Ethereal Elegance: Ashleigh and Joshua's Gabbinbar Homestead wedding

Ashleigh and Joshua knew they wanted a romantic and elegant destination wedding in the rolling hills of Toowoomba. Gabbinbar Homestead provided an intimate and memorable experience timed to coincide with the region’s Carnival of Flowers.

“In 2018, I was on deployment in Afghanistan. My friend’s partner worked with Ash,” explains Joshua of their meet-cute. “My friend told me that Ash was recently single and that he thought that we would get on well.”

Joshua was intrigued, although, when they finally met, Ashleigh kept her cards close to her chest. “The more I got to know about Ash, the more I liked her and wanted to date her,” the groom remembers. Thankfully, Joshua wasn’t kept guessing forever, and, after four years of their relationship going strength to strength, Joshua proposed.

On September 10, 2022, the pair wed in a romantic destination celebration at the beautiful Gabbinbar Homestead in Toowoomba. “When we got engaged, we started looking at venues online because we knew we weren’t going to get married near home in North Queensland,” explains Ashleigh. “As soon as I saw Gabbinbar Homestead in person — and Josh saw the venue over Facetime — we were sold. We set our date almost immediately.”

The wedding aesthetic evoked timeless elegance with an ethereal sense of romance. Soft hues in a creamy blush and ivory colour palette were complemented by the rolling gardens and classic timber accents of Gabbinbar Homestead.

Ashleigh decided on a classic yet dramatic gown which combined ivory satin with a sweeping chapel train. “For my something old, I wore a Tiffany & Co ring that I wear every day, and have done for about 20 years,” says Ashleigh of her wedding day look. “My borrowed and blue was combined: I borrowed my late grandmother’s handkerchief that was white with blue embroidered flowers to keep in my pocket.”

In front of 68 guests, the couple exchanged vows at The Old Gates beneath the towering Himalayan cedar tree and between the rows of Ornamental Pear Trees on the Gabbinbar Homestead grounds. The breathtaking floral arbour, with an abundance of greenery and blooms, was the statement piece Ashleigh had envisioned.

After the ceremony, the newlyweds slipped away for photographs. In the gorgeous, mild weather the guests enjoyed a relaxed garden party atmosphere, playing croquet, chess and exploring the surrounds. Catering and bar service were provided by Gabbinbar House throughout. “The food was exquisite!” remembers Ashleigh. “We had so many of our guests come up to us and say how much they enjoyed the food. The stand out for both us, and our guests, was the food that we had during the garden party.”

From the garden party, the celebration seamlessly slipped into a spirited reception, held in Gabbinbar Homestead’s stunning glass-ceiling conservatory. The tables were adorned with individual installations of florals and candles to create a warm, and intimate ambiance. With Ashleigh’s careful planning, each visual element tied together to tell a story within the space.

After cutting their wedding cake and performing a show-stopping choreographed first dance, Ashleigh and Joshua celebrated with their loved ones before disappearing into the night with an enchanting sparkler exit.

We had stumbled across Gabbinbar Homestead on Instagram years ago, and always thought it was such a beautiful venue. The Conservatory was definitely the stand out feature for us! Another asset was the communication from Gabbinbar Homestead team. We knew that we would be planning a destination wedding, so clear communication was imperative. We must say, it was incomparable to the other venues we were considering.