our engagement

Our engagement party last weekend was exactly how I had imagined it in my mind to be: a beautiful sunny Spring day on the rolling lawns of Mr M's parents property, lots of kids running about, a few glasses of champagne, all of our very nearest and dearest in one place. Bliss.




Top: My sisters Louise and Creina, my brother Kelly and me.
Middle: Mr M and I
Bottom: The scene on the lawn

We only wanted something very small and casual, it seemed it was either that or a full-blown engagement party with 130 people. No thank-you. Plus, Mr M's parents have just put their property on the market for sale, it is the only home Mr M has ever known and is beyond tranquil and beautiful, we wanted to share that with my family as well.

To their credit all members of our immediate family except for my 88 year old grandmother attended, my sister and brother-in-law and two girls all the way from Brisbane and my brother and sister-in-law and their two girls made the drive down from Wodonga. Mr M's best man Tyler and his wife Kate (one of my bridesmaids) did the five hour drive from the Mallee also, despite locust plague threats and harvest busyness. Having all of these special people there was incredibly important to us and we appreciated the effort enormously.




Top left: My nieces Chloe and Charlotte in their very cute pink tutus and grey leggins ensembles.
Top right: Bridesmaid Kate and Best Man Tyler.
Middle left: My sister Louise and my brother Kelly.
Middle right: My niece Ava chasing her sister Scarlett around the trees.
Bottom left: Mr M's nephew Ethan enjoying his fruit salad.
Bottom right: My sister-in-law Mandy taking the girls down the creek for a look.

 Mr M and his trusty brother Geoff were on barbeque duty (and did a fabulous job I might add) whilst myself, Mr M's mum and my mum made salads, dips, fruit salad and cheesecake dessert. Nom nom nom...so much food! The kids all got along well, my nieces don't see each other very often so it can be a bit full on when they do, and poor Laura (Mr M's niece) is incredibly shy and was a bit blown over by the crazy four strange girls descending on her grandparents! Mr M's nephew Ethan slept through most of the day and woke up with all these strangers, poor little fella. Some fruit salad under a tree soon fixed that.



Top left: My sister Louise with Mr M's groomsman Mika, sporting a nice Movember moustache!
Top right: Ava and her dad Russell
Middle left: Ava and Gracie the dog.
Middle right: My niece Scarlett
Bottom: Cupcakes made by me!

The weather could not have been more perfect, after a drizzly morning and me stressing about jamming everybody inside, but still adament I would be wearing my dress rain or no rain! Ah the dress, I am in love with it, fits like a glove and was perfect for the occassion. The very talented Peppermint Milk made it for me, with a pretty vintage floral bodice, high waist skirt in a minty green and scallop detail on the neckline.

Our generous family got us an assortment of trees for our new home at Brindabella, delivered to Mr M's parents by a tree farm up the road (and where Mr M used to work as a teenager). We got a beautiful big crapapple, an ornamental pear, an orange tree and some westringia bushes, all perfect for my cottage garden we are trying to build.

Mr M's sister wrote us a beautiful poem which she read out, and my brother said some very lovely words welcoming Mr M into our family. Overall the whole day made us feel extremely loved, supported and excited about planning our wedding and our future together with both of our families....xxx

P.S. Sorry these photo sizes, margins and sidebar are not working for me...the whole blog is in a bit of disarray! Hold tight until I fix it up :)

P.P.S. Go here to see some other lovely pictures of some other lovely weekends I'm sure.