Real Wedding – Jess & Sam, Red Hill VIC
On a sun-drenched day under the bluest of skies, Jess and Sam began their epic celebrations and the start of their next chapter together. Effervescent revelry and boldly elegant styling coalesce in a day underpinned by effortless, sweet romance.
For Jess and Sam, for their day to feel reflective of them was the most important element when planning their wedding. By staying true to this, and trusting their incredible team of vendors, the celebration was exactly this. Every image by superstar Motta Weddings captures personality, ease and infectiously good vibes.
With their wedding party in sleek black fits, the floral palette of vivid vermillion, cool blush and candy pink pop to perfection. Against this striking palette, Jess’ stunningly fresh gown by our friends at d’Italia and Eva Tomala Couture gives elegant chic with beautiful back detailing.
To witness all the glam and all the fun (including a surprise donkey visit!), scroll on.
The meeting.
We locked eyes on the dancefloor at a pub in Richmond in 2013, and the rest is history. We both knew very quickly that we had found someone special. We’ve been together ever since, for 11 years now.
The proposal.
It was a normal day at Jess’s family beach house. Sam had booked lunch at our favourite winery, Polperro and was playing it totally cool. Jess had no idea! Following lunch, we were enjoying a private moment, taking in the view, and Sam knew it was now or never. Overcome by nerves, he didn’t quite make it through the speech he had planned, instead dropping to one knee and simply saying, “Jess, I love you. Will you marry me?” Jess was totally shocked but eventually said YES!
We spent the night celebrating by taking in the sunset at the beach and calling our loved ones. It was perfect and very us.
Planning process.
Everything came together quickly once we locked in our venue. We loved the idea of sharing our favourite place with our favourite people, and everything fell into place from there. We approached wedding planning as a team, making every decision together and leaning on our family and bridal party for support. We focused on finding like-minded suppliers who could help us to relax and be present on the day. We put our trust in them, relying on their guidance and expertise. Reflecting on the day this made a huge difference, things couldn’t have gone more smoothly!
Style inspiration.
Intimate and timeless, but also relaxed and fun! Most importantly, we wanted it to feel like us.
We found that getting caught up unrealistic wedding inspo and the lastest trend is an easy way to break the budget. We tried to avoid this by relying on examples from our suppliers and real wedding blogs like Ivory Tribe.
The ceremony.
Every couple says this, but the ceremony really was the best part of our day. For us, everything else was a blur but this was the moment where time slowed down. The sun came out, our beautiful flower girls were creating havoc, and all of our loved ones were together. Angus & Taylor provided the most unbelievable soundtrack while Jess walked down the aisle with her Dad, and we got to lock eyes for the first time. We exchanged our vows in the same spot where Sam had proposed all those months ago – it was just the best feeling! Our celebrant Megan was incredible. She eased our nerves, provided our loved ones with plenty of tears and laughter, and ensured our ceremony was intimate, sincere and fun. We absolutely loved it.
The outfits.
Once we selected our venue, we knew we wanted a formal dress code. Sam and his groomsmen opted for a classic tux from MJ Bale, and our bridesmaids selected their own black dresses. We knew they would look amazing in black with our bright florals. Jess designed a custom silk gown and veil with D’Italia and Eva Tomala Couture – the design process took 12 months, but it was definitely worth it!
Favourite moments.
Can we say the whole day? The ceremony was definitely the highlight, but there were so many other fun, significant and meaningful moments shared with our loved ones throughout the day. From waking up together and having a moment to ourselves before the madness began, right through to ending the night on the dance floor. We loved it all and wouldn’t change a thing.
Meaning of marriage.
Our marriage is a celebration of our love and the life we have built together, and a commitment that no matter where life takes us from here, we want to share it together.
Wedding soundtrack.
Aisle: I’m with you by Vance Joy
Signing: Mango Tree by Angus & Julia Stone
Recessional: Signed, Sealed, Delivered by Stevie Wonder
Entrance: One Kiss by Calvin Harris & Dua Lipa
First dance: You’re Still The One by Shania Twain
Funny stories or near disasters.
The speeches! They were all unique, meaningful and memorable in their own way, but wow, did they provide some surprises on the night! We asked both of our Mum’s to speak on behalf of our families, which Sam later regretted when his Mum absolutely roasted him, while Jess came out sounding pretty great. It was very funny and nearly as memorable as when the best man donned a donkey costume for his speech – leaving the crowd (and us!) speechless.
Planning surprises.
The decision fatigue. As the bride and groom it’s up to you to make every decision. Remember what’s most important, and don’t sweat the small stuff; your team will take care of everything on the day!
Words of wisdom.
The actual wedding goes so quickly. Make a weekend of it to ensure you have plenty of time with each other, your family and friends. We loved these moments nearly as much as the actual wedding itself.
Follow Jess and Sam’s lead and surround yourself with vendors who will ensure your day is incredible, and you are ultra-supported every step of the way. Find some of the best in the business via our Directory.
JESS & SAM’S VENDORS
The wedding industry is so huge it can be difficult to know where to start. To help narrow our search, we only contacted suppliers who were a personal recommendation or already familiar with our venue. This ended up being one of the best decisions we made! Our suppliers brought the best energy throughout the whole planning process and we can’t recommend them enough.
Ceremony & Reception venue: Polperro Winery. Kim and the team at Polperro thought of absolutely everything, the day couldn’t have gone more smoothly thanks to them.
Celebrant: Marry Me Megan. Megan is just the best. She took the time to get to know us in the lead up to the wedding, and this really showed in our ceremony. She set the tone for our entire night and we can’t thank her enough!
Photography: Alex Motta. The photos speak for themselves! Alex went above and beyond throughout the whole planning process – connecting us with likeminded suppliers, planning a stress-free run sheet, and bringing the best energy on the day.
Videography: Ryan Lee Weddings. We were instantly drawn to Ryan’s unique approach. He is the biggest sweetheart and mingled with our guests all night, our wedding wouldn’t have been the same without him.
Florist: Belinda Harper. Bel specializes in intimate weddings and was so much fun to work with! She worked with our budget without compromising on quality and knew how to compliment our venue and style perfectly.
Entertainment: Angus Legg & Taylor Piggot – Unplugged Entertainment. Our guests were blown away by Angus & Taylor. They are both incredibly talented and were one of the biggest highlights of our day.
The dress: D’Italia and Eva Tomala Couture. Jess absolutely loved creating her custom gown with the most beautiful silk provided by D’Italia, and the amazing Eva bringing her vision to life.
Shoes: Badgley Mishka & Aquila
Rings: Mandi Tanner Fine Jewellery
Hair: Ciaya – Queen’s Domain. Krysten – Prowess Salon.
Beauty: Jess Strazds – Tonic Agency, Skiin Script, Buff Nail Studios.
Suits: MJ Bale
Bridesmaid’s dresses: Their own
Dance lessons: Dance with Taryn. Taryn provided us with private dance lessons, which ended up being a really fun way to spend time together amongst the craziness of the final stages of planning.
Yoga: Sky Holistic Physio. We chose to start our morning with a yoga class, which ended up being one of our favourite moments of the day. Sarah specialises in private classes for special events.
Stationery / signage: State Of Elliott. The Guest Book Collective.
Favors: Floral arrangements accompanied by vintage vases collected by Sam’s Mum
Transport: David Begg
