Real Wedding – Bridget & Sam, South Melbourne VIC
Real Wedding – Bridget & Sam, South Melbourne VIC
Real Wedding – Bridget & Sam, South Melbourne VIC
Real Wedding – Bridget & Sam, South Melbourne VIC

Real Wedding – Bridget & Sam, South Melbourne VIC

 

Vivid summer elegance was the theme of Bridget and Sam’s stunning soiree, and the effect was a uniquely exquisite burst of celebration and style. Stylist Poni Studio pulled together the luxe look, a perfect palette against which Bridget and Sam’s sweet romance could take centre stage.

Drawing inspiration from the arches and warm timber finishes of venue Half Acre, Bridget and Sam chose arc-shaped stationery in shades of deep raspberry and blush, with boldly textured florals in lilac, soft pinks and pops of tangerine.

Against this captivatingly colourful backdrop, the newlyweds cut a striking silhouette. Sam is every bit the handsome hero in his classic black suit, tailored to perfection. We love his emotion-filled reaction to seeing his beautiful bride for the first time – and Bridget, in her stunning gown by the extreme talent of Luci Di Bella is a true vision.

There to capture every beauty-filled moment was Fern and Stone Photography, doing absolute justice to this gorgeous day. And to end the celebrations in true party style, who else but our fave masters of the dance floor, Logan Entertainment! To see this stunning soiree unfold, scroll on.

 

The meeting.

We met through friends at a bar in Melbourne, and after the first few dates, we both knew we were on to something great!

 

The ‘one’.

There isn’t an exact moment we can pinpoint, but once we moved in together, this cemented things for us. It was all very easy, and we shared the same goals, values and ambitions for the future. It just worked, and we couldn’t get enough of each other’s company!

 

The proposal.

Sam proposed in March 2022. It was a slight pivot on the plan as we had just entered our very first lockdown. He planned a picnic in Burnley Gardens in Richmond and picked up my favourite food from Ms Frankie’s and crème brulee from Entrecote. I was about nine weeks pregnant at the time, so he maneuvered everything into the car whilst I was having an afternoon nap!

It was a perfect, sunny afternoon in the park. We had an early dinner, and Sam pulled out a book he had made with photos of all our favourite memories together, then he pulled out the ring! It was very exciting, and we announced our engagement and pregnancy to our families that same day.

 

Planning process.

We knew we wanted to keep our wedding central and hold it in Melbourne. We didn’t want anything that felt too corporate – something warm but still with an inner-city vibe! We fell in love with Half Acre almost immediately.

From there, we began the research and outreach to suppliers. The very first supplier we booked in was Luci at Poni Studio to help us with styling. This was a game-changer for us as she gave us so many recommendations on suppliers, which helped speed up the decision-making process.

We then prioritised booking in our photographer (Fern & Stone), videographer (Annette & Dani), celebrant (Lucy Gransbury) and music (Lloyd Everett & Logan Entertainment). Poni Studio managed the quotes and booking of the florist (Petal Project) and styling elements (Table Art, Memphis Hire, The Small Things, Harry the Hirer).

 

Style inspiration. 

I spent a lot of time mood boarding and researching on Pinterest and Instagram. Once I had done this, I tried to split these into themes so I could see what style I was more consistently selecting (as I know I’m one to be indecisive!).

We both wanted something bright and summery but elegant. Luci developed a styling concept of deep purples, oranges, whites and pinks, complemented with gold and neutral tones. We loved it, and it felt very harmonious with the warm timber details at Half Acre. We then played on the arch shapes you see throughout Half Acre for all the invitations, signage and stationery.

Luci was integral in bringing the vision to life – knowing exactly who to go to for what, to make every little detail perfect. Luci and Alison from Petal Project worked closely together to create floral arrangements that were impactful. Together, they are a creative powerhouse! I was blown away, and on the day, we received so many comments on the styling and particularly on how amazing the flowers were! The Petal Project really left a mark on all our guests and us!

Kyle from Harry the Hirer was also fantastic in helping us develop a lighting feature with suspended pendants to bring another element to the room. Knowing the ceilings were so high, we wanted a lighting feature that would bring a level of intimacy.

I found inspiration via images of real weddings the most useful as you could conceptualise everything in a real context. Using Ivory Tribe and supplier Instagram pages is where we picked up a lot of our tips and ideas.

 

The ceremony.

We had our ceremony at Half Acre as we wanted to keep everything in one place and avoid travel and dwell time for our guests and ourselves. It was short and sweet! We were so lucky to be able to involve our families in some special moments. Our little girl was about 14 months at the time and walked down the aisle with her great-grandmother! Bridget’s Mum and her Grandpa walked her down the aisle, and we had Sam’s sister and Bridget’s aunty do a reading each. Both our Mum’s were witnesses. Having each of these people take part in the big moments was important to us!

