For the Lovers: Mikaila & David

Luxury and Charm: Mikaila and David's Unforgettable Wedding at Wallalong House, Hunter Valley

Bride Mikalia and Groom David pose for photos at their Hunter valley wedding

Through the lens of Sarah Fountain Photography.

Mikaila & David's day was nothing short of spectacular, a day that was filled with so much love and raw emotion! Our Two Lovers Stylists joined the all-star lineup for the day and Lovers, you can’t help but smile when reading this Two Lovers Real Wedding Feature... oh and have you ever heard of such a remarkable proposal!?

From the moment guests arrived, they were greeted by the stunning Georgian and Victorian architecture that characterises Wallalong House. The pear-tree-lined driveway led to 1830's sandstone stables, featuring original cobblestone flooring, a true testament to the venue's historic roots. Wide sweeping verandahs with wrought iron columns provided the perfect backdrop for guests to take in the panoramic views of the surrounding farmland.

Mikaila and David knew that they wanted a venue that was both outdoors and private, with a wet-weather fall-back option. The couple fell head over heels in love with the venue's old-school charm, which was complemented by bohemian twists and breathtaking elevated views over the paddocks.

Bride and groom share their first kiss at their hunter valley wedding

How did you Lovers meet?

“Our story is one of a hospitality workplace romance that blossomed one New Years Eve. We had been working together for a few months, and after our shift, a little tequila and a long night of dancing was just the spark we needed.”

Tell us all about your engagement story!

“Dave proposed during a dive at Nusa Penida (Indonesia), 20 metres underwater. He had arranged with the local dive guide to call me over to see something. When I swam over, I saw a (fake) starfish with a ring attached, which confused me at first. It was only when I turned around that I saw Dave behind me, holding a slate with a proposal asking me to marry him. I was so surprised and excited that I almost forgot to breathe!

Diving has always been a passion of ours, so it made the proposal extra special. We were at the start of our holiday, which we then dubbed our "engagemoon."

We had a long engagement so as not to rush the planning, and also because of COVID.
Groom carries the train of bride dress

Tell us about your wedding planning process?

"Originally, we wanted a small destination wedding overseas, but again, COVID happened. It took us a while to find the perfect venue after adjusting our plans, but when we saw Wallalong House, we knew it was the one.

Coming from an events and hospitality background, we had a clear idea of what we wanted and what was important to us. However, we quickly realised that in some areas, our visions were quite different, which made planning challenging at times. I remember there was a point where I became jealous of those brides whose partners didn't get involved at all, especially after Dave vetoed the twentieth cake maker. But it was a good exercise in compromise!

We both knew that we wanted a fantastic party, so we searched for vendors that fit that vibe and weren't too serious. Our caterers at Fennel and Co were incredible and allowed us to create a custom Italian menu full of all the things we loved. Alanah from Two Lovers was our guardian angel throughout the whole process and helped pull our entire vision together into something incredible!"
Post wedding ceremony celebration

Was there anything in particular you were looking for when selecting your vendors?

"We found people we connected with and who we trusted and then gave them a good brief and let them do their thing."

We're so glad we....

"I'm so glad we took time out of our morning to have a champagne breakfast together the morning of the wedding. It was our quiet calm before the day begun."

Bride and groom share romantic breakfast on their wedding day in hunter valley garden

A memorable moment?

"My dad had been secretly taking singing lessons for six months before the wedding and had recorded a song that he played for our Father Daughter dance. It was a complete surprise and so so special."

Some words of wisdom for our Lovers

"It's so easy to get caught up in the hashtags, matching PJs, and all the "stuff" that comes with wedding planning. However, very little of that will actually matter on the day, so don't sweat it. If you're fortunate (or unfortunate, depending on who you ask) enough to have a fiance who is involved in the planning and has opinions, listen to each other and compromise so that you both end up happy.

Stretch out the planning process for as long as you can because the day goes by so quickly. In our case, we were married on a Saturday but had the Thursday before to ourselves in a lovely hotel. We also had a wedding warm-up the night before the wedding with our close family and bridal party. Those few extra nights created so many more memories and allowed us to ease into the wedding weekend."

Bride and groom pop champagne post wedding ceremony

How did you find Two Lovers helped you in the wedding planning process?

"Two Lovers was our go-to for finding interesting and unique suppliers and vendors and to help us put our stamp on the day. Alanah, our stylist, was a godsend in bringing my styling vision together and making it all work. She became more than just a vendor; she was a sounding board for so many different things and helped take away the stress of finding certain vendors and coordinating all the elements on the day.

Having Alanah and Two Lovers on our wedding team meant that we knew we were in safe hands. Their expertise and guidance were invaluable in creating the day of our dreams!"

Wedding ceremony at Wallalong house hunter valley