Mikaela and Matt’s Yarra Valley soiree unfolded with ease and elegance in a celebration filled with effortless romance.

Assembling a dream team of suppliers around them, these two enjoyed a seamless planning experience and a truly exquisite vision of a day. Against the always breathtaking backdrop of Stones of the Yarra Valley, Cloth and Confetti styled a timelessly graceful aesthetic, with florals by Sassafras Wedding accented in Mikaela’s favourite burnt toffee and copper tones.

Mikaela epitomises modern grace in her full-skirted gown by Mariana Hardwick. We especially love that before saying yes to the dress, she brought her Dad in for a consultation—such a sweet gesture and a stunning look.

With a ceremony by the legendary Shannon Jeans and Unplugged Entertainment keeping the energy at a loved-up high, this is one celebration that looks as incredible as it feels.

Scroll on to see it all through the flawless lens of photographic artist Tess Follett.

The meeting.

Matt and I went to the same school, however Matt was in the year level above me so we never came in contact while at school. In December 2018, two days before Christmas, Matt reached out to me via Facebook and we had some back-and-forth conversations. We were both living in Melbourne at the time and Matt eventually asked me out for a coffee. It was the Australia Day long weekend so we made last minute plans for the following day and went to Melbourne Zoo. We had the best day, laughing at and with each other, I guess you could say the rest is history!

We dated for six months before making it ‘official’ while on holiday in Fiji. I don’t think there was a specific time, it happened naturally the more time we spent together.

In May 2022 on a family holiday in Cairns, Queensland we had some professional family photos planned. Matt proposed during the photos being taken, which meant the proposal and everyone’s reaction was captured. It was such a surprise for everyone, especially me! Matt’s sister Kelly had the ring in her carry-on luggage the whole time!

Having had 18 months between booking our date and the wedding day, we had wonderful vendors who made the planning process so seamless. I did plenty of research online when looking for vendors and we had lots of meetings via Zoom or phone calls before deciding on our final dream team. The first six months of the planning were busy, followed by a quiet period that allowed me to gather inspiration for the final decision-making which started about four months out from the day.

It really pays to book your vendors in early to give you this time. I think it is important that your vendors match your energy and have the same visions for your day. I had so many screenshots on my phone as inspiration from other weddings and shared these, particularly with our stylist and florist who both had fabulous ideas to make our day unique.

The lead-up to the day was busy! In between beauty appointments, picking up hire items and last minute emails, everything went so fast, it was such an exciting build up to the day!

Style inspiration.

As soon as we toured Stones of the Yarra Valley, we instantly fell in love with the property! It felt homely and the views were breathtaking. Not to mention how stunning the Chapel is! I took inspiration from the Tuscan inspired surroundings of Stones. My favourite colour is orange so I knew from the beginning that I wanted earthy colours as my inspiration which included burnt orange and toffee tones. I had white in my florals to keep it fresh and added in a pop of blue in to make it feel summery and tie it all in. Our florist and stylist also provided albums of previous weddings they had styled at Stones which helped putting our vision together.

We wanted our guests to feel relaxed while enjoying the amazing food and beverages options so we had a three-course sit-down style wedding. Matt and I love a dance and so our saxaphone player, Jarrod got the dance floor going, along with our DJ Marcus! We had so much fun!

Inspiration from real weddings was so valuable during the planning process. Reading articles such as those on Ivory Tribe were so helpful in gathering ideas and understanding what to expect throughout the planning process, what to do in the lead-up to the day and what not to forget! It was also reassuring reading real-life experiences of other brides as planning a wedding can be overwhelming and stressful at times. Once our main vendors were booked like photography and videography, I followed their pages on Instagram and noted any tagged suppliers for styling and makeup/hair inspiration. I saw a photo of a minimal bridal bouquets and loved the simplicity of it so opted for a three long steam white rose bouquet and my bridesmaids had the same in toffee.

The ceremony.

Our ceremony was held in the Chapel at Stones and was beautiful! Our celebrant Shannon Jeans made us feel so at ease. Shannon described our love story perfectly and had everyone relaxed and engaged. Our ceremony was exactly how we imagined; light-hearted and fun. My dad walked me down the aisle and this was such a special and surreal moment. Marcus sang a slow, acoustic version of Your Love Keeps Lifting Me Higher, and it was magic. Jess from Sassafras Wedding created the most breathtaking florals, made up of white, blue and toffee coloured flowers paired with floor pillar candles for an elevated romantic touch. I will never forget the overwhelming happiness I felt when the doors opened and I saw Matt.

The outfits.

