Real Wedding – Erica & Tyson, North Melbourne VIC
Erica and Tyson were after a moody and modern wedding which they beautifully achieved in a North Melbourne warehouse that really did wow.
This pair didn’t muck around when it came to wedding planning, sourcing their valued vendors, trawling the internet for inspiration and then bringing it all to life with their very own ‘Erica and Tyson’ touch.
Wild greenery adorned the space, Erica wowed in a custom two-piece gown and the food and drinks flowed all night. There was certainly a little touch of ‘magic’ about this celebration and It’s Beautiful Here captured all the glory.
In Erica’s words..
The meeting.
Tyson and I both swiped right on Tinder, however, it took us four weeks to actually meet in person, which is quite odd for Tinder as most people’s interests fizzle after only a few days. However, when we did meet it was an instant friendship and connection. The fact that we were both at the footy for our first date went a long way in creating a comfortable and relaxed atmosphere too.
The ‘one’.
When we both realised we were odd and unique people, and that this made us a stronger couple.
The proposal.
Tyson and I were waiting for the ‘YES’ vote to get up and win. This was of extreme importance to us as we were never to marry if universal marriage was not a part of the Australian cultural fabric. Therefore, when love won, Tyson proposed on that very night, in our living room while I wasn’t wearing any pants. Not the most romantic of tales, but it suits us both perfectly.
The process.
We knew that we wanted to be married quickly. If I had had an 18 month engagement, I knew that I would have changed my mind too many times to count. Therefore, it was cabin doors to manual and off we went the day right after the engagement. The first step was to find inspiration, I spent countless hours swiping through Pinterest and Instagram to find the ‘feel’ and ‘look’ that I was going for. From there I began to book the vendors quickly and the whole thing came together in a few months. The last few weeks were spent personalising the final items to give it the true ‘Erica and Tyson’ touch.
Style inspiration.
I wanted it to be a moody and modern wedding. I’ve never seen the appeal in a sit-down formal wedding where your guests are confined to their allocated chairs for long amounts of time. I wanted this to be a cocktail style wedding with good food and endless drinks for all my guests. Tyson and I are huge Harry Potter fans and wanted the space to reflect a sense of ‘magic’. Therefore, we knew wanted the space to be full of wild greenery, which captured the imagination.
The outfits.
The outfit stories are a bit funny but very Tyson and Erica. I knew that I wanted to wear a two piece and something not overly ‘bridal’, white dresses just aren’t for me – I even considered all black at one stage. I found some inspiration on Etsy, but my mother was a bit hesitant to spend so much on an item bought on the internet. Therefore, she had a chat to an old friend and colleague of hers, who was also a dress maker. Thankfully, he agreed to make the dress for us and it was stunning! It didn’t arrive until the night before the wedding though as Mathieu is the true perfectionist when it comes to fashion. For the grooms people’s items, we went from store to store in the Melbourne CBD, but nothing was inspiring or magical. Then, we just found ourselves in Jack London of all places. They had a number of quirky items, which we just fell in love with instantly, and knew we had to have them!
Favourite moment.
My favourite moment would definitely be the speeches. The amount of effort, love and a little bit of magic that was poured into each word made me realise that we were standing in a room with so much love and joy that it was overwhelming. I will never forget this moment.
Meaning of marriage.
Marriage to Tyson and I is just a commitment that we love each other. Nothing has really changed in our day to day lives but when I look at my hand and I see that band, there is a little piece of magical love that I carry around with my forever.
Wedding soundtrack.
We walked down the aisle to ‘Because I Love You’ by Masters Apprentices, signing was ‘Love the One you’re With’ and ‘Teach your Children’ by Steven Stills and Crosby Stills and Nash respectively, we did not have a first dance nor a reception entry song.
Funny stories (or near disasters).
The dress did arrive the night before the wedding, which was a bit hilarious. We knew it would be perfect and would arrive but there is still that moment of ‘dear god what if’ that creeps into your minds. Everything that required time to do i.e make the wedding favour boxes, place stickers on items was ‘well just buy a bottle of champers sweetie darling’, to the point of ‘oh I need to think about the wedding, buy a bottle of champers beforehand’. I have never drunk so many bubbled in my life.
Planning surprises.
Just how many small things need to be considered and how much you rely on others for help, opinions and support during the entire process. The budget had so many lines by the end of it all!
Words of wisdom.
Ask questions of your venue to understand exactly what is included and what is ‘added’. Live in the moment during the day. Thank your family, show your love and let your guests know they are here because you genuinely care about them.
Final words.
Tyson and my wedding would not have been possible without my parents, Gill and Graeme. I shall copy and paste my speech to them here just so you can understand how much we loved and needed them on the day:
And from me personally, I would love to thank my parents. Although we are a small family, my parents and I are a fiercely loving and close-knit family. They’ve loved me since day one. For without them and their help, we would not be standing here as a group today, breaking bread, sipping drinks and making new memories. They’re the foundations of everything I have ever done and achieved in my life. Mum and dad, you had my heart first, and you always will.
Eliza and Sam wowed with their very own warehouse wedding, be sure to check it out!
TYSON AND ERICA’S TRIBE
Ceremony and reception venue: Two Ton Max
Celebrant/Officiant: Lynn Moresi, family friend and mother of the best woman – can we please make this clear that this was not a religious wedding though and was a purely celebrant role, Lynn knew us so well and there was never any other choice apart from her bringing us together
Photography: It’s Beautiful Here – we all know that these two powerhouses of women take some of the best loved up photos in Melbourne, from the initial hello dinner right up to the final goodbye, they made me feel so calm and collected, and they went above and beyond on the day to make sure everything was perfect
Styling: One Big Day Event Hire
Florist: Pomp & Splendour – the ladies who run Pomp & Splendour are wonderful, so kind, so generous and so calming, I couldn’t speak highly enough of them
Hair: Beau Jenkins – Beau is lovely, made the whole getting ready process to much fun, full of light and love, such a beautiful soul
Make Up: Nicole Kene & Hüd – the ladies at Hüd saved my face from a break out a few days before the wedding, they’re also the eyebrow goddesses of Melbourne
The Dress(es): Mathieu Salem Atelier – Mathieu is a former colleague and friend of my mother, we spent many hours bringing this skirt and top together, and my goodness it was perfect
Shoes: Converse
Rings: ANI Jewellers – family friends
Bridesmaid’s dresses: Revelry for the skirt – AS Colour for tops
Groomsmen’s suits: Jack London
Bow ties / ties: Jack London
Catering: Firecracker, Sliders on Tyres, Pizza Wagon – all three of these companies blew my friends and family away, so yummy!
Bar: Two Ton Max
Favors: Miss LadyBird Cakes, Rushmore Coffee (former colleagues) -Rushmore Coffee are a small Melbourne start up that hand press their jars and make everything themselves because how Melbourne is it to give coffee as a party favour?
Cake / Cake topper: Miss LadyBird Cakes – cake was so yum! They do this great tasting box so you can decide on your flavours with confidence, cake was stunning and exactly as I wanted.
Stationery / Signage: Alpha Board Company, Electric Confetti – Alpha Board are a small Queensland company, super friendly and helpful, I accidentally was sent the wrong coloured letters but they were kind enough to just send down some more without any extra charge! Electric Confetti are just rad!
Entertainment: Self made playlist
Transport: Family Friends
Honeymoon: Iceland, Faroe Islands, Scotland, Isle of Man, Northern Ireland, Ireland, Wales, England, Japan to visit Harry Potter sites!