Lush textures, desert florals, and endless romance is the name of the game at this unforgettable Australia bohemian wedding! When planning their special day, Karla and Matt prioritized relaxation over typical wedding formalities, so they chose Maleny Retreat for its gorgeous, sprawling grounds and easygoing vibes. A traditional Nordic reception tent and fun texture details like Persian rugs and lace completed the couple’s desert wedding vision, and DIY projects like cushioned milk crate canapé seating kept things cool and personal. We love how photographer Ash & Stone captured Karla and Matt’s super chic wedding with such an amazing attention to detail and light.
The Couple:
Karla and Matt
The Wedding:
Maleny Retreat, Queensland, Australia
I wanted bold makeup. I went so muted and plain with flowers and styling colours, I think something needed to stand out. I also always wanted just wavy effortless hair, so I think having my makeup as a bit more of a focal point suited everything else I chose. I had zero plans for my hair on the day and just planned on freestyling the morning of, my amazing hair stylist managed to whip up a beautiful half head flower crown out of flowers from the table styling. It really completed my look, she did a stunning job.
Maleny Retreat has always been special to us, it’s beautiful and just has a great happy, fresh feeling up there. I think we always knew it was the perfect spot. After visiting Maleny Retreat and having the blank canvas to do it exactly how we wanted was perfect.
I visited quite a few venues I’d had my eye on for years prior to getting engaged and they were very beautiful, formal, and elegant. After visiting them though I just felt they weren’t me and I started to be drawn more to the relaxed outdoor vibe. I guess I do care much more about how an event feels rather than looks.
I loved pastel peach, mint, beige – I guess you would call them desert hues. I never had a colour theme, I just stayed neutral which left me pretty open to mix and match colours as I pleased.
Having quite a lot of immediate family at the venue on the morning of the wedding (segregated from the bridal party of course) made prepping for a DIY outdoor wedding so much less stressful, all those things that go wrong the morning of were taken care of by everyone there and I didn’t have to lift a finger. Everyone chipped in and helped out in one way or another, it made them feel special doing their own little job and it made the day run flawlessly for us with minimal stress.
Matt and I are from the country originally and we would love to move to the Hinterland Farm one day, so we placed two tree seeds in a glass vessel along with our vows, and on one of our anniversaries we will plant the trees side by side and be able to watch them grow with us.
The most memorable moment for both of us it was walking back down the aisle as a married couple, the joy and love on our guests’ faces as well as our own made us feel truly blessed to be surrounded by so many loved ones.
I initially wanted a really relaxed boho style dress but after trying on the “Mabel” skirt from KWH I fell in love, it was so flattering from every angle so I made it work and tried to dress it down with the lace “Tillie” crop from KWH also. It was an April wedding and in a cool location so I always wanted long sleeve just due to the climate there.
Our photographer and I have exactly the same style so her ideas were always on point with what I wanted but with the added expertise that comes from being a seasoned wedding attendee. She does a huge amount of research so on the day she already knew the angles we preferred and the range of photographs she wanted.
Processional – Ben Howard, “Old Pine”
Recessional – One Republic, “Feel Again”
Reception Entrance – Felix Jaehn, “Ain’t Nobody (Loves Me Better) ft. Jasmine Thompson”
The Wedding Team:
Photography – Ash & Stone
Event Planning – Little Gray Station
Venue – Maleny Retreat
Floral Design – Stem Design
Catering – Noosa Catering
Officiant – Kari Celebrations
Invitations – Paper Birch Designs, Floralovely Modern Calligraphy, Blushing Confetti
Makeup Artist – Embellished
Hair Styling – Evalyn Parsons Hair
Wedding Dress – Karen Willis Holmes
Bridal Accessories – Forever Soles
Bridesmaids’ Apparel – Aje., Pony & Pressed
Groom’s Apparel – Myer, H&M, Windsor Smith
Groomsmen’s Apparel – H&M, Windsor Smith, ASOS, Pony & Pressed
Rings – Stephen Dibb Jewellery, Michael Hill
Sign Lettering – KB Lettering
Rentals – Katalane Nordic Event Tents, Hampton Event Hire
Favors – Chantilly & Coco
Congratulations to Karla and Matt, and a huge thanks to Ash & Stone for submitting this gorgeous wedding to Junebug! Want more boho wedding inspiration? Then you’ve got to see this Texas take on bohemian wedding style at Laguna Gloria!
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