Summergrove Estate Wedding

We go to a lot of weddings. Hundreds over the years, actually. And every now and then there’s one that just has that special sauce.

Jaclyn and Jake’s wedding was one of them.

It wasn’t because they had beautiful gowns and suits, although they did. Or the flowers, which were pretty spectacular. It wasn’t because they chose a beautiful venue, because Summergrove is definitely that. The weather was perfect, the DJ was fantastic and everything looked the part. But really, it was the energy of the couple and the people around them. From start to finish, the whole day felt like effortless fun.

Our afternoon started with the girls at the salon, finishing up hair and makeup with the spirits already high. They shared a glass of champagne in their PJs before we made our way over to the boys’ cabin.

The banter was thick from the moment we arrived. Clearly a close group of mates who had known each other for a while and loved having a laugh. There was a glass of whisky, plenty of jokes, and then a quieter moment when Jake’s mum helped him with his cufflinks. A nice little moment between the two of them before the day really got going. When it was time to head to the chapel, the boys simply walked over together as a group.

Back with the girls, it was time for the dresses. Jaclyn’s mum helped with the buttons down the back and her veil, while her bridesmaids sorted her shoes. She looked incredible. We grabbed a few portraits before making our way down to the chapel.

The chapel at Summergrove is pretty hard to beat, especially with that big picture window behind the couple. When Jaclyn entered with her dad, all eyes were on her.

Especially Jake’s.

The vows were said, the rings exchanged and the “I do’s” were done. Then came the kiss and a huge cheer from the guests. They signed the register before everyone made their way outside to wait for the newlyweds.

Jaclyn and Jake exited the chapel to huge cheers and a serious amount of confetti. At the end of the line, they were met with hugs and handshakes from their closest family and friends. We grabbed a big group photo, followed by the family photos, before getting stuck into the fun stuff.

The full bridal party headed out to the grass tennis court for a few photos. Some were fairly traditional. Others quickly went off the rails. The boys dropping to the call of “dead ant” was a highlight, as was the moment the groomsmen picked Jake up and decided to throw him around for a bit. There was champagne being sprayed, champagne being sculled straight from the bottle and plenty of laughing in between.

As the bridal party headed off to cocktail hour, we took Jaclyn and Jake away for some photos with the hills behind them. Then they joined everyone else, where the margarita tower was waiting. A margarita tower instead of the usual champagne tower was a very Jaclyn and Jake move. Everyone grabbed a glass and the party was officially underway.

As the sun started to drop, we stole them away again for some golden hour photos. They were relaxed, completely comfortable with each other and clearly having the best time. It made photographing them pretty easy and these are some of my favourite images this year.

Back at the venue, it was time to head into the perfectly styled barn for the reception.

The entrances were something else.

The grandparents and parents got their own entrances followed by the full bridal party who came in to a bangin’ tune . The bridal party added a few acrobatics along the way before Jaclyn and Jake finally made their entrance to massive cheers and a sea of napkins being swung around the room. They joined their bridal party, downed a shot of Fireball and made their way to the table.

After a few speeches and dinner, it was time for the first dance.

Jaclyn had changed into her party dress and the couple launched into their choreographed routine. By the end of the song, the entire room had joined them on the dance floor and the energy levels were through the roof. One of the best little touches of the night was the mini tambourines. Everyone had one, and once the dance floor filled up they were everywhere. A small detail, but it added so much to the atmosphere. DJ Cassidy absolutely nailed the night, knowing exactly when to drop a banger and when to slow things down for a proper singalong. Young, old and everyone in between were cutting loose.

It really was one hell of a party.

Then “Eagle Rock” came on and the men started dropping their pants. At that point I decided my time to leave had come. Some things are best left not captured. Hahaha.

Jaclyn and Jake’s wedding had everything you could want from a spring wedding at Summergrove, but it was the people who made it. A great couple, a brilliant bunch of friends and family, and a whole lot of energy from beginning to end. It was just one of those days that was ridiculously easy to enjoy.

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