For Sarah & Nick, the importance of marriage was at the forefront of their wedding celebrations from as early as the planning stages. If at times things got a little stressful, they reminded themselves of what the day was about - the start of their marriage and the next chapter of their life together. Having decided that Stones of the Yarra Valley was the venue for them even before Nick popped the question, they knew their day would be what dreams are made of, despite the unseasonal February down pour!

How did you meet?

Sarah
We had some mutual friends so we knew of each other, but only officially met when we were on Schoolies in Lorne in 2009. We became friends for a few months before Nick finally asked me out one Friday night at Perseverance. We always tell people who are nervous about sending their kids to schoolies that there are some great things to come from going... you just might meet your future husband or wife!

Tell us about the proposal

Nick
I surprised Sarah with a random lunch in the Yarra Valley, not far from Stones, she didn’t see it coming and that was the point. She is a little bit of a control freak and would have liked to plan her own proposal.
I proposed at the end of the lunch, perfect timing for photos over the vineyard as the sun set.

Sarah
Nick organised lunch one Saturday in the Yarra Valley. I thought it was just a casual lunch, so I was running super late. I think Nick rescheduled the lunch about three times. At the end of the lunch he proposed, and I was so shocked, I think my first words were “do my parents know!”. He definitely caught me off guard. It was the perfect surprise and a moment I will never forget.

Tell us a little about the planning process

Sarah
Nick is an accountant and I love planning events and parties so, between us, we had all the excel spreadsheets you can imagine for the wedding. We booked Stones first then our videographer, Moon and Back and our photographer, Theodore and Co, because we knew we wanted them and didn’t want to miss out. We then booked in all our other suppliers quite a while out from the wedding. By booking everyone early, it really gave us the opportunity to build some amazing relationships with all the suppliers who by the end genuinely felt like friends - we still keep in touch with quite a few of them!

Nick
Sarah did 98% and I paid the invoices. But really we made all the decisions and met with the vendors together. We made sure that both of us were really comfortable with all the suppliers we picked.

What made you choose Stones of the Yarra Valley?

Sarah
Even before we were engaged, we knew we wanted to have our wedding at Stones. We always loved going there for lunch so it was the easiest decision we made, we didn’t even look at any other venues.

Nick
We had been to Stones many times and so it was an easy decision for us. We always knew we would get married there.

What were some of your favourite moments/details on the day?

Sarah
It is so hard to pick! We always say our wedding day was the best day of our lives. You just can't explain the feeling of having everyone you love from all the parts of your life in one room. One of my favourite moments of the day that not many people know about was when Nick and I exited to the balcony of The Chapel at the end of the ceremony. Watching all of our loved ones exit the chapel and having a moment to soak in the time on our own, with no cameras or anyone around, was just so special. We shed a tear or two up there and it was the most special moment for just the two of us to enjoy. It was one of the best moments of the day (and my life!).

Nick
I really can’t pick one favourite thing. The whole day was perfect. I really liked having everything in the one spot; The Chapel, The Dairy, the reception. Our guests didn’t have to travel far and it meant the celebrations just continued all night.

Were there any traditions that were important to incorporate?

As we both come from Catholic upbringings, it was important for us and our families that we had a Catholic Ceremony. Father Mark Reynolds conducted the mass and it was the perfect blend of tradition but at the same time, we were able to realise our dream of having the ceremony in the Stones Chapel.

Are there any funny stories or near disasters?

When we booked our wedding in February, we imagined it to be a very hot summers day, I even organised a gelato cart. It had also been a really hot and dry summer that year too with lots of bushfires. I remember doing our last venue visit and it was so hot and dry at Stones. When the day of our wedding came around, it was the most unseasonably cool and wet February day and it rained the entire day! It made for some beautiful lush and green photos and you really can enjoy gelato in any weather.

Do you have any advice for couples who are currently planning their weddings

Sarah
Try and enjoy the process. At times, it can get stressful but just remind yourself of what the wedding is about - the start of your marriage and this next chapter of your life together. It is easy to get caught up in the little things but in hindsight, no one remembers the candles you had on the table, they remember the love that they all felt in the room.

Nick
You will never regret picking Stones for your wedding venue!

Any words of wisdom on marriage?

Sarah
I remember my father-in-law saying in his speech “marriage is not always easy” and I think that is really true. It isn’t always easy but we always say that our relationship is number one. No matter how busy we are, how crazy family life is, we always make sure our relationship is rock solid. We also always get through the hard times by making each other laugh, no matter what.

Nick
Treat each day as a new adventure together. No matter if it’s good, bad or ugly, you can get through it all together.

What does life look like now?

The world (and our lives) have really changed since our wedding day back in 2020. We narrowly managed to have a honeymoon in the US and Mexico in February/March and came back just as the world was changing. Since then we have brought our family home, renovated and this year welcomed our beautiful son, Oscar, into the world. He really is the best thing that has ever happened to us.

We can't wait to take Oscar to Stones someday soon, it will always hold a special place in our family's heart.