Real Wedding – Matt & Georgia, Daylesford VIC
Georgia and Matt’s wedding wonderfest is the picture-perfect example of why it can pay off to put your trust in your team and be adaptable when plan a becomes plan c.
With some covid restrictions still in place as their dream date loomed, these two stunning souls chose to shift their celebrations from intimate interior to sun-soaked garden. And what a choice – the result is an incredible coming together of fabulous festivities truly in line with their Tuscan summer styling brief.
Long tables laden with blossoms create cohesion between the gorgeous garden surrounds and sweeping historic architecture. Flowers by Varu work floral fabulousness in shades of sweet summer pastel through arrangements that are both timeless and filled with modern romance.
But for the two blissed-out newlyweds, it was sitting amongst all of their most special people, sharing megawatt smiles, that was truly magical. Every epic moment between was captured with aesthetic artfulness by photographer, Jerome Cole. To be transported to summer celebrations reminiscent of an Italian village fiesta, scroll on!
The meeting.
We met at one of Melbourne’s fine establishments, the Carlton Club, which is described as a ‘textual labyrinth of indoor and outdoor spaces.’ We luckily found one another when Georgia spotted a cute-looking Matt across the room. The next minute, one of Georgia’s friends asked if Matt would like to meet Georgia, and from then on, we were inseparable – forgetting friends and abandoning all our previous plans to spend time with one another. It was electric, to say the least.
The ‘one’.
We both addressed this moment in our wedding speeches but also provided the same answer to our celebrant (unbeknown to us). Matt was living in Sydney at the time, and Georgia was visiting for work. In line with how we met, we abandoned all plans and spent a romantic weekend together in Bondi Beach. Matt then returned to Melbourne, not letting anyone know he was back in town so he could spend 72 hours with Georgia only.
The proposal.
Matt took Georgia on a sweaty hike to the Byron Lighthouse, selecting an isolated spot on the way up, which had an amazing 280-degree view of the sea and cliffside. Noting the spot, Matt asked to take a photo out there and staged a shot where Georgia would then turn back around to Matt on one knee. A few magical words were spoken, and with much elation, Georgia hugged Matt with such excitement that the answer, yes, would come after one of the best hugs was delivered. It was the second happiest moment, other than saying I do.
Style inspiration.
Georgia had one of the best Pinterest boards that took us to Tuscany from photos alone. Mixing a few themes together, we really settled on the idea of having an Italian summer-themed wedding with an overgrown garden vibe. Our celebrations took place over a range of different spots, we had actually planned to have it indoors in the function room, but with everything that was happening over the December Covid rush, we decided to host it outside in the front car park.
Jerome did a great job of capturing the day, and our suppliers took what was organised indoors and made it come to life in one of the most beautiful settings we could have imagined. Hit the Tuscan summer vibe on the head!
The ceremony.
The ceremony overlooked the Convent property and had the entirety of Daylesford as a backdrop. For both of us, it was seeing each other that was the special moment. Georgia entered from around the corner on Wombat Hill, so everyone was seeing her for the first time. It took our breath away, such a wave of emotion and happiness seeing your best friend with a smile that stops everything around you.
The vows we had written for each other had so many little in-jokes and things only we knew about each other.
Being able to walk out to Wombat Hill married was the best moment ever.
The look.
For the boys, it was fairly straightforward. Tuscan summer wedding vibes meant Matt was searching for a casual look and style, which landed with the groomsmen wearing ivory linen suits with no ties and some loafers to keep it relaxed. Matt chose a dark green style.
Georgia went for a structured bodice dress from Karen Willis Holmes, who were wonderful in helping find just the right shape to match the romantic theme for the wedding.
The bridesmaids wore navy silk slip dresses from Shona Joy, with button detailing down the front that matched the button work on the back of Georgia’s dress.
Favourite moments.
We both wanted to have three long tables with the wedding party in the middle, surrounded by friends, so everyone felt they were close to one another. Being able to see everyone and how they were enjoying things was such a great memory, along with being able to soak up the evening.
At one point, while taking it all in, we were commenting on the fact we had made it through Covid, designed a beautiful day with hours of effort (by Georgia) and were able to spend it with everyone who was special to us. Our special stars on the day were Jerome (our photographer), making us feel at home and comfortable throughout the entire event; Seani (singer/DJ), taking care of things and knocking the performance out of the park and the venue attending to all the needs of our guests (those compromised, late to eat and who just needed a little more attention) – legends, every single one of them.
Meaning of marriage.
Doing all the small things together, forever. Coffee walks, random jokes, movies, being each other’s sous chef, travelling and creating more adventures together. It’s no different from when we were together, but we think being married makes our friendship and relationship that much better.
Wedding soundtrack.
Aisle: Better Half of Me by Tom Walker
Reception entry: Be My Lover by La Bouche
First dance: So Into You by Childish Gambino (Seani Marchetti nailed his cover version)
Funny stories or near disasters.
