Red dirt and dirt bikes set the scene for the wedding of Courtney Scott and Nick Ringk at Charleville, Queensland

In 2017, Courtney Scott and Nick Ringk matched on Tinder and immediately clicked. “We bonded over a shared love of beer, cheese and biscuits,” says Courtney with a smile.

The pair were living in Townsville at the time. Courtney was 22 and finishing her final exams for a veterinary science degree and 23-year-old Nick was working as a carpenter. After a first date at the Riverview Tavern, where the conversation flowed easily, the couple dated long distance while Courtney established her career as a vet. A few years later, Nick and Courtney moved to their new hometown of Charleville in south-west Queensland, where they live on a small block at the edge of town with three horses, three dogs, two cats, a few chooks and a 22-year-old bullock named Charles.

One day, after a long day of mustering and drafting with her family near Jundah in outback Queensland, Courtney turned around to find Nick with one leg up on the drafting platform and a ring in his hand. “Nick had kept the ring in the pocket of his UHF holder all day while we were mustering and he had told just about everyone we knew that he was going to propose,” says Courtney. “Lucky he didn’t lose the ring!”

The couple tied the knot on a patch of grass between olive trees at Raceview station in Charleville. Just 24 hours earlier the area had been covered in cow dung. “Some brides get all dressed up and have a beautiful wedding rehearsal, but we were shovelling stuff off the aisle,” remembers Courtney. “It made for a good story and a fun few hours with some great mates giving us a hand to get it all sorted.”

A highlight of her wedding day was getting ready with her bridesmaids Izzy Graham and Julia Tanner, maid of honour Chloe Mitchell and Chloe’s newborn daughter Addie. “It’ll be special to look back on those memories when Addie is grown up and getting ready for her own wedding,” says Courtney.

Courtney unexpectedly found her wedding dress when she visited Mrs Fray in Canberra. “The fabric was unique and I felt very comfortable. I was even able to ride a motorbike in the dress!”

The 29-year-old had only one instruction for her bridesmaids: that they wear a bright colour and a dress they were comfortable in. Chloe, Izzy and Julia’s buttery yellow, pink and pistachio green dresses were matched by bright and beautiful bouquets created by Charleville florist Ellie Murphy of Murphy and Co. “Ellie coordinated the entire day for us, so we didn’t have to worry about anything,” says Courtney.

The couple arrived at the reception riding tandem on their favourite dirt bike. Later, after a long night on the dance floor, the newlyweds arrived home to discover that their friends had cleaned the house and filled it with flowers to make their day just a little more special.  

IN DETAIL

Bride’s dress

Courtney’s dress was purchased from Mrs Fray in Canberra and the label was Newhite by Juliette Kim. “I wasn’t expecting my dress to be this style, but after trying it on, nothing else compared,” she says.

Bridesmaids’ dresses

Courtney asked the bridesmaids to choose their own dresses, so they could get something they all felt comfortable in. “My only request was for the girls to have bright colours,” says the bride.

Celebrant

Annie Liston from Charleville performed the ceremony. “Annie made us feel so comfortable and made sure our ceremony was exactly what we wanted: relaxed and fun,” says Courtney.

Flowers

Florals and wedding coordination were by Ellie Murphy of Murphy and Co, Charleville. “Ellie puts her heart and
soul into creating beautiful florals and she went above and beyond.”

Food

SEA Catering, based in Roma, Queensland, provided a sumptuous feast using fresh local produce.

Hair

Nikki, from Nikki & Co Hair, travelled from Roma. Courtney says Nikki did a great job with everyone’s hair. “We made some changes after my trial and Nikki wanted to make sure we were all 100 per cent happy with our styles on the day. When she noticed I went a bit quiet, she let me have a little teary moment while all the emotions of the day were hitting me,” she says.

Make-up

Make-up was by Mirror Mirror Makeup Artistry of Toowoomba. “Stacey is so professional,” says the bride. “Our make-up lasted well and I’ve never felt more comfortable or beautiful.”

Menswear

The groom and his three groomsmen wore suits from Tarocash.

Music

Maggie’s Music. “Maggie is amazing at what she does — from acoustic at the ceremony and cocktail hour to dance floor hits later in the night,” says Courtney. 

Photographer

Heidi Morris from Lens of Rosie. “Heidi is beautiful and made the day so much fun while keeping us all feeling relaxed,” says Courtney.

Rings

Nugent and Andrea, of Wagga Wagga, New South Wales.

Venue

The ceremony was held at Raceview station. “We just loved the spot; it’s close to town and the olive trees are beautiful,” says Courtney. “The owners were very kind to let us use it.”

The catered reception was at Charleville Racecourse.

Videographer

Short Flix Media. “These guys had done our friends’ wedding and, after seeing their video, I knew Short Flix would be perfect for us too,” says Courtney. “Our sneak-peek video had me in tears and I’ve watched it about a thousand times now. I can’t wait to see the full video!”

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