Tell us a little about yourselves!
We absolutely adore weddings but both haven't ever dreamed of our own, apart from an alfresco wedding in Italy - but I’m sure we’re not alone here! We're not very traditional people but big lovers of a party with dear friends, fine wines and good food. We grew up in the same suburb but didn't meet until early adulthood and became good friends prior to dating. We’d been together for over 8 years, so getting married didn’t change much for us. However, it was a way to celebrate us as a couple and officially bring our families together.
Why did you decide to get married where you did?
We decided to get married on an old Sydney ferry on the harbour through Rosman Cruises. We originally wanted a part of the day to be on a boat however, after looking at numerous ceremony options we thought why not just get married on the boat? It was the best decision and made the ceremony so relaxed and fun. We cruised around the harbour for a few hours after the ceremony with drinks and snacks. It was such a highlight of the day for us.
Our reception was at Ace Hotel, It had only recently opened so had a buzz about it. We booked the venue in while it was still a construction site but had confidence the design was going to be bold and fun - and it was. We wanted good food and natural wines, which the Ace certainly provided. The Hotel is on the edge of Surry Hills in Sydney, a suburb we lived in for years together with our friends in a share house, so it was special to us to get married somewhere meaningful to us both.
How many guests did you have?
65.
Tell us about your outfits.
I knew I didn’t want to wear a traditional bridal gown and thought I would find a white outfit to wear instead that was still special enough to be a wedding outfit. One of my bridesmaids suggested we go try on some wedding dresses anyway just to rule it out for sure. Low and behold we ended up with a wedding dress from Lola Varma. It perfectly fit the unconventional yet special brief, I certainly felt like a bride but also like myself.
Matt isn’t usually a suit lover however had his suit tailored by Suit Supply. He went with a Black linen double breasted number with tortoise shell buttons that perfectly suited his style. A bit different to your classic black suit but still timeless and felt like himself. Of course he threw on some orange lense glasses for half the wedding to jazz it up.
What was the most important aspect for you, in terms of planning your wedding?
We really wanted the wedding to be a reflection of us. Basically one big summer dinner party with our family and friends and all the things that go with it. Good food, wine and music. It was important that we kept the day low key and intimate so we could enjoy quality time with everyone on the day.
Were there any elements that were important for you to incorporate?
We were very blessed to have our good friend Lee be our celebrant. It was very special to have a lifelong friend be the one to marry us. She was the first and easiest element we locked in.
Any tips for couples getting married?
There is no one way to get married. Do what feels right for you both. On the day everyone close to you will simply be happy to be there celebrating the two of you in your own way. Choose vendors that you align with so you feel comfortable to let them do the planning for you. They know what they are doing and can save you a lot of time to relax and enjoy the process. (This coming from a virgo interior architect with an underlying perfectionist streak and inability to make decisions!)
Are there any vendors that you would like to tell us a little more about?
We adored our Photographer Reni from Deon + Reni. We chose them for their style and that they were able to also shoot in film. Reni carried such a calmness throughout the day and made the whole process so relaxing for us. She beautifully captured the overall atmosphere and moments that were both natural and organic, most of the time without anyone noticing.
Our florist Sophie from Muck Floral was a dream. We didn’t have a stylist, so she essentially was it.
We gave her our initial brief and from there she used her creative sculptural style to work absolute floral magic.
Aplenty catered the boat for us and their food is definitely something to rave about. They so effortlessly brought the Mediterranean to Sydney for us.
Our cake was made by Added Sugar, an old friend who bakes the most incredible retro style cakes.
Photographer : Deon + Reni @deon.and.reni | Ceremony Location : Rosman Cruises
Sydney Harbour @rosmancruises | Reception Location : Ace Hotel Sydney @acehotelsydney | Celebrant : Lee Warneke (Friend of couple) | Entertainment : Musician Joe West (on boat) + DJ We Play Records (at Ace) @joewestau @weplayrecords | Tablecloths + Napkins : Simple Seated @simply.seated | Chairs : Bentwood Events @bentwoodevents | Flora : Muck Floral @muckfloral | HMUA : Kelly Bowman @kellybowmanmakeup | Bridesmaid's Makeup : Lisa Formby (Friend of couple) @lisaellenn | Catering + Beverages : Aplenty (on Boat) @aplentyfood + Loam (at Ace) @loamsurryhills | Cake : Added Sugar @addedsugar_ | Menus : Made Somewhere @made.somewhere | Emily's Dress : Lola Varma @lola.varma | Matt's Suit : Suit Supply @suitsupply | Engagement + Wedding Rings : Sarah + Sebastian @sarahandsebastian | Emily's Shoes : Aeyde
@aeyde | Emily's Veil : Guipurean Bridal @guipurean