A Storm on the Aisle Walk: Sam and Mitch's Flowerdale Estate Wedding

If you're getting married at Flowerdale Estate and quietly hoping the weather behaves itself, let me tell you about the day it stormed on the way down the aisle.

Sam and Mitch got married on the 6th of December, 110 guests booked in for an 8 hour day, 2pm through to 10pm, and one very clear brief for me going in: they both find posing awkward, so the more candid the better, and the more inappropriate the jokes, the better again. Noted. Filed away. Immediately put to use.

The morning was hot and properly sunny. The kind of day where you think you've got the weather sorted and can stop worrying about it. Then, right as Sam was about to walk down the outside aisle, it stormed. Not a light sprinkle. A proper, everyone-look-at-the-sky, is-this-actually-happening storm.

I won't pretend she wasn't a bit disapointed for about ninety seconds there. Fair enough too. But a good Plan B only works if everyone commits to it fast and stops mourning the version of the day that didn't happen, so that's exactly what we did. Straight inside, straight on with it.

Honestly, some of my favourite photos from that whole wedding came out of the room we ended up in, not the spot we'd planned for. That's the bit nobody tells you about weather chaos: sometimes the backup plan photographs better than the original, because everyone's a bit giddy and a bit relieved and completely themselves.

Then came the family photos, which is where I properly earned my keep. It's a big family, and getting everyone into frame and out of the rain meant one step back too many on my part, straight into a soaked garden bed. Fully committed to the shot, less committed to staying upright. The portrait made it into the gallery. My dignity did not, but that's a fair trade.

The rest of the day ran exactly how they'd asked for. Dirty jokes whispered mid-photo (I play the music loud enough so I cant hear the details), and a genuinely lovely touch at the reception: Sam had her students write wedding messages that got displayed for guests to read, which is one of those small details that makes a day feel like nobody else's. There was a champagne tower, there was a cannoli cart from Cannoleria, and there was a whole lot of dancing once the acoustic set from Tom at Melbourne Entertainment Co gave way to Jeremy on sax later in the night.

Sam wore Karen Willis Holmes with Billini shoes, her florals came from Elle Glossop at Love Alfalfa Florals, hair by Maddy Hall and makeup by Stefania, and Mitch was suited up by Institchu. Ryan Lee was on video for the day too, so somewhere out there is a moving version of that storm dash for anyone who wants the full chaos in real time.

They got their sneak peek the next morning, and their full gallery landed with strict instructions to chill the champagne and grab the tissues first. As you do.

If your venue's giving you weather anxiety, or you've already accepted a storm might crash the party, that's not actually the disaster it feels like. Get in touch and let's talk about what a proper Plan B looks like for your day.

Mitch and his groomsman before his wedding at Flowerdale Estate

Vendor handles

@ryanleewed (videography), @love_alfalfa_florals (florals), @maddyhallhair (hair), @sd_makeupandhair (makeup), Karen Willis Holmes (dress), Institchu (suit), Melbourne Entertainment Co (acoustic set and sax DJ), Cannoleria (cannoli cart)