Real Wedding - Jess & Dan, Bendigo VIC

August 7, 2024 In Colourful, Country, Latest Posts, Outdoor, Real Weddings, Victoria By Ivory Tribe

Real Wedding – Jess & Dan, Bendigo VIC

Timeless elegance infused with a pop of dramatic colour was the brief for Jess and Dan’s captivating country celebration. Keeping things relaxing, simple and considered made for a day that allowed the epic emotions to shine through a lens of uplifting style.

From the beginning, Jess and Dan prioritised being super organised and leaning on their incredible team of talented vendors for recommendations and advice. This meant that not only was their celebration stress-free and filled with fun, but they were able to relax and enjoy the moments leading to the big day.

Against the modern rustic backdrop of Ravenswood Homestead, the vivid florals and bold stationery come to life, while Jess’s choice of a chic Kyha gown gives pure contemporary princess – continuing the juxtaposition of classic elegance and on-point perfection.

Captured through the impeccably talented lens’ of Smith + Archer and Zac Lovett Wedding Films, this is a day filled with emotion, style and infectious joy. Scroll on to see it all unfold.

The meeting.

We met at college and Melbourne Uni when we both moved there in 2010.

The one.

We actually became best friends and didn’t date until three years later, but I think we both knew earlier than that that we were drawn to each other.

The proposal.

On the beach in Hawaii on holidays. The beach itself had very special significance to Jess, and there was no one else around, so it was the perfect private moment.

Planning process.

It was pretty simple, to be honest. I know you’re supposed to be stressed but we honestly weren’t at all. We booked the venue and most of the vendors 12-18 months out, so nothing was rushed. Our venue also was great in organising most things and recommending local suppliers and vendors.

Style inspiration.

We wanted elegance with a pop of colour. We’d always wanted a timeless and classic feel, so the black tie felt right. However, I’d seen a friend of a friend’s bouquet, which was quite dramatic and colourful, and I thought that would complement our theme and add some fun!

Inspiration from real weddings was a huge help because you could see what vendors were used and contact them directly for advice. We also asked for recommendations from our suppliers and vendors because we knew they’d done it so many times and know what looks great and what works well.

The ceremony.

The ceremony was special to us because we kept it quite small and without too much fuss. It was simple and not drawn out. The location was also beautiful and relaxing. The rehearsal the day before was also a great help because I knew how it all worked and what to expect.

The look.

I tried on plenty of dresses and very quickly learned what I didn’t like. I did struggle to figure out what I liked. However, I was lucky enough to stumble across the perfect dress on a second-hand website, and it was my size. I knew as soon as I tried it on that it was perfect for what I wanted.

My second party dress was a lovely gift from one of my bridesmaids. She couldn’t attend my hens, so she bought my hen’s dress. It was perfect for my second wedding dress and saved me from buying another one! I loved it so much that I was glad to get two wears out of it!

Favourite moment.

There were so many. Having such a great time with the girls all morning getting ready, laughing, eating and telling funny stories was great. Then, an added bonus was that I got to get married after such a fun morning. I think walking down the aisle after we were married was so surreal, seeing all our friends and family and soaking it all in. Lastly, sneaking away for sunset photos was one of my favourite memories, just getting a short period of the day to ourselves (and our lovely videographer and photographer).

Meaning of marriage.

Becoming a family unit.

Wedding soundtrack.

Aisle: My Universe by Coldplay

Recessional: Accidentally in Love by Counting Crows

Reception entry: You Sexy Thing by Hot Chocolate

First dance: Burn Your Name by Powderfinger

Funny stories (or near disasters).

There were not really any disasters (luckily). We did have issues with our seating chart getting lost and never being delivered, so we panicked and ordered two others in case. The original one finally showed up the morning we left for the wedding, so we ended up with three.

After the day before, crying in Officeworks, with none!

Planning surprises.

Not really – just how much you can lean on your vendors and suppliers if they’re great, and ours all were so I’m very grateful for that.

Words of wisdom.

Make sure you’re doing what you want and not what others expect or demand of you. It’s your day, and it’s only about you. Also, do things super early so you can enjoy the lead up because it’s such a special feeling as it grows closer.

Want to create the ultimate upbeat feels on your wedding day? Your soundtrack choices are crucial. Hear some expert suggestions and advice for choosing your key moment songs from our friends at One More Song DJs, here.