Real Wedding – Bianca & Joel, Warrandyte VIC

 

When it comes to the phrase ‘the look of love’, Bianca and Joel’s wedding day had it in abundance. Their megawatt smiles and glaringly obvious love for one another shone through as they shared their marriage vows at The Farm, Yarra Valley.

Taking a rustic and somewhat laid-back approach to their wedding celebration, Bianca and Joel made their day about their love, surrounded by the people that they love, and the heartfelt moments that unfolded will be etched in their memories for ever.

Married by none other than Tribe celebrant Megan Thompson, Bianca and Joel were no doubt in great hands, and Georgia Verrells was there to capture it all.

 

In Bianca’s words…

 

The meeting.

We had actually been friends for a long time before we started dating! We met in the early stages of high school and continued to be friends after we finished. At some point, all the cards just fell into place for us both and our friendship developed into something more.

 

The ‘one’.

There was no real one moment but I think I just knew over time. Our feelings developed gradually and things always felt effortless, and right between us. It made it a lot easier that we were friends beforehand and had already developed the mutual trust and respect for one another.

 

The proposal.

We had agreed to go on a trip to Hamilton Island together to celebrate me finally finishing my six-year long university degree, so there was no reason for me to suspect anything! On our second day on Hamilton Island, Joel surprised me with a spectacular helicopter flight over Whitehaven beach! When the helicopter landed, we were treated to a deserted beach for just the two of us with a romantic little picnic set up. Joel gave me seven cards to represent the seven years we had been together, and in each of the cards was a special memory from that year. When I had finished reading the last card, he got down on one knee and proposed.

 

The process.

As soon as we got engaged, we knew we wanted to secure a venue, photographer and celebrant pretty quickly. We had heard that they get booked out pretty quickly so we wanted to stay on top of it. We were both on the same page with ideas, so it made the planning process actually quite easy. We booked in a couple of venues to check out and once we visited The Farm, we just knew it was going to be perfect. Once we booked that in, it made everything feel so real! We had some quiet months in between planning but we just tried to stay organised – we made a list and ticked things off as we went.

 

Style inspiration. 

We wanted to keep it simple but classy. We really liked the idea of having a rustic and casual feel to the wedding so that it felt more like a celebration then a formal get-together.

 

The dress.

I didn’t really have much of an idea of what I was looking for to be honest. I just knew that I wanted to have fun with it, and to try not to put too much pressure on myself to find that one perfect dress. In reality I guess there are so many gorgeous dresses out there, that it can be overwhelming. I also wanted to be sensible about it, and tried to find a dress that was practical, comfortable and one that would make me feel most like ‘me’.  Just after New Year, I made an impulsive decision to go dress shopping, with no expectations that I would find anything. Suzanne Harwood was only the second dress store I went to, and the dress I chose was the first dress I tried on in the store. As soon as I put it on, I just knew it was the one.

 

Favourite moments.

We had so many favourite moments from the day!

The whole ceremony was perfect but one particularly special moment was walking down the aisle and locking eyes with Joel. It felt like such a powerful moment. Another was hearing Joel’s vows and getting to say my own. There aren’t many moments in life where you experience those raw emotions, so it was pretty special to be vulnerable in that way, in front of all of our favourite people.

One of the memories we often reflect on is our first dance! We chose to start with a slow song and break out into a fun and upbeat song. It felt so amazing to have all of our family and friends rush to join us on the dance floor for one big party, and we will never forget it.

 

Meaning of marriage.

Marriage means making a conscious choice to be with someone, and to radically accept them for exactly who they are. It means embracing strengths but also accepting flaws, and it means being able to be vulnerable and open to another person.

 

Wedding soundtrack.

Aisle: No one by Alicia Keys

Reception entry: Love on Top by Beyonce

First dance: Can’t help falling in love by Kinna Granis and Uptown Funk by Bruno Mars

 

Funny stories (or near disasters).

I chose to walk down the aisle solo and just as I was walking down the hilly part of aisle, a massive gust of wind came my way, and I honestly thought I was going to get blown away! Luckily for me, I made it all the way without face planting!

 

Planning surprises. 

I think we were really surprised by just how many details there are in a wedding. We both appreciate weddings so much more after having planned one!

 

Words of wisdom.

I think it’s really important to consider what you value as a couple and how you want your wedding to be. There’s no right or wrong ways to do it, and there are so many ideas for weddings that it can feel so overwhelming, but if you focus on what’s important to you it makes it a lot easier.

If you’re feeling stressed or overwhelmed, support each other, communicate and delegate. All your guests are there because they love you, so remember they are always there to help.

On the day itself don’t forget to take some time out, just the two of you and take in how truly special the moment is. Most importantly, have fun!

 

 

Looking for your dream venue? See the best of the best of our directory here.

 

 

 

BIANCA & JOEL’S TRIBE

Ceremony and reception: The Farm, Yarra Valley – The Farm, Yarra Valley was the dream venue. The idyllic setting amongst the trees and beautiful vineyards made us feel like we were whisked far away from Melbourne. From the moment we set foot on the property, we knew we had to get married there! Our wedding co-ordinator Anthea was an absolute superstar to work with; she made us feel so comfortable from day one, she was always available to answer questions and was with us every step of the way. We could not have asked for anything more!!

Celebrant: Megan Thompson – The ceremony delivered by Megan was fantastic! We wanted a ceremony that represented us as a couple; a good balance of light-hearted fun interwoven with emotion-filled moments. She absolutely nailed the brief! Megan was so great to work with and we will forever be grateful for the unforgettable ceremony.

Photography: Georgia Verrells – Georgia is just the dream to work with. When we were planning the wedding, we knew photography was a top priority for us. We wanted real, candid and raw photos that would capture the essence of the day, and Georgia absolutely delivered on that. She was with us from the start of the day until the very end and we could not be more grateful for her patience, understanding and authenticity. She was there to ride all of the emotions with us, and we felt really listened to and supported by her.

Florist: Poppy’s Getting Married – I absolutely adored my flowers from Marnie. I had a really last minute change of heart on the colour palette of the flowers and I was super nervous that it would be too late to change. Marnie pulled through for me and created the most beautiful bouquets in the most stunning arrangements. We got so many compliments!”

Hair: Carmel Dimitriadis

Make-up: Pim Moulton

The Dress(es): Suzanne Harwood

Shoes: Wittner

Rings: Anton Jewellery and Keshett Jewellery  

Bridesmaid’s dresses: Sheike

Menswear: MJ Bale

Groom’s shoes: Aquila

Bow ties / ties: Peggy and Finn

Cake / Cake topper: The Farm, Yarra Valley

Entertainment: Tillee Music

Honeymoon: Europe!