A 2am wake-up call and a hike up a Sri Lankan mountain in the rain wasn’t exactly Keeley’s idea of a romantic adventure – that is until Aleksei won her over with a spectacular diamond ring. Smooth move Aleksei! These sweethearts tied the knot in NSW’s Southern Highlands at Montrose Berry Farm and Nina Claire captured some stunning snaps of the day.

Keeley and Aleksei are keen campers, so a country wedding was the way to go. Montrose Berry Farm had the rustic woodland vibe they were looking for and when it came to a location for the ceremony, Keeley tells us, “We decided on a small clearing in a forested area, flanked by two giant pine trees. Our stylist and florist let the beautiful natural scenery be the focus by sticking to a simple set-up.”

They had originally planned to have the entire day outdoors, until a last minute change meant saw them holding the reception in the onsite barn. This cool couple took it in their stride and decided to bring the outdoors in. Working closely with their florist Mikarla Bauer and stylist She Designs, they created a foliage heavy canopy using vines, ferns and native wildflowers and it proved to be quite a hit, “More than a few guests told us afterwards that they felt like they were in ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’!” Keeley laughs.

With the groom’s Russian heritage, it was important to incorporate some cultural traditions into both the reception and styling – “We raided my grandmother’s collection of matryoshka dolls, samovars and other decorations to feature on the dining tables,” Aleksei tells us, “and my Mum read a traditional Russian poem and gave a toast at the start of the night – vodka, naturally!” We may not be able to pronounce it, but to that we say “Tvoye zdorovye!”