Mona Farm wedding photos: Erica and Matthew embrace among tall trees glowing orange in the late afternoon sun in the Canberra region
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Real country wedding · Braidwood, Canberra

Mona Farm Wedding Photos: Erica & Matthew

Mona Farm · 140 Little River Rd, Braidwood NSW · Canberra

Country Wedding · Heritage & Historic Venue Wedding · Sunset Wedding · City: Canberra · Venue: Mona Farm

A ring resting on an invitation sketched with an arched stone bridge, a dad in a mustard tie walking his daughter through a cypress hedge, and a groom who punched the air all the way back up the aisle. Erica and Matthew’s Mona Farm wedding in Braidwood stayed on one country estate from the first cufflink to the reception in the Woolshed, with a lakeside ceremony and late autumn light glowing through old trees. We ended the day exactly where the invitation began: on that bridge at dusk.

The gallery
Erica's solitaire ring rests on a country wedding invitation for Matthew & Erica, sketched with the arched stone bridge at Mona Farm
A smiling woman with a platinum updo and a velvet collar navy jacket stands in a white kitchen on the country estate
Matthew fastens his cufflinks by the glass doors of the New Stables, his black double-breasted jacket hanging on a white wall rack
Silver cufflinks and a black leather watch strap catch the light as Matthew dresses for his historic estate wedding
Matthew straightens the tuxedo lapel of a grey-haired loved one by a bright window before the country wedding
A grey-haired man with a cream and red rose buttonhole smiles as Matthew buttons his double-breasted jacket hours before sunset
Matthew perches on a grey sofa arm in his charcoal shawl collar tuxedo and black bow tie at the heritage estate
Matthew gazes out a tall window towards the gardens of the old farm estate, one hand resting on his knee
Matthew tucks a white pocket square into his charcoal tuxedo by the window on the afternoon of his sunset wedding
A platinum-haired woman pins a red and cream buttonhole on a bearded man in glasses in a white hallway before the golden hour portraits
Matthew and five groomsmen in black tuxedos stride across a country lawn under tall bare trees at Mona Farm, Braidwood
Six men in tuxedos link arms and laugh in a grove of tall bare trunks on the historic country property
Matthew stands between a grey-haired man in a tuxedo and a platinum-haired woman in navy on the heritage estate lawn
The grey-haired man grins at Matthew while the platinum-haired woman smiles beside them among bare trunks on the farm
The platinum-haired woman in navy looks up at Matthew with a wide smile on his sunset wedding day
The grey-haired man laughs up at Matthew, a red rose and cream bloom buttonhole on his tuxedo lapel, on the historic estate
Matthew and the grey-haired man stand side by side in tuxedos on a leaf-strewn country lawn under tall bare trunks
Matthew shakes hands with the smiling grey-haired man, a hand on his shoulder, under bare trees at the heritage property
Matthew poses with an elderly bald man in a tuxedo and rose buttonhole among the old trees of Mona Farm in the Southern Tablelands
The elderly man and Matthew shake hands and laugh in the grove of bare autumn trunks before the sunset celebrations
A tall blond man in a tuxedo and Matthew shake hands, both laughing, on a leaf-scattered lawn of the country property
The blond man and Matthew pose arm in arm, smiling, among bare trunks on the historic farm estate
A bald bearded man and Matthew shake hands with big grins on the tree-lined country lawn at Mona Farm
The bald bearded man and Matthew squeeze their eyes shut laughing, arm in arm in their black tuxedos, on the heritage estate
A dark-bearded man with a gold watch stands beside Matthew on the leaf-strewn lawn, hands clasped, before the country ceremony
The dark-bearded man bursts out laughing beside a grinning Matthew under tall bare trunks on the farm
The platinum-haired woman in her navy suit and Matthew lean their heads together on a sunlit lawn of the historic property
Matthew smiles, hand in pocket, on a sunlit gravel drive below a bare old tree and the cream heritage cottages
A bearded man in glasses plays a black grand piano among whitewashed timber posts in the New Stables of the country estate
Erica's lace gown and long sheer train hang in sunlit French doors above a white iron balcony of the heritage house
Pink floral platform heels rest on tulle beside a bouquet of white roses, deep red blooms and eucalyptus for the country wedding
A round mirror reflects Erica in white pyjamas by the window with her gown, hours before her golden hour portraits
Erica in white pyjamas and fluffy slippers touches her lace gown hanging in the sunlit French doors of the Homestead
A dark-haired woman in a blush satin robe applies lip colour to Erica in monogrammed pyjamas by a window of the historic house
Erica smiles as she touches up her lip gloss in warm window light, a white flower drop earring catching the sun
The woman in the blush robe kisses Erica's cheek in front of the gown hanging in the window of the heritage house
Erica admires her bouquet of peach roses and eucalyptus from a timber armchair, her gown glowing in the window before sunset
Erica raises champagne with two blonde bridesmaids in floral pyjamas, each holding a little flower girl in peach tulle, in the historic house
Erica and the bridesmaids in floral pyjamas line up with three little flower girls in a curtained bay at Mona Farm, Braidwood
