Real Wedding – Ella & Mitch – Tynong VIC
Some love stories begin with a simple message. For Ella and Mitch, it was an Instagram DM that sparked a six-year journey to “I do” – proof that the most beautiful connections can unfold in the most unexpected ways.
What online banter evolved into something deeper: a shared vision of compassion, connection, and quiet moments that matter. When Mitch proposed with Ella’s grandmother’s redesigned wedding band at their favourite walking spot, it felt like the most natural next chapter in their story.
Their private property wedding in Tynong reflected everything they value most – fun and ease over stuffiness, personal touches over convention, and celebrating with those who matter most.
Under fairy lights in a clear marquee, they created an atmosphere that was both elegantly black-tie and beautifully relaxed, where guests could truly connect and the couple could savour every moment.
From the champagne tower greeting to their playful reception entrance complete with champagne spray, Ella and Mitch proved that the most memorable celebrations happen when you stay true to who you are as a couple. Sometimes the most perfect wedding day is simply the one that feels most like home.
The meeting.
Mitch and I met six years ago, in the modern way: Instagram. Mitch had messaged me while I was on night shift, so I (Ella) took a few days to reply. It was a simple message, but it began our story.
The one.
Ella – For me, I wouldn’t say there was a defining moment when I’d found the one, but I knew from early on in our relationship that there was an immediate connection, and whenever I was with Mitch there was always a sense of gratitude, calm and ease between us both. From the beginning, it was evident that Mitch and I shared the same desires, values and qualities that we wanted our lives to be defined by.
Mitch – There were many moments in our journey together when I was certain that Ella was the one. One particular moment in our relationship stands out, where Ella’s Nan shared with me a story from her childhood. She told me about how on their days together, Ella would ask to walk through the cemetery they lived by with flowers to place them on the graves of those who didn’t have any, so that they would not be alone. At that moment it further solidified that I wanted to spend the rest of life with someone whose compassionate nature would ensure no one ever felt alone or unloved.
The proposal.
Ella – Our proposal was beautiful and simple – an early morning walk at our favourite spot. Where Mitch and our cherished dog, Charlotte, knelt down, and he asked me to marry him. We then spent the day celebrating with our friends and family, enjoying the moment well into the night!
Mitch knows how much my Nan means to me, a while ago she gifted me her wedding band as it didn’t fit her anymore. Mitch decided to use my Nan’s ring and have it redesigned using a jeweller who made my mum’s engagement ring, holding so much sentimental value.
Mitch – I had tried a few times to ask Ella’s grandfather for his permission to use the ring. We’d get caught up in conversation, and I’d lose my chance. After a few attempts, I figured it was better to seek forgiveness rather than permission.
Planning process.
I (Ella) handled the vast majority of the planning, with Mitch offering the occasional creative suggestions, such as having a ‘beer boy’ coming down the aisle dancing and throwing beer out to our guests.
My significant planning was driven by a desire to create a truly personal and sentimental day that our guests knew reflected us as a couple. I wanted to ensure every detail told our story, for example, a huge part of our relationship has been the love for the beach, to reflect this, we featured an oyster bar during cocktail hour.
Being a private property, to ensure it all ran smoothly, we relied heavily on a meticulous spreadsheet that outlined every finer detail. We secured our preferred vendors early on in the planning, which made the entire process from start to finish surprisingly stress-free. We were very lucky that everyone had availability, and everything else fell into place pretty quickly after that.
Style inspiration.
We chose a family friend’s incredible private property in Tynong, VIC, for our wedding. It’s a special place close to my (Ella’s) heart that meant so much for us to celebrate our love there. I wanted the property to speak for itself, it’s incredibly beautiful on its own, so I chose a simple white colour palette incorporated under the clear marque to highlight all of the property’s features.
From the beginning, we established that our wedding was to be an intimate, personal and relaxed celebration – it was important that food and atmosphere were a priority for our guests. The fairy-lit marquee, positioned to capture the sunset amongst the property, was purposely designed to create a comfortable space for our guests to mingle, eat and enjoy the evening. We made sure to sit at the long tables amongst our guests to share in the celebration with them.
Ella – I had always envisioned a minimal and timeless style for our wedding. We decided to have a black-tie event as we both felt this perfectly embodied our style. To achieve this, I spent A LOT of time on social media gathering different ideas. I particularly found using our vendors’ Instagram profiles. Websites such as the real-life weddings featured on Ivory Tribe were instrumental in bringing my vision to life.
The ceremony.
Having been fortunate to grow up witnessing love all around us in our family and friends, our ceremony was one of the most cherished moments of the day. A chance to truly savour and reflect on the significance of our marriage. Nothing takes away from that moment of exchanging your vows and sharing it with all of your loved ones.
We were so lucky to have such a sentimental and special ceremony – Our celebrant was a dear friend of ours, Josh Schillie. Having Josh as our celebrant was really important to us; we wanted to ensure that we were surrounded by the people we love.
The outfits.
Ella – I found the dress part extremely overwhelming. I didn’t have a specific dress or style in mind, and there were just too many options. But the moment I tried on the Hazel gown from KHYA, I knew it was the one. The gown has now become more than just my wedding dress and now carries a special significance. A month after I purchased the dress, Mitch and I bought a golden retriever puppy, and he suggested the name Hazel for her, completely unaware of my gown’s name. In that moment, it truly felt like it was all meant to be.