We had a very close call, with the wrong suit being made for Matt a week out from the wedding. So, he had to squeeze into another one that wasn’t the desired fit to make the wedding style work. Matt did some quick thinking and saw another option in the shop while the best man was trying his suit on.
We also somehow managed to forget Georgia’s second dress for the wedding amidst the chaos of getting to the wedding, leaving it back at our accommodation in Daylesford. Some quick action from one of our guests to rush back and pick it up in the middle of the wedding meant no one was the wiser to this little hiccup.
Planning surprises.
How good the venue looked outdoors. We made the last-minute decision to move the wedding outside off the back of Covid rule changes in Victoria (meaning all guests would be required to wear masks indoors, and some vulnerable guests who also had health conditions were further at risk indoors). Matt was convinced it would work, and we totally threw the dice and rolled with the weather; we had no backup if it did decide to rain and backed ourselves (and the venue) to roll out the wedding we had visualised (a week before the wedding). We cannot describe how breathtaking it was, the long tables sitting under a massive oak tree, surrounded by the beautiful garden, with the late afternoon sun dripping through the low-hanging branches and vines from the garden. The tables were lit up in the evening with a mixture of candles and twinkling fairy lights in the trees above. The temperature was in the low 30s, and we had this lovely evening breeze coming through the venue. It just looked magical every half an hour, no matter where you looked. We were also just so happy that we could include everyone who would have struggled indoors.
Words of wisdom.
Visit the venue a few times, get to know the space and plan as much as you can leading into the date. Seems obvious, but it helps you out so much on the day. Also, your photographer is your barometer, so basically, select Jerome! His talent aside, he was a priceless addition to the day and created some of our fondest memories to look back on.
Decide on what vibe you want for the wedding and choose your entertainment, venue and staff to match that.
Our florist, Flowers By Varu, was absolutely amazing. They came in and helped us at the last minute when our previous florist had to cancel. We trusted their expertise as designers to craft a beautiful vision that matched our theme. I think trusting in your suppliers helps to allow them to truly be creative and do their best work. Also, try to relax and just rally around each other; it’s your day.
Last words.
If you’re planning a wedding, you will no doubt encounter problems along the way; that’s a given. Weddings are incredibly stressful, but we were able to think outside of the box to problem solve, which truly made the day even more special as we felt our wedding was really unique and authentic to us as a couple.
Beautiful blooms can absolutely transform your styling situation – but sometimes it can be tricky to know where to start. We have some of the most talented floral artists on our directory, so get browsing, get booking, and breathe in the sweet scents!
MATT & GEORGIA’S VENDORS
Ceremony venue: The High Garden, The Convent, Daylesford. The whole crew were amazing at the Convent; they were so relaxed and wanted to do everything to make our wishes come true. The view from the back of the property at the top garden is breathtaking. Add this as the start view to then move to below to the building is beyond unique.
Reception location: Front car park, The Convent, Daylesford. Important to note, they had never held a reception in the front car park and absolutely nailed the service and attention to everyone on the day. Can highly recommend.
Celebrant: Lucy Gransbury (Civil Marriage Celebrant) & Sasha Hyde (bestie of the couple). Simple. Hire Lucy right now. She is one of the funniest, easy-going professional celebrants in the market. She helped guide our friend throughout the process and supported us whenever we needed it. Seriously!
Photography: Jerome Cole. The barometer himself, Jerome, was an absolute pleasure to work with and be responsible for capturing the memories of the day. He oozes passion for what he does (this is you btw, the couple getting married), is so ultimately relaxed and knows when to dial in the focus to capture magic that you won’t stop looking at as well. His work speaks for itself, and he has a signature style that you should check out!
Styling: Us!
Florist: Flowers by Varu
Hair & make-up: Andrea Takagi
The dresses: Karen Willis Holmes (first dress), Lexi (second dress)
Veil: Karen Willis Holmes, Kela Charms (Hair Pins)
Shoes: Aquila (groom), Manning Cartell (bride)
Rings: Sol’s Diamonds. Sol is no fuss and an absolute professional. We have loved getting mountains of rings from him and will continue to go back to him again. Nailed the brief for both rings!
Bridesmaid’s dresses: Shona Joy
Catering & bar: The Convent, Daylesford. The food and beverages were delicious, and the team looked after all of the expected trimmings and even kept food warm for guests in different situations. They never rushed anyone and delivered service at each interaction.
Cake: Blackbird Cakes (now closed)
Stationery / Signage: Emma Lewis
Entertainment: Sean Marchetti. Seani is a jet, hands down one of the best performers with the best voice. He spent time leading up to the event ensuring setup, song selection, and what was being dreamed up was something he could deliver on. He is super talented and a dream to spend the night with. We had a hiccup with the audio setup on the day (nothing to do with him); he called Matt and sorted it out himself on the spot. It doesn’t get more professional than that. His voice is unique, and he was able to rock the joint with his own covers and turned into one heck of a DJ to close out the night. He is a steal, and I challenge you to find another!
Hire: Swans Lane
Honeymoon: Byron Bay & Noosa
