Ivory Tribe Real Weddings – Best Of 2021
Photo: Katie Harmsworth
Well, 2021, you were not what any of us expected!
However, despite another year of couples navigating the unknown, it did nothing to stop sensational real weddings taking place and boy did we love the submissions that came our way.
Thank you once again to the many couples who trust us to share their incredible celebrations. We love nothing better than sharing their stories, along with the dream teams who brought the days to life and we hope it provides inspiration and some know-how for those couples planning their own day.
Now if you’re newly engaged and need a hand with your wedding planning, we’ve just released Wedding Plans, a wedding planning guide for couples who need a helping hand.
Now, in no particular order, we take a look back at Ivory Tribe’s Top most popular real weddings of 2021 – we hope you enjoy!
CHANTELLE & TANNER, MARCUS HILL VIC
With a love story that began when they were teenagers, Chantelle and Tanner dreamed of their wedding day as a celebration of the things most important to them; their love, their incredible family, and their friends. Chantelle was every inch the glamour goddess in a gown she co-designed with Melbourne’s Mariana Hardwick. A full, billowing skirt with a killer split, beautifully beaded veil and the slinkiest of Harlo heels was a choice combination for the formalities. Chantelle’s switch to jaw-dropping party queen in her reception gown by Jane Hill was dazzling dance floor perfection. Every detail of this down to earth, captivatingly crafted day was curated by the lovely Laura from Weddings of Desire, and captured to perfection by Lost in Love Photography.
Jess and Kyle’s South Australian celebration was pure romance, glittery glam and entrancing elegance. A beautiful old building in regional South Australia provided the perfect blank canvas for these two inseparable lovers to create their dream day. Hundreds of candles added a soft glow to hues of ivory, taupe and soft creamy blush worked throughout the dreamy design. Jess looked luminesce as she stepped down the aisle towards her husband to be, surrounded by florals of classic roses. The only thing distracting from her jaw-dropping gown by Pallas Couture was Kyle’s beaming smile. Danielle Symes was the master behind the lens, capturing every ethereal moment as it unfolded.
Adel and Sam’s elopement was a stunning synergy of raw emotion and electric elegance. When their overseas elopement plans were sent awry, these two laid back lovers chose to stick true to their plans to create an effortless, love-filled occasion. Wanting their love to be the focus of the day, an intimate and emotion-charged ceremony was lead by our very own Chloe Jetson, and there was not a dry eye. Mont du Soleil provided the perfect Spanish inspired setting for super talents Erin & Tara to create photography magic.
Jed and Alix are the picture-perfect example of how you can pull off planning a wedding in a short time frame. The cracking celebrations were arranged in no more than three months, and the super stylish, fun-filled affair ticked every box. Jess Nicholls captured it all in true visual poetry, working the intimate magic of the day into every shot. Scrolling through Jed and Alix’s relaxed romp through Melbourne’s urban laneways, bathed in a sunset glow, we couldn’t help but be caught up in the electric emotion of the day.
Shelley and Nick’s dreamy, sun-dappled day is the kind of charming, romance-filled bliss fest we all love. Letting their venue provide the foundation for their styling choices lead them to create a softly chic garden party gathering, with lashings of elegance and fun. We love the shades of soft blush and warm peach against the oak finishings of Scotchman’s Hill, finished with delightful charm through the inclusion of the sweetest little flower pots, a nod to the French Provincial feel of the venue. Shelley was a picture of modern elegance in her divine outfit by fashion-forward favourite Soho Bride. Fern and Stone Photography were there to capture every stunning second from behind the lens in beautiful style.
ALICE & ASH, SOUTH MELBOURNE VIC
Bathed in the sunset, against the stunning streetscapes of inner-city Melbourne, Alice & Ash are a vision of contemporary chic, glowing with blissed-up newlywed vibes. Surrounded by their wedding party in sharp black and white, Alice and Ash cut a striking silhouette. Ash looks every inch the dapper gent in his black tux, while Alice is nothing short of jaw-dropping in her gown by Suzanne Harward; all clean lines, gracefully high neckline and Grace Kelly style swept-back hair. Add in the turquoise, gold embellished statement earrings, and it’s a look to wow! There to capture every exquisite moment were visual poets and dream makers Kirra Jaye Hansen and Gunvor Eline for Lou Lou Memphis.
The country never looked as cool as Rikki-Lee and Jordan’s sun-soaked soiree. This day has it all; sweet ceremony moments on the banks of the Murray River, a wedding party portrait spree in the back of old-school convertibles and festivities under towering tipis to finish out the night. Topping it all off was the captivating couple, effervescent with emotion and excitement. Jordan couldn’t take his eyes off glowing Rikki-Lee, who was every part a modern princess in her Jane Hill gown. There to capture every sweet, incredible and love-filled moment was Mickala from Pure Mac Photography.
ANGUS & ISABELLE, MELBOURNE VIC
Like a garden party with a glow up, Isabelle and Angus’ micro-wedding was a treat of delicate details, modern glam and effervescent emotion. Gathering just their closest friends and family allowed these two stunning souls to create a celebration filled with fun and effortless elegance. Set against the classically beautiful backdrop of Gardens House in the Melbourne Botanic Gardens, a long lunch full of festive vibes unfolds. Of course, the centrepiece to this flawless vision is our captivating couple. Angus is top-to-toe classic cool in his suit by Oscar Hunt, whilst Isabelle oozes radiance and contemporary romance in equal parts in her gown by Mariana Hardwick. We especially love the perfect playfulness of their portrait shots, captured like visual poetry by the incredible Katie Harmsworth.
