Real Wedding – Vikki & Ben, Fortitude Valley QLD
For Vikki and Ben, the priority for their wedding was to stay true to who they are; laid-back lovers of good food and wine, simple style and authentic emotion. Their day was all this and more.
Choosing to scale back rather than postpone in the uncertainty of Covid19 meant they were free to focus on the details, and the result was effortlessly impeccable.
From the achingly gorgeous architecture of the florals in hues of rich rose and blush pink with sweeps of burnt sage to Vikki’s gorgeously glam, super-chic gown by Karen Willis Holmes, each element came together to create a truly vivacious vibe.
The perfect final piece was the infectious happiness evident in every image, captured by Market Lane Media.
The meeting.
We met about four years ago. A close friend of mine was at a chef’s dinner at the restaurant Ben was head chef and co-owner of (Longtime, Brisbane) and decided to act as matchmaker. She gave Ben my number after his business partner announced to the restaurant that he was still single. She had messaged me to ask permission, but I’m fairly certain this was already after the fact.
I later found out she didn’t really give him much of a choice in taking my number either. I didn’t expect much to come of it, to be honest, but Ben called a few days later to ask me on a date, and the rest is history.
The ‘one’.
I’ve been asked this question a few times, and I used to hate it so much when people gave me this response, but honestly, it just felt “right”, I can’t explain it any better than that – when you know, you know.
The proposal.
We had spoken about marriage, and we both knew it was something that we wanted, but Ben caught me completely off guard with his proposal. We were out to dinner for our anniversary (which is in December, the busiest month for the restaurant industry) and went to a little wine bar afterwards.
He just casually slipped the ring box onto the table; it was so him to be so laid-back about it. Apparently, I had foiled two previous attempts (oops), but I wouldn’t change a thing. It was so “us” – good food, nice wine, and no fuss.
Planning process.
We had a fairly good idea of what we wanted from the get-go, which made things somewhat straightforward. What did complicate things a little was a global pandemic being declared six months out from our wedding date.
Originally, we had planned a medium size wedding with 60-80 guests. But with all of our family and a good portion of our close friends living interstate or overseas we knew there wasn’t much chance of them getting here. So, we made the decision to scale our wedding right back and got married with only a handful of guests and our family joined us via Zoom.
Luckily, we had the most amazing vendors who were all so incredible to work with and made this process very stress-free; and hopefully, we’ll be able to have a big party to celebrate with all of our family and friends in the not too distant future.
Style inspiration.
We wanted our day to be laid-back and a reflection of us as a couple. We did this by focusing on the things that were most important to us throughout the planning process and making sure we stayed true to that.
Aesthetically we wanted to keep things simple and understated. We just chose things we liked (and trusted our vendors) and it all just sort of fell into place.
The outfit.
I wanted to wear something elegant and timeless, so when I came across Karen Willis Holmes quite early into my search, I knew I would end up wearing one of her dresses. Originally, I thought I would wear something quite simple and modern, but when I tried on the Cassie gown, I knew I had found the one.
I accessorised the dress with a simple veil (also from KWH) and a pair of vintage pearl earrings Ben bought for me not long after we met. I found my shoes randomly, I don’t actually remember how I came across Chaos and Harmony shoes, but I’m so glad I did. The eternal heel was the perfect wedding shoe – so comfortable!
Favourite moments.
We had the most incredible wedding celebrant who sent questionnaires to our family and friends and incorporated their answers into the ceremony. Hearing their responses for the first time on our wedding day was so special and made the ceremony so personal to us.
Meaning of marriage.
In Ben’s exact words “to always laugh, love and not piss each other off too much”.
Wedding soundtrack.
Aisle: What is this Feeling by Al Green
Signing song: Lets Stay Together by Al Green
Recessional: Ever Again by Bernie Williams
Funny stories or near disasters.
You mean apart from a global pandemic? Honestly, even despite that, the day was perfect. The main thing is we were still able to get married, and our loved ones were still able to be a part of it – even if it was through a computer screen. It may not have been our plan A, but in the end, it was still a beautiful day.
Planning surprises.
How much I enjoyed it!
Words of wisdom.
Budget tip – weddings can get expensive, really fast. I highly recommend choosing a few things that are most important to you as a couple and focusing your money there, but be prepared to compromise on everything else. Everyone has different priorities, so just make sure you stay true to yourselves.
Last words.
Get a videographer – you won’t regret it!
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VIKKI & BEN’S VENDORS
Ceremony venue: Calile Hotel. Kate from The Calile was an absolute pleasure to work with – especially when we had to re-plan everything. Nothing was ever too much trouble, and she really took the stress out of the whole process.
Reception venue: Agnes Restaurant. We opted for a private dinner at Agnes Restaurant for our reception, and I will be forever grateful to Ben Williamson and the team for making our night so special. Amazing food and drinks and exceptional service.
Celebrant/Officiant: Mel at Wed with a Twist. Mel was recommended to us by a friend, and I instantly knew she was the celebrant for us, she is one of the most genuine, lovely people I have ever met. She went above and beyond to make our ceremony personal and heartfelt.
Photography and videography: Market Lane Media. We already knew Alex (our photographer) as he is a friend of ours, but the whole team from Market Lane Media were so much fun to work with. They exceeded our expectations and making the decision to have videography was one of the best decisions we made.
Florist: Mrs Gibbons Flowers. I LOVE flowers, so choosing a florist was always going to be an important decision for me. Amber was recommended to us by a friend, and I’m so glad she was! She is an absolute flower goddess. I am still so obsessed with my florals.
Hair: Nic & Co Salon (New Farm)
Make-up: Lily Brady MUA
The dress and veil: Karen Willis Holmes Bridal. I wore the Cassie gown from the Luxe collection and the Camila veil.
Shoes: Chaos and Harmony. I wore the Eternal heel in champagne.
Rings: Soklich & Co (Perth)
Groomsmen’s suits and bow tie: Oscar Hunt, Melbourne
Stationery / Signage: Jenny Watson Design
Honeymoon: Wilson Island