I don’t wear dresses often and never had a ‘dream dress’ vision. Dress shopping was a little daunting for me but I went into it with an open mind. I tried on all different styles, neck lines, lace and beading, long sleeve – everything! When I attended Mariana Hardwick, I instantly fell in love with their timeless, refined gowns. I attended the first fitting with my mum and tried on a handful of styles. I couldn’t decide which style so I booked another appointment and took my dad. This was such a special moment to share with my dad, one I will cherish forever knowing he helped choose my wedding gown. I decided on the Vivianna gown with a custom collar along the neckline, paired with a pearl veil. I had the best experience at Mariana Hardwick, they knew exactly what I was looking for and guided me through the whole process, from measurements to final pick up.

Matt knew he wanted to wear classic black and white so went for a tailored three piece suit from YSG Tailors. His jacket had a textured floral pattern through it which made him slightly different to the groomsmen who were in plain black suits from Peter Jackson.

Favourite moment.

My favourite moment would be getting our sunset photos with Tess. Tess was an absolute dream, she made us feel so comfortable in front of the camera. This was a moment Matt and I could stop, pause and spend time together and soak in that it was our wedding day. A very close second would be having our groodle, Oscar, there for some special family photos.

Meaning of marriage.

Nothing is off limits; we can can chat about anything and give each other honest advice. Marriage is about being comfortable in each others company, happy to have weekends at home, and also enjoy heading out with family and friends. It means growing old together but staying young at heart!

Wedding soundtrack.

Aisle: Your Love Keeps Listing Me Higher – Sonny Tennant cover (sung acoustically by Marcus)

Reception entry: Sweet Lovin’ – Sigala

First dance: Sure Thing – Miguel (sung acoustically by Marcus)

Funny stories or near disasters.

In the lead-up to the day there had been some nasty storms around the area causing trees to block roads and power outages. We were very lucky that our venue was not affected by any power outages, however I was a little stressed that roads may remain closed and that we would not be able to access the venue. Thankfully everything worked out perfectly and the sun came out on the day!

Planning surprises.

There are so many colours and styling options for weddings depending on your inspiration. I was guided by our stylist Jaz and the team at Cloth and Confetti, and Jess at Sassafras Wedding when it came to our styling. I had no idea there were so many options for menu placement, napkin and cutlery setting, pillar candle heights, bud vase and floral placement on tables. They were so knowledgeable, and I am grateful for their attention to detail on the day.

Our wedding coordinator Tuyen at Stones of the Yarra Valley was also wonderful when it came to the overall running of our day. The whole team on the day were so attentive to all of our guests and made sure our day ran on time and as smoothly as it did.

Words of wisdom.

It really is true when everyone says how fast the day goes, so take in every moment! During the planning process, bounce ideas off each other; whether it be choosing a colour palette or food options, be open and honest. There are so many different varieties and options for weddings so it is important you both have the same vision.

Book your vendors early! We booked almost all of ours 12 months in advance and we are so lucky we did. If you have a particular vendor in mind, get in touch as soon as you have your date set!

Lastly, have fun, it is such a magical day and so special to have all your nearest and dearest in the one room at the same time.

For more Stones of the Yarra Valley inspiration, Amber and Tyler’s elegant wedding is equally fresh, modern and exquisitely stunning. 

MIKAELA & MATT’S VENDORS

Our venue very kindly provided us with a recommended supplier list which was a great starting point to begin finding our vendors. From there I got inspiration from wedding blogs such as Ivory Tribe and Hello May. I also attended a couple of bridal expos in Melbourne and found it really helpful to see and chat with vendors in person. I followed a lot of wedding pages on Instagram and took inspiration from their content from past weddings.

Ceremony & reception venue: Stones of the Yarra Valley

Celebrant: Shannon Jeans 

Photography: Tess Follett

Videography: Charmore Creations

Styling: Cloth and Confetti

Florist: Sassafras Wedding

Hair: Talia Jade Hairstyling

Make-up: Tahlia Liapis Makeup

The dress & veil: Mariana Hardwick

Shoes: Jimmy Choo

Rings: Charles Rose Jewellers

Bridesmaid’s dresses: Shona Joy

Suits: YSG Tailors for Groom, Peter Jackson for Groomsmen

Bow ties / ties: Politix

Catering & bar: Stones of the Yarra Valley

Favours: Cakes by Carter

Cake / Cake topper: Crème de la Cakes

Stationery / Signage: State of Elliott for menus and bar signage. Cloth and Confetti for cloth welcome sign.

Entertainment: Unplugged Entertainment – Marcus Miller Music (Acoustic and DJ) & Jarrod on Sax (Jazzybsax)

Transport: Celebrity Cars

Décor & hire: Cloth and Confetti  and Stones of the Yarra Valley.

Honeymoon: Beach Club Hamilton Island, followed by Elements of Byron Bay.

Other: Deciduous Press for invitations, Northern Fireworks, Dog Chaperone – Little Myah Girl Dog Training.