Big Laughs, Happy Tears, and a Dancefloor That Delivered

Michelle + Simon | Pemberton Gardens

Simon and Michelle’s wedding was exactly what they hoped it would be - heartfelt, relaxed, a little bit rowdy in places, and filled with the people who matter most.

After years of attending weddings together, this was finally their turn.

Set at Pemberton Gardens, their day brought together heaps of friends and family for a celebration that balanced emotion and fun perfectly. The kind of wedding where one moment has people wiping away tears, and the next has everyone losing it over a joke involving high-vis safety vests and “hazardous” guests.

Which, honestly, tells you quite a lot about the vibe of this day.

The morning unfolded slowly across two locations.

Michelle and the girls settled into the on-site Airbnb at Pemberton, with hair by Monique Cadigan and makeup by Kasia Stanicich bringing everything together while the anticipation quietly built through the morning.

Meanwhile Simon and the boys kicked things off with brunch out the a bit of backyard cricket (including a bucket of balls hit for six & out within the space of 15 minutes) and a few drinks in the sun.

Then came the ceremony.

Led by Courtenay McCulloch from Married by Court, it was warm, personal and deeply meaningful. Michelle’s late father, Peter, was quietly woven into the day in a way that felt thoughtful rather than heavy - a reminder that weddings often hold grief and joy side-by-side. Michelle wore a stunning gown from Wild and White Bridal, with florals by Katrin Lilla-Nel tying everything together beautifully.

And through it all, there was an overwhelming sense of connection.

Family everywhere. Kids weaving through conversations. Parents proudly watching on. Friends laughing from the back rows. The kind of atmosphere that can’t really be styled or manufactured.

As the sun dropped, the reception shifted gears.

Amazing food from Moveable Feasts, speeches that hit every emotional note possible, a beautiful cake from Cakes by Anna, and then eventually, exactly what Simon and Michelle had hoped for from the start - a dancefloor full of people going hard to live music from Headrush.

Somewhere amongst the chaos, the retro camcorder found its way into the hands of Carl and Sam, which is usually where things begin to unravel in the best possible way.

Captured alongside Sarah Clements, this was a wedding full of personality, sentiment, and genuinely good people.

A very good reminder that the best weddings don’t need to be perfect.

Just real.

🎧 // ‘The Best Thing feat.MAYLYN’ - We Lepers; ‘123’ - BINKS!
All music licensed through Musicbed