Real Wedding – Megan & Stephen, South Melbourne VIC
Megan and Stephen’s wedding was a seamless fusion of timeless yet contemporary choices, punctuated by personal touches that made the day uniquely theirs.
Megan’s showstopping Karen Willis Holmes gown featured a fitted bodice, A-line skirt and statement sleeve. The choice to pair it with a veil previously worn by one of her bridesmaids was as stylish as it was sentimental.
Personality-packed stationery, sincere speeches, and a dancefloor expertly led by the folk at Melbourne Entertainment Company were among the many memorable moments.
See them all, through the lens of Blossom Daisy Creative, below.
The meeting.
We met over seven years ago in Melbourne through a mutual group of friends. We became fast friends with the same sense of humour and enjoyment of a good time. Our friendship quickly developed into more and once we became “official” we were rarely apart. We moved in together after only eight months of dating and travelled Europe in our first year together.
The ‘one’.
For both of us, it was meeting each other’s family and seeing how important family was to both of us. With Megan originally being from New Zealand, meeting Stephen’s family and seeing how much love and warmth was shared amongst the Bongiorno’s made Megan feel at home. Similarly, for Stephen, travelling to New Zealand, seeing where Megan was brought up and spending time with her parents solidified that he knew she was the one.
The proposal.
The weekend of Megan’s 30th, we were celebrating at a winery with a group of Megan’s closest friends who were visiting from New Zealand. Tricked into going outside to pick a bottle of wine by the venue, I (Stephen) was waiting by the car with our dog, Molly, and cat, Moody, as witnesses. I then got down on one knee and asked Megan to marry me. With Megan’s 30th already planned, it doubled as an engagement celebration with nearest and dearest!
Planning process.
Working in Marketing, I (Megan) found the wedding planning process relatively easy and enjoyable, although as the day neared closer, the stress of the smaller details ramped up a little. Picking the venue and going to see different spots was an activity we really enjoyed doing together, as we both wanted the same vibe. Finding and booking the “bigger” things like the venue, the photography and the florist were the easier parts as they chose vendors – where possible – that I had pre-existing relationships with.
Style inspiration.
It was so important for the wedding to feel like us. We wanted the day and styling to be beautiful and timeless, while at the same time ensuring there were personal touches that were unique to us. For example, we wanted to bring our fur babies, Molly and Moody, into the day, who weren’t able to be there but are a huge part of our lives. We also wanted to speak to our heritage and upbringing, Megan’s being a coastal town in New Zealand and Stephen’s Dad’s family being Italian, and our surname being Bongiorno! One way this came to life was through our wedding stationery, which was designed by one of Megan’s best friends and bridesmaids, Tyne, who is the creative genius behind Hey Lola Design. Overall, inspiration via real weddings was the most helpful. It helped us to envision how elements would actually come to life.
The ceremony.
Our ceremony was our favourite part of the day. For Megan, it was so important to have her Dad walk her down the aisle as he has been unwell over the past year and it was an incredibly meaningful moment. We also had both of our nephews as Flower boy and Page Boy walk down the aisle together, which was the perfect bringing together of both our families. We wrote our own vows, which felt like the perfect reflection of us – a bit of humour, happy tears and a lot of love.
The outfits.
For Megan, she went to several bridal boutiques in Melbourne but knew what style she would end up with – which she did. A fitted bodice, puff sleeve and a-line skirt from Karen Willis Holmes. Megan loved many dresses of a similar style, but when she went to KWH, she knew she’d found the one. The dress she chose was the “Emma” gown, which is also her sister and Maid of Honour’s name, which must be meant to be.
Megan’s shoes were a closed toe from Mi Piaci, and veil was “something borrowed” from one of her bridesmaids.
For Stephen, it was much more relaxed. He tossed up a black, navy or even green suit for a while, before deciding on a traditional black tuxedo for the day. He tried on his final outfit a week out from the wedding, and luckily (for him) it looked perfect.
Favourite moments.
Reading our vows to each other during the ceremony and the speeches during the reception. Hearing from our loved ones was so special and everyone encompassed our story and memories so well.
Meaning of marriage.
Marriage to us means that we are becoming our own family unit and we can’t wait to continue building our own little family. It means that we will continue to navigate life as a partnership and a team.
Wedding soundtrack.
Aisle: Yellow by Kina Grannis (Coldplay cover)
Reception entry: You & Me by Flume
First Dance: Never Tear Us Apart by INXS
Words of wisdom.
Everyone says it but the day really does fly by, especially the reception. Because of that, our advice would be to make sure that you plan the day for you, not for anyone else! Add the details and traditions that are important to you and scrap the ones that aren’t.
Read more about the mastery of Karen Willis Homes here.
MEGAN & STEPHEN’S SUPPLIERS:
Ceremony and reception venue: Half Acre
Celebrant: Zac Ansell
Photography: Blossom Daisy Creative
Videography: Parker Creative
Florist: Botanics of Melbourne
Hair: Stephanie Nguyen Artistry and Eloise Hogan
Make-up: Alana James
The dress: Karen Willis Holmes
Shoes: Mi Piaci
Rings: Sarah & Sebastian (engagement ring) and Michael Hill (wedding bands)
Catering: Food & Desire
Stationery / Signage: Hey Lola Design
Entertainment: Melbourne Entertainment Company
