Real Wedding - Gerardine & James, Yarra Valley VIC

September 28, 2024 In Blue, Latest Posts, Most Popular, Real Weddings, Victoria, Winery By Ivory Tribe

Real Wedding – Gerardine & James, Yarra Valley VIC

For Geri and Jimmy, the ultimate aim for their wedding day was to create an experience that made their guests feel not just included, but truly a part of their love story. Drawing inspiration from the weddings they had attended, they combined it with their love of idyllic wineries and abundant Italian cuisine. This blend of inspirations resulted in a dream day that was not just a celebration, but an experiential event for all their guests.

Regarding their style aesthetic, Geri and Jimmy wanted to feature both their personal tastes, so they drew inspiration from the layered textures and shades of the hydrangeas they both love at Jimmy’s mother’s home. The something blue meets contemporary elegance ethos they landed on is fresh, timeless, and perfectly chic.

Geri glows in her stunning gown by Karen Willis Holmes, while Jimmy is the ultimate dapper groom in his suit by YSG Tailors. We love the tonal effect of the bridesmaid gowns and the effortless style flushed across the day, captured as visual poetry by Chloe May, and we think you will, too.

The meeting.

We met in 2018 through Bumble. We were matched for more than six weeks before we met in person. I had just come back from a holiday overseas, and I knew our connection was strong as we spoke every day when I was away.

We met up on Friday, 26 October, and went to the Corner Hotel for some drinks. To say I was nervous to meet Jimmy is an understatement. My anxiety was at an all-time high as I had already grown fond of him through our writing—I would liken the way we spoke to each other to letters more than short texts. Our dialogue was very much raw, honest, and unapologetic before we even met.

We initially had to cross the road to get to the Corner Hotel, and Jimmy so naturally held out his hand and grabbed mine. I felt an instant wave of calm wash over me, and I knew he was special. Our first date lasted more than seven hours and was also the night we had our first kiss. Jimmy and I were walking to the next bar for drinks, and he suddenly spun me around and kissed me, saying, “I was waiting to do that all night.” It was a magical evening and, to this day, still makes us smile.

The one.

Despite the strong chemistry, our love story didn’t begin with ‘love at first sight’. Instead, it was more of a slow burn, one that had to melt through the protective amour we both built around ourselves.

We always felt it strongly deep down, but we didn’t admit it at the time because we both had a strong sense of self-preservation, and we were both single for a few years prior. I think being single for that long made us self-sufficient, proudly independent and, in a way, terrified of falling in love.

Ever since our first date, we felt a strong connection that we both couldn’t deny – it was hard to fathom given the short time frame we knew each other. But the moment we really knew we’d found the one wasn’t until a few months later in Bali. It was our first holiday together, and the tension was building as we both hadn’t said those three words. We were both feeling it without saying it and in a moment of vulnerability, Jimmy said those three words. At that same moment, my walls fell down, and I said it back. That same holiday, Jimmy bought me a silver ring with his birthstone. He said it was a symbol of his love. That gesture blew me away, and from that day, I knew we were playing for keeps.

The proposal.

Bali holds a special place in our hearts. After spending our 2022 Christmas there together, Jimmy organised for us to go back in March, where we stayed in our favourite place, Uluwatu. He mustered up a wonderful plan to pop the question and organised a day out at Sunday’s Beach Club, where we had our very own beach hut overlooking the water – it was the perfect spot to watch the sunset.

But don’t be fooled; this wasn’t exactly the smoothest of proposals. I was very much a hot mess. My face was red and burnt from the sun, my hair frizzled from the humidity, and I was confused as to why Jimmy didn’t want me to play watersports after we had been sunbaking all day. He said he didn’t want me to mess up my hair, which I thought was a bit odd.

Then he suggested a walk along the beach away from our hut and the sunset. Now, I wasn’t exactly happy to walk on the beach in 38-degree weather and so badly wanted to dunk my head in the cold seawater and go snorkelling, but I reluctantly agreed.

So, there we were walking on the beach, both extremely hot, and Jimmy kept fixing his shorts, which I didn’t think too much of at the time but later found out he had the ring box in his pocket the whole time. After half an hour or so, we then started to make our way back to the hut as the sun was setting. Funnily enough, we walked into the wrong hut, so when I turned around to walk back to ours, I could see our waiter was filming me. My mind was going a million miles, and before I knew it, we were back at our hut, and Jimmy was declaring his love and asked me to look down at the beach, where “Will you marry me” was written in red rose petals in the sand. My jaw dropped, and I screamed “yes” before he could even get down on one knee. I then heard a loud roar from below, where we had a crowd of people clapping to congratulate us. Little did I know I was just about the only person at Sunday’s Beach Club who didn’t know I was getting proposed to that day. It was imperfect, raw, and beautiful – it was us.

Planning process.

