Real Wedding – Laura & Louis, Yarra Glen VIC
Laura and Louis were drawn to the intimate feel of a winery wedding, and their Zonzo Estate day in the stunning Yarra Valley didn’t disappoint.
Glamorous in every way – from Laura’s sleek slip gown and accompanying accessories, to bridesmaids in beautiful blush pink and the men, suited up in style – this celebration felt authentic, romantic and full of special finishing touches.
Food and entertainment lead the charge in the planning priorities and they walked away with some breathtakingly beautiful moments, all captured by Tribe talent Alex of Motta Weddings.
In Laura’s words…
The meeting.
We met just over five years ago at a mutual friend’s house for Friday night drinks.
The ‘one’.
I knew I had found someone too good to be true when he planned a spontaneous trip with me to Las Vegas and Mexico within weeks of meeting each other.
The proposal.
He took me on a hike to our favorite beach spot in Flinders on the Mornington Peninsula. He got on one knee and proposed by the ocean. He then surprised me with a picnic lunch and a beautiful night’s stay at Lindenderry in Red Hill. The day after he arranged engagement drinks with all our close friends and family. It was the most the most thoughtful, well planned and happiest weekend.
The process.
I had some great advice from my best friends early on – to book all the main things up front so then you can relax. I think we booked our venue and major suppliers within two months of getting engaged, and then we didn’t have to do much else for quite some time. I was glad for the advice, I quickly learnt that if you have people in mind you need to get in early!
Style inspiration.
Rustic glam – we loved the intimate and authentic feel of a winery wedding.
The dress.
I knew I wanted something minimal and classic from the very beginning – my dress was a silk satin slip gown. When I met with Elly Sofocli I knew she was the designer who would make it happen. We clicked right away, she understood the vision and she was so involved down to every last detail – including the styling and accessories.
Favourite moments.
It’s funny, I think my favorite moment was the one I was most nervous about. Walking down the aisle and seeing Louie waiting for me was the most wonderful and heartwarming feeling.
Meaning of marriage.
Marriage means having a forever partner in crime to spend the roller coaster of life with – getting to spend the rest of your days with your best friend by your side no matter what.
Wedding soundtrack.
Aisle: Live acoustic version of How Long Will I love You by Ellie Goulding
First dance : Say you won’t let go by James Arthur
Words of wisdom.
Decide on the things that are most important to you, and don’t compromise on those. For us – food and entertainment were the top of our list, we are so happy with the choices we made.
Last words.
On the day, trust that everyone in your A-team will do what they are there to do, and don’t sweat the details . Be present and enjoy every moment of what will be the happiest day of your life.
Taking inspiration and advice from couples who have walked their own aisle is one of the best planning tools you can arm yourself with. See our latest and greatest real wedding features here.
LAURA & LOUIS’ TRIBE
Ceremony: The Capella at Zonzo Estate, Yarra Glen
Reception: Zonzo Estate – Zonzo exceeded all our expectations; they are a professional team who know how to run a party! The food is exceptional, homely and delicious – and they ensure there is plenty of it! The views and scenery are breathtaking. Thank-you to Sal, our wedding coordinator who ran the day and night, he was amazing.
Celebrant/Officiant: Very Rev. Fr Tony Kerin
Photography: Motta Weddings – Alex is the best!! I cannot recommend him enough! He is a very talented photographer, has an excellent eye and is an all-round great guy. We had so many laughs and so much fun with him on our wedding day.
Videography: Annette & Dani Films – Annette & Dani are an unstoppable duo, we loved sharing our day with them! They are both hilarious and we had so much fun – they fit seamlessly into the day, worked so well with the photographer (they knew Alex well) and we barely realised we were on camera!
Florist: Valley Blooms – Jess from Valley Blooms in fantastic, she is so passionate and hardworking; she put together the most amazing colour palette and selection of florals for the day. I felt like she was so accommodating, making sure we were on the same page with the overall vision of how everything would come together.
Hair: Fiona Verga – Fiona has done all of my best friends bridal hair, she is amazing, chilled and basically part of the family now!
Make-up: Ash Glamour – Ash is a true professional, I cannot recommend her enough. I felt so comfortable every time she did my makeup, I was so happy with her.
The Dress: Elly Sofocli – Elly is such a talented designer. She made me feel comfortable and put me at ease from the moment of meeting her. She has clear vision and knows how to create the most unique and incredible gowns. I had complete trust in her every step of the way.
Shoes: Aquazzura
Earrings: Isabel Marant
Wedding Rings: Top Image Jewellery
Bridesmaid’s dresses: Hexie – The owner and designer, Harmony is a dear friend of mine and the most incredible talent. Her dresses are effortless, sexy and sophisticated. She uses the most premium quality fabrics and has so many different custom colours on offer. The hardest part was choosing one of her designs as we loved so many! She ensured my girls felt confident and beautiful in their dresses. I cannot recommend her enough.
Menswear: MJ Bale – Luke at MJ Bale South Yarra was amazing – he is a professional stylist and meticulous down to every last detail. Louie and the boys loved working with him.
Catering and bar: Zonzo Estate
Gelato Bar: Bianco Latte – The yummiest gelato! The hardest part was the taste testing and only being able to select six flavours! Everyone loved the surprise of the gelato cart – especially for a summertime wedding, it was a real treat for our guests.
Favours: The Royal Children’s Hospital Foundation
Cake: Stylish Cakes Co
Stationery / Signage: 8 Ounces
Entertainment: DJ Eddie Rinaldo – Eddie is a true professional – he knows how to read and work the crowd. He ensured our wedding turned into a big party and was a night to remember.
MC – Dean Cindoni – Dean knows how to work a room! He livens up a party and knows how to keep a night flowing and running to schedule. He brings all the laughs and we had a great night with him.
Acoustic – Maddie Acosta – Maddie is very talented, she has a beautiful voice and sang during our ceremony and also during pre-dinner canapés with her guitarist, Trent. I highly recommend her.
Transport: Ranger Rover via Exotic Limo Australia and bus transfers for guests via McKenzie’s Tourist Services Pty Ltd
Hire: Style Wise Events – wishing well, welcome sign, floral metal stands in chapel – Claire provided all the props for our day, she was so flexible and accommodating and sourced some extra pieces for us that tied together the theme of the day.
Recovery: BBQ at Greenstone Vineyard
Honeymoon: Mini-moon to Byron Bay – we stayed at the Bower Hotel which was wonderful. We have a mid-year Honeymoon planned to Italy and Greece.
