Real Wedding – Tenille and Josh, Geelong VIC
Tenille and Josh took all the elements of a classic wedding and added their own fresh, modern feel: picture-perfect winery venue with all the spaces for fancy-free fun, beautiful blush and copper hues contrasting against classic black suits, and an outfit switch to wow!
The fun kicked off with a light-hearted, loved up ceremony from Tribe superstar Linda Hamill, who created a poignantly personal ceremony that set the tone for a laughter-filled evening.
Tenille’s super stunning, contemporary chic gown by Jane Hill was only eclipsed by her incredible smile. Her sleek silhouette contrasted gorgeously against her bouquet of an abundance of soft, classic florals and wisps of dry grasses in tones of warm blush. We love her change to a sweet little lace number for later, designed by Tenille and Vassi Bridal Couture, perfect to heat up the dance floor. Josh’s reaction in every photo is an absolute heart warmer.
There to capture every gorgeously grin-filled moment was the artist behind the lens, Motta Weddings. We dare you not to smile as you scroll through this delightful day!
The meeting.
Josh and I met after Josh popped up on my Facebook messenger (very romantic!) and started chatting. We caught up all those years ago after a night out and have been together since.
The ‘one’.
I’ve known he was the one for quite some time. We are best friends and have similar interests and values in life. Saying this, we are also very different, which I think is what makes us work and get along so well. After we bought our first home in 2018 and our fur baby Ralph six months later, it was definitely real, and the rest tells its own story!
The proposal.
Josh was being SO weird the day of. I told him I was heading for drinks after work, and he was like, “you can’t tonight!” I went for a run that morning with one of my best friends and told her what had happened, which got us talking about the possibility that he was going to pop the question. I came home after the run and started frantically searching all drawers (zero shame here)! To my disappointment, I didn’t find anything, so I continued on with my day.
When I got home, I was whining about work, and Josh was just ushering me into the house. I walked into the bedroom to put my bag away, and to my surprise, the room was covered in pink balloons with a chalkboard sign saying, ‘Will you marry me?’ I turn around and see Josh awkwardly standing right behind me, flashing me the blue Tiffany and Co box with the gorgeous diamond ring inside. I think I first told him to get up before answering his question with YES!
Planning process.
We actually thoroughly enjoyed the process of planning our wedding day. I like to see myself as an organised person, so everything was always in place and ready to go. The support from our venue for local suppliers and some serious Instagram searching was our go-to.
We went around the Yarra Valley as we live not far from there, but felt many of our friends and family had visited these places before and we wanted something new. We went up to the surf coast, looking at a few winery venues and completely fell in love with Mt Duneed Estate.
From the hidden path that led to the ceremony in the olive grove to the fairy-light filled barrel hall room, all in the one venue! We also liked the fact it had a beer garden for our guests to enjoy a drink after the ceremony, and that way, we got the first look at our reception room. From there, it allowed our vendors to fit in smoothly and work with us with the same vision in mind.
Overall, we found the process really enjoyable. We did have to change our original wedding date due to covid, but the majority of our suppliers were accommodating and very supportive. It also allowed us to save more money (every cent counts for a wedding!) and prioritise certain things.
Style inspiration.
We wanted a modern and semi-formal wedding that still incorporated a bit of fun into it. The beautiful olive grove is where our ceremony began before being led into the reception room, the barrel hall, which was filled with hundreds of fairy lights. Whilst we went with the traditional black suits and a white dress, we loved the pastel colours of our florals with a touch of greenery. The timber boards on the table allowed for a smooth and elegant feel for a shared dinner menu with greenery and tea light candles scattered amongst the long tables.
The ceremony.
Our ceremony was set in the beautiful, lush olive grove at Mt Duneed Estate. We wanted a short yet meaningful ceremony, and Linda was able to provide just that. It was special to us as Linda provided a ceremony that was personal and reflected both of us, leaving our family and friends smiling and laughing.
The outfit.
When I first went out looking for dresses, I was overwhelmed with styles. The designs I thought I was after didn’t suit and dresses I wouldn’t usually try on I was surprised to take a liking to. After visiting a few bridal shops and enquiring with some, I still couldn’t find the ‘one’. My bridesmaids and I then saw Jane Hill was having a pop-up sale of dresses from the previous season. I thought, why not? I researched the previous season and found the one I wanted. We got there early, probably the first ten people in line, and when doors opened, I found it straight away in my size, fitting perfectly (no dress snatching occurred here!) I loved the crepe fabric and the off the shoulder style, all for a bargain price!
