Stephanie + Joshua’s Front Yard Wedding | New Lambton | Barefoot & Bearded
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New Lambton Micro Wedding
Stephanie & Joshua only had a very select guest list for their micro wedding at New Lambton – a handful of their nearest and dearest were invited to a front yard ceremony. It felt so cosy, private and intimate and for the couple. Their New Lambton wedding would have had a very familiar feel as it was at Stephanie’s parents’ house.
I did something I’ve never done before – for parts of the ceremony, I actually sat at the signing table, because that was the best spot for me given the limited space. I was trying to minimise myself and not get in the way of the photographer’s angles and it just made sense.
I got to rest my swollen ankles and I had a unique vantage point for the emotionally charged personalised vows. I got a unique perspective from seeing parts of the ceremony from the guest’s sight line. It was so special when Stephanie kissed Josh and then tenderly wiped her deep cerise lipstick from his mouth.
Storytelling Lessons
A good story has five basic but important elements:
1. the characters
2. the setting
3. the plot
4. the conflict
5. the resolution
Welcome to Joshua’s and Stephanie’s engaging conflict and resolution.
CONFLICT
Josh and Steph met in the second term of Year 12, when they were put in the same drama group for their HSC performance. Steph’s first impression of Josh was that he was a bit of a rebel and kind of scary because he had a big tattoo on his forearm. She found him to be immature and outspoken and she got the impression that he didn’t care much for the HSC. Josh teased Steph when they practiced their performance together which frustrated her so she tried to get him kicked out of the group by complaining to the teacher that she was put in a group with all the duds! Steph didn’t make the best initial impression on Josh either. He thought she was a nerd because of her group of friends and she wore the full school uniform.
RESOLUTION
So, it’s fair to say, the sparks didn’t fly at first. Their relationship was more of a slow burn. It wasn’t until Josh added Steph on MSN and they started talking online regularly that they realized that they actually had a lot in common and that there was definitely something more there. They’d both go home after school and log on and then talk for hours. Steph remembers thinking that Josh instantly made her comfortable and she could tell him anything, but he also gave her butterflies. Every time she saw the notification pop up that Josh, aka “the cure” had signed in, her heart rate skyrocketed. Steph was the first to disclose that she had feelings. She was worried about saying it first in case it wasn’t said back but the feelings were mutual.
To Hug or Not to Hug?
When I met Joshua he warned me he was a HUGGER!
I am too!
Hugs are good for the soul and not surprisingly, there is a large body of science devoted to the health benefits of hugs.
One study that I stumbled across showed that when women receive hugs from their partner, they have lower cortisol levels during stressful situations. I think Joshua instinctively knows this, and hugging everyone is his gift to the people he loves.
More frequent hugs have been shown to lower blood pressure and raise oxytocin which lowers stress and strengthens feelings of connection………so embracing your partner and family members during your wedding ceremony, like Joshua did multiple times with Stephanie et al makes sense on lots of different levels. He could probably give a masterclass on this topic!
For me, one of the hardest parts of the pandemic has been keeping a distance, for more than year, from close friends family and clients. Now, as more people get vaccinated, we are told we can start to hug again BUT FOR NOW, I’M STILL NOT HUGGING ANYONE.
The current guidelines say that if I (or my child) become a close contact, even though I am vaccinated, I will need to self-isolate for 14 days.
I am committed to mitigating the risk of contracting Covid and having to pull out of multiple weddings at immense cost and inconvenience.
So out of respect for everyone I am currently working with, I’ll be using my sanitiser religiously, continuing to wear a mask around crowds and politely informing anyone who takes a step towards me with open arms, that I’m not hugging at the moment ✌
New Lambton Wedding Vendors
Barefoot & Bearded | Two Wild Hands | Lavish Hair Design by Bree | Melissa Waite Couture | Rosie Lee High Tea
“My husband, Josh, and I were married in an intimate ceremony by Julie in September 2020 in my parents’ front garden. I came across Julie on Google and when I saw that she was Irish and watched her introduction video I knew she was the one to marry us as my family is steeped in Irish ancestry.
Julie is absolutely amazing in what she does and Josh and I were blown away by her professionalism and dedication to her couples. Her passion really shines through. Julie takes the time to meet with you, get to know you and really listens and takes notes so she can get an understanding of the kind of wedding you want and creates a ceremony catering to the couple you are. She is passionate about your ceremony being an accurate celebration of the kind of relationship you and your partner have and tailors the ceremony to suit.
As our wedding was during COVID, Julie was completely unfazed by the pandemic and created a beautiful intimate ceremony for our immediate family members. She also quickly adapts to any situation. Our New Lambton wedding was a stunning celebration of our relationship and Julie, being very sociable, knew exactly how to interact with the guests and keep them entertained before and during the ceremony. Her Irish accent and wit add to the ceremony, making it memorable for everyone. All of our guests commented on how wonderful she was. She even takes the effort to find out the colour scheme for the wedding and dresses to fit in. Julie is an absolute delight to work with and I cannot recommend her highly enough!”
– Stephanie
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