A grand, romantic wedding at Lakeside Pavilion
Ashleigh and Robbie wanted a wedding that felt personal, unforgettable, and set in a truly spectacular location.
Enter Lakeside Pavilion: a venue that perfectly matched their vision, with elegant spaces and a magical lakeside backdrop that made every moment feel cinematic. From the dramatic, flower-filled chuppah to the whimsical, plum-accented reception, the venue set the stage for a day that was intimate yet extravagant, entirely their own.
Every detail, from cascading florals to flowing fabrics, told a story. Photographer Tess Follett captured it all with a relaxed, authentic lens, turning each glance, laugh, and hug into a timeless portrait.
Style was never an afterthought. It was in the décor, the design, and the fashion. Ashleigh’s gown was everything she had imagined, with a dramatic overskirt for the ceremony and photos, and a chic reveal for the reception that gave her the feeling of a second look while still wearing the dress she adored.
Read on for more of their story – including the dreamy gown, epic dancefloor moments, and inspiration for couples looking to craft their own romantic, personal celebration at a show-stopping venue like Lakeside Pavilion.
The meeting.
Robbie and I met through our local footy club two and a half years ago. With a few flirty looks, and a pickup line from me, I knew it was going to be an amazing love story. I walked up to him and said, “you’re cute, but I can’t.” Not entirely sure what I meant by that, but a few weeks later we were going on our first date and that was it!
The one.
I realised he was the first person I wanted to tell everything to. Good news, bad news, all of it. He was there for me in ways no one else was. We had a lot of ups and downs in the beginning of our relationship and it just brought us closer together and cemented the love and care we have for each other.
The proposal.
Robbie took me to a winery that I had been wanting to go to for ages. He was up and dressed in his shirt by 7.30am before we had even walked the dog. I was still clueless as to what was happening as surprise dates for each other was a regular occurrence, so, I just assumed he was excited to go wherever he had planned. We arrived at Jackalope, and we were asked if we wanted a tour of the property. At the same time, I said “yes,” and Robbie said “no.” He just wanted to get to lunch so he could finally propose. As Robbie led me out to a spot in front of the beautiful vines to “take a photo together,” I noticed something odd in the corner. But I was slightly suspicious at this point, so I didn’t look back. Robbie got down on one knee and asked me to marry him. After, when I looked behind him, I realised the something odd in the corner was his sister trying to hide from us to film the proposal. It was absolutely magical and a day I will never forget!
The planning process.
The planning process was fast-paced and seamless. I worked with an amazing wedding planner, Jackie Jacobson, who has done many functions for my family over the years. My mum was also by my side—she could have easily been an event planner in another life! We also worked with stylist extraordinaire Michael Strownix, who brought all my crazy Pinterest ideas to life. We planned our wedding in six months, so we had to make quick decisions, which worked out well for the indecisive Type B bride I was. They asked a simple question – “this or that” – and I picked. It was pretty cruisy and stress-free for me, which is crazy given the scale of the wedding.
Style inspiration.
My brief to Jackie and Michael was “soft and whimsical,” and after lots of conversations and sharing plenty of photo inspiration, we slowly started bringing the vision to life. We decided on plum as our accent colour, which added a beautiful richness to the overall look. Paired with soft draping and an abundance of flowers, everything came together to create a romantic and elegant atmosphere. It was so special seeing all the ideas we had talked about finally take shape on the day.
The ceremony.
Our ceremony was elegant, romantic and a little extravagant – exactly the atmosphere we had dreamed of creating. As you might be able to see in one of the photos, we were married under a chuppah as I am Jewish, which made it such a meaningful and special part of the day. The chuppah symbolises the home a couple builds together, so it was important to me that it felt personal and beautiful.
That said, I didn’t want a traditional or simple chuppah. I had a vision of something much more dramatic and memorable. I wanted it to feel epic, overflowing with flowers and soft draping that created a dreamy, romantic space for the ceremony. The design didn’t just frame the moment we were married but also flowed seamlessly into the main room so the whole space felt connected and cohesive. Seeing it all come together was incredibly special and made the ceremony feel even more magical.
The outfit.
