Real Wedding – Jayne & Jacob, Yarra Valley VIC
Turning to the arched beams and industrial touches of their venue for their inspiration resulted in Jayne and Jacob’s gorgeously modern celebration anchored in classic tradition.
From the moment Jayne first appeared at the end of the aisle to the stunning sunset shots by photographer Josie Lee Photography, this is a day full of soft, sweet emotion and charmingly classic style.
When her search for her dream gown left Jayne feeling more overwhelmed than inspired, she turned to bespoke gown creators d’Italia to help realise her vision. The result was a relaxed, confident Jayne, a contemporary princess in voluminous skirts, a thigh-high split and a super chic strapless neckline.
Ensuring the party elevated to epic highs was one of our favourite music collectives, Melbourne Entertainment Co. Nothing beats a live sax at the end of an epic, emotion-filled party!
The meeting.
Jacob and I went to the same high school. We started to become friends in year ten. We definitely had the hots for each other and may have shared a few cheeky kisses at some parties. We were also debutant partners in year 11. When we finished school, we went our separate ways. I went to uni to become a nurse, and Jacob joined the army where he was based in Brisbane. Five years later, we bumped into each other at a bar in Hawthorn while Jacob was down visiting his family, and that’s where it all started to really take off.
The ‘one’.
Jacob was deployed to Afghanistan after only six months of us dating for a seven-month-long deployment. It was one of the hardest things I had emotionally ever been through while he was away, but it made me realise he was the one I wanted to spend the rest of my life with.
The proposal.
It was New Year’s Eve, and we couldn’t decide what we would do that night. We had a few options, but in the end, we said to each other, “let’s spend the last day of 2019 the way we want to go into the future of 2020”. So, we went out for lunch, borrowed my parent’s dog and went for a walk in the hills of Dandenong and Olinda. It was a beautiful warm day. Now Jacob is a bit of a self-proclaimed gym junkie. So, it’s not unusual for him to carry around a protein shaker filled with water or supplements. We were sitting at a beautiful lookout at the top of a mountain, and Jacob got down on one knee and pulled a diamond ring out of his protein shaker, as he was hiding it in there the whole time. He proposed, and I said yes. It was a beautiful moment.
Planning process.
Within a month of being engaged, I started the wedding planning process. I purchased a wedding journal which really helped guide me through what I needed to organise and at what stage. I jumped online and started searching around on social media and Pinterest for wedding inspiration. I created a folder on my phone of screenshots of the images that appealed to me the most. I found most of my suppliers through Instagram and a couple through friends.
I booked most of my suppliers about 11 months before my wedding day. Once I booked the main suppliers, it really took a weight off my shoulders, and I was quite calm in the whole planning process.
Not long after, Covid then hit, which created a bit of stress as to whether our wedding would still go ahead. We were very fortunate to keep the original date of our wedding and did not have to change anything. Our wedding was exactly one week before the Victorian lockdown in Feb 2021. To this day, we are still so thankful and grateful our wedding could go ahead as planned.
Style inspiration.
After searching around on social media, wedding websites and Pinterest, it soon became apparent that I wanted our wedding to portray elegance and classic features in a modern way. So we decided on a black and white colour scheme as we felt this was classic and went so well with our wedding venue.
The ceremony.
Our ceremony was in a beautiful modern chapel located onsite at our wedding venue at Zonzo Estate. The large industrial windows and high ceilings were the perfect backdrop for our ceremony. Our celebrant Simon McCuskey did such a fantastic job telling our story and journey to all our friends and family. It was so special and really showed the dedication we had both put into our relationship to get to where we were today.
The outfit.
Once I had established the look and style I was after, through hours of research, I began wedding dress shopping. It was a bit difficult as we were in the middle of a pandemic, and I had to go and try on dresses mostly on my own. After trying on many dresses, I just wasn’t convinced or sold on any particular one. I knew what I wanted and just couldn’t find what I after, which was within my price range. When trying on dresses, I found I liked one part of the dress but not part of the other. I wanted a classic white dress with no beading or jewels that would be striking enough in its shape and fit to my body. I wanted something classic yet with a modern twist.
