Narbethong Community Hall wedding photos: Aroya and Jack share a kiss on a gravel bush track as the sun flares through tall gums near Marysville
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Real country wedding · Narbethong, Melbourne

Narbethong Community Hall Wedding Photos: Aroya & Jack

Narbethong Community Hall · Narbethong VIC · Melbourne

Country Wedding · City: Melbourne · Venues: Amelina Cottages · Fernbrook Cottage · Narbethong Community Hall

Mountain ash towering over a hessian aisle, white roses against deep red bridesmaid dresses, then a timber hall glowing purple for the speeches and a first dance that finished in a deep dip. Aroya and Jack got ready in two Marysville cottages and married in the bush beside Narbethong Community Hall, at the top of the Black Spur. We were right there with them, from the red rose buttonholes in the morning to the last wild moves on the dance floor, and we loved every minute.

The gallery
A box of deep red rose buttonholes and a single white rose waits on the timber table.
Jack pulls on brown socks by the dining table in a tweed waistcoat, white shirt and tan chinos.
Jack laces up brown leather boots on the carpet of the country cottage, a belt waiting on the floor.
A smiling groomsman in a brown tweed waistcoat readies a rose buttonhole beside the box of red roses.
A groomsman pins the white rose buttonhole onto Jack's brown waistcoat in the bright cottage kitchen.
Black and white close portrait of Jack seated, a white rose buttonhole and folded pocket square on his waistcoat.
Jack fastens his cuffs against a bright window of the country cottage, pink blooms in the garden behind.
Jack in black and white by the window, a white rose on his waistcoat and a pocket square tucked in.
Jack and three groomsmen in matching brown waistcoats wait around a pale panelled country lounge with a red sofa.
The groomsmen burst out laughing in the lounge as Jack holds a small black case and a guest in navy smiles.
Two groomsmen in sunglasses crack up beside Jack, who grins with the little black case in his hand.
Jack glances back over his shoulder in the country lounge as groomsmen in sunglasses wait by the red sofa.
Jack and three groomsmen line up on the lawn in front of white flowering shrubs and tall green foliage.
Jack and his groomsmen smile with hands clasped against deep green foliage in a country cottage garden.
Jack and the groomsmen stride across the sunny lawn past the cottage and pink flowering shrubs.
Jack and a fair groomsman stand side by side beside white flowering shrubs, both grinning in the morning sun.
A groomsman points and laughs at Jack beside the white flowering shrubs of the country garden.
Jack and a groomsman wrestle playfully on the lawn, the groomsman roaring with laughter.
Full length portrait of Jack and a smiling groomsman in tan chinos on a sunny country lawn.
A groomsman laughs at a joke while Jack keeps a straight face beside the white blooms.
Jack smirks as the groomsman beside him breaks into laughter in the leafy cottage garden.
Jack stands beside a dark haired groomsman with a red rose buttonhole in front of white flowering shrubs.
Jack looks down and gestures at his waistcoat as the dark haired groomsman grins beside him in the country garden.
Jack folds his arms and trades a grin with a dark haired groomsman among the garden greenery.
Jack stands alone with hands clasped in the dappled sun of the garden, white blooms behind him.
Jack and his groomsmen gather by the porch of a sage green weatherboard at Amelina Cottages, Marysville.
Black and white portrait of Jack gazing up at the trees, sunlight sparkling through the leaves behind him.
A pale green weatherboard cottage with a white verandah rail sits beneath tall gum trees in country Marysville.
A crown of baby's breath and white roses circles the wedding invitation and a diamond ring on white linen.
Close view of a halo diamond ring resting on the gold brushed invitation beside baby's breath and a white rose.
Aroya's lace gown hangs in a sunny cottage window beside a vintage style wall clock.
White rose bouquets with blush blooms and glossy leaves wait in a box for the bridesmaids.
A white lace garter with a satin bow lies among sprigs of baby's breath on white linen.
Pearl drop earrings in their box beside a purple perfume bottle and sprigs of baby's breath.
Aroya in a lace robe gazes up at her gown hanging in the window of the country cottage.
Aroya gathers the long tulle skirt of her hanging gown in profile against the soft window light.
Aroya beams as she fans out the skirt of her gown, still on its hanger by the window.
Aroya in her lace robe fastens an earring beside a bridesmaid in a rust off shoulder dress.
Close side profile of Aroya painting on red lipstick with a compact mirror in her hand.
Aroya applies bold red lipstick by the window of the country cottage, deep red nails catching the soft light.
Seen through a glass door, Aroya smiles down as she holds the lace bodice of her gown in place.
A bridesmaid and a woman in a floral dress lace up Aroya's gown as a bridesmaid in rust smiles nearby.
Aroya laughs with her eyes squeezed shut as a woman in a floral dress laces up her gown by the iron bed.
Three bridesmaids in deep red and rust cheer from the country cottage lounge beside an ornate grey mirror.
Aroya shrugs with arms out and a red lipstick smile while her helpers finish lacing her gown.
Aroya adjusts the lace off shoulder sleeves of her gown in the white bedroom of the cottage.
The bridesmaids laugh and react in the lounge, one in rust pressing a hand to her chest.
A bridesmaid in a red headscarf laces up Aroya's gown in the white country bedroom as she smiles towards the window.
Aroya smiles towards the bright window as the bridesmaid in the red headscarf finishes the lacing.
Close view of a bridesmaid in a red headscarf and a woman in a floral dress working on the laces of the gown.
Aroya smiles down at her hands as the woman in the floral dress kneels to finish the lacing behind her.
Aroya swishes the lace hem of her full skirt across the timber floorboards of the country cottage.
A bridesmaid in rust beams with a hand on her chest beside a bridesmaid in a red headscarf holding her phone.
Aroya settles her crown of baby's breath in an ornate grey mirror, a soft hand and flowers in the foreground.
Aroya sets the baby's breath crown into her curls as two bridesmaids in rust and red look on.
Aroya tucks the flower crown into her dark curls, red lips parted, in the white country kitchen.
Aroya looks down at her bouquet of white roses on the edge of the iron bed, eyes lowered.
Close portrait of Aroya with red lips and a pearl pendant, holding white roses on the bed.
Aroya glances over her shoulder with a wide red smile, her white rose bouquet resting in her lap.
Aroya lifts her skirt and bouquet as she turns between the iron bed and the white panelled walls of the country cottage.
Aroya stands by the white panelled wall with her bouquet of white roses, gazing towards the window light.
Aroya and three bridesmaids in deep red hold white roses among the tree ferns at Fernbrook Cottage, Marysville.
Aroya laughs with her bridesmaids beneath tree fern fronds and red blooms in the country garden.
The bridesmaids crack up beside Aroya, white rose bouquets held high against the deep green ferns.
