Real Wedding – Marcelle & Aaron, Melbourne VIC  

With a wedding that looks this good, it’s hard to believe Marcelle and Aaron pulled this dream day together in just three short weeks!

When Marcelle landed an overseas job, they relied on the talent of their team to realise their stunning soiree.

Warm tones of peach, apricot and blush against a crisp white interior, with touches of rattan, made for an overall aesthetic of chic Hamptons summer meets the glam-est of garden parties.

Marcelle wore a divine dream of a gown by Elly Sofocli, adding a uniquely exquisite level of style with a soft over shirt, creating a sweet contemporary twist against beautifully voluminous skirts.

For us, it was the stunning smiles of these two newlyweds that captured our hearts. As Marcelle put it, their love is palpable. There to capture every blissed-out moment was the dream team, Erin and Tara.

The meeting.

We met at a party over six years ago. I had come across Aaron on social media a few weeks prior and thought he was good looking. I had no idea he would be at that party, but it was a nice surprise!

The ‘one’.

Marcelle: Six months into our relationship, Aaron flew to America for his brother’s wedding. Up until that point, I had thought that it was just a casual fling, but once he was gone, I realised I had fallen for him. I can’t say there’s a single moment where I knew he was ‘the one’, but over the past six years, I’ve thought it countless times!

Aaron: One night, early on in our relationship, I was playing indoor soccer and ruptured my ACL in my knee. I was in so much pain, but Marcelle and I had plans that night, and I didn’t want to miss the opportunity to see her. So, I put on a brave face and went on our date – it was worth it!

The proposal.

Aaron proposed on a Sunday morning in our first home that we had proudly bought together six months earlier. He proposed with a beautiful speech and gave me a photo book he had created with all of the wonderful memories we had made together. He had organised our families to come over afterwards for brunch; then, he whisked me away for a romantic night at a winery.

Planning process.

We were initially supposed to be married in December 2020, but obviously, Covid had other plans for us. We postponed to December 2021 to play it safe, so all wedding planning was put on hold. In early 2021 I started interviewing for a job in Tokyo but really thought I wasn’t going to get it. However, at the end of February, I was informed I was successful, and we’d be moving to Tokyo ASAP! Our venue, the Botanica Marquee, was only set up in March and December, and we were concerned that we might not be able to make it home for our December wedding. So, we made the decision to go ahead with our wedding three weeks later!

It was the most manic and crazy three weeks of our lives, but we are so grateful we bit the bullet and did it. Only having three weeks to plan meant that we could focus on the most important parts of the day and not worry about the insignificant details. We wouldn’t change a thing about our day!

Style inspiration. 

We took a lot of inspiration from our personal styles as well as the vendors we worked with. The Botanica Marquee is modern and contemporary, and we wanted its beauty to shine through, so we were quite minimalist with the colour palette and styling. We put a lot of time and thought into choosing our vendors, so we trusted their vision, style and skills in making everything come together.

I really looked for inspiration from real weddings, either on blogs such as Ivory Tribe or on the Instagram pages of wedding stylists, as I wanted to be realistic about what our wedding would be. It can be so easy to get caught up in the extravagant weddings you see on social media, so this helped me focus on what was important.

The ceremony.

It still gives me butterflies to think about our ceremony! We stood giddily together, hand in hand, whispering sweet nothings to each other, officially uniting as one, while surrounded by our nearest and dearest. The setting of the ceremony was breathtaking – the green from the lawn, the lake and gardens behind us, the pops of colour from the most beautiful flowers on the chuppah, and the sun beaming through the clouds just as we were declared husband and wife. It was surreal.

The look. 

I had tried on some off-the-rack dresses and couldn’t find anything that felt right for me. When I met Elly Sofocli, I just knew she would create something magical for me. I hadn’t yet decided on what style dress I wanted, but when we decided on bringing forward our wedding, Elly and I hadn’t even started the process of designing and making my dress. I trusted Elly to create my dream dress, and that’s exactly what she did in only three week’s time! She also convinced me to add the removable sheer top to my dress, I obliged reluctantly, but when I look back, it’s my favourite part of my dress.

For Aaron’s suit, we went to P.Johnson Tailors and of course, they didn’t have time to custom make him anything, but luckily the tuxedo jacket and pant samples they had in store fit him perfectly.

Favourite moments.

It’s so hard to pick a favourite moment. We truly loved every second of the day! What really stands out in my memory, though, is how intensely smitten we were – Aaron looked at me with the most loved up, infatuated look in his eyes all day. Our love truly felt palpable.

Meaning of marriage.

To us, marriage is a partnership. It means supporting and inspiring one another and encouraging each other to be the best versions of ourselves. It means a lifetime of love, friendship, laughs and adventure.

Wedding soundtrack.

Aisle (groom): Beyond by Leon Bridges

Aisle (bride): Make you Feel My Love by Adele

First dance: So Into You by Tamia (Childish Gambino Cover)

Funny stories or near disasters.

After the wedding, our wedding coordinator told us some funny stories that happened on the day – but we wouldn’t have known otherwise! Apparently, early in the day, one of the panels of the marquee came off, and heavy rain poured through.

Also, the entertainment got locked out at the Botanic Gardens gates and had to jump the fence with all of their instruments!

Words of wisdom.

Your wedding day goes by SO quickly. You don’t remember what colour napkins you had or if your flowers were the right type. What you do remember is the love you felt for and from your partner, as well as your nearest and dearest. It’s so easy to get caught up in the details but try to remember what’s important.

Hot tip: a short engagement / less planning time really helps to keep that in perspective.

Dreaming of saying your I-do’s bathed in sweet sunlight, then dancing the night away under the stars? We have curated some stunning examples of outdoor celebrations, from luxe to laid-back and everything in between, all here on the blog.

MARCELLE & AARON’S VENDORS

Ceremony location: Royal Botanic Gardens

Reception venue: The Botanica Marquee, Royal Botanic Gardens

Photography: Erin & Tara

Videography: Moon & Back Co

Florist: Wild Flos

Hair & make-up: Tahlia Jayde

The dress & veil: Elly Sofocli

Shoes: The Attico

Suits: P. Johnson

Catering: Blakes Feast

Stationery / Signage: Paper Paper Co.

Entertainment: Rutherford Entertainment

Décor: Table Art

Hire: Small Things Co.

Coordinator: P2P Events

Furniture: Dann’s Event Hire