Bridesmaids in matching floral pyjamas raise champagne around Erica, two small flower girls in front, on the historic estate
Erica laughs over her shoulder in her off-shoulder lace gown, the train spread on a grey rug by the French doors of the Homestead
A woman in black with a topknot touches up Erica's lips, her lace train across the timber floor, on the afternoon of her sunset wedding
A loved one in a deep red dress with sheer sleeves settles Erica's veil by the French doors of the country house
The loved one in deep red fastens Erica's lace gown as Erica smiles back at her in soft window light of the heritage house
The loved one in deep red smooths Erica's veil, both smiling, in the tall French doors of the historic house
Erica and the loved one in deep red share a tearful cheek to cheek hug at the French doors on her sunset wedding day
Erica stands smiling in her gown and veil by the French doors at Mona Farm, her train fanned across the timber floor
In black and white, Erica stands in a single slice of window light, her off-shoulder lace and veil glowing against a dark room
Erica smiles in profile in a slice of afternoon light beside a dark green curtain, her lace back and veil lit up
In black and white, Erica looks over her shoulder as window light falls across her bare back and long veil
Erica gazes out the window as a slice of light lands on her lace back and veil, the room behind her in shadow
In black and white, Erica holds her bouquet of white roses, eucalyptus and baby's breath at a curtained window
Sun falls on Erica's shoulder as she holds her bouquet with a single red rose at a dark curtained window of the Homestead
Erica looks down at her bouquet of white roses, a red rose and baby's breath, leaf shadows across her arm, hours before sunset
In black and white, Erica gazes down at her bouquet by the window, leaf shadows dappling her lace sleeve
Erica adjusts her bouquet of eucalyptus, white and red roses and pink ribbon by a bright window of the heritage house
Erica holds her bouquet at her shoulder by French doors and iron railings at Mona Farm, Braidwood, her train across the floor
Her dad in a navy suit and mustard tie sees Erica for the first time, smiling, on her sunset wedding day
Her dad hugs Erica with his eyes closed beside a round mirror and bright painting in the historic house
Erica laughs and holds her dad's hand, her bouquet tied with red ribbon, beside a round mirror and polka dot cushions
Erica and her dad pose by the French doors of the Homestead, her bouquet tied with red ribbon and her train on the floor
Bridesmaids in dusty pink hold their bouquets with hands at their faces as two flower girls peer towards the bride in the historic house
Bridesmaids in dusty pink gasp and smile as a flower girl peers up at Erica's veil before the country ceremony
Matthew walks in hand in hand with the platinum-haired woman in navy past a cypress hedge and cherub statues on the historic estate
Guests stand among timber chairs on the Croquet Lawn by the lake, a tall fountain plume and open paddocks beyond
Erica and her dad walk under a curved iron arch cut through the cypress hedge, a white sculpture behind, at the heritage estate
Matthew waits with his groomsmen at the lakeside as guests stand for Erica's arrival at the country ceremony
Erica and her dad descend stone steps between two cherub statues below a towering cypress hedge at Mona Farm, Braidwood
Her dad walks Erica down the aisle towards a smiling Matthew and his groomsmen, the lake and paddocks beyond
Her dad hugs Erica at the dried blush flower arch while Matthew waits beside the lake on the historic property
Her dad wraps Matthew in a hug at the arch as Erica lifts her skirt, the lake and country paddocks beyond
Erica and Matthew hold hands and laugh under the dried blush arch on the Croquet Lawn as the celebrant reads
The celebrant reads with a microphone as Erica beams at Matthew under the dried flower arch at their lakeside country ceremony
Groomsmen and older men in tuxedos grin in the front row, a cypress hedge and old stone wall behind them on the heritage estate
Bridesmaids in dusty pink sit on the lawn with three toddlers in white, bouquets in their laps, during the rural ceremony
Men in tuxedos with red rose buttonholes watch the vows from the front row on the rural lawn, the grey-haired man teary eyed
The platinum-haired woman in navy watches the vows as an older woman beside her wipes her eye by the heritage stone wall
Guests laugh on timber chairs during the vows, a man in sunglasses and an orange tie grinning, below the historic stone wall
Erica and Matthew laugh mid vows as the celebrant in sunglasses reads from his notes at their country lakeside ceremony
The loved one in red watches the ceremony with a soft smile, sun lighting her hair on the country lawn
Her dad watches in sunglasses and a mustard tie beside a guest in a brown slip dress on the historic estate lawn
A curly-haired woman in a floral dress and a white-haired man laugh together in the sunlit rows on the farm
Erica and Matthew kiss under the dried blush arch, her train across the paving, with the five-arch stone bridge at Mona Farm behind
Erica and Matthew kiss halfway up the aisle as guests cheer among timber chairs, long shadows across the country lawn
Erica and Matthew walk back up the aisle hand in hand as guests clap, long shadows stretching across the Croquet Lawn
Matthew punches the air and kicks out a leg holding Erica's hand on the lawn below tall bare trees on the historic farm
