Real Wedding – Harry & Harriet, Newtown VIC
For some couples, the signing of the official paperwork can feel like means to an end – a lovely but legal box to tick before continuing on to the day’s more memorable moments.
But for Harry and Harriet, it was a surreal, joy-filled and welcome pause to soak in the first few minutes of their ‘just married’ bubble.
The fun-loving duo tied the knot on the lush, green banks of the river at Barwon Edge, leaning into the venue’s chic, modern, minimalist style.
Their vision for the day was a black-tie affair with a relaxed atmosphere – a brief perfectly met by the energy experts at The White Tree, who kept the dancefloor full from first note.
In the days leading up to the event, when competing weather reports weren’t giving the pair the reassurance they wanted before their outdoor ceremony, Harriet decided to turn to an old wives’ tale.
There’s no knowing if it was indeed burying a pork sausage in the ground that turned their ’75 per cent chance of rain’ forecast into a dry day, but it sure does make for a great story.
Scroll on for that smile-inducing anecdote, and accompanying gallery by the incomparable Tess Follett, below.
The meeting.
It was at the end of 2019 at Beavs Bar in Geelong. Harry was on a Christmas pub crawl when I, in the spirit of Christmas, decided to shout a round of absinthe shots for friends. Harry found himself to be a lucky recipient of one of the shots, and we both found ourselves a date (and a hangover). The night ended after I dropped a dramatic smoke bomb after ordering a round of espresso martinis, but the romance continued with Harry tracking me down on Instagram.
The ‘one’.
Harry: It was love at first sight for me. I couldn’t believe how fun this whirlwind of a woman had been and how brutally she’d just left me hanging.
Harriet: I knew Harry was the love of my life after our first date. It was just a gut feeling, although I did think he was way out of my league.
The proposal.
We were visiting St Emilion in France. After a wine tasting and lunch, we casually picked up the groceries for a backyard picnic while we drifted back toward the chateau that Harry had secretly booked, which overlooked a beautiful vineyard. Harry proposed over a cold rose and macarons. Whilst neither of us remember the exact words he spoke, we do remember the happy tears and shouting that followed.
Planning process.
It was relaxed. We promised ourselves we wouldn’t become stressed over the wedding, and we somehow managed to keep that promise. We had plenty of date nights throughout the process; each dedicated to organising a different part of the day. We’d drink good wine and eat good food all whilst listening to lovey-dovey songs that eventually became the playlist of the day.
Style inspiration.
We knew long before getting engaged that we wanted a black-tie affair that kept a relaxed and fun atmosphere. Whilst we drew a lot of inspiration from real weddings (thank you Ivory Tribe and Tess Follett), we were also lucky enough to attend a variety of weddings during the lead up to our own, so we were gifted plenty of ideas and tips from the newlyweds in our circle.
The ceremony.
There’s nothing quite like the feeling I had as I walked down the aisle toward Harry – it almost felt like an out-of-body experience. And then standing up front with Harry, for whatever reason, felt like a huge relief. We had a traditional ceremony delivered by our celebrant, Shae, who is a good friend of ours. Shae had let us read her script prior to the day. This gave us the opportunity throughout the ceremony to focus on each other and our surroundings. We loved our secret chit chat up the front before becoming husband and wife, and being able to watch our cheeky nephews running up and down the hill unbeknownst to the rest of the guests.
The outfits.
Harry doesn’t see the point in owning multiple black suits, so he recycled a suit he wore as best man in his mate Josh’s wedding. The suit was from Eddy Elias in Geelong, and his groomsmen all wore the same suit.
For me, I always knew I wanted a fuller skirt. I tried on so many beautiful dresses all around Melbourne and debated flying to Sydney or Brisbane when I hadn’t found ‘the one’. The last store I had booked to try dresses on in Melbourne was Ivory Thread. I walked away from my appointment with Gemma completely in love with two dresses. I spent the next month looking at both dresses 100s of times a day and ended up choosing my dress, which I loved a little more each time I saw it. It was a strapless tulle dress that was altered to have removable off-the-shoulder sleeves so I could dance the night away after the formalities wrapped up. It had a floral over-skirt for the ceremony that I swapped out for an oversized bow later on. I was so lucky to wear Harry’s grandmother’s veil. It was simple but perfect, the exact veil I had envisioned to finish my look.
Favourite moments.
Harry: The signing of our certificate and the speeches. Our celebrant, Shae, had encouraged us to take our time during the signing and just enjoy our moment as a newly married couple.
Harriett: I also found the signing to be one of my favourite moments, but walking down the aisle with Dad towards Harry takes the cake and is a memory I’ll cherish forever. Our golden hour photos (or, in our case, grey hour photos) were also a lovely moment to share privately with each other. We also would have been happy to stay on the dance floor for hours longer. The band was a highlight.
Meaning of marriage.
Marriage tells the world that we have chosen to be in a partnership. Marriage is a celebration of our love and our commitment to stand side by side for as long as we live.
Wedding soundtrack.
Aisle: Into My Arms – Nick Cave
Recessional: All You Need Is Love – The Beatles
The signing: Real Love – Tom Odell and Home – Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros
Entry: Feel So Close – Calvin Harris
First Dance: There Will Be Time – Mumford & Sons and Babaa Maal
Funny stories/near disasters.
We had become obsessed with checking every weather app possible as our ceremony was due to take place outside. The prediction was a 75% chance of rain. The day before our wedding, someone reminded me of a tradition I had learned about on Instagram, where you bury a sausage in the ground at the venue the night before your wedding to ward off rain. So my bridesmaids and I detoured past Barwon Edge the night before the wedding to bury a Mexican pork sausage to ensure we had done everything in our power to bring sunshine on the day. We didn’t see a spot of rain.
Planning surprises.
The tips the vendors provided! We had expected we would book our chosen vendors and then not speak to them until a couple of weeks before the event. This was not the case. We received so many handy tips that made organising our day so much easier.
Words of wisdom.
You cannot control everything that happens in the lead-up to your wedding and on the day, but you can control how you react. Don’t let the stress of altered plans ruin the magical experience.
Discover more about the beauty of Geelong hidden gem Barwon Edge here.
HARRY & HARRIET’S SUPPIERS:
Ceremony & reception venue: Barwon Edge
Celebrant: Shae Tweedale of Loved Shacked by Shae
Photography: Tess Follett
Videography: John Kurt
Florist: Blooms by B Botanicals
Hair: Fran Santa Cruz
Make-up: Andrea Takagi
The dress: – Elbeth Gillis via Ivory Thread
Shoes: Bride – Valentino Garavani /Groom: Bared Footwear
Rings: Engagement ring- Brett’s Jewellers / Wedding bands; Bride- Duffs Jewellers, Groom – James Allen
Bridesmaid’s dresses: Shona Joy
Suits & ties: Eddy Elias
Cake: Clyde Park
Stationery / Signage: Canva, Art In Card, Ok Design
Entertainment: The White Tree
Tambourines: Illustrated by Mel via Etsy
Honeymoon: Mexico
