Blue floral joy: a Bellarine Peninsula wedding
Fun, flair and oh so much feeling are a few ways to sum up Bronwyn and Jacob’s coastal ‘I dos’.
The groom wore what appeared on the outside to be a classic black Institchu suit, playfully personalised with a lining that featured the face of the couple’s adored cat, Melon.
Bronwyn’s bridal ensemble was just as striking yet considered. She paired a strapless, A-line gown featuring a blue floral print with pre-loved shoes and a DIY veil to create a modern and memorable fashion moment that echoed the joy, personality and coastal aesthetic of the day.
Their smile-inducing gallery – captured by the legends at Be Here Be Now – tells the story of a planning process spent prioritising guest experience over style (although it certainly had that in spades, too).
Scroll on for the behind-the-scenes details on how it came together.
The meeting.
We met at Falls Festival ‘17/18 in Byron Bay. We have a mutual friend who combined our friendship groups and we counted down 2018 together.
‘The one’.
There isn’t a distinct moment either of us can recall, it was more of a feeling that developed over time.
The proposal.
We were walking through a park near a place we’d just bought together and were talking about what we were excited for in the future. When it got to Jake’s turn, he said that he was excited to spend the rest of our lives together and then got on one knee
Style inspiration.
Low-key, natural, minimal effort! We aren’t big event planning people, but we knew we had a beautiful setting which spoke for itself, so we kept styling to a minimum to capitalise on that.
Real weddings were the best inspiration – it’s always nice to see what other people did.
The ceremony.
Our ceremony was in the backyard of Bron’s parents’ place in Queenscliff. Bron’s Dad is an architect and they recently renovated the house, so it was so special to host another wedding there (Bron’s sister got married there a few months earlier). Our ceremony had ALOT of tears but that brought alot of laughs too – it felt light, loving and joyful.
The outfits.
Bron – I went to one bridal boutique and didn’t really enjoy the experience as it felt like alot of pressure. Instead I scoured the internet and found my dress online.
Jacob – I had great guidance from Ash at Institchu in Armadale and when I heard I could customise the lining of my tux it was a no brainer to cover the lining in pictures of our cat, Melon.
Favourite moment.
One of our favourite elements of the day was the hydration station we set up as a surprise to guests for the journey from the ceremony to the reception. It was a little journey on foot but we wanted to make sure our guests were well hydrated so we met them along the way with shots of Fireball, coffee and soft drink, music playing and signs. It was fun and festive and was a super fun surprise for everyone.
Meaning of marriage.
It’s a commitment to be with someone and build a life together, and to remember that you choose each other and that’s a privilege.
Wedding soundtrack.
Aisle: Let’s Stay Together by Al Green – sung by our friend, Ben, aka Seph Cove
Reception: Love Is In The Air by John Paul Young
First dance: You Make Me Feel Like Dancing by Leo Sayer
Planning surprises.
How much work goes into planning a wedding even when you’ve tried to take a lower-maintenance approach! There are just so many of logistics that go into throwing such a big event.
Words of wisdom.
Divide and conquer – we both did so much work, independently of one another, to make our wedding everything that it was. It would have been so much more work to do it all together.
BRONWYN & JACOB’S SUPPLIERS:
Because my sister got married at the same location, we were SUPER lucky to use a lot of her vendors who were amazing. Otherwise, we picked vendors we’d seen at other weddings or online.
Ceremony venue: Bride’s parents’ house, Queenscliff
Reception venue: 360Q – They are the most incredible team. We had an Asian fusion menu and the food was delicious – our only regret of the day was not getting to eat more! The team at 360Q also provided canapes at the house after the ceremony.
Celebrant: Kahani Celebrant – We first saw Kahani at the wedding of our friends in 2022 (the same friends who introduced us!). She was warm, funny, but also so good at the touching moments. We knew we wanted the same energy at our wedding – my sister was also married by Kahani! Can’t recommend her more.
Photography: Be Here Be Now – My sister found Chris and Shani for her wedding and they took the most incredible photos. So tender, so moving, but throughout the day we either didn’t notice them working in the background or when we did notice them it was because they were putting out amazing energy. We knew that was exactly what we wanted too! Chris and Shani have an amazing calming and freeing energy – we felt so comfortable with them and that comes across in the photos. They capture the love and joy of our day so well.
Florist: Bonnie Blossoms – Shay was amazing! We didn’t really give her much direction, but she just nailed the brief. The flower arch she made for us was so gorgeous and the little bud vases at the ceremony were perfect! Our dear friend Georgie put together Bron’s bridal bouquet and her bridemaids’ bouquets for her, so special!
Hair: Trish Sousa – Trish is amazing! I wanted my hair down for a natural look, which I thought would be easy to do, but turns out, it takes a lot of work to get a natural look and Trish nailed it. We all felt super supported and trusting of her talents.
Make-up: Zar Makeup – Zara is a wizard! I felt so beautiful with her handiwork. Neither me nor my bridal party wear a lot of makeup and Zara’s work was light but impactful and we all felt very beautiful, including our mums.
The dress: Aston Studio
Veil: Bron made her veil!
Shoes: Harlo Shoes, pre-loved from Marketplace
Rings: Cullen Jewellery and The Diamond Guys
Suit – Institchu
Entertainment: Ceremony: Our dear friend Ben, who moonlights as Seph Cove on Spotify.
Reception: Fiction Band – The BEST band ever – they helped us secretly learn Time of Our Lives to perform at our reception together. Sally, Phil and the band are amazing and bring so much energy – everyone raved about the band.
