Real Wedding – Elle & Josh, Melbourne VIC

November 15, 2021 In Black and White, Church, Classic, Luxe, Real Weddings, Victoria By Ivory Tribe

Real Wedding – Elle & Josh, Melbourne VIC

It was all about Great Gatsby glamour when Elle and Josh wed in magnificent Melbourne with their nearest and dearest present.

Deciding to ditch the stress, they enlisted the exceptional talents of events designers and planners, The Style Co, to take care of the nitty gritty so they could just enjoy the planning process, and the couple couldn’t have been happier with the romantic results.

Their ceremony took place at St Paul’s Cathedral and the atmosphere was sparked immediately when Elle made her way down the aisle in her dreamy custom made Alin Le’kal gown, to a chorus of gospel singers who ignited goosebumps in everyone present. We adored the wedding party, all dressed in black, who complemented every aspect of their styling and fabulous florals.

Confetti cannons and an outfit change by Elle signified that the party had well and truly started as they hit the dance floor and celebrated into the night, with the backdrop of Melbourne’s stunning skyline. Captured by our friend Motta Weddings, scroll on for an elegant affair that Elle and Josh will always remember.

The meeting.

We met seven years ago at work. We were both working in the construction industry, and things sort of just fell into place. Not long after we met, we both ended up bumping into each other on New Year’s Eve of that year – we shared our New Year’s Eve kiss! From there, things progressed, and seven years later, we were getting married!

The ‘one’.

For Elle, it would have had to have been the night we spent together on New Year’s Eve. Josh was a little more reserved at the start, but it wasn’t long after New Year’s Eve that we had our first date, where I made a home-cooked meal – and Josh said that was when he knew!

The proposal.

We were road tripping in Byron Bay for over a week, and on our way home, we had stopped over in Bondi, Sydney. We spent the night there, and the next day we got up early to head back to Melbourne. Little did Elle know; Josh had another holiday planned. We ended up at the airport, where we got onto a helicopter and proceeded around Sydney Harbour. Josh, at this point, said to Elle that we were spending a few extra nights somewhere. It wasn’t unusual for Josh to do something adventurous, as he definitely loves to plan exciting things! We ended up at the One & Only Resort at Wolgen Valley, in the Blue Mountains. It was incredible. Josh had organized a private horse ride (Elle’s favourite thing to do) at sunset, where he proposed on the top of a hill, with a picnic basket setup and no one else around. It was picture perfect!

Planning process.

We had The Style Co who not only assisted us with the design but also did all the planning with suppliers and ourselves. We started off with a concept board and worked through a design with the design team at The Style Co. They literally brought our personalities to life. The planning side of things was absolutely amazing. They liaised with all suppliers and managed them all on the day. The day was literally perfect, and that was all because of the Style Co. They were just phenomenal. It was so stress-free and enabled us to really enjoy our wedding day. Even though we couldn’t really get excited for the wedding day due to Covid, they just made the process so easy and really made us just focus on the importance of our wedding day, rather than the added stresses, which were irrelevant in the scheme of things.

Style inspiration.

Great Gatsby vibes. We wanted something different and unique. We didn’t want our guests to walk in and think, oh, this is a nice wedding setup. Everything was different, from the way we laid out flowers on the table, to the elements of décor pieces, to the entertainment and confetti canons.

We used articles or supplier lists with links to their website/social media platforms for inspiration. It was also really helpful to see blogs with other wedding photos and to get an understanding of what the couple’s inspiration was for their wedding day.

The ceremony.

We had our ceremony at St. Pauls Cathedral. We had a gospel choir sing, with two vocalists and a pianist starting off whilst the bridesmaids and Elle walked down the aisle, and the rest of the choir were sitting amongst the guests. Once we became husband and wife, the choir randomly popped up throughout the church to start singing. Everyone looked around and was trying to work out what was going on and where the music was coming from. It was a surprise for everyone – even our parents! That was such an incredible moment as we could see all the guests.

The look.

Both of our outfits were custom made.

Elle: My wedding dress was custom made by Alin Le’kal. I had a vision of what I wanted when I visited him for the first time, and he sketched my idea, which we then based the dress off. From there, we chose the fabric; the dress then got beaded overseas and then made its way back here to be finished off. I wanted something special but unique.

My second dress was also custom-designed by Alin. I wanted something fun and different to the wedding dress. It was covered in jewels, it was super heavy, but it was amazing!

Josh: I got my tux from Oscar Hunt. I came in with a vision of what I was after, and together with their team, we chose the fabric for the jacket as well as the pants and shirt. We then focused on the details to really create something special

Favourite moments.

We both loved the reception when the entertainment was playing!

Meaning of marriage.

Respect, support, loyalty, appreciation and unconditional love.

Wedding soundtrack.

Aisle: If I Ain’t Got You by Alicia Keys

Reception entry: Live acoustic music by Andrew Loadsman

First dance: Bonfire Heart by James Blunt

Dad and daughter dance: Because You Loved Me by Celine Dion

Funny stories or near disasters.

Other than the unknown of whether the wedding would happen due to Covid (not that funny!), there wasn’t really anything else to worry about; we didn’t get the chance because the Style Co were all over it!

Planning surprises.

Literally the whole thing. If it wasn’t for the Style Co, we literally don’t think we could have done it. It wouldn’t have been what we imagined. It really helps to have someone who can manage the process, especially when you are both working full time.

Words of wisdom.

Stay persistent, even during these tough times, because it is so worth it. You will regret it if you cancel! Just stay strong and remember it’s a time to celebrate your love for one another.

We love a wedding party, and the various looks that complement a couple’s dream day, head here for the latest and greatest bridesmaid looks we’ve loved seeing.

ELLE & JOSH’S VENDORS

Ceremony venue: St Paul’s Cathedral

Reception venue: Metropolis Events

Officiant: Chris Carolane from St Pauls Cathedral

Photography: Alex Motta from Motta Weddings

Videography: Humdrum Films

Styling, planning & florist: The Style Co

Hair: Polished Style by Justine

Make-up: Makeup by Dani

The dresses & veil: Alin Le’kal

Shoes: Gianvitto Rossi

Rings: Ian Sharp Jewellery