Real Wedding – Cat & Will, Metung VIC
Metung was the obvious place for Will and Cat to seal the deal, not only is the village picture perfect, but it was also the place their romance officially began.
Wanting to create a day that was relaxed and intimate but a whole lot of fun, they were wed at the foot of a jetty with the bay as a beautiful backdrop. Giving their day a nautical vibe, they surrounded themselves with crisp and fresh hues that would complement their overall style.
Hand in hand, they lead all of their guests to their reception with smiles as wide as could be and there to capture all the love was Tribe talent, Immerse Photography.
In Cat’s words…
The meeting.
Will and I met in December 2013 through mutual friends while on a weekend away in Metung, Victoria. We actually had an eventful day on that weekend we met. A friend fell gravely ill on the beach, Will and I carried him to Will’s boat and rushed him to meet an ambulance in Lakes Entrance. It was a strange way to get to know Will in a very short period of time. I remember thinking he was cool, calm and collected that day … and I guess the rest is history!
The ‘one’.
Will and I decided to move to London a few years ago, and it was a huge step for us. I could never have dreampt of doing it without Will and yet with him it was an easy move to make. In our first six months there I knew that if we could do that move then we could do anything.
The proposal.
Such a magical surprise. We were living in London, where we each took it in turns to organise trips away on the weekends. It was Will’s turn to organise a weekend away and he chose Norway, I had no idea what he had planned but didn’t suspect a thing as that was totally normal for us. Our first day there was filled with adventures, we visited museums, art galleries, a stunning restaurant for dinner and then he surprised me with tickets to the ballet at the famous Oslo Opera House. At that point (amazingly) I didn’t suspect anything… I just figured Will was being his romantic, spontaneous self. After the ballet I suggested we climb onto the roof of the opera house, which is renowned for having incredible views of the city – it turns out that that was Will’s plan all along – I found a good spot at the top and turned around to find Will on one knee asking me to marry him. I was so shocked that, in all the commotion, if forgot to say yes! But he got the picture. The ring was perfect. He nailed it.
The process and style inspiration.
Will and I quickly decided that we wanted to get married at Metung, where it all began. We have lots of happy memories at Metung, where Will’s family have a beautiful house by the water. We decided to get married at the foot of the jetty with the bay as our backdrop. We knew if we had with that stunning view then we wouldn’t need much in the way of decoration.
Everything just flowed from there, I wanted to have a relaxed, intimate and fun wedding by the water.
When it came to styling the wedding, I decided on crisp white, pale blue and gold for a fresh, nautical vibe. When I found my dress, which was a blush pink colour, I brought that colour into the florals as well.
We moved back from London in late October, so we had very little time to pull everything together. Luckily the amazing vendors we found rallied together and help us to prepare the most magical day.
The dress.
I began my search with a bang, by going to a huge bridal expo in London with two close friends. We drank champagne, wandered through thousands of stalls and eventually ended up trying on all sorts of dresses for fun. It was the perfect way to get started.
While I did come very close to buying a dress in London, I decided to take the risk and try to find one when we moved home with only four months to go until the wedding date! Sure enough, there were plenty of beautiful gowns to choose from. We really are so lucky in Australia to have access to so many stylish, high-quality designers. I found my dress, the Lavant gown by Hera Couture, at Bluebell Bridal in Melbourne. The floral applique was so beautifully incorporated into the design, and I loved the blush pink colour that made the dress so unique.
Favourite moments.
Will and I decided to lead our guests from the ceremony to the reception, which was a short walk along the waterfront to the Metung Yacht Club. As the sun started to set, Will and I walked hand in hand, sipping champagne and chatting to one another. It was a such good opportunity for us to be present in the moment, reflect on our wedding ceremony and enjoy the beauty of Metung with our guests. Looking back at all our friends and family following us to the reception was pretty spectacular, it’s a moment I’ll never forget.
Meaning of marriage.
I believe that marriage is about setting sail on a journey together. You commit to being there for one another through high tide and low tide. You commit to being honest and intimate with one another, sharing your deepest secrets and craziest thoughts. You commit to raising a family together, teaching them the virtues and values that mean the most to you. And lastly, you sail together through adversity, carrying one another through tough times making each other stronger as a result.
Wedding soundtrack.
Aisle: Bridemaids – Here Comes the Sun by Imaginary Future and Bride – Higher Love byJames Vincent McMorrow.
Signing: Crazy Love by Van Morrison
Recessional: Follow The Sun by Xavier Rudd
First dance: Stand by Me by Ben E. King … which broke out into a surprise dance to Michael Jackson’s The Way You Make Me Feel.
Funny stories (or near disasters).
After over 18 months of growing my hair long, I decided to chop my hair on the day of the wedding to surprise Will (he’s always liked shorter hair on me). I cut off my long locks and went for a bob with some loose curls. I walked down the aisle, joined Will hand in hand and it took him about five minutes to realise why I looked so different. All of a sudden he said “Oh wow, did you cut your hair? It looks great!” It was a fun surprise and I felt so elegant on the day – special thanks to my hairdresser Karoline who was brave enough to let me cut it all off!
Words of wisdom.
There are so many decisions to make throughout the wedding planning process, from where you want to get married, to wedding ring designs right down to the colour of the napkins you want on your table. Initially I was agonizing over every decision, and also asking friends and family for advice on every little decision I had to make. It was time consuming and stressful! In the end I realised that usually the best decisions come from the gut. Go with your instincts and you will find that you make the right decision every time with a lot less stress. If you back yourself, the wedding you end up with will be the perfect reflection of you and your partner, which is really important.
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CAT & WILL’S TRIBE
Ceremony venue / location: Private property, Metung
Reception venue / location: Metung Yacht Club, Metung
Celebrant/Officiant: Two Sister Celebrants – Rhiannon and Carly were the perfect pair to guide us through getting married. They worked so well together on the day and helped us to achieve the relaxed and fun vibe that we were after.
Photography: Paul Osta, Immerse Photography – Paul worked incredibly hard on our wedding day, and we were blown away with the results.
Videography: Rowan Holmes-Smith – Rowan captured the day perfectly, the video he produced is unique and vibrant – the perfect keepsake.
Florist: Van Berkel – Shanie and her team did a fantastic job. Shanie has an excellent eye for styling, I trusted her to take complete ownership over the arrangements and she transformed both the venues into beautiful backdrops for our special day.
Hair: Karoline at Envy and The Barber Shop – Karoline was very patient and thorough in doing our hair. She was so receptive to the idea of cutting my hair on the day, for which I am very grateful!
Make-up: Bree Capobianco at Secrets of the Skin – Bree is so talented. She did a wonderful job on the day – we all looked and felt beautiful!
The Dress: Hera Couture gown, purchased at Bluebell Bridal
Shoes: Nine West
Rings: JMS Diamonds
Bridesmaid’s dresses: Scanlan Theodore and Lover
Menswear: M.J. Bale
Catering: Tinamba Hotel – Damien and Brad were incredibly dedicated, fun and passionate throughout the whole process. They went above and beyond to help us in the lead up to the day- including helping us style the ceremony venue. Everyone commented on the quality of the food and the service. When we said we didn’t want a wedding cake, they built a huge dessert bar which was just spectacular! We cannot thank them enough.
Stationery / Signage: Zoe Bonwick
Entertainment: Scotty Sax
Décor/Hire: Bairnsdale Party Hire – Belinda went above and beyond to provide everything we needed for the wedding, from chairs to table cloths. She was a pleasure to work with.