Aroya and her bridesmaids smile straight to camera with white roses against red flowering shrubs.
Aroya and a dark haired bridesmaid in deep red share a smile, white roses held close, in the fern garden.
Aroya and a bridesmaid with baby's breath in her hair smile to camera against the fern fronds of a country garden.
Aroya and a bridesmaid in a red headscarf turn to each other, laughing, in the shade of the tree ferns.
Aroya and the bridesmaid in the deep red headscarf pose with matching white rose bouquets among the ferns.
Aroya and a blonde bridesmaid with red tassel earrings beam, white roses in hand, by the red blooms.
Aroya and the blonde bridesmaid share a laugh, baby's breath in both their hair, in the leafy country garden.
Aroya looks over her shoulder with white roses in hand, framed by tree ferns and red flowering shrubs.
Aroya turns away to show the long lace edged train of her gown on the gravel path among the ferns.
A stand of tall mountain ash rises over the lawn at Narbethong Community Hall, set for a bush ceremony.
Jack waits by the greenery arch hung with white garlands as tall gums rise over the ceremony space.
Guests settle onto timber chairs in the bush beside Narbethong Hall, the timber hall wall glinting across the lawn.
Guests wait in rows of mismatched timber chairs between the trunks of the tall gums at the country ceremony.
Jack waits under the greenery arch at the end of a petal strewn hessian aisle at Narbethong Community Hall on the Black Spur.
Wide view from the back of the bush ceremony, guests in rows under towering mountain ash as Jack waits at the arch.
Guests chat beside the rows of chairs under the tall forest at Narbethong Hall at the top of the Black Spur.
Guests in bright dresses chat and snap phone photos in the dappled shade of the bush before the ceremony.
A groomsman walks a bridesmaid in deep red out past the open timber screen of Narbethong Community Hall in Murrindindi Shire.
A groomsman and a bridesmaid in a red headscarf walk arm in arm down the hessian runner across the country lawn.
A groomsman escorts a blonde bridesmaid in a one shoulder red gown along the hessian runner on the grass.
Aroya appears with a loved one in a dark suit beside the timber and mesh walls of Narbethong Hall under a wide blue sky.
Guests turn to watch Aroya and a loved one start down the long white path across the country lawn, hills beyond.
Jack and his groomsmen wait at the arch as bridesmaids in deep red line up by a red velvet settee in the bush.
A loved one in a dark suit walks Aroya down the petal strewn aisle past smiling guests under the gums.
Jack reaches for Aroya's hands at the end of the aisle as guests in the rows beam around them.
Jack shakes hands with the loved one in a dark suit who walked Aroya in, guests watching under the forest canopy.
Aroya and Jack stand together at the garland draped arch while three bridesmaids in deep red hold white roses.
A bridesmaid holds Aroya's red shoes as she stands barefoot on the petal strewn ground beside Jack's boots.
Aroya and Jack hold hands before their wedding party at the bush ceremony at Narbethong Community Hall.
Guests in sunglasses smile from the front rows of timber chairs, petals scattered at their feet.
Guests laugh and lift their phones from the rows under the gums, the country hall roof glinting across the lawn.
Smiling guests fill the rows beside the petal edged path through the bush at Narbethong Hall at the top of the Black Spur.
Guests grin from rows of timber chairs on the grassy slope, the hall roofline showing through the trees.
Three bridesmaids in deep red hold white rose bouquets in front of a red velvet settee and side table in the bush.
Three groomsmen in brown waistcoats stand with hands clasped beneath tall forest trunks.
A guest reads to the gathering from a printed page into a microphone at the country ceremony.
Wide view of the bush ceremony under towering mountain ash at Narbethong Community Hall in Murrindindi Shire.
Aroya and Jack hold hands in front of the arch of greenery and white garlands, a bridesmaid at her side.
Aroya and Jack hold hands for their vows under the green arch at Narbethong Community Hall on the Black Spur.
The bridesmaids laugh and wipe away happy tears as Aroya grins at Jack during the vows in the bush.
Guests watch the vows from timber chairs on the grass, one holding up a phone to take photos.
Guests in sunglasses sit close together in the shade of the gums at the country ceremony, smiling towards the couple.
A grey haired man in a pinstripe suit and a woman in green lace watch the ceremony from their chairs.
Aroya laughs through her vows at Narbethong Hall, holding Jack's hands as a bridesmaid in deep red giggles behind her.
Three bridesmaids in deep red beam over their white rose bouquets during the vows in the bush.
Three groomsmen grin and trade looks in front of the tall forest behind the country ceremony.
Rows of guests fill the timber chairs along the petal edged path at Narbethong Hall at the top of the Black Spur.
Guests in the front row share a laugh, the green lawn and country hall grounds stretching behind them.
Guests in suits and summer dresses watch from their chairs in the bush, one woman filming on a teal phone.
Jack holds Aroya's hands and smiles at her as his groomsmen stand in a line at Narbethong Community Hall in Murrindindi Shire.
A young man in a purple suit and a woman in a pale blue dress listen intently among the seated guests.
A woman in green lace and a guest in a dark floral blouse listen closely from the shaded rows of the bush ceremony.
Guests listen from the rows under the gums, Narbethong Community Hall standing across the lawn behind them.
Guests smile from the back rows, the timber and glass hall and its solar roof across the country lawn.
A guest in a dark suit holds up a phone in a gold case to film the vows as others look on from the shade.
Smiling guests fill the shaded rows, a woman in blue lace beside a man in a purple shirt and sunglasses.
A guest in purple dabs her eyes with a phone in hand as guests watch the vows from timber chairs under the gums.
Guests smile towards the vows from rows of chairs under the gums, Narbethong Hall and the lawn glinting behind them.
Aroya and Jack join hands before a grey haired man in a dark suit who speaks into a microphone at the garland arch.
Aroya and Jack hold hands under the greenery arch at Narbethong Community Hall, tall gums soaring above the petal strewn hessian.
Aroya laughs as Jack takes her hand at the arch, the grey haired man with the microphone smiling between them.
Aroya and Jack share a kiss under the greenery arch at Narbethong Community Hall on the Black Spur, the wedding party cheering.
A woman in green lace claps and a guest films on a teal phone as the rows cheer at the country ceremony.
Guests in the front rows grin and film on their phones after the kiss, tall trunks and the sunny lawn behind them.
Guests laugh and film from the rows beside the long white aisle, Narbethong Hall at the top of the Black Spur across the lawn.
A woman in sunglasses holds up a teal phone from the rows beside the aisle as guests smile in the dappled shade.
A guest in a dark suit lifts a gold phone to film as laughing guests fill the rows under the trees.
Aroya and Jack turn hand in hand to their guests at the bush ceremony at Narbethong Community Hall in Murrindindi Shire.
