Anita and Brett

Anita Brett AND

BILPIN

GO BEYOND THE PINES AND ENTER THE ‘SECRET CIRCLE’ AT ANITA AND BRETT’S BILPIN WEDDING.

As a professional outdoor lifestyle and sports photographer, there was only one place Brett Hemmings wanted to marry his long-time friend and fi ancé Anita – amid great natural beauty. The pair, from Blacktown in Sydney’s western suburbs, had been scouring the Internet and the south coast for the perfect spot to exchange vows but a trip to the Blue Mountains sealed it for them.

When Brett and Anita set foot among the pines in the ‘Secret Circle’ at Bilpin Resort, they were smitten. “We wanted to book that same day,” says Anita, who admits she left most of the venue hunting to Brett. “He knew exactly what he wanted and, being a photographer keen on the outback, camping and 4-wheel driving, the setting was all important. It had to be picturesque and outdoors.”

A casual ceremony with 130 friends and family was planned for late March to take advantage of an autumnal setting. The reception was held in Bilpin Resort’s purpose-built marquee and Anita enlisted Thoughtful Petal to style and provide fl owers.

Words: Jacqueline Forster. PHOTOS: TWO CREEKS WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHY

“We decided on a rustic theme with Australian native flowers and local apples as props to evoke a sense of place. We wanted to reflect where we were.“

“We decided on a rustic theme with Australian native flowers and local apples as props to evoke a sense of place. We wanted to reflect where we were. Sometimes you look at wedding photos and you have no idea where the wedding took place – they are just so generic,” says Anita.

“I could not have imagined our venue looking any better than it did. Stephanie Walker from Thoughtful Petal captured our offbeat vibe perfectly and went above and beyond, setting up in the rain and even getting her car bogged,” Anita adds. It’s said that rain on your wedding day is good luck but it was definitely not factored in to Brett and Anita’s plans. “On the day of the wedding, Brett was sitting in the little cabin staring out at the rain, willing it to stop,” recalls Anita. “We had a wet-weather backup plan in place but just 15 minutes before we were due to start the ceremony, Brett made the call to relocate back to the ‘Secret Circle’.”

Luckily Brett’s intuition paid off. The rain stopped and the ceremony could proceed in beautiful, misty mountain conditions, but only after many of the guests were ferried through the mud to the site in a procession of SUVs.

Anita was glad she opted for a tea-length wedding dress. “If I’d worn a long dress I would have been covered in mud,” she laughs. Finding the right dress wasn’t easy though. “I didn’t want a traditional wedding gown and I really liked that ’50s vintage style, but after visiting loads of bridal stores I still couldn’t find what I was looking for.

“Mum rang me from a little shop in Wentworthville one day and said, ‘I think I’ve found a dress that you’ll like’. I kind of rolled my eyes but when I tried the dress on it was perfect, and I had to admit that Mum knew best.”

Brett, on the other hand, found his suit while on a working trip to Melbourne. “Because we weren’t having a bridal party, he didn’t have to worry about matching or complementing anyone else, so he chose his favourite store, Jack London, and came away with a whole outfit,” says Anita.

The decision not to have a formal bridal party meant Anita and Brett could spend the day together and had more time to be with their wedding guests after a brief photo session.

“I don’t have a sister and had never been a bridesmaid myself, so I didn’t feel the need to choose favourites,” Anita explains. “We had our brothers as witnesses and the ceremony was simple and low-stress.”

They may have wanted a simple ceremony but they certainly didn’t skimp on the reception. Catering was organised by Bilpin Resort, local cider was served and Brett sourced the entertainment, Ruby Keys Band.

“Ruby Keys were incredible and had everyone on their feet,” Anita says. “Talar (the singer) came around a couple of weeks before the wedding and helped plan the running order of the reception. She was amazing because we didn’t know a lot about how to schedule speeches and everything,”

“I could not have imagined our venue looking any better than it did. Stephanie from Thoughtful Petal captured our off beat vibe perfectly and went above and beyond, setting up in the rain and even getting her car bogged.“

Anita recalls. “Talar gave us amazing advice on how to create a real party vibe after the serious stuff was over. We just wanted everyone to have a great time. I’m so glad we got a band because it really transformed the event.”

Staying on site meant the bride and groom, and several of the wedding party, could really kick up their heels. Accommodation at the resort includes a four-bedroom house and fi ve individual cabins that lend a certain Wes Anderson air to the venue.

After their wedding night at Bilpin, the couple stayed another night in the mountains at The Hydro Majestic to let it all in sink in before jetting off for a honeymoon in the United States, followed by a Caribbean cruise a couple of weeks later.

Two years on, Anita has put her career as a speech pathologist on hold to raise their daughter Pearl but fondly remembers the attention and care they received in Bilpin: “We can’t thank Steve and Amanda from Bilpin Resort enough. They both went above and beyond our expectations to make the wedding we had planned happen, despite morning rain and very soggy conditions. Their ‘Secret Circle’ ceremony area is a must to check out if you’re planning your own wedding.” BML

STYLE FILE

CEREMONY & RECEPTION Bilpin Resort, Bilpin CELEBRANT Shaun Gagan – Celebrant HAIR Hair by Dora, Seven Hills MAKEUP Kate Ivanoff BRIDE Alfred Angelo dress. Worn with jewellery from Willie Creek Pearls, Broome GROOM Jack London suit WEDDING RINGS Troy O’Brien Fine Jewellery, Neutral Bay FLOWERS, PROPS & STYLING Stephanie Walker of Thoughtful Petal, Concord CAKE Essence Patisserie, Rouse Hill CATERING Organised by Bilpin Resort DRINKS Bilpin Cider, Bilpin MUSIC Ruby Keys Band STATIONERY Anita and Brett created their own stationery ACCOMMODATION Bilpin Resort, Bilpin, The Hydro Majestic, Medlow Bath PHOTOS Mark Nolan of Two Creeks Wedding Photography