Mutual weirdness forever: Ashayla and Mark’s eclectic vineyard wedding

When describing the theme of their big day, Ashayla and Mark can wrap it up in four words – geeky, Scottish, Australian and pineapples.

The Perth pair wanted their eclectic vineyard wedding to “scream us”.

“Our non-traditional Scottish, Australian, geek wedding with pineapples ticked all of the boxes,” Ashayla, 27, says.

The ceremony, held at Swan Street Vineyard on September 22, 2018 in front of 65 guests, was a laugh-a-minute with geek references and a surprise celebrant (close friend Chris Johnson in his first wedding gig).

The pineapple theme was scattered throughout the day, from the favours to the decor and even the bride’s decorated skate shoes.

“When Mark was first introduced to my friends and family, he brought a pineapple. Soon we were known for pineapple gifting. When people think of pineapples, they think of us,” the bride explains.

The pre-reception at the same venue began with lawn games, before the newlyweds entered to the theme song of WWE’s Bobby Roode.

Ashayla and Mark, 32, dealt with the formalities quickly, ending in a slow dance to a reworked version of the Scottish classic I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles).

Then it was time for the bride to make a quick costume change before the celebrations really got under way.

“A bonfire was lit, fresh pizza was served out of the back of a fire truck, a pinata was beaten and the party was on,” Ashayla says.

Photos courtesy of IZO Photography.

The couple had a unique form of wedding transport. “Mark loves Ghostbusters and when a friend of theirs tricked out their vehicle to look like an official Ghostbusters car, the choice was obvious,” Ashayla says.

A chance encounter on a Facebook game app signaled the start of Ashayla and Mark’s love story. “Soon we were chatting on the phone and that Christmas, Mark flew from the east coast of Australia to the west, hoping that the spark would be there in person. Nine years later we’re still inseparable,” Ashayla says.

The couple says Swan Street Vineyard helped provide the perfect atmosphere for their eclectic celebrations. “We wanted something laid- back with outdoor components and that Australiana touch,” the bride explains.

Mark wanted to embrace his Scottish heritage, but chose to do it with a tie rather than wearing a kilt. Ashayla also had the same tartan pinned to her dress, a tradition that symbolises the bride is now part of that clan.

“Planning and putting on the wedding was actually pretty stress free,” Ashayla says of the eclectic vineyard wedding.

The couple also took a quirky approach to catering, choosing a food truck that served pizza from a fire truck.