Real Wedding – Jorjia & Kieran, Red Hill VIC
Elegant and modern, fun and stylish, Jorjia and Kieran’s wedding celebrations have it all. Throughout their planning process, they kept true to their plan to create an intimately stunning dinner party with friends and family, looking as amazing as it felt. And boy, did they nail the brief.
Striking black and white decor elevated their already gorgeous venue, Polperro, and created the perfect transition from the dreamy bushland backdrop of the ceremony into the elevated winery-chic reception setting. Classic long-stemmed roses and hydrangea clusters in crisp white soften the monochromatic palette, while inky black accents make for a sleek tablescape.
While Kieran cuts a slick figure in his black tux, Jorjia brings breathtaking drama in her gorgeous Pronovias gown. With uniquely exquisite bodice and sleeve detailing, this is understated chic at its best, complemented to perfection with a wedding party in classic black.
As always, we love the personal touches in amongst the elegance – the cake made as an exact replica of Jorgia’s grandparent’s wedding cake is a truly darling detail, by The Butchers Daughter. Every elegant element is captured in aesthetic harmony by photographer Tess Follett.
Scroll on for every sweet moment.
The meeting.
We met at a grand final/birthday party in 2014. Kieran and I struck up a conversation sitting next to each other amongst mutual friends, and the rest is history!
The ‘one’.
We don’t think there was a specific moment in time. Clearly, we were instantly attracted to one another and had an immediate connection, and within a few short months of dating, we were living together on Kieran’s family’s farm while we began saving for our first home. It’s funny thinking about “the one,” you expect it to be something that hits you loudly, but well, with us anyway, it was when we realised there were no more questions or doubts; we knew whatever was coming, we were doing it together!
The proposal.
Kieran took me and our pup Harvey down to our local beach for fish and chips and to watch the sunset. It was the last day of lockdown in October 2021, and it was safe to say I (Jorjia) had no thought that was going to be the night. It was simple, relaxed and uncomplicated – just perfect!
Planning process.
Funnily enough, in the lead-up and once planning was happening, I (Jorjia) became a little overwhelmed and had to give the bridal blogs and inspiration a break. We knew before we were married that if it were to happen, it would be at Polperro, and it would have to be Tess Follett capturing the day. Much else was working with local suppliers and really just choosing things we like day to day, not just for one day.
Style inspiration.
We really wanted to look classic, not go with any obvious trends. We really wanted to have a dinner party with our family and friends and look great while doing it! Black and white obviously worked right in with that, and the venue speaks for itself; we didn’t need to do much styling.
The ceremony.
Our ceremony was intimate, as was the whole affair. We had our close friend/musician Taylah Carroll serenade the bridal party and me down the aisle. Our pup Harvey was part of the ceremony, walked down by my bridesman and brother. We had our siblings in our wedding party. For Kieran, that was his brother Rhys, and for Jorj, that was her sister Zoe and brother Trent. Our celebrant, Ann Wood, is a client of Jorjia’s with whom she’s created a great bond. And our close friends, who were our mutual friends from the night we met, were our witnesses!
The look.
A mix between classic and modern. Kieran knew a black tux with a bow tie was what he wanted – the sharpest you can look, really. For myself (Jorjia), I thought I wanted a particular style, and as most warned me, what you think you will want will quite often not be what you choose – and they couldn’t have been more right. The consultant I had was incredible; she asked me to put my faith in her as I was struggling to find what felt like me. She brought the gown out, I put it on, and I was instantly comfortable, smiling and strutting around the dressing room. Measurements were taken and sent to Barcelona, and a couple of months before the wedding, we got the alterations started.
Favourite moments.
It goes without saying becoming husband and wife is up there. However, for us, it was sitting back while our musicians were singing, candlelight flickering, incredible food being shared and enjoyed, glasses clinking, our family and friends laughing and roaring with chatter – hand in hand, we looked out and back at each other and recognised silently that was it, that’s what it was all about, and quite likely a moment we won’t experience again.
Meaning of marriage.
To us, it’s the deepest promise you can make to one another. It’s choosing your forever best friend and life partner and acknowledging you vow your life to that person. Through anything life can throw at you, you know that’s the person who will be there going through it with you.