Erica and Matthew with a bald man and the loved one in red by a cypress hedge at Mona Farm in the Southern Tablelands
A mirror-polished sculpture peeks over the cypress hedge behind Erica, Matthew, a bald man and the loved one in red in the heritage gardens
The bald man, Erica, Matthew and the loved one in red smile together on the gravel path by the dark hedge as sunset nears
Erica and Matthew stand with a dark-bearded man in a tuxedo and a woman in dusty pink, her lace train spread across the country lawn
Erica and Matthew pose with two bridesmaids in dusty pink holding bouquets by the cypress hedge in the heritage gardens
Two bridesmaids in cream faux fur jackets and two flower girls in pink tulle join Erica and Matthew by the hedge as golden hour nears
Her dad in his mustard tie and a woman in a striped strappy dress stand with Erica and Matthew on the historic estate
Erica and Matthew stand with her dad, the loved one in red, a bald man and a woman in stripes at Mona Farm
Six family members smile close together in front of the dark cypress hedge on the historic estate, Erica holding her bouquet
A bald bearded man and a blonde woman in dusty pink each hold a toddler in pink tulle beside Erica and Matthew before sunset
Erica and Matthew with the grey-haired man in a tuxedo and the platinum-haired woman in navy before the iron arch on the heritage grounds
An elderly woman with a sequinned hem, an elderly man in a tuxedo and family stand with the couple on the country lawn
The elderly couple, Erica, Matthew, the platinum-haired woman and the grey-haired man smile by the dark hedge in early golden hour light
Eight family members gather either side of Erica and Matthew by the cypress hedge at Mona Farm, Braidwood, her lace train fanned in front
The tall cypress hedge towers over the whole family group, Erica's lace train fanned across the lawn of the historic estate
A tall blond man holds a toddler in pink beside Erica, a laughing Matthew and a blonde bridesmaid in dusty pink on the country estate
A bald bearded man and a blonde bridesmaid each hold a toddler in pink tulle beside Erica and Matthew on the farm lawn
Erica and Matthew hold hands and look opposite ways before an iron arch and silver head sculpture at Mona Farm in the Southern Tablelands
Erica and Matthew laugh at each other in front of the silver sculpture and iron arch in the heritage gardens
Matthew throws his head back laughing at the sky while Erica laughs at him in the golden hour, her bouquet tied with deep red ribbon
The bridal party lines up before the towering cypress hedge at Mona Farm, seven bridesmaids in dusty pink and five groomsmen in black
The bridal party walks towards us behind Erica and Matthew, late afternoon sun warming the country lawn and cypress hedge
Erica and Matthew walk hand in hand across the lawn at Mona Farm, Braidwood, as golden hour sun flares through the old trees
Erica laughs with eucalyptus in her hair as she and Matthew walk hand in hand over fallen orange leaves on the heritage estate
Erica and seven bridesmaids in dusty pink line up at Mona Farm in the Southern Tablelands as the sunset glows through bare trees
Bridesmaids laugh with their bouquets around Erica as two little girls watch in the golden hour glow, a pink cottage behind
Bridesmaids cheer and raise their bouquets beside a tall grey ribbon sculpture at Mona Farm as the sun sinks towards sunset
Bridesmaids lift their bouquets and walk with Erica as golden hour sun bursts through bare trees on the country estate
Bridesmaids wave their bouquets as they stroll with Erica past a tall sculpture and wine barrel just before sunset on the historic estate
Five groomsmen in black stand with Erica and Matthew before a tall grey ribbon sculpture at Mona Farm, Braidwood, as golden hour begins
Matthew lifts Erica in his arms for a kiss as the groomsmen laugh beneath a bare tree in golden hour light, a pink cottage behind
Matthew twirls Erica on the lawn, a rainbow lens flare and the sunset glow behind them on the heritage estate
Erica and Matthew laugh as they walk hand in hand past a groomsman and a grey sculpture across the country lawn
Erica smiles behind her bouquet of red and white roses, eucalyptus and baby's breath as she and Matthew walk in golden hour light
Erica lifts her skirt as she walks along the lake edge with Matthew at Mona Farm in the Southern Tablelands at sunset
Matthew and Erica gaze at each other as the low golden hour sun flares behind them over the lake
Matthew kisses Erica's forehead as the setting sun flares through her veil at the lake's edge on their sunset wedding day
Erica and Matthew stroll along the grassy lake bank at Mona Farm as the sun drops to the horizon in the last light
Erica and Matthew stand small among tall old trunks glowing orange in the sunset on the historic estate
Matthew wraps his arms around Erica from behind among the old tree trunks, her bouquet resting in her arms in the golden hour
The old trees at Mona Farm, Braidwood, glow orange in the last light as Matthew holds Erica, her train spilling over fallen leaves
Matthew carries Erica's train as they walk through fallen leaves under arching old trees of the heritage estate at dusk
Erica and Matthew smile on the stone bridge over the lake at Mona Farm in the Southern Tablelands at sunset
Erica and Matthew gaze at each other against the pale dusk sky on the stone bridge, her veil and train trailing
Erica and Matthew kiss in silhouette between the stone walls of the bridge at Mona Farm against the pale sunset sky
The wedding story

