Real Wedding – Swee & Luke, Daylesford VIC
Swee and Luke’s wedding journey began with a strategically positioned battleships layout and ended with a celebration rich in all the things that count the most – loved ones, laughter and vibrant beauty. Their only style note was to include bold colours and let the serene bliss of the lakeside vista shine. The result is one luminescent, light-filled celebration.
Clouds of vivid fuchsia, crimson and crisp vanilla roses accent the action while Swee and Luke make their forever promises, with the autumn surroundings of the stunning Lakehouse Daylesford providing the perfect backdrop. We love the contrast of soft ashed olive bridesmaid dresses against the rich blooms, and Smee’s choice of a sequined two-piece Anna Campbell gown to elevate the overall look, taking it seamlessly from day to night.
And what a night, with the dance floor in the superstar hands of the Baker Boys Band. For us, it’s sneaking a peek into Swee and Luke’s love story through their simply stunning portraits, captured in the incredible twilight magic by photography artist Smith and Archer.
To soak up each serene moment, scroll on.
The meeting.
We met while at work and during some stressful qualification exams. Soon after we got past those hurdles, we hung out a lot at work. We went on a coffee date, and it went from there!
The ‘one’.
It was a gradual thing that happened as we shared all the aspects of our lives with each other. There was one moment for both of us when Luke surprised Swee one day by saying he had decided to do a PhD and not pursue an overseas job because he wanted to be in Melbourne with her.
The proposal.
Our carefully planned road trip from Perth to Broome (one of two trips to Western Australia cancelled due to COVID) was replaced by a week away at Luke’s family beach house. We took daily walks/cycles on the beach, watched movies and played the board game Battleship. On our last night there, Luke suggested we play Battleship again and arranged his ships in the shape of a question mark. He made sure he lost so that Swee was looking at a big question mark on her board, then got down on one knee and asked her to marry him.
Planning process.
We were very lucky to have our wedding happen without having to reschedule. We thought we potentially wanted to get married in the first half of 2022 in autumn, but that did not give us much time, so we just enquired into venue availability at that time around the areas we wanted. We had to do everything online initially, as we were locked down in Melbourne.
The Lake House had been our first trip away together as a couple and was able to accommodate us. It was also great because they managed the catering with a reputation for amazing food, styling and florals.
Once we had the date and venue, everything followed pretty easily based on the availability of the great vendors we wanted.
Style inspiration.
We just wanted to have a beautiful day to celebrate with our friends and family together. We wanted bright colours for the flowers and left the smaller details up to the suppliers.
The ceremony.
The ceremony incorporated our family, including a speech from Luke’s grandfather on how to have a successful marriage based on his long and happy one. We had some beautiful afternoon sun, which happened to shine through the autumn trees as we said our vows.
The look.
Luke was after a black tuxedo, which was easily sourced from MJ Bale, and then tailored to his style.
The Anna Campbell skirt and top were the first dress Swee saw and loved online. She went to a few other shops before getting to try it on, however, and fell in love with it on too. It wasn’t traditional, but she felt it suited her style.
Favourite moments.
It is hard for us to pick a favourite moment as it was the best day ever. We enjoyed every moment, from the ceremony to our portrait photo session to the speeches and dancing.
Meaning of marriage.
A continuation of the life we have built together. Loving, supporting and caring for one another.
Wedding soundtrack.
Aisle: I Am Yours by Andy Grammer
Signing: Love You ‘Till the End by The Pogues, and The Reasons Why by Sheppard
Recessional: Dancing in the Moonlight by Toploader
Reception entry: Can’t Stop the Feeling by Justin Timberlake for the bridal party, and Uptown Funk by Mark Ronson/Bruno Mars for Luke and Swee.
Funny stories or near disasters.
Our gorgeous page boys started off strong but didn’t quite reach the end of the aisle, taking a detour into the crowd to be with their families. Fortunately, they were brought back to the front by some lollipops.
Words of wisdom.
Don’t be afraid to add or exclude anything that isn’t you. We decided not to do a first dance because we didn’t want to be stressing about it on the day.
Unsure of where to start when it comes to your party day palette? We’ve gathered together some stunningly spectacular real weddings, sorted by colour tones, so you can find the hues to suit you. Check them out, here.
SWEE & LUKE’S VENDORS
We tried to look for some local suppliers, while others were based on friends’ recommendations. Ivory Tribe and Hello May were useful resources.
Ceremony & reception venue: Lake House, Daylesford
Celebrant: Erica Evans. Erica was so lovely, and it was great getting to know her. She wrote us a beautiful, personalised ceremony and was super organised.
Photography: Ali Bant, aka Smith & Archer. Ali was amazing. We thought we would be so awkward taking our photos, but we ended up feeling so comfortable and had so much fun.
Videography: Hey Jack
Styling & florist: Deb at the Lake House
Hair: Jennifer Trinh, aka Jayteehair. Jenn was super lovely and bubbly and made all of the girls’ hair look great.
Make-up: Amy Kenny. Amy did the make-up for several of my friends’ weddings and was a definite recommendation. It was fantastic and fun getting ready with her, and she made everyone look beautiful
The dress & veil: Anna Campbell
Shoes: Jimmy Choo (originally just a fun sale purchase while on a girl’s trip in Hawaii) with a change to Bared Footwear for dancing comfort.
Rings: Simon West is where Luke had my engagement ring made, and then we returned for our wedding rings.
Suits: MJ Bale and then Luke’s tailored by the Suit Concierge
Bow ties / ties: MJ Bale
Catering: Lake House, Daylesford
Cake: Blackbird Cakes
Stationery / Signage: Paperlust
Entertainment: Baker Boys Band
Honeymoon: Fiji! One of the first places we were able to book overseas to get out of the country.
