Acoustic folk mountain elopement: Amie + Nick

Nick & Amie acoustic guitar & banjo duo elopement

Wedding boots, country folk music and boozing from the bottle. Nick & Amie are totally our kinda lovebirds!

We first met them for wedding chats at their home in Carlton, Melbourne and they seemed like cool dudes. And when Amie said she was gonna rock her trusty Doc Martens under her wedding dress, we fell head over heels.

Picture this: a frosty winter's day in country Victoria, trekking up a mountain, arms full of instruments. Crisp air and snowflakes, and a slippery slope of adventure all the way to the top. Nobody fell. 'Cept a certain banjo player. Totes rock'n'roll.

Tiny weddings are ace. And an elopement is as tiny as you can get. Nick & Amie opted for a mountain top, a live music serenade, and no guest witnesses - who needs 'em, when your folkin' acoustic duo can autograph your marriage certificate?

See, that's the thing about eloping - you get to do whatever the hell you please. Wanna hike a steep mountain in the snow? Done. Wanna be present enough to enjoy every single moment together? Sure. Wanna party all night under the stars or go to bed early? It's all up to you.

We asked Amie & Nick if they'd share their elopement ideas, memories and wisdom. And because they're delightful human beings, they did.

MEET AMIE & NICK

snowball fight wedding elopement fidel & sarah acoustic duo

Hey dudes! Tell our readers a little about yourselves.

"We’re Amie (28) + Nick (26); a Victorian psychology student and an English rowing coach who, through fate / destiny / cosmic intervention, met one-day and have been inseparable ever since.

We grew up on opposite sides of the world in completely different circumstances, but our shared focus and appreciation of kindness, creativity, passion and courage has lead to an innate understanding of each other. These characteristics are what we first recognized in each other, and have been the building blocks of our relationship.

On our first date we bonded over our collection of broken bones (literally), and the ease with which we made each other laugh."

HIGH ON A MOUNTAIN TOP

GOT inspired snow elopement with entertainers Fidel & Sarah

Where did you look for your wedding inspo?

"Instagram is a treasure box full of inspiration! Even though we knew we wanted to elope, Amie still trawled through #bohemianwedding from time to time just to look at the pictures."

Why ditch the big wedding in favour of a non-traditional elopement?

"The biggest factor that attracted us to the idea of eloping was that we would be spending the entire day focusing on each other. Of course, our family and friends mean the world to us and we wouldn’t be who we are without them. But we wanted a wedding day that was quiet, relaxed, and reflective of the path we have walked together, the couple that we are and what our dreams are for the future."

first dance wedding elopement acoustic duo

We dig the doc martens wedding shoes! We feel like they represent who you really are, and that it's fine to ditch wedding formalities in favour of being you, right?

"Oh absolutely! I would’ve worn my docs even if we weren’t hiking up a mountain to get married! They took me on adventures with Nick from the Highlands of Scotland to the gardens of the Alhambra.

My advice is take the opportunity to incorporate unique items into your ceremony or reception – they’ll help you feel more like ‘you’ on the day, and you’re guaranteed not to end up with the ‘cookie-cutter’ wedding style. I think an easy way of incorporating items is to assess what you already have before buying it especially for your wedding."

A VERY FOLKY CEREMONY

You had your ceremony in the friggin' snow on top of a mountain! How'd it feel?

"The sound of falling snow hitting branches of the tallest snow gums we’ve ever seen? It was rubbish.

Are you kidding?! It was the most surreal setting for our elopement. We couldn’t have thought of anywhere more magical."

What was it like, walking down the aisle together?

"When Fidel & Sarah started playing our song, there in the snow, it was one of the most vital moments of the day that made us feel like we were the only two people in the world.

Folk music is so warm, bittersweet, romantic, upbeat and happy all at the same time.

And nothing beats a banjo in the snow!"

processional guitar & banjo duo plays first aid kit

HOW TO WRITE KICKASS WEDDING VOWS

vows in the snow with acoustic duo serenade

Your vows were stunning. Raw and vulnerable. We both had tears in our eyes. Can you offer some advice for couples trying to write their vows?

"Our biggest tip is don’t write for your audience. Write for your partner; yourself; and the relationship you have with each other. Be honest and inject your personalities into what you write.

No-one ever mentions how sobering it is standing there, about to read your vows – all of a sudden you feel the significance of what you’re doing, and that can be a bit daunting.

But our advice to tackle any nerves is to start writing your vows a least a week before the wedding, and don’t be afraid to follow any devastatingly heartfelt lines with something sweet and humorous.

And try to incorporate at least one personal story that will help ground you during your ceremony and emphasize to you both why you are there.

This is a story that Amie included:

'The reality of living on the road in Italy was beginning to take its toll and we’d stopped for the night at a fairly ambiguous highway town. After eating a sandwich, we were packing up our things when you noticed a trail of ants had made their way to a particularly handsome bread crumb that they were dismantling piece by piece. You picked up this crumb and carried it over to their nest, just so they wouldn’t have to walk so far. This is the warmth of the person I wake up to every morning, and the quietness I fall asleep to every night.' "

ROCK N ROLL BRIDE & GROOM

rock n roll bride drinks rum acoustic duo banjo and guitar

Ok, so we just have to share this rockin' photo, because it's one of our favs.

