We’re from Melbourne but have been living in London for two years now. Billy works in consulting and I work in digital marketing. We both love to travel, eat, drink, and cook, although our approach to prepping and keeping the kitchen tidy couldn’t be more different. I’m sometimes a bit of a whirlwind!
We met briefly in 2007, and Billy tried to track me down afterwards, but it took nine years before I finally met him again at a wine bar in Melbourne. I may have cancelled a few times and was very close to cancelling again, but my mum made me go and meet this “lovely boy”. We fell straight into dating and here we are.
Villa Floretti is a native flower farm with glorious panoramic views, and we wanted our guests to be able to explore the property and enjoy an abundance of food and drinks before going on to the reception. Champagne was served before we walked back down the aisle, and we had a lavishly stocked gin bar, roaming oyster shuckers and a horn band that led our guests to the reception marquee. We made sure there was a true feeling of love by incorporating our friends and family in our day as much as possible. Candles and flowers were also important. We had hundreds of candles that created a soft ambiance and evoked the spiritual presence of our absent loved ones, while our flowers brought the outside into our Sperry tent without looking too structured and wedding-y.
Thirty minutes before the ceremony, it started to absolutely bucket down, which was not ideal as everything was set up for us to be married outside and our guests were already seated. Luckily, we’d arranged a backup marquee and boy were we lucky we had. Ironically, as soon as we were pronounced husband and wife, the sun came out and it turned into the most beautiful afternoon and evening, with an incredible sunset. The rain actually added a sense of intimacy to our day. It relaxed our guests and made them socialise more as they had to share umbrellas and squish together for the ceremony.
The speeches were heartfelt and entertaining, a huge highlight of the evening. Lissy’s dad started by asking all the guests to close their eyes, which made them stop and really listen. It was such a beautiful way to welcome everyone to our wedding.
The night before, a friend reminded us to make sure we took a moment to remove ourselves from the party and watch everyone enjoying themselves. The day goes so quickly, but it’s one of those memories you can always draw on, full of feeling forever.
Photography: She Takes Pictures He Makes Films | Bride’s gown: Suzanne Harward | Groom’s and groomsmen’s suits: MJ Bale | Videography: Goldbear | Venue: Villa Floretti Flowers | Hair: Stephen Sadler | Makeup: Jade Kisnorbo | Bride’s shoes: Eureka | Groom’s shoes: Tod’s | Horn band: Not My Circus | Entertainment: One more Song | Catering & beverages: Clover Culinary Projects | Fragrance: Tiffany & Co | Celebrant: Annie McNamara | Flora: Poppy Culture | Bridesmaids’ dresses: Zimmermann | Bridesmaids’ and groomsmen’s shoes: Zara | Hire: Place Settings | Planning & styling: The couple & Clover Culinary Projects | Marquee: Under Sky | Groom’s ring: Boodles | Bride’s ring: Paspaley | Bride’s bracelet: Her grandmother’s
