~ unknown 

Jess and Jace’s Dream Team:
Ceremony Location: Carousel, Albert Park Lake
Reception Location:  Carousel, Albert Park Lake
Bridal Gown: Amaline Vitale
Groom’s Attire: Ted Baker
Bridesmaids: Swish Clothing
Accessories: Mocha
Shoes: Tony Bianco
Cake: Fantasy Cakes

Laura + Andrew’s Dream Team:
Ceremony Location: Fitzroy Gardens, Melbourne
Reception Location: Comme
Ceremony Officiant: Margaret Murray
Bridal Gown: Tania Stokes
Groom’s Attire: Soho Workshop, Declic, Cubec
Makeup/Hair: Cynthia/Chris Dunkley, Meddlers
Jewellery: Charles Rose, Swarovski
Cake: Babycakes By Design
Music: Angela Librandi
Cars:  Triple R Luxury Car Hire

Elspeth + Alex’s Dream Team:
Ceremony Location: St Johns Church, Toorak
Reception Location: Vue on Halcyon, Yarra Valley
Ceremony Officiant: Revd Hilary Roath
Bridal Gown: Raffaele Ciuca
Makeup: Belle Lueur / Amazing Face
Flowers: Debbie O’Neill
Cake: Friend
Music: Baker Boys Band
Cars: Classique Occasions

Laura + Jake’s Dream Team:
Location: Lake House, Daylesford
Ceremony Officiant: Kate Worsfold
Bridal Gown: Mariana Hardwick
Groom’s attire: David Marc’s
Bridesmaids: Anna Campbell
Shoes: Peeptoe
Makeup / Hair: Femme Fatale / Leanne Stahl
Flowers: Denise @ The Lake House
Cake: La Tropezienne
Music: Baker Boys
Bonbonniere: Alpine Berry Farm
Invitations: Ella’s Paper

Anna and Luke’s Dream Team:
Location: Skipping Girl Apartments, Melbourne
Ceremony Officiant: Peta Finn
Bridal Gown: Fleur Wood
Groom’s attire: Oxford
Shoes: Alannah Hill
Jewellery: Rutherford
Cake: The French Lettuce

Yvonne+ John’s Dream Team:
Location: Montsalvat, Eltham
Ceremony Officiant: Janet Hussey
Bridal Gown: Mariana Hardwick
Groom’s and groomsmen attire: Anderson’s Kilt Hire
Bridesmaids: Swish
Shoes: Badgley Mischka
Flowers: A friend
Jewellery: Stephanie Browne
Cars: Always Classic Cars
Cake: A friend
Bonbonniere: Personalised Crown Larger and Sisko Chocolates

Rebecca + Benn’s Dream Team:
Location: Stones of the Yarra Valley
Ceremony Officiant: Father Brian McDermott
Bridal Gown: Alex Perry
Groom’s attire: Hugo Boss
Groomsmen: Hugo Boss
Bridesmaids: Made by Anna Fkih
Shoes: Giuseppe Zanotti
Makeup/Hair: Blanka Dudas
Flowers: Jaclyn Roma
Jewellery: Mimco/Secrets
Cars: Triple R luxury hire car
Cake: Made by my Nana and decorated by Heather Evans
Music: Combo Bombo Jazz ensemble
Bonbonniere: Sugared almonds
Invitations: Wisteria writings

(Thank you to the beautiful and amazing Trish for coming to play with me xx)

It always surprises me the effort and care that couples take when planning every single detail of their wedding.  Lindsey’s extraordinary gown was handmade and even her dress maker was present on the day of the wedding to make sure it was fitted to perfection. The flowers… such beauty. I have never seen such an intricate, detailed and well made bouquet in my life. Honestly, these wedding suppliers were second to none. Lindsey and Fabien’s gorgeous girl Elodie walked down the aisle to the music from In the Night Garden and Lindsey entered to Bella’s Lullaby from Twilight – even their music choices were well thought through.

And the venue… Hopewood. I have nothing but fond things to say of this enchanting place. My heart felt instantly happy the second you started walking through the grounds. Such love, and so many beautiful things for eyes to feast upon. It suited Lindey’s French heritage to a tee.

Such beauty and joy…

And the attention to detail continued… right through to the cocktail style ’party’ section of the evening. The reception was divided between two rooms – one room with two long tables for guests to sit down and eat (Lindsey mentioned she wanted it to feel like it was everyone sitting down for a family dinner, and I truly was), and afterwards a gorgeous room completely interior designed by Lindsey right down to the square ottomons to sit on and these little floral arrangements on the tables. Each one was different, but oh so beautiful.

