Real Wedding – Tara & Tom, Collingwood VIC
Tara and Tom met as retail co-workers, evolved into genuine friends, and later discovered their chemistry and connection was the stuff of forever.
Their ceremony took place at the effortlessly eclectic Rupert on Rupert, where they included the rich symbolism of a traditional Persian wedding spread known as Sofreh Aghd. Each thoughtfully chosen element- from the mirror representing honesty, to the honey for sweetness – reflected the values they hope to carry into married life.
Tara initially had visions of a simple silk wedding look in mind until a bridesmaid insisted she try on a structured, one shoulder gown by Kyha that turned out to be the one. She was so smitten with the elevated, form fitting design she purchased it on the spot. Tom chose to keep things equally Hollywood-chic in a suave InStitchu ensemble in classic black.
Amid the joy and revelry, the pair slipped away to read their vows to each other in private – a quiet, deeply intimate moment in a day filled with celebration.
Scroll on to learn more about the ways their day was layered with meaning, beauty and personal touches with a smile-inducing gallery by Nikola Janev.
The meeting.
We first met while working together in retail. We still remember the day Tara walked into the store for her first shift. Tom thought Tara was a customer and rushed over to serve her, only to find out she was actually the new team member. Tara made quite an impression from the very beginning, and what started as a fun mix-up turned into a great working relationship and, over two years of working side by side, a genuine friendship that became the foundation of our relationship today.
The one.
Years later, Tara and I randomly crossed paths on a night out in St Kilda. We had both moved on from our retail days, but it didn’t take long for that old connection to spark again. Date after date, I found myself falling more and more for her. It did take long but I was sitting at home one night by myself and came to my senses. I couldn’t risk not having her in my life and realised she was the one I wanted to spend the rest of my life with.
The proposal.
Tom had mentioned that his friend had recently secured a promotion and planned to take us out for a nice dinner in the city to celebrate. I wasn’t in the mood to go and resisted at first, but with some gentle encouragement from Tom, we headed out. During the entire walk, I couldn’t stop complaining about my sore feet and how cold I was. Not long after all my grumbling, Tom led me through Fitzroy Gardens where he had set up a beautiful picnic area. To my surprise, he got down on one knee and proposed. I was completely overwhelmed and immediately wanted to call my family, but Tom gently insisted that I wait until after dinner. It wasn’t until we arrived at the restaurant that I received the most incredible surprise of my life. Tom had secretly arranged for my family to travel down from the Gold Coast to celebrate with us, along with some of our closest friends. I couldn’t have imagined a more perfect proposal and engagement party.
Planning process.
The planning process was more involved than we anticipated, but we found little sparks of joy along the way. What made it easier was that we both shared the same vision and inspiration for the day.
Style inspiration.
We wanted our wedding to feel warm and relaxed. Nothing too formal, just an intimate celebration surrounded by our favorite people. It was also really important to include parts of Tara’s Persian heritage throughout the day – adding a personal touch made it feel even more special. We drew a lot of inspiration from our photographer Nikola Janev’s Instagram page. His photos captured the kind of warmth, emotion and energy we wanted our own day to have.
The ceremony.
Our ceremony was held at Rupert on Rupert. We had a traditional walk down the aisle and incorporated Tara’s heritage with a Persian wedding table, the Sofreh Aghd. The table and its items each symbolised values that are most important in our life together. For instance, the honey exchange represented adding sweetness into our lives and the mirror symbolised honesty. We struggled to find a celebrant who could capture both the Australian and Persian elements we wanted, so in the end we asked Tara’s brother to lead the ceremony. It made the day feel much more intimate and comfortable, and added an extra layer of meaning for us.
The outfits.
Tara initially wanted a simple silk dress with a low back, but one of her bridesmaids encouraged her to try on a dress at Kyha that she thought would be perfect. Even though Tara had almost decided on the dress she originally had in mind, she went to the fitting and instantly fell in love with this new dress and purchased it on the spot.
The veil was something Tara had dreamed of long before she even knew she was getting married. Finding the perfect was tricky, so a friend helped organise for it to be made in Iran, where a local artisan hand sewed all the flowers onto the veil.
Tom chose a classic tux, knowing it would look timeless in photos for years to come. But he added a twist with a pair of fun shoes.
Favourite moment.
At one point, we escaped the crowd to share our vows with each other in private. That was hands down our favorite moment of the day.
Meaning of marriage.
To us marriage is all about commitment and sharing life with your partner in crime. Having someone to laugh with, plan adventures with and face every challenge with – together.
Wedding soundtrack.
Aisle: Bon Iver – Holocene
Reception entrance: Brenton Wood – Oogum Boogum
Funny stories.
Tara was about 40 minutes late to the ceremony. Most grooms might have panicked, but Tom knew this was just one of Tara’s classic traits and took it in his stride.
Words of wisdom.
Focus on finding joy in the process and remember that planning your wedding is a journey, not just a destination.
TARA & TOM’S SUPPLIERS:
Ceremony & reception venue: Rupert on Rupert
Celebrant/Officiant: Tara’s’s brother Amir
Photography: Nikola Janev
Videography: Noora Ziaei
Florist: Bush Flowers
Hair: Rina Taran
Make-up: By Mariam Artisry
The dress: Kyha
Veil: Handmade in Iran
Tom’s shoes: Maison Margiela
Rings: Simone Antoinette Jewellery
Suits & ties – InStichu
Cake: Pulcinella Cafe
Entertainment: Ben Saliba
Honeymoon: Camping in Avoca
