Tell us a little about yourselves!
We first met in high school, however our story did not really start until we bumped into each other at a local pub more than a decade later.
We embody the notion that opposites attract. Eleni has a background in interior architecture and design, Charles is a solicitor. Charles is calm and care-free, whereas Eleni is a fiery Greek who tends to stress the small things.
Although different in many ways our interests converge when it comes to our values and goals in life. We love to travel, cook, listen to music and generally be in each other’s company.
Why did you decide to get married where you did?
A few months prior to getting engaged Eleni’s father passed away. We decided to have our wedding at Eleni's family home as his presence is still felt there. Eleni’s family have lived in the same home her entire life, so the property holds many memories that keep his presence alive.
How many guests did you have?
125.
Tell us about your outfits.
Bride: Eleni did not want an outfit with a short life cycle, instead she wanted something that was classic that could be worn time and again - something she could wear to other events, rather than it living in a box under the bed.
“I originally saw the Lado Bokuchava set and saved the image of my wedding set in 2019. The fact that I still loved it years later made my decision extremely easy. I did not even look elsewhere. I emailed the brand and although it was a previous season, they were able to make it specifically for me. This allowed me to make minor alterations to the design.
When deciding what accessories to wear, I wanted to keep it rather simple as my wedding set had a lot of detail.
The most important element of my outfit was my custom Laura Miers necklace. My father owned a gold chain that he would wear everyday. When he passed away, my sister and I decided to take links from the chain and get my friend Laura to incorporate the links into two matching necklaces that we now wear everyday “.
Groom: Charles was not too concerned with what he would wear. Eleni gave him an outline of what she thought would look best and he landed on a P Johnson tuxedo. As for his accessories, he ended up wearing shoes that he has owned for years and picked up a bow tie on his way to the ceremony. True care-free Charlie style.
What was the most important aspect for you, in terms of planning your wedding?
We wanted a relaxed event that created the feeling of a European backyard family gathering with a modern twist.
It was important that our wedding reflected us and all decisions were influenced by us as individuals or as a couple. Highlights being: our obsession with consuming oysters inspiring the idea of an oyster bar and love of 90s music influencing our first dance song choice, an acoustic version of As long as you love me by The Backstreet Boys.
Were there any elements that were important for you to incorporate?
Eleni is of Greek heritage, so it was important to her and her family to incorporate Greek elements throughout the day.
The result was a wedding filled with Greek music, Greek dancing, plate smashing, and a menu which consisted of Kataifi wrapped king prawns, fresh focaccia with taramasalata, lamb shoulder with pomegranate glaze and later in the night: gyros and chips.
Are there any vendors that you would like to tell us a little more about?
We hired Sebastian Paynter to photograph our special day. What first drew us to him was not only his incredible work but the fact that he had responded to our enquiry with a detailed response that was personal and enthusiastic about being part of our day.
It was evident when corresponding with Sebastian that he was friendly, easy going and just a great guy in general. As Eleni dislikes being photographed, these qualities in a photographer were vital in ensuring that she and our guest were comfortable in front of the camera
Photographer: Sebastian Paynter @sebastian_paynter_photo | Videographer: Barn Owl Films @barnowlfilms | Ceremony + Reception Location: Eleni's Family Home in Canberra, Australia
Celebrant: Lauren Boden @elforlove.celebrant | Entertainment: Ria Ritchie @riaritchiemusic | Flora: by Eleni @eleni.george + Flower Frau @flowerfrau | Planning + Styling: by Eleni @eleni.george | Hire: Big Marquee @big_marquee | Makeup: Telisa Orzelek @telisaorzelek | Hair: Lexi Bannister @lbhsalon | Catering: Tessa Kitchen & Catering @tessakitchencatering | Cake: Sugar Plum Fairy Cakes @sugarplumfairy_cakes | Stationery: Design/Graphics : by the Bride + Printing: Artforme Letterpress Studio @artletterpress | Day Of Co-Ordination: Good Day PR @gooddaypr | Signage: By Carlie @by_carlie | Eleni's Outfit: Lado Bokuchava @ladobokuchava | Groom's Suit: P Johnson @pjohnsontailors | Engagement Ring: Grooms family heirloom | Wedding Rings: Laura Miers @lauramiersjewellery | Shoes: Bottega Veneta | Necklace: Laura Miers @lauramiersjewellery | Earrings: LO Collections @lo_collections_ | Veil: Tania Maras Bridal @taniamarasbridal | Flower Girl Dresses: Joni @joni.studio