Real Wedding – Millie & Jye, Bellbrae VIC

For their coast meet bushland celebrations, Mille and Jye set out to create a party, first and foremost. But their day ticked so many more boxes than just this – not only an epically festive night, this was one soiree that was vibrantly chic and effortlessly stunning.

Bridesmaids in various styles of crisp white fits made for a gorgeously neutral palette to layer pops of vivid summer hues. Barbie pink heels add a perfectly on-point touch, while kaleidoscopic concoctions of floral bliss bring impact and interest.

Mille wears a strapless gown by our friends at Kyha Studios, accessorised with sheer sleeve pieces, removable to give dual looks. Her dashing husband-to-be, Jye, looks nothing short of absolutely chuffed as he first catches sight of his bride on a clifftop reveal set up to perfection by photographer Ryal Sormaz.

As the night cools down, the party only heats up, with as many funny stories and memories as you’d expect from such a fun-loving, grounded couple.

Scroll on to see all the celebratory moments unfold.

The meeting.

We met in 2013. I was 17 at the time. We met out in Geelong through mutual friends. We have been together ever since.

The ‘one’.

I don’t think there was ever one moment. Over the past ten years, we have grown up together, and I have loved him more and more the older we get. He has the most beautiful heart; I am very proud to now call him my husband.

The proposal.

This was a funny story, actually. I always said I thought he would propose near home at the beach, and in classic Jye style, wanting to throw me off, he proposed at the top of Mount Buffalo in the Victorian high country. It was extremely beautiful and ended up being quite the surprise!

Planning process.

In all honesty, I wasn’t the best wedding planner. I would have bursts of energy and make quick decisions and book in suppliers, and then I would forget about it for two or three months. I actually booked my cake about one week out, and my shoes arrived the day before, so I really was the last-minute queen. My mum was the biggest support; she would remind me of what I needed to book and helped so much with the organisation and preparation of the wedding. I also had the most beautiful bridesmaids, who helped every step of the way.

Style inspiration. 

I have lived by the beach almost my entire life, so having a coastal element was a must for me. I also loved the idea of having colour in the wedding. Other than that, we wanted it to be a party. Just friends and family eating, drinking and celebrating. Nothing too formal.

I loved looking through Instagram, Pinterest and Real Weddings to understand what I liked and didn’t like. I often found myself going down rabbit holes on Instagram or Pinterest. My mum, sister and friends were really helpful as I was constantly bouncing ideas off them.

The ceremony.

The ceremony was held at Bellbrae Harvest. Bellbrae Harvest is owned by my Dad’s best friends, Ken and Deb. Dad and Ken have been best mates since they were five.

Walking down the aisle with my dad was a very special moment.

We also wrote our own vows. Reading them to each other in front of our family and friends was also incredibly special.

Jye and I did a first look at Point Addis Beach before the ceremony, which I was very grateful for because seeing him beforehand helped calm the nerves.

The look. 

I ended up having two dresses. I found my first wedding dress at Kyha. It was actually the wild card dress chosen by the lady assisting me with my fitting. I really loved the dress and was surprised because it was so different from the heavily beaded style I had initially wanted.

My second dress was Natalie Rolt. I knew I had to have a party dress and was glad I made the decision. The second dress was really beautiful and reminded me of something from the 60s, similar to something Marilyn Monroe would wear.

Favourite moments.

Our first dance as well as our last dance. They were so fun and something I will never forget. My dad’s speech is also another favourite moment of the day. I still get comments to this day about how special Dad’s speech was. I tried my best to hold back tears, but a couple may have snuck through.

Meaning of marriage.

For us, it’s the beginning of our own little family. We will forever have each other to share life with, and that’s so special.

Wedding soundtrack.

Aisle: So This is Love by Sneha, Contejas

First dance: My Happiness by Powderfinger

Last song: Take Me Home, Country Roads by John Denver

Funny stories or near disasters.

There were a couple of funny stories looking back now. The first was the heat. It very rarely gets to 37 degrees down here, but on our wedding day, it was. This made the Kombi trip to photos with no air conditioning very entertaining. We attempted to use hand fans to stop our make-up from sweating off. The weather cooled down later in the afternoon, and it turned out to be an amazing evening for wedding celebrations.

The second was that one of Jye’s groomsmen came down with a stomach bug a few hours before the ceremony. He did an extremely good job of getting through the entire day and evening, somehow even making it through his speech. We laugh about it now as he tells the story of how he was holding back vomit during the ceremony.

Finally, at the end of the night, unbeknownst to me, one of my bridesmaids was searching for her partner as she couldn’t find him anywhere. Everyone left the venue, and she assumed he was at the house we were all heading back to. On arrival, she realised he wasn’t there. She called several times but couldn’t reach him. A little while later, she finally received a call from him – it turned out he had a little too much to drink and ended up going for a nap in someone’s car that was parked at the ceremony. The girls didn’t let me know until he was found because they didn’t want to stress me out on my wedding day. To this day, we are not sure whose car it was.

Planning surprises.

Choosing the right suppliers is everything. I could not be more impressed with our suppliers; they ensured our day ran seamlessly.

The second thing was how fast the day went! It started at 7am and went until late at night, but it felt like it was in fast forward the whole time. Time disappeared!

Words of wisdom.

Try as hard as you can to stick to what you want. At the end of the day, it is your wedding. Be true to what you like and what will make you happy. You will never regret it.

For an equally gorgeous yet alternate take on a colour-filled, laid-back celebration, check out Ruby and Peter’s sweet Tasmania soiree. Soft, rustic romance and pops of summer-filled pastels make for a stunningly dreamy day with all the party feels.

MILLIE & JYE’S VENDORS

The first vendor we booked was the photographer, Ryal, and we ended up working our wedding date around his availability. He came very highly recommended by several friends. Ryal and Bellbrae Harvest owners Ken and Deb then suggested numerous suppliers whom they trusted, and from there, we were able to develop a shortlist.

Ceremony & reception venue: Bellbrae Harvest. This was the most beautiful wedding venue where the bush meets the sea. Ken and Deb did everything for our day and helped it run so smoothly. We will forever be grateful to them for hosting our wedding and for everything they did in the lead-up to and on our wedding day.

Celebrant: Cathy Katos from CK Celebrancy

Photography: Ryal Sormaz. Ryal was an amazing photographer. He made us feel so comfortable all day and was very funny. He was a pleasure to work with, and I would highly recommend him to anyone in need of a photographer.

Florist: Rebecca Dickson, RJ Floral Designs. Located in Geelong, our beautiful friend Bec did the flowers. She was incredible, and we received so many comments on them.

Hair: Blond by Lou (Mr Almeda)

Make-up: Kohl Studios, Maddi Nicholls Makeup

The dresses: Kyha Studios and Natalie Rolt

Rings: Sarah and Sebastian and my grandma’s wedding ring

Bridesmaid’s dresses: Natalie Rolt, Rachel Gilbert, ASOS, Aje, Alamour

Suits: Joe Black, Melbourne

Catering: Perla Tacos, Pete’s Woodfired Pizzas, Timboon Fine Ice Cream, Platter Co. Geelong

Bar: Bellbrae Harvest

Cake: frosted.

Stationery / Signage: Zuu signage

Entertainment: Brothers in Harmony

Transport: My dad’s Kombi van

Honeymoon: Europe