Some weddings test your resolve before they ever reward you.

Mikaela and Tom’s wedding at Redleaf Wollombi had all the ingredients for uncertainty — heavy rain in the weeks leading up, flooding across the region, last-minute logistics, and the kind of pressure that would have rattled even the calmest couples.

And yet, when the day finally arrived, everything softened.

The skies held. The light stayed gentle. And what unfolded was a deeply personal, joy-filled celebration that felt intentional from start to finish.

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A Venue Worth the Wait

Redleaf was the sixteenth — and final — venue Mikaela and Tom visited.

From the moment they drove onto the property, it felt different. The scale, the gardens, the sense that every corner had been thoughtfully considered. More than that, it was the feeling of being able to truly settle in — having the venue for several days, gathering with family and friends, and letting the weekend unfold rather than rushing through it.

Redleaf has a way of encouraging that kind of presence. It’s beautiful, yes — but it’s also grounding. Especially after weeks of uncertainty, it became the calm centre of everything.

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A Ceremony Framed by Weather and Light

The ceremony was held outdoors, exactly as Mikaela had hoped.

After hours of rain earlier in the day, the clouds began to lift. Florals were set, chairs dried, and just as Mikaela walked down the aisle, the light shifted.

Moments before they exchanged vows, the sun broke through — and a rainbow appeared across the ceremony space.

It was one of those moments no one forgets.

The ceremony itself was everything it needed to be: relaxed, personal, funny, and emotional. During Mikaela’s vows, tears threatened to take over — until Tom cracked a perfectly timed joke that turned emotion into laughter, grounding them both in the moment.

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A Celebration Shaped by Thoughtful Details

The rest of the day felt like an expression of who Mikaela and Tom are.

Their inspiration leaned into la dolce vita — lemons, blue and white tones, French-inspired food, limoncello as place cards, and guests encouraged to bring colour into their outfits. The result was vibrant without being forced, considered without feeling styled.

Butterflies landed on the florals during the ceremony. A trumpeter led guests between moments like a modern pied piper. Long tables filled with conversation, great food from Bistro Molines, and wine chosen with care set the tone for the evening.

Nothing felt accidental.

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Portraits and Golden Light at Redleaf

Portraits unfolded naturally throughout the afternoon.

We moved through the gardens and open spaces at Redleaf as the light changed — soft and moody earlier on, then warmer as the sun dipped lower. Mikaela and Tom didn’t need much direction. They were present, relaxed, and clearly soaking in the experience.

Those in-between moments — quiet glances, laughter, hands reaching for one another — were where the day lived.

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A Dancefloor to Remember

As evening settled in, the energy lifted.

The band set the tone early, pulling guests onto the dancefloor before dinner had even begun. When the noise curfew arrived, the celebration simply shifted gears — with a silent disco under the stars that quickly became one of the most memorable parts of the night.

Seeing grandparents dancing well past midnight, guests singing without music, and Mikaela changing into sneakers to dance the night away felt like the perfect reflection of the weekend as a whole.

Joyful. Unscripted. Fully lived.

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Photographing Weddings at Redleaf

I’ve photographed several weddings at Redleaf, and days like this are exactly why it remains one of my favourite venues.

If you’d like to see more weddings I’ve photographed here — and read more about my approach to capturing celebrations like this — you can view my Redleaf wedding photographer guide.

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A Weekend That Stayed With Everyone

Mikaela and Tom’s wedding was shaped by uncertainty, patience, and trust — and the reward was a celebration that felt deeply human.

Beautiful, yes.
But more than that — meaningful.

An absolute privilege to be part of.

Mikaela and Tom’s wedding was featured in Hello May.