I had my dress designed by Vincenzo Pintaudi, who took so much time and care in helping me bring the vision of my dream dress to life. Because we only had six months before the wedding, I had to move quickly, so I spent time trying on as many different styles as possible to work out exactly what I loved. Once I had a clearer idea, I shared my thoughts with Vincenzo, and we began shaping the design together. Throughout the whole process, he was incredibly patient with my indecisiveness and helped guide me through every detail until the dress felt perfect. In the end, we created something that truly felt like my dream dress. I loved it so much that I only had the one dress for the entire day and night as I simply didn’t want to take it off. For the ceremony and photos, I wore a beautiful overskirt which added drama and elegance to the look. Later, for the reception, I removed the overskirt to reveal a slightly different silhouette underneath, which made it feel like a second look while keeping the dress I loved so much.
Favourite moment.
My favourite moment of the whole day would have to be the ceremony, especially the moment I first saw Robbie as I walked down the aisle. It’s such a surreal feeling knowing that everyone you love is gathered in one place, all watching this incredibly special moment unfold. Walking down the aisle with my two brothers by my side made it even more meaningful. They helped keep me calm and grounded while the excitement and emotions of the moment were building.
Meaning of marriage.
Marriage means partnership. It’s about choosing each other every day, supporting one another through all the highs and lows, and building a life together. It’s knowing you have someone by your side who believes in you, laughs with you, and stands with you no matter what. It’s also about creating a home together filled with love, respect, and shared memories.
Wedding soundtrack.
I walked down the aisle to Can’t Help Falling in Love – Kina Grannis
The reception entrance kicked off with the Jewish Hora – and it was epic!
Our first dance was to an acoustic version of Love at First Sight – Kylie Minogue
Funny stories (or near disasters).
During the Hora dances, there is a tradition of the bride and groom being lifted and thrown into the air. I almost got dropped on my head but ended up doing a somersault, and thank goodness I was caught by one of the boys.
Robbie was having a great time dancing to “It’s Raining Men” on a table. He thought it would be a good idea to jump off the table onto the slippery dancefloor, but he ended up seriously injuring his ankle and had to wear a moonboot on our month-long Europe trip just a week after the wedding. Luckily, it happened towards the end of the night, and he was still able to enjoy the rest of the celebrations.
Planning surprises.
Just the amount of time and effort that goes into planning a wedding. I honestly don’t know how people do it on their own!
Words of wisdom.
My advice is to stay true to the vision you have for your day and not get too caught up with outside opinions. Choose vendors you trust and enjoy the planning process as much as you can. Most importantly, take a moment on the day to pause and soak it all in, it goes by so quickly, and those little moments together are the ones you’ll remember forever.
Ashleigh & Robbie’s vendors.
Ceremony and reception venue: Lakeside Pavilion Albert Park. We had the most incredible experience celebrating our wedding at Lakeside Pavilion. From the very beginning, the team made the planning process feel smooth and enjoyable. A special thank you to Mariana, who was absolutely amazing throughout the entire journey.
She was so organised, attentive and genuinely cared about making sure our day was perfect. Nothing ever felt like too much trouble and she was always there to answer questions and help bring our vision to life. On the day itself, everything ran seamlessly and we were able to relax and truly enjoy every moment.
The venue itself is stunning, with beautiful views and such an elegant atmosphere. We couldn’t have asked for a better place to celebrate our wedding and are so grateful to Mariana and the whole team for making it such a special day.
Celebrant: Ashley Densham was our celebrant, and from the moment we met him we knew he was the perfect person to marry us. We had previously seen him officiate other Jewish celebration ceremonies and immediately loved his warm, relaxed vibe and the way he connected with couples and their families.
Throughout the planning process, Ashley was incredibly supportive and made everything feel easy and natural. He took the time to get to know us, understand our story, and thoughtfully incorporate elements from both of our traditions into the ceremony. This meant so much to us and made the whole experience feel deeply personal.
On the day itself, he created such a beautiful atmosphere. He made us feel calm, comfortable and truly present in the moment, which allowed us to really soak in such an important part of the day. We couldn’t have asked for a better celebrant to guide us through our ceremony.
Photography: Tess Follett was our photographer and she was absolutely incredible! From the moment we started working with her, she really understood the vision we had for our photos and the feeling we wanted them to capture. She took the time to get to know us as a couple and made sure our personalities and the love we share were reflected in every moment she photographed.
