Opposites Attract

There’s something so captivating about a couple who don’t just embrace the unexpected, but seem to thrive in it. Esther Hesse and Damian Naughton met the way many modern couples do (via swipe) but what followed was anything but ordinary. Their wedding, held at Rosedale Farm in Orange, was less about tradition and more about capturing a feeling of connection, of celebration. They did things their own way, and the result is an event that truly reflects who they are.

They first matched on Bumble. Esther, fresh from a soul-filling trip to Los Angeles, had sworn off dating apps until she decided, reluctantly, to give it another go. “I was going to just enjoy being single for a bit,” she laughs. “That lasted about three weeks.” One week and one date later, she and Damian were inseparable. That was eight years ago. They now live in Mosman, Sydney with their three children, building a life together that is full of laughter, love and beauty.

Their proposal was as off-the-cuff as their meeting was serendipitous. It happened on a remote island in the Whitsundays, during a romantic, child-free getaway. Damian popped the question on their final night, under a canopy of stars and the kind of calm that can only exist when the Internet is out of reach. The ring (a cheap and cheerful placeholder, purchased in a last-minute rush) did the job, even if, as Esther puts it with a laugh, “it was absolutely not my vibe.”

When it came time to plan the wedding, they called in the experts — Laice and Doug from Place of LB — immediately. “I messaged Laice the day we got engaged,” Esther says. “I told her to make room in her calendar, no matter what.” The result was a three-day affair during the school holidays, crafted with the kind of intentionality that only comes from knowing what really matters. There was no rigid theme, no Pinterest board of poses. Instead, the focus was on food, wine, music and memories — the things that truly endure.

Set against the painterly charm of Rosedale Farm, the celebration unfolded like a scene from a film. Guests arrived to a carefully executed riot of colour — hot pink carpets, a snaking S-shaped table formation, personalised playing cards instead of typical party favours. “We didn’t want anything that screamed ‘wedding’,” says Esther. “But we did want to create a weekend that our guests would never forget.”

“We didn’t want anything that screamed ‘wedding’ but we did want to create a weekend that our guests would never forget.”

Esther’s ceremony look was five years in the making. In fact, she had bookmarked a gown from an older Inbal Dror collection back in 2019, never expecting to actually wear it. But with the help of Helen Rodrigues, the production sample of her dream dress was tracked down and an entirely custom version made, the design subtly altered to make the silhouette sheerer, sexier — more her. She paired it with pink Altuzarra heels, Chanel earrings, and her signature scent, Portrait of a Lady by Frederic Malle. Hair was done by her longtime friend Luana Coscia in effortless waves; makeup by Jo Luhrs, minimal, glowing, and “basically what I’d do myself, just better.”

Damian wore a velvet tuxedo jacket for the ceremony, swapping into a sparkled black jacket for the reception, styled with a black shirt and Giuseppe Zanotti shoes. Their children also played a starring role: daughter Hart chose her own white dress and shoes, while the boys wore tuxedos and Adidas Sambas to keep things cool and comfortable.

The ceremony was incredibly emotional. Damian selected the songs as a surprise: the bridal party entered to Freya Ridings’ ‘Lost Without You’, with Esther walking down the aisle to ‘I Found You’ by Fred Again, performed by a live vocalist. “I didn’t even make it halfway down the aisle before I completely burst into tears,” she says. Their two eldest children gave readings, their presence anchoring the moment with a sweetness and sincerity that left everyone in the audience deeply moved.

"It was a love fest," Esther tells me. "The energy was wild. Every single person brought the vibe." They scrapped the idea of a traditional first dance, opting instead for a group-first-dance-meets-entrance that got every guest on their feet from the outset. “It set the tone perfectly. From there, the party just never stopped."

And then there was Damian’s mum, Michele, who brought the house down with an impromptu rap during her speech, reworking the lyrics to ‘I Just Want To Wish You Well’ by Bernard Fanning and Baker Boy. “It was one of the best things I’ve ever seen at a wedding,” Esther grins. “It just showed how much love and fun surrounded us.”

“It was a love fest. The energy was wild. Every single person brought the vibe.”

Food was another non-negotiable. They worked with Alex Prichard of Icebergs Dining Room to create a menu that felt elevated, unexpected and utterly delicious. “We didn’t want typical wedding food,” Esther says. “And we didn’t get it… every dish was incredible.” The only regret? Neither of them got to try the tiramisu. “We were having too much fun,” she shrugs.

Later, Esther changed into her second look, a pink mesh ruffle sleeve top paired with soft pink tailored shorts and vintage mirrored Chanel wedges from the brand’s Spring 2007 collection. “I wanted something less traditional and more fun, something that felt like me,” she says. And that’s perhaps the best way to describe the entire wedding: super personal, unpretentious, full of joy and grounded in love.

Their relationship, too, has been built with intention. From the early days of parenting together as a new couple to navigating personal challenges with honesty and grace, Esther and Damian have leaned into their differences and done the work. “We’re wired differently, especially in how we communicate,” Esther says. “But we’ve learned to meet each other where we’re at.”

They each bring something the other needs. “Damian is the calm to my storm,” Esther smiles. “He’s my most trusted person, and he still makes me laugh at the most ridiculous things.” For Damian, it’s Esther’s spark and her feistiness. “I was incredibly attracted to Esther from the day we met,” he tells me. “It was much more than just physical and I was a bit confused at first because we are so different, but as we spent more time together on a deeper level it became clear we are actually very similar in many ways.” He pauses. “Esther challenges me like no one else and it’s super annoying,” he laughs, “but it’s also why I’m so drawn to her.”

Really, their success as a couple seems to lie in their commitment to evolution, to never stop learning and growing both individually and together. “We really do put in the work,” says Esther. “Even when it’s hard. Because we both know that what we have is rare.”

Next up is a long-awaited honeymoon in Europe and some time to be just Esther and Damian again, not Mum and Dad. And after that? More adventures, more family time, more of the small significant things: morning coffees in bed, laughing at the same old jokes, holding on to the love that built a life.



This wedding was originally published in VEIL Issue One. Discover this celebration, along with many more inspiring weddings, editorials, and stories in the full issue. Purchase your copy here.