Real Wedding – Oscar & Sarah, Red Hill VIC
Against a dreamy oasis of creamy vanilla styling, lushly manicured gardens and a beautifully dramatic sky, Oscar and Sarah’s wedding day unfolded with classic grace and all the feels.
Oscar and Sarah’s vision of timeless elegance with a modern sensibility was realised by The Small Things Co. Adding a foundation of deep warm hues to the white-on-white palette brought a touch of sophistication, while chic vase and decor detailing elevated the effect to be perfectly on-point. And, of course, there were so many pops of personality, nods to Oscar’s triathlete skills, and Sarah’s treasured Sri Lankan heritage.
Sarah’s Hera Couture gown was the cohesive centrepiece to the overall aesthetic, with dramatic statement sleeves and a sleek strapless neckline found through our friends at Bluebell Bridal. And with a backdrop as stunning as Lancemore Lindenderry Red Hill, photographer Fern and Stone worked aesthetic magic, capturing the emotion and excitement between Sarah and Oscar with true artistry.
Against the gorgeous soundtrack to the celebration provided by the legends at Hey Jack, the party kicked on well into the night. Join us in getting lost in this epic celebration.
The meeting.
We met the old-fashioned way through mutual friends at a birthday party at the Prahran Hotel. We met in 2019, right before the pandemic hit. I was ready to pack up and leave for the UK and wasn’t expecting to meet the love of my life.
The one.
Covid times meant we were living in each other’s pockets. We grew dependent on each other and quickly became home to each other.
The proposal.
We became engaged whilst on a trip to Abu Dhabi, where Oscar competed in a triathlon world championship age group race. After the race, we spent our final few nights overlooking the Persian Gulf at Saadiyat Beach. We enjoyed a day swimming in the warm salty sea, soaking up the sun poolside and watching the sunset over the water from our room. Oscar room serviced some champagne, popped the bottle – and also the question.
Planning process.
Planning was made seamless with the help from Sarah from The Small Things Co. Both Oscar and I have highly demanding jobs, and we would not have been able to pull off a day like this unless we had some help. Sarah sourced all the vendors and communicated with them. She understood the vision from the start, and you can tell that it’s not just a job for her but her passion. The way she made it all come to life was incredible.
We just wanted to make it personal to us; that was really important. We ended up having a bike as a feature wall for the Polaroids. The bike had a neon sign that said: “Her Knight in Shining Lycra” (Oscar is an avid triathlete). We also had a few traditional Sri Lankan elements. We had boxed “love cake” (a Sri Lankan cake) made by my mum and aunties and gifted as our favours. I also made an appearance in a Saree.
There really was no stress apart from the looming chance of rain (which Sarah was all over) and learning the first dance a day before the wedding.
Style inspiration.
I wanted a classic but modern wedding. I like textures and shades, nothing too bright or colourful and lots of white. With input from Graham (Tweed Twigs) and Sarah, more pops of colour were included to add more personality and make everything pop.
The ceremony.
It was a beautiful ceremony and became very significant because it rained! We were determined to have the ceremony outside because of the beautiful winery scenes. Oscar, myself and the celebrant were huddled so close under the umbrella, it was beautiful and intimate, and it felt like we were the only people there. Not to mention the amazing photos with all the umbrellas!
The outfits.
The dress: I knew from the very start that I wanted puffy sleeves. When I tried on the Hera couture dress, the material and how it fell was like nothing else I had tried on. With the train, the sheen, and the sleeves, I knew it was the one.
The saree: It’s common in Sri Lankan culture that the Bride changes into a saree at some point. A saree is just six meters of material draped, pinned and wrapped to get the elegant result. I was dressed by my mum and my Aunty Jeya. Aunty Jeya organised my saree. It was gold organza material, had all the jewels, and she is to be credited for how it all turned out.
The white mini: I knew I would want to dance, so I chose a white mini with a bow train at the back – this went perfectly with my sneakers at the end of the night.
Favourite moment.
Oscar and I wrote letters to all our guests. We wanted to show our gratitude for them being there and express the impact that they have on our lives. We knew we wouldn’t have the time to talk to everyone and thought it was a nice way to be in touch with every one of our guests on the day. The letters were hidden under the napkins on the tables. So, my favourite part was watching everyone find them and read them.
Meaning of marriage.
Marriage, to me, means the start of a new life together. Sharing our lives and building our dreams, for better or for worse. It reinforces the love that you have and gives you words to live by (our vows).
