Wedding | Georgia & Jackson

Tell us a little about yourselves!

We have been together for 10 years. We met in 2010 when we were just 13 and 14 years old, Jackson from Brisbane and Georgia from Sydney. In the summer holidays both of our families coincidentally travelled to the same campground in northern NSW, and every year for the next 5 years, we would count down until the summer holidays when we would see each other again. Even as kids we knew this was something special, and in 2015 we began a long distance relationship. After 5 years of countless flights between Brisbane and Sydney Georgia made the move to Brisbane in 2020, where we’ve created a beautiful life and home together. 

We’re best of friends and soul mates - we are identical in some ways and total opposites in others, but we balance each other perfectly. We’re the kind of couple who are just as excited about a spontaneous late-night ice cream run as we are a big overseas trip.

Why did you decide to get married where you did?

We always knew we would elope, and after getting engaged in Italy in 2023 it only felt right to return to get married.

We had previously visited Lake Como, and it truly is the most beautiful and romantic place we’ve ever been - so choosing it as our elopement location was easy. 

We chose Relais Villa Vittoria as it captured the timeless Italian romance that we envisioned, and being right on the lake made for the most beautiful backdrop. It was the perfect venue where we could stay, hold the ceremony, and enjoy a beautiful private dinner. Everything being in the one place made the day flow so seamlessly. It was everything we had dreamt of and more.

How many guests did you have?

None! Just the two of us.

What was your budget? 

Being an elopement, we didn’t set a strict budget. Instead, we chose to invest in the elements that felt most important to us such as the venue and photography. Having a beautiful location with a stunning backdrop meant we didn’t need to splurge on styling or florals, as the setting truly spoke for itself.

The total cost of our elopement was approximately $20,000.

Tell us about your outfits.

I wore a bespoke mini dress from Aston Bridal. I never saw myself in a traditional wedding dress – I always knew I wanted something different and something short. I went to Aston Bridal with a vision that reflected the theme of the day: classic Italian romance with an editorial edge. 

Creating my bespoke bridal look with Aston Bridal was such a special experience. I tried on so many of their designs, and together we chose the perfect fabric and lace, refined the shape and silhouette, and added thoughtful details to elevate the final look. I really loved the idea of contrasting a short dress with the drama of a long veil, and the girls at Aston Bridal perfectly brought my vision to life. 

I finished the looked with platform black satin heels and a Miu Miu bag which tied the look together and felt very me. 

Jackson went with a classic black tuxedo from P Johnson and modernised the look with a covered placket and an oversized bow tie. Tom and the team at P Johnson James Street were great and made the process of creating a custom suit a truly awesome experience.

What was the most important aspect for you, in terms of planning your wedding?

We really wanted our day to reflect us as a couple. Eloping felt so much more authentic to who we are rather than a big traditional wedding. The overall vibe of “classic Italian romance meets editorial edge” fit the venue and location perfectly and just felt like us, so we fully leant into it! Since we wanted the venue and location to be the standout features, we made all of our styling choices around that vision. Our colour palette, outfits, and even the florals were all guided by that aesthetic. It helped the whole day feel cohesive and very true to our style.

Even though we were eloping, we still wanted the day to feel special. Including intimate moments like a first look, personalised vows, and a first dance to end the night made it feel like a proper wedding day, just without the crowd.

Because it was just the two of us, how the day was captured was incredibly important. We wanted to be able to share the love, emotion and overall vibe of the day with our family and friends back home. We made really considered choices when choosing who would capture it, and both Mandy from Mandy Wood Studio and Chandla from Socially Wed captured our day so beautifully. We’ll forever be grateful for the way they told our story.

Were there any elements that were important for you to incorporate?

As we had no family present at our elopement, it was important to us to still find meaningful ways to include them. Since our wedding in Italy wasn’t a legal ceremony, we chose to get “legally” married at the Brisbane registry office on our 10-year anniversary with our immediate family.

On the day of our elopement, we also added special touches from home. Georgia wore heirloom jewellery pieces from her mum and grandma, and we read letters from our family and close friends while getting ready. It was such a special way to start our day and feel their love and presence, even from afar!

Any tips for couples getting married?

In the era of social media and big, beautiful weddings, it’s so easy to get caught up in trends and expectations, and things can snowball quickly. But your day can be whatever you want it to be. There are no rules. Don’t lose sight of what matters most to you as a couple and how you want your day to feel.

If you're considering eloping - do it! There’s something so magical about it being just the two of you, fully present with one another. No distractions, no pressure.

Are there any vendors that you would like to tell us a little more about?

Where do we start!

Mandy from Mandy Wood Studio was incredible. We were looking for a photographer who could capture candid moments with an editorial touch, and as soon as we came across Mandy’s work it was an easy choice.

On the day, she made us feel so comfortable, captured every single moment both digitally and on film, and gave us direction when we needed it. She also helped ensure everything ran smoothly, even down to knowing the perfect spot to get gelato! The photos truly speak for themselves. We wanted something that felt unique and editorial, yet timeless, with a mix of traditional portraits and natural moments. Mandy captured the love, emotion, and essence of our day so beautifully. We couldn’t be more grateful! 

If you're on the fence about hiring a content creator - do it! We were unsure at first, but we’re so glad we did. Chandla from Socially Wed was amazing from the very beginning. She’s so personable, such a pleasure to have on the day and when I say she captured everything, I mean everything. It was incredible to be able to share clips from every part of our day with our family back home within 48 hours. Having the behind-the-scenes footage to relive the day is truly invaluable. It’s something we’ll treasure forever.

The girls from Aston Bridal were such a delight to work with. I went in with a very clear picture (that only existed in my head), and they not only brought it to life perfectly but exceeded every single expectation. A special shout to Paige who’s patience, expertise and eye for detail made the process of creating a bespoke dress so wonderful. The customer service, the quality of the final pieces, and the overall experience were faultless.

Tom from P Johnson on James Street was also fantastic. Jackson had a custom tuxedo made, and across multiple fittings, they worked together to create the perfect look. Tom even sent champagne to our hotel for the legal ceremony in Brisbane - a true gem!

Photographer: Mandy Wood Studio @mandywood.studio | Planning: Bride | Flora: Figli Dei Fiori

@figlideifioricomo | Content Creator: Socially Wed @sociallywed.au | Ceremony & Reception Location: Relais Villa Vittoria @relaisvillavittorialakecomo | Celebrant: Rita Annunziata (organised by hotel) | Makeup Artist : Noemi at Lake Como Bridal Beauty @noemi.bridalbeauty | Hair Stylist: Merita at Lake Como Bridal Beauty @merita.bridalbeauty | Boat: Cadenazzi Boats @cadenazzi_boats | Dress & Veil: Aston Bridal  @astonbridal | Suit: P Johnson Tailors @pjohnsontailors | Engagement Ring: Grew & Co @grewandco | Wedding Rings: (Gold bands) TMC Fine Jewellers @tmcfinejewellers | Diamond Band: B&G Family Jeweller @bg_jewellers | Shoes: Princess Polly @princesspolly | Earrings: Studio Bride @studio.bride | Handbag & Bride Sunglasses: Miu Miu @miumiu | Groom Sunglasses: Ray Ban  @rayban