If you have ever wondered what happens when you take a paddock, forty eight of your favourite people, a suspiciously good florist and zero interest in staged wedding photos, let me introduce you to Rachael and Nathan's wedding at Collingwood Children's Farm.

As their Marriage Celebrant, I can confirm this was not a Disney wedding. It was, however, Disney coded, and I mean that as the highest compliment. Their proposal happened at Disney land, and with Rachael being a Snow With with a Ana rising and Nathan definitely identifying as Christoph – he’s all about being a team with Ana, rather than chasing her. But I’ll get to that later…

Why Collingwood Children's Farm Keeps Winning

Melbourne has no shortage of wedding venues, but Collingwood Children's Farm has a particular charm that a marquee in a paddock somewhere else simply cannot compete with. It is rustic without trying too hard, green without being fussy, and it gives couples the option of an outdoor ceremony that actually feels like the countryside, five minutes from the city. Plus, there’s plenty of options to choose from. Whether you want a barn yard wedding with convenient transport, married under a glorious oak try, or in an urban paddock - it has it all. And for a couple like Rachael and Nathan, who wanted something relaxed rather than rigid, this venue did most of the heavy lifting before I’d even said a word.

With forty eight guests in formal dress code, the scale was intimate enough that every single person could actually see the ceremony, not just the back of someone's fascinator. That is the sweet spot a lot of couples chase and rarely find.

The Ceremony Vision: No Sides, No Drama

Here is where Rachael and Nathan's brief made my job genuinely easy, and - if I’m completely honesty - also made me a little emotional. Rachael was clear from the start. No picking sides. Guests sat wherever they liked, except for the first row, which meant no awkward "are you Team Bride or Team Groom" energy hovering over the aisle. It is a small detail, but it sets the tone for an entire day, and I loved that they thought about it.

Rachael walked down the aisle with her mum and dad, which is the kind of classic moment that never goes out of style, no matter how many alternative aisle entrances Pinterest tries to convince you are the future. BUT FIRST they sent down their grandmas with baskets of petals… yes, that’s right, they had some flower grannies to open the day with.

Nathan, meanwhile, wanted the paddock setting to speak for itself. A flower installation at the altar, two sides of seating, and the grooms people already mingling before the ceremony started, because standing stiffly in a line is not everyone's idea of a good time. Honestly, fair enough.

The Disney Sprinkles Detail Everyone Will Ask About

Let's address the sprinkles, because I know you are curious. This was not a full theme, more a cheeky signature touch woven through the day, proof that a formal wedding does not have to take itself too seriously. We name checked a few of Disney’s beloved characters, and with Nathan being a seriously awesome Animator (it’s his actual day job - how rad is that!) the guests already knew their style so we didn’t need to hammer it in. Rachael's bouquet did double duty as the decoration for the signing table, which is the kind of styling efficiency I respect deeply. Practical and pretty. Chef's kiss.

Vows, Speeches and Keeping It Real

Nathan was upfront early on - no self-written vows, thank you very much! As their Celebrant, I think this is such an underrated request. Not every couple wants to stand in front of forty eight people and perform their deepest feelings live. Some couples want warmth, a bit of humour, and a ceremony that feels like them, without the pressure of writing award winning prose the night before.

That is precisely what we built. A ceremony with genuine warmth and a little bit of wit, crafted so Nathan did not have to carry the humour himself. He wanted to enjoy the moment, not host it, and there is a real difference between the two.

The walk back down the aisle together was exactly as requested. Candid, smiling, completely unstaged - which is what their photographer Kyra Boyer is so perfect at. No forced pauses for photographers, no re-walking the aisle for a better angle. Just two people who got married, grinning like absolute idiots, which is frankly the correct reaction.

The Vendor Dream Team

A wedding like this does not come together on vibes alone, so let's give credit where it belongs.

Photography was captured by Kyra Boyer, who clearly understood the brief of candid over staged.

Videography came courtesy of Lunar Red Films, documenting the day as it actually unfolded rather than as a highlight reel fantasy.

Florals were designed by Bituin, responsible for that altar installation and the bouquet turned table decor detail.

Cake was handled by Mad About Cakes, because no Collingwood Children's Farm wedding is complete without something sweet at the end of the aisle.

Venue, of course, Collingwood Children's Farm, doing what it does best.

Planning Your Own Collingwood Children's Farm Wedding

If Rachael and Nathan's day has you rethinking your own wedding plans, here is the honest advice from a Marriage Celebrant who has stood in that paddock and meant every word of it. Collingwood Children's Farm rewards couples who lean into its natural charm rather than fighting it with an overly formal production. Keep your ceremony structure simple, choose a Celebrant who understands you do not want to write your own vows if that is not your thing, and trust that "no drama, just warmth" is a completely valid wedding vision.

Looking for a Marriage Celebrant who will build a ceremony around who you actually are, sprinkles optional? Get in touch and let's talk about your day.

Of if you’re looking for more wedding inspiration check out more weddings with Kyra Boyer here, and more Melbourne CBD weddings here. And of course, Carlo from Luna Rossa films