Lilli + Jonathon by Hayley Rafton

It was always about creating something timeless, with personal details woven throughout.

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

We met and built our life together in Melbourne, but both of us are shaped by the places we’ve come from. Lilli is a family lawyer who grew up in Tasmania, about ten minutes from where we were married. It’s always felt grounding, and we still go back as often as we can – it’s familiar in the best way. Jon grew up in Perth before moving to Melbourne for opportunities in both med tech and ice hockey, which he played semi-professionally.

Together, we’ve settled into a rhythm that is low-key but intentional. We both care a lot about our work, but outside of that, we’re drawn to the things that bring people together – shared meals, a good bottle of wine, and long, unhurried time with friends and family. Travel has always been a big part of our relationship, whether it’s planning something new or returning to places we already love. At the centre of it all is a sense of connection; to each other, to our people, and to the places that feel like home. That same feeling shaped how we approached our wedding – simple, considered and instinctive, and focused on bringing everyone together in a way that felt deeply personal and quietly refined.

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

Lilli and Jon met in Melbourne in 2020, during lockdown. Jon had been trying to organise a date for some time, but Lilli was initially hesitant – she’s a stickler for rules.

They eventually met for coffee at Top Paddock in Richmond and walked along the Yarra afterwards. It was simple, but there was an immediate ease to it, like nothing needed to be forced.

Lilli’s first impression of Jon was that he was even funnier in person, and she was quietly certain in a way that stayed with her. There was something steady about him, and a warmth that made it easy to settle into the conversation. At the end of the date, Jon asked if she’d like to do it again, and she said yes without hesitation.

Jon was immediately drawn to Lilli’s selfless nature, her intelligence, and the way she effortlessly made him feel seen and heard. He realised very quickly that this had the makings of something special.

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).

We weren’t trying to reinvent anything. It was always about creating something timeless, with personal details woven throughout. The setting did a lot of the work for us; the house and surrounding landscape have a natural sense of grandeur, so we focused on complementing it rather than over-styling and allowing the architecture and environment to lead us.

What made it feel distinctive were the shapes and layout. The circular ceremony seating was something we loved. It created a more intimate and inclusive atmosphere, and softened the formality of a traditional aisle.

At the front of the house, the curved table echoed that same sense of softness. Paired with the symmetry of the building and the DJ set up on the balcony above, it created a layered, almost theatrical perspective that felt both elevated and relaxed – considered, but never overworked.

The styling itself was minimal, but the details were personal. We used Lilli’s parents’ signing table, had a harpist as a nod to their wedding, served the same Pol Roger champagne Jon’s parents had, and finished the cake with daisies in the same way Lilli’s parents did. Those touches made everything feel familiar and entirely ours.

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

We genuinely loved the planning process, and having an incredible team around us made it feel easy and enjoyable rather than overwhelming. It meant we could focus on the fun parts and trust that everything else was taken care of, which allowed the vision to stay consistent from start to finish.

From the beginning, we kept coming back to the same idea: we wanted the day to feel like us. That became our filter for every decision, big or small, and made things feel a lot more natural.

Our biggest piece of advice would be to stay anchored in that. It’s easy to get caught up in trends or outside opinions, but the most meaningful choices are usually the ones that feel personal and instinctive. If something feels right to you, it probably is, and that’s what people remember.

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

We were incredibly lucky with our vendors. Every person involved brought something considered and intuitive to the day, and it really felt like a group of people who understood what we were trying to create – understated, intentional, and emotionally grounded.

A special mention has to go to Freyr Studio, our planner and stylist, who went above and beyond from beginning to end. They made the entire process feel seamless and brought everything together in a way that felt effortless but deeply considered.

Food was always important to us, and Hubert + Dan created something truly memorable. Their menu celebrated Tasmanian produce in a way that felt generous and refined, and it’s something our guests are still talking about.

Our celebrant and MC, Anna-Louise Hammer, was also a standout. As one of our closest friends, she made the ceremony feel deeply personal, with the perfect balance of warmth and humour, and carried that same energy through the rest of the day. She even made it onto the dance floor with her saxophone, which says everything.

