Steph & Tom’s Elegant Sydney Wedding

For those who have fallen in love whilst traveling, this Journal is for you. For those who think holiday romances can't work - this one is also for you. Steph and Tom met backpacking in Mexico 5 years ago and followed each other as they weaved their way through Central America. They knew there was chemistry but they also knew there was a time limit to this blissful state they were in. After parting ways and moving back to their respective cities in Australia, all was not forgotten. Sydney based Steph planned a Melbourne trip with her girlfriends and a very brave Tom whom she had kept in touch with invited them all down to his beachside holiday house in Portsea - read on to see how they sealed their fate.

On the proposal

5 years after ‘that weekend’ in Portsea, Tom popped the question in the exact same holiday house that had brought them so many lasting memories over the years.

“Tom took me down to Portsea for the weekend where I requested we spend our Saturday on our favourite beach with a picnic lunch. Luckily for him, this was exactly how he wanted it to play out but got away with me thinking the day’s plans were my idea. After a lazy nap in the sun and a stroll down the secluded beach, I turned around to see Tom on one knee with a ring in his hand.”

Read all about our real bride's wedding in this blog. She wore the Luxe Addison wedding dress by Karen Willis Holmes.

On the venue

Steph and Tom chose the Cell Block Theatre in Sydney’s National Art School. They fell in love with the venue after attending a friends wedding there. It was a bonus being so central as Tom’s guests were traveling from his hometown in Melbourne.

“Not only is the space aesthetically awe-inspiring, it carries with it a rich and colourful history, transforming from a prison into a place that celebrates and supports arts and culture has been connected with many of our favourite Australian creatives throughout history.”

All the styling details

Steph was inspired by wedding blogs. She had a distinct colour palette and style in mind so she spent a long time finding the right reference images to help realise the dream she had planned out in her head. She Designs helped Steph and Tom seamlessly incorperate their ideas into the already beautiful space at The Cell Block Theatre.

“At one of our site visits, She Designs were there setting up for a wedding and what they created was perfectly aligned with what we had envisaged. We locked them in immediately and then worked with the team, sharing inspiration and mood boards to create the perfectly lush, rustic vibe we were after.

They were incredible in translating our vision into a reality and offering expert advice on how to create the best possible ambiance and atmosphere on the day.”

The Dress

Steph wore the Addison gown from the LUXE collection. She had her eye on numerous KWH pieces from our Sydney boutique, especially the sequinned LUXE gowns.

“I didn’t know what I wanted and loved how broad the KWH range was so I thought it would be a great opportunity to find what worked for me.

Addison made me feel special and elegant whilst also being SO comfortable! Also, my mum was running late to the appointment and when she walked in and saw me in the Addison gown she burst into tears – at this moment I knew it was the one!”

Accessorising

Steph chose a necklace by Sarah & Sebastian and custom made pearl drop earrings. She wore her hair lightly curled and swept off her face into a half do with a 2 tier cathedral veil similar to our Claude veil.

Her bridesmaids wore golden Bec and Bridge dresses which beautifully tied in with all the subtle metallic tones of the day.

Gown hunting tips

“Choose whatever makes you feel fantastic. I never had a vision of what I wanted to wear so I wasn’t guided by a particular style but I knew what I felt great in and what I didn’t. You want to be yourself, you want to be comfortable and you want to feel beautiful, so choose something that allows for all those things!”

What does love mean to you?

“A full heart that lasts a lifetime.”

Suppliers:

Photographer – Khara Deurhof – House of Lucie Love

“My sister in law put me in contact with Khara having worked with her in the past. Upon meeting Khara and seeing her work, Tom and I knew she was the person for the job. She was so lovely and warm we felt at instant ease with her and knew she understood the way in which we wanted the day to be captured. Khara went above and beyond from day one and the finished suite of photos were so breathtaking we are now working with her to create a curated album!”

Stylist – She Designs

“She Designs were brilliant to work with. They have a very distinct style which we thought worked well with the venue but were very receptive to our ideas and ensured their plans aligned with our vision. On the day, the set up exceeded all of our expectations. Personally, one of my favourite elements was their floral work. The arbor they built for us to get married beneath and the floral centerpieces for the reception were absolutely breathtaking. The transformed the Cell Block Theatre into the magical, romantic space we had dreamt of.”

Makeup – Katie Angus

I chose Katie Angus for make-up. Katie nailed the dewy, golden look I was after without making me feel like I was caked up with make-up. Katie was not only concerned with ensuring she nailed the look I was after but also with how the make-up felt and wore on my skin. She gave me advice on my skincare regime in the lead up to the wedding and on the day, made myself, my mum and my bridesmaids feel like glam versions of ourselves!

Music – Acoustic – Mark Harding

We had the wonderfully talented Mark Harding playing acoustic covers of our favourite songs before and during our ceremony.

DJ – Charlie Chux

I am lucky enough to have two very talented musicians in my family (my brother and sister in law) and as a wedding gift, they organised Charlie Chux to DJ the reception. They worked with Charlie letting him know the must and must nots along with a general flow for the evening and between them managed to orchestrate a heaving dancefloor that had guests chanting for more at the end of the evening.

Wedding Bands – Michael Chubb – Family Jeweller

We went with Michael Chubb, a jeweler my family has been going to for over 30 years and who Tom worked with in creating my engagement ring.

Bouquets – Mandy Costin – Flossie

Bouquets were one of the elements I cared about most and I wouldn’t have trusted anyone else. I had once dreamed of Mandy doing all the florals for our wedding but she moved to London shortly after we got engaged. Safe to say I was over the moon when she decided to move home and agreed to do the bouquets for the day, she truly is the best in the bizz!

Caterers – Piquant Catering

Piquant Catering had previously run a café on the NAS grounds and knew the venue inside and out. Their food was fantastic and they worked with us to craft the perfect menu and flow of the courses for the evening. The team were so accommodating and professional, they helped the whole evening run seamlessly!

1 Comment

Brigitte

May 13, 2020 at 11:57 pm

I love the style of this wedding!!! I have a very similar vision for my wedding coming up next June. I have been searching for bridesmaid dresses exactly like steph’s!! Do you know where the dresses are from?? Thank you!!

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