Megan and Matt

MEDLOW BATH

INSPIRED BY THE HYDRO MAJESTIC HOTEL’S HISTORY AND GRANDEUR, MEGAN AND MATT OPTED FOR TIMELESS ELEGANCE ON THEIR BIG DAY.

When Matt Drummond fi rst considered proposing to Megan Lange, he imagined it happening somewhere romantic, such as Cahill’s Lookout in Katoomba – one of the couple’s favourite spots. Things didn’t go quite to plan, however.

The lookout was burnt out by bushfi res so was no longer an option. Plan B was to surprise Megan one Friday night after work back in November 2015.

“Not realising what Matt had in mind, I suggested we meet at a bar in Sydney called Buckley’s,” Megan recalls. “We arrived and Matt looked decidedly uncomfortable, so we didn’t stay. I later found out he was horrifi ed at the connotation of the bar’s name – ‘Buckley’s chance’ – and the idea of having to forever tell the story of getting engaged there.”

After relocating to the Oyster Bar in Circular Quay, Matt proposed to his long-time love and the couple set their wedding date for 18 November 2017.

Words: Lisa Doust. PHOTOS: ONA JANZEN

As Leura residents with both of their families and many friends living in the Blue Mountains, Megan and Matt decided to keep their wedding close to home by booking The Hydro Majestic Hotel, in Medlow Bath, for both their ceremony and reception.

“I grew up in the mountains, so the Hydro Majestic has always been a fixture for me,” explains Matt. “When Megan moved to the mountains from Sydney, we would drive past the hotel while it was under renovation and would always say that if we were ever to get married, we would do it there.”

Megan says she has always loved the historical significance of the location: “There are so many options for spectacular scenery and spaces for photography and intimate moments, even within such a vast property.” Additionally, the couple had been to several events at the hotel in recent years, so were aware of the seamless service provided. “We know the owners and could guarantee that the attention to detail would not be surpassed,” Megan adds.

Once the venue was confirmed, Megan and Matt booked wedding planner and stylist Anna Wang. “One of the main reasons we hired Anna was so we didn’t have to call on family and friends to assist – we wanted everyone to just enjoy the lead-up and the event itself,” says Megan.

With Matt being a film director and Megan a film producer, they had a strong combined vision for their wedding and briefed Anna accordingly. “Our aim was for everything to be in keeping with the Hydro Majestic’s style, so we wanted a timeless and sophisticated feel,” says Megan. “The brief began with designing our monogram and invites, which reflected the art deco architecture of the location.” This detail was then carried through into the styling, with the monogram being used again on the napkins, event stationery, wedding cake, cocktail-hour décor and bespoke dance floor.

Florals were to be a key feature, with Anna designing two spectacular arrangements at the entry to the ceremony aisle, both filled with white and soft, cream-toned flowers. Candlelit lanterns with phalaenopsis orchids lined the aisle, culminating in a spectacular circular arrangement filled with peonies, white roses, lilies and orchids at the altar.

An equal amount of detail went into Megan’s glorious gown, with the bride-to-be going directly to couturier George Elsissa rather than shopping around. “I took George vintage images of Audrey Hepburn, Grace Kelly and Christian Dior gowns from the 1920s to the 1950s,” she explains. “He went to work and literally sketched my dream dress immediately.”

Taking more than nine months to complete, the gown is covered in 3D lace, with a detachable skirt/train, which Megan was able to remove part way through the wedding reception. “It is timeless and will be the most beautiful gown I will ever have,” she adds.

As their wedding day approached, the weather took a turn for the worse. “It hadn’t rained for months but rain was forecast for the entire week before the day, then of course it poured all day long.”

Fortunately, Megan and Matt had already made the call to move their ceremony from a designated outdoor space to the hotel’s Grand Ballroom, where the reception was also held. The magnificent room was custom-lit with warm-wash lighting and large centrepieces filled with greenery, lilies, orchids and peonies were placed on each table. The bridal table was lined with a floral hedge comprising white seasonal blooms at the base, with phalaenopsis orchids and roses cascading down the front of the table. Flowers and candles were also placed on the fireplace mantles.

“All along we had said the most important part of the wedding was the ceremony,” says Megan, who chose one bridesmaid, while Matt had two groomsmen. “I hadn’t seen the ballroom until I walked down the aisle and was absolutely blown away at the sheer luxury of the space, and the atmosphere of warmth and intimacy in such a large room.”

When it came to their vows, the couple chose celebrant Paul Wheeler and included a modern version of the Jewish ‘Seven Blessings’, in honour of Megan’s family. “The most well-known sentence from Shir Hashirim – ‘I am my beloved and my beloved is mine’ – was tied into our vows and held a main theme throughout the ceremony and reception,” explains Megan.

After the ceremony, all 126 guests headed to the hotel’s Delmonte Bar for cocktail hour to sip on cocktails chosen by the newlyweds – Apple Martinis for Megan and Espresso Martinis for Matt. “Over 450 cocktails were served on the evening, which is a testament to the service the Hydro Majestic was able to deliver,” says Matt.

One of the evening’s most standout inclusions was a 40-minute performance by ARIA-winning vocalist Katie Noonan, who sang and played on the hotel’s grand piano during the four-course dinner service.

“Katie’s music has been a constant throughout our relationship, so we were very privileged that she was gracious enough to perform for us,” says Megan. “She was simply breathtaking – you could have heard a pin drop and the whole room was in tears. Of course, there were standing ovations at the end!”

Now that Cahill’s Lookout has been restored, the Drummonds often head there with a bottle of champagne: “It’s where we will always go to toast our anniversary and think back to our beautiful wedding day.” BML

STYLE FILE

CEREMONY & RECEPTION The Hydro Majestic Hotel, Medlow Bath CELEBRANT Paul Wheeler – Marriage Celebrant MASTER OF CEREMONIES Randall Walker BRIDE Dress by George Elsissa Couture, Leichhardt. Worn with Chanel jewellery and Badgley Mischka shoes BRIDESMAID Dress by Alfred Sung for Nordstrom, worn with Badgley Mischka shoes GROOM Suit by Hugo Boss, Sydney. Worn with Loake shoes WEDDING RINGS Custom-designed by Mondial by Nadia Neuman, Sydney STYLING & FLOWERS Anna Wang Wedding Planning & Styling, Auburn CATERING The Hydro Majestic Hotel CAKE A fi ve-tiered marbled chocolate and vanilla cream cake by Anna Wang INVITATIONS Custom-designed by Megan and Matt FAVOURS Oscar de la Renta perfume MUSIC Katie Noonan and The Robertson Brothers ACCOMMODATION The whole wedding party, family members and close friends of the couple stayed at the Hydro Majestic Hotel PHOTOS Ona Janzen

“The most well-known sentence from Shir Hashirim – ‘I am my beloved and my beloved is mine’ – was tied into our vows and held a main theme throughout the ceremony and reception.“