Real Wedding – Shannon & Tristram, Fitzroy VIC
Romantic and intimate were at the top of the atmosphere wish list for Shannon and Tristram’s special day.
Rather than taking inspiration from others, they ran with what felt true to them – starting with suppliers that shared their vibe and vision.
The Panama Dining Room was a perfect ‘any weather’ option for their autumn ‘I dos’ and photographer Maegan Brown Moments was there to capture every emotion-filled minute in a truly dream-like way.
Shannon wore an A-line gown with statement sleeves by Karen Willis Holmes that looked as sophisticated during their sparkler exit as it did the signing of the official paperwork many hours before.
Off the Hook’s audio guestbook captured the well wishes of the couple’s nearest and dearest so they could be listened to and loved for years to come.
The meeting.
We had a mutual friend that Tristram was living with at the time. Tristram had come across my profile online and waltzed into our friend’s room to ask about me. Our friend told Tristram to contact me and we went on a date a few weeks later.
The ‘one’.
To be honest, we both struggle to answer this. I think we both realised quickly that we’d found someone special and I think it just became something we knew once we truly got to know each other. I don’t think knowing came from one particular moment, but from many moments that inevitably built our relationship into what it is today.
The proposal.
We went to Phillip Island for a long weekend (my favourite place) and Tristram proposed on a secluded beach while we were there. There was no one around and it was a very special moment!
Style inspiration.
I think we both wanted a classic and romantic wedding day. Something that felt timeless and intimate. Rather than taking inspiration from someone or something, we really just ran with what felt right to us. From the moment we saw the venue (Panama Dining Room), we knew it was the one for us. It was the same for our photographer (Maegan Brown Moments). I had been following Maegan’s work long before we even got engaged, and I knew right away that I wanted her to take our photos. I think what we found most useful was seeing and hearing about real life experiences with specific suppliers/vendors. It’s great to see their work and hear about others experiences while planning your own wedding.
The ceremony.
It was intimate with just our close friends and family. The venue was absolutely stunning, we had flowers arranged that looked right out of a fairytale and our celebrant was fun and captivating.
The outfits.
I knew that I wanted something classic with sleeves. I found the most beautiful A-line dress with puff sleeves by Karen Willis Holmes online and noticed right away it had every detail I was looking for. As soon as I tried it on, I knew it was the one for me (it was the first dress I tried on, too!). Tristram wanted something two tone that would stand out. He didn’t want a standard black suit. He decided on red with a velvet texture. He did some searching online and tried on a few suits in store before finding the right one.
Favourite moments.
Taking couples photos with our gorgeous photographer and our first dance as husband and wife.
Meaning of marriage.
It’s a commitment to support, grow and build a life together. I don’t think either of us thought we would necessarily feel differently after getting married but we have found that it has cemented a deeper bond between us and has brought us even closer.
Wedding soundtrack.
Aisle: Wouldn’t It Be Nice – Instrumental Piano Dreamers cover of the Beach Boys
Reception: You Make My Dreams Come True – Daryl Hall & John Oates
First Dance: Dancing In The Moonlight – Toploader
Funny stories or near disasters.
Thankfully we can truly say there were no disasters or mishaps on the day! Everything ran smoothly, all our vendors were absolutely perfect! The hair/makeup artist I had initially booked did cancel on me three months before the wedding, which was stressful to say the least, but thankfully, I found an amazing agency who seamlessly stepped in so it all worked out for the best!
Planning surprises.
I think the little details took us by surprise. Planning a run sheet for the day and having to account for every minute and what was involved for each section of the day was really interesting. I think a part of the reason it ran so smoothly was because we really focused on the finer details.
Words of wisdom.
Build communication with your vendors, don’t be scared to tell them your vision and what you want. We found having a ‘wedding planner’ journal really helpful to make notes of any and all details, and updating all of our vendors with any ideas or changes that we may have wanted to make while we were in the planning process.
For more indoor ceremony inspiration, read about the pros of having a winter wedding.
SHANNON & TRISTRAM’S SUPPLIERS:
Ceremony & reception venue: Panama Dining Room – Not only is the venue absolutely stunning, but the staff are so incredible. The food is fantastic and we truly could not have picked a better place to get married! We have already returned since getting married and we look forward to seeing them again in the future.
Celebrant: Mike Larkan – Not only is he a fantastic celebrant, but he is also the most lovely person. Having Mike be such an important part of our day was truly an honor and is such a special memory for both of us.
Photography: Maegan Brown Moments – There are not enough words to truly describe how amazing Maegan is. I’ve never come across anyone who can capture a moment like she does. If you want the perfect, timeless wedding photos, this is the person you should book without hesitation.
Videography: Visio – If you’re looking for an affordable but reliable videographer, I highly recommend Visio. They did a fantastic job in capturing the day.
Florist: Lulu Bird – I cannot begin to describe how fantastic Lulu bird is. Lucie is an absolute sweetheart, and she did the most amazing job with our florals and setting up our décor. The vision we created came together perfectly. I really enjoyed getting to know Lucie and I cannot recommend her enough.
Hair & make-up: Tonic Hair and Makeup Agency – Tonic Hair and Makeup Agency were absolutely wonderful. Special shout out to Eleanna and Jamie who did a truly amazing job on the day. They really went out of their way to make sure everything was perfect.
Dress & veil: Karen Willis Holmes – Not only do they have the most stunning wedding dresses I have ever seen, they have the most lovely and supportive staff. Lana had only just started and she had sold her first wedding dress to me, which is a really sweet memory. Kim (seamstress) is absolutely amazing, alongside Genevieve (Store Manager). I had a great experience shopping with them and I highly recommend them.
Shoes: Naturalizer
Rings: Michael Hill / Linden Cook
Bridesmaid’s dresses: Model Chic
Suits: Politix
Favours: Personalised Favours
Cake: Snow White Bakery – Highly recommend Snow White Bakery. We were blown away by our cake, it was absolutely gorgeous and tasted amazing. Tegan was absolutely wonderful!
Stationery / Signage: Sea and Paper – Sea and Paper were truly fantastic, we ordered our save the date, wedding invitations, signage and place cards through them! The staff are absolutely fantastic and we couldn’t have been happier with the results.
Entertainment: Matt Jefferies Entertainment – We really enjoyed having Matt DJ our wedding. We also hired our photo booth through them which was great! He understood the vibe we were going for and created a great selection on top of our requested songs.
Hire: Off the Hook – Really loved hiring a phone from Off The Hook for our wedding. It was a really fun way to capture and keep messages from our family and friends.