Mitch – Andre J Menswear came highly recommended by a mate of mine. He provided a classic tailored suit that ticked all my boxes and made the process extremely easy.
Favourite moments.
It’s so hard to narrow down to one particular moment in our day; it was all honestly perfect. However, two particularly come to mind for each of us.
Ella – After the ceremony, we walked straight into a champagne tower, and everyone was welcome to grab a glass and take a moment to celebrate with us. Mitch’s ninety-two-year-old grandfather came up to us and toasted to us as a couple. It was so special to receive his wishes, love and that he hoped that in sixty years from our wedding day, we would still be as happy and in love as he and Mitch’s grandma still are.
Mitch – Our entrance into the reception was so much fun, it was high energy and really set the energy for the night. We had practised the day before, and it hadn’t worked out as well as we had hoped, so I was a little bit nervous it was going to fail again. To ignite the dance floor and start our party, we entered into the marquee and had a playful champagne spray. Without a doubt, the most electric part of the entire night, our guests loved it.
Meaning of marriage.
Having grown up surrounded by enduring marriages within our families, we’ve learned the importance of support between each other, celebrating each other’s successes, and standing together through challenges.
Wedding soundtrack.
Aisle: Best Friend by ADMT
Signing: You’re My Best Friend by Queen
Exit: Fantasy by Mariah Carey
Reception entry: Our DJ played a remix of Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! by ABBA
First dance: We danced to These Words by Natasha Bedingfield and then welcomed our guests to join us. Once everyone was on the dance floor, we went into a DJ remix of the same song – so much fun, and started the dance floor for the rest of the night.
Planning surprises.
We dreaded the thought of being the centre of attention. However, on that day, we forgot about this apprehension and fully savoured every moment.
Words of wisdom.
Ella – Having a marquee wedding on a private property – weather concerns are inevitable. My biggest advice is to plan for every extreme. Knowing we were prepared for any scenario provided immense peace of mind leading up to the day. We ended up with a gorgeous 30-degree day, and I was so glad we had the fans, umbrellas, and extra water ready for the ceremony.
Mitch – Leading up to the wedding a mate told us to make sure that we took a moment on the day to be together and take everything in. It’s a busy day and goes by quickly, so I suggest taking a small time out together to take it all in.
Love the open-air wedding vibes? Our round-up of some of the best outdoor wedding venues in Victoria in the best place to start your planning (or dreaming!).
ELLA & MITCH’S VENDORS
Much of my inspiration came from social media; we looked at our vendors’ Instagram profiles to see different styles and ideas we could incorporate. Using Ivory Tribe’s real weddings submissions were invaluable for our planning. Being able to see how other private property weddings were styled and functioned was great for us to help see our vision come to life.
Ceremony & reception venue: Private Property – Tynong, VIC
Celebrant: Josh Schillie Marriages. As mentioned above, our ceremony was incredibly meaningful and personal, largely because our dear friend, Josh Schillie, officiated. Having him there was essential to us, as we wanted to be surrounded by the love of our closest friends and family. Josh made us feel at ease and relaxed with not only the lead up to the day but on the day as well.
Photography: Tess Follett. Tess was one of the very first vendors we secured, and we are beyond words grateful that she captured our wedding day. She was able to capture every moment – moments we didn’t get to see or be a part of and important moments that have become some of our favourite memories of the day. You can tell Tess is truly passionate about her photography and takes great pride in her work. The care and warmth she put into our wedding photos captured the most beautiful photos that perfectly tell our story.
Hair: Jamie Kondilis at Joey Scandizzo Salon. Jamie is one of the most talented hairdressers; she is extremely passionate and great at what she does. Her calming presence on the day was invaluable and was exactly what I needed on the day. Jamie went above and beyond to make sure that everyone felt comfortable and happy with the looks she created.
Make-up: Katia Amerena – Katia Make Up Artist. I’m incredibly grateful to Katia for making me and my bridesmaids feel so confident on my wedding day. Her passion, dedication, and professionalism were truly remarkable, especially considering I later found out that she also had a close family member’s funeral later that day. She remained completely focused on us, handling everything with grace.
Florist: Georgie Campbell
The dress & veil: Hazel gown and Carlisle veil by Kyha Studios.
Shoes: Charles and Keith and Politix.
Earrings: Amelie George Bridal
Rings: Engagement ring – Peter McBride Goldsmith Jeweller. Wedding bands – Desma Designs.
Suits & bow ties: Andre J Menswear
Bridesmaids’ dresses: Individually chosen by each bridesmaid to ensure everyone felt comfortable. My bridesmaids wore designs from ZARA and Suboo.
Catering: Essential Catering & Events
Bar: Helens Hill Winery
Entertainment: Alex Bowen Music
Hire: Marquee, Tables, Chairs, Dancefloor, Fairy Lights, Bar – Open Air Events
Wishing Well: Koyal Wholesale
Oyster Bar: Lefkas Seafood
Stationery / Signage: DIY myself – printed at SCS Geelong Printing
Honeymoon: Bali – Nusa Lembongan
