Real Wedding – Sophie & Brad, Richmond VIC
Scrolling through Sophie and Brad’s day gave us a massive dose of positivity! Every photo by tribe superstar Katie Harmsworth is radiant with smiles, laughter and the occasional happy tear – and we are absolutely here for it.
From the minute Sophie and Brad first caught sight of each other over the microphones of their call centre jobs many years ago, it has been love. And that love was what shone out so vibrantly on their wedding day, foregrounded so beautifully by their elegant styling choices, and the relaxed, happy vibes coming from their guests. Glasshaus provided a perfect framework for the easy-going, unpretentiously gorgeous day they created, and their team of vendors made it super stress-free.
Sophie’s Mariana Hardwick gown was a true showstopper. We love that she tied in a connection with Sophie and Brad’s engagement in India through the delicate details of the bodice, and the look on Brad’s face as he caught sight of her did not disappoint.
Catch all the magical moments on our blog, along with some excellent planning tips from Sophie & Brad.
The meeting.
We met 11 years ago working at the Qantas Club & Frequent Flyer Call Centre in Collingwood, Melbourne! We were just two little babies that fell in love over a couple of chunky, unflattering headsets!
The ‘one’.
For Sophie: Actually, pretty early on… I’d just got out of a long-term relationship & vowed to be single for a long while! …but… three weeks later there was Brad. He was just the yin to my yang. We’ve been smitten kittens ever since!
For Brad: I think it was when I realized she was as goofy and laid–back as I am. We could be happy doing pretty much anything, or nothing, as I love to do. From watching bad reality TV to just having a drink and a laugh – she was on my level from day dot. And most importantly, I could be myself.
The proposal.
Brad popped the question on my birthday at sunset on a beach in the Andaman Islands, India. It was during a yearlong backpacking trip we took together! He had been carrying the ring around in the bottom of his backpack for five months before he felt it was the right moment. Safe to say I was completely surprised! (Even though we’d been together for seven years!)
Planning process.
We really enjoyed our wedding planning process. We made sure to really research our vendors and selected businesses who were professional and who we felt we’d be in good hands with. We also booked our venue 18 months ahead of our wedding date, so that gave us plenty of time to think about what we really wanted, and to save and plan. We are both pretty easy going and knew that we wanted to have the most stress-free time wedding planning as possible! Those things really helped achieve that.
Style inspiration.
For ease and convenience for both our guests and ourselves, we wanted an inner-city wedding without the inner-city feel. Our venue was the perfect hidden gem we were after. I’m a big plant and flower lover so I was obsessed with Glasshaus instantly. When we walked in, we felt like it was a little slice of magic.
We also loved that the venue came impeccably, effortlessly styled, so that took a lot of stress out of it for us! We selected modern, comfy lounge vibe furniture for a cocktail reception. We also selected an incredible caterer whose menu and crockery were of luxe cocktail design.
Overall, we wanted an easy-going day surrounded by our favourite friends and family, beautiful plants, yummy food and an epic dance-floor!
The outfit.
This was tricky because I am not a dress gal! After painstaking consideration, I chose a gown by Mariana Hardwick. It was classic yet unique. It had a plain fitted skirt with a mermaid train, beautiful floral applique on the top (made in India, which was special to me since getting engaged there) and long tulle wing sleeves. I tried on lots!!!
In the end, this one just seemed to be “me”. Modern with a twist of romantic style! I loved it because it was nothing like I’d ever seen before.
Favourite moments.
Oooh, so many moments! We really enjoyed the “mini photoshoots” that Katie whisked us away to do at various points during the day/night. They were opportunities where Brad and I could step away from the crowd & have moments to take it all in! Those photos are all so special to us now too. Best memories!
Meaning of marriage.
It’s hard to describe! But a lifelong commitment of sharing our lives together, supporting each other, growing as a couple and as individuals.
Wedding soundtrack.
Aisle: One of our best friends performed an acoustic cover of The Girl by City and Colour. A song that Brad I grew to love while we did long distance for a year!
Reception entry: Love Me Do by The Beatles
First dance: You Got It by Roy Orbison. It’s one of our favourites! We love the lyrics and meaning behind it.
Funny stories or near disasters.
In our search for a venue, we looked far and wide, across both Australia, New Zealand (Brad’s from there!) and even considered a tropical island getaway at one point. But low and behold, who knew that our perfect venue was literally next door to where we lived?!
It made for a very, very convenient walk for the Groom to the ceremony. And made every meeting with Glasshaus incredibly simple. Hooray!
Planning surprises.
Not really, other than it was a lot less stressful than expected, thank goodness! You hear horror stories but we honestly had a great time in the lead up and the day was too good to be true. Still in a love bubble!
Words of wisdom.
We would say to make sure you do your research on professional vendors who are committed to making your experience a successful, positive one.
Make an effort to give yourself time to save and chip away at the overall costs.
Also, don’t forget about or neglect your event run sheet either, get honest advice from your experienced vendors on how best to run a smooth, good flowing wedding. Outline expectations around timings clearly, the less you and your vendors have to worry/communicate on the day the better, so all you have to do is have fun!
Last words.
