Real wedding – Natalie and Marcus, St Kilda VIC
While all the real weddings that we feature on Ivory Tribe are incredibly special, this one is particularly close to our hearts – the wedding of Natalie (Ivory Tribe co-founder) and Marcus (Ivory Tribe supporter/coffee fetcher/part-time intern).
Celebrating their love with a traditional and heartfelt ceremony at St Peter and Paul’s Church in South Melbourne, Nat blew everyone away with her breathtaking gown, accessorised simply with her gorgeous smile.
When they entered their stunningly styled reception at Encore in St Kilda, the room swelled with love as you could feel how adored these two love birds are by their family and friends. Beautiful and personal touches truly set them apart as they ensured their day embodied the kind of people they are – full of love, laughter and fabulous fun.
Hitting the dance floor til the early hours, talented photographer Jesse Hisco used his superb talent to capture two people in love with life and each other.
IN THEIR WORDS…
The meeting.
We met through Marcus’ cousin, who is one of Nat’s dearest school friends. We spent the best part of 2003 as 13 and 14-year olds on MSN Messenger ‘chatting’, and becoming great friends – keeping in touch over the years before finally getting our act together in 2008.
The ‘one’.
Marcus: Although taking five years to propose, I knew pretty early on in the relationship that Nat was ‘the one’.
Nat: I too, knew early on there was something different about this kid from the country I had fallen for… Reading the most beautifully written letter he gave me for the morning of our wedding though, that moment was a real clincher – I bawled like a baby and couldn’t wait to get down that aisle.
The proposal.
No grand, romantic gesture – but it was very ‘us’.
We were packing up our home at the time, and Marcus woke early (and very nervously) on a Sunday morning – crawled behind a pile of boxes and said ‘you’ve done a great job packing up for the move babe – although you did forget to pack one thing’…
He emerged from behind the cardboard box on hands and knees with the ring and proposed. Nat, who had sat up in bed, (annoyed at being woken up) and wondering why he was acting strangely, finally said yes after what felt like forever.
The planning.
An almost two-year engagement saw us have plenty of time to get onto things quite early and we felt surprisingly relaxed and happy the whole way through. It was a team effort and a great experience to go through. At times it felt like we were working a second job, but we wouldn’t change one thing about the lead up to the day.
Style inspiration.
We didn’t overthink our styling, the most important thing was that we felt happy, comfortable and that our day reflected who we are. Tori Allen were incredible in helping establish our style and execute it beautifully.
We wanted our day to feel vibrant, happy and elegant, with hints of tradition. The important things we incorporated – such as sneaking in an afternoon coffee with our bridal party at our favourite Melbourne cafe, and personalised hand-written notes to each guest, all added to that.
The dress.
I tried on every style of dress you can think of – I wanted to leave no stone unturned – but in the end, I went with a double silk bias-cut gown that Sally of Mussared Design Studio created, and I felt a million dollars in.
The less-is-more approach just felt like I was being true to myself and throughout the design process we concentrated on perfecting the clean lines and simple silhouette of the gown – it was that lovely balance between elegant and sexy and I adored it.
Favourite moments.
Pinpointing one would be impossible.
For Marcus – the moment I saw Nat walk into the church as a bride for the first time. You cannot compare anything with that.
And Nat – I was pleasantly surprised by how moved I felt by our first dance, it was really special and despite having a guest list of almost 200 – it felt surprisingly intimate! I also loved our speeches – you could hear a pin drop in the room and that was really special.
Traditions.
Very few traditions, but a few special touches… In a nod to Nat’s Croatian heritage, we supplied each guest with a sprig of rosemary to pin on their lapels – this is an age-old sign of love and remembrance.
Another addition to our night that we feel really set the tone was our hand-written notes to our guests. We worked really hard in the months prior to the wedding to individualise our thanks and jot down some shared memories for each person there. It was really heartwarming to see people’s reaction to these and the gesture created an extra level of love in the room.
The meaning of marriage.
Giving yourself to your soulmate for life, and having a great time doing so.
Wedding soundtrack.
Aisle – Ave Maria by Beyonce
Signing the register – Follow the Sun by Xavier Rudd
Post-ceremony – Send Me On My Way by Rusted Root
First dance – Your Song by Elton John
Bridal party dance – Hey Ho by Lennon and Maisey
Funny stories (or near disasters).
It was all smooth sailing until the night before the big day – where at the ceremony rehearsal our music was a mess. The speaker system wasn’t cooperating and it sounded like Nat was walking down the aisle to a zombie mash-up. Thankfully, we had a very helpful friend sort it out and on the day, it played perfectly.
Planning surprises.
There wasn’t a lot that snuck up on us – we felt really relaxed and in control – albeit very busy! We went into the day knowing we’d prepared and planned as much as possible and it was all about letting the day unfold.
Words of wisdom.
Put everything you can into having the type of wedding you want (as a couple), then sit back and really enjoy the day. Everyone is there for you – having a whole room filled with the people you love is so rare, so take that in and enjoy it. Getting together a trust-worthy and wonderful Tribe of suppliers also makes all the difference – they make the ride all that much more enjoyable.
MARCUS AND NATALIE’S TRIBE…
Ceremony: St Peter and Paul’s Church, South Melbourne
Reception: Encore St Kilda – we love everything about Encore. The setting, the view, the paired-back interior and the wonderful staff – it was all perfect.
Photography: Jesse Hisco Photography – We were absolutely blown away by all that Jesse delivered. The time and energy he invests in your day, making each guest feel involved and important, and of course – the amazing quality of his work – an absolutely superstar.
Videography: Cinema Weddings – Glenn from Cinema weddings was also wonderful! He went totally under the radar and set about doing his thing, and the end result was amazing.
Styling and florals: Tori Allen Events – Tori and her legendary team went above and beyond. Her creative eye and the energy she invests in her clients is unbelievable. Our hanging floral installation was incredible.
Hair and makeup: Mae Taylor and Janice Wu – The dream team! Warm, accommodating and just so, so talented and lovely! Then the gorgeous Renee from Studio 2 met me prior to my reception to tie my hair up so I could really get the party started.
Morning attire: Personalised silk kimonos from Enrobe by the fusion movement – I highly recommended sorting out your morning get-up! We all felt great in our personalised kimonos. They are a beautiful keepsake of the day.
The dress: Mussared Design Studio – Sally’s passion as dedication to her craft is second to none. She is so very talented – I am already missing my regular visits!
Rings: Charles Rose
Bridesmaid’s dresses: Various
Groom’s and groomsmen attire: Tarocash
Favours: None – we opted instead to hand-write individual notes to each guest as a welcome and thank you.
Cake: We had a champagne tower in lieu of a cake.
Stationery: Merren Spink – Merren became our sounding board throughout much of the planning process! Her honesty and work ethic is second to none and we just loved working with her.
Entertainment: King Louie and Croatian duo Eddy and Ines
Photo Booth: Shutter Hub – SO much fun, seriously. The Shutterhub booth got a real workout and the team were so wonderful. We have had so many guests rave about it and they way it added another fun element to the night.
Transport: ACE limousines
Honeymoon: Anantara Uluwatu, Bali