After feeling a bit defeated, I then found a place online called D’Italia Couture Wedding Dresses. I had a look at their website and was intrigued by the process. Designing and making my own wedding dress hadn’t really crossed my mind. I booked an appointment for that afternoon just to gain a bit more understanding of the process. After that first appointment, I had designed, chosen my materials and paid for my dress. I left feeling so overwhelmingly confident, happy and content with my wedding dress. I couldn’t believe I had found the one.
The girls at D’Italia were so amazing. I showed them pictures of what inspired me and spoke to them about the different elements I wanted. They sketched out my dress, and then we went through the types of materials I wanted to use.
Once the design and materials were selected, they then have a range of couture dressmakers they work with. They choose the dressmaker that they feel matches your style the most. A lady named Dragana was matched with me. D’Italia made a quick phone call, and she accepted and agreed on my dress. I then was provided with her contact details, and I got in touch with her to begin the dressmaking process. Dragana was so friendly and skilled. She said I could meet up with her as many times as I liked, and we would work on each step until I was happy.
I was actually 18 weeks pregnant on my wedding day with our first child. We were beyond thrilled and excited as we couldn’t wait to start a family. It was no secret before our wedding, and our friends and family were delighted for us. Dragana was amazing as I wanted to hide my baby bump under my dress for the big day. She did such a great job at layering the dress across my stomach and focusing on the smallest part of my waist. You could barely tell there was a little baby hiding under it.
Favourite moments.
It’s so hard to pick just one moment that was my favourite for the day. I think looking back now, what gets me feeling emotional and happy is when I walked down the aisle to my soon-to-be husband. The look we gave each other will forever be in my heart and memory. We had been through so much as a couple to get to where we were today, and I just couldn’t wait to spend the rest of my life with him. I could tell by the look from him he felt the very same way.
Meaning of marriage.
Marriage to me means a partnership and someone who will be by my side for the rest of my life. Someone who will always support me and to share the most precious moments in life with. Someone who makes me be the best person I can be, to be happy and to always have a good laugh. Another important aspect is to have the same morals and outlook. Jacob and I have been lucky enough to be surrounded by parents who show these very traits. They show us how to love and support one another. We hope to do the same with our own marriage.
Wedding soundtrack.
Aisle (bridesmaids): I Love You Baby by Ily (feat. Emillee)
Aisle (bride): Make You Mine by Public (acoustic version)
Signing: Ho Hey by The Lumineers
Recessional: Rip Tide by Vance Joy
Reception entry: Crazy In Love by Beyoncé
First dance: Say You Won’t Let Go by James Arthur
Father-daughter dance: Yellow by Cold Play
Funny stories or near disasters.
As the night was starting to wrap up, it was time for the bouquet toss. Everyone gathered outside and surrounded the ladies who were in the running to catch the bouquet. A few of the ladies started stretching and practising jumping up. It was all in good fun and for a bit of a laugh. As I was reminiscing on my netball days, I threw the bouquet nice and high. My sister managed to catch the bouquet after a few elbows to the fellow ladies. Another girl fell flat on her bottom, while another was running so hard and fast at the bouquet, she was in high heels and couldn’t slow down and came straight for me. I managed to grab her and brace her fall. It really gave everyone a good laugh. No one was harmed in the process.
Planning surprises.
I think the most surprising aspect was that once I booked the majority of my suppliers, the ease and content I felt was surprising. I think it does really pay off to do your research and surround yourself with great quality and professionalism. I felt so reassured by the suppliers I had selected, as they knew exactly what they were doing and made each step of the process so easy. It really took a weight off my shoulders and let me focus on enjoying the day and the process of getting married.
Words of wisdom.
Choose suppliers that match your inspiration and style. Choose good quality professionals who know what they are doing. It will really take away a lot of stress of planning a wedding.
Also, if you are struggling to find the perfect wedding dress, have an open mind to getting it made.
Unsure of how to choose between the millions of musicians, DJ’s and general legends out there in the wedding entertainment world? We’ve pulled together some top tips to help, with help from our friends Mayfair Music. Put on your favourite tunes, and enjoy!
JAYNE & JACOB’S VENDORS
Ceremony & reception venue: Zonzo Estate – Yarra Valley. Zonzo Estate were exceptional. They took away so much stress and made sure everything was sorted on our wedding day. The food was amazing. Our family and friends raved about the amount and quality of food that was served. The location was breathtaking. Surrounded by vineyards and fairy lights, it really set a romantic mood. The Chapel is stunning. It has a rustic yet modern vibe. The staff at Zonzo were so amazing, as planning a wedding during a pandemic was very stressful. They were so helpful in talking about options in case of lockdowns and restriction changes.
