale Estate, proteas and succulents in front.
A woman in a floral blouse and a friend in black velvet smile over their mains as the reception hums at the 19th-century homestead estate.
A silver-haired woman in a cream jacket tilts her head beside a laughing friend in a pink floral blouse at the dinner table.
A curly-haired guest with sunglasses on his shirt sits with a woman in a red lace dress at the country estate dinner.
Two guests in white shirts, one in a pink tie, give a thumbs up in the packed reception hall at Flowerdale Estate in Strath Creek.
A guest in a blue bow tie and a woman with long auburn curls in an olive wrap smile together at the historic estate dinner.
Two grinning guests in suits pose with their chins on their hands after dinner, a green uplight glowing on the timber post behind.
A guest in a pinstripe jacket leans behind a laughing friend as dusk falls on the bush outside the Pavilion at Flowerdale Estate.
A bearded guest in a grey check blazer, sunglasses hooked on his shirt, smiles with a blonde woman in pale blue at the heritage estate.
A red-bearded guest in a grey suit and a woman in sheer black sit shoulder to shoulder by a wine barrel at the historic property.
A blonde woman in a wine-red slip dress and a guest in a burgundy blazer smile across their plates at the country estate dinner.
A red-haired guest in a tan shirt raises his glass while his friend in a dark print shirt looks on, hand on his chin.
The red-haired guest in tan lifts his drink beside a smiling woman in an off-shoulder white top as dinner winds down at the historic estate.
A guest in a checked shirt and a woman in a blue floral dress smile at their table at Flowerdale Estate, bush beyond the glass.
Two friends in a white floral wrap and an off-shoulder black floral dress pose cheek to cheek at their table on the heritage estate.
A blond guest in a black bow tie pulls a mock surprised face beside a smiling woman with long dark hair in black lace.
A bearded guest in a floral tie listens as a friend in a gingham shirt laughs across the table, country bush green through the glass.
A woman in a sage dress and a bearded guest in a grey check suit smile as the historic estate reception rolls on.
A guest in a burgundy tie and a woman in a red rose-print dress beam by a patio heater in the Pavilion at Flowerdale Estate.
Two friends, one in a green floral dress and one in a pale slip dress with red lipstick, lean in together beside the long table.
A woman in a grey blazer rests her chin on her hand beside a guest in a striped shirt, the rural estate's garden lit outside.
A guest in a floral shirt and a woman in a peach floral wrap sit arm in arm by the heritage estate's dark lawn.
A woman in a polka dot slip dress and a guest with a moustache in a navy blazer smile at a long timber table.
A red-bearded guest with sunglasses on his head sits with a woman with long red hair in a wine off-shoulder dress at the country estate.
A blonde woman in an emerald satin wrap dress leans into a guest in a checked blazer at a busy table late in the reception.
The blonde woman in emerald satin sits with a smiling guest in a white shirt as the room dines at the historic estate.
Three mates in dark jackets throw their arms around each other at a dinner table, the country reception in full swing behind them.
A guest in a floral shirt and bow tie sits with a bridesmaid in emerald lace, her arm around his shoulders, at the historic estate.
The older loved one in a pale blue jacket poses with a woman in dark green and cream at the heritage property.
Lyndsay stands behind her four emerald bridesmaids at the bridal table, a white gazebo outside in the dusk at Flowerdale Estate, Strath Creek.
Handwritten wishes from guests cover the pieces of a timber puzzle guest book, propped on a rough old beam at the rural wedding.
A blonde guest leans in to sign the puzzle guest book on its easel beside a wine barrel on the historic grounds.
A man in a white shirt and black bow tie holds a microphone over the bridal table as Lyndsay and a bridesmaid burst out laughing.
Lyndsay gives her speech beside a wine barrel, arm out to the room and lace train pooled inside the Pavilion at Flowerdale Estate.
A red-haired guest in a burgundy off-shoulder dress laughs beside a bearded man in a checked shirt at the country estate.
A woman cradling a baby in a white beanie stands by a patio heater with a smiling man, watching the speeches at the 19th-century estate.
A grey-haired woman in a dark green dress and cream jacket laughs with the guest beside her, green-framed doors behind the tables.
Guests laugh and clap through the speeches, one man holding a baby, beneath green uplights and tall green windows at Flowerdale Estate.
Jared and his groomsmen grin along the bridal table, a puzzle guest book easel and wine barrel behind them and the rural estate's lawn outside.
