Monica and Victor’s relaxed wedding in country New South Wales felt authentic and full of connection, blending modern romance with deep cultural roots.

A Proposal in the Rain

Victor’s original plan to propose in Europe fell through when he forgot the ring during a trip to Scotland. He improvised in the only way he knew how. The couple was driving through the Scottish Highlands when Victor decided to pop the question in a hire car with the windscreen wipers going. It rained, but the moment felt special to Monica.

“He was so cagey about his backpack and nervous about carrying the ring around,” Monica explained. “When we were driving through the Scottish Highlands, he planned to propose when we stopped to see a waterfall, but he forgot to bring the ring, and then it started raining, so he ended up proposing in the hire car with the windscreen wipers going. It was so special.”

Cultural Threads in the Details

The couple wove Burmese culture into every part of the day, from the attire to the rituals. Monica wore a pink, gold, and white longyi paired with a white-and-gold embroidered top. The outfit was selected from a store in Myanmar, and Victor’s mum arranged for the garments to be made and shipped to Australia.

“Choosing and trying on the outfit was exciting – it really felt like such a special outfit and a lovely way to represent Victor and his family’s background,” she said.

Victor wore a traditional Burmese silk paso his father had worn on his own wedding day. For the reception, he switched to a black tuxedo that offered a sharp, elegant look while remaining comfortable enough to dance in.

Tradition at the Ceremony

Monica walked down the aisle with her parents, accompanied by her teenage cousins who performed “Stand By Me.” The ceremony was a beautiful celebration of Monica and Victor’s coming together, led by a family member. “We included a hand-wrapping ceremony performed by Victor’s parents, which is a Burmese tradition to symbolise ‘tying the knot’,” Monica shared.

The setting was Monica’s childhood home in country New South Wales. The poplars and farmlands provided a stunning backdrop for the event. The reception took place in and around an old shearing shed that the couple spent time cleaning and decorating with fairy and festoon lights. Monica’s dad built the arbour, and the couple created the flowers on it using blooms from Bek’s Bloomz.

A Relaxed Reception

Bek’s Bloomz created all the floral arrangements for the wedding. Bek selected the flowers based on the dress colors and venue setup, suggesting gum, light blue delphinium, and white and whitish pink roses like Candy Bianca and Vandala.

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Guests entered the shed through a display of Polaroids and photos from the last decade of the couple’s relationship. The reception featured speeches from friends and family and delicious pizza supplied by Wandering Woodfire Oven. Victor and Monica did not choreograph a formal first dance. Instead, they opened the dance floor with “Stand By Me” in a casual display of fun.

Monica’s teenage cousins performed the song during the ceremony, and the couple decided to bring it back for the reception. “We were keen for everyone else to join us!” she shared.

Behind the Lens

Acacia & Grace Photography captured the day. Stephanie documented the event with a calm and warm approach that put the couple at ease. The team also handled the couple photo sessions, which included a golden hour shoot that turned out beautifully.

“Steph was incredible to work with. She was so organised and supportive in the lead-up to our wedding. On the day, she was so calm and warm and made us feel so at ease, and we just enjoyed our couple photo sessions so much,” Monica said.

The choice of a family home as the venue offered a level of intimacy and history that a rented location simply could not match. When the guests arrived, they were greeted not just by a party, but by a curated walk through the couple’s shared past. The inclusion of specific traditions like the hand-wrapping ceremony provided a grounding sense of place, anchoring the celebration in something larger than the immediate festivities.

Five Things That Stood Out

Monica and Victor identified five elements of their day as particularly meaningful. The venue being the family home stood at the top of their list. They also valued including Burmese traditions in the ceremony and the opportunity to dance in the shed, a space they had used for events long before their wedding. Including so many family members and seeing their guests travel from across Australia and overseas to be there rounded out the list.

“All the speeches were perfect – they captured us so well and had everyone laughing and crying,” Monica said.

For couples planning a relaxed wedding, Monica offered a simple piece of advice: the ceremony goes quickly, so try to be in the moment. “Find a little moment throughout the wedding for just the two of you to celebrate together.”