Christie Hayes and Justin Coombes Pearce Romantic Byron Bay Elopement

I commenced working on the wedding journey of Australian Actress and Radio Host Christie Hayes and TV and Radio Host and Producer Justin Coombes Pearce in early 2020. We started with a zoom meeting as the couple were based in the Illawarra and hour and a half from Sydney. I had seen Christie on the Australian soap Home & Away and loved her energy and the fun and relaxed love I could see and feel between Christie and Justin on that call.

At the time the plan was to have a stunning French inspired wedding in the glorious New South Wales Southern Highlands for 140 people.

As with many weddings in 2020 our grand plans and work can to a grinding halt due to the covid pandemic. We decided to continue planning and aim for August 2021.

As state borders within Australia continued to close Christie and Justin decided they didn’t want to wait or risk about delay and that they wanted to elope to Byron Bay.

The vision for Christie and Justin’s elopement was focused on special moments for the couple over a two day period.

Deux Belettes has the most stunning pond as you enter the property which was covered in green algae at the time of the elopement and we knew it would be the perfect spot to do a romantic, dreamy photo shoot.

Christie’s photographer, Poppy Peterson captured stunning images for the couple the day before their ceremony relaxing in the old white dingy in the middle of the vibrant green pond. It was such moment and the images are extraordinary.

A magical elopement moment, Christie Hayes and Justin Coombes Pearce at Deux Belettes captured by Poppy Peterson Weddings

Following the shoot I prepared for the couple a sunset supper, as Christie and Justin continued to have some natural moments captured by Poppy in the golden fields, I created a whimsical space where they could enjoy their last night together before they officially became Mr and Mrs the following day.

To create the whimsical setting I sourced hand painted plates from a market in the Southern Highlands and featured individual blooms hand cut from the rambling Deux Belettes gardens and a soft palette across the linens. I paired this with hand etched Perrier Jouet champagne coupes to compete the romantic aesthetic.

Platter Me Beautiful created a delicious grazing table for Christie and Justin to enjoy well into the evening in candlelight under the chandeliers.

The Wedding Series Founder Kate O’Shea preparing a Sunset Supper for Christie Hayes and Justin Coombes Pearce

The vision for Christie and Justin’s ceremony was centred around ‘Love is on the Air’ which was inspired by Christie and Justin’s meeting ‘on air’ when they were co hosts of a radio show. This theme ran through from the invitations to guests inviting the to ‘virtually’ view the ceremony right through to the centre piece on the wedding cake.

As Deux Belettes is so stunning in its own right, it needed very little ‘dressing’. The ceremony was being live steamed to Christie and Justin’s guests at twilight so we want to keep the setting romantic surrounded in candlelight for the couple to say ‘Oui Deux’.