Weddings
Jessica & Jace’s Nanga Bush Camp Wedding
Jessica and Jace had a small wish list for their wedding venue: a picturesque location, no curfew, somewhere for guests to sleep and the freedom to bring their own booze. Nestled amongst the jarrah trees of the Dwellingup forest, the unassuming Nanga Bush Camp fit the bill perfectly and suited their laid-back style to a tee.
Having visited Nanga as a kid (as did their photographer, CJ Williams), Jessica admits they were a little sceptical of a bush camp wedding at first, but when they saw the potential of the space it was a no brainer. “A beautiful ceremony spot by the river, the amazing rustic hall for the reception, more than enough beds for our guests and the complete freedom to do things our way.”
And with nearly every guest pitching in for the mammoth setup, they DIY’d their way to their perfect wedding. “We nicknamed it Wedstock,” says Jess, “not because of a festival theme, but because what was originally envisioned as a small gathering of friends grew into a full weekend of fun and festivities much bigger and better than we ever planned!”
Not one to bother much with tradition, Jess wasn’t concerned with wearing white and ventured online to find an ivory lace number by Alice by Temperley, for the humble price of $600. With bridesmaids scattered around the country (and one being pregnant) the ladies chose their own dresses in a white-cream palette, while the gents kept things casual in chinos, check shirts, bow ties and navy suspenders
The couple were on a tight budget, having made the call that an epic, round-the-world honeymoon was more important than a lavish wedding. In the end, they got the best of both worlds. Jess tells me “our saving, scrimping, DIY and willingness to dump any tradition that wasn’t important to us allowed us to have both an amazing wedding day and the crazy adventure trip we wanted.”
Photography: CJ Williams | Venue: Nanga Bush Camp | Bride’s dress: Alice by Temperley | Groom and groomsmen: Jack London | Rings: | Accessories: | Hair: Tenjune Hair Studio | Makeup: friend of the bride | Celebrant: Fiona Anderson | Prop Hire: Curio Warehouse | Flowers: DIY | Catering: Me & Mabel | Stationery/invitations: Deer Daisy
Credits