Wedding soundtrack.
Brighter than Sunshine, performed by Taylah Carroll (originally Aqualung), I Love You Baby by Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons and Best Part by Daniel Caesar feat H.E.R
Funny stories or near disasters.
The funniest moment that stands out was Bradley (Jorjia’s dad) busting a groove so hard within minutes of the dancefloor kicking off, that the sole of his dress shoe came clean off. While the sole was passed around the dance floor as friends tried to find the match, it wasn’t long till Dad had his Cinderella moment, followed by getting spanked with it!
Words of wisdom.
Don’t worry about what other people are doing or have done. Don’t worry about other people on the day or trying to accommodate every single person’s specific needs.
Do you. Choose the things you like, choose what makes you happy and remember you will always look back at yourselves on this day with kinder eyes.
There’s no doubt that black and white are this season’s chic colour pick, and for good reason; nothing goes past the elegance, timelessness and sophistication of a monochrome vibe. For more inspiration, check out some of our favourite real weddings in this stylish pallette.
JESS & JOHN’S VENDORS
Ceremony & reception venue: Polperro, Red Hill
Celebrant: Ann Wood
Photography: Tess Follett. Tess captured our day in the most comfortable and beautiful way. We swoon over her work and still are shocked at how well she brought all the feelings through the lens and into the photographs – we are indebted to her for giving us lifelong memories.
Videography: Luca Zarik. Luca did the most outstanding job at capturing our day and night through film; his talent speaks for himself, and all the guests simply adored him – his energy is infectious!
Florist: Belinda Harper. Bele is a florist meets superstar – she just got it; she made the process too simple and easy, and what she created on the day was something from heaven. She is a must-have for any bride!
Hair: Mane Haven. Jorjia’s business, she styled herself and her bridesmaids, and the team at the salon styled the rest of the family and some guests.
Make-up: Holly Davies. Holly is the perfect bridal make-up artist. Having worked with her in the past at weddings, I knew if it was going to be someone, it had to be Holly – calm, kind and exceptionally talented.
The dress: Pronovias from Raffaele Ciuca Bridal
Veil / headwear: Raffaele Ciuca Bridal. Billy at Raffaele Ciuca (Armadale) is hands down the consultant every bride needs; she not only knows exactly what she’s doing and is a wealth of knowledge, she is the ultimate hype woman!
Shoes: Jimmy Choo
Rings: Vahe – bride engagement and wedding band. Eric and his father, Vahe, are jewellers that all others should aspire to – their attention to detail and care is truly what makes them so special. Broken Lock – groom wedding band and signet. Adam Faingold, the talent behind Broken Lock, is one of a kind; his creativity and quality are superlative.
Bridesmaid’s dresses: BHLDN
Suits: Groom – YSG Tailors. The team at YSG and their suits speak for themselves: high quality and excellent customer service. Groomsmen and Bridesman – Studio Italia.
Bow ties / ties: YSG Tailors
Beauty (lashes, brows and tans) Beauty Diverse. Steph from Beauty Diverse is the most comforting, and knowledgeable when it comes to all things beauty and TANNING. As any bride knows, orange is not what you want on your big day. She creates custom formulations in a safe and inclusive studio, I could not recommend her more.
Catering & bar: Polperro
Favours: The Butchers Daughters Cakes
Cake: The Butchers Daughters Cakes. Hannah (the butcher’s daughter) was given a task close to our hearts: a modern recreation of Jorjia’s grandparents’ cakes. Her talent, personal care, and incredible cake-baking skills are unlike anyone else; there is not a single other person we would have entrusted.
Stationery / Signage: Esthetic Bride. Emily from Esthetic Bride is a visionary. She literally took what was in our minds and elevated it. Her level of professionalism and client care is second to none. She simply went above and beyond to give us the most beautiful signage and stationery.
Entertainment: Wilbury and Taylah Carroll (aisle song). Jess and Alex from Wilbury are the most talented and legendary duo ever. Both were blessed with magical voices, and Jess hit the decks, giving us the most epic dancefloor ever!
Honeymoon: To be had – Europe ’24!
