Tell us a little about yourselves!
Rohan and I first met at school, but started dating several years later. We’ve been together for 11 years and got engaged in 2023. We had some big changes this year, with a move interstate for my studies and among all of that we knew we wanted to organise a simple wedding with our closest family and friends to celebrate.
Why did you decide to get married where you did?
It was actually not where we originally intended! We had booked to get married at Beau, another restaurant in Surry Hills, but it unfortunately closed down a month or two before our wedding. The team came to the rescue and offered us Nomad as an alternative and we couldn’t have been more thrilled with the venue on the day and in the lead up.
How many guests did you have?
We knew we wanted to keep it small and ended up with 29 guests.
What was your budget?
We were aiming to keep it under $20,000.
Tell us about your outfits.
I found my dress after a day of shopping in Sydney. I had been trying on some more ‘traditional’ bridal looks, but they didn’t feel quite right for our casual lunch. When I found the blazer I felt super comfortable and knew it was perfect. Rohan found his outfit at Incu after months of me hounding him to look!
What was the most important aspect for you, in terms of planning your wedding?
The most important thing for us was that our day reflected who we are, which meant delicious food, good wine and great company. It also meant we weren’t interested in a lot of the traditional wedding elements. We wanted to keep it low fuss for Rohan and I, as we’re both busy with work and study and didn’t have the time to devote to complicated wedding arrangements.
Were there any elements that were important for you to incorporate?
Initially we were going to do a family only ceremony prior to meeting our friends for lunch at the venue, and that’s what they thought when they arrived on the day. However, after thinking about it some more, Rohan and I realised all of the people we’d invited are the most important to us and we wanted to be able to share the whole day with them. It was the best decision we could have made, and we loved surprising our friends with a ceremony before lunch!
Any tips for couples getting married?
Do what makes you feel good! Everyone is so different, and it can be easy to get caught up in the wedding industry when you’re planning, so make sure you stick to your instincts and plan something that works for you and your partner.
Are there any vendors that you would like to tell us a little more about?
Because we wanted to simplify everything we kept it really minimal in terms of vendors. The venue coordinated all of the food and set up and the event manager, Ashleigh, was absolutely wonderful and made things so simple for us. I knew the food and drinks at Nomad were excellent and trusted the team to design the menu and drinks list and they did such a fabulous job. The chefs also made our cake, a giant lamington, and it was epic! The staff on the day couldn’t have been more attentive if they tried, and all our guests commented on how good the service was.
Hermetica Flowers came through when I decided last minute that I wanted a bouquet, and they created a beautiful arrangement. And my hair and makeup artist Gina was so helpful and did an amazing job!
Rohan was hesitant to have a photographer, but after meeting with Damien Milan we both felt really comfortable with him and I knew he would make it easy on the day. We’re so happy with how the photos turned out and they’re such a beautiful reminder of the day. Damien was amazing at working with us even when we felt a bit out of our depth in front of the lens.
Lastly our celebrant, Anna. She is a gem! When we started thinking about getting married, we planned to go to the registry office but then my sister mentioned her friend Anna was becoming a qualified marriage celebrant and we knew she would be perfect! Anna pushed us out of our comfort zone to write our own vows and it’s one of my favourite memories from the day, so I’ll be forever grateful.
Photographer: Damien Milan @damienmilan_photographer | Flora: Hermetica Flowers
@hermeticaflowers | Ceremony & Reception Location: Nomad Sydney @nomad.sydney | Getting Ready Location: The Old Clare Hotel @theoldclare | Celebrant: Anna-Louise @sayido.annalou | HMUA: Gina @ginamakeup____ | Catering, Cake & Beverages: Nomad Sydney @nomad.sydney | Dress: Camilla & Marc @camillaandmarc | Suit: Universal Works @universal_works from Incu @incu_clothing | Engagement & Wedding Rings: Cushla Whiting @cushlawhiting| Shoes: Chanel @chanel