"Isn’t it fantastic? We call it the ‘Come now, Darling…' shot.

It came about by Fidel being the generous bearded fellow he is and offering Amie a wee nip of what can only be described as Sailor Jerry’s ugly sister.

It was warm, spicy and the kick-starter we needed to get up that hill."

FOLK WEDDING MUSIC

How did you choose your special ceremony song?

"During our travels together, we fell in love with the song Emmylou by First Aid Kit.

We both decided that however we ended up getting married, this would be what we walked down the aisle to.

The lyrics symbolise the most beautifully simple request between two people who respect and adore each other, saying 'I’ll be the June to your Johnny and the Emmylou to your Gram if all you’ll do is sing with me'.

For us, it’s a nod to all the great loves, with that bittersweet overtone of classic 1970’s country music."

acoustic guitar and banjo at snow wedding elopement

And your first dance?

"Our first dance was in front of a fire-pit to the sweet sounds of a couple of bohemian musicians singing Oo De Lally from Disney’s 1973 Robin Hood.

Fidel even ‘announced’ us onto the makeshift dance-floor. It was such a beautiful moment that really concluded our day on a high."

first dance by the fire ukulele and guitar duo

ELOPEMENT RECEPTION FOR TWO

Your folky mountaintop elopement was followed by an intimate fireside reception party for two.

"That, too, was surreal. Everything was surreal! My (Amie) hands had gone almost completely numb by that point, so Nick was compiling cheese and dip on lavosh for me to eat.

Bubbles were drunk, again, straight from the bottle and we danced and sang around the campfire to Johnny Cash.

Having live music added such a personal warmth to the ceremony and reception that just wouldn’t have been possible any other way."

fidel and sarah performing at fire place elopement

Fidel and Sarah alternative acoustic wedding duo

playing johnny cash at elopement first dance

Amie & Nick first dance at their elopement

You guys brought a dream to life!.. We were always dreaming of having genuine folk musicians at whatever kind of wedding we ended up having and you two are everything we imagined and more.

ELOPEMENT ENTERTAINMENT

Why was live music so important to you in the first place?

"Because we’ve all been to a wedding where someone’s cousin is in charge of the CD player, and at the crucial moment he’s nowhere to be found and no-one else knows which track is which.

Music can make or break the atmosphere of an event - and an elopement is no different.

Having two super friendly and funny people to share your day with makes it even more magical.

Plus, Fidel and Sarah lent us their booze and kept us laughing and dancing all day and night – no CD player can do that!"

WEDDING WISDOM

"We spent the morning of our wedding lying in bed, sipping tea and listening to the birds singing – even though we eloped there was still a ‘calm before the storm’ feeling, and this was a really lovely moment to enjoy the peace with each other.

Also, we kept our wedding vows secret from each other, so saying them out loud during such an intimate ceremony in the snow was exceptionally romantic and personal."

"Stick with what you and your partner like. If you’re inviting a guest to your wedding, hopefully they share your taste in music - but don’t choose solely what you think your guests will like.

Remember, it’s a day in celebration of you as a couple, so stay true to your personalities.

If you need any more convincing that live music is the way to go, just watch The Wedding Singer. Steve Buscemi singing True by Spandau Ballet might just seal the deal."

ROCKSTAR WEDDING VENDORS

As service providers we think that Amie & Nick's team of vendor's was pretty gosh darned ace. Here are the legends that made this all possible:

Photography: Anna Taylor Photography
Ceremony + Reception Band: Fidel & Sarah
Celebrant: Raise Your Glass Ceremonies
Styling + Furniture: Good Day Rental
Flowers: Poppy’s Getting Married
Cake: Miss Ladybird Cakes
Catering: Mr Hall
Hair: Janey Umback
Make-Up: Ashley Hopkins
Accomodation: Binah Guesthouse

Mr Hall delicious and decadent wedding platter

THE FINAL WORD

Amie & Nicks wedding shot by Anna Taylor Photography

What makes your partner the best?

Nick: "During our travels, we lived in a sardine can - and it was perfect. No matter where we were or which country we went through, it was always perfect because of how we are together. We always listen to each other, have fun and work so well together."

Amie: "We listen to each other, and show genuine interest in what the other has to say. Despite our slight differences in hobbies (Nick loves sport, and I happen to think it's the devil's work), we respect and support each other's passions to the fullest. We are constantly learning from one another, and within our relationship we’ve created an environment where we’ll never feel ashamed to admit we were wrong. Through Nick's incredible optimism, he has taught me not to mistake innocence for inexperience, or humility for weakness. He has delivered me a peace I never knew was possible."

Alternative wedding band Fidel & Sarah Melbourne, Adelaide & Brisbane

Live band hire melbourne adelaide brisbane weddings

We're Fidel & Sarah

A Melbourne folk band with wedding sensibilities and punk rock spirit. Most days you'll find us off-grid in the country playing banjo tunes to the kangaroos, or travelling around Australia in our vintage caravan Myrtle. We love 99% dark chocolate, living every day like a holiday, and brides & grooms who aren't afraid to do whatever the hell they want for their special day.

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