Our Mona Farm wedding photos: a walk through the hedge arch, a fist pump down the aisle and a silhouette on the stone bridge

Getting ready at the New Stables and the Homestead · Lakeside ceremony on the Croquet Lawn · Family photos by the cypress hedge · Golden hour in the old trees · Dusk on the stone bridge · Reception in the Woolshed

Read the full story

A bridge on the invitation

Our day at Mona Farm began at the New Stables, where Matthew was getting ready. The first thing we photographed was the stationery: Erica’s ring resting on an invitation printed with their names and a fine line drawing of an arched stone bridge, with a sprig of red buds hanging over it. By sunset they would be standing on that bridge. Inside, Matthew fastened his cufflinks by open glass doors while his double-breasted jacket waited on the wall. Then he sat down at a grand piano in a room of whitewashed timber posts and played, completely at ease.

Bow ties under bare trees

Matthew straightened the lapel of a loved one in a tuxedo, and another loved one had a buttonhole pinned on, a cream rose with a touch of red. Then we took everyone outside to a grove of tall, bare trunks beside the lawn. It was late autumn, the leaves were down, and the sun came through the trunks in long stripes across the grass. That is lovely light for a groom’s party: bright enough to glow, soft enough on faces. The groomsmen walked towards us with their arms over each other’s shoulders, and there were handshakes, hugs and a lot of laughing as family and friends took turns beside Matthew.

Pyjamas and window light

Over at the Homestead, Erica’s gown hung in a set of French doors, with the light pouring through the lace and the iron balcony railing outside. Her pink floral platform heels sat beside her bouquet. The bridesmaids, all in matching floral pyjamas, crowded around Erica and the little flower girls for a toast. A loved one in a deep red dress fastened the gown and settled the veil, and they shared a tearful hug at the doors. When a gown hangs in a doorway like that, we shoot from inside looking out, so the light comes through the fabric instead of flattening it.

A slice of light by the curtain

Then we turned Erica to a window framed by heavy dark curtains. With the room behind her in shadow, a single slice of light caught her face, the off-shoulder lace and her bouquet of white roses, red blooms and eucalyptus. We made a few of those frames in black and white, because when the light is that directional, colour almost gets in the way. It took only a few minutes, and it is the kind of portrait any bride can have: one window, the lamps switched off, and a photographer willing to stand in the dark corner of the room.

