Stunning Hillside Elopement on a Farm

Stunning Hillside Elopement on a Farm

Written by Lorraine Wright, Marriage Celebrant

Images by Amie Forbes

In November 2020, I teamed up with photographer Amie Forbes and a collective of talented local wedding pros to create two very different, yet equally ‘Samford’ styled elopements. Here, in part 2, we bring you our Hillside Paddock Elopement on a beautiful local farm.

What was the inspiration behind this shoot concept?

For this shoot, our aim was to capture the rustic beauty of this idyllic rural hillside scene on one of Highvale’s original dairy farms, with its glorious shades of gold and green, and to incorporate sustainable choices and bespoke design throughout.

“I’m so fortunate to be able to bring clients to this special place for photo shoots. It’s perfectly positioned to let me take advantage of the late afternoon light as the sun sets behind Mount Nebo,” says Amie Forbes. “I love the natural summery tones of the grasses; the gravel road; the original fenceposts and gates. It’s a quintessentially Australian setting, and so photogenic.”

Bridal and groom kissing in front of a floral arbour on a hillside
Idyllic Rural Elopement Setting with Spectacular Arbour by Branch and Sea

Even without any styling, a scene like this is perfect for an elopement ceremony. But when you add a stunning floral arbour like this one, created by the uber-talented Annie Donaldson from Branch and Sea, the result is awe-inspiring! Undoubtedly the most beautiful arbour I’ve ever seen.

Bride carries a rustic bouquet as she walks to her elopement ceremony on a farm
Stunning sustainable blooms by Branch and Sea

“I started Branch and Sea just over a year ago with the aim of creating sustainable floral designs, founded on environmentally and ethically sound practices,” Annie explains. “I love working with clients who share my passion to protect our environment, animals, and people through sustainable choices – and this is definitely something you can bring into your wedding planning,” says Annie.

“For the shoot, I stayed true to this ethos, designing the arbour, bridal bouquet and groom’s boutonniere using seasonal, locally grown flowers to complement the scenery, the couple’s colour palette and overall styling. And of course, I repurposed as much as possible after the shoot.”

Bride and Groom Kiss in front of Tesla Wedding Car
Stylish Ride!

The sustainability aspect of this shoot was particularly close to the heart of photographer, Amie Forbes. “I live off the grid, so making environmentally-conscious choices is part of my everyday life,” says Amie. “I share this lifestyle I love so much, through my vlog, @Pocket.Life and my You Tube channel.”

Our models for the shoot were real-life couple, Sam and Samantha Clark. “I had photographed their beachside wedding in October, but I knew they had always dreamed of marrying on this farm,” says Amie. “So, they were the perfect models for this shoot… happy-go-lucky people with beaming smiles, and their love for each other written all over their faces. In fact, I nicknamed Samantha ‘Miss Sunshine’ on her real wedding day!”

“We were beyond excited when Amie invited us to be part of this shoot, and it exceeded our expectations in every way!” says groom, Sam. “It was so much fun to dress up again and recreate our special day, in this dreamy location,” says bride, Samantha. “The team made the day so incredible – they thought of literally everything!”

Hair and makeup artist Ashley Sparks created Samantha’s look, with natural tones and on-trend, loose waves. “Samantha has gorgeous blonde tresses, and I wanted to give her a simple but beautiful ‘down-style’ so the late afternoon sun would pick up her natural highlights,” says Ashley.

Wedding Rings Sitting in Apricot-Coloured Flower
Bespoke Blooms and Bling

Samantha wore her own bridal gown and veil (Madi Lane), and we complemented her look with a stunning bespoke diamond necklace and earrings, handcrafted by Samford’s own master jeweller, Daniel Arnold.

“I got my first taste for jewellery design and manufacture when I was 15 years old, doing work experience with a jeweller. I knew instantly, I’d found what I wanted to do with my life,” says Dan. “My job is to get into the head of my client, so the end result is more than they could have ever imagined. The experience is completely bespoke, and very personal.”

Sam and Samantha arrived at the farm in a Tesla Model S, which ticked all the boxes from practicality to aesthetics to environmental-consciousness. “Who doesn’t love a Tesla?” says Amie Forbes. “I couldn’t wait to capture the juxtaposition of that sleek, modern car driving up the old gravel farm road. I knew the camera would love it.”