Wedding soundtrack.
Aisle: Sung by the beautiful Elise on acoustic guitar – Say Yes to Heaven by Lana Del Rey
Reception entry: Levitating by Dua Lipa
First dance: I Found You by Fred Again
Funny stories (or near disasters).
This is a little bit of a near disaster but also kind of funny. My dress was purchased, arrived, and was ready for me to try on about a month and a half before the wedding. These things can happen, but I had put on some weight and didn’t fit into the size that was ordered. Luckily, I was in the most skilled hands at Bluebell Bridal – Mark and Emily – whose mantra is “The dress has to fit you and not the other way around.” They were amazing and made me feel so good in the situation. They worked their magic, and the dress absolutely stole the show on the big day.
Planning surprises.
Just the sheer volume of decision making and work that goes into it – and we had a wedding planner!
Words of wisdom.
YOLO – do all the things and have the best time; there will be no regrets. Give yourself time to enjoy every minute of the day.
We think you’ll agree this venue is absolutely stunning and part of the Lancemore Group who excel at organising weddings that are beautiful, tailored to you, with exceptional service. Learn more about their venues and what makes them truly unique by heading here.
SARAH AND OSCAR’S SUPPLIERS
Ceremony & reception venue: Lancemore Lindenderry Red Hill – Serena, our venue coordinator, brought all the positive energy. She was solution-oriented and genuinely cared about us and our day. She was there at every turn with whatever was needed. She played a huge part in making the whole day run smoothly. We were so lucky to have her.
Celebrant: Sonia Thomas – Words can’t describe how amazing Sonia is. We couldn’t have imagined anyone as good as her. She is so genuine and has a massive heart. She stood out there in the rain with us and had nothing but a smile on her face. We are grateful to have found a lifelong friend and spiritual mentor in her.
Photography: Fern & Stone Photography – Jess was incredible. The photos speak for themself. She was so relaxed and gave direction in a way that was so natural. She made us feel comfortable and at ease and was just so fun to be around! Thank you so much Jess you have captured the memories flawlessly and have them to cherish for the rest of our lives.
Videography: Duuet
Styling: Sarah Giust – The Small Things Co – Sarah made the day of my dreams, I did not have to think about one logistical thing. She has an eye for style and had the ability to take exactly what I wanted and make it better. The day was stress free and she is such a legend to work with. P.S sorry for any Bridezilla moments you may have copped!
Florist: Graham Ho- Tweed Twigs – Graham was integral in adding the personality and flare to our day. Graham is an incredibly talented artist. Whatever he touches is pure gold. He’s an absolute gem and such an amazing guy. We were so lucky to be able to have his beautiful floral work featured at our wedding. They provided a beautiful wrap up service at the end of the night so guests could take home the flowers and we could enjoy them for a little longer
Hair: Desiree – @bydesiree.hair – Desiree is super chill, and she is someone you just want to be around. I could so easily be open and honest about what I like and she really just genuinely wants you to feel your best. It’s nice to have a hair stylist that you can feel comfortable like this with. She is also incredibly talented and nailed my look first go . This energy just adds to the stress-free lead-up and is just everything I could have dreamed of. Thank you so much!
Make-up: Maddie K MUA – Best makeup I have ever had. She has a natural talent to bring out the best features in people and she color matches like a wizard. It can sometimes be hard to find someone like this in my experience with dark features. She is also so calm and relaxed and brings the vibe you need!
The dress: Designer Hera Couture found at Bluebell Bridal
Veil / headwear: Dove Grey from Bluebell Bridal
Shoes: Aquazzura
Accessories @a.b.Ellie
Rings: Larsen Jewellery and Temple and Grace Jewellery
Bridesmaid’s dresses: Shona Joy – La Lune range – cream colour
Suits: In Stitchu. Groomsmen – YSG tailors
Catering and bar: Lindenderry Red Hill
Favours: Sri Lankan Love cake made by my mum and aunties
Cake / Cake topper: LadyBird Cakes
Stationery / Signage: Rebel Reflect
Entertainment: Elyse from Hey Jack / Music by Elise – Elise was so much fun, she played an acoustic set for the ceremony and turned into a DJ for the reception, We have had so many compliments on the music of the day. She also learnt the song I wanted to walk down the aisle and the way she sang it was angelic.
Décor: The Small Things Co
Hire: Dann Event Hire