An older loved one in black lace and glasses reads her speech from a folded page, microphone in hand, at the heritage estate.
The loved one in black lace reads to the bridal table as Lyndsay, Jared and the bridesmaids listen inside the Pavilion at Flowerdale Estate.
Jared and Lyndsay clap along with the bridesmaids at the bridal table, all smiles at their country wedding.
A loved one in dark green and cream speaks to the bridal table, lawn beyond the glass at Flowerdale Estate in Strath Creek.
Guests turn as a loved one in dark green reads from a gold card, a baby perched on a lap, at the historic estate.
A bald guest holds a baby on his knee while the tables around him laugh through the speeches at the country reception.
A loved one in a cream jacket reads her notes into the microphone between tables of potted succulents at the heritage venue.
A bridesmaid in emerald lace speaks into the microphone as the bridal table laughs, festoon bulbs glowing over the rural lawn outside.
Guests in pink and pale blue burst out laughing at their table during the speeches at the historic homestead estate.
Lyndsay and Jared clap along with the wedding party at the bridal table, the country estate's trees and lawn showing through the glass.
Jared hides his face behind his hand as a loved one in dark green reads her speech in the Pavilion at Flowerdale Estate.
Lyndsay grins at the bridesmaid beside her as Jared and the groomsmen laugh along the bridal table at the 19th-century estate.
The groomsmen crack up as a loved one in a cream jacket raises one finger behind them, making her point mid-speech.
Up close, a woman with bright red hair leans on a timber chair beside a ginger-bearded man with folded arms at the rural reception.
Lyndsay and Jared applaud beside a bridesmaid in emerald, the heritage property's trees dim beyond the window.
Guests at the long timber tables turn to smile for us under pendant lamps and green uplit posts at Flowerdale Estate.
A blonde bridesmaid in emerald reads her speech, card in hand, as Jared stands at the bridal table to applaud her.
Lyndsay laughs and claps beside Jared as a groomsman cheers behind them at the historic property.
The blonde bridesmaid raises her glass high mid-toast and Lyndsay lifts hers straight back during the country celebration.
A groomsman stands to speak at the bridal table, a lit cottage glowing through the dark glass of the Pavilion at Flowerdale Estate.
The older loved one in a pale blue jacket sits with a smiling woman in cream and green, enjoying the speeches at the heritage estate.
Guests fill the long tables under green uplights and pendant lamps, a packed country dinner at Flowerdale Estate, Strath Creek.
The groomsman pauses with a hand to his chin mid-speech as Lyndsay and Jared look up at him from the bridal table.
Lyndsay and her four bridesmaids in emerald laugh along the bridal table, proteas and gum leaves trailing over the timber at the historic estate.
Jared and Lyndsay crack up as a groomsman reads his speech from a phone beside them at their rural wedding.
Jared pulls a groomsman into a hug after his speech as the bridesmaids clap, inside the timber reception room at Flowerdale Estate in Strath Creek.
An older woman in red lace presses her hands to her cheeks in delight as the guests around her laugh at the heritage estate.
A guest in red lace and pearls and a guest in a pink suit applaud from their chairs among the crowded country estate tables.
A woman in a pink suit laughs with friends at the long timber tables, green light washing the posts of the Pavilion at Flowerdale Estate.
Jared steps up with the microphone and his notes to start his speech, guests turning in their seats at the historic homestead estate.
Jared reads from a folded page into the microphone as guests at the rural reception smile and film on their phones.
Jared stands at the bridal table with the microphone and his notes, closing the night's speeches.
A red-haired woman in dark green florals and a bearded older guest laugh at their tables while Jared talks at the 19th-century estate.
Guests chuckle at Jared's speech, the older loved one in a pale blue jacket hiding a grin behind his hand at the rural estate.
A woman in a cream jacket laughs out loud at Jared's speech beside a grinning man with a goatee and black bow tie.
Jared reads his speech over the bridal table, guests in the rows behind smiling up at him at the heritage venue.
Lyndsay smiles up at Jared's speech beside a blonde bridesmaid, groomsmen listening further along, at their country wedding.
Jared reads his speech and the wedding party laughs along the flower-filled bridal table at the historic Flowerdale Estate.
Jared raises his beer to the groomsmen and they lift their bottles and glasses straight back at the rural party.
Jared and a groomsman cheer cheek to cheek at the bridal table beside Lyndsay, a lit cottage outside at Flowerdale Estate in Strath Creek.
The wedding story