Bridal Couple Exchange Vows while Celebrant and Guitarist watch on
Intimate Vibes Abound

As their Celebrant for the Elopement Ceremony, I greeted Samantha at the farm gate, then she walked across the paddock to meet Sam at the arbour.

The exquisite sounds of classical guitar filled the country air as Clancy Anderson played acoustically for Samantha’s arrival. This was musical perfection somehow made to look effortless, and it set the tone for a romantic ceremony beautifully. (For a taste of Clancy’s talent, head over to You Tube for a listen.)

I then ‘upped the romance ante’ by asking Sam and Samantha to reaffirm their original wedding vows to each other, and this was such a joyful moment, filled with genuine emotion.

Both Sam and Samantha had written their own vows, combining heartfelt with hilarious, and the result was totally authentic – and every bit as much fun as on their real wedding day.

Couple laugh as they say their wedding vows
Wedding Vows with All the Feels!

Grazing Platter on Engraved Wooden Board

 

After the ceremony, Samantha and Sam enjoyed a delicious picnic curated by Rebecca Worton, of Graze at Samford. 

The luxe spread comprised locally sourced cheeses, charcuterie, fruits and crackers, artfully served on a personalised grazing board. 

And to toast their good luck, Yasmin Mays of Booze Box Co provided a fabulous Margarita Gift Box for the newlyweds to indulge as the sun set behind the mountain.

Sam and Samantha couldn’t resist having their first dance in the paddock, as Clancy played while the rather bemused cows watched on. It was the perfect way to end an afternoon of fun, love and laughter.

Couple kiss and hold cocktail glasses as they sit by a picnic platter
Cheers to That!
Bride and groom dance in the paddock as guitarist plays
First dance

If you see anything here that you’d love to incorporate in your wedding, or if you’d like to chat about eloping in Brisbane or Southeast Queensland, I’d love to hear from you!

I’d also like to acknowledge the team of creative wedding professionals involved in this shoot.

  • First and foremost, talented photographer and all-round lovely person, Amie Forbes, for her gorgeous images, and for her part in planning the concept for our shoot.
  • The completely delightful, talented hair and make up artist, Ashley Sparks.
  • Passionate floral designer and carer for our planet, Annie Donaldson from Branch and Sea.
  • Up-and-coming, supremely talented classical guitarist, Clancy Anderson.
  • The lovely Yasmin and Linden from Booze Box Co. All I can say is, brilliant idea!
  • Culinary queen, Rebecca from Graze at Samford.
  • Samford’s Secret Jeweller, Daniel Arnold.
  • Envirolimo for the Tesla hire.
  • Sam and Samantha for being such fabulous good sports, and reliving their happy wedding vibes for our photo shoot.
  • And then there was me… ‘The Wright Celebrant‘, Concept Planner and Writer.

    Cute wedding couple lean into each other under the veil
    A Veiled Moment To Themselves
Bride and Groom walk hand in hand up the hillside near a picnic
From this day forward…

Romantic Creekside Elopement, Samford-style

Barefoot Wedding by the Creek

Written by Lorraine Wright, Marriage Celebrant

In November 2020, I teamed up with photographer Amie Forbes and a collective of talented local wedding pros to create two Samford-inspired styled elopements. Here, in part 1, we bring you our Creekside Elopement. We hope this gives you some inspiration and new ideas for your elopement or micro-wedding.

The Concept

The concept for this elopement shoot was to create something stunningly simple, yet brimming with romance. This one is for the lovers… a dreamy elopement for couples who simply seek each other; not a crowd.

“Elopements are the ‘new black’ in weddings,” says photographer, Amie Forbes. “When you choose to elope, you can really focus on the things that are truly meaningful to you, without all the trappings of a big wedding. How liberating is that?”

You may be looking to simplify your wedding plans, but that doesn’t mean you have to settle for ordinary. Small and simple can be extraordinary.

Imagine just the two of you standing together, feeling connected and really present as you make your vows to each other. The intensity of that moment will live with you forever. This is at the heart of our creek-side elopement shoot in Samford; the beauty in simplicity.

This romantic set up would also lend itself to an intimate proposal with a definite WOW factor!

