Em and Ben Cox were married in 2022 at Point Nepean National Park. At the time, the location was a well-kept secret as an event venue, hosting only four weddings a year. For them, it was the ideal location for their special day.
“We’ve both lived on the Peninsula our entire lives,” Em said. “Ben was raised in Mount Eliza and myself in Mount Martha. Together we purchased our first home in Rosebud, and now we live in Mornington.”
Getting married on the Peninsula was a priority for the couple. “We looked at a variety of different local venues – from wineries to restaurants, beaches and beautiful gardens – but ultimately we wanted to create a wedding that was 100 per cent us and thought the best option would be to do it DIY-style.”
The pair had always loved the idea of holding their reception in a Sperry ‘circus’ tent, but the challenge was finding a venue big enough to pitch it. “We were looking for a large vacant block that would host 160 family and friends and provide the perfect backdrop. Then we stumbled across Point Nepean. And oh my goodness, did we find a winner here.”
Ben and Em arranged a walk around the park with a ranger, who showed them the amazing locations they could use. In the end they locked in Jarman Oval for its combination of bush and beach, as well as enough room for guest parking. “The space was honestly just perfect,” Em said. “The next step was to find all the incredible vendors who would be coming along for the ride with us for the day. We organised the huge Sperry tent we’d dreamed of, as well as a band, portable toilets, fridges, games, generators, furniture, lighting, flowers, decorations, food trucks, photographer, videographer, a drinks caravan – every single little bit of our wedding we pieced together ourselves.”
There were clear skies on the day of the wedding – “luckily, given we didn’t really have a wet-weather plan” – and after sealing their vows with a pinky promise and a thumb bite “to really seal the deal”, a park ranger escorted the Kombi van carrying the newly married couple and wedding party to the Narrows for photos. Cait, a long-time friend from Mimo Weddings, captured some beautiful photos of the day.
Greeting them on their return to their waiting guests was a magical surprise: “We were lucky enough to have the most stunning rainbow over our Kombi as, walking into the tent, we were announced as Mr and Mrs Cox to all our friends and family.”
Three years on, Em said she still regularly looks at the wedding photos. “They’re currently in a folder on both my phone and computer, but a coffee-table book would be so much easier. Maybe I’ll have to get onto this for our next anniversary.”
Knowing Em’s eye for style and DIY prowess, it will be a fabulous book.
