Svet & Liam by Damien Milan

Tell us a little about yourselves, what you do, what you love, what is unique about you and your relationship … We’re Liam and Svet. Liam is a primary school teacher, basketball enthusiast, musician, and is very tall. Svet works in tourism PR and marketing, is an aspiring yogi, loves learning languages, and is not at all tall.

We love travelling, cooking and discovering new cuisines together. We have a beautiful dog called Dotti who we are a little obsessed with, and we love putting on a record and dancing with her in our tiny terrace house.

We met the same way many modern couples do – by swiping right. Liam was Svet’s first (and last) Tinder date. From the first time we met, it felt easy and natural – and it hasn’t stopped feeling that way. We’re best friends and just love being around each other.

We decided to get engaged just before our 2 year anniversary, while we were on a 6 month round the world trip. Svet chose the ring in New York, and then it was up to Liam to choose the right moment to propose. He ended up asking on top of a granite dome in Yosemite National Park – it was a pretty magical day!

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…

Svet wanted more of a traditional wedding, Liam wanted to either elope or have a low-key party – so we met in the middle. The important things for us were good food, good music, having our closest friends and family there, making sure everyone had a good time, and that it was easy and as stress free as possible! We had our first anniversary dinner at Porteño restaurant and when the idea came to us to have the wedding there, it just seemed perfect. The entire wedding was also all in the one venue, meaning guests didn’t have to move too much between the ceremony and reception.

We didn’t have a huge budget for styling, but we knew we wanted something quite simple as the venue speaks for itself. We love natives, so Svet and a couple of her friends put in a couple of early mornings at the flower markets getting everything ready themselves – we loved how the table arrangements turned out in the end! Svet also had the help of her talented friend Nastia, who built the beautiful floral ‘arch’ that Svet and Liam were married in front of.

Tell us about your main outfits:

Svet bought the first dress she tried on – the Luca gown from Rue de Seine, which she fell in love with immediately. It has beautiful intricate beading and details, and had the feel of a modern take on a classic, glamourous style. The dress also inspired her finger wave hairstyle as a nod to the 1920’s.

Liam’s olive suit and brown accessories were chosen to put a twist on a very classic style. The slim suit and slicked back hairstyle were a nod to Liam’s style influences from the 60s. The colours of his outfit were also chosen to complement our beautiful native flower arrangements.

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

When we look back on the day we just remember having so much fun from beginning to end – and we get the same feedback from our friends and family. It was really the vibe that made it such a special day, and the mutual feeling of love between us and our guests really shone through. One highlight included us attempting the Jewish wedding tradition of having the bride and groom lifted on chairs and Liam falling off his. Another was everyone letting loose on the dancefloor thanks to our amazing DJ (Gadget!) –  it was really important to us that the night felt like a party – most of the crowd were a sweaty mess by the end of the night, so we think we achieved our goal!

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

  • If you can, travel together for a solid amount of time – if you can survive that, you’ll know you can get through anything!
  • Always remember that you’re on the same team
  • Compromise
  • Show appreciation for one another – this doesn’t have to be through large over the top gestures, it’s the little things that count
  • Understand that life is unpredictable and be prepared to support each other in whatever direction your journey takes you
  • Talk about your future and what you both want (in detail!)
  • Ensure to maintain individual interests, and support each other in having your own space and time to pursue these

Venue + Catering: Porteño Events, Sydney | Photographer: Damien Milan Photography | Celebrant: Venetia Robertson | Flora: Floral Arch by Nastia Gladushchenko | Bride’s dress: Rue de Seine | Groom’s suit: Montagio | Ring/s: Chilton’s Antiques | Shoes: Brando | Bride’s hairpiece: Chilton’s Antiques | Makeup: Gabby Fury | Bride’s Hair: Alyce Rollason Hairdressing | Groom’s Hair: Legend’s The Barbershop