Tell us a little about yourselves!
We were friends for a long time before we got together, after a couple of years dating in Adelaide, Andrew got the opportunity to move to the UK to work at Oxford University which was an opportunity he had to take, I had just opened my own clothing boutique in Adelaide so I stayed behind and we tackled a long distance relationship for 2 years, this coincided with the pandemic which was extremely difficult but we made it work. I ended up moving to the UK and we lived in Oxford together for 2 years. We had such an incredible time living overseas however, we missed home so we ended up moving to Melbourne and have been here ever since. Since then we have adopted a greyhound called Cooper and love the ease of visiting our friends and family in Adelaide.
Why did you decide to get married where you did?
We were living in the UK when we were doing the initial planning of our wedding, we complied a list of wineries and venues in South Australia that suitable our brief. We wanted a relaxed, yet elevated garden party that felt personal to us. My grandparents have the most gorgeous property that ticked all the boxes and we couldn’t find a garden quite as beautiful anywhere else in SA! It also allowed us to fully personalise the decor from the chairs, cutlery, lighting, furniture etc. It was also super central so transport wasn’t an issue, especially for our overseas and interstate guests.
How many guests did you have?
160.
Tell us about your outfits.
The first dress I ever tried on the most perfect Vivienne Westwood dress - I assumed I had to try on many dresses before I found ‘the one’ but I nothing came close to the first dress! It then became too late to order it, which is my biggest regret. I had also saved a dress from Moonstruck Bride that was perfect for the day- mum said from the first time she saw it that she could envisage how it would flow through her mother's beautiful garden. The Dear Heart Dress was super comfortable and I loved the raw silk detail and how versatile the bow front was - I changed it up a few times during the night!
A couple of months before our wedding I found a similar mini version of the Vivienne Westwood dress that I was still dreaming about (and scouring the internet for). I never thought I would have an outfit change but it felt great to have something shorter and more comfortable to dance in, which was also a nod to the dress that got away. I can’t wait for my daughter to wear it one day!
Andrew had an idea of what he wanted to wear and knew he wanted something custom made, I had seem great things from P Johnson so we made an appointment to see their Melbourne showroom. The team at P Johnson were super helpful and so easy to work with! Andrew couldn’t decide on a jacket colour so he decide to have an outfit change as well- starting with a classic cream tux jacket to a pale blue one to party in. Andrew absolutely loved his custom looks and says his pants were the most comfortable things he’s ever worn!
What was the most important aspect for you, in terms of planning your wedding?
After living to the UK for a few years and then moving to Melbourne, the most important aspect was having all our friends and family together in one space. It was so surreal and special to have all of our favourite people from around the world make the effort to come and celebrate us.
Another super important aspect was the food- Out In The Paddock are the best in the business when it comes to catering so that was a no brainer from the beginning. Ray and the team were a dream to work with and we’re forever grateful for their expertise and help throughout the process.
Were there any elements that were important for you to incorporate?
Music was another very important aspect- we had to have Greek dancing so we had an incredible Greek band to entertain us. It was so fun to see everyone dancing in a circle trying their best! Plates were smashed and then we had the talented Alex Cameron from Bad Dreems DJ for us til the early hours of the morning.
Having the wedding at a private property meant that we didn’t get kicked out at midnight, although the police did come out once to tell us to keep the music down.
Any tips for couples getting married?
Get a wedding planner if you can! All our vendors were incredible but not having a wedding at a typical venue meant a lot of managing so someone to be hands on with all the small details would’ve been super helpful and relieved a lot of stress.
Don’t get caught up in the tiny details- people wont know if you’re not running exactly on time, if you forget the cake topper or if it you think its a few degrees too cold. They’ll remember the feel of the event and how happy everyone was to be together.
Also to the brides, have at least one shoe change, extra points if you throw on your bridesmaids slippers at 2:00am.
Are there any vendors that you would like to tell us a little more about?
My beautiful friend Emilie from Kilter went above and beyond when creating our insane florals. We discussed my inspiration photos and she executed something even better! She wasn’t just a florist- she helped me with the styling and assisted on the overall look and feel of our wedding. Could not recommend Emilie more!
Taylor Kezia, our photographer, was absolutely incredible! As a couple not used to getting our photos taken, we felt at ease with her. Her candid style was a big reason we fell in love with her work. She brought such great energy and truly felt like a guest, enjoying the day with us. When I had my outfit change, she even helped fix the zip on my dress and stayed back to capture more of the evening. We couldn't recommend her more! We will cherish our photos forever and we are constantly changing our phone backgrounds because there are far too many goodies to choose from!
Photographer: Taylor Kezia @taylorkezia_photography | Flora: Kilter @kilter.com.au | Videographer: Lightwise Cinema @lightwise_ | Ceremony Location: St Anthony’s Church | Reception Location: Private Residence (Eleni’s Grandparents house) | Hire: Out In The Paddock @outinthepaddock | Makeup: Alisha Liberty Bell @_alisha_makeup @libertybelleskincentre | Hair: Joint Hair @jointhair | Catering + Beverages: Out In The Paddock @outinthepaddock | Cake: Taylor & Holmes @taylorandholmes | Stationery: Studio Y Creative @studioycreative | Entertainment: Jim Mountzouris Greek Band & Alex Cameron from Bad Dreems | Illustrator: Charlotte Beddoes Illustration @charlottebeddoesart | Dresses: Dear Heart @dearheartbride  & Vivienne Westwood @viviennewestwood | Suit: P Johnston @pjohnsontailors | Veil: The Fitting Room @thefittingroomadelaide| Engagement & Wedding Rings: Natasha Schweitzer @natashaschweitzer | Shoes: Chanel @chanelofficial & Valentino @maisonvalentino | Vintage Necklace & Earrings: borrowed from Bride's Grandmother | Wedding Party Attire: Jillian Boustred, SIR, Acler & Aje @jillianboustred @sir__ @acler @_aje_