Guests double over laughing in the front rows as a man in sunglasses films the ceremony on a gold phone.
A grey haired man in glasses and a woman in green lace beam from the rows in the shade of the tall country forest.
Aroya and Jack lean in for a kiss beneath the greenery arch at Narbethong Hall as the grey haired man speaks into the microphone.
Jack signs the register at the dark red table, white roses soft in the foreground and Aroya watching beside him.
Aroya signs the register with red nails and her baby's breath crown as Jack looks on at the country signing table.
A bridesmaid in deep red with a flower in her bob signs the register as Aroya smiles at the table.
A groomsman with a red rose buttonhole signs the register as Aroya watches from her seat at the table.
Aroya and Jack hold hands above the signed certificate on the dark red table, white roses beside them.
Aroya and Jack sit hand in hand on a red velvet settee behind the signing table in the bush beside Narbethong Community Hall.
Jack kisses Aroya's cheek on the red velvet settee as she beams over the signing table among the ferns.
Aroya turns to Jack with red lips and a pearl pendant as they sit together at the signing table.
The woman in green lace and pearls sits among the guests at Narbethong Community Hall on the Black Spur, a clutch in her lap.
An older guest in a grey floral blouse smiles softly with her eyes lowered beside the woman in green lace.
Guests in purple suits and summer dresses applaud from the timber chairs as the bush ceremony comes to a close.
A smiling woman in a cream blazer and orange floral dress claps beside a silver haired man in a blue shirt.
Aroya and Jack walk back up the aisle to applause under the gums at Narbethong Hall at the top of the Black Spur.
Aroya laughs up at Jack as they walk arm in arm out of the country ceremony, guests clapping by the timber chairs.
Aroya and Jack burst out laughing as they leave the rows of timber chairs, sun dappling the grass beneath the trees.
A lone gum stands in the green paddock beside Narbethong Community Hall in Murrindindi Shire, wooded hills on the horizon.
Guests stroll out of the tall gums and across the country lawn after the ceremony under a clear blue sky.
Every guest gathers on the lawn at Narbethong Hall for one big group photo with Aroya and Jack in front of the gums.
Arms fly up as the whole crowd cheers around Aroya and Jack on the country lawn beneath the towering gums.
A guest in a navy floral dress hugs Aroya under the raised entry screen of Narbethong Community Hall as bridesmaids laugh nearby.
Aroya laughs and points at Jack as a groomsman with a red rose buttonhole grins in the afternoon sun.
Aroya hugs a smiling guest in a blue blazer and sunglasses as another guest in black presses a hand to his face.
Aroya, her gown laced up the back, wraps a guest in sunglasses in a warm hug on the lawn of the country hall.
A smiling guest in a dark cardigan opens her arms to hug Aroya on the sunny lawn.
Aroya twirls her lace skirt in the sun beneath the raised entry screen of Narbethong Community Hall on the Black Spur.
Aroya stands arm in arm with a grinning guest in a dark suit, sunglasses pushed up on his head, by the lawn.
Aroya laughs between a silver haired man in sunglasses and the woman in the cream blazer and orange floral dress.
Aroya spins her full lace skirt across the concrete at Narbethong Hall at the top of the Black Spur as guests gather on the lawn.
Aroya shares a big hug with a guest in a white floral dress on the sunny lawn, tall gums rising behind them.
Aroya clasps hands with a beaming guest in a black and white top as guests mingle on the rural hall lawn.
Aroya throws her hands up in delight with a guest in a blue patterned dress and glasses on the grass.
Aroya poses with a smiling guest in a red dress, a camera slung around her neck, by the timber wall of the country hall.
Aroya squeezes a grey haired guest in a dark suit in a hug as a woman in a blue floral dress smiles on.
Nine guests in suits and bright dresses line up before the timber shelter at Narbethong Community Hall in Murrindindi Shire, paddocks beyond.
Aroya hugs an older guest in a grey floral jacket who leans on her walker beside the timber wall of the hall.
Aroya smiles down at the older guest with her walker as they chat on the lawn at Narbethong Hall under the tall trees.
Aroya laughs and holds hands with a guest in a grey waistcoat and dotted navy shirt on the sunny country lawn.
Jack chats with a guest in orange mirrored sunglasses and a woman in a white jacket on the lawn, hills on the horizon.
An elderly guest in a navy suit and a woman in a tweed jacket hold their drinks on the sunlit grass of the country hall.
Jack throws his arms around three guests on the lawn in front of the solar roofed Narbethong Community Hall, a green paddock behind.
Guests lift their phones and a tablet to take photos on the lawn as the older guest stands by her walker.
Aroya sits on the grass with her lace skirt spread wide as Jack and three guests stand behind her by the hall.
Jack stands with three guests in front of a green paddock rising behind Narbethong Community Hall on the Black Spur.
Guests in purple, green and black and white raise their glasses together under the tall gums on the country lawn.
Aroya strides across the sunny lawn holding up her skirt, curls lifting in the breeze and guests chatting behind her.
Aroya presses her palms together and laughs with a woman in red and a red haired guest on the grass.
Aroya and Jack pose on the rural lawn with two young men in purple jackets and a smiling woman in a purple dress.
Aroya and Jack stand arm in arm with the woman in purple with a silver beaded collar and two young men in suits.
Jack and Aroya stand either side of the woman in the purple dress and beaded collar in the soft afternoon light.
A close portrait of Jack, Aroya and the beaming woman in purple, leafy country trees glowing behind them.
A young man in a blue blazer kicks up one leg beside Aroya, Jack and a grinning guest in a dark suit.
Jack stands on the country lawn with four guests, among them a woman in a blue floral dress and a young man in glasses.
Aroya scoops up the bridesmaid in the red headscarf at Narbethong Hall at the top of the Black Spur as Jack hides a laugh.
The bridesmaid in the red headscarf beams in Aroya's arms as Jack and guests grin on the path by the glass.
Aroya and Jack stand arm in arm with the grey haired man in the purple tie and pocket square on the sunny path.
Aroya and Jack line up with a row of guests in bright dresses and suits on the lawn at Narbethong Community Hall in Murrindindi Shire.
Aroya and Jack stand with a row of guests including the woman in green lace and the elderly man in the navy suit.
Aroya and Jack gather with a long row of guests in summer dresses and suits on the grass at Narbethong Hall in the afternoon sun.
Jack and Aroya stand between the woman in green lace, a grey haired man in a dark suit and the woman in purple.
Jack and Aroya pose with an older woman in a black and white spotted wrap and a white bearded man in a grey suit.
Aroya and Jack stand in a row with four older guests on the country lawn, late sun bright on the leaves behind.
Aroya and Jack hold up an ornate gold picture frame and lean their heads together behind it on the lawn.