Image by Amie Forbes Photography

And because we love where we live and appreciate our local community, it was a joy to dip into the deep well of local talent and team up with some wonderful wedding professionals as our ‘co-creators’ on this shoot.

Amie Forbes explains, “I love shooting around our local region of Samford Valley and Highvale. You can really immerse yourself in nature, and I’m such a down-to-earth person – it suits my style of photography. I’m all about natural light and muted, earthy tones, and I like to bring a sense of playfulness to my shoots, so if bare feet are an option, I say go for it!”

We also wanted the shoot to feel and look entirely authentic, so I invited one of my gorgeous ‘real life’ couples, Sally and Dean (whose marriage I officiated in a scaled-back wedding during tight COVID restrictions) to be our models, and they jumped at the chance. I mean, we all talk about ‘wearing the dress again’, right? But who ever does, really? And this was a chance for them to have the fabulous wedding photo shoot they missed back in May.

We chose not to tell Dean and Sally every detail in advance, because we wanted the set up to elicit genuine emotion, and feel every bit as incredible as their actual wedding day.

Getting Ready

The shoot began with ‘getting ready’ photos at my home in Samford Valley, with views of House Mountain.

Image by Amie Forbes Photography
Image by Amie Forbes Photography

Hair and makeup artist Ashley Sparks devised the look for our bride, opting for simple, natural styling to complement Sally’s own strapless ivory lace gown (Jadore Australia) and vintage-inspired pillbox headpiece.

Image by Amie Forbes Photography

“My goal is always to help my brides feel their most beautiful self on their special day, and to radiate that self-confidence all day long,” says Ashley. “That means carefully considering which products and techniques to use, so the bride’s look will hold up beautifully till the end of the day.”

Image by Amie Forbes Photography
Image by Amie Forbes Photography

Chelsea and Madison from Wattle and Daisy in Samford created a soft, romantic bouquet for Sally and matching buttonhole for Dean, featuring locally grown Queen Anne Lace and colourful Cosmos from Woggoon Farm, and the result was elegant simplicity itself.

Image by Amie Forbes Photography
Image by Amie Forbes Photography
Image by Amie Forbes Photography
Image by Amie Forbes Photography

Creekside Elopement

We chose a secluded creek-side location for our elopement ceremony, where the branches of huge trees reach across from both banks of the river to form a cathedral-like roof.

“The air by the creek feels cool and fresh; you’re surrounded by birdsong; and the river pebbles under foot make an amazing foreground for the images. It’s very Samford,” says Amie.

Image by Amie Forbes Photography
Image by Amie Forbes Photography

Music is incredibly important in creating the atmosphere for a ceremony, and we were thrilled to have up-and-coming classical guitarist, Clancy Anderson on board. Clancy’s music was one of our little surprises for the bride and groom, and when he began to play, the effect was sublime. (For a taste of Clancy’s talent, head over to You Tube for a listen.)

Image by Amie Forbes Photography

As Sally walked barefoot across the river stones to meet Dean, the emotions were intensely real. The way they looked at each other was romance on toast. I think all of us watching on had a tear in our eye.

Image by Amie Forbes Photography
Image by Amie Forbes Photography
bride walks barefoot across stones near a creek
Image by Amie Forbes Photography
Image by Amie Forbes Photography
Image by Amie Forbes Photography

In another little surprise, I handed Dean and Sally cards printed with their very own marriage vows. There were huge smiles and more tears as the realisation dawned; they were about to reaffirm their promises to each other. Sally and Dean’s vows were the pinnacle of their emotion-charged wedding earlier in the year – written in secret and revealed to each other in that special moment, and I’ve got to say, those words were every bit as relevant and compelling, months on.

Image by Amie Forbes Photography

Image by Amie Forbes Photography
Image by Amie Forbes Photography
Image by Amie Forbes Photography
Image by Amie Forbes Photography
Image by Amie Forbes Photography
Image by Amie Forbes Photography
Image by Amie Forbes Photography
Image by Amie Forbes Photography
Image by Amie Forbes Photography

Next, they signed on each other’s backs – a cute trick for keeping things simple, and adding a perfect light note.

