A Relaxed & Intentional Bathurst Wedding | Shantelle & Murray at Mount Panorama, Bootleg Dining & The Knickerbocker Hotel
- Maddi Lee’s Photography
- May 18
- 3 min read
There’s something really special about weddings that completely let go of expectations.
No pressure.No giant production.No trying to impress anyone.
Just people deeply in love choosing to celebrate in a way that genuinely feels like them 🤍
That was exactly what Shantelle & Murray’s wedding day felt like from beginning to end.
After a 9 year engagement, these two finally tied the knot surrounded by what mattered most to them: each other, their children, meaningful moments and a relaxed atmosphere where they could actually soak the day in together.
As a Bathurst wedding photographer, I photograph all kinds of weddings across the Central West NSW region. Big weddings, intimate weddings, countryside celebrations, elopements and family focused ceremonies. But there’s something about smaller intentional weddings like this that always stays with me long after the gallery is delivered.
From the very beginning of the day, everything felt calm, connected and incredibly personal.
One of my favourite parts?They got ready together.
There was no pressure to follow traditional timelines or spend the morning apart. Instead, they spent the lead up to the ceremony side by side, helping each other get ready and fully experiencing every moment together.
Shantelle didn’t choose her dress alone either. They chose it together.
And honestly, that perfectly sums up the entire energy of the day.
Every decision felt intentional. Every moment felt genuine. Nothing felt forced or performative for the sake of tradition. It was emotional in the most effortless kind of way.
There was laughter constantly throughout the day. The kind that naturally happens when people feel comfortable, relaxed and fully present with each other.
Their ceremony took place at the Mount Panorama walking track lookout in Bathurst, overlooking some of the most beautiful scenery in the region. It was the perfect location for a smaller intimate wedding ceremony. Quiet, relaxed and surrounded by nature while still feeling incredibly meaningful.
As a Bathurst wedding photographer, Mount Panorama is honestly such an underrated wedding and elopement location. Between the incredible lookout views, walking tracks, golden afternoon light and surrounding bushland, it creates such a beautiful backdrop for couples wanting something relaxed and scenic without needing a huge venue setup.
The ceremony itself was beautifully personal thanks to Kerryl from Raise Your Glass Celebrations. Kerryl creates ceremonies that feel warm, genuine and completely unique to every couple she works with, and she brought such a calm and caring energy to the day.
Hair and makeup was done by Simone from The Pretty Palette by Simone who created such a beautiful soft look for Shantelle while still making her feel comfortable and like herself.
After the ceremony, we headed into Bathurst to celebrate with lunch at Bootleg Dining. Honestly, it suited the entire vibe of the wedding perfectly. Relaxed atmosphere, incredible food and such a beautiful way to slow down and actually spend quality time together after the ceremony.
The celebrations then continued with drinks at The Knickerbocker Hotel, keeping the day super relaxed, intentional and focused around spending time together instead of rushing through formalities.
One thing I absolutely love about intimate weddings in Bathurst and the Central West is that couples often feel more freedom to create a day that reflects them instead of following expectations. Whether that means:
getting ready together
skipping traditions
planning a private ceremony
choosing a scenic lookout
having a restaurant lunch instead of a formal reception
or simply slowing the day down
…it all creates space for more meaningful moments.
And honestly? Those moments are always the ones people remember most years later.
As a Central West NSW wedding photographer and videographer, these are the kinds of wedding days I absolutely love documenting. Relaxed timelines, emotional moments, genuine laughter and photos that feel natural instead of overly posed.
If you’re currently planning a wedding in Bathurst, Orange, Mudgee, Lithgow, Oberon or anywhere across Central West NSW and you’re wanting wedding photography that feels relaxed, candid, emotional and genuinely like you, I’d absolutely love to chat 🤍
Vendor Team:
HMUA – The Pretty Palette by Simone
Celebrant – Raise Your Glass Celebrations
Lunch – Bootleg Dining Bathurst
Drinks – The Knickerbocker Hotel Bathurst
Photography – Maddi Lee’s Photography
Maddi Lee’s Photography is a Bathurst based wedding photographer and videographer capturing weddings, elopements and couples across Bathurst, Orange, Mudgee, the Blue Mountains and wider NSW.
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