We kept our vows to each other a surprise, so this was a very heartwarming moment. And our daughter would just burst out in random laughter right at the emotional moments – comically timed! This, coupled with the great energy of our celebrant, Lucy, made the ceremony a massive highlight for us. She really set the tone for the day, kicking it off feeling fun but heartwarming all at the same time!

 

The look. 

Bridget’s dress was made by Luci Di Bella. After my first meeting with her, I knew I wanted to work with her. I only went to one other dress designer, but my experience with Luci was just too good! Luci was genuinely invested in making a dress that complemented my style and my body type. She spent so much time with me over a number of sessions before we locked anything in. I felt like I could really trust her and the high quality of her work. Luci and her team are truly passionate about what they do and just want you to feel amazing on the day! I knew I wanted an A-Line skirt (so I could eat whatever I wanted and not worry about being bloated!) with an off-the-shoulder neckline. The bodice was all boned, and the skirt had a big split for a dramatic effect. The final touch was a big bow connected to the back, which blended in with the lines of the skirt.

Sam – Sam’s suits were made by Angela Nicolaides, based in Richmond. Angela runs her own niche studio, and everything she makes is custom fitted and styled. She has a wealth of knowledge and takes a consultancy-led approach to make the perfect suit for the occasion. I wanted a classic tuxedo but with my own unique touch to it, and Angela took the time to provide all the different lapel, material and colour options to make it special. When the groomsmen and I had our fitting appointment, the experience was second to none. Angela went above and beyond as a host providing drinks and nibbles, and her attention to detail when measuring and customising the suits was amazing.

 

Favourite moments.

So many!

Spending time with our families and bridal party for the whole day.

Seeing each other for the first time coming down the aisle.

Seeing the room come to life with all the flowers, candles, lights and stationery. It’s such a rewarding feeling to see everything you have spent so much time on come together!

The quiet moments we got to have together whilst we were taking photos. Jess, Annette and Dani were a great team and such a joy to be around. We had the best time with them!

Speeches and all the laughs.

The food and the service. Food & Desire were next level!

The dancefloor. Dani from Logan Entertainment really knew how to read the room and get everyone up and dancing!

 

Meaning of marriage.

Having a partner for life that you can trust and rely on and enjoy all life’s great moments together!

 

Wedding soundtrack.

Aisle: Cheerleader by JP Cooper. Our acoustic singer Lloyd transposed the original song into guitar, especially for us and sang it himself. So amazing!

Recessional: Simply the Best sung by Lloyd Everett

Reception entry: Cinema by Benny Benassi

 

Planning surprises.

The high demand for suppliers and how early in advance you need to book! We booked all our suppliers 12 months out and just scraped in for our date!

The other thing that surprised me was how much of the wedding comes together in the last six to eight weeks. I remember feeling worried I was unorganised, but then the comms with our suppliers quickly picked up, and it was a busy lead-up. All our suppliers were so organised and knew exactly what they were doing, and it all came together very easily.

 

Words of wisdom.

Enjoy the process and try not to give in to the stress. Build a team of people that you feel you can trust! We picked a lot of our suppliers based on how they made us feel when we spoke to them, as we knew we would be spending time together and just wanted a team we would gel with and feel comfortable with. This made the process so much more enjoyable, and they all delivered beyond our expectations!

Invest in a stylist/planner! They are worth their weight in gold, and it really allows you to enjoy the day without worrying about how things are going at the venue.

Everyone says this, but try to take time to enjoy quiet moments together and take it all in. It goes so fast!

 

 

 

Love the inner-city style of Bridget and Sam’s day? Check out Shannon and Fiona’s industrial chic Melbourne celebration for further inspiration, here on the blog.

 

BRIDGET & SAM’S VENDORS

We used Instagram, Ivory Tribe and word of mouth to find our suppliers. Our suppliers also had great recommendations. And because they had all worked together before, the day was so seamless and fun for everyone involved.

Ceremony & reception venue: Half Acre, South Melbourne

Celebrant/Officiant: Lucy Gransbury

Photography: Jessica Mitchell, Fern & Stone Photography

Videography: Annette & Dani Films

Styling: Poni Studio

Florist: The Petal Project

Hair: Katerina Biondo, Hair by KB

Make-up: Kelly Mills MUA

The dress & veil: Luci Di Bella – Design House

Shoes: Harlo ShoesJulius Marlow

Rings:Top Image Jewellery

Bridesmaid’s dresses: Shona Joy

Suits: Angela Nicolaides

Catering: Food & Desire

Cake: Pollen Pastry

Stationery / Signage: Cassette Creative Communications

Entertainment – Acoustic Singer: Lloyd Everett Music

Entertainment – DJ: Logan Entertainment

Transport: Melbourne Deluxe Transfers

Décor: Table Art, Memphis Hire, The Small Things, Harry the Hirer

Honeymoon: Noosa




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