An artist and an art teacher, Darren and Dawn put their creative flair to good use for their Collingwood Children’s Farm wedding. Captured by “the crazy clever Sayher Heffernan”, the pair shared their vows under the farm’s giant oak; the site of many a special date.

Comfort was key for this crafty bride, who wore a custom wedding dress by Whitney Deal with the cutest pair of white patent oxfords. For the groom, it was all about colour, opting for a bright blue River Island suit and even choosing the bridesmaids’ outfits – detailed Mexican dresses from Fitzroy’s Cottage Industry.

Vibrant bouquets from Fowlers Flowers and 2 kilos of rainbow confetti ensured their simple ceremony was flooded in colour. “We didn’t really have a theme,” says Dawn. “We just knew we wanted something fun and relaxed with pops of colour, but mostly letting nature do it’s thing.”

An abundance of DIY details decorated the barn for a relaxed and rustic reception. Gold tassel garlands hung from the rafters, as did a pink heart piñata, made by Dawn’s art students. The bride designed the stationery and hand-lettered chalkboards and the pair built the paper moon photobooth backdrop together.

Food was a top priority for Darren and Dawn, and the Farm Café didn’t disappoint. “It was heavenly!” They tell me. “It kept coming out like there was no end and the pork crackling was so, so good. The jarred desserts were amazing too, people were taking 3 portions at a go!”

A treasured moment for the pair was stealing away for a little breather. Dawn tells me “We took a plate of cheese and snuck out during dinner. It felt so wonderful seeing everyone we loved laughing and enjoying themselves… it felt like magic.”

Photography: Sayher Heffernan | Bride’s dress: Whitney Deal | Bride’s shoes: Dieppa Restrepo | Bridesmaids dresses: Cottage Industry | Bridesmaids sandals: Saltwater | Groom’s suit: River Island | Groom’s shoes: Bared oxfords | Hair: Martine Cook | Makeup: Megan Harrison | Venue: Collingwood Children’s Farm | Celebrant: Pastor Melvin Lo | Flowers: Fowlers Flowers | Catering: Farm Café | Stationery/invitations: Dawn Tan (bride)