Real Wedding – Courtney & Richard, Taradale VIC

Courtney and Richard’s stunningly sweet celebration is filled with soft romance and tasteful tradition, a journey of artful aesthetics with moments of blissed-out emotion.

Striking Taradale venue, Churchill, provided the perfect autumnal setting, adding a taste of historical beauty that anchors the occasion in intimate, warm elegance. Florals by Prunella enhance the space, in gorgeously unexpected hues of cornflower blue, striking lilac and soft apple, with pops of amber.

Against these sweet surroundings, celebrant legend Megan Thompson guided the guests through a ceremony filled with warmth and joy and, of course, her signature style of light-hearted fun.

For Courtney and Richard, the magical moments during their portrait sessions felt truly special. There to capture every sweet nothing in shimmering beauty was photographer Jess from Brown Paper Parcel. To see it all unfold, scroll on.

The meeting.

We met online on the dating app Bumble. Our first date was dinner at a popular restaurant in Melbourne, then drinks.

The ‘one’.

There wasn’t a specific moment; we grew closer over time.

The proposal.

Richard took me out for dinner to our favourite restaurant, where he pulled the ring out over the dinner table after dessert. We always joke that Richard didn’t ever actually ask me to marry him.

Planning process.

We began planning around a year and a half before the big day. It was a very relaxed process; we knew we wanted something small. So we started with the venue and went from there.

I’m a very visual person, so anything I found with reference photos was extremely helpful. I spent many hours on Instagram and Pinterest.

Style inspiration. 

Our venue was my main inspiration; I absolutely love everything they do, so I knew I wanted them to be in charge of the overall style of the day.

The ceremony.

Our ceremony was very short but special. We had our close friends and family there, making it very intimate.

The look. 

It took me quite a while to find the perfect dress because I knew exactly what I wanted.

Richard, however, walked into Calibre, found the ivory jacket and, with their assistance, found the perfect suit on our first visit. We both had a clear vision of what we wanted.

Favourite moments.

Being alone as a married couple for the first time, having our photos taken. It was a beautiful moment with us and Jess, our photographer.

Meaning of marriage.

Marriage is a commitment, patience, excitement and more than anything else, it is love. To love someone unconditionally for the rest of your life.

Wedding soundtrack.

I walked down the aisle to Can’t Help Falling in Love, performed by Glen Wee. Our first dance was More than a Women by the Bee Gees.

Funny stories or near disasters.

We actually had a very seamless wedding day.

Planning surprises.

I was surprised by how much was involved. Every little detail is important.

Words of wisdom.

My biggest piece of advice is not to feel overwhelmed by all the planning, take one step at a time, and it will all fall into place.

Most of all, enjoy every minute of it. It’s the most exciting and beautiful day of your life.

Love an intimate affair with all the style but none of the stress? Check out Tom and Simon’s stunning soiree for a different but equally gorgeous take on the smaller-scale guest list vibe, here on the blog.

COURTNEY & RICHARD’S VENDORS

Ceremony & reception venue: Churchill, Taradale. I couldn’t recommend the ladies at Churchill enough. Not only did they make the planning process a breeze, but we had two coordinators on the day who made it absolutely perfect and were there to assist.

Celebrant: Megan Thompson. Whenever anyone asks me who I recommend as a celebrant now, it’s always Megan. Megan is an absolute joy to be around; she loves her job, and it shows.

Photography: Jessica Tremp, Brown Paper Parcel. We booked Jess before anything else because I couldn’t possibly have another photographer capture our wedding. Jess has the most beautiful artistic style, which really shines through in her photographs.

Florist: Prunella

Hair & make-up: Brent Bennett, Bennett and Co. I have been working with Brent and Bennett and Co for almost ten years; I wouldn’t trust anyone else with my hair and make-up.

The dress: Lovers Society, The Bridal Atelier. The ladies at The Bridal Atelier were absolutely amazing; I knew as soon as I walked into their beautiful South Melbourne store that I would find my dream dress.

Shoes: Loeffler Randell

Rings: Anton

Suit & bow tie: Calibre

Catering: Spoonful

Cake: Tidbit Cakes – Rhi makes the most delicious vegan cakes. I would definitely recommend her.

Stationery / Signage: Paperlust – Paperlust were incredible; their invitations were flawless. They had all of our invitations and signage prepared earlier than expected. I would highly recommend them.

Entertainment: Glen Wee. What can I say about Glen Wee? Richard and I found him busking in Geelong a couple of years ago and knew he would be perfect for our wedding day. He is incredibly talented. His covers are so unique and beautiful. He really puts his heart and soul into his music.