Real Wedding - Sophia & Thomas, Curlewis VIC

March 8, 2016 In Real Weddings By Natalie Drum

Real Wedding – Sophia & Thomas, Curlewis VIC

There is not a word more perfectly suited to describe the wedding celebration of Sophia and Thomas than enchanting.

Sophia had done her homework and on becoming engaged to the love of her life, she booked a talented Tribe to bring their dream day to life. Incorporating beautiful family traditions along with a night of great music, Sophia was taken aback by the incredibly DIY touches her now husband, Thomas, added to their personal celebration.

It was a no-brainer that Sophia and Thomas invite the talent of photographer Jessica Tremp of Brown Paper Parcel to capture their day, and these images are simply breathtaking.

IN SOPHIA’S WORDS…

The meeting.

Tom and I met as teenagers through Tom’s sister Elena, after she decided to host a secret festival named “Elenafest” on their farm whilst their parents were away on holiday. I met Tom on the first night of the three-day festival. After our friends sensed something was going on, they thought it would be a good idea to lock us in his bedroom. Tom was an utter gentleman and asked me on a date. It was all very innocent and the rest is history.

The one.

Tom was my first ever boyfriend, and yet I knew I had stumbled across something very special, very early on. I have a very mushy card I wrote him a month into dating and from what I’ve written, it sounds as though I knew then and there. We feel very lucky that our love has only grown, as we have gown up.

The proposal.

We had been dating for seven years by this stage, so Tom thought it was about time to put his master plan into action. On Christmas day, I received a hand-crafted key, welded with our initials and in the shape of a heart. I started to cry, thinking that he was proposing; but in true Tom fashion, he told me that I had to wait until I had collected four more. Over the next two years and only on special occasions, I was given keys of all different shapes and sizes, all made my Tom. Finally, after years of waiting, I received a wooden box. It was like something out of the Da Vinci Code, all engraved, carved and embellished with brass and gold and secret compartments. Each key opened a new compartment until the last key opened a cylindrical vile that unwound my engagement ring. This box will become a family heirloom – I’ve never seen anything like it and it always overwhelms me when I think about all the love he put into making it.

The planning.

I knew the last key was coming, so I couldn’t help myself and secretly started to plan the wedding before we got engaged. The first thing I booked was the band, and then the rest followed. Honestly, I had done so much secret research over nine years of dating Tom that I knew exactly who to book straight out, and then the rest fell into place over what was technically a four month engagement. The process was really creative, and I loved that we had a good mix of DIY and leave-it-to-the-professionals. On the day, we didn’t give anything a second thought. We can’t speak highly enough of our dream team of vendors and creatives.

Style inspiration.

The only things I knew I wanted were good food, good music and lots of fairy lights! To be honest, we just chose things that made us really happy – I’m not sure if that was a risk, but when it all came together – it was completely us. Tom loves ice-cream, so we surprised guests with a gelato cart. We love soul and R&B music, so we knew straight away that we had to have Jason Heerah and his band. We wanted the night to be filled with dancing and mingling, so a cocktail set-up was amazing for that. If I could have painted a venue in my mind, it would have been One Day Estate – timeless and romantic, which is also how I’d describe my gown. It is really fun seeing how one idea inspires the next and it’s a lesson in who you are, in many ways. My dress was champagne in colour, so gold tones became a huge part of the day. There was a nod to old Hollywood glamour in all aspects of the styling, but that was born from the bridesmaids gowns, which were one of the last things we found. The whole thing looked and felt like A Midsummer Night’s Dream- fun, enchanted and full of love.

The dress.

My dress was the first gown I tried on and the last gown I ever thought I’d pick! I had it in my head I’d be wearing something form-fitting, so the best thing I did was walk into that store with an open mind. It was whimsical and dramatic, yet effortless to wear and had a timeless, elegant aesthetic that I loved. I thought, this is a gown you can only wear on your wedding day. I never saw it coming, but it was completely me and the quickest purchase I made.

Favourite moments.

That’s a tough one! I’d have to say walking down the aisle with my father and seeing Tom break down, I’ll never forget his face. And just the private moments I got to spend with Tom, when we were pinching ourselves at how lucky we were. And dancing all night with my new husband and all our friends and family.

Traditions.

It’s funny, although our wedding was unconventional in many ways, I’m really superstitious when it comes to anything that may bring good luck! We were married in my Greek Orthodox Church, which involves several beautiful traditions as part of the ceremony. It is also customary for a boy to put the bride’s wedding shoes on her feet…we all had a chuckle at my cousin doing the honours. I wore something old, something new, something borrowed and something blue. There was Greek dancing later on in the night, and our cake was created using Tom’s late Grandmother’s fruitcake recipe. To my surprise, I was even adamant about handing out sugared almonds at the end of the evening.

Meaning of marriage.

Teamwork, family, a deep love and respect. An ever-lasting commitment to walking through life – with all its ups and downs, side by side with your best friend.

Wedding soundtrack.

Church: traditional Greek chanting, which included my 87-year-old grandpa.

Reception entry: All I Do by Stevie Wonder

First Dance: That’s How Strong My Love Is by Otis Redding

Funny stories (or near disasters).

There were a couple, but this one made for a great photo! In the Orthodox ceremony, two crowns are connected by a ribbon and are swapped three times over the heads of the bride and groom, to unite them as husband and wife. My sister (and Maid of Honour), had been practicing the swapping technique the whole night before and was so nervous about getting it right. She didn’t plan on the crowns becoming seriously attached to my hair every time she swapped them…the whole church erupted into laughter, including us.

Planning surprises.

My husband’s DIY ideas! He cut a hedge from the family farm and built a giant wooden frame around it, which made for the most beautiful DIY photobooth and was a huge hit on the day. Also, his hanging floral installations. He secretly implanted a big golden key in one, and used a remote control to lower it to me during the speeches. The key apparently leads to the Baum family castle in Germany…or so I’m told.

Words of wisdom.

Always go back to the fact that your wedding is a celebration of the love you have for each other, so let that shine through and inspire all your choices. If you have a crazy thought that is born out of sheer love for your partner, do it – it will be spectacular. What made us most happy about our day is that our guests really felt the love in the air, and we felt it too.

Last words.

Don’t be afraid to let all the planning go and have the time of your lives!