SV Brides
JULIA BOWER
Adorned with Saint Valentine Jewellery, Julia Bower reflects on one of life’s most memorable moments—set amidst the quiet beauty of Mudgee’s countryside.
How did you and your partner meet?
We met on exchange at university in a place called Maastricht in the Netherlands. Our rooms were next door to each other so we met on the first day. We were inseparable from day dot, first as friends, and then we got a little closer.
What was the most memorable moment of your wedding?
Wow. It’s so hard to pick because the day was incredible and I loved our ceremony and vows, but at one point before we came back from our sunset photos to dinner, Mike and I went out amongst the grapevines, just the two of us, and we had a drink and took the day in and put our arms around each other. It was one of those “I am so in love with you and so grateful for you” moments.
Can you recall the feeling of when you put your wedding dress on for the first time?
I never thought I’d be the person who would try on a dress and go “this is the one”, but as soon as I put it on I knew. I just felt so beautiful. Kyha does incredible work and the studio space makes you feel so special.
Tell us about your venue, and how you chose it?
Our venue was incredible. The Vinegrove is that perfect mix of country charm and elegance that we wanted. We also loved Sarah and Tim, the venue owners and coordinators, who made us feel so comfortable and confident in our choice. They went above and beyond for us on the day and we wouldn’t have changed a thing.
A huge consideration for us was what was included in the wedding package which we found a lot of other venues didn’t include or you had to organise yourself like napkins, table cloths, cutlery etc. Sarah even had a telephone guestbook we used on the day which was so much fun and our guests loved. We also love wine and wanted to supply our own. Mudgee wine is amazing.
What song did you choose for your first dance and why?
We chose ‘Kiss me’ by sixpence none the richer. It’s such a great 90s song that everyone loves and is so cute and unique. Mike and I had a little inside joke about the song for years so it just seemed perfect to be our first dance song. I also loved our aisle song which was a cover of Adore u by Sidney. It just suited us (we love Fred again..) and really captured the tone for the rest of the day, energetic, romantic and fun.
What advice would you give anyone planning their wedding?
Book your vendors as far in advance as you can if you know you want them. Have a dedicated wedding email folder. Pinterest, Pinterest, Pinterest (and Etsy). Make sure you enjoy the process, as it’s over before you know it. Don’t forget that the reason you’re getting married is because of your partner and no one else, or their opinion, matters.
What are you most excited about in this new chapter of your life?
Knowing that I get to wake up and go to sleep next to my husband every night for the rest of my life. Also I got to buy a card for Mike’s birthday in the ‘husband’ section for the first time recently which seems silly but was pretty exciting! We are also looking to buy our first home together which is going to be really incredible once we do. I can’t wait to make it ours and then start our family.
