Caitlin + Jack by Damien Milan

To romanticise the restaurant, our florist, Polyanthi, scattered pink and burgundy florals throughout the venue.

Tell us a little about yourselves, what you do, what you love…

We’re Caitlin and Jack! We live in Sydney, Australia, with our whippet Arlo and our old-man chihuahua Jackie. We’ve been together for just about seven years – almost inseparable from our first date.

Jack is a buyers’ agent in Sydney’s eastern suburbs, a skilled negotiator with the charm and people smarts to navigate the property market and land a great deal. I work at an art gallery in the city, focused on making sure every artwork gets where it needs to go – and looks flawless when it gets there.

We love exploring our city together; taking a dip in the ocean on an early Sunday morning, walking our dogs along local nature trails, and dining at Sydney’s newest restaurants.

How/where/when did you meet – and what were your first impressions?

We met online! With Jack living in New Zealand when we first connected, we quickly formed a bond through many, many messages until he could make the trip back to Sydney.

I was the one to plan the first date – dinner, red wine and live jazz in a very cool inner-city wine bar. It turned out that my perfect kind of date night was also Jack’s. We ate pizza, laughed, and Jack even convinced me to dance (something I would usually refuse), but it made the night unforgettable.

My first impression was that he was vibrant, genuine and funny. Although I hate to admit it in writing (Jack will forever hold it against me), I vividly remember how much he made me laugh that night.

Jack’s first impression of me (he said this, I promise) was that he was instantly at ease, that he found it easy to talk to me like we’d known each other for years.

It was a wonderful first date; one we loved so much, we decided to replicate it for our wedding!

What styling and visual elements worked best for you? (could be things, the florals, particular hire products or your marquee, etc., something the stylist created or simply just the scenic beauty of your location or the existing design of your venue).

Both our ceremony and reception locations were beautiful as they were, so very little styling was needed!

We had our ceremony at McKell Park, a gorgeous ivy-coated garden that overlooks Sydney’s harbour. During our ceremony, yachts drifted by, families picnicked nearby, and our guests soaked up the spring sun.

With such a setting, we didn’t need to introduce much styling – just florals, beautiful white seating, a couple of market umbrellas, and a table for our celebratory champagne and Italian biscuits. The park did the hard work for us.

The same went for our reception location, Franca Brasserie. In complete contrast to the ceremony, we wanted our reception to feel moody, sexy and romantic, and Franca’s dim lighting and leather banquette seating did that perfectly. To romanticise the restaurant, our florist, Polyanthi, scattered pink and burgundy florals throughout the venue.

What did you enjoy most about the planning process, and do you have any tips for couples starting their wedding planning journey?

Planning exhibitions and logistics in my everyday work life, I found wedding planning to be a lovely, really enjoyable extension of that – but with more creative freedom.

Our favourite part of the planning was getting to know and working closely with all our vendors. The support they provided us throughout the process was so reassuring — they turned what could have been stressful into something exciting and fun.

For couples starting their own wedding planning journey (we’re so excited for you), we would really recommend getting clear on the vision for your day – and how the day represents you as a couple.

We wanted our wedding to reflect us as a couple, so we folded in many personal touches: my Italian heritage, our love of beautiful food and wine, our favourite colours and textures. Before each decision was made, we would ask ourselves one simple question: Does this authentically represent us as a couple?

While taking inspiration from other weddings is so helpful, we found that the decision-making process was much easier when driven by personal meaning.

Tell us about your vendors. Were there any standout suppliers you would like to make special mention of?

We don’t know how we got so lucky – each and every one of our vendors was spectacular. Seriously, we could go on forever.

Our celebrant, Victoria, captured our story (and love of sighthounds) beautifully. We’ve had so many family members and friends compliment her heartfelt and emotional storytelling.

Our photographer Damien and videographer Charlie captured our day so vividly. The day really does fly past in a blur, so we’re very thankful to have such beautiful documentation to look back on. I’m not a natural performer, so being photographed was pretty daunting, but Damien and Charlie made us feel at ease the entire day.

We can’t sing higher praise for the team at Franca Brasserie! They took our vision and then elevated it into a moment that felt cinematic – all soft light, thoughtful touches and genuine emotion. Their Head of Events, Melissa, orchestrated every detail with such grace that we could simply sink into the magic of the night.

Tell us about your main outfits, what was unique, and is there a story?

My two-piece dress is from Melbourne-based designer KYHA Studios, having sought a look that was simple and timeless, very much in line with my own personal style. With the help of my Nonna and mum, we made the lace veil together. It was such a special way to spend the weeks leading up to the wedding, and it looked absolutely beautiful on the day.

Jack knew immediately that he would wear a black tuxedo, wanting to keep his look classic; he had his suit tailored at InStitchu in Sydney. He completed the look with a black leather Orient watch, which I gifted him for his birthday a few weeks prior.

Tell us about your wedding and engagement rings.

Our wedding and engagement rings are made by Laura Miers, a Sydney-based designer. Everything she makes is unique and absolute perfection.

What were one or two elements that were most important to you both that you were happy to spend a little more on? (food, photography, florals, the venue, your outfits?).

Spending time together over a beautiful meal is so integral to our own relationship, so good food and wine were our top priority. We really wanted to treat our friends and family to a memorable dining experience. Franca really made that happen; an incredible selection of wine, so much beautiful food (1kg t-bone steak, anyone?), cocktail hour, and after-dinner Francacello.

A few months on, our guests are still talking about the reception. We’re so, so happy we focused on this experience.

Was there a favourite moment (or two) that you will treasure always?

For me, my favourite moment was hearing Jack’s vows – nothing can really compare to that. For Jack, seeing me walk down was particularly memorable. We truly wish we could relive the entire day again – and we wouldn’t change a thing.

What does being married mean to you, and are there any special rituals you have that you would like to share?

For us, being married is really about choosing each other – every day, in all the small and big ways. It means wanting to spend our time together, growing side by side, and gently pushing each other to become the best versions of ourselves. We don’t have any particular rituals to share; it’s less about routines and more about the significance of the milestone itself. Marriage, to us, is the active commitment to show up for one another, to keep choosing this life together, and to nurture the love we’ve built.