Real Wedding – Bianca & Bishoy, Southbank VIC
Arranging a wedding for over 200 guests is no mean feat, but Bianca and Bishoy passed the test with flying colours.
Looking to achieve something special, they wanted to give their wedding day a New York vibe with an air of elegance and sophistication. They certainly achieved this and so much more.
Shining bright in custom Cappellazzo Couture, Bianca shares here the sweet story of a doctor, a lawyer and how a LinkedIn meeting made their dreams come true.
See the beauty of their day as captured by Jenna Fahey White.
In Bianca’s words…
The meeting.
We met on LinkedIn! He is a doctor and I am a lawyer, so till this day I am not really sure how our paths crossed. He was new to LinkedIn and did not realise that each time you view another person’s profile they get notified. He was persistently viewing my profile for about a week (he disputes how often he actually viewed my profile) before I sent him a private message and we got to talking… how we met was mentioned a lot in the speeches at Bishoy’s expense!
The ‘one’.
He is honestly so incredibly kind and caring that it was hard not to fall in love very quickly with him. Early on in our relationship I knew that he was the one I wanted to spend the rest of my life with.
The proposal.
He proposed on a gondola at the Botanical Gardens. He nearly tipped the whole gondola over when he tried to get onto one knee (but there was no way I would let the ring fall in the water!) It was a very cute and sweet proposal. I could not stop crying!
The process.
We both have very stressful demanding jobs, so it was not an easy task planning such a big wedding. I did a lot of research in the little time I had and made short lists of everything (venue, photographer, videographer etc.). Once I had the shortlist we would sit down together and make a joint decision.
Style inspiration.
We wanted something different, yet elegant and sophisticated. We chose the wedding venue which has a New York feel and the theme of the wedding derived from that.
The gown.
I shopped around a lot before I went to see Sonia Cappellazzo. I couldn’t decide between a full skirt with lots of tulle or a sleek fitting dress, so I decided that I wanted to combine the two ideas.
Sonia brought this idea to life. I had a long train and veil which was detachable. I wore the train for the ceremony and part of the reception and then took it off for the party.
Favourite moments.
Bishoy’s speech. His words were so beautiful. I don’t think there was a dry eye in the room.
Meaning of marriage.
Unconditional love, companionship, supporting each other in all that we do.
Wedding soundtrack.
First dance: Ribbon in the Sky by Stevie Wonder
Farewell song: Sky Full of Stars by Coldplay
Planning surprises.
We had a large wedding with over 200 guests. I underestimated how hard the seating arrangements would be. That was a very stressful part of wedding planning that I did not anticipate.
Words of wisdom.
Take a relaxed approach and try not to take it too seriously. Make sure you have fun in the process. I think a key to that is remembering that, if something goes wrong or isn’t exactly how you want it, you will look back on the day years’ later and laugh about it (hopefully) .
For some more inner-city stunners, check out Jessica and Anthony’s Melbourne celebration.
BIANCA & BISHOY’S TRIBE
Ceremony: St Anthony’s Coptic Orthodox Church
Reception location: Metropolis Events
Photography: Jenna Fahey White (The photos speak for themselves. She is so incredibly talented and hiring Jenna was one of the best decisions we made for our wedding).
Videography: Artistic Films
Florist: Georgie Campbell
Hair: Juliet Douglas
Make-up: Ebony Maize Makeup
The Dress(es): Cappellazzo Couture
Veil / headwear: Cappellazzo Couture
Shoes: Jimmy Choo
Rings: Janai Jewellery
Bridesmaid’s dresses: Yeojin Bae
Catering: Metropolis Events
Bar: Metropolis Events
Favours: Light & Glo Designs – Candles
Cake / Cake topper: Cakes of Distinction
Stationery / Signage: Fox and Hart
Entertainment: Melbourne Entertainment Company / DJ School Australia (Melbourne Entertainment Company were fantastic. We had Nathan Op de Coul as our DJ and, as a bonus, he plays the Saxophone. Our guests absolutely loved it!
Transport: Always Classic Cars
Honeymoon: Moorea, Tahiti
