LILIANA & RYLAND by Sean Tak

Tell us a little about yourselves, what you do, what you love, what is unique about you and your relationship…

We met 6 years ago over some Mexican food and beers on a very hot day. Liliana is a website developer and Ryland is an advertising copywriter.

We’re both avid gamers and pet-enthusiasts who definitely enjoy the warmer months of the year. When we get the chance we love to travel, have a beer in the sunshine and generally take it easy. We’re both pretty inseparable, which has made the first few months of our marriage in lockdown pretty easy. 

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…

There wasn’t a specific ‘theme’, but we chose the Children’s Farm as a location since we had both lived in the area at different times and had a connection to the area. So, after we’d locked in the farm, the style became preUy obvious – rustic. With the floral decorations, we wanted to keep in the style of the area with lots of native arrangements. It’s hard to remember all the details since the day went too quickly and seems like a blur, but we’d both probably say the arrangements at the ceremony – the tree, signing table and drinks table – came out really well and look great in the photos. 

Tell us about your main outfits:

Liliana had her eye on a dress from Grace Loves Lace which we actually had to go to Queensland to try on (at the time, their only showroom was on the Gold Coast). The dress was a great match and after some alterations done locally fit like a glove. Ryland had been following P. Johnson tailors for a while so when the opportunity to get a tailored suit came up, he jumped at the chance. After a few consultations he settled on a two-tone suit with an unstructured double breasted jacket and high-waisted navy slacks. 

What were some of the most memorable/unique moments from the day?

The whole thing was such a whirlwind and went by in a flash, but we’re both so happy that we got ready for the day together. During this time we did a ‘first-look’ along with our personal vows, which was a great way to start off a perfect day. Sean, our photographer, was amazing and the times we went off with him for ‘couples pictures’ helped break up the afternoon (plus the pictures looked amazing!). The speeches by our siblings had us in tears. Also the dance floor went off, but like all good weddings, seemed to end too soon. 

Any advice for other couples planning to spend the rest of their lives together?

If you think you want to spend the rest of your life with someone, do it. Also don’t go by what other people’s weddings are like. Make it unique to you and don’t think you have to follow any of the rules. On the day, the most important thing would be to get an amazing photographer like Sean, because the day will fly by in a blink, but the photographs will last forever. 

Photography: Sean Tak Photography| Ceremony and Reception location: Collingwood Children’s Farm | Celebrant: Jon von Goes | Bride’s gown: Grace Loves Lace | Groom’s suit: P. Johnson | Rings: Kavalari | Shoes: I Love Billy | Makeup and Hair: The Distinctive Dame | Planner and Hire: Collingwood Children’s Farm | Flora: Flos Botanical Studio | Catering and Beverages: Collingwood Children’s Farm | Cake: Tidbit Cakes