Aroya glances back over her shoulder on the hessian runner between the empty timber chairs of the bush ceremony at Narbethong Community Hall.
The full wedding party lines up on a gravel bush track, bridesmaids in deep red and groomsmen in brown waistcoats beside Aroya and Jack.
Aroya and Jack walk arm in arm with the wedding party along a gravel track under tall gums, white rose bouquets in hand.
The wedding party laughs as they stroll in a line down the gravel track at Narbethong Community Hall on the Black Spur.
Arm in arm, the wedding party strides towards camera along the bush track, Aroya grinning beside Jack.
Jack and Aroya pose with three bridesmaids in deep red on the track at Narbethong Hall at the top of the Black Spur.
Aroya laughs up at Jack as the bridesmaids giggle over their white roses, the country hall roof showing through the trees.
Aroya throws her head back laughing as Jack gestures mid story and the bridesmaids grin on the track.
Jack and Aroya crack up with three bridesmaids in deep red, white rose bouquets bunched together in the dappled light.
Aroya stands with her three bridesmaids in deep red on the gravel track at Narbethong Community Hall in Murrindindi Shire.
Aroya and her bridesmaids crowd in close behind their white rose bouquets, all red lips and big smiles.
Aroya and the bridesmaids lean their heads together over a cluster of white roses on the gravel country track.
A blonde bridesmaid lifts her bouquet and cheers as Aroya walks arm in arm with the bridesmaids down the bush track.
Aroya and Jack stand in a line with three groomsmen in brown waistcoats on the gravel track at Narbethong Hall under towering gums.
The groomsmen hoist Aroya sideways into their arms, her lace skirt spilling down, on the gravel track.
Jack leans in to kiss Aroya as the groomsmen hold her up, sun flaring through the tall gums at Narbethong Community Hall.
Jack wraps an arm around Aroya on the country track, her white roses in hand and ferns along the edge of the gravel.
Aroya and Jack walk hand in hand towards camera along the gravel track at Narbethong Community Hall on the Black Spur.
Aroya smiles across at Jack as they stroll hand in hand down the bush track in soft late light.
Jack glances sideways as he leads Aroya by the hand through the dappled light, white roses at her hip.
Aroya looks down with a red lipstick smile as Jack leads her by the hand, light sparkling through the trees behind.
Jack follows Aroya through the ferns and scrub, her hand in his and her flower crown soft in the foreground.
Aroya smiles back over her shoulder at the camera, Jack close behind her against the green leaves.
Jack kisses Aroya's head as she laughs among the ferns beside the track at Narbethong Hall at the top of the Black Spur.
Aroya and Jack lean in nose to nose, smiling, her white roses between them against the bracken of the bush.
Jack shows Aroya something tiny on the tip of his thumb as she smiles down at it in the soft country light.
Backlit curls glow around Aroya as she gazes at Jack over his shoulder, white roses at the edge of the frame.
Aroya looks back as she and Jack walk up the track at Narbethong Community Hall in Murrindindi Shire, late sun through the gums.
Aroya turns her face up to Jack, the lacing down the back of her gown catching the late light.
Aroya and Jack share a kiss on the gravel track at Narbethong Hall, backs to camera and the sun flaring through the trunks.
Aroya and Jack smile to camera on the bush track, her bouquet of white roses held against his waistcoat.
Aroya and Jack slow dance on the track, his hand at her waist and their joined hands raised among the country gums.
Aroya and Jack wander hand in hand along the bush track, sunlight on her curls and tall trunks rising behind.
Aroya glances up at Jack with a sideways smile as they walk side by side through the sunlit trees.
A green paddock rolls up to a line of dark trees on the hill beside the bronze mesh wall of Narbethong Community Hall.
A white welcome sign in gold script with the table plan stands on an iron easel by the glass doors of the hall.
A three tier cake with silvery green leaves and tiny white blooms sits on a wine barrel inside Narbethong Community Hall on the Black Spur.
A timber log centrepiece with tea lights, white blooms and a Table 3 card sits on a round table in the country hall.
Chalkboard guest book and wishing well signs stand on a hessian table by the glass at Narbethong Hall at the top of the Black Spur.
Glass lolly jars and a sweet memory chalkboard line a hessian table under purple uplights in the hall.
A microphone rests between two place settings beside a timber log of white flowers inside Narbethong Community Hall in Murrindindi Shire.
Groomsmen and guests haul armfuls of timber chairs back along the hessian runner from the bush ceremony.
Guests mingle by the covered barbecue shelter in the late sun, a lone gum and green paddock stretching beyond.
Six guests wave and grin from a long timber bench beside the path at Narbethong Community Hall, tall gums behind them.
Jack and a groomsman in brown waistcoats stand with a grey haired man and a woman in a blue patterned dress on the country lawn.
Aroya stands in the sun with six guests in bright summer dresses and shirts on the lawn at Narbethong Hall.
Aroya and a blonde bridesmaid in deep red laugh with four groomsmen lined up on the path in the late country sun.
Jack chats with a woman in green lace as the wedding party lines up outside Narbethong Community Hall on the Black Spur.
A woman in purple, a woman in green lace and a man in a dark suit wait on the path to enter the country reception.
A man in a pink shirt and paisley tie speaks into a microphone from a handwritten note beside the glass wall.
The woman in purple walks in under the covered entry of Narbethong Hall at the top of the Black Spur, the bridal party clapping.
The woman in green lace and the grey haired man in a dark suit walk in hand in hand, beaming, with the bush hills behind.
A groomsman and a blonde bridesmaid in a one shoulder deep red gown walk in from the lawn towards Narbethong Community Hall in Murrindindi Shire.
The bridesmaid in the red headscarf laughs as she walks in arm in arm with a tall groomsman, the bush hills behind.
A bridesmaid with short dark hair walks in arm in arm with a groomsman as Aroya and Jack wait their turn on the lawn.
Aroya and Jack step across the sunny lawn towards the open glass doors of Narbethong Community Hall, paddocks and hills beyond.
Aroya and Jack walk in hand in hand through the open glass doors, past little bistro tables on the terrace.
Guests clap from round tables beneath the timber ceiling of Narbethong Hall, tall timber blades lining the walls.
Aroya leans in behind three bridesmaids in deep red at the bridal table of their country wedding.
Jack stands behind three seated groomsmen in brown waistcoats at the bridal table, his hands on one's shoulders.
A man in a red tie and a woman in a blue floral dress smile from their round table in the bush hall.
A woman in a ruffled floral blouse and a man in navy smile by the glass wall of Narbethong Community Hall on the Black Spur.
A woman in a pale blue slip dress and a man in a red tie smile over a cheese board at the country reception.
A man in a grey waistcoat and a young man in glasses and a polka dot tie grin over red wine at their table.
