An Australian Villa and Vintage Tableware Set the Tone for This Gorgeous Wedding
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It was a Friendsgiving dinner in Venice Beach, California, that brought Kendall and Benjamin Knox together. The two were seated next to one another and spent the evening locked in conversation, but it was the handwritten notes that followed the evening that led to their first date. "I happened to write gratitude cards to everyone in attendance, conveying what about them I was grateful for. It seemed to leave a lasting impression on him," Kendall shares. "Shortly following Thanksgiving, we went to see James Blake with friends." Kendall reminisces about how the night ended with a kiss in her driveway, adding, "From that night on, we were together."
Benjamin proposed five years later in Sydney, Australia. Kendall says, "Ben proposed to me after a walk on the beach and lunch at one of our favorite venues, The Boathouse in Rose Bay. It had been a rainy weekend, and just as we sat to eat, the clouds parted a little, and the sunshine poked through—it was a very special moment." Soon after, the couple began making plans for their wedding and decided on a tranquil countryside villa in the Australian wine region of Hunter Valley. "We wanted to choose a place that represented the two of us in a meaningful way. Australia is my home and Ben's borrowed home, but it was important the venue represented us as a couple," shares Kendall.
The venue was also the perfect setting to integrate special pieces from Olive Ateliers, a brand co-founded by the couple that sources one-of-a-kind objects from around the globe. "We worked to curate and ship over an assortment of our vessels to use as part of the tablescape and styling on our special day," Kendall shares. Vintage vases and pottery added a personal touch to the sprawling tables where guests dined for the reception. Scroll on to read more about the wedding weekend with words from the bride and see more details from the beautiful Australian celebration.
"The morning of the wedding was honestly really calm. We drank coffee and sang 'Going to the Chapel.' I got ready with my three bridesmaids, and my mum joined us toward the end of the morning."
"I roamed around in my beautiful Stone Cold Fox robe, gifted by my dear friend Cydney."
"I was lucky enough to collaborate with Shona Joy to design custom bridesmaid dresses for my girls. I wanted to blend a '50s vintage look with a '90s slip dress in a silhouette that complemented the unique and beautiful body of each of my bridesmaids. We added a hint of lace to each dress as a nod to my own wedding dress and opted for ivory silk to make sure they could shine like the angels they are."
"I was the last to receive glam. I opted for a very natural makeup look—I wanted to make sure I looked like myself, that my skin was clear, and I didn't feel overdone. My hair and makeup artist Serena Wyllie and I decided that a classic French twist was exactly what my look needed, and boy, we were right."
WWW Weddings tip: "Leverage the power of Instagram to find your hair and makeup artist. Instagram is a digital portfolio for the work of these artists, so scroll 'til you find the one, and book the artist of your dreams well in advance to make sure you trust who you're working with on the big day."
"Ben donned a classic black tuxedo. I wanted to make sure we both looked timeless and that when we looked back on our wedding photos, nothing felt dated or trend-driven. He even agreed to grow his hair out, which, in my opinion, is his most handsome state. He treated himself to a vintage Rolex, the perfect accessory for our big day."
"Before we knew it, it was time for the first look with my dad, an Australian tradition."
"Landing on a look was easier than I thought. I followed all the advice from all the brides before me. Try everything on. Don't assume you know what you'll like—bridal dresses are a whole other ball game! Have fun! I did all three. I explored vintage options, designer couture, and somehow, magically, early on, I landed on the beautiful, timeless Netta BenShabu Elsa dress—a strapless gown with a beautiful scalloped train, which I extended by an extra 1.5 feet because I knew I had a long aisle ahead. Once I chose my dress, I refused to look at another. I knew if I kept looking, I'd change my mind. I paired my look with a scalloped, lace-trimmed cathedral veil, which I wore over my face until I reached the groom."
"[For the wedding venue, we decided on] Redleaf Wollombi, a hidden Tuscan villa nestled in the Hunter Valley with sprawling European-inspired gardens."
"The ceremony felt heaven-sent. My entrance was made clutching tight to dad and trying not to tumble down an incredible (incredibly long) tree-lined aisle. An anecdote: I did happen to get caught on a rose bush or two en route down the aisle, but dad did his job well, detaching me from the foliage swiftly. We had a giggle, and so did the guests."
The bridal party arriving at the ceremony.
"Olive leaves were tossed as we left the altar and entered our chapter as Mr. and Mrs. Knox. It was a really special, happy tear filled ceremony."