JESSICA & ESTELLE, BRUNSWICK EAST VIC
For a sleekly modern, wonderfully warm and ultra-chic celebration, look no further than Jess and Estelle’s exquisite wedding. Crafting a ceremony filled with equal parts emotion and light-hearted laughter was celebrant superstar Pete the Celebrant. A floral backdrop of architecturally structured blossoms in shades of candy red, raspberry wine and shots of vanilla created an incredible impact against the industrial stylings of The Wool Mill. A private first dance moment played by acoustic duo Tobi Tobi was among Jessica and Estelle’s favourite snippets of their dream day, leading them perfectly into their reception celebration. This day has everything we appreciate aesthetically, animated with epic doses of love and laughter, all captured by Duuet Weddings.
CLACHAIR & MICHAEL, NEWSTEAD QLD
Clachair and Mike’s wedding is a fabulously fresh dose of laid-back cool, electric emotion and perfectly sublime style. From their epic first look photos to their uniquely created ceremony, these two stunning souls chose to do it their way – and the result is pure magic. From the minute they entered the ceremony together, cruising past the bar with champagne in hand, their guests knew they were in for an exceptional treat. Clachair rocked no less than three gowns, from a floor-length 70s style sequinned gown to a whipped-satin, mini, Maticvestki-designed delight. Topped with a pop of red lip and neon scarlet bouquet, her look was nothing short of showstopping. Tessa Shannon was the legend behind the lens, capturing each incredible moment, pinnacled in a portrait session with the newlyweds against the backdrop of the Brisbane skyline, oozing movie star cool.
ANASTASIA & RILEY, TARADALE VIC
Anastasia and Riley’s dream celebration transports us to a place of old-world glamour. Moody, candlelit magic was the order of this Autumn day, where the stunning pair took to centre stage before their loved ones in a heartwarming and joy-filled exchange of love. With incredible floral artistry by Prunella, beauty abounded, but unsurprisingly, it was hard to look past Anastasia in her breathtaking Georgia Young Couture gown and Riley in a sharp black ensemble, flanked by an equally gorgeous monochromatic-clad wedding party. With stellar photographer Katie Harmsworth at the helm to capture all of the romance, this is one wedding celebration we can’t take our eyes off.
For contemporary chic done to perfection, look no further than Cal and Maddi’s exquisite Queensland celebration. Choosing their timeless theme to complement the natural beauty of the surroundings, and the modern homestead feel of their venue, Gabbinbar Homestead, meant that the day unfolded with synchronicity and style. Maddi fulfilled her dream of wearing a modern ballgown, classic yet contemporary. She looked every inch a queen in her Kyha creation, complete with sleekly simple bodice, flowing skirt and show-stopping split, perfect for revealing her sweetly stylish Harlo heels. Photographer extraordinaire Leah Cruikshank was there to capture it all.
Classic elegance against a breathtaking backdrop was the overarching aesthetic of Hannah and Dan’s beautiful soiree. But underpinning all the sumptuous style was effervescent, unbridled emotion – and we absolutely can’t get enough! From the moment Hannah appeared in her show-stopping Macpherson gown by Tribe favourite Kyha, no one could wipe the smiles from their faces. And they had the absolute perfect celebrant at the helm to harness this fun-filled, epic energy and create a ceremony to remember. Precious Celebrations led the laughter with personal touches and captivating warmth in a truly stunning setting. For us, what stood out in every incredible image by Jackson Grant was that we could barely find a photo that didn’t include someone laughing, or at the very least, sporting an infectious grin.
For Marcus and Bec, working around a Covid postponement led them to a celebration that felt perfect for them; intimate, relaxed and romantic. Against Polperro’s chic interiors, the styling is elegantly simple; low set vases of soft pink and vanilla roses, accents of greenery and pops of charcoal detailing against crisp white linen. The overall effect is one of timeless modern romance. Bec’s gown, by one of our favourite fashion visionaries, Luci Di Bella, makes her every inch a contemporary princess. Backdropped by autumnal tones, she and Marcus are the epitome of a radiant couple, captured to perfection by the wonderful Motta Weddings.
For a sweet micro wedding dotted with darling details, look no further than Cara and Dan’s stunning celebration. Choosing to exchange their I Do’s at the same location that Dan proposed two years earlier added the perfect touch of magic to an already incredible day. Dan’s tears as he caught sight of Cara was a breathtaking moment, and her smile as she glided towards him was pure radiance. Her gorgeously glam gown by Maticevski was an exquisite combination of contemporary chic and soft, romantic flourishes, reflecting the styling choices of the day. A micro wedding doesn’t mean minimal style, and Cara and Dan chose classic black and lushly textured ivory with splashes of rich green to accent their day. One of our fave photographers, Ali Bailey, was there to capture every moment of their story in incredible images.
If you’ve loved this wrap up of 2021, feel free to delve back into our archives and see some of the stunning celebrations that were your favourites in 2020 – because who doesn’t love real wedding inspo! And if you’re on the hunt for talented suppliers who can make this kind of magic happen, see our favourites here.
