Lucy and Thomas wed at Gabbinbar Homestead in an elegant celebration

A fireworks show, champagne tower, and a black tie dress code gave Lucy and Thomas’ Gabbinbar Homestead wedding a sense of timeless romance.

“Our wedding day was nothing less than perfect, but I am sure every bride does say this,” says Lucy of her August 7, 2022 wedding to Thomas, witnessed by 96 guests.

With Thomas being based in Japan for his volleyball career, the pair spent their first four years together jetting back and forth in a long-distance relationship. When the pandemic kept them apart for nine months, Thomas realised he was certain that theirs was a “forever kind of love.” One airport reunion and a proposal atop Passage Peak later, the couple were planning their August 2022 wedding celebration.

“Gabbinbar Homestead is one of the most beautiful venues I have ever seen and we were so incredibly fortunate to host our wedding there,” says Lucy. “We wanted our wedding to be timeless and very elegant — to look back in 10 years’ time and still love every detail of our wedding.”

On their day, both Lucy and Thomas went about their preparations in Gabbinbar Homestead’s heritage-listed residence. Lucy and her bridal party popped champagne whilst being pampered in the bridal suite, as Thomas and his groomsmen made the stately library their domain.

Lucy opted to wear her hair in soft waves, crafted by Evalyn Parsons. “I decided on a glamour wave. This took a while to decide as I thought I wanted to have my hair up, which is not something I would normally do,” explains Lucy. “After speaking with Evalyn, she made me realise that I wanted to look and feel like myself on the day. I loved my hair and so glad we decided to leave it down. ”

Gabbinbar Homestead’s light-filled pavilion set the scene for the ceremony, decorated with pillars of delicate roses and foliage. After exchanging vows, Lucy and Thomas were joined by their guests on the lawn outside. The celebration officially commenced when the newlyweds filled a tower of champagne coups before slipping away for golden hour photos.

To welcome guests into the reception space, Lucy’s brother gave a heartfelt speech on the steps of the homestead. “This was an extra special moment as my brother has Down Syndrome. He had been practising his speech for weeks, and it was just perfect,” remembers Lucy. “He then invited all guests to enter the homestead for the reception while dancing to September by Earth, Wind and Fire.”

Lucy and Thomas designed their reception space to be romantic and whimsical with understated table linens, white tapered candles, floral arrangements, and strands of fairy lights crossing the glass ceiling.

Fireworks went off as Lucy and Thomas cut their tiered raspberry-vanilla and Lindt chocolate chip cake. “The fireworks were a surprise to all our guests so seeing their faces when they went off was amazing,” says Lucy.

The night was spent celebrating with Lucy and her dad performing a surprise choreographed routine. “At one point I remember every guest was on the dancefloor. We just wished the party didn’t have to end,” Lucy reflects. “It was an incredible way to finish off our night.”

Once we saw Gabbinbar Homestead for the first time, this is when our vision and styling came to life. We really wanted to really capture the natural beauty of Gabbinbar Homestead, so we opted for effortless elegance with a touch of modern romance.

The perfectly manicured gardens, stunning white pavilion with classic chandeliers, plus the history and age of the estate also offered inspiration for our day with lots of fresh blooms creating a romantic, old worldly vibe. This was a beautiful contrast to the modern aesthetics in the reception space, with statement french doors, hanging pendant lighting, and stunning glass roof.