Real Wedding – Matthew & Maddie, Lorne VIC
When choosing their wedding location, Maddie and Matt gravitated towards a place that has so much significance to their relationship – Lorne.
With the venue naturally lending itself to a coastal vibe, their wedding planning and stylist, Dani of Logan Events, created a vision of modern oceanic chic, a harmony of vanilla and creams, cornflower blues and accents of indigo.
Minimalist decor gave the soiree a refined elegance without compromising the relaxed, uplifting feel of the occasion, and the indomitable backdrop of endless ocean feels nothing short of spectacular.
Maddie wore a custom Luci Di Bella, a strapless full-length vision of contemporary sophistication, with a removable overskirt that made for a party-ready stunner later in the evening.
Enjoy every sun-kissed moment of this refreshingly stunning day through the lens of stellar talent, Liz Barnes.
The meeting.
We originally met in New York in 2016. We were both travelling with friends, and we all spent a night out together. We didn’t meet again until two years later when we ran into each other (on another night out), and the rest is history.
The one.
We both knew very early, and things moved pretty quickly for us. Maddie went on a skiing holiday with Matt’s family about two months into the relationship, and from there, we never looked back.
The proposal.
Matt proposed in Lorne, which is one of our favourite places. We both grew up holidaying on the Great Ocean Road, and we lived in Lorne for six months during one of the Covid lockdowns. We were there for a weekend in September 2023, and Matt convinced Maddie to go on an early morning walk and popped the question at sunrise.
Style inspiration.
Given the wedding was in Lorne, we wanted the day to have a coastal vibe and feel very relaxed and welcoming for our guests. We spoke to Dani (our wedding planner and stylist) about how we wanted it to feel, and she really ran with the styling from there. We were also super lucky to get some amazing styling help from Matt’s sister Anna, who did some beautiful coastal illustrations for our invites and menus, and one of Maddie’s best friends (and bridesmaids), Laura, who did the design of our menus, placecards, invites and signage.
We mostly drew inspiration from other real weddings in blogs, magazines and social media posts. We also drew inspiration from the things that we noticed and loved about weddings we had already attended.
The ceremony.
Our ceremony was on top of a hill, with a beautiful view of the ocean. It was so special to be in a place that we love, with all of our best friends and family. We did our own vows, which were both our favourite part of the ceremony. It all felt very natural, and it felt like the perfect setting to marry your best friend.
The outfits.
Matt’s suit was from Oscar Hunt. Matt wanted his suit to be formal but relaxed, and he knew he wanted to wear a black suit with an open-collared shirt. Curtis from Oscar Hunt helped him tailor the perfect suit to fit that brief.
Maddie’s dress was designed and made by Luci Di Bella. Maddie didn’t have a set idea of what she wanted, but worked with Luci and her team to ultimately decide on a design that she loved. The dress ended up being a strapless, full-length gown for the ceremony. The gown had a removable long skirt, which revealed a mini dress underneath for the later part of the reception. It really ended up being two dresses in one, and the mini dress was so much fun on the dance floor!
Favourite moments.
Other than our ceremony (and for Maddie, getting ready with her beautiful bridesmaids and family), our favourite part was when we joined our guests at cocktail hour. It was just so nice to catch up with our nearest and dearest and enjoy all of the happiness of the day. We didn’t expect to love that part so much, but it really was a highlight!
Meaning of marriage.
Marriage to us is a foundation. It is something solid and steady to lean on in challenging times and to celebrate in moments of joy. We hope it will be the anchor of the family we are building together and something we will always return to ground us.
Wedding soundtrack.
Aisle: XO by John Mayer
Recessional: My Happiness by Powderfinger
Reception entry: Dove (I’ll be loving you) by Moony.
Funny stories (or near disasters).
Thankfully no disasters, or if there were, Dani and our bridal party made sure we were none the wiser! Our biggest worry was the weather (like every couple getting married) and we were so lucky to have the most beautiful, clear and sunny day.
Planning surprises.
It shouldn’t have come as a surprise, but we had so much help from friends and family with various aspects of the day, which we were so grateful for, and it really helped ease the load for us both. We also had the best bridal party who were willing to help out with any of the planning or any last-minute requests in the lead up to the day.
Using wonderful vendors, some of whom we personally knew (Dani, our wedding planner and stylist) and Liz Barners (our photographer) or were otherwise recommended to us through friends, was also such a massive help because we knew we were in good hands.
Words of wisdom.
In Matt’s words, great music, great drinks and lots of fairy lights is all you need.
In Maddie’s words, not everything needs to be perfect, because the day itself will be perfect regardless.
Love a touch of blue across a wedding day palette? See some of our favourite ways to style this chic, of-the-now hue.
MATT & MADDIE’S VENDORS
Ceremony & reception venue: The Peak, Lorne
Celebrant: Kate Adkins
Photography: Liz Barnes
Styling, decor and on-the-day coordination: Logan Events
Florist: Torquay Florist
Hair: Tonic Makeup & Hair, Emma Claire Hair
Make-up: Syke Isabella, Madeleine Goldsmith
The dress & veil: Luci Di Bella
Shoes: Amina Muaddi
Rings: Peter Arnold at Arnold Goldsmith & Jewellers
Bridesmaid’s dresses: Shona Joy & Effie Kats
Suits: Oscar Hunt
Catering & bar: The Peak, Lorne
Stationery / Signage: Laura Walters, Anna Caish
Entertainment: Like This Entertainment
Linen: Table Art
Hire: Elderberry Events
Honeymoon: Skiing in Japan
