Real Wedding – Raquel & Joe, Mildura VIC
What we loved about Raquel and Joe’s sensational celebration was that they didn’t sweat the small stuff, they knew things would just work out – and work out they did!
Set just outside of Mildura, their day had a relaxed, yet romantic atmosphere as their guests gathered to celebrate their sweet love story at the gorgeous property of Willow & Ivie.
Believing in a ‘less is more’ approach, they wanted the day to be classic and minimal with a modern edge. From their simple styling, to Raquel’s stunning Rachel Gilbert gown, they embraced this every step of the way.
What was of utmost importance to them both was to leave unnecessary formalities behind and embrace the fun! And fun they had with essie + elsie by their side to capture all the moments.
In Raquel’s words..
The meeting.
We first met in high school. I think my best friend’s speech at the wedding summed it up when she explained that a friend of Joe’s said to her one day, “one of my friends likes your friend” and she said, “who’s your friend?”… Followed b,y “well my friend DEFINITELY likes your friend”. I had always had the biggest crush on him and apparently so had he!
The ‘one’.
I think when you’re with someone and you never want to imagine your life without them, that’s really all there is to it.
The proposal.
We had been on a few trips away over the Christmas holidays and there’s always that suspicion of will he do it, but that would have been far too expectant for Joe’s liking. So instead he did it completely randomly on a Friday night over a takeaway pizza. It was the best surprise!
The process.
I tried not let the stress of planning get in the way of just enjoying it. Everything was pretty relaxed, to be honest I didn’t even have anything for my bridesmaids to wear until the week before the wedding. I knew that it would work out somehow there was no point in stressing. I ordered my sister about five different dresses online the week before the wedding and my best friend sent me a changeroom selfie of her outfit and it all totally worked out in the end!
Style inspiration.
I’m a pretty strong believer in ‘less is more’. Everything was very classic, minimal and a little bit modern.
Our main aim was to just have a very relaxed feel to the whole day, we really just wanted it to be FUN! Nothing too traditional or formal, we strayed away from a lot of the usual wedding formalities and I am glad we did, everything was very casual and just more us.
The dress,
To be honest I really didn’t want to look like a ‘bride’ it’s just not my thing. I randomly went into a Rachel Gilbert boutique in Melbourne with my mum and sister after a full day of bridal boutiques. It was such a relief to find something I actually felt like myself in and not just another wedding dress. We brought it straight away and it was at home for over a year before I looked at it again and tried it on about a month before the wedding. It was plain and simple.
Favourite moments.
We didn’t want to spend a lot of time away from our guests having photos taken we wanted to be a part of the whole day with everyone, and I loved that we had so much extra time with our guests. We did sneak away briefly, and this was Joe’s favourite moment. It was just the two of us, our amazing photographer and videographer, and we had so much fun.
Meaning of marriage.
I think marriage to us means having that one person to do life with that you just know will support you no matter what.
Wedding soundtrack.
Aisle: For You by Roses and Frey (Performed live by LUA LUA)
Registry: Ain’t nobody loves me better Acoustic (Performed live by LUA LUA)
Recessional: This will be (an everlasting Love) by Natalie Cole (Performed live by LUA LUA)
Reception entry: Uptown Funk by Mark Ronson and Bruno Mars
First dance: The Only Reason by JP Cooper
Father-daughter dance: To Love Somebody by Bee Gees
Funny stories (or near disasters).
During the rehearsal one of the groomsmen mentioned the time of the ceremony and the priest had a pretty puzzled look on his face. He had it in his diary for half an hour later, so he would have been slightly late – that was lucky!
Planning surprises.
That last week does get pretty hectic pretty fast.
Words of wisdom.
Get a videographer – 100 percent. Coming home to this after our honeymoon and getting to re-live everything all over again was the best feeling.
Don’t be afraid to break typical wedding traditions, and don’t second guess yourself.
Last words…
Just enjoy it. Not everything has to be perfect or go perfectly it just has to be you. At the end of the day it’s about the marriage and the real reason you are getting married, don’t lose sight of that amongst all the hype.
The mighty Murray region has so many incredible spaces, so if you’re on the hunt for a dreamy destination wedding, check out our favourites.
RAQUEL & JOE’S TRIBE
Ceremony and reception: Willow & Ivie – Leah is a dream to work with.
Celebrant/Officiant: Fr James Kerr
Photography: Bronwyn Pickering of Essie & Elsie – SO talented.
Videography: Eve Byers – Films by Eve – Like having a really talented guest at your wedding, she just fits right in. We absolutely loved our video.
Styling: Me and my tribe – Not sure what I would actually do without my sister. Leah from Willow & Ivie took care of everything on the day.
Florist: Flowers of Elegance
Hair: Ivy Salon
Make-up: Maree Brigante
The dress: Rachel Gilbert
Shoes: Alexander McQueen
Rings: Hammerton’s Jewellers
Bridesmaid’s: Scanlan Theodore (Dress) and Elliatt Collective (Jumpsuit)
Bridesmaid earrings: Petite Grand
Grooms suit: Tom Ford
Flower girls: Marlo Kids (dress) and Tutu de monde (shoes)
Favours: Name place fridge magnets – St. Pheonix
Cake / Cake topper: Josie Pollifrone
Entertainment: Unplugged Entertainment – LUA LUA Acoustic Dua & DJ. – I totally winged this. I found this company on Instagram and had never heard them play live, just hoped for the best. They were incredible! Exactly what we were after, the live acoustic music provided the perfect relaxed feel for the day.
Honeymoon: Tokoriki Island Resort – Fiji