A young man in a dark suit and spotted tie smiles from his table inside Narbethong Hall at the top of the Black Spur.
A man in a pale blue shirt and a man with a red rose on his lapel smile from their table against the timber blades.
A man in glasses gives a thumbs up beside a guest in a dark jacket at a round table in the country hall.
The man in glasses and a blue jacket keeps his thumb up as the bearded man beside him looks on, white flowers on the table.
A woman in a sheer black cardigan over a deep red top smiles from her table, the bridesmaids chatting behind her.
Aroya and three bridesmaids in deep red pose at the bridal table, the woman in purple with the beaded collar behind them.
Four women share a table by the glass wall of Narbethong Community Hall in Murrindindi Shire, one in purple with a beaded collar.
A woman in a blue patterned top and a white haired man in a pale blue shirt smile as platters arrive in the bush hall.
A man in a pink shirt and grey tie hugs a woman in a black jumpsuit beside the tall timber blades of Narbethong Community Hall.
A woman with long silver hair and a man with a white goatee lean together at the country reception, his arm around her.
A woman in a white dress and glasses and a man in a pale blue shirt and navy tie sit close at their table.
A man in a blue linen jacket and a woman in a denim jacket smile beside a wine barrel inside Narbethong Hall.
A man in a black waistcoat and red tie and a woman in a floral off shoulder top smile by the glass wall.
A woman in a white halter top and a woman in red sit side by side near a red velvet sofa in the country hall.
Two young boys, one flashing a peace sign, grin beside a man in a floral shirt at their country reception table.
A woman in red, a teenager in a navy tie and a man in a red tie grin at their table in the bush hall.
The woman in green lace sits with a man in a burgundy tie by the glass wall of Narbethong Community Hall on the Black Spur.
A woman in a floral blouse and a man in a navy blazer and checked shirt share a smile at their round table.
A bearded man in a black jacket and a woman in royal blue lace lean in together at the reception in the bush hall.
Two guests in tweed and a striped tie sit close at Narbethong Hall at the top of the Black Spur, the country lawn beyond.
An older gentleman in a dark suit and silver tie smiles warmly from his seat by the open glass doors.
The bearded man and the woman in royal blue lace hug an older woman in a black floral blouse and pearls at the country wedding.
The man in the pink shirt and paisley tie sits with a woman in navy with a beaded neckline beside a white petal garland.
A man in a navy blazer flashes a peace sign beside a friend in a white shirt, the garden showing through the glass door.
Three young men chat at a round table near a wine barrel in Narbethong Community Hall in Murrindindi Shire, glass walls beyond.
A woman in a navy floral dress and a woman in a dusty rose off shoulder dress sit at their table among the guests.
A young man in a pale blue shirt rests his folded arms on the table and smiles, timber blades behind him.
A bald man in a dark suit and a blonde woman in glasses and a white jacket smile as groomsmen chat behind them.
A man in a navy suit and polka dot tie and a woman with long curls in a red top smile at their table.
A man in black rimmed glasses and a blonde woman lean their heads together, all smiles, at the reception.
A white bearded man in a grey suit and a grey haired woman in a black and white wrap hug by the open glass doors.
The white bearded man talks with friends over wine as the lawn and the bush glow outside the open doors of Narbethong Community Hall.
The woman in green lace laughs and claps between two guests at her table as the speeches begin.
The woman in purple points as she chats over drinks with guests at a round table, a red velvet sofa behind.
Two women at a round table beam towards the speeches, the country reception full of listening guests behind them.
Three men in suits laugh along with the speeches at a round table against the timber blades.
A woman in royal blue lace laughs beside an older woman in pearls as guests fill Narbethong Hall for the speeches.
A woman with red hair holds a tablet and a phone at her table as guests around her in the bush hall listen.
The bridal party smiles down the long head table, three bridesmaids in deep red closest to the camera.
Aroya smiles, holding Jack's hand as he sips water by the glass doors of Narbethong Community Hall on the Black Spur.
A woman in a red top talks with her hands at a round table as the guests around her listen in the bush hall.
Jack leans in, grinning, to chat with two seated guests in shirts and ties at the country wedding.
Aroya leans over a table to greet guests at Narbethong Hall at the top of the Black Spur, a window behind her onto the paddock.
The woman with long silver hair talks with her hands as two bridesmaids and the woman in green lace listen at the head table.
A groomsman rests his chin on his hand at the head table, bistro chairs and bush outside the glass.
Aroya throws her head back laughing as she visits a table beside the white petal garlands at Narbethong Community Hall in Murrindindi Shire.
A man in a grey waistcoat and bow tie puffs out his cheeks as a woman beside him covers her mouth, laughing.
Aroya stops to chat at a busy round table, guests in summer dresses and suits around her inside Narbethong Community Hall.
Jack and Aroya talk with a woman with long blonde braids and a man in a pale shirt during the country reception.
Jack shakes hands with an older man wearing a red rose on his lapel as Aroya smiles beside them.
The man in the pink shirt and paisley tie stands behind two seated guests, smiling, against the timber blades.
Aroya laughs as a man in a dark suit claps his hands in delight, Jack grinning beside her at the country wedding.
Jack punches the air as Aroya laughs beside him at a table of cheering guests under the timber blades.
A woman in a blue floral dress and a bridesmaid in deep red call out together, arm in arm, by the greenery backdrop.
Jack talks with a man in a blue jacket by the glass of Narbethong Hall, golden paddocks rolling away outside.
A bridesmaid in deep red laughs as she playfully rests her hands on a seated guest's head at his table.
A woman in a floral dress reads her speech from a small notebook among the tables at Narbethong Community Hall on the Black Spur.
A man in a brown waistcoat and two men in shirts head into the car park in the late light, bush beyond the cars.
Guests mingle between the round tables of Narbethong Hall at the top of the Black Spur, tall forest filling the glass behind them.
Aroya laughs out loud as a bridesmaid in deep red rests a hand on her shoulder, the bridesmaid in the red headscarf beside them.
Two older men in suits talk by the glass doors of Narbethong Community Hall in Murrindindi Shire, the lawn and covered barbecue area behind them.
A woman in a floral blouse shows her phone to a man in a lilac shirt under the purple uplights of the country hall.
A young man in a pale blue shirt and the bridesmaid in the red headscarf smile together at their table.
A man in a red tie throws his head back laughing beside a woman in hoop earrings during the speeches.
The man in the pink shirt and paisley tie smiles mid speech, microphone and notes in hand, under the purple uplights.