Hayley Rafton, our photographer, deserves a very special mention. We first saw her work at a friend’s wedding and knew straight away we wanted her to capture ours. She has such a calm, intuitive presence and made us feel completely at ease. Nothing ever felt staged, and the way she captured the day was so natural and honest, with a quiet editorial sensibility.

Claire Hargreaves from Everwood Films was equally incredible, creating such a relaxed environment that it genuinely felt like we were just spending the day with friends, while still capturing everything beautifully.

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

Our outfits were approached in the same way as the rest of the day – timeless, considered, and reflective of who we are, with emphasis on movement, designed to shift subtly as the day unfolded.

Lilli’s look was designed to evolve throughout the day. The base was a corset and skirt, which felt classic and structured, but with the flexibility to shift as the mood changed. For the ceremony, she wore a full veil and a soft scarf draped over her shoulders that was tucked into the back of the corset, which felt very true to her – modest, soft and a little romantic. As the day moved into the evening, the look naturally became more relaxed and playful, removing the scarf, and then changing into a shorter skirt for dancing and a second piece layered briefly to introduce a different texture and feel.

Jon’s approach was deliberately simple, a nod to the timeless traditions of black tie. He had his classic black tuxedo made by Trunk Tailors, and later changed into an off-white dinner jacket made by P. Johnson. With an appreciation for heritage-inspired tailoring and detail, it felt like a natural way for his look to evolve across the day while still feeling cohesive.

We also wore Cartier watches, his and hers. Jon wore a Santos, and Lilli wore a Panthère, which felt like a quiet shared detail and something we’ll have long after the day itself.

What made it feel special was that nothing stayed static. The outfits moved with the day, shifting in a way that felt effortless and allowed each part of the celebration to have its own energy.

Tell us about your wedding and engagement rings.

Lilli’s engagement and wedding rings are both from Sarah & Sebastian in 18k white gold. Jon designed the engagement ring himself, in secret, which makes it especially sentimental. It features natural diamonds throughout, with a central stone, and has a timeless, classic feel.

Her wedding band was chosen to sit neatly alongside it, keeping everything simple and cohesive. On the day, Lilli also wore her grandmother’s engagement ring as her “something old” – a quiet, meaningful connection across generations.

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?).

For us, it was always going to be the food, wine, and photography. Those were the elements we cared most about and were happy to invest in.

Food and wine were such a big part of how we wanted the day to feel. We wanted it to be generous, relaxed and centred around good food and Tasmanian produce. It was about creating something people could really settle into.

Photography and videography were just as important to us as they are, since they are the only things you really keep beyond the day itself. Having Hayley and Claire capture everything was an easy decision. There’s something so special about being able to look back and see the day as it actually felt, preserving it exactly as it unfolded.

Everything else we kept quite considered and minimal, so it felt right to focus on the parts that would shape the atmosphere in the moment, and the memories we’d carry with us afterwards.

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

One of our favourite moments was just before entering the reception, when we had a few minutes alone together. It was such a calm pause in the day and a chance to take everything in before it all started again.

Our entrance into the reception was also a highlight. We entered through the grand front doors of the house and danced down the stairs to Sara perché ti amo, with all of our guests gathered in front of us. It was such a fun, high-energy moment and immediately set the tone for the night – cinematic in feeling but completely natural in execution.

The song itself holds a lot of meaning for us. We became obsessed with it on a trip to Italy, and one evening, a band appeared on the hill overlooking Florence and started playing it. We ended up dancing with hundreds of strangers, all to the same song, which felt so spontaneous and joyful. It was only a few days before Jon proposed, and it became one of our favourite memories from the trip. Bringing it into the day felt like a way to capture that same energy and sense of joy.

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 feels like a continuation of what we already had, but with a deeper sense of commitment and intention. There’s something grounding in choosing each other in that way, in front of the people who matter most to us.

We don’t have any set rituals, but we’ve always found meaning in the small, everyday moments. Whether it’s cooking together, sharing a glass of wine at the end of the day, or making time to properly check in with each other, those are the things that feel most important.

If anything, getting married has just made us more aware of protecting that time and not letting it slip by unnoticed.