Scouting for a venue was the biggest hurdle to overcome. We drew inspiration from weddings we had attended and always focused on how we wanted our guests to feel like they were a part of our love story on our big day rather than just witnesses to it. We wanted to wow them, surprise them, feed them until their bellies were so full, and make them feel the love in the room. For us, it wasn’t just about picking a grand venue; it was about choosing a place that allowed us to make it our own and tell our story in a unique way.

Once we picked the venue, we only had 12 months to the big day, so planning started straight away.

I used Trello boards to keep track of all our vendors and kept chipping away at our to-do lists. It was very satisfying moving items into the done bucket but also overwhelming at times to look at the number of things we had to tick off. I was spending a lot of time over the weekends wedding planning and can now see the benefit of having a wedding planner.

My sister-in-law gave us a wedding planning book, which really helped to get the big-ticket items out of the way. Once we knew Zonzo was locked in for the long weekend in March, we knew we had to give our guests ample notice, so we engaged Lucky Note Design to create our Save the Dates. Photos are really important to us, and I had been admiring Chloe’s work for years, so as soon as we locked in the date and venue, we reached out to Chloe to see her availability, and we were lucky she was free to shoot our big day.

Style inspiration.

For inspiration, I loved looking at styled shoots and articles sharing the back story behind suppliers and what to expect. In particular, articles that didn’t shy away from the realness of weddings were really helpful. Whether the article touched on the pressure to listen to others during the planning process, or how to ensure each bridesmaid feels comfortable in their frocks, it was these articles that I found the most useful.

Visual/aesthetic: I wanted to bring a style to life that reflected Jimmy’s taste as much as it did mine, so we discussed what we both wanted to see before I drew up a mood board to get the creative juices flowing.

We tied something timeless with something modern, so our theme was – something blue meets contemporary. We both love the colour blue, and my mother-in-law lives in a house with an abundance of hydrangeas out the front that I always pick and take home when we go to visit. I drew inspiration from the blue hydrangea that has speckles of white, green, and varying shades of blue. Initially, when you look at it, it’s a simple shade of blue, but upon a closer look, you can see all the shapes, elements, and colours that make it so unique. That’s what we wanted for our wedding style. We didn’t set out for it to be bright and bold at first glance but rather a beautiful, fresh, and structural scenery, and when you look at the finer details, you can see the intent and style shine so effortlessly.

I drew inspiration from Pinterest, art, and nature, so the luscious greenery of the winery and blue sky was the perfect backdrop for white, blue, and a touch of green.

Lion dancers: It wouldn’t be us without injecting some colour and an element of surprise, so we surprised our guests and wedding party with a Lion Dance performance under the festoon lights.

My mum and dad had their wedding reception in a Chinese restaurant in the 1980s, and I absolutely loved this idea. Being half Malaysian Chinese is something I have grown more and more proud of as I’ve gotten older, and I knew I wanted to incorporate this in some way. There is so much energy, vibrancy, and playfulness in this culture, and I wanted our guests to experience it. I was suddenly drawn back to the 1990s and being a small child going to Yum Cha on a Sunday with our family. I vividly remember the lion dancers and how they stole the show, playfully teasing guests and being intrigued by their bright colours, cheeky personalities and acrobatic abilities.

Venue: We both love wineries and their picturesque landscapes, with so much open space, greenery, and fresh air. Jimmy loved the idea of an outdoor ceremony to allow our guests to enjoy the naturally beautiful backdrop, so we curated a plan specifically for an outdoor ceremony and canapés/cocktail hour as the sun was setting. Of course, we were banking on the weather gods to deliver, and they did.

Food: Jimmy and I could have been born Italian; that is how much we love the cuisine. Italian food is the epitome of family, and we loved the idea of creating a sense of family for all our loved ones on the night of our wedding. Zonzo have curated a wedding menu that oozes luxury, freshness, and depth of flavour as much as it oozes comfort and warmth. While the canapés delicately tease the taste buds with the likes of oysters and cured meats, when it comes to entrées and mains, it’s the hearty food people crave at big events with an abundance of pizza and roasted potatoes to satisfy even the fussiest of eaters. It was filling, delicious, and perfectly tied in with having a gelato cart for dessert.

The ceremony.

Our outdoor ceremony was very special. Not because it was perfect in every sense but because it was authentic and unfiltered – we kissed straight after our vows, we held hands, and we shared many laughs.

Before we walked down the aisle, my dad asked me to stop and take it all in. We took a deep breath while looking at our beautiful guests, brimming with excitement before we started walking down. It was a sight we’ll both never forget.

We had clear ghost chairs so the scenery could really shine, and we had a structural set-up of flowers at the front and end of the aisle. We also had a live painter, Chloe DuBois, to capture the stunning scenery of the ceremony – it was my surprise wedding gift to Jimmy, and it now hangs on the wall in our bedroom.