Aroya rests her chin on her hand as Jack grins beside her at the head table, listening to the speeches in the bush hall.
An older man with a red rose on his lapel stands at his table to speak as guests clap at Narbethong Community Hall.
An older woman in a black and white floral blouse listens to the speeches as the guests around her clap.
The older gentleman in the dark suit raises a hand to his face as he listens to the speeches in the country hall.
Jack smiles to himself beside Aroya and a groomsman at the head table, her baby's breath crown just in view.
A blonde woman in a white jacket and glasses beams at the speeches from her table near the bridal party.
Aroya, Jack and the groomsmen in brown waistcoats laugh along the head table at the country reception.
Guests laugh under purple uplights inside Narbethong Community Hall on the Black Spur, the woman in royal blue lace smiling at the front table.
The older gentleman in the dark suit laughs at the speeches, a white chair cover and wine bottles beside him.
A bridesmaid in deep red, Aroya, Jack and the groomsmen crack up together at the head table of their country wedding.
Three bridesmaids in deep red laugh along the head table as Aroya smiles at the far end, red lipstick bright.
The bridesmaids, Aroya, Jack and a groomsman all laugh at the head table during the speeches in the bush hall.
A groomsman reads his speech into a microphone by the greenery arch at Narbethong Community Hall in Murrindindi Shire, Aroya and Jack grinning.
The groomsman looks down at his notes mid speech as Jack folds his arms on the table, smiling, beside Aroya.
An older man in a dark suit leans down to hug Jack at the head table in the bush hall as Aroya watches.
A tall groomsman laughs into the microphone by the white draped greenery arch inside Narbethong Hall.
Aroya beams as Jack and a groomsman dissolve into laughter, a bridesmaid covering her face at the end of the table.
A man in glasses and a burgundy tie speaks into the microphone at the country reception, his arm around the woman in green lace.
The man in glasses gives his speech beside the woman in green lace as the head table smiles at Narbethong Community Hall.
A woman in a tweed jacket listens closely among the guests, the tiered cake glowing in the far corner of the hall.
The older woman in the black and white floral blouse listens intently as guests behind her applaud.
The woman in green lace dabs her eyes with a tissue as guests listen around her table in the country hall.
The older man with the red rose on his lapel speaks into the microphone beside the woman in purple.
Aroya, Jack and the groomsmen listen quietly along the head table as the next speech begins in the country hall.
Aroya listens to the speeches with her hands folded, red lipstick and baby's breath crown, Jack beside her.
Aroya laughs as Jack gives a cheeky thumbs up beside her at the head table.
The man with the red rose speaks into the microphone as Aroya, Jack and the groomsmen smile at Narbethong Community Hall on the Black Spur.
The woman in purple with a beaded silver wrap laughs as she speaks into the microphone at the country wedding.
The woman in purple laughs mid speech, microphone in hand, as the groomsmen look on from the head table.
Guests turn to listen at the round tables of Narbethong Community Hall in Murrindindi Shire, the woman in green lace smiling.
Guests listen to the speeches from round tables laden with platters and wine in the country hall.
The woman in purple speaks as the head table listens under the greenery arch at Narbethong Hall at the top of the Black Spur.
Aroya laughs with the bridesmaids, Jack and the groomsmen as the woman in purple speaks into the microphone.
A woman in black presses a hand to her face as the men at her table listen to the speeches.
A speaker in purple holds the microphone as Aroya, Jack and the bridal table listen at Narbethong Community Hall on the Black Spur.
Aroya smiles and Jack bows his head laughing as a speaker in purple with a silver sash talks at the country reception.
Aroya and a bridesmaid in deep red laugh out loud while Jack and the groomsmen crack up at the speech.
A grey haired man in glasses and a blonde woman lean together, smiling at their table during the speeches.
A guest in a navy suit stands and smiles towards the bridal table against the red and purple lit timber blades of Narbethong Hall.
The guest in the navy suit sits smiling at a round table beside three young men during the country wedding speeches.
The guest in the navy suit doubles over laughing onto the table as the young men beside him grin.
A woman in purple with a fringed grey shawl reads her speech from a small notebook into the microphone.
The guest in the navy suit speaks from his phone as a grey haired man listens at the rural reception.
Guests at a round table with timber log centrepieces listen to the speeches at Narbethong Hall at the top of the Black Spur.
Aroya and Jack listen with the groomsmen in brown waistcoats as the guest in the navy suit reads from his phone.
Guests at round tables turn and laugh at the speeches beneath the tall glass walls and purple uplights of Narbethong Community Hall.
A woman in a white floral dress speaks into the microphone as the groomsmen and older guests turn to listen in the country hall.
Aroya grins at the bridal table under a greenery draped white backdrop while the groomsmen laugh along the table.
Aroya throws her head back laughing beside Jack as the woman in the white floral dress speaks at Narbethong Community Hall in Murrindindi Shire.
Guests laugh at their tables in front of the timber blades, the cake glowing beside the white drape at the bush reception.
Grey haired guests share a laugh at their table in front of a wall of white hanging blossoms and greenery.
Guests applaud the speeches from round tables under purple uplights at the country reception inside Narbethong Community Hall on the Black Spur.
Four men and a woman laugh together around a table against the warm timber walls of the bush hall.
A small group gathers around one microphone for a speech, the woman in purple reading from her phone.
The group calls out together at the microphone, a man in a navy blazer with his arm around the woman in purple.
A man in a blue blazer speaks into the microphone by the glass doors of Narbethong Hall as the bridal table listens.
Guests and the bridal party turn to the man in the blue blazer giving his speech in the country hall.
A grey haired man in a grey suit gives a speech as a woman in green lace listens below the hanging blossoms.
The grey haired man keeps speaking, microphone in hand, while the woman in green lace smiles up at him at the rural reception.
Aroya and the bridal table laugh at the grey haired speaker by the glass walls of Narbethong Hall at the top of the Black Spur.
Aroya and Jack stand together for their speech, Aroya holding the microphone beside the greenery arch.
The grey haired speaker laughs back at his table as a woman in a white jacket beams, the country hall stretching away behind them.
Wide view of round tables full of smiling guests under the timber ceiling and coloured uplights of Narbethong Community Hall.
The grey haired man in the grey suit grins with a hand on his chest as guests listen at the tables behind him.