Our Flowerdale Estate wedding photos: a lamb on the lawn, emerald bridesmaids in the paddocks and a high kick into the Pavilion

Getting ready at the homestead · Vows under a festoon-lit pergola · Family groups by the verandah · Paddocks, pale trunks and the lake · Dinner and dancing in the Pavilion

Read the full story

A lamb among the chairs

We arrived to green hills dotted with sheep and a weeping tree in full pink blossom beside the old cottage. Spring at Flowerdale Estate does half the styling for you. Down on the lawn the white ceremony chairs were already set out in rows, and a lamb was quietly grazing between them, which made our first frame of the day. Up on the homestead verandah Jared stood in a cream dinner jacket and black bow tie, with a hedge of red and pink leaves behind him, while a loved one fastened his cufflinks.

Cans on the verandah

The groomsmen, in white shirts and navy ties, were in good form. They leant on the green verandah railing with cans in hand, then lined up on the lawn and tipped them back together while we shot wide and low. The verandah is a handy spot for groom photos: its deep roof throws open shade across faces, so we can work at midday without anyone squinting, while the bright garden behind keeps the frame light. Jared and his mates threw arms around each other and the laughter did not stop.

Proteas, pearls and emerald

Lyndsay’s room was all warm timber and soft light. Her protea and succulent bouquet sat in a gift box with white ribbons, her nude strappy heels waited beside a vase of native sprigs, and the bridesmaids stood in a row in mint satin robes and matching slippers. Lyndsay poured herself a drink before her pearls went on. Then the emerald green dresses came out. A bridesmaid did up the buttons down the lace back of her gown, and Lyndsay looked over her shoulder at us with her bouquet of red proteas in hand.

Down the lawn with her dad

The ceremony sat on the lawn beside the homestead, with white chairs and timber benches in rows and a timber pergola strung with festoon bulbs at the end, the hills showing through the trees behind it. The bridesmaids came down one by one, then Lyndsay’s dad, in a cream jacket, walked her down the aisle. Lyndsay read her vows into the microphone while an older couple in the front row laughed with their order of service folders in their laps. We stood off to the side so the pergola and the green hills stayed in our frame.

Hugs on the grass

They signed the register at a small timber table on the lawn, Lyndsay perched beside it in her lace. Then came the hug line. Jared was wrapped up by a guest, Lyndsay held a loved one in a red lace dress for a long moment, and her dad gave her the biggest squeeze of all. They walked back up the aisle grinning, and Jared leant in for a kiss between the bridesmaids. Family groups followed on the lawn in front of a tall clipped hedge, everyone gathering around the older relatives so nobody had to stand for long.

Lifted under pale trunks

Next we led the wedding party to a row of tall, pale-trunked trees with old stone steps underneath. The groomsmen lined up on the stones, and then Jared scooped Lyndsay up in his arms while they cheered around him. Bare trunks like these work as natural columns: they repeat across the background and make a big group look tidy without any posing. Jared and Lyndsay finished with a quiet portrait on the stone steps, her train spread out across the gravel.

Walking the green paddocks

Then we went out into the paddocks, and this is where Flowerdale Estate wedding photos really sing. The whole wedding party strode towards us through grass up to their knees, emerald dresses and white shirts against all that green, with the hills rolling away behind. We walked backwards with a long lens so the hills stayed close and large. Then we sent everyone else back for a drink and left Lyndsay and Jared alone in the middle of the paddock, two small figures in a sea of grass, kissing.

Willows by the lake

On the way back we followed a gravel track along a wire fence, Lyndsay holding her skirt up off the stones, and stopped at the lake. A weeping willow hung over the water and the hills sat behind, mirrored on the surface. We framed the couple low on the bank so the reflection doubled the hills, then moved in close as Jared held her and her train swept out across the grass. Water is one of the easiest backdrops at any venue: it bounces soft light back up into faces late in the afternoon.

A high kick and the speeches

The Pavilion opened its tall green-framed doors and Lyndsay and Jared made their entrance, Jared throwing an arm in the air. A puzzle guest book waited on an easel by a wine barrel, and a guitarist played beside the long timber tables. Their first dance on the polished floor turned into a twirl, then the bridesmaids and groomsmen piled on. As night fell, green uplights washed the timber posts. A loved one read her speech, a bridesmaid toasted with her glass high, Lyndsay spoke beside a wine barrel, and Jared finished with the whole table in stitches.

Photographer's venue notes

Flowerdale Estate, Strath Creek: festoon-lit vows by the homestead and emerald bridesmaids in spring paddocks

Read the venue notes

Lawn, steps, paddocks and lake

Lyndsay and Jared's day ran in a gentle loop around the estate. Jared got ready on the homestead verandah while Lyndsay dressed in a bedroom and the arched lounge inside, and the ceremony sat on the lawn right in front of that same verandah, under a timber pergola dressed with proteas and gum leaves. Groups followed beside the clipped hedge, then we walked the wedding party to the stone steps under the pale trunks, out into the hill paddocks, back along the fence track to the lake and finally into the Pavilion.

Spring green and a long afternoon

Spring had the paddocks at their greenest, with sheep on the slopes and pink blossom by the old cottage. The ceremony was in full afternoon sun, so we used the dappled shade of the tall trees along the aisle and worked from the side to keep faces evenly lit. As the afternoon wore on, the light softened over the paddocks and the lake went still enough to hold the hills. Late sun was still pouring through the open green doors when the first dance began.

Why these spots suited a big wedding party

With four bridesmaids in emerald and four groomsmen in white shirts, Lyndsay and Jared had a colourful crew, and the estate gave us space to spread them out. The old stone steps let us stack the group in tiers so every face showed. Knee-high grass in the hill paddock gave everyone something to stride through, and emerald against all that green looked rich rather than busy. At the lake the willow framed a quieter set for just the two of them, with the bank low enough to catch the reflection.

Planning tips from this day

The walk out to the paddocks and lake is part of the fun, so give the wedding party shoes they can manage on gravel, mulch and long grass, and ask them to lift hems on the stony stretches. Keep drinks close to the verandah for the groom's side, because the deep shade there makes a relaxed start possible in bright sun. And if your first dance can happen while the doors are still open to the evening light, take it; the glow on the polished floor was beautiful.

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