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Kristie and Benjamin
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PHOTOS: PHILIPPA ENID
Kristie Benjamin AND MEGALONG VALLEY
LOCAL LOVEBIRDS KRISTIE AND BENJAMIN SWAPPED MOUNTAIN LIFE FOR TOP END TROPICS BUT RETURNED TO WED IN A HOMEMADE AND HEARTFELT BOHO CEREMONY AMONG THE VINES IN MEGALONG VALLEY.
High-school sweethearts Kristie and Benjamin Reid grew up in the lower Blue Mountains, where love blossomed from their very first encounter. “Benjamin says he saw me across the room at a school camp and was captivated by my smile,” Kristie recalls. “He said he ‘felt sparks’ and decided he had to get to know me.”
A year later, after many awkward and shy conversations, and despite hearing schoolyard warnings about Kristie’s four protective brothers, Benjamin asked Kristie to date him. “He walked me home from school every afternoon, despite living in the opposite direction,” says Kristie.
Ten years after that first look, Benjamin watched Kristie walk through a flower-covered archway at Dryridge Estate to marry him. Benjamin, an electrician, and Kristie, a preschool teacher, left the mountains in 2014 to pursue adventure in Darwin, Northern Territory, but were drawn back to their childhood home to marry among family and friends.
“For us it was significant to declare our commitment in the place where our love began to bloom,” says Kristie. “When I saw the view from Dryridge Estate, I was giddy. The beauty of the vistas and bushland in the Blue Mountains is breathtaking, and we knew it would make a stunning backdrop for our ceremony.
“We also wanted our guests to experience whimsy and magic, and a drive through the mountains and down through fernladen glens into Megalong Valley certainly delivers.”
The ceremony, held in Dryridge Estate’s marquee, was made cosy and love-filled by Kristie and Benjamin’s humanist ceremony, which included deeply personal readings from close family and friends, and a poem read by the bride.
“We were blessed to have family conduct our ceremony. Benjamin’s uncle, Merv Gardner, is a marriage celebrant and presided over the important legal parts, while Caleb Watson, my eldest brother, led us through the proceedings.” Nieces, nephews and friends’ children formed a band of woodland faeries, leading the way to the ceremonial archway with a trail of autumn leaves. And Kristie’s twin brother, Daniel, was the ‘bridesman’, holding a book bouquet that was used in readings throughout the ceremony.
“I loved the intensity of emotions as the ceremony drew near; excitement, nervousness, anticipation and, foremost, overwhelming love,” recalls Kristie. “When I finally held Benjamin’s hands and looked into his eyes, everything else faded away.” Benjamin says he just loved Kristie!
The theme for the wedding was ‘winter eclectic bohemian’, with an emphasis on cosy and conversational. Many of the styling elements were thrifted, handmade or borrowed from family and friends. Kristie also handmade her own amazing wedding dress, using materials sourced from thrifted clothes and curtains, and dyed with earl grey tea.
“I was still finishing my dress off as I was donning it only an hour before the ceremony,” she laughs. Having acclimatised to Darwin weather, winter in the Blue Mountains came as a shock to the pair and Kristie happily wore sheepskin Ugg boots for the reception.
“We had 120 guests, with family travelling from all over the country to join us,” adds Kristie, the bridal party being made up of Kristie’s brother Daniel and the couple’s best friends from school and university – Maid of Honour Samantha Elliott and Bridesmaid Sophie Russell for Kristie, and Best Man Samuel Brent and groomsmen Timothy Nellies and Angus Logar for Benjamin.
“Our family and friends got behind our vision for an eclectic boho celebration wholeheartedly, and contributed the most amazing gifts of time and thoughtfulness, plus handy skills like arranging floral bouquets, baking cookies and hand-making macrame wall hangings, pallet tables, cushion covers and more,” says Kristie. Despite the beauty of the setting and whimsical love-in the couple had created, Kristie says not everything went to plan: “Our wedding was rife with mishaps – from Benjamin accidentally chipping my front tooth from an exuberant kiss in a practice ceremony several weeks prior to a call from a Telstra telemarketer interrupting the processional being played on a smartphone. Needless to say there was a short pause, much laughter and a frantic hang up!”
The wedding caterers also got a little lost, which delayed dinner, and rain threatened the outdoor ceremony. “But, incredibly, by letting the mishaps roll by with a laugh, we were lifted up and overwhelmed by the love of our family and friends, who jumped in to problem solve,” says Kristie. “The late start with our catering meant we held our speeches before dinner and laughed and cried together, then all tucked into the most delicious Brazilian barbecue.”
Although it was unusual timing, it was a blessing when later a blackout in the Megalong Valley caused the venue to lose power. “Out came more candles and a cosy buzz of conversation filled the marquee,” Kristie recalls. “Our talented musician, Willem Roorda, performed acoustic serenades and was soon joined by musical guests who improvised a rustic bush band using tin pails and sticks.
“We danced around the fire pits by candlelight as our guests enthusiastically sang and clapped. My brother, Joel, carried the wedding cake around the whole marquee, illuminated by flashlights on smartphones, to ensure everyone saw how beautiful it was before we cut it in the dark, surrounded by the glow of tangible love and joy. This kind of magic cannot be preconceived.” BML
STYLE FILE
CEREMONY & RECEPTION Dryridge Estate, Megalong Valley CELEBRANT Merv Gardner BRIDE Kristie made her own dress. Worn with Kenneth Cole shoes and artisan-made jewellery from a Northern Territory market BRIDESMAIDS Dresses bought from Etsy, worn with Tree of Life shawls and artisan-made earrings from a Northern Territory market HAIR & MAKEUP Family friend Linda Lemon did Kristie’s hair, and her makeup was applied by the bridal party ENGAGEMENT RING brilliantearth.com WEDDING RINGS alexisrussell.com FLOWERS Arranged by Kristie’s friend, Alison Cooke CATERING Brazilian BBQ Catering, Sydney CAKE Made by family friend, Emma Chivers MUSIC ‘Bloom’ by The Paper Kites was played during the ceremony, and Willem Roorda played live throughout the reception TRANSPORT The bridal party was transported in a friend’s Kombi van, and guests were taken to and from the venue in a Fantastic Aussie Tours coach PHOTOS Philippa Enid