Enjoy the party! Don’t forget to take a private moment or two together. It really is THE BEST DAY EVER!
Love Sophie and Brad’s wedding planning tips? We think there’s no better advice than from those that have been there, done that, so we have collected some of the amazing advice our couples have shared with us over the years. Dive in here!
SOPH & BRAD’S VENDORS:
Ceremony venue: Glasshaus Outside, Richmond
Reception venue: Glasshaus Inside, Cremorne
The team at Glasshaus did an incredible job assisting us with lots of event questions. They were so easy going to work with! We were so impressed and glad we held both our ceremony and reception with them. It was perfectly smooth and stress-free. A super easy and beautiful choice!
Celebrant: Zena Lythgo
Zena is a champion celebrant. We never had to worry about a thing. She was super helpful and organized in the lead-up. She was happy to work collaboratively to create a sweet, punchy, meaningful ceremony that represented Brad and I’s already ten years together. On the day Zena was outstanding. She took control of every little detail and guided everyone through the pre and post-ceremony so it went off without a hitch.
Photography: Katie Harmsworth
Katie is so talented and creates absolutely stunning images!! She was one of the very first vendors we jumped on. We were immediately comfortable with her down to earth, friendly personality and she was an added sparkle in our day. She’s also a boss lady who knows what she’s doing and therefore you don’t have to worry about a thing, it’s under control. We really loved the many candid moments she captured. Every single photo is one you could frame! We were blown away and still message her three months post-wedding!
Videography: Annette & Dani Films
Annette & Dani were so lovely and professional in the lead-up and on the day of our wedding. They worked so hard and in harmony with our photographer. We have yet to see our video, but we can’t wait to see what these talented ladies present us. We know we won’t be disappointed!
Styling and Florist: Glasshaus Florist
Our florist manager was Shahn. She was amazing! Super professional and down to earth. An extremely talented florist and was always kind when I changed direction once or twice. Positive, nothing was ever a problem, and everything ran smoothly! Living locally, I’m regularly hanging around the florist, and we always stop to say hello.
Hair and Make-up: Zoe Karlis Bridal
Zoe knows her way around a face! And is equally a pro at hair! She nailed it on the day. Everyone felt like the best versions of themselves, and she’s a gorgeous woman who went above and beyond!
The look:
Lovely girls and well looked after. On the day I felt amazing, and the dress was made beautifully! My fitter went above and beyond to make sure I was happy and confident. I made a few small changes along the way and they were very accommodating to my style.
Brad’s suit: Zenetti from Ferrari Formal Wear & Bridal
Soph’s Earrings: Maison Sabben
Veil: One Day Bridal
Shoes: Grace Loves Lace
Rings: Natalie Marie Jewellery
Bridesmaid’s dresses: ASOS
Groomsmen’s suits: Jack London
Bow ties: Blaq from Myer
Catering: Fourside Events
Katie at Fourside was an absolute dreamboat! Honestly, I don’t think we would have had such a chilled and calm experience without her! She was exceptional at answering all our questions and treated us like gold! We were100% confident leaving the food and service in her hands! Katie really knows how to run a great, successful event! We honestly would have been lost without her expertise. Extremely helpful is an understatement; Katie went above and beyond for us during the whole planning process and ran the night perfectly. Can’t recommend enough!
Bar: BYO (Blackhearts & Sparrows / FirstChoice Liquor)
Favours: Etsy
We had a combination of sunflower, poppy and dahlia seedling packets that were customised with beautiful illustrations, our names and wedding date. They were too cute!
Cake: Cake Ink
Our chocolate and buttermilk cream cake was delicious! The women were wonderful to liaise with. So simple and everyone raved about the cake! There was none left… people are always worried about having too much cake leftover to know what to do with! Not an issue. Janelle is very talented cake maker!
Stationery / Signage: Artifact Uprising
I ordered our stationery online from this company in America. I picked a design and the copy was a bit of a DIY job- but made so easy. They were elegant and pretty. The quality of printing and paper was beautiful. I highly recommend this company.
Entertainment: One More Song Entertainment
We had DJ Aleks Mac play our wedding. She was a superstar! Her and her partner own the business and were professional and helpful from the get go. We wanted a three hour dance-floor and she delivered! She was professional, communicative and made sure we were happy and excited from initial meeting to the night of! I can’t rave enough about DJ Aleks! It was so important for us to see our loved ones having fun on the night! Music can make or break a wedding and this lady made sure it was fun and upbeat, without any wedding cheesiness. We worked closely together on our music tastes. She was helpful with the run sheet making sure guests would get maximum music time and wouldn’t be bored between meals. Aleks also gave excellent advice on all things wedding related out of the music field. She was much more than a DJ!
Transport: Limo Mate by Southern Cross
We had a great experience with this chauffeur company! They were extremely affordable and of high quality. We were stoked to find them online after looking around for a really long time- with other wedding chauffeur services being above our budget. Because we kept everything local we didn’t have far to drive, they were excellent value for money. We had a super friendly and hospitable driver. Highly recommend this company. Cars were classy and clean.
Décor: Dann Event Hire
Hire: The Hire Co.
Honeymoon: Self-booked/organized. Three weeks in The Philippines – Amaaaazing!