Her dad’s first look

Erica’s dad came through the door in a navy suit and a mustard tie, and his face said everything. We stood behind Erica’s shoulder so her bouquet softened the edge of the frame and he was looking straight at her, not at us. They hugged beside the round mirror, then stood together for a portrait in the window light. The bridesmaids, now in dusty pink, had been waiting nearby, and their reaction was a little scene of its own: hands at their faces, big smiles and a flower girl peering up at the veil.

Through the hedge to the lake

The ceremony was set for three o’clock on the Croquet Lawn by the lake, with a fountain throwing a tall plume of water behind the guests. Matthew walked in arm in arm with a loved one. Then Erica appeared under a curved iron arch cut through a cypress hedge, holding her dad’s arm, and came down a flight of stone steps between two garden statues. We used the hedge as a natural frame: dark green all round makes a white gown glow. At the end of the aisle her dad wrapped Matthew in a hug before taking his seat.

Vows by the stone bridge

Erica and Matthew held hands under an arch of dried blush flowers on the paved edge of the water, with the stone bridge behind them. The sun was clear and already lower across the lake, so we kept it behind and beside them to save everyone from squinting. Laughter came in waves from the chairs, the groomsmen in the front row were in fits, and a loved one in red watched with a soft smile. After the kiss, with the bridge arches lined up behind, they stopped for another halfway up the aisle. Then Matthew punched the air and kicked out a leg.

Family by the cypress hedge

Family photos went in front of a tall, dark cypress hedge beside a gravel path, with a mirror bright sculpture just showing above it. A plain dark backdrop keeps every group clean, so nobody’s eye wanders to a car or a doorway. We moved quickly through the combinations, spreading Erica’s long lace train across the grass each time. Then the whole bridal party, the bridesmaids in dusty pink and the groomsmen in black, walked towards us over the lawn. The bridesmaids lifted their bouquets and cheered in front of a tall grey ribbon sculpture, and Matthew laughed so hard he had to look away.

Golden hour and the bridge at dusk

Every location in Erica and Matthew’s Mona Farm wedding photos was a short walk away. Matthew spun Erica on the lawn, and at the lake’s edge we put the low sun right behind them so it flared through her veil as he kissed her forehead. A grove of old trees turned orange in the last light, and we placed them small among the trunks. We finished on the stone bridge from the invitation, dropping low to expose for the pale sky so their kiss became a silhouette between the stone walls. Then it was off to the Woolshed for the reception.

Photographer's venue notes

Mona Farm, Braidwood: a lakeside ceremony on the Croquet Lawn and a late autumn walk to the stone bridge

Read the venue notes

How the day moved around the estate

Erica and Matthew kept everything on the estate. Matthew dressed at the New Stables and Erica at the Homestead, so both parties were a stroll from the Croquet Lawn. Erica's walk in began behind the cypress hedge, which kept her hidden until she stepped through the iron arch on her dad's arm. After the vows we stayed close to the lawn for family groups, then drifted out along the lake's edge, through the old trees and on to the bridge, before everyone headed to the Woolshed for the reception.

Late autumn light on the tableland

In late autumn the bare branches let low sun into every corner of the estate. We used that early for the groomsmen in the grove of trunks, and later for the long shadows that stretched across the aisle as Erica and Matthew walked back up it. Family groups landed at the start of golden hour against the dark hedge, the old trees turned orange as the light faded, and by the time we reached the bridge the sky had gone pale and even, ideal for showing the two of them as a simple outline.

The spots we leaned on

Inside the Homestead, the tall French doors and their white iron balcony did most of the work for Erica's preparations. Outdoors, the dried blush arch on the paved lake edge lined up neatly with the bridge for the kiss. The silver head sculpture and iron arch made a playful setting for a quick laugh between the two of them, and the tall grey ribbon sculpture gave the bridal party something bold to cheer beside. Fallen orange leaves under the old trees added colour at their feet as Matthew carried the train.

Tips for an autumn country wedding

If you marry here in late autumn, give yourselves a good run of time after the ceremony, because the richest light arrives quickly once the sun sinks behind the trees. Have someone ready to gather the lace train for the walk through fallen leaves, and keep a cream faux fur jacket or two on hand for bridesmaids and little ones as the afternoon cools. And if your stationery features a corner of the estate, as theirs did with the bridge, tell us early so we can plan to finish the day right there.

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