Real Wedding - Chantelle & Tanner, Marcus Hill VIC

April 8, 2021 In Black and White, Garden, Latest Posts, Luxe, Most Popular, Outdoor, Real Weddings, Victoria By Jo Betz

Real Wedding – Chantelle & Tanner, Marcus Hill VIC

With a love story that began when they were teenagers, Chantelle and Tanner dreamed of their wedding day as a celebration of the things most important to them; their love, their incredible family, and their friends. The result is a celebration of effortless elegance with lashings of modern romance, and quite simply, the most relaxed, loved-up feels imaginable.

Complementing their Tuscan-style villa venue were cloud-like blooms of soft wildflowers by Georgia Ko, tumbling from ivory urns and crisp minimalist pillars, creating an artful effect of relaxed romance. An autumnal ivy wall provided a striking effect in deep burgundy, adding a touch of old-world drama to the love-filled, light-hearted ceremony by our very own Natalie Drum.

As she stood next to her dapper husband to be, Chantelle was every inch the glamour goddess in a gown she co-designed with Melbourne’s Mariana Hardwick. A full, billowing skirt with a killer split, beautifully beaded veil and the slinkiest of Harlo heels was a choice combination for the formalities. Chantelle’s switch to jaw-dropping party queen in her reception gown by Jane Hill was dazzling dance floor perfection.

Every detail of this down to earth, captivatingly crafted day was curated by the lovely Laura from Weddings of Desire, and captured to perfection by Lost in Love Photography and Moon and Back Co cinematography.

The meeting.

Tanner and I met in 2012, all thanks to Tanner’s sister Grace.

The ‘one’.

We knew when we were living overseas in London together in 2017.

The proposal.

Tanner took me on a birthday weekend away in the Mornington Peninsula filled with surprises. We went to Polperro winery, and after eating lunch, we strolled through the vineyards. I turned around, and he was down on one knee!

Planning process.

Our wedding planner, Laura from Weddings of Desire, was the biggest help, and we couldn’t have done it without her. I really enjoyed the whole process, and on the big day I felt so calm because I knew Laura had it all under control and her attention to detail was incredible.

Style inspiration.

Once we found our venue, we wanted to complement the style of the venue, which was very much a Tuscan villa theme.

The ceremony.

The ceremony was set outside with the beautiful autumn coloured ivy-covered house as the backdrop. The weather was perfect, and the ceremony was seamless. It was special to us as we wrote and said our own vows, and Nat, our celebrant, was just the perfect celebrant for us; she set the tone for the day and was so calming around us both beforehand. She spoke about our story and what love and marriage means to us both, and it was just perfect!

The outfit.

My ceremony dress was from Mariana Hardwick. It had a tight, strapless bodice with a big, beautiful skirt, a big open split and a long train. My veil had hundreds of pearls hand beaded all over it, which matched the buttons on my dress and my Mum’s pearl earrings I wore. I knew I wanted something timeless and elegant for my ceremony, and Marianna was the perfect fit. I loved creating this custom Chantelle gown with them.

My second dress was a custom version of the Jane Hill ‘Saint’ dress which I had seen early on in the wedding process. It was a long sleeve, beaded and fitted dress, perfect for dancing the night away at the reception!

Favourite moments.

Walking down the aisle and seeing Tanner’s face. I also loved walking into our reception together as a married couple, knowing we had such a fun night ahead of us!

Meaning of marriage.

Marriage to us is a lifelong commitment, love and relationship.

Wedding soundtrack.

Aisle: Can’t Help Falling in Love by Kina Grannis.

Recessional: This Will Be (Everlasting Love) by Natalie Cole. We walked into our reception to Reception entry: When Love Takes Over by David Guetta.

First Dance: L O V E by Nat King Cole

Father/daughter: Isn’t She Lovely by Stevie Wonder (performed live)

Funny stories or near disasters.

We had a slight scare with covid restrictions two weeks before the wedding, when Melbourne went into a five-day lockdown. That definitely made us nervous as we weren’t sure how long the lockdown would last and whether restrictions would ease in time or not. Thankfully, they did, and we were all good to go!

Planning surprises.

I think it was all a little different as it was during Covid, and so we were unable to do as much face to face. However, all our suppliers were just so amazing. Laura, our planner, was just super on top of everything in terms of bookings and organizing the details I wouldn’t have ever thought about, and updating us as to all the Covid restrictions. Keeping super positive through the process was really important, which Tanner and I did, as things were out of our control in terms of weather and Covid-19.

Words of wisdom.

Just to really enjoy the whole process, and it’s about you as a couple, so make it you!!

Want to follow in Chantelle and Tanner’s (super stylish) shoes and get out of the city for your stunning soiree? We’ve discovered some of Geelong’s most gorgeous, one of a kind venues, all detailed here – so prep your fave road trip soundtrack and buckle up to find your dream destination!

TANNER & CHANTELLE’S VENDORS:

Before getting engaged, we already had an idea of suppliers we would love to use, as I had worked with them previously in my industry. I had worked with Lyndel and Daniel from Love In Love Photography and Steve from Moon and Back Co in Paris on a wedding photoshoot and knew I would have them at my wedding one day. I had also worked with Laura from Weddings of Desire right before I got engaged and knew I would have her on our big day. She has her tribe of suppliers she works with daily, so I felt very confident in trusting her and her team. Our entertainment was a family friend, and the rest we either had heard amazing things about, or I knew already! Being in my industry made it super easy, having those connections and relationships.

Ceremony and Reception venue: A venue on the Bellarine Peninsula, currently not taking bookings. We found this venue through our planner Laura. The ceremony was on one side of the venue and the reception in a marquee on the other side of the Tuscan Villa.

Celebrant/Officiant: Natalie Drum Celebrant

Photography: Lyndel, Daniel and Olivia from Lost In Love Photography

Videography: Steve from Moon and Back Co

Styling: Laura and her team from Weddings of Desire

Florist: Georgia Ko Floral Design

Hair: Hair By Brittany

Make-up: Isabella Quinn Makeup

The dresses: Ceremony gown and veil – Marianna Hardwick, Reception – Jane Hill

Shoes: Harlo Bridal Shoes from The White Collection AU

Rings: Faith Jewels

Bridesmaid’s dresses: One Fell Swoop

Groomsmen’s suits and bow ties: Joe Black