Real Wedding – Ashlea & Ryan, Red Hill VIC
Lovers Ashlea and Ryan tied the knot under the gorgeous gums at Polperro Winery in Red Hill. While the stunning venue did much of the talking, Casey from Tillda Flowers contributed the magic touch, with the addition of simple, rustic florals to compliment the breathtaking surrounds.
Dressed in Suzanne Harward and Tribe favourite, Briggins, the couple partied into the night at The Epicurean, where all the fun was captured by Daniel Brannan Photography.
IN ASHLEA’S WORDS…
The meeting.
Ryan and I met through mutual friends almost 8 years ago on a weekend away, despite having attended the same school, albeit some years apart. It was apparent from that first night we were destined for good things and we haven’t left each others’ side since.
The proposal.
I finished work early just before the 2015 Easter break and came home to a surprise proposal in the living room with champagne and flowers. Safe to say I caught Ryan right off guard with my early arrival home from work. I hadn’t quite allowed him enough time to prepare!
Style inspiration.
We went for a rustic inspired wedding, although the venues we chose were absolutely beautiful. They really did speak for themselves and barely required decorating. Our reception venue, Polperro Winery, is breathtaking. They have a gorgeous grass spot underneath a row of rather spectacular trees overlooking the vineyards. White chairs, two wine barrels to mark the end of the aisle and a few floral arrangements topped off what was already a beautiful setting.
We also printed our own invites, used cars owned by family members, made mini bottles of vodka infused Limóncello for favours, and had my gorgeous sister and girlfriend do our hair and makeup. Perhaps the most inventive of the lot was the photobooth we made. I wasn’t willing to spend over $1000 on a photobooth just for a few giggles on the night. So, using an iPad, an LED light and a box Ryan custom made using leftover floorboards from our recent renovations, we created our own which has now been used in three of our other friends weddings. I really should start a tutorial on the booth, it’s been a hit!
The dress.
My dress was designed by Suzanne Harward. I fell in love with it from the minute I tried it on. Unlike most dresses I had initially tried on, it fit like a glove from the get go. I had it customised to my liking with panels being removed from the back and front to create a plunging neck and back. My shoes were from Wittner and provided plenty of comfort for a night full of dancing!
Words of Wisdom.
Focus your budget and time on the big things such as food and drink and band that will get everyone on the dance floor. People will never remember things like invitations and bonbonnieres; they’re not the things that make your wedding fun!
ASHLEA & RYANS TRIBE
Ceremony venue / location: Polperro, Red Hill
Reception venue / location: The Epicurean, Red Hill. The Epicurean was the first venue we visited. Why would you look further when you stumble upon something so unique? The barrel room at the Epicurean was a fantastic wet-weather back up for us, however given we wanted our ceremony in the outdoors. We searched the area for a beautiful outdoor setting and Polperro was undoubtedly the most beautiful spot nearby.
Photography: Daniel Brannan Photography. Dan was outstanding. He is local to the Mornington Peninsula, he was great fun to have with us all day and he made all the snaps really painless (particularly important when your husband is camera shy!). He really did capture our story from start to finish better than we could have imagined.
Music: Gary Eastwood. Gary Eastwood was the band for the night; a musician who has earned a reputation in Melbourne for his performances at many popular Melbourne pubs. He sure knows how to get the crowd involved! We ended up with a few of our dancefloor videos posted to youtube with the entire wedding guests singing along.
Florist: Tillda Flowers. Casey at Tillda Flowers does amazing things. From bouquets, buttonholes and flower-girl crowns, to pew flowers, oversized arrangements and centrepieces, I trusted Casey implicitly with it all. She did such an incredible job and I only wish they lasted forever!
The Dress: Suzanne Harward
Shoes: Wittner
Bridesmaids dresses: The girls wore dresses made by Australian designer Shona Joy which we purchased off the rack. They looked stunning in the high neck dresses with a slight peach hue and a very fine rose gold Mimco cuff. I’d also bought the girls rose gold Kookai rings as a gift which I gave to them the morning of the wedding to match.
Grooms suit: Ryan wore a bespoke blue suit and shirt tailored by Briggins, with a dark navy bowtie. The guys at Briggins were fantastic and Ryan raved about how they had a barber shop at their headquarters and served cold beers upon arrival. Ryan’s parents gave him his grandfather’s cufflinks the morning of the wedding to wear which was a truly special gift!
Groomsmen suits: The groomsmen wore the same tailored suits as Ryan with a lighter blue bowtie as a point of difference.
Cake / Cake topper: A semi-nude, three tier, salted caramel mud cake made by the lovely Ginnie at Cake Red Hill. Safe to say this didn’t last long in the hands of our guests; delicious!
