Bethany and Andrew’s wedding was held at Australian Bushland Weddings. Bethany wore a stunning red dress by Sottero and Midgley, paired with a thrifted jacket, vintage heirloom jewellery and preowned shoes. Andrew, complementing her style, donned a jacket he picked up from a second-hand shop. Their bridal party was a mix of genders, featuring a man of honour—Bethany’s brother.
When asked about their wedding theme, they described it as simply “Bethany and Andrew themed.” They incorporated everything they loved, drawing inspiration from the Australian bush, trivia nights at the pub and dance floors. The main focus was on celebrating their love and commitment with friends and family, making everything else a fun addition.
The couple didn’t aim to be different on purpose but quickly realised they preferred the idea of a relaxed, party-like atmosphere over a traditional wedding. Their guests were asked to ‘Dress to Impress’ in whatever made them feel comfortable, resulting in a vibrant mix of sequins, tiger prints and velvet.
Held at Little River, near the Hawkesbury River, the ceremony took place in a bush glade in front of a large rock. Bethany walked down the aisle to a mix of With You from Pippin which ‘rick rolled’ into Rick Astley’s Never Gonna Give You Up. Her sister, unable to attend from Edinburgh, pre-recorded a reading and their vows were simple yet meaningful. “We signed our marriage certificate leaning on each other’s backs rather than set up a table”, Bethany continued. “Why go to so much effort for such a quick thing?! And it was more symbolic for us (to support each other) and was a bit of fun for our guests! We had confetti cannons at the end of the ceremony which were made from environmentally friendly rice paper and we walked back down the aisle together to I Believe in a Thing Called Love by the Darkness.”
The reception was set in a large meadow under a Bedouin tent. The decor was simple yet they did include photos of family members who were no longer with them. Guests enjoyed trivia games while the couple took photos. “When we had a moment as a couple, on top of a mountain watching the sunset after the wedding ceremony and before the reception”, the bride said. “It was so lovely to decompress, talk to each other about our mornings and how we felt after the ceremony and relax together before we headed back to the party.”
The evening then continued with speeches, a buffet and music played from vintage records. They cut a cake made of various wheels of cheese from the local supermarket and danced until 5am!
“We think the traditional wedding industry is a complete rort”, Bethany concluded. “While the intent of planning something important should be special, it’s wrapped up in so much emotional and financial pressure, stress and heartache. People should feel empowered to do whatever they want and we hope it becomes easier to plan more unique and alternative celebrations. Our advice to other couples would be to write down your perfect date day/night, weekend away or party celebration – and then do that for your wedding!”
“We also really recommend giving yourself less time to plan. We found it limited the stress and made sure we made decisions quickly and were able to move on without second guessing ourselves. We also designated time to discuss wedding planning throughout the week so it didn’t take over our lives.”
