Real Wedding – Lucy & Connor, Abbotsford VIC
A bride who self-describes as “obsessed with orange”, Lucy leant into her personal style to dream up a vision of soft tangerine, pretty pastels and chic, clean lines, harmonising perfectly with the historic romance of their venue, Abbotsford Convent.
Planning in tandem with her husband-to-be and high school sweetheart, Connor, their celebration was filled with personal touches and nods to their family and friends.
The inclusion of a chic audio guestbook from our friends at Off The Hook meant that every guest message echoes with the excitement and delight of the day, while superstars of the dance floor, Hey Jack, created the soundtrack of the celebration.
Their words of wisdom? Stay true to your personality and style, even when trends online are constantly compelling. Make moments to enjoy your planning (at your favourite wine bar, for example) and book a supportive team of vendors.
For two people who are each other’s best friends and who love to do everything together, their wedding day was forewritten to be a beautifully celebratory, genuinely stunning, and truly unforgettable gathering.
Delight in every darling detail through the indomitable lens of Georgia Verrells, including her nostalgically artful Super 8 video.
The meeting.
We’re high school sweethearts who first met at a friend’s 15th birthday party. We ended up in the corner, ignoring everyone else, completely caught up in conversation about music, family, and our teenage plans for the future. It felt like we’d known each other for years, even though it was the first time we’d met. We’ve been pretty much inseparable since.
The one.
We’ve always been each other’s best friend and the person we want to do everything with – from the little things like grocery runs or Sunday coffee walks, to travelling across the world together. I think you know you’ve found the one when even the most ordinary moments feel like your favourite ones, just because you’re sharing them with each other.
The proposal.
We were in Puglia, Italy, in a small town called Parabita, staying with some of our closest family. Connor surprised me by popping the question on our Airbnb rooftop at sunset, and shortly after, the rest of the group joined us with a magnum bottle of prosecco. We spent the night celebrating on the roof with home-cooked Italian food and music – it was very special.
Planning process.
We tried to spread out the big tasks to reduce stress, although I think there will always be some stressful moments, no matter what. It really helps to work together on the planning, rather than having one person take on most of the tasks. It also makes the process more enjoyable, as you get to share ideas and build it together.
Style inspiration.
The inspiration for our wedding style largely came from our venue, Abbotsford Convent. We were drawn to the idea of a garden party for the ceremony, while also wanting to highlight the beautiful heritage features of the Convent for the reception. We were also very clear on our colour palette from the start – I’ve always been obsessed with orange, so we incorporated pops of it throughout, mixed with soft pastel tones in the bridal party, florals, and stationery.
Real weddings were incredibly helpful for inspiration, as they showed us that beautiful celebrations are achievable for everyday people, not just celebrities and influencers! We started saving inspiration photos on Instagram into different folders early on, which helped us get a clear picture of our style.
Our photographer, Georgia Verrells, was also a huge help when it came to choosing suppliers – she sent us a list of recommendations early on, which led to many of our bookings.
The ceremony.
Our ceremony was deeply personal and tailored to our relationship, not just in the vows we wrote ourselves, but in every little detail. We have our celebrant, Megan Thompson, to thank for that. She took the time to really get to know us and our story, and she did a beautiful job weaving those details into the ceremony while keeping it brief enough to keep everyone captivated.
The outfits.
Lucy: I was so lucky to find my dream dress at a Georgia Young sample sale! It was simple yet had unique details in the way the fabric was folded and manipulated – Georgia has such a beautiful way of crafting material. I also got my veil from her, which featured pearl and fabric detailing throughout. The pearl necklace I wore was a vintage gift from my late grandma to my mum. For the reception, I changed into a second dress by Murlong Crescent, which was the perfect outfit for dancing.
Connor: I had a custom suit made by Brent Wilson. I’d never had anything made to fit me so perfectly, so it felt really special. Lucy joined me at the fittings, and we had so much fun picking out details like the buttons and suit lining together.
Favourite moments.
We loved the whole day, but a few moments stood out – walking into our cocktail hour and seeing so many special people there to celebrate us, having the most fun ever taking photos with our bridal party after the ceremony, and surprising our guests with our wedding dance, which we choreographed to Gwen Stefani’s What You Waiting For?
Meaning of marriage.
Marriage is the continuation of an incredible journey we’ve already begun. It means having a best friend by your side to share life’s big and small moments, knowing you’ll never face anything alone. It’s found in the little things – kind words, thoughtful gestures, and the quiet understanding that no matter what, you have someone who truly listens, supports, and loves you unconditionally.
Wedding soundtrack.
Aisle: Dream a Little Dream of Me – Doris Day, Paul Weston and His Orchestra
Reception entry: More Than A Woman – Bee Gees
First dance: What You Waiting For? – Gwen Stefani
Funny stories (or near disasters).
Mostly smooth sailing, especially on the actual day – we were so relaxed! A couple of days prior, I was quite nervous and ended up sweating more than usual after my spray tan, which left some lines on the back of my arms. I was stressed, but the team at Spray Aus were so kind and fixed everything perfectly the next day.
Planning surprises.
What surprised us the most was the number of administrative tasks involved, especially as the date approached. Be prepared for a lot of unexpected questions – we even found some of them funny, like being asked what fold we wanted for the table napkins. The attention to detail from suppliers is amazing.
Words of wisdom.
Our advice would be to stay true to your own personality and style – don’t get caught up in what’s trending online. Keep in mind that unexpected costs will always pop up as the date approaches, so plan your budget with that in mind. Try to make the planning process fun by organising little dates around it. One of our favourite memories was drawing up our seating chart over a drink at our favourite wine bar, Old Palm Liquor.
Love Lucy and Connor’s striking colour palette? You can search for real wedding inspiration via colour, with our round-ups of this season’s most popular palettes.
LUCY & CONNOR’S VENDORS
Ceremony location: The garden at Abbotsford Convent, through Peter Rowland Group.
Reception venue: Rosina Room and Convent at Abbotsford Convent, through Peter Rowland Group.
Celebrant: Megan Thompson.
Photography: Georgia Verrells.
Videography: Georgia Verrells did a Super 8 film for us.
Florist: North St Botanical.
Hair: Makeup by Ingrid through Tonic Agency.
Make-up: Claire Gourlay through Tonic Agency.
The dresses: First dress & veil was Georgia Young Couture, second dress was Murlong Crescent.
Shoes: Loeffler Randall.
Rings: Krista McCrae through Pieces of Eight.
Bridesmaid’s dresses: Shona Joy, Aje, Bec and Bridge, Leo Lin, Acler and Politix.
Groom’s suit: Brent Wilson. Groomsmen were all hired.
Catering & bar: Peter Rowland Group.
Cake: Mali Bakes.
Stationery / Signage: Danger and Moon.
Entertainment: Hey Jack.
Audio guest book: Off The Hook.