The couple with family and friends on their wedding day.
"We kept the ceremony relatively short and sweet [with] a meaningful bible reading from a family member and handwritten vows."
"A snippet of my vows: And just as we love filling our home with objects with old souls and our closets with secondhand clothes, I can't wait to antique our marriage together. Wear that sucker in, patina the pages, see our story tatter slightly at the edges, but inevitably become better, stronger, and more rich with age."
WWW Weddings tip: "Don't forget to factor in the bridal dress tailoring costs. Mine came in at almost a third the cost of the dress, and let's just say it was not something I had budgeted for, so beware."
"The moment I saw the venue, I knew it had to be a Tuscan-inspired alfresco dining experience—shared family-style food, a dance floor, and a bar nearby so we could dance and laugh under the stars. We opted for two long tables, and Ben and I looked out at all our guests the entire time."
"We wanted a theme of romance, abundance, and nostalgia. We opted for a family-style Italian feast, with shared pastas and sides. Both visually and metaphorically, we loved the concept of sharing a beautiful, delicious, messy meal with those we love. Our grazing table was abundant with locally sourced ingredients, and we hosted an opulent oyster bar because who doesn't love an Aussie oyster?"
"The architecture and ambiance of the venue spoke to us immediately and complemented our brand Olive Ateliers, which sources and sells one-of-a-kind décor, pottery, and home furnishings from Europe, India, Indonesia, and other corners of the globe."
WWW Weddings tip: "An editorial wedding photographer and videographer is everything. We were blessed to secure Lucy Blake and The Love Lens, who so very beautifully and effortlessly capture special moments. I told both ladies that I wanted to spend as little time as possible posing for photos but that I trusted them to capture us in motion, interacting with one another and our guests and enjoying the day. Lucy and Katie did just that. I think all up we spent 40 minutes away from our guests on photos. They never made us pose in an inorganic way. We didn't have a laundry list of a shot list to abide by. They let us do our thing, and the memories we now have are truly perfect."
"We worked with our florist, The Flower Drum, to ensure our florals complemented the venue and our vintage vessels. We kept to flowy greens and whites, with a sprinkle of Aussie natives. I partnered with Little Lane Events to bring my vision to life by styling florals alongside locally sourced provisions to reiterate the theme of abundance."
"We all had so much fun, laughing, sharing pasta dishes, and drinking good wine. But gosh, the absolute highlight had to be the speeches. I know I might be biased, but they were the most heartfelt, funny, inclusive speeches of all time."
"We shared our first dance to 'Godspeed' by James Blake, and I snuck off the change into my second look before the five-piece band hit the stage."
"My second look was a Kim Kassas corseted minidress embroidered with pearls. A dream, if you will. I left the dance floor shortly after my first dance with Ben and slipped into my mini and let my hair down, quite literally. I entered the dance floor to Beyonce's 'Crazy in Love,' followed by a very fun bouquet toss to all the single ladies.
"We danced into the night, and everyone left with an Australian sausage roll in one hand and an Olive Ateliers gift in the other. Best night of our lives. The moment the party ended, the skies opened up, and the rain poured for days and days. We couldn't have timed it better."
Photographer: Lucy Blake
Videographer: The Love Lens
Makeup Artist and Hairstylist: Serena Wyllie
Venue: Redleaf Wollombi
Florist: The Flower Drum
Caterer: Fennel Co. Catering
Baker: By Gigi
Stationery Designer: Paije-Tarné
Stationery Printer: Linen and Poppi
Furniture Rental: Simply Seated
If you're interested in having your wedding featured on our site, please fill out our Who What Wear Weddings submission form here.
Kristen Nichols is the Associate Director, Special Projects atBest Knockoff Luxury Clothing with over a decade of experience in fashion, editorial, and publishing. She oversees luxury content and wedding features, and covers fashion within the luxury market, runway reporting, shopping features, trends, and interviews with leading industry experts. She also contributes to podcast recordings, social media, and branded content initiatives. Kristen has worked with brands including Prada, Chanel, MyTheresa, and Luisa Via Roma, and rising designers such as Refine and Tove, and her style has been featured in publications including Vogue.com, Vogue France, WWD, and the CFDA. BeforeBest Knockoff Luxury Clothing , Kristen began her career at Rodarte, where she worked on assistant styling, photo shoots, and runway shows, and at Allure, where she moved into print and digital editorial. She graduated from the University of Southern California, where she studied art history and business, and currently lives in New York.
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