I wanted to bring in coastal elements without it being kitschy.
Tell us a little about yourselves, what you do, what you love…
We’re a couple based in Torquay on Victoria’s beautiful Surf Coast. I’m (Caitlin) from Auckland, and Mack is from Sale in Country Victoria.
We love travelling, ocean swims, live music, and good food and wine.
Mack works in finance for Carlton & United Breweries. He’s a die-hard golfer and an incredible cook. Baking sourdough is his newest specialty. I work in media and communications. I love Reformer Pilates, sourcing vintage or second-hand designer clothes, and watching Real Housewives (most of the cities, ha!).
How/where/when did you meet – and what were your first impressions?
We met at the University. I was studying Fine Art, and Mack was studying Business and Economics. We were living in the University Halls of Residence as neighbours. We quickly bonded over our shared music taste.
First impressions, Mack: Caitlin looked way, way cooler than me! She looked like the kind of girl who was out of my league. However, we quickly became friends, to my surprise!
First impressions, Caitlin: I also thought Mack looked very cool. He was wearing these great Bill Bass sunglasses, and he had this easy confidence. I knew I wanted to get to know him.
When did you first realise that this was someone you’d like to spend the rest of your life with?
Caitlin: There are so many moments I could reference. One that’s always stuck with me is when we were living in our University hall, and a friend’s dad passed away quite suddenly. We showed our love and support for this friend in a really similar way, and I just remember thinking Mack was (and still is) such a kind man. He goes above and beyond for people he cares about.
Mack: Not long after we started dating at Uni, I went to Europe on holiday with my family. I spent more time on FaceTime with Caitlin than I did at any tourist sites, always wanting to hear about what was going on in her day. I’d never missed someone as much as I did Caitlin on that trip, and coming home, I knew we’d be together forever.
Tell us about the vision you had for the mood and style of your wedding. (theme, key styling elements, florals, colour palettes etc.).
The Dunes (our venue) is in the most beautiful location overlooking the ocean. I wanted to bring in coastal elements without it being kitschy – just simple touches that paid homage to the incredible beaches we get to enjoy on the Surf Coast. My dress was light blue, so I wanted that to be a feature throughout the day. We had the menus and seating chart in a similar blue, as well as the beautiful cake frosting from Good Good Cake.
More than anything, we wanted our wedding to feel like a big party. We dropped a lot of traditions; for example, Mack and I walked down the aisle together, and we didn’t have a bridal party.
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).
Having a feature colour in mind was an anchor when making styling decisions. The venue itself was also unreal, so it was easy to make everything work around the ocean view. My mum and I did the table settings, including the reception flowers – lots of Oriental Lilies, blue Hydrangeas, Baby’s Breath (Gyp), and white Roses. I also hand-painted oyster shells to create place settings, which looked really sweet against the blue menus and linen napkins. I won’t lie, it was a big job! But I was so proud of how it all came together. I think I enjoyed styling the tables most, as it was the one element where I felt like I could add my own personal touches.
What did you enjoy most about the planning process and do you have any tips for couples starting their wedding planning journey?
Caitlin: For me, it was having everything organised so we could actually enjoy the time leading up to the wedding. I had family come in from New Zealand, Bali and even New York, so I wanted to be present with them as we so rarely get to be together. For any couples who, like us, want a simpler, low-fuss wedding, my advice is to choose a venue that has experience with weddings and/or a dedicated event manager. The Dunes was incredible in this sense; Stephanie was so organised and took care of everything beautifully. I had full faith they would make our day go off without a hitch.
Mack: Our venue was essentially an ‘all in one’ style package, so once we’d booked that – the planning process was quite easy, only having to focus on the extra touches that make the day special. I enjoyed finding my suit and Caitlin’s wedding dress fittings, catching up with our celebrant to nail down the ceremony and organising the beer delivery from work. I echo Caitlin’s advice on this point – a switched-on event manager is priceless!
Tell us about your main outfits, what was unique, is there a story?
Caitlin: I’ve always been really decisive with my style, so I knew what I wanted quite early on. As you can imagine, it’s difficult to find a light blue wedding dress, so I ended up working with a seamstress to get something custom-made. My earrings were these beautiful silver shells (I love them, and wear them often now), and my Neous shoes had a kind of architectural heel that – apparently – is reminiscent of a famous sailboat or yacht? I’ve never had so many men admire my shoes. All in all, I felt like a mermaid bride, ha! Mack wanted something classic. He looked beautiful – very sharp, but still relaxed and like himself with his RM boots.
What was 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?).
Caitlin: We definitely wanted a great DJ; a pumping dance floor was essential to both of us. And the venue itself was an investment, but one that paid off in spades because of how incredible the team at The Dunes were – in the lead up and on the day. Lastly, our lovely photographer, Bella, was wonderful. Beautiful photos are, obviously, so important, and Bella was an expert in directing us and making us feel comfortable.
Did anything happen on your wedding day that you laugh about in hindsight (even if it was stressful at the time)?
Caitlin: Not really! It was quite a hot, windy day, which was a bit distracting, but I was just grateful it didn’t rain.
BRIDE Caitlin, @caitlinsthomas GROOM Mack, @mackthomas_ VENUE The Dunes, Ocean Grove (VIC), Australia, @thedunesoceangrove PHOTOGRAPHER Bella Pelagio, @bellaweddings_ VIDEOGRAPHER Millie Paterson STYLIST Ceremony – Dress My Wedding, @dress_my_wedding PLANNER The Dunes, @thedunesweddings CELEBRANT Anita Jenkins, @celebrant_ajenkins ENTERTAINMENT Geelong Entertainment, @geelong_entertainment HIRE Ceremony – Dress My Wedding, @dress_my_wedding CATERING The Dunes, @thedunesoceangrove CAKE Good Good Cake, @good.good.cake STATIONERY & SIGNAGE By the Bride BRIDE’S WEDDING RING Family heirloom GROOM’S WEDDING RING Miansai, @miansai BRIDE’S DRESS Stephanie Bianca, @stephaniebiancacouture BRIDE’S SHOES Neous, @neous BRIDE’S ACCESSORIES Earrings – Maslo, @maslojewelry HAIR & MAKEUP Cat Fish Artistry, @catfishartistry BRIDE’S FRAGRANCE Marrakech Intense Eau de Parfum – Aesop, @aesop SUIT M.J. Bale, @mjbale GROOM’S SHOES RM Williams, @rmwilliams GROOM’S FRAGRANCE Ombre Leather EDP – Tom Ford, @tomford
