Nick is a retail store manager and I work in finance. We love dining out, collecting art and spending time with loved ones (including our beautiful greyhound Rusty). We went to brother/sister schools and knew each other’s friends but didn’t meet each other until a party in year 12.
We had a good laugh together and started going on a few dates. That was in 2012 and since then we’ve been together through so many milestones – university, moving out of home, graduating, starting full-time work. We’ve been side by side for a third of our lives and we wouldn’t want it any other way.
In July last year we had a dinner for Nick’s birthday cancelled due to the lockdown so we decided to arrange takeaways from the restaurant we’d booked. After dinner, Nick proposed – I had no idea it was coming. Luckily there was plenty of champagne involved and nothing else to do but to revel in the moment. The house filled with flowers on flowers on flowers and gorgeous words from loved ones for days afterwards which was so special.
I was Christmas shopping with my mum, grandma and auntie when we walked into Carla Zampatti, not really intending to buy a wedding dress. We had a glass of champagne in the store and ended up walking out with a dress for the wedding day and another one for the big party afterwards. Then we went out for cocktails – it was all very spontaneous and so lovely to have the important women in my life there with me.
Nick and I had always spoken about an intimate and simple wedding. Originally, we’d wanted to do it at the marriage registry but it was booked so we decided to go with our celebrant Ray – a blessing as it meant we had a more personalised wedding in the really pretty Fitzroy Gardens. Everyone had a glass of champagne in hand and the sun was shining for the 4:30pm ceremony.
We always knew that we wanted to have an intimate dinner with close family afterwards, and that’s what we did. The food and drink was very important to us and Cutler & Co was always on our wishlist. After the dinner, we went for a drink – just the two of us – and reflected on the best night before heading to a hotel close by.
It was all easy and simple and really didn’t take too long to organise. On the flipside, we do love a party! We had a big celebration a few days later with around 140 family members and friends at the National Gallery of Victoria. Luckily all our plans went ahead unimpeded. But we also had the peace of mind of knowing that, had there been a lockdown, we’d have the option of postponing the party and getting married in the gardens regardless – that was the most important thing – and the party would happen eventually.
Photographer: It’s Beautiful Here | Bride’s dress: Carla Zampatti | Bride’s veil: Amélie George | Groom’s suit: Ferrari Formal | Flora: Hattie Molloy | Celebrant: Ray Galea, Celebrant with Wings | Ceremony location: Fitzroy Gardens | Ceremony chair hire: Celebrate Party Hire | Reception + Catering: Cutler & Co | Engagement Ring: Saphira Diamonds | Bride’s Jewellery: Great grandmother’s sapphire ring and mother-in-law’s earrings | Makeup: Nadine Haddad | Invites: Lettering By V | Bride’s shoes: Christian Louboutin | Groom’s shoes:Ted Baker | Bride’s hair pearls: Roxy Jacenko Accessories | Groom’s watch: Vintage Seiko | Groom’s cufflinks: Vintage Georg Jensen | Groom’s fragrance: Wonderoud, by Comme Des Garcons | Bride’s fragrance: 2 by Comme Des Garcons | Groom’s signet ring: Seb Brown | Post-reception drinks: The Everleigh | Cake: Dolce Fantasia | Gift registry: David Jones