Kate and Phil

HARTLEY VALE

THE ROMANCE OF TRAVEL AND TRADITION INSPIRED KATE AND PHIL’S RUSTIC WEDDING.

When stargazing lovers Kate Mirabito and Philip Shaw met at the end of high school in 2004, Phil swept Kate off her feet with his knowledge of the constellations. Ten years later, during a whirlwind European trip, it was Mozart at midnight that prompted Phil to pop the question. “We had been to a dinner performance and were walking back to our hotel, through the empty cobblestoned streets of Salzburg, when Phil proposed at the foot of the famous Residenzplatz Fountain,” Kate remembers.

Of course, her answer was “Yes”. The couple, who live in the Sydney suburb of Gladesville, soon started planning their big day. “We knew we would marry somewhere other than Sydney but didn’t want our guests to have to travel excessively to attend. The Blue Mountains seemed a good fit – it’s perfect for a weekend away or a day trip from Sydney,” says Phil. “We discovered Collits Inn online and scheduled a visit. It was the first and only venue we saw, and we knew straight away it was exactly what we were after.”

“Blown away” by the stunning rural location, picturesque Blue Mountains setting and native Australian flora, the pair booked the venue that very same day. Six months later, a quaint civil ceremony was held on the property’s grounds under a pair of shimmering eucalypts, with that beautiful mountain backdrop.

After the nuptials, 95 guests gathered in the DIY-styled barn for a joyous celebration that lasted well into the night. Kate took inspiration from the barn – the centrepiece of the property – by keeping styling simple and personal. “I sourced vintage lace doilies from op shops that I sewed into bunting and hung between pillars in the barn. Mum crocheted 150 white-lace hearts that we strung amid fairy lights, creating a magical, romantic ceiling for our guests to dine under,” she says. “We also used the hearts as the backdrop to our vows, hanging them from the arbour under the gum trees.”

“The first decision I made

as soon as Phil and I were engaged was to wear Mum’s wedding dress. “

The day before the wedding, both families gathered in the barn to help decorate. “Cheryl and Chris from Collits Inn were extremely accommodating, letting us take over the barn. It meant so much to us that we could have our families involved in the preparation,” Kate says. Handmade candles decorated each table and other Collits Inn props included old suitcases, bundles of books, vintage teacups, tree stumps and old farm machinery. “The hessian and lace tablecloths, flickering candles and soft baby’s breath helped create the perfect vintage theme in the rustic barn,” Kate recalls.

Onsite catering by Collits Inn owner Chris Warren included locally sourced, seasonal produce. “It was a hearty, homecooked meal,” says Kate, “Each course was presented on self-serve platters, creating a truly convivial atmosphere.”

In a nod to heritage, the seating plan was designed in the shape of Italy (where Kate’s father was born) and each table given the name of an Italian city Phil and Kate had visited during their travels. “Our bridal table, just for the two of us, was named Florence – our favourite city,” adds Kate.

Kate’s dress had special meaning, too: “The first decision I made as soon as Phil and I were engaged was to wear Mum’s wedding dress. I never even considered the possibility of another option. I wore the dress exactly as my mum did 32 years prior, without any changes to the design or style. It only required minor alterations – refitting the bodice and replacing the original exposed zipper down the back with an invisible zipper and pearl buttons. Wearing the dress made the day even more special and created a bond between my mother and I that we will always have.”

Kate’s bridal bouquet was decorated with heirlooms passed down from both families, including the original wax beads that had adorned Kate’s great-grandmother’s wedding headpiece, and a gold-and-diamond necklace that belonged to Phil’s great-grandmother, who was married in 1915.

“I love that we had so many personal touches incorporated throughout the day that held importance to Phil and I, and our story,” says Kate. “During the reception, we took a moment to ourselves and stood back to watch our family and friends dancing and celebrating in the barn. We were miles from anywhere else – it was just us and our loved ones in our own little world in Hartley Vale.” BML

STYLE FILE

CEREMONY & RECEPTION: Collits Inn, Hartley Vale CELEBRANT: Tina Marie Sheil from Love in the Mountains HAIR & MAKEUP: Tania Bowers from Weddings by Tania BRIDE: Mother’s original wedding dress BRIDESMAIDS: sheindress.com.au and own shoes GROOM & GROOMSMEN: Ferrari Formalwear & Bridal, Parramatta BRIDE’S SHOES: Kate’s own ankle boots, covered in gold glitter BRIDE’S RING: Martin & Stein, Queen Victoria Building, Sydney GROOM’S RING: Underwood Jewellers, Parramatta FLOWERS: Baby’s breath from Sydney Flower Market, in mix-and-match vases and jars CAKE: Giant cannoli cake from Pasticceria Via Reggio, Blacktown CATERING: Collits Inn STATIONERY & SIGNAGE: All made by Kate STYLING: Collits Inn props and DIY table settings and decorations TRANSPORT: Kate’s Grandfather’s 1959 Ford Zephyr Mark II and charter bus from Madjestic Tours, Lithgow GUEST ACCOMMODATION: The Imperial Hotel, Mount Victoria and Blue Hills Farm Retreat, Hartley