Real Wedding - Matt & Jo, Melbourne Vic

April 10, 2017 In Real Weddings By Jo Betz

Real Wedding – Matt & Jo, Melbourne Vic

Almost a decade since their first meeting, Matt and Jo’s special celebration was an elegant, inner-city affair to remember.

PR professional, Jo, used her organisational prowess to whip up their gorgeous day into shape within just months, and the result was breathtaking. Classic green and white florals, a black tie dress code and the stunning surrounds of Panama Dining room saw it all come together with perfection.

Captured by Tribal talent Elk and Willow, Matt and Jo’s day is romance personified.

In Jo’s words…

The meeting.

We met at a bar over nine years ago. Matt thought I was giving him “the eye” across the bar, but I was actually squinting to find a friend as yet again I wasn’t wearing my glasses. He walked up to me, and wowed me with the pick up line “How you goin, alright?”

The one.

Matt and I lost each other that first night, without exchanging numbers, I couldn’t get him out of my head the entire week. Thankfully we both ended up at the same bar the following week. I really knew straight away with him.

The proposal.

We went for a walk up to the top of the hills in Positano in Italy, one of my all time favourite destinations. As I turned around to take a photo Matt got down on one knee and said:

“We have a good little life don’t we baby?” I replied: “We have the best life.” And he asked “Do you want to make it bigger?” That’s when I turned around and found him on one knee with the ring. It really was a magical moment for us.

The planning.

I have to plan, and coordinate schedules for my profession in PR, so I really am not exaggerating when I say after around 10 initial emails the wedding had taken a lot of shape. We wanted the wedding to be an occasion where all the people we love could be together, and we could share good food, wine and a dance. I wanted to ensure the wedding didn’t take over our lives or stress us out.

We got engaged in mid July and married at the end of December, I truly believe it was more than enough time to plan a wedding (we were lucky though in that we could secure the venue we wanted in that time).

Style inspiration.

Matt had always wanted a black tie wedding, so that lead the way in styling. I kept florals to white and greenery, and stationery we kept simply black and white.

The dress.

At weddings we had attended Matt had often commented he loved the bigger dresses with a full skirt, I knew for later in the evening I would want something more sleek. Sam at Amaline Vitale in Armadale listened to my thoughts and found me the perfect dress with a skirt I could wear over the top for the ceremony. Luckily the style (and Sam’s amazing attitude) meant when I found out I was going to be five months pregnant at my wedding we simply pushed back the fittings and made it work. The team at Amaline Vitale, didn’t fuss too much, and they made me feel so comfortable and confident rocking quiet a classical wedding look at 20 weeks pregnant.

Favourite moments.

Matt’s speech, I have seen Matt speak as a best man before and just out and about so I know he is a master of timing and delivery, but his words meant so much to me on the evening, and I will never forget them.

Traditions.

We followed many of the usual traditions. After the rehearsal I stayed at my parent’s family home with my sister in my old childhood room, not seeing Matt until I walked down the aisle. We were married at one of the last remaining high Anglican Churches in Melbourne, St Peter’s Eastern Hill, so our service was very traditional. Apart from that, we really just followed the usual traditions of speeches, cutting the cake and the first dance.

The meaning of marriage.

I felt that Matt and I have been completely committed to eachother for a very long time now, a mortgage and just the simple things life throws at you will do that. Marriage is simply an extention of that, signifying we are a team, and we will tackle everything that comes at us as a united partnership.

Wedding soundtrack.

Aisle: Canon in D by Johan Pachelbel

Reception Entry: Don’t Go Breaking My Heart by Elton John & Kiki Dee

First Dance: Teenage Dream by Katy Perry

Funny stories/near disasters.

There was slight panic the morning of, when the Priest notified Matt the copy of my birth certificate didn’t have a reference number on it, luckily my Dad keeps everything (and I mean everything) and so a few quick phone calls and messages meant we were legally wed at 4.30pm.

Planning surprises.

I love organising and planning things, but prior to my wedding I thought you would be able to share the load a bit between family, bridesmaids, and the groom, but the bride really does need to oversee it all (unless you find a wedding planner you completely whole-heartedly trust). A few people mocked me, but the spreadsheets really did make it a seamless exercise.

Words of wisdom.

Work out your budget (and any blow out of that budget you can handle) first and then go from there. Looking on social media and Pinterest prior to knowing your boundaries could break your heart. I also got the best piece of advice, once you have decided on something – say the dress for example, do not look at another dress (not in a magazine, or online or anything) otherwise you will do your head in. And, finally remember what the day is all about; you wont notice half the things you stressed about in the lead up if you focus on your partner.