Xavier and Nadja: A Vibrant Love Story

Xavier and Nadja’s wedding story is a celebration of love, resilience, and self-discovery, after meeting in high school and nurturing a deep connection. Their journey together evolved when Xavier transitioned into the man he had always felt himself to be with Nadja by his side. Set against the picturesque backdrop of a rustic barn in the Hunter Valley, their wedding was a vibrant expression of their non-traditional love story, featuring colourful florals, disco balls, and a lively dance floor that reflected their unique personalities and journey as a couple.

Photographer Jack Jones Weddings | Location Hunter Valley, AUS

“We wanted to have non-traditional elements that represent our non-traditional way of life and journey as a couple and made sure to implement that into the wedding...”

Take us back to the very start...

Xavier and I have an interesting history. We met back in 2007 when I began high school and Xavier was 2 years above me. His sister started school in my grade which is how we met. At this time though, Xavier was a woman and we were at an all girls school. We were not in a romantic relationship until 2012, however there was always a pull towards one another that neither of us could explain. 

Xav and I were in a single-sex relationship from 2012 until 2023, when he decided to transition and become the man he has always wanted to be. 

Although it was news to a lot of people, we both knew it was on the cards so it did not sway our relationship in any way. In 2023 he changed his name legally, went through surgeries and started taking testosterone to become the man you see in the images today.

Tell us about the proposal...

In October of 2022 Xavier proposed in Vaucluse, Sydney on a horrible, windy and rainy day on a cliff whilst we were trying to find humpback whales (my favorite pastime). I loved the proposal and the rain and wind made it even more memorable.  

Where did you get married?

A rustic barn on a large property in the Hunter Valley. Adams Peak Country Estate in Broke, NSW.

 Xavier and Nadja’s story continues below ↓

And the wedding, tell us your vision...

Nadja: When I was planning our wedding, our biggest wish was that it was a huge, colourful party that celebrated ourselves, our families who are so supportive as well as our chosen family, all our friends that have been with us through our journey. We wanted colourful florals, lots of disco balls and a huge dance floor – and that’s what we did.

The vision for the wedding was to create an event that set the tone of a party for our guests, so that they would come in relaxed and ready to just have a fabulous time with us. We wanted to have non traditional elements that represent our non-traditional way of life and journey as a couple and made sure to implement that into the wedding. For example we had fireball shots as part of our ceremony and both boys and girls in the bridal and grooms party.

What was the inspiration? 

Although I love the look of traditional, classy weddings with white and neutral tones, I was inspired by our story and wanted to express that through decorations. We had red, pink and white florals, over 100 disco balls throughout the venue, and used large streamer like decorations in the reception hall from Bangin Hangins to create a party vibe. The florals were beautifully integrated with the disco balls for a seamless effect. 

The bright florals were chosen as a solid contrast to the rustic look of the barn whilst still being integrated. This was done by having no arbour but using wine barrels with large florals installations on top, and integrating florals into the wedding party hanging on a wooden ladder.

Tell us about your ceremony...

The venue exceeded our expectations. The lawns are beautiful, the escarpment is rugged and beautiful which is such a beautiful comparison to the florals we used. Given the arbour could be removed for flexibility it gave us even more freedom to be inventive with the wine barrels. The guests loved how seamless the ceremony was from the pre-drinks (also on site) as well as the beautiful wooden benches for seating. They also loved the scenery.

And the reception...

Reception was also at Adams Park Country Estate, but held in the barn, a small 100m walk from the ceremony. It is rustic, with old vintage lighting, ladders hanging from the ceiling, fairy lights for some beautiful evening lighting and is still small enough to feel intimate. 

We used Bangin Hangins and self-installed about 12 huge pieces to the ceiling for a dramatic colorful effect. These were in pink and red tones to fit in with the florals and as a contrast to the silver disco balls. On the tables were simple bud vases with roses for minimalism given the dramatic ceiling installation. There was also a large floral install above the wedding party with hanging disco balls intwined. 

We had live music being played throughout the reception from Nick Read.

Our first dance was untraditional – it was to Queen, Crazy Little Thing Called Love, choreographed by our celebrant/friend/dance coach which was a huge highlight for us and our guests. It was a really boppy song with lots of lifts which was very fun to show everyone. 

We had our parents do speeches and then all members of our bridal parties gave one. Everyone spoke so beautifully and the feedback was that the speeches were a highlight for many of our guests. 

Since we wanted our wedding to be a big party, the dance floor was important to us. We had BYOd all the alcohol and ensured there was enough for everyone (for a 3 day event). As soon as our first dance finished, everyone was on the dance floor and it did not stop until guests were picked up. We were told by staff and vendors that it was one of the most lively dance floors they have seen!

What made your wedding day unique: 

For us, the most unique part of our day was ensuring that our wedding was 100% us, not having a traditional wedding because that is what we see online and just doing things our way. I loved the colourful nature of the wedding.

Having all family and wedding party staying on site, the party was able to continue late into the night. At the end of the day we all jumped in the pool to celebrate it and I will always remember that. 

What was the most memorable moment from the wedding day

One memorable moment was that every time my husband Xavier took off a piece of clothing (cufflinks, bowtie, dress shirt etc) his best man and my best man would match his lack of dress. There is a photo series of them all ensuring they are watching Xavier and matching him. It is just so memorable as it brought together the two most important men in both Xav and my lives together in such a fun way that we will laugh at and love forever.

Any advice for other couples planning their wedding?

Don’t get bogged down in what you see online. If you want to do something outside of the box, trust your gut. Weddings are expensive and you should ensure you have the wedding that YOU want, not that social media tells you that you need.

Xavier and Nadja’s Team

Photographer Jack Jones Photography

Videographer Bottlebrush Films

Venue Adams Peak Country Estate

Celebrant/Dance Coach Gemma

Dress Boutique The Ivory Room

Dress Designer Corston Couture

Suit Designer Suit Supply

Florist Flowers with Tika

Makeup and Hair Chic Artistry

DJ/Live Music Nick Read

Reception Styling Bangin Hangins

Caterer Monkey Place Catering

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