For six months that year we dated in secret, until one drunken night at a favourite club in Melbourne, we kissed in front of our friends who in the background yelled YEAAHHHH, FINALLY!
I’m a social worker for a charity and Phil works in the corporate world. We’re over-the-moon excited to be expecting our first baby in April, maybe arriving as a first anniversary gift!
We met in 2010 through Adriaan, my cousin and one of Phil’s closest friends. I thought Phil was hilarious, cool, calm, collected and very out of my league. I also loved his two baby kittens and used them as a reason to always visit and spend time with him. At the New Years Eve Falls Festival of 2012/13, I wanted Phil to be my midnight kiss. This didn’t happen but we did spend the night holding hands out of our friends’ sight. For six months that year we dated in secret, until one drunken night at a favourite club in Melbourne, we kissed in front of our friends who in the background yelled YEAAHHHH, FINALLY!
We had such a solid foundation for a relationship because of our friendship. Phil reads me so well. He’s the calm to my crazy; the fun to my serious. In 2018, I spent three months interning in Geneva — the longest we’d ever spent apart. After, Phil and I met in Peru to begin a backpacking adventure. We spent our first day walking the rocky coast of Lima before heading back to our Airbnb where Phil proposed when I was about to watch an episode of Brooklyn 99. It was very relaxed, not over-thought or some grand, over-the-top public gesture. It was just about us.
Phil and I were both lucky enough to experience the process of having our wedding day outfits made for us. I was introduced to Anthony (a cousin of Phil’s) and Jacob of J’Aton Couture who led me through the journey of creating my dream gown. I have never felt more myself! Both coming from large Italian families, we needed a venue that fit 220- plus guests. We wanted to be surrounded by nature but accessible to all our Melbourne guests — Overnewton Castle was perfect.
Our celebrant Libby was a standout, creating our ceremony just the way we wanted: light-hearted but meaningful. In 2017, for our fourth anniversary, Phil had taken me to see the museum and art at the State Library of Victoria where he used to “study” during high school and uni. The first time I had been there, I had said to my friends that it would be the perfect place for a wedding. It’s such an iconic, unique, heritage beauty.
We wanted to make sure that everybody left with their bellies full but we didn’t want too many formalities, so we served cocktails and a sit-down main course. We wanted to be able to spend as much time with our guests as possible! And we did.
PHOTOGRAPHER: It’s Beautiful Here, @itsbeautifulhere / VIDEOGRAPHER: Duuet, @duuetweddings / CEREMONY LOCATION: Overnewton Castle, @overnewtoncastle / GROOM’S SUIT: Oscar Hunt Tailors, @oscarhunttailors / BRIDE’S GOWN: J’Aton Couture, @jatoncouture / MAKEUP: Lenada Makeup, @lenadamakeup / HAIR: Telleish Hair Studio, @telleish_hair_studio / ENGAGEMENT RING: Brilliant Earth, @brilliantearth / WEDDING BANDS: Windfall Jewellery, @windfalljewellery / BRIDE’S EARRINGS: Dior, @dior / FRAGRANCE: Narciso Rodriguez, @narciso_rodriguez / CELEBRANT: Libby Briggs, @libbymarriagecelebrant / GROOM’S SHOES: Doucals, @doucals / BRIDE’S SHOES: Tony Bianco, @tonybianco / GROOMSMEN’S SUITS: Peter Jackson, @peterjacksonau / BRIDESMAID’S DRESSES: Duchess Boutique, @duchessboutiqueaustralia; Bariano, @barianoaustralia; Danielas Boutique, @danielasboutique / FLORA & STYLING: Stasia Fox, @stasiafox_studio / GIFTING: David Jones, @davidjonesstore / STATIONERY: Stasia Fox, @stasiafox_studio / RECEPTION LOCATION: State Library of Victoria, @library_vic / ENTERTAINMENT: One More Song, @onemoresongdjs / CAKE: Made by mother of the groom, Tina Villani / RECEPTION EVENT MANAGEMENT & CATERING: Showtime Events, @weddings_showtimeeventgroup