Celebrant/Officiant & MC: Simon McCuskey. I don’t even know where to start with Simon. Simon was so amazing throughout the wedding planning process as well as on the day of our wedding. Simon is one of the friendliest, most kind and hardworking people I have ever come across. The lead up to the wedding involved numerous phone calls, emails and meeting up to ensure our wedding day went exactly how we wanted. He gave us so much guidance and direction as we had never planned a wedding before. He was also so helpful during Covid as he helped support us and made sure that he would do everything he could to ensure we have a wedding at some stage. On the day of the wedding, he was so organised. He made sure everything ran so smoothly. So many of our friends and family commented on how friendly he was. We couldn’t recommend him more.
Photography: Josephine Lee. I think it’s safe to say that Josie’s images speak for themselves. Josie is such a beautiful and friendly person. It was such a pleasure for her to be our wedding photographer. As soon as I found Josie and saw the quality of her images, I knew she was the one. After meeting with Josie for the first time, I felt so confident that she was going to capture our special day so beautifully. Jacob and I both agreed we wanted our pictures to be more candid and not so forced. Jacob’s not a huge fan of taking photos, but Josie made it so easy for him to be in front of the camera. She made us feel so comfortable and relaxed and let us really soak up the emotions we were experiencing just being married. We are beyond thrilled with the images she has produced from our wedding day. The quality is exceptional. She is extremely professional and such a delight to work with.
Florist: Sugar Bee Flowers. The team at Sugar Bee Flowers were amazing. I was so happy with the flowers at our wedding, from the bouquets to the ceremony, to the reception. They were stunning. The whole process was so easy, and they really helped guide me on what to do. When I first meet with Youki, the creative director, she was the sweetest person. So bubbly and friendly. She showed me some of her work, and it was breathtaking; she truly is an artist. I described what I wanted, and she worked well within my budget, guiding and giving me advice on each element to ensure my vision would come to life. They did such a fantastic job.
Hair: Kelly – KX Hair Design. I found Kelly on Instagram, and as soon as I saw her work, I booked in for a hair trial. I wanted some soft Hollywood waves, and this seems to be her signature style. Once I had my hair trial, I was so happy I booked her in straight after. She is such a friendly and kind person who is so skilled. I absolutely loved my hair on my wedding day.
Make-up: Laura Di Francesco. Laura was so amazing. I was so happy with my wedding make-up. I had a trial with Laura, and she paid so much attention to what I wanted in my bridal look. Her skills were exceptional, and the quality of her products was outstanding. She took so much time in understanding my skin and complexion. She made sure my skin was prepped really well so that my make-up would last all day and still look flawless by the end of the night. She also listened to my bridesmaids to ensure they felt beautiful and liked their make-up. They all looked stunning. Laura was such a delight to work with
The dress & veil: D’Italia Couture Wedding Dresses Melbourne. As I have mentioned before, I was so unbelievably happy with the process and outcome of my wedding dress. I can’t thank the D’Italia team for helping me to bring my vision to life. The professionalism and quality were exceptional. The whole team are so beautiful and friendly. They pay so much attention to what you want. The knowledge they have helps guide you to ensure your dress will be of the best quality. They also work well within your budget. Thank you to the whole team.
Shoes: Novo Shoes
Bridesmaid’s dresses: Bec + Bridge
Groomsmen’s suits & bow ties : Ferrari Formal Wear
Catering & bar: Zonzo Estate
Favours: Personalised candy with names, from Brand Candy.
Cake: Sally Cakes. Sally did such an amazing job. The price for a three-tier cake in three different flavours was incredible. Each tier was so delicious. So many of our family and friends commented on how tasty it was. The cake looked beautiful.
Stationery / Signage: Blank Space Collective
Entertainment: Melbourne Entertainment Co. The team at Melbourne Entertainment Co were so great. Hayley managed the booking and ensured everything was organised and sorted for the wedding day. Jared was our DJ & Saxophonist. He really knew how to get the party started. He was great.
Transport: Affinity Limousines
