Midginbil Eco Resort | Emily & Sam

I love weddings at Midginbil. There is something about the couples who choose this place. They always seem to be up for a good time, and Emily and Sam were exactly that. Their day had everything from champagne and whiskey to Budgy Smugglers, plenty of laughs, a beautiful sunset and one seriously packed dancefloor.

Our day started with the girls getting ready at the lodge, with lots of laughs as the final touches of hair and makeup were being finished. They shared a glass of champagne before we made our way over to Rose Manor to see what Sam and the boys were up to.

There is usually a bit of banter when the boys are getting ready, but Sam and his groomsmen had decided to raise the bar. When we arrived at Rose Manor, they were all wearing Budgy Smugglers!! It was pretty clear the nerves hadn’t taken over just yet.

Eventually it was time to get dressed, although the banter continued, along with a shared glass of whiskey. Sam’s parents then arrived, and his mum helped put the flower on his jacket before Sam gave his parents some small gifts as a thank you. It was a really lovely moment and a nice chance for them to have some time together before the ceremony.

After a few photos with his parents, I headed back to the girls, where it was time for Emily to get into her dress. Her bridesmaids helped with her shoes and jewellery before we took some photos of them all together. Emily looked incredible, and the dress fitted her perfectly.

Then came the big reveal for her dad. He stood in the corner of the room with his back turned while Emily walked over and tapped him on the shoulder. When he turned around and saw his daughter in her wedding dress, there were a few tears of joy. Emily then shared some gifts with her parents, which brought a few more tears and made for some really beautiful moments.

With the ceremony approaching, everyone was starting to feel the nerves, so before leaving the lodge the girls decided there was only one sensible thing to do. Have a little dance party to shake them off.

By the time we reached the ceremony, the nerves had been replaced by excitement. Midginbil’s big ceremony tree looked incredible, sitting on top of the grassy hill with the surrounding mountains stretching out behind it. Add a perfect winter’s day and it was pretty hard to find a better spot to get married.

The guests were seated and Sam and his groomsmen were waiting at the altar when Emily and the bridesmaids arrived by 4WDs. A very cute flower girl and page boy led the way down the aisle, winning plenty of smiles from the crowd, before Emily finally made her entrance.

All eyes were on her, especially Sam’s. I think there may have been a few tears when he saw her.

The ceremony itself was the perfect mix of heartfelt moments and plenty of laughs, which suited them perfectly. Once they had exchanged their vows, shared a kiss and signed the paperwork, the cheers from the guests started. Three of the boys even gave them a standing ovation.

Then came the confetti. And there was a lot of it.

Emily and Sam walked back down the aisle through one of the biggest confetti showers I’ve seen at Midginbil. Halfway down, Sam picked Emily up and spun her around before they stopped for another kiss. It was such a fun moment and a pretty perfect way to finish the ceremony.

Their guests gathered around them straight away with hugs and congratulations, before we brought everyone together for a big group photo with the tree behind them. We then worked through the family photos and some relaxed shots with the bridal party before everyone headed down the hill to the barn for cocktail hour.

With the sun shining and the weather behaving itself, everyone settled in with drinks and canapés while Emily and Sam had a chance to mingle with their guests and enjoy the afternoon.

The styling inside the barn was some of the best I’ve seen at Midginbil. Once the candles were all lit, the whole room had this really warm, intimate feel to it, so we took Emily and Sam inside for photos before heading back up to the tree.

Normally, we don’t get couples at Midginbil for sunset, but with the weather looking so good we decided it was worth making the effort and heading back up the hill.

It was absolutely worth it.

For a little while it was just Emily and Sam, with the mountains behind them and the sun dropping away in the distance. There were stolen kisses, plenty of laughs and another spin when Sam picked Emily up, followed by the two of them walking hand in hand through the grass. It was one of those quiet parts of the day where they could forget about everyone else for a few minutes and just enjoy being married.

When we returned to the barn, it was time to regroup with the bridal party before making their grand entrance into the reception. They were greeted with massive cheers from the crowd, which pretty much set the tone for the rest of the night.

A few speeches followed before dinner was served, then it was Emily and Sam’s turn to say a few words. Emily also dedicated her bouquet to her mum, which was a particularly special moment.

After the cake was cut, Emily and Sam disappeared back to Rose Manor to change into their party outfits. On the way back to the barn, Sam cracked open a bottle of champagne and sprayed it everywhere, much to the amusement of everyone nearby.

Then it was time for their choreographed first dance, which was a real crowd pleaser. The father and daughter and mother and son dances followed, before halfway through, everyone else joined them on the dancefloor.

And this is where Midginbil really comes into its own.

Once the formalities are finished, the place turns into a proper party, and Emily and Sam’s guests certainly weren’t holding back. The dancefloor was packed and stayed that way for the rest of the night.

One of the highlights before I left was both dads dropping their pants and joining all the boys for Eagle Rock. I’ll leave that one there.

Emily and Sam’s day was so much fun, their guests definitely knew how to have a good time, and it really was a day to remember.

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