Having not spent as much money on the dress, I budgeted for a reception dress. I did this because I love to have a dance, wanted to feel comfortable on the night, and knew I would in a shorter dress. I showed my ideas to the gorgeous Vicky from Vassi Bridal Couture, and she was able to bring my vision of the dress to life! I got so many compliments on this and was so happy I made this decision!
Favourite moments.
Our favourite moment would have to be the end of the night. The last song played was ‘Gimme! Gimme! Gimme!’ an Abba remix, and we were up on our friend’s shoulders. EVERYONE (elderly included) was on the dance floor and was just such a fun way to end what was a perfect day.
Meaning of marriage.
A partnership between two, bringing the best out in one another and sharing many successes along the way.
Wedding soundtrack.
Bridesmaid entrance: Remember Us This Way by Lady Gaga
Aisle: Life by Conrad Sewell
Exit: Kiss Me by Sixpence None the Richer
Entrance: Best Song Ever by One Direction
First Dance: I Can’t Help Falling in Love by Elvis Presley
Funny stories or near disasters.
On what was supposed to be 38 degrees on a summer day, it dropped to 23 degrees and overcast- perfect for photos! Other than one postponement, we were extremely lucky with how everything panned out, making it such a memorable day.
Planning surprises.
No surprises, other than the cost of things. I knew most things would be expensive, especially when you add the ‘w’ word, but most are understandable and well worth it!
Words of wisdom.
Go with what YOU both want. Make a list together of what is a priority and non-negotiables at the wedding. If you’re umming and ahhing, it’s probably not worth it.
You hear everyone say it and don’t believe it, but it really is the best day! Everything will fall into place. Whatever will be, will be.
An incredible ceremony can really set the tone for the rest of the day, and so much of that responsibility rests with your celebrant! So, to find a storyteller who can really wow your crowd, check out our directory.
TENILLE & JOSH’S VENDORS
Ceremony and Reception venue: Mt Duneed Estate. The team at MDE were so supportive and organised right from the get-go. They made the process so clear and were very helpful when we had to move our original date, making the move with limited stress. The staff were exceptional on the night, and everyone we spoke to was in awe of them. From the exceptional share dinner to constantly topping up drinks, we could not fault them!
Celebrant: Linda Hamill- Linda was beautiful. She is so caring and thoughtful and made the whole process easy. She provided everything we needed and attended a rehearsal with us.
Photography: Motta Weddings– We actually booked Alex not far out from our wedding date (due to a photographer flaking out on us), and he was just brilliant. Alex is punctual, organised, and so enthusiastic about what he does. We’re not camera people, but Alex made us feel so comfortable on the day, and we actually had a ball with it. The following day, Alex supplied us with a small preview of photos, and within weeks, we had them all. We are so happy with the final result and cannot wait to get a hold of the beautiful album we also ordered through Alex. Everything happens for a reason!
Styling & Florist: Belco Events– Absolutely in love with the bouquets Bel put together. She also did our welcome sign, seating chart and styling on the tables, including the timber boards and greenery, which we just LOVED.
Hair and make-up: Laura Dunstan– my gorgeous friend of over ten years who is just so good and passionate with what she does. She has a beautiful salon out in Eltham if you’re nearby.
The dresses: Jane Hill and Vassi Bridal Couture
Veil: This was my something borrowed!
Shoes: Gucci
Rings: Tiffany and Co and Top Image Jewellery
Bridesmaid’s dresses: Petal and Pup
Bridal party PJ’s: Piyama
Groomsmen’s suits: Opal Formalwear (hired) Angelo, the owner, was lovely and terrific fitting the boys.
Cake: Cakes by Ellen
Entertainment: Jimmy King– absolute legend solo singer. Highly recommend if you’re looking to get everyone up on the dance floor. Jimmy played for our engagement and was also the MC on the night for us.
Transport: Pink Thunderbird (shout out to our dear friend, Cole, for this!)
Hire: Mr and Mrs Neon Sign by Neon Jungle
Accommodation: Lon Retreat (featured in photos)
Honeymoon: After four cancelled honeymoons, we are off to Uluru, Australia!
