Real Elopement – Sarah & Mitch, Melbourne VIC
An elopement romp through Melbourne CBD, created as a ‘greatest hits’ of places they love to eat and people they love to spend time with, perfectly articulates Sarah and Mitch’s celebration.
From coffee together, snacks and champagne, a reception lunch with friends and a post-wedding cocktail with just the new Mr and Mrs, this is one ultimate elopement that both fills our hearts and gives us all the sweet style vibes.
Let Sarah and Mitch be a stellar example of what can happen if you remain true to your personal style and dream day ethos, and let the magic unfold. See it all unfold through the lens of Jen Tighe Photo.
The meeting.
We first met at work nearly eight years ago. We were both budding young chefs. I was helping out one day at the restaurant, and Sarah was there the same day doing a job trial. We ended up working on the same section and spending the whole day together—however, we didn’t recall this until reconnecting four years later on our third date after matching online amidst COVID lockdowns.
The one.
Mitch: I thought I had found the one straight away – Sarah didn’t roll her eyes at my bad jokes, loved the same food and drink as me, and we seamlessly spent hours on end together on our first meeting. Sometimes, when you know, you just know.
Sarah: I was a little bit slower to come around – I am quite reserved – but after dating for a few months, Mitchell asked me to go back to Wollongong, where he grew up, to meet his family. Particularly after seeing the love his Nonno and Nonna shared and the love he had for them, it was then that my heart truly told me he was the one!
The proposal.
Mitch: I make coffee for Sarah every day as our morning tradition. I hid the ring under her pillow. I brought her in her coffee and told her (through many tears) how much she means to me – and asked her if she would like me to continue our tradition for the rest of our lives together.
Deciding to elope.
We really wanted the day to just be about us, and not about the wedding itself. We wanted to not stress about seating plans, DJ’s, big floral arrangements and whether or not everyone else was getting along and having a good time. We wanted something small, that meant that we could go to all our favourite spots and truly do it OUR way.
Planning process.
Our whole wedding was planned over dinner at our favourite restaurant (Bar Merenda, Daylesford) over a beautiful dinner up at the bar, with wine in hand. We set the date (something Mitchell wouldn’t forget) and worked backwards from there.
Style inspiration.
Simple, timeless, Melbourne City, food and wine focused.
The outfits.
Sarah: I wanted something simple and classic so that I would feel like myself when wearing it. I bought my dress online—the last in my size—without trying it on, and I was lucky that it was a perfect fit. I already had the wedding shoes I loved—I just needed to buy them in white.
Mitch: I rarely wear suits, so I didn’t know what to look for. We tossed up various colours but decided on navy as it’s timeless and versatile. I didn’t want to buy a suit that I could only wear once. From the beginning, we planned that I’d wear khaki chinos, but the night before our wedding, we decided to go with navy and were glad we made the decision. For the shoes, I had to get special permission from Sarah as she wasn’t convinced when I said I was going to find a pair of brown Vans for the wedding – but it’s what I wear every day and Sarah said, “It just looks like you, that’s my husband right there”.
Favourite moments.
Outside of saying I do, at the end of our day, after celebrating with friends over lunch, we went back to the hotel and were absolutely exhausted. We relaxed, enjoyed each other’s presence, put on our wedding playlist and had our first dance, half wedding attire, half PJ’s, just the two of us.
Meaning of marriage.
To be fully committed to doing life with one another through the good times and the bad, and knowing that you are never alone – we will always have each other’s back.
Wedding soundtrack.
Aisle: Into My Arms by Nick Cave.
Mid-ceremony: You & Me by You+Me, Babe, It’s Just You And I by Kyle Lionhart, Heaven by Bryan Adams, MTV Unplugged.
Funny stories (or near disasters).
Sarah’s veil got caught in the wind, and was dangerously close to catching alight on a gas heater. Happily, the day didn’t go up in flames.
Planning surprises.
Jen (our photographer) called ahead to a few venues we were planning on visiting for photos, and we were surprised to hear a lot of venues don’t allow photography, even just for the two of us.
Sharing the news.
We told both our families ahead of time and were greatly supported in our decision. We also enjoyed the opportunity to spend time with our families (from far and wide) to celebrate together prior to our wedding. We know getting to spend quality time with your loved ones on your big day isn’t easy for many couples, especially in larger traditional weddings. So this was an important thing for us to do.
Words of wisdom for couples considering an elopement.
Just go for it! We wouldn’t have changed a thing. We enjoyed turning our day into a ‘Greatest Hits’ of places we love to eat and people we love to share time with in the city we call home.
From choosing to elope to planning a full-scale wedding, we’ve turned to our real wedding couples and expert vendors to create the ultimate list of wedding tips and insights – save for ongoing reference!
SARAH & MITCH’S VENDORS
We cannot speak more highly of Jen Tighe, our photographer. Jen perfectly captured our wedding day, and our vision and ideas around how we wanted our shots to turn out. She also made us feel comfortable in ourselves – as two people who are never in front of a camera.
Ceremony venue: Melbourne CBD Marriage Registry (Old Treasury Building)
Reception venues: Dukes Coffee (caffeine/photos), Marion Wine (snacks/champagne), Julie Abbotsford (reception lunch with friends), Apollo Inn (post-wedding celebration, just the two of us).
Photography: Jen Tighe Photo
Florist: The Beautiful Bunch
Hair: The Blow Australia
Make-up: Mecca
The dress: Leo Lin
Veil / head wear: Little White Couture
Shoes: Country Road
Rings: Natalie Marie
Grooms suit: Country Road
Grooms shoes: Vans
Honeymoon: Hobart, Tasmania