A smiling woman in black sits with three men in suits at a table against the timber walls, hands clasped.
A woman in a white jacket clasps her hands and beams at the speeches, purple uplights glowing behind the tables.
Jack speaks into the microphone beside Aroya in front of the tall glass doors of Narbethong Community Hall in Murrindindi Shire.
Aroya smiles with the microphone in hand as Jack looks on, the greenery arch and dark glass wall of the bush hall behind them.
A bridesmaid in deep red hugs Aroya tight, the laced back of her gown and baby's breath crown lit by a blue light.
A guest in a floral dress hugs Aroya beside the timber blades of Narbethong Community Hall on the Black Spur.
Close up of Aroya and Jack's hands slicing into a cake trimmed with greenery as it sits on a wine barrel.
Aroya and Jack smile as they cut their three tier cake on a wine barrel at Narbethong Hall.
Guests gather on the timber floor to watch the couple, some clapping and others filming on phones and cameras.
A groomsman stands to film on his phone as seated guests turn in their gold chairs to watch from the round tables.
Aroya and Jack begin their first dance in front of the timber blades at Narbethong Hall at the top of the Black Spur.
Jack leads Aroya in a waltz hold across the dance floor as a bright light flares behind the greenery arch of the rural hall.
Jack and Aroya sway in a close hold as a bridesmaid and a guest in a floral dress hug by the purple lit timber blades.
Jack and Aroya reach out hand in hand at arm's length, the curved glass wall of Narbethong Community Hall glowing purple behind them.
Aroya smiles over Jack's shoulder mid dance as two women hug and watch by the red lit timber blades of the country hall.
Jack dips Aroya low to finish their first dance on the timber floor of Narbethong Community Hall in Murrindindi Shire.
Aroya laughs as Jack lifts her up out of the dip, her lace hem spilling across the country dance floor.
Guests applaud the first dance from gold chairs around the round tables, a woman in a floral dress clapping at the front.
Guests rise from their tables to clap and cheer at Narbethong Community Hall on the Black Spur, the greenery arch glowing beyond.
A smiling guest in a floral top looks back from her table as the guests behind her applaud at the bush reception.
Aroya, a guest in a floral dress and a bridesmaid in red join hands in a circle as the country party gets going.
Aroya dances between a bridesmaid in rust and a guest in a floral dress as green light flashes across the floorboards of Narbethong Hall.
A guest in a grey waistcoat lands flat on his back mid move, grinning on the polished timber dance floor.
Hands up, the guest in the grey waistcoat dances in front of Aroya at Narbethong Hall at the top of the Black Spur.
The guest in the grey waistcoat busts a move as Aroya and the bridesmaids laugh and clap behind him in the bush hall.
A blonde bridesmaid in a one shoulder red gown and a guest in a grey jacket pose arm in arm on the dance floor.
A woman in green lace and pearls laughs as a grey haired man in a white shirt spins her at the country wedding.
The woman in green lace and the grey haired man laugh together mid dance, a purple lit speaker behind them.
Aroya laughs on the dance floor of Narbethong Community Hall as the guest in the grey waistcoat dances towards her.
A bridesmaid in rust and a guest in a floral dress sing out as they dance by the greenery arch at the rural reception.
The bridesmaids in deep red and rust laugh and dance in a tight circle with a guest in a floral dress.
A bridesmaid in rust throws her arms in the air as the other bridesmaids dance around her at Narbethong Community Hall in Murrindindi Shire.
A woman in a white floral halter dress and a man in a red tie smile together in front of purple lit glass.
A grey haired man in glasses dances hand in hand with the blonde bridesmaid in red at Narbethong Community Hall on the Black Spur.
A groomsman in a brown waistcoat laughs as he dances with the guest in the floral dress at the country party.
The grey haired man in glasses dances with a blonde woman in a cream jacket beside the tall glass wall of Narbethong Hall.
A guest in a pale blue shirt dances with the bridesmaid in the red headscarf as the dance floor fills in the rural hall.
Aroya dances hand in hand with a young man in a white shirt, coloured light spilling across the floor.
A guest in a floral off shoulder top smiles up at the man in the red tie as they dance close at the country celebration.
The woman in the white halter dress dances with the man in navy at Narbethong Hall at the top of the Black Spur.
The blonde bridesmaid in red poses with a blonde woman, a grey haired man and a young man in glasses by the white drape.
Aroya laughs and dances with the woman in the white halter dress as stage lights glow purple behind them.
Aroya dances opposite the woman in the white halter dress while the man in the red tie grins beside them.
Aroya tosses her curls back as two bridesmaids in red dance with her under red lights at Narbethong Community Hall.
Jack leans across the bridal table to hand a white card to a guest as groomsmen chat at the country reception.
Guests talk around a round table late in the night as two men chat standing beneath red ceiling lights.
The grey haired speaker in the grey suit holds hands with a smiling woman in a black and white print on the country dance floor.
A woman in a striped knit and a guest in a floral blouse dance with a young guest under soft green light.
Guests in suits and a woman in red stand chatting between the tables late in the evening as a seated guest checks her phone.
Out in the dark beside the bush, Jack walks an older guest with her walker along the timber wall, his arm around her.
Groomsmen and guests relax on leather lounge chairs around a low table piled with white rose bouquets at Narbethong Community Hall in Murrindindi Shire.
A bridesmaid in deep red twirls hand in hand with the grey haired man in glasses as the dance floor fills behind them.
A guest in a pale blue shirt dances with the guest in the floral dress as a groomsman grins at the rural party.
A bridesmaid in red reaches out to dancing guests by the glass walls of Narbethong Community Hall on the Black Spur.
The guest in the grey waistcoat strikes a pose with a raised fist as the crowd on the country dance floor cheers him on.
A guest launches into an aerial kick, legs flying above the floor at Narbethong Hall, as a woman in a floral dress claps.
The guest in the waistcoat lands low after his aerial kick as dancers watch under pink party lights in the bush hall.
A young guest in a dotted shirt and a woman in black lace with long braids dance across the timber floor.
Aroya tilts her head back as she dances with a bridesmaid in deep red under a wash of purple light at the country party.
Aroya smiles to camera wrapped in Jack's arms on the dance floor, his white rose buttonhole beside her cheek.
Aroya hugs Jack and smiles to camera as guests keep dancing under green and purple party lights in the rural hall.
In black and white, Jack waits by the long mesh wall as Aroya walks towards him, tree shadows across it and paddocks beyond.
Aroya and Jack embrace against the bronze mesh wall of Narbethong Hall at the top of the Black Spur, tree shadows falling across it.
The wedding story

