The rolling hills of the Riverina set the scene for this bride and groom’s special day

It was JUST an ordinary Sunday afternoon in Sydney when Charlotte Tomkins first met Ben Lenehan.

“Ben had come up from Jugiong for the weekend to attend a concert, and my best friend had convinced me to come with her for a quiet afternoon drink,” says Charlotte, who is originally from Bowral in the Southern Highlands of New South Wales. “There was something about Ben that seemed to catch my eye, and so, slightly desperately, I ended up buying a ticket to the concert!” The pair hit it off immediately, and after two years of long-distance love, Charlotte moved to the Lenehan family’s mixed farming property, Inverlochie, near Jugiong, in early 2020.

The couple were married in April 2022 among the rolling hills of Kimo Estate at Gundagai, only
40 minutes away from their home, after falling in love with the venue’s rustic charm and picturesque landscape. The fact that their whole bridal party was able to stay and get ready together at the on-site accom­modation was a bonus.

The ceremony took place at the historic homestead, followed by canapés and drinks in the stunning homestead gardens. Later, 160 guests enjoyed a reception in the rustic elegance of the grain shed. The cathedral-like ceiling provided the perfect space to host their celebration, including a dance floor where the party kicked off after the dinner and speeches from their special guests.

“We were lucky the day went perfectly,” says Charlotte. “I think this was mainly due to Emelia and Kiloran from Kimo Estate, who ensured everything ran smoothly from start to finish.

LISTEN: Melinda O’Donoghue is known as the Outback Wedding Dressmaker. Article continues below.

“It was during that tense period where Covid restrictions could have caused havoc, so we were just so happy we were all able to enjoy our special day,” she says. “It was beautiful weather: our guests from Sydney and the Southern Highlands hadn’t seen much sun during February and March, so they were very pleased to be out in the country on a lovely sunny day.”

With Charlotte in her magnificent Karen Walker bridal gown, this easygoing couple had an amazing afternoon wandering with their photographer through Kimo Estate’s spectacular sheep paddocks.

Charlotte and Ben’s wedding day was full of love and laughter, and in April this year, to make their first wedding anniversary sweeter, the couple welcomed their little girl Gracie into the world.

IN DETAIL

Bride’s dress
The bride’s dress was from New Zealand designer, Karen Walker. “I saw this dress online and instantly knew it was the one,” she says. “I had spent a couple of years of school in New Zealand and so loved the idea of wearing a NZ brand. I had all intentions of going over for a fitting and catching up with my school friends; however, Covid restrictions prevented that. So, my fitting ended up being in my friend’s living room with a measuring tape, praying that we were measuring the right areas. The Karen Walker team were so helpful. My dress arrived in a box and was delivered to me by my brother-in-law on the back of his ute, but it was perfect.”

Bridesmaids’ dresses
The bridesmaids all wore Rachel Gilbert gowns. “They looked beautiful and we were so happy with the dresses after a few months of hunting,” says the bride.

Cake
The wedding cakes were made by the groom’s sister, Amy Fowler, which made it very special for the couple. “There was barely any cake left at the end of the night, with many of our guests saying it was the best they’d ever had,” says the bride.

Celebrant
Susie Duff from Young, New South Wales, performed the ceremony. “Susie has a great vibe and loves love! She ran a great show on the day, just how we wanted it,” says Charlotte.

Flowers
Farm to Floral is Catherine MacAlpine’s unique floristry business based on a merino sheep property in western New South Wales. “Cathy absolutely nailed the brief with my bouquets made up of garden and wildflowers,” says Charlotte. “As our reception was held in an old grain shed, we asked for simple hanging greenery to let the space speak for itself.”

Food
The wedding was catered for by the venue, Kimo Estate.

Hair & make-up
Hair was by Lucy Luff from The Collective, Tumut, while Primrose Kastelan took charge of the make-up.

Menswear
The groom and groomsmen wore the Saunders black tuxedo from MJ Bale.

Music
The live music was organised through The White Tree. “They ticked all the boxes with the music,” says the bride. “The dance floor was pumping all night, and everyone loved them!”

Photographer
Pip Danieletto, who is based on the Central Coast of New South Wales, captured the day perfectly. “Pip was such good fun and made our experience very relaxed and natural. Plenty of laughs, no stress, and she was adaptable to changes as the day went on,” says Charlotte.

Venue
Kimo Estate, Gundagai, New South Wales. “Emelia and Kiloran were fantastic to deal with and the whole process was seamless. This enabled us to come into the day nice and relaxed, without having to worry, and really just sit back and soak up the atmosphere,” says Charlotte.

Videographer
Sammy Hawker. “We were very lucky to have Sammy, who doesn’t do many weddings anymore. She did her thing without us even knowing she was there,” says the bride.

Wine
“We opted to organise our own alcohol and the red wine consisted of Gilbert Rouge from Gilbert Family Wines, Mudgee, NSW, and Church Block from Wirra Wirra Wines, McLaren Vale, South Australia.

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