The feel of our wedding was intimate, elegant and ethereal.
Rosie —— I’m a fashion designer at Grace Loves Lace and am originally from the UK. Ryan is from the Gold Coast and works in the marine industry. Not long after I moved to Australia in 2018, we saw each other at a bar. We didn’t speak but two weeks later we crossed paths again and this time organised to meet up at a cocktail bar. We got on so well we stayed until closing time and had to be asked to leave!
As a designer, I drew on my favourite concepts during the creative process, narrowing down my all-time favourite fabrics and silhouettes. Working across such a variety of bridal styles gave me a strong idea of what I wanted for my own dress: I wanted my ceremony gown to feel ornate, whimsical and light. It had to have dimension, sheerness and contrasting texture.
I sourced a hand-beaded floral embroidery and layered this over billowing panels of delicate lace and soft Italian tulle. The silhouette was designed to showcase the fabric and provide intricate layers, yet feel easy to move in. My veil was cut from the same tulle to create a halo effect, with embroidered flowers framing the hem, adding extra dimension. I added embroidered lace gloves after the ceremony for an elevated evening look.
My second dress featured a beautiful ivory satin with the perfect weight and drape to create the slinky bias-cut silhouette. I worked with our fabric manufacturer to develop a unique colourway of the embroidery with hints of silver, and the satin was dyed to a perfect custom shade of ivory. I leant away from traditional bridal concepts and drew on my favourite eras for inspiration: the embroidery of my ceremony gown was reminiscent of 1920s glamour and Cecil Beaton’s ‘Bright Young Things’ photography, which set the tone for the whole celebration. A mix of 1970s and early 00s inspired my reception dress, while my final party dress was a disco look made for dancing!
The feel of our wedding was intimate, elegant and ethereal. We immediately knew Wynmère Estate would embody this perfectly. The lush greenery provided a backdrop of autumnal, moody tones. Inspired by all things vintage, we embraced the concept of ‘a beautiful mess’ — hand collected treasures, overflowing florals and organically draped silks, as well as mismatched glass and silver trinkets, vases and candleholders. Many of them had meaningful stories behind them — my great-grandmother’s candelabra took pride of place on the bridal table.
Scattered petals and antique chandeliers decorated the dancefloor and tables were adorned with strings of pearls and black bows for a monochromatic effect. Ryan and I took a drive around the surrounding area in a duck egg blue 1967 Mercedes-Benz. It was a moment to ourselves and one of our favourite memories of the day. It also became our ‘something blue’.
LOCATION Wynmére Estate, @wynmereestate PHOTOGRAPHER Jenna Fahey-White, @jennafaheywhite BRIDE’S CEREMONY & RECEPTION DRESSES Grace Loves Lace, @grace_loves_lace BRIDE’S CEREMONY SHOES Tom Ford, @tomford BRIDE’S RECEPTION SHOES Magda Butrym, @magdabutrym BRIDE’S RING Natasha Schweitzer, @natashaschweitzer; DeVos Jewellery, @devosjewellery CEREMONY EARRINGS Saint Laurent, @ysl GROOM’S SUIT Suit Supply, @suitsupply GROOM’S WEDDING BAND Cort Jewellery, @cort_jewellery GROOM’S FRAGRANCE Tom Ford Ombre leather, @tomford BRIDESMAIDS’ DRESSES Custom designed by bride STYLIST Bride & Rebecca Allen, @rebeccaallenstyling PLANNER Bride FLORIST Flowerhouse Newrybar, @flowerhousenewrybar CELEBRANT Marry Me Dean, @marrymedean VIDEOGRAPHER Joel & Courtney Films, @joelandcourtneyfilms BRIDE’S FRAGRANCE Le Labo Santal 33, @lelabofragrances BRIDE’S BAG Paco Rabanne, @rabanne MAKEUP Xenia Elise, @xenia.elise HAIR Joel Anthony, @joelanthonyhair CATERING Ridgeway Catering, @ridgeway_catering ENTERTAINMENT Stringspace, @stringspace