Our Narbethong Community Hall wedding photos: a hessian aisle under the mountain ash, a train in flight and a dip on the timber floor

Jack at Amelina Cottages, Marysville · Aroya at Fernbrook Cottage, Marysville · Bush ceremony at Narbethong Community Hall · Group photo under the gums · Bush-track portraits · Speeches, cake and dancing in the timber hall

Read the full story

Red roses at Amelina Cottages

Our morning began in Marysville at Amelina Cottages, where a box of red rose buttonholes and a single white rose sat waiting on the table. Jack and the groomsmen pulled on brown waistcoats, white shirts and tan chinos in a bright cottage kitchen, with plenty of banter between buttons. Jack pinned on his rose, and we made a quiet black and white frame of him by the window. Then everyone spilled into the garden. White flowering shrubs and deep green foliage make a calm backdrop for groomsmen, so we lined them up there and let the jokes do the rest.

Pearls and perfume at Fernbrook

Across town at Fernbrook Cottage, the details were laid out on white linen: pearl drop earrings, a purple perfume bottle and sprigs of baby’s breath. A box of white rose bouquets waited for the bridesmaids, and Aroya’s gown hung in the window. She sat in a lace robe while the bridesmaids, in deep red and rust, filled the lounge with laughter. Then came the red lipstick, which we shot close and side-on to the window. A white cottage room is a gift in the morning: the walls bounce soft light back onto faces, so the skin stays natural and nobody is squinting.

A crown in the mirror

The gown went on, and a bridesmaid laced up the back while Aroya held perfectly still. She spread the lace skirt across the floorboards, then settled a crown of baby’s breath into her curls in front of an ornate grey mirror. We shot that one through the mirror, with a hand and a sprig of flowers soft in the foreground, which makes a frame feel like you are standing in the room. Outside, the cottage garden had tree ferns and red blooms, a perfect setting for white roses against deep red dresses, and the shade under the ferns kept every face even.

A hessian aisle in the gums

The ceremony was set in the bush beside the hall: timber chairs in rows under tall gums, a hessian runner scattered with white petals, and an arch of greenery hung with white garlands. Jack waited at the end while the groomsmen walked the bridesmaids out from the hall, across the lawn and down the runner. Then Aroya appeared at the hall with a loved one in a dark suit beside her. We stood back for a wide frame of the two of them against the timber and mesh walls, then moved in as she reached Jack, both of them beaming.

Vows under the canopy

A guest read to the gathering from a printed page, then Aroya and Jack joined hands for their vows. They laughed their way through, and so did the rows of guests in front of them. A canopy of mountain ash this tall softens the afternoon light, but it also throws patches of sun around, so we kept moving to find faces in clean shade and shot wide from the back to show how small everyone looked beneath the trees. They signed the register at a little red table, kissed right there, and walked back up the hessian aisle to applause.

Everyone under the gums

Straight after the ceremony we gathered every guest on the lawn for one big photo, with the gum trees standing tall behind them. We always do that photo while everyone is still in one place: ten minutes later the crowd has scattered towards the drinks. Then came the hugs, including a long one with an older guest leaning on her walker, and the family groups on the grass. Aroya found a patch of shade under the hall’s raised entry screen and gave her skirt a full twirl, lace spinning out across the concrete.

A train in flight

For portraits we walked the wedding party onto a gravel track running into the bush. A bridesmaid flung Aroya’s train into the air while the groomsmen cracked up, and the bridesmaids crowded in close with their white roses for a laughing frame. Then it was just Aroya and Jack, strolling hand in hand with the late sun coming through the trunks behind them. Backlight like that wraps hair and lace in a soft glow. We finished at the hall itself, where the low sun threw tree shadows across the bronze mesh wall, and Narbethong Community Hall wedding photos rarely get a better backdrop.

Purple light on timber

Inside, the hall was set with round tables, gold chairs tied with tulle, timber log centrepieces and white flowers, with a guest book and wishing well on a hessian cloth by the glass. A three-tier cake trimmed in greenery stood on a wine barrel. Guests mingled outside by the covered barbecue area in the last of the sun, then the bridal party walked in through the glass doors in pairs. The speeches came with plenty of laughter, one read from a small notebook and another delivered by a group around one microphone, all under purple uplights on the timber blades.

A dip and an aerial kick

Aroya and Jack cut the cake at the barrel, then took the floor for their first dance, which ended with Jack dipping Aroya almost to the floorboards. After that the dance floor never emptied. The bridesmaids danced with their arms in the air, guests spun each other around, and one launched himself into an aerial kick that drew a cheer from the edge of the floor. A timber floor and coloured lights behind the dancers do half our work at night: the glow rims everyone in purple and green. We finished with Aroya and Jack wrapped up together, laughing, in the middle of it all.

Photographer's venue notes

Narbethong Community Hall: a bush ceremony under the mountain ash and a party in the timber hall

Read the venue notes

Bush, lawn and hall

Aroya and Jack used the hall grounds in easy steps. The ceremony sat in the tall gums beside the hall, with timber chairs, a hessian runner and a garland arch, and the wedding party walked out from the building across the lawn to reach it. Straight afterwards everyone came onto the open grass for the big group photo and the hugs, then we took the wedding party onto a gravel track into the bush. Drinks by the covered barbecue area came next, and the evening moved inside through the glass doors for speeches, cake and dancing.

Afternoon under the canopy

The day was clear, with a wide blue sky over the paddocks. Under the mountain ash, though, the light broke into patches, so during the vows we kept working the edges of the rows to find faces in clean shade rather than spotlights of sun. Out on the track later in the afternoon the sun sat lower, behind the trunks, which gave us flare, glowing curls and lace lit from behind. By the time guests mingled outside before dinner, the paddocks beyond the glass had gone soft and golden.

Where we stood for the best frames

The bronze mesh wall was our favourite surprise of the afternoon. With the sun low, tree shadows fell across it in long stripes, and Aroya and Jack wrapped up together against it made a frame that could only belong to this place. On the track we walked ahead of the wedding party and let them come towards us in a line, which kept the laughter rolling. For the group photo we stepped back far enough to keep the gums standing tall behind the crowd. Inside, the purple and green lights on the timber blades gave the night its colour.

Tips from Aroya and Jack’s day

Choose a ceremony spot inside the trees but close to the hall, so the walk in from the building becomes part of the story, as it did when Aroya appeared beside the timber and mesh walls. Save time for a portrait walk once the sun drops; the bush track gave us forest frames without anyone getting back in a car. And remember the covered entry for the congratulations on a bright day: it gave Aroya a pocket of shade for her twirl while the lawn stayed sunny.

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