Will + Claudia by Harry Sweeney - Together Journal

We envisioned a 1950s Palm Springs theme.

Claudia —— I work in marketing and social media, and run a pop culture meme page on the side called Miss Double Bay. Will works in corporate finance. We are the epitome of opposites attracting, but we’ve been together for nearly a decade and love the life that we’ve built for ourselves in Bondi.

We’re both incredibly active and love the outdoors. Our holidays often revolve around being by the beach in Yamba or skiing trips in Thredbo. We actually found love in a hopeless place… Ios, Greece.

This was in 2014 when we were both travelling separately with friends and happened to all be staying at the same hotel. Will and I started chatting by the pool and instantly hit it off. It wasn’t until we got back from our respective trips months later that we bumped into each other at the local chicken shop of all places! We’ve been together ever since.

Going through COVID and navigating Sydney’s lockdowns made us realise that we might have something good going on here. Also, being around each other’s families played a significant role. Seeing how Will treats the women in his life made me realise that I could spend the rest of my life with this person. Will proposed at our favourite swimming spot by the rocks in Tamarama where we often go for a morning swim. It was a total surprise and a moment I’ll never forget.

We envisioned a 1950s Palm Springs theme. The house where we held our ceremony was built in the 50s, so we aimed for the styling to complement its unique architecture and landscaping. That included retro colours such as yellow, green and touches of purple, alongside Palm Springs’ signature pink umbrellas.

The home itself holds a special place in our hearts as my late grandfather built it and it has remained largely unchanged since the 50s. We wanted to honour its Slim Aarons design and the two iconic palm trees in the backyard that have stood the test of time. We were happy to splurge on food and drinks because that’s what everyone talks about. We were still pretty savvy about it, though, hunting for deals and stocking up on French champagne whenever it was on sale in the months leading up to the wedding.

My wedding dress was designed by the incredibly talented Lillian Khallouf. I wanted something simple yet timeless that would harmonise with the 50s theme. Lillian not only met but exceeded expectations, because who doesn’t appreciate a subtle side-boob moment on their special day?! It brought a modern twist to an otherwise classic design. I had a second mini dress, also by Lillian Khallouf, that I didn’t get the chance to change into, which still bothers me!