Throughout the day, Tess made us feel so comfortable and relaxed in front of the camera, which made such a difference. She had a wonderful way of guiding us while still allowing everything to feel natural and genuine. Her attention to detail and ability to capture both the big emotional moments and the small candid ones was truly special.
Looking back at the photos now, we are so grateful for the way she documented our day. She perfectly captured the atmosphere, the emotion, and all the little details that made the day so meaningful to us. They are memories we will cherish forever.
Videography: We had Marcus from C2Films. He was absolutely incredible and captured our day so beautifully. From the very beginning, he made us feel completely comfortable and at ease, which allowed everything to feel natural and genuine on camera.
Marcus had such an amazing ability to capture all the special moments, both the big emotional ones and the little details that made the day so meaningful. Watching the final video felt like reliving the entire day all over again, and it brought back so many emotions.
We are so grateful to have such a beautiful film to look back on for the rest of our lives. It truly captured the love, atmosphere and joy of the day perfectly. We couldn’t recommend them more highly.
Styling: Michael Strownix was our stylist and all I can say is WOW. From the very beginning, he completely understood the vision I had for the day and somehow managed to turn it into something even more beautiful than I had imagined. His creativity, attention to detail and passion for what he does were evident throughout the entire process.
Michael was incredibly involved in every stage of the planning. He even came with us to help choose the furniture and table settings, making sure every element worked together perfectly to create the look and atmosphere we were hoping for. Having his guidance and expertise made such a difference, and it was reassuring knowing everything was in such capable hands.
When we finally saw everything come together on the day, it was truly breathtaking. The styling was elegant, romantic and exactly what we had dreamed of. Michael brought the whole vision to life and created a space that felt so magical and special. I’m so grateful for the time, care and dedication he put into making our wedding look absolutely incredible.
Hair: Casey Malady did the hair for me and all of my bridesmaids, and she was wonderful to work with from start to finish. I found her through Tonic Agency, and from the moment we met at the trial I knew we were in great hands.
Casey was warm, professional and really took the time to understand the look I was hoping to achieve. On the morning of the wedding she created such a calm and relaxed atmosphere while getting everyone ready. She was incredibly patient and happy to work with each of my bridesmaids to create hairstyles that suited them individually, while still making sure everything looked cohesive.
Everyone absolutely loved their hair, and it lasted beautifully throughout the entire day and night. Casey made the whole experience feel so easy and enjoyable, and I’m so grateful she was part of such a special morning.
Make-up: Steph Bottrell did the makeup for me and my bridesmaids, and she was absolutely fantastic to work with. I found Steph through Tonic Agency, and from the very beginning she was professional, warm and incredibly talented.
At the trial, Steph took the time to really understand the look I was hoping for and made sure everything felt natural, polished and true to me. On the morning of the wedding she created such a calm and relaxed environment while getting everyone ready, which made the whole experience so enjoyable.
She made each of my bridesmaids feel beautiful while still keeping a cohesive look across the whole bridal party. The makeup photographed beautifully and lasted perfectly throughout the entire day and night. I couldn’t have asked for a better makeup artist and am so grateful Steph was part of such a special day.
The dress: Vincenzo Pintaudi designed my wedding dress and I couldn’t have asked for a better experience. From the very beginning, he took the time to truly understand my vision and helped bring my dream dress to life. He was incredibly patient, attentive to every detail and made the whole process feel so special. The final result was a dress I absolutely loved and never wanted to take off. I’m so grateful for the care and talent Vincenzo put into creating something so perfect for my wedding day.
Favours: One of the favours everyone loved were live illustrations of our guests created by Emma Leonard Art and Magnet Me photos which we’ve had at so many family functions that are always a fan favourite.
Stationery / Signage: All our stationary and signage was done by Jade at Glimmer Creative Studio.
Entertainment: We had an amazing band called Like This and they were fabulous. They played all the music that we wanted and got everyone involved and got down into the crowd and singing into the microphone too.
We also had KrazyBar entertainment. They were such a hit with all the guest. They got everyone involved and danced the whole evening. Even getting all the oldies up off their seats and onto the dancefloor. I would highly recommend these guys for a function!