Image by Amie Forbes Photography
Image by Amie Forbes Photography
Image by Amie Forbes Photography
Image by Amie Forbes Photography

“I think my favourite images of the day were of Dean and Sally crossing the creek for their post-wedding picnic,” says Amie. “I loved capturing their connection. There were some gorgeous, intimate moments.”

Image by Amie Forbes Photography
Image by Amie Forbes Photography
Image by Amie Forbes Photography
Image by Amie Forbes Photography
Image by Amie Forbes Photography

The newlyweds’ gourmet picnic was expertly curated by our favourite local foodie and founder of Graze at Samford, Rebecca Worton. “Graze at Samford is all about sharing the awe-inspiring goodness of our region with anyone who craves fresh air, green spaces and fresh local produce in their life. We can create a heavenly grazing board or picnic to suit any food preferences, sourcing the very best local ingredients,” says Rebecca. “We also do boutique events and gifting experiences, such as these personalised boards engraved with your family name. What a perfect reminder of the romance of your special day. Or get creative with your message – who doesn’t love a play on words?”

Image by Amie Forbes Photography
Image by Amie Forbes Photography
Image by Amie Forbes Photography
Image by Amie Forbes Photography

“It wouldn’t be a proper celebration without a toast, would it?” says Yasmin Mays from Booze Box Co. “We’ve put together gift boxes with everything you need to make your favourite cocktails. Here, Sally and Dean are enjoying our French Martini – as delicious as it is pretty!” says Yasmin.

Image by Amie Forbes Photography
Image by Amie Forbes Photography
Image by Amie Forbes Photography

“We also do Margarita, and Lime and Basil Mojito gift boxes. Our gourmet cocktail syrups, lime products and even the wood for our handcrafted boxes are locally sourced,” says Yasmin’s business partner and hubby, Linden.

First Dance

For the perfect end to the day, our newlyweds were spoilt with a fine dining experience (and a final, special surprise) at one of Brisbane’s most exciting restaurants, Pause at Samford. This restaurant is a true gem; the food is always superb, and the dining experience a joy.

Image by Amie Forbes Photography
Image by Amie Forbes Photography
Image by Amie Forbes Photography

“Chef Rino crafts simple Mediterranean flavours with the highest quality, seasonal ingredients,” says Restaurant Manager, Luca Orion Marra. “Every food experience at Pause offers something to explore, and a reason to take a moment, to pause.”

And that final surprise? A romantic ‘first dance’ for Dean and Sally on the restaurant balcony, with talented local musician Stacey Brown giving a soulful performance of “Can’t Help Falling in Love”. “I just love bringing music into people’s lives, especially at memorable moments like this,” says Stacey.

Image by Amie Forbes Photography
Image by Amie Forbes Photography
Image by Amie Forbes Photography
Image by Amie Forbes Photography

Oh. My. Goodness! This was my personal favourite moment. We were spellbound listening to Stacey, and witnessing this experience for Dean and Sally. He only had eyes for his beautiful bride, and she for him, as she snuggled into those protective arms. No staging or prompting was needed; this was real – the culmination of a perfectly simple, romance-filled day.

As we drew to the end, Dean and Sally gushed, “Today felt like a dream.”

And in those few words, I think they summed up the #1 wedding goal for most couples.

A dream in the making.

 

We hope you’ve enjoyed this collection of images and gained some inspiration and ideas for your elopement or micro-wedding.

Please do get in touch if this sounds like your dream wedding! We’d love to help you bring it to life.

Image by Amie Forbes Photography

And, Roll Credits!

Planning and Concept  |  Lorraine Wright, The Wright Celebrant, and Amie Forbes, Amie Forbes Photography

Photographer  | Amie Forbes, Amie Forbes Photography

Celebrant  |  Lorraine Wright, The Wright Celebrant

Hair and Makeup Artist  |  Ashley Sparks, Sparks Makeup Artistry

Grazing board and picnic styling  |  Rebecca Worton, Graze at Samford

Restaurant and First Dance location  |  Pause, Samford

Classical Guitarist  |  Clancy Anderson 

Keyboard/vocals  |  Stacey B Music

Floral design  |  Wattle and Daisy

Local blooms  |  Woggoon Farm

Cocktail box  |  Booze Box Co

Models  |  Real-life couple, Sally and Dean Gollan