Sophie + Dan by Alice Maharan - Together Journal

Introducing our wonderful issue #34 cover stars! Sophie + Dan photographed by the talented Alice Mahran.

Dinner was a hit, and we had deep, life-changing conversations where a friendship turned into a deeper connection, and we both knew it was something real.

Sophie: I’m the Co-Founder and Creative Director of SIR. and Dan is the Managing Director/Founder of Ironside Capital. We’re both from Western Australia but now live by the beach in Sydney. We met at a mutual friend’s party when I was 17. We both had different partners during our 20s and were never single at the same time. But we always had a strong connection and remained friends.

When I was 26 I was visiting family in Perth and Dan invited me to dinner at his house. Dinner was a hit and we had deep, life changing conversations where a friendship turned into a deeper connection and we both knew it was something real. We were dating a week later.

We wrapped a two-week driving trip in Tasmania with a stay at Thousand Lakes Lodge, a revamped arctic training facility in the central highlands. Dan organised an electric bike ride to an old cottage on a lake for lunch. With no phone reception and only a map, we managed to get lost in 0-degree weather. I started to get nervous, but Dan managed to find the way and I followed him in. We arrived at an old heritage cottage with a mist-covered lake view and two armchairs overlooking the lake. It was very moody and romantic. Dan got down on one knee, and I said yes!

We sat in the armchairs drinking tea and giggling like teenagers. We had an Enchanted Garden Wedding in the countryside of the wine region of Western Australia. The overarching theme was ‘make everything a ceremony’ – we had lots of unexpected moments and surprises throughout the ceremony, pre-dinner drinks and reception for our guests.

We wanted the day to feel vibrant and elegant, which was also distilled through the colourful black tie dress code. Having my own label, I have a deep appreciation for design and craftsmanship and working closely with Khyeli to bring my dress to life was a process I loved. I’ve never been drawn to traditional wedding dresses so I knew that finding my dress would be a long process. A friend of mine attended a wedding in South Africa where the bride wore a dress that I fell in love with. The designer was London based, and I was heading to London on a sales trip, so I planned to meet Khyeli while I was in town. The studio and dresses were so beautiful, I found one of his silhouettes I loved, made a few small tweaks and made the train detachable. I didn’t think I would end up in such a dramatic dress but there was something about it that felt so unique and different. I designed my second dress myself with my design team. It was a gathered mini dress made from raw silk dupion, with a dramatic half bow on the back and a tulle train. It was designed as a fun piece so that I could dance through the night.