Adam Wise caught Rachel Collings’ eye at a Townsville university 11 years ago not because of his looks, but because he had a dead body in his freezer.
That was how I learnt Adam was from a cattle farm,” Rachel laughed. While some university students bring freshly baked brownies from home, Adam would bring fresh beef from his family’s cattle farm in Stanthorpe. Adam and Rachel have good friend Katherine to thank for their love story, the mutual friend organising a dinner which brought the pair together.
After graduation, the duo swapped sweltering tropical North Queensland for the freezing temperatures of Victoria. Rachel worked in the hustle and bustle of Melbourne, while Adam settled in the south-west Victorian town of Cobden, with the couple travelling between the two cities to see each other. The distance was stretched even thinner when Adam moved back to his fourth generation cattle farm in Glen Aplin. The pair found their way back to the same postcode a few years later.
Ten years down the track, Rachel should have seen a proposal coming on the couple’s overseas trip to the United States. “On the flight over Adam had been uncharacteristically protective of his bag, even getting defensive when I tried to put something in it. Despite this obvious clue, the proposal was a lovely surprise. The only request from the family back home was not to add a visit to a Las Vegas chapel to our trip!” Roma’s Coomber Bros Jewellery crafted the flawless engagement ring — a three-stone set in a white gold band.
Returning to reality after the magical trip, Rachel instated the help of Nicola from Main Event Group in Brisbane to plan and style the wedding that was always going to be on Adam’s family farm. “It was a location that had a lot of meaning for the both of us,” said Rachel.
Poised and serene, the affair combined a countryside theme with native pops of colour. Pepperberry, banksia, wax flowers, gumnuts, waratahs and a king protea entwined the bouquets, matching the canopy of native greens suspended from above, and table garlands of flora, scattered with candles. Rachel wore a lace creation by Melbourne designer Mariana Hardwick, the bridesmaids were in assorted black dresses, and the men in Peter Jackson.
Opting for a “first look” before the ceremony, Rachel was nervous to see her fiancé for the final time before he became her husband. “We arranged for Kylie’s wonderful team from Just For Love Photography to capture Adam and I seeing each other for the first time that day without anyone else around. This was a very special moment for both of us.”
The ceremony was held in the Glen Isa Homestead in the presence of 100 guests, with dinner held under the starry fairy lights and a full moon. The banquet was prepared with local produce by Queensland College of Wine Tourism followed by a rich chocolate cake courtesy of Baked by Liberty.
Combining the couple’s love of travel with their passion for the outdoors, Rachel and Adam honeymooned in Africa, with memories of sunset balloon rides and breakfast on the Masa Mara Plains in Kenya rendering the trip unforgettable.
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