Real Wedding – Jessica & Jarrod, Merricks North VIC
High-school sweethearts Jessica and Jarrod opted for an intimate celebration on the Mornington Peninsula and it was filled with magic.
The day started with the most beautiful ceremony and Jessica’s father not only walked her down the aisle but also acted as their Celebrant on the day – making the ceremony even more special and personal for everyone in attendance.
It was all about keeping it simple with a modern touch for this perfect pair and they ensured there was amazing food, wine and a relaxed atmosphere.
Ali Bailey took this incredible imagery and we know Jarrod and Jessica will always look back on these moments with nothing but the fondest of memories.
In Jessica’s words…
The meeting.
We met during high school in 2006. After a couple of years and a few attempts at getting me to go along to a footy game with him, Jarrod decided to finally change his strategy and asked me out to a movie instead. We saw ‘What Happens in Vegas’ and the rest is history! Our wedding in 2018 marked our 10-year anniversary!
The ‘one’.
Over the past 10 years, we’ve gone through quite a few ups and downs and he’s stood by my side through it all. I knew he was the one when I realised that I couldn’t imagine my life without him.
The proposal.
A couple of days before my birthday, we had a lunch planned at Jackalope Hotel with my Mum and Stepfather. We had an amazing day but that’s not when he popped the question…Jarrod has since told me that he had the ring in his pocket but couldn’t find a moment alone to go ahead with it! Instead, he got down on one knee (for a split second) the next day when we went for a walk along our local beach straight after a gym workout! It was definitely a surprise!
The planning process.
We had a bigger engagement celebration with our family and friends and decided on an intimate wedding. I started planning about 6 months before the wedding. Jackalope held a special spot for us after the ‘near’ proposal and once we decided on the venue, the rest came together pretty easily!
Style inspiration.
Jackalope really set the style for our wedding and provided the perfect backdrop. Our aim was to keep it simple and modern, with amazing food and wine.
The dress.
Starting the process to find a wedding dress was a bit daunting (and exciting of course). There’s so much expectation in wanting to find the perfect dress and not knowing exactly what will work, but once I found One Day Bridal I knew I was in the right spot. The girls there were so helpful and they made the process easy and fun! Most importantly, having my Mum at every appointment to enjoy the process together and provide honest advice was the best.
Favourite moment.
It’s hard to choose just one moment, I really had the best day! Walking down the aisle with my Dad, seeing Jarrod standing under the arbor and soaking in the moment was definitely a highlight. My Dad also spent the 6 months leading up to our wedding studying to be a marriage celebrant so he could marry us which was a huge ask but made the ceremony so personal and special. A unique part of the day was at the end of the night – we moved to the Flaggerdoot bar in the hotel for cocktails which was a really fun and relaxed way finish an amazing day!
Meaning of marriage.
To me, it means getting to go through life with my best friend and always having each other’s back.
Wedding soundtrack.
Aisle: All of Me – John Legend
Signing the marriage certificate: Better Together – Jack Johnson
Post ceremony: Shotgun – George Ezra
We kept it pretty relaxed and didn’t have a reception entry or first dance.
Funny stories (or near disasters).
During the ceremony Jarrod got a bit tongue tied and said the order of my names wrong (said my middle name first). Everyone had a good laugh!
Planning surprises.
Just how much choice there is!
Words of wisdom.
It’s you and your partners day, so stay true to what you want and do whatever makes you happy!
Intimate weddings sure are a dream, be sure to check out Natalie and Mark’s perfect Italian celebration.
JESSICA AND JARROD’S TRIBE
Ceremony and reception venue: Jackalope Hotel – The wonderful wedding coordinator Jan at Jackalope was amazing and the team went above and beyond to make sure the day ran seamlessly.
Celebrant/Officiant: My dad! (Vito Melbourne Celebrant on Instagram) Who spent the 6 months leading up to our wedding becoming a marriage celebrant.
Photography: Ali Bailey – I couldn’t recommend Ali highly enough, her beautiful photos exceeded all our expectations and she was just so wonderful to work with.
Florist: Georgia Kotschet – Georgia was so professional, helpful and easy to work with and created the most beautiful floral arrangements.
Hair: Caitlin Wilson, The Final Strand – Caitlin did my hair, as well as hair for the Mother of the Bride & Groom. Caitlin was great and took the time to make sure we were 100% happy.
Make Up: My mum! What a superstar doing no only my make-up, but make-up for the entire bridal party.
The Dress: One Day Bridal – Chosen by One Day. I absolutely loved my dress and the girls at the studio were amazing at every stage of the process.
Veil: My lovely boss let me borrow her veil!
Shoes: Jo Mercer
Rings: Paul Epshtein Jeweller
Bridesmaid’s dresses: My beautiful bridesmaids organized their own black dresses to suit their style.
Groomsmen’s suits: Jarrod’s suit was from P Johnson Tailors. The groomsmen used their own navy suits.
Bow ties / ties: Jarrod’s tie was from P Johnson Tailors. The groomsmen’s ties and tie pins were from TM Lewin
Catering: Jackalope Hotel. Delicious!
Bar: Jackalope Hotel.
Favors: miniature Belvedere vodka, The Botanist Gin and Haigh’s chocolate
Cake / Cake topper: Miss Ladybird Cakes. 2 tiers – top was choc mud with passionfruit curd and choc ganache/ bottom was citrus and lemon myrtle with lemon curd buttercream. Yum!
Stationery / Signage: we sent wedding invites using Paperless Post. Guest names were printed on menu’s by Jackalope. Thank you tags from BirchDesignCoStore via Etsy
Entertainment: Music played through the sound system
Décor: the venue and flowers provided the perfect décor
Bridesmaid’s sleep shirts: From Ivory Haus with their initials (and then shortened as they were a little too long – mid calf originally).
Guest book: The Daily Edited
Honeymoon: We just got back from 5 amazing weeks in Europe! London/ Paris/ Bordeaux/ San Sebastian/ Santorini/ Amalfi/ Rome
