Tell us a little about yourselves, what you do, what you love, what is unique about you and your relationship…
We had known each other for a fun loving, adventure filled 7 years before dropping the knee and deciding to tie the knot.
We met on the dance floor and effectively have never left. We bonded instantly over a love of flamboyant costumes and ridiculous dance moves – often finishing off our nights together musing until sunrise over topics from meta-thinking to existentialism to the contents of a chicken nugget. Since becoming adults together we have started our medical careers and moved into a quaint cottage in sunny Geelong. We’ve now got a Schnauzer hot on our heels everywhere we go from the hills to the sea. Even if that means taking him on overnight hikes or surfing. We love to explore the great outdoors and try to spend as much time as we can out and about, in Australia or abroad. We’ve grown together over the years and feel very lucky to be able to be married to our best friend. Hilary is louder and larger than life. She fills a room with her positive energy and laughter. Rupert is sunlight, a constant source of warmth and vibrance. He makes everything feels brighter and full of possibility. In the words of Rupert’s brother’s wedding speech, “There is a law that exists. That when two people are as loud as Rupert and Hilary, they will eventually find each other in the world.” And we’re so glad we did.
Tell us about your special day, was there a specific theme or style? Tell us a little about the setting, the styling and some of your favourite details…
We had always wanted an Autumn wedding. The beautiful colour palette, the crisp morning light (on a good day), the intimacy of dining in the medieval banquet style that offsets the oncoming evening chill. But we definitely knew we were rolling the dice with the weather in Victoria that time of the year! The bookend weekends of our wedding were torrential rain but the weather pulled out the goods with the sun shining for the week of our wedding! It was a stunning Autumn day, with us married beneath the towering gums, overlooking the rolling Hills of Gippsland. Overall what made it most special, other than being able to spend the day celebrating with our dearest family and friends, was in the details. Together, as a couple, we created the entire wedding. From personally sewing the linen napkins, to drawing all of the stationary, to our family helping us create a magnificent self sourced wine list and bake face shaped guest favour cookies. As people who love a good activity, we didn’t want our guests getting bored. There was a canapé driving range set up accompanied by garden games to entertain guests whilst off taking photos. The surrounding rural Australian landscape provided an ever-changing backdrop throughout the evening. We finished the wedding day where it all started: on the dance floor, dancing the night away to the Baker Boys Band.
Tell us about your main outfits:
The groom; Rupert had long loved the idea of rocking a brown tweed style suit. Much to the dismay of most suit outfitters and menswear stores. Not to be dissuaded we searched far and wide before realising that we were going to have to extend the search further and wider. Hilary struck gold when she found a suit online made in Scotland by the team at Walker Slater. After a few emails and Rupert’s mum stopping by on a pre-planned trip, the suit had finally been found. Then came the task of matching the ensemble which after a slow a steady process, and numerous returned online orders, we feel all came together to match the autumn season. Bride; Hilary has always been drawn to simple lines and a sucker for sculptural elements. This silk Pronovias dress from Raffaele Cuicia fit the brief and after her mother burst into tears in a dress fitting, it felt like the one. When paired with the ribbon trimmed veil and a pair of heavenly Ryan Storer scattered petal earrings that had been long destined for our wedding day, it felt like everything was falling into place. But why have one wedding dress, when you can have two? Especially with a day so stepped in tradition, that the “something old” had to have a feature. Rupert’s Nannie had gifted Hilary with her wedding dress for the occasion, a beautiful vintage lace dress, which Hilary then altered into a second wedding dress for the evening events. It was an incredibly special wedding gift and an honour to have it feature as part of our wedding day.
What were some of the most memorable/unique moments from the day?
As we look back on our wedding day, we can’t help but feel incredibly blessed. It was so special to be surrounded by our wonderful friends and family. To look across their smiling faces as we made our vows then end the night boogieing down to the smooth bass and brass of the Baker Boys Band until the wee hours. The night was topped off with the incredible finesse of the wedding speeches- each thoughtfully curated by our family and friends. The magic of being wed in the natural amphitheatre by father Hugh was incredibly memorable. As Hilary’s aunt put it “he seemed to have the elements on a string”. When he asked for wind, there was wind and when he asked for birds they sang, and eagles seemed to fly overhead. He assured us that ‘He had a special word to his boss upstairs’ prior to the day. We are very thankful that he was able to officiate our wedding. We put a lot of time also into our first dance. Our old radio in the garage got a real work out, as did we, in the months leading up to the wedding. We crafted a dance together in our back garage across multiple evenings after work. There were some tense moments as the band fired up their rendition of the Frankie Valli classic- but we jumped and jived our way through with some of our favourite moves. Dancing has always been something we have loved doing together and our guests certainly were certainly partial to it too.
Any advice for other couples planning to spend the rest of their lives together?
Marry your best friend. What has worked for us wont work for everyone but it’s important to find someone who loves you for you. Try and approach life together, and as much as possible try and drown out the background noise. A fresh approach to a situation and finding the way forward that works for you both is always a win. It’s not always easy to tune out the status quo, but it’s a lot more fun to do it together as a team. Never rest on an argument as you never know when it will be your last. Share as often as you can and approach life with an open mind.
Photography and Videography: Petite Visuals | Ceremony and Reception location: Private Property (Trafalgar) | Celebrant: Father Hugh of St Peters Eastern Hill | Bride’s gown: Raffaeleciuca | Groom’s outfit: Walker Slater | Rings: Simon West and Pod Jewellery | Brides shoes: Alias Mae | Groom’s shoes: Hush Puppies | Bride’s earrings: Ryan Storer | Makeup: Elle James | Hair: Alchemy Bridal | Fragrance: Chanel 19 | Groomsmen’s outfits: Walker Slater | Bridesmaid’s: Chancery | Entertainment: Baker Boys Band | Styling and Planning: Bride and groom | Day Coordination: Events by Jacinta | Hire and Marquee: Bespoke Event Hire | Flora: Flower Muse Styling Co. | Catering: Going Gourmet | Cake: Treat it | Stationery: Bride and groom | Lighting: Bespoke Event Hire | Accomodation: Mirador Springs Retreat and Clifden Cottage