We also decided to do a few things differently. We asked my brothers to carry our dogs down the aisle, and it was really special to have them included in our big day. We also gifted our mothers with a rose to show our gratitude for their support over the last few years. Our celebrant, Beck, was so calm throughout the entire process. It was the perfect way to begin the celebrations.

The outfits.

Jimmy had looked at a few suit tailors and finally settled on YSG Tailors. He walked in and instantly felt it was the perfect place to not only find his tuxedo but to spend time with his best mates and enjoy the entire process. There were free-flowing beers and a pool table, and the staff made him feel right at home. He landed on the classic black and white tuxedo and added a personal touch with the lining, embroidery and a patterned black bow tie. Jimmy paired his suit with patent leather shoes and gifted personalised socks to each of his groomsmen, highlighting things that symbolised unique friendships.

I had a very specific idea of what dress I wanted but ended up with something completely different. I visited three dress shops and loved Karen Willis Holmes. The staff were amazing, and you have the freedom to customise a dress and choose your own top and bottom to create your own gown, adding elements that make it unique. I worked with an amazing stylist, Jen. She looked after us so well and really took the time to ensure the dress was perfect for the big day. I ended up going for more of a structural dress with a slight slit in the skirt and worked with Jen to create unique sleeves that complemented the dress. I wore blue Loeffler Randall heels – the bow tied in so perfectly to the theme and matched the blue bows my bridesmaids wore in their hair.

Favourite moments.

The first dance was by far the best moment of the day – we both felt like we were taken back in time to our first date, where everyone in the room drowned out. Initially, we could see watchful eyes, but after dancing for a few seconds, we could only see each other, and Jimmy didn’t take his eyes off me for one second. It’s a very intimate moment that your friends and family don’t normally get to witness, and as much as I was so nervous prior, there was a sense of calm in the room, knowing everyone we cared about was there to share it with us.

Meaning of marriage.

To us, marriage strengthens the love we’ve already built together over the last six years. It’s loving someone unconditionally for all that they are, all that they will be and all that they have been. It’s walking hand in hand with your best friend in this crazy thing we call life.

Wedding soundtrack.

Aisle: Beautiful in White by Shane Filan

Reception entry: Jump (For My Love) by The Pointer Sisters

First dance: Lifetime by Justin Bieber

Funny stories (or near disasters).

I’d be lying if I said everything went according to plan. The nature of wedding planning involves a lot of intention, time, and effort, and sometimes, things do go wrong that are out of our control. Regardless, it was still the best day of our lives, and we wish we could do it all again.

A week out from the wedding, my car was broken into, and the wedding jewellery was stolen along with other possessions. We arranged for the replacements to be sent to the bridal house; however, due to the public holiday, the package was delayed. One of my dear friends came to the rescue and went to the store on the morning of the wedding. He drove all the way to our house in the Yarra Valley just before the first look and then had to rush to his accommodation to get ready. He’s a lifesaver, and we are so grateful that he dropped everything to help us on the day. Thank you, Rhys!

Planning surprises.

Jimmy says the length of time and depth of detail to plan a wedding took him by surprise.

I know we’ve heard this all before, but the best day of your life really is over in a flash – I couldn’t believe how quickly the day passes by. It’s such a whirlwind!

Words of wisdom.

Go into it with the best intentions, but understand that not everything will go according to plan. It’s the nature of big events and weddings, and that’s okay – just remind yourself that as long as you marry your best friend at the end of the day, that’s all that matters.

We love a touch of something blue, whether it be accents of subtle powder hue or a palette anchored in shades of blue – we’ve collated some of our favourite real wedding applications of this colour for your style board, here.

GERI & JIMMY’S VENDORS

Thank you to all our wonderful vendors. From the dedicated team at Zonzo to our talented graphic designer and live painter, we felt very fortunate to work with such kind and dedicated people across the industry. There were so many people working very hard behind the scenes, but it wouldn’t have been the magical day it was without our remarkable photographer, Chloe May, and videographer, Alessandro. Our amazing florist and stylist, Jess from Sassafras Wedding; our celebrant, Beck Mayo; our glam team, Shella and Andrea; the dancers from CMS Lion Dance; and our brilliant singer, Liam Letoa from Unplugged Entertainment. And last but not least, a huge thank you to Emma, our wedding coordinator from Zonzo – her patience and guidance were invaluable, and we are very grateful for the time and dedication she put into our big day to ensure everything ran smoothly.

Ceremony & reception venue: Zonzo

Photographer: Chloe May Studio

Videographer: Momento Films

Celebrant: Beck Mayo

Florist & stylist: Sassafras Wedding

The dress & veil: Karen Willis Holmes

Bridal Shoes: Loeffler Randall

Rings: Oval and Pear

Bridal earrings: Jolie & Deen

Bridesmaid’s dresses: Anthropologie, Zara

Suits & bow ties: YSG Tailors

Entertainment: Unplugged Entertainment, Lion Dance