Submit Enquiry

Country Wedding Dungog

Submit an Enquiry

Wedding Photographer

Richard Johnston

At Lonely Hunter, we only photograph a limited number of weddings each year and do book out quite far in advance.
Don't leave it until we are already booked before you decide to make an enquiry..

Ally & Ryley – Country Wedding in Dungog

Can you tell us a little about yourselves?: Ryley & I met through a mutual friend four & a half years ago. We enjoy road trips & camping in our van, the beach & getting a wave when we can, spending time with family & friends – we recently adopted a greyhound, and have been renovating our first home, which has been taking up a fair bit of our time as of late. Ryley is an Occupational Therapist currently working at one of Newcastle’s Hospitals as the Oncology & ICU OT. I (Ally) am a Social Worker working at an alternative school catering for young people with complex mental health experiences.

How did the proposal take place that lead to your country wedding in Dungog?: Ryley proposed in 2019 at our home in Sydney. I came home one night after work to find our favourite song playing on the record player (Beyond, Leon Bridges), photographs of us during our favourite moments hanging from the ceiling with beautiful words written on them, and a trail of candles & rose petals leading to Ryley. Ryley had organised for our Family in Newcastle to be together & we FaceTimed them all shortly after. Ryley then took us to a beautiful dinner on the Harbour & I was just elated. It was the most perfect proposal for us – the best night of my life for sure.

What have you learnt about each other since being together?: Ally – I have learnt that Ryley is loyal, an extremely hard worker, and my biggest support. He is very laid back, (sometimes too laid back…), but I love his ability to see the good in every situation. Ryley is also able to make everyone in a room feel comfortable – whether that be at work with his patients who are going through a really challenging time, or in social situations with complete strangers. He is one of a kind, & even though he supports the parra eels (which is questionable..), I wouldn’t have him any other way!

Ryley – I have learnt that Ally is caring, loving, and kind. She is passionate about helping others and is extremely dedicated to her role as a social worker working with youth. She lights up any room she enters and has quite an impressive collection of dresses. Whilst she may have terrible taste in television shows (reality TV) and loves a bit of drama, she is the most beautiful person inside and out.

What was the vision for your country wedding in Dungog: Whilst the dress code is formal, we envision a relaxed yet elegant vibe. The venue is Ally‘s family property and will consist of a large clear marquee, fairy lights, an outdoor festoon-lit area, with a backdrop of a lovingly restored former mill, and a rainforest-like national park with a creek that flows through the middle. We will have recycled timber tables, hay bales, simple floral arrangements and a soft pastel colour scheme.

Why did you select Dungog for your country wedding?: ‘The Old Mill’ is Ally‘s Family property, & is somewhere that her family travelled to most weekends throughout her childhood. The property holds such significance for her Family, and now for mine. The property itself is beautiful, & we cannot wait to see it all come together as the perfect venue for our wedding. The Family have worked over the years to transform the property into what it is today.