Thank you Lindsey and Fabien for sharing your beautiful love, and allowing Lana and I to document it for you.

His interest in her had begun thirteen months before in a Florida library. Taking a book off the shelf he found himself intrigued, not with the words of the book, but with the notes penciled in the margin. The soft handwriting reflected a thoughtful soul and insightful mind. In the front of the book, he discovered the previous owner’s name, Miss Hollis Maynell. With time and effort he located her address. She lived in New York City. He wrote her a letter introducing himself and inviting her to correspond. The next day he was shipped overseas for service in World War II. During the next year and one month the two grew to know each other through the mail. Each letter was a seed falling on a fertile heart. A romance was budding.

Blanchard requested a photograph, but she refused. She felt that if he really cared, it wouldn’t matter what she looked like. When the day finally came for him to return from Europe, they scheduled their first meeting – 7:00 PM at the Grand Central Station in New York. “You’ll recognize me,” she wrote, “by the red rose I’ll be wearing on my lapel.”

So at 7:00 he was in the station looking for a girl whose heart he loved, but whose face he’d never seen. A young woman was coming toward him, her figure long and slim. Her blonde hair lay back in curls from her delicate ears; her eyes were blue as flowers. Her lips and chin had a gentle firmness, and in her pale green suit she was like springtime come alive. He started toward her, entirely forgetting to notice that she was not wearing a rose. As he moved, a small, provocative smile curved her lips. “Going my way, sailor?” she murmured. Almost uncontrollably he made one step closer to her, and then he saw Hollis Maynell. She was standing almost directly behind the girl. A woman well past 40, she had graying hair tucked under a worn hat. She was more than plump, her thick-ankled feet thrust into low-heeled shoes.

The girl in the green suit was walking quickly away. He felt as though he were being split in two, so keen was he desire to follow the girl, yet so deep was his longing for the woman whose spirit had truly companioned and upheld his own. And there she stood. Her pale, plump face was gentle and sensible, her gray eyes had a warm and kindly twinkle. He did not hesitate. His fingers gripped the small worn blue leather copy of the book that was to identify him to her. This would not be love, but it would be something precious, something perhaps even better than love, a friendship for which he had been and must ever be grateful. He squared his shoulders and saluted and held out the book to the woman, even though while he spoke he felt choked by the bitterness of his disappointment. “I’m Lieutenant John Blanchard, and you must by Miss Maynell. I am so glad you could meet me; may I take you to dinner?”

The woman’s face broadened into a tolerant smile. “I don’t know what this is about, son,” she answered, “but the young lady in the green suit who just went by, she begged me to wear this rose on my coat. And she said if you were to ask me out to dinner, I should go and tell you that she is waiting for you in the big restaurant across the street. She said it was some kind of test!”

It’s not difficult to understand and admire Miss Maynell’s wisdom. The true nature of a heart is seen in its response to the unattractive. “Tell me whom you love,” Houssaye wrote, “and I will tell you who you are.”

These beautiful words were spoken during Kim and Donny’s ceremony, and if it weren’t for the fact that I had a job to do, it would have taken the whole bridal party to pick me up off the floor. It was so touching, and so fitting for this amazing couple who made a promise to one another for a lifetime of love.

I was fortunate enough to go to school with Kim way back in the day, and so for me, to be asked to be there to document this momentous stage in her life was truly a most touching request. When I first met Donny, I knew instantly he was a wonderful match for Kim. He smiled with his eyes and his heart.

Theirs is a beautiful love.

It’s really not fair, but she just keeps getting more and more divine every time I see her. Miss Kimberley, you couldn’t be more perfect if you tried and that beautiful heart of yours is echoed in the outward beauty you embrace so easily.

Knees…weak….tears… what person wouldn’t want to be looked upon with such love? Oh how I love love.

Kim and Donny’s Dream Team:
Ceremony Location: The Scots Church, Melbourne
Reception Location: The Terrace, Royal Botanical Gardens
Bridal Gown: Ravish
Groom’s and Groomsmen’s attire: Prinzi Collections
Bridesmaids: Myer 
Hair/Makeup: Napoleon | Seta Hair and Makeup
Jewellery: Vintage
Flowers: Bouquet Melbourne
Cake: Arnolds