Real Wedding - Lucy & Nicholas, Ocean Grove VIC

May 17, 2024 In Beach, Green, Real Weddings, Victoria By Ivory Tribe

Real Wedding – Lucy & Nicholas, Ocean Grove VIC

For Lucy and Nick, Ocean Grove Beach has always been a place of magical memories. So, nowhere was more perfect to hold their wedding day celebrations than The Dunes, perfectly positioned overlooking the dreamy expanse of their favourite beach.

And this is a day infused with sweet emotion – from the upbeat, perfectly crafted and delivered ceremony by the legendary Jolley Celebrant to the epic dance floor by party purveyors Ministry of DJs.

Letting the fresh oceanside architecture of the Dunes and coastal surrounds be the focus, Lucy and Nick chose a minimalist palette of soft sage and crisp vanilla to elevate the scenery. Lucy is radiant in her chic sheath by Kyha Studios, taking its cues from 90s design with a contemporary bodice cut, perfect for a timelessly elegant coastal celebration.

For us, the golden hour images by the ultra-talented Love and Other take the wow factor to another level—scroll on to see each perfectly crafted image.

The meeting.

Like many modern love stories, we initially met on Bumble before quickly meeting for dinner and drinks at a bar in St Kilda. Nick was recovering from a broken ankle at the time, so we just sat and talked. Time flew, and we ended up saying goodbye with a goodnight kiss seven hours later.

The ‘one’.

Nick was constantly making me laugh from the start and was so sweet and respectful. But I really knew I was falling for him when I started to meet and spend time with him and his friends. His beautiful circle of friends really highlighted what a kind and generous person he is, and I realised this was someone I could see myself with forever.

The proposal.

We often stay at Nick’s family holiday home near Barwon Heads, and for my birthday, Nick suggested we head to the beach for a picnic. We had a gorgeous spread of Champagne, oysters, lobster rolls and a cheese board and had a lovely afternoon. At the end, Nick gave me my birthday card, which had a Polaroid of us taped to it. When I turned it over, it said ‘Will you marry me’ on the back, and Nick had his grandmother’s ring for me. It was perfect.

Planning process.

We already knew we wanted to get married on the Bellarine Peninsula as it’s a special place for us where we spend a lot of time. The Dunes was right up the top of our list, and after meeting with the team, we knew it was the perfect option for our special day.

From there, Steph and the team were amazing with helping share their recommended suppliers and suggestions for the day. I also work in PR and events, so had some wonderful suppliers in mind from working with them previously, and I also did a lot of research online and looked for inspiration on Instagram. Everything was very easy and seamless throughout the planning and on the day, particularly thanks to Steph and The Dunes for ensuring everything went smoothly.

Style inspiration.

I wanted the wedding to be elegant and classic with a modern touch – this suited the venue perfectly and also my own taste. I love white, so I wanted that to be the main colour theme, with a few elements of sage green to tie into the surroundings.

I loved looking at real weddings for inspiration, whether that was the style of photography or the choices for tablescapes and invitation design. I was pretty clear on what I like, but looking for real life weddings that incorporated that styling helped me to pull together my inspiration boards to share with suppliers. I also relied on wedding blogs for recommendations and reviews of suppliers I was keen to work with.

The ceremnony.

Our ceremony was outside overlooking Ocean Grove Beach – a special location for us as it’s a place we spend a lot of time and have since we were both kids. We were very fortunate to have Nick’s cousin Alex Jolley as our celebrant, which meant the ceremony felt really personalised, as well as his brother providing the music which was so special.

The look.

It didn’t take me long to see my perfect dress on Kyha Studio’s Chosen by Kyha Instagram – it had a classic cut with a high leg split and felt very me. I went to try the dress on and knew immediately it was the one. I did try a few other styles at Kyha, but ultimately, that dress I had seen on Instagram was the one.

Nick went to MJ Bale for his suit and, after trying on a few styles, settled on a classic black tux.

Favourite moments.

There were so many incredible moments! I don’t think I could choose just one, but a few highlights were the gorgeous speeches from our family and friends and the epic dancefloor – our friends and family brought so much energy and didn’t want to stop dancing even when the lights turned on. The other special moment for me was walking down the aisle and seeing Nick at the end – I had picked one of his favourite songs as a surprise, which added to the feeling on the day.

Meaning of marriage.

For me, marriage is about trust, love, support and respect, and working together as a team to be better individuals, a strong and loving couple and eventually great parents. I think a wedding ring can serve as a reminder of our commitment to, and love for, each other.

Wedding soundtrack

Aisle: Your Song by Elton John

Recessional: You’re My Best Friend by Queen

Reception entry: Fantasy by Mariah Carey for our wedding party, Feel So Close by Calvin Harris for Nick and I

First dance song: Can’t Stop Falling In Love cover by Kina Grannis

Funny stories or near disasters.

Incredibly, everything went perfectly on the day and across the whole weekend! We had plenty of time for planning so everything went smoothly throughout the process.

Planning surprises.

I didn’t realise how early you need to book things such as hair and make-up – I hadn’t realised people would be fully booked so far in advance. However, we were lucky to be able to secure all the suppliers we wanted for the day. Also, how many little things there are to consider – but we were really lucky that Steph at The Dunes had lots of suggestions and questions around this, which helped us realise what we might have forgotten.

Words of wisdom.

Start reaching out to your suppliers as early as you can to lock them in; even if you are still figuring out your styling and inspiration, at least you know they are confirmed. Other than that, try and enjoy the process and celebrate as you go to try and make it feel less like a checklist – that was some advice from one of my best friends and it really made the experience more enjoyable.

For a similarly stunning coastal celebration, we love Emily and Thomas’s sophisticated Sorrento wedding, underpinned by a sense of home and a style ethos dominated by refined elegance and effortless glam.

LUCY & NICK’S VENDORS

Ceremony location: ‘Mick’s Steps’ outside The Dunes, Ocean Grove

Reception venue: The Dunes, Ocean Grove

Celebrant: Alex Jolley, The Jolley Celebrant

Photography & videography: Love & Other

Florist: Gardenia Magnifica Florist (Ballarat)

Hair: Tara at Style Bar Barwon Heads

Make-up: Cherie Green Make-up

The dress: Kyha Studios, alterations by Kristen at Dressmaking and Such

Shoes: Billini

Rings: Custom made by Janai

Bridesmaid’s dresses: Billy J Boutique