Abbey + Michael - Rowlee Wines

Anyone who knew Michael and Abbey's wedding brief could have bet good money they'd choose to marry at Rowlee Wines - a winery wedding venue in Orange, NSW. Classy, all-inclusive and close to home it "matched their vibe perfectly", said Abbey.

Their intimate garden ceremony was followed by cocktails and live music in the afternoon sun, and a sit-down dinner inside Rowlee's perfectly positioned clear marquee. A five-star sunset, limoncello shots and a wedding coordinator who kept everything running smoothly added to what was already a memorable celebration.

Captured by the always incredible Ripple Weddings, check it out below. You can also see more real weddings at Rowlee Wines here.

How did you and Michael meet? We first met in 2017 during my uni placement with a local marketing firm but the timing just wasn't right! Fast forward four years, Michael heard through the grapevine that I was single and sent me a message. One breakfast date was all it took - we knew straight away it was something special, and we’ve been inseparable ever since!

The venue: Rowlee Wines in Orange. Honestly, we knew straight away it was the one! The venue is absolutely stunning and matched our vibe perfectly: the vines, the manicured green lawns, classy and polished. Being locals, we wanted to stay close to home and as soon as we met with Nicole, we knew it was the one. The inclusions were also a massive tick and we always dreamt of a marquee venue - Rowlee was honestly a no-brainer for us.

Best wedding planning resources? Honestly social media - Instagram, TikTok and Pinterest - my whole algorithm changed and was ALL wedding content for a whole 18 months! Also friends recently married were a massive support for wedding planning advice.

The vibe: We were going for a modern black-tie vibe - cocktails in hand, sunglasses on, and everyone in the best black-tie attire. We kept things classic and timeless with a black and white palette, surrounded by the beautiful greenery of Rowlee and white roses to tie it all together. Most importantly, we wanted the whole day to feel full of love, not just between us, but the love we have for our friends and family.

Rapid Fire Questions

Wedding splurge

Videographer – hands down our best decision! If it’s in your budget, we can't recommend it enough. The day flies by, and having a video that captures all the emotion and energy of the day is so beautiful.

Wedding save

Having it locally!

First look?

No, we loved sharing that first moment down the aisle.

Best thing you ate or drank on the day?

Parrot Limoncello.

Aisle song

"Can’t Help Falling in Love", by Elvis Presley.

Party starter track

Dom Dolla.

Ceremony or reception (which won)?

Ceremony: the anticipation, and that moment seeing each other for the first time was unforgettable.

On-budget or over-budget?

Over - oops! But absolutely no regrets!

Honeymoon destination

Maldives.

Expectations vs. reality: Planning a wedding was so much more work than we expected, it honestly felt like a full-time job at times! But seeing all the little details come together in the end made every late night totally worth it.

Best thing you did? It’s honestly hard to pick just one! Having our friend Max as our DJ was the best, he kept the dance floor pumping all night. Booking an amazing photographer and videographer was so worth it! Starting the dance floor with limoncello shots was a fun kickoff to the party. Plus, having a marquee wedding with stunning sunset views made everything feel magical. And keeping it local made planning easier and more personal.

Also, have to do a massive shout-out to Charlotte from Wedshed - the rain really threw a curveball to the run-sheet on the day and honestly you'd never know - she handled the on-the-day coordination like a pro!

Hit (or near) miss: Midway through the ceremony, a massive downpour of rain! We only had a handful of umbrellas, and everyone ended up getting soaked, but no one moved an inch. Honestly, it turned out to be one of our favourite moments of the day. Michael and I felt like we were in our own little bubble under our umbrella and the photos are incredible! A moment we will never forget.

If we had our time again... (is there anything you would change in retrospect?) Cliche I know, but we honestly wouldn't change a thing!

CREDITS: Photos and video Ripple Weddings // Celebrant Say Yes With Tess // Venue and catering Rowlee Wines // Bridal gown Kyha Studios // Florist and furniture hire White Place Events // Coorination Wedshed Managed // Bridesmaid dresses Billy J Boutique // Suits Hartfords Menswear // Hair Parlour O // Makeup Haley Jean Makeup Artist // Music Matt Boylan-Smith and Max Simmons // Dress alterations Chloe Gray.