Real Wedding – Vivian & Arthur, Werribee VIC
Vivian and Arthur loved the wedding planning process, and the stunning results of their time and effort really shines though.
Their gorgeous garden wedding felt both sophisticated and relaxed, with fabulous florals playing an integral role. They beamed from start to finish, and how could they not, it was a celebration that they will remember for a lifetime.
The talented Kerri of Aviana Arden Photography has captured this celebration in all its glory.
In Vivian’s words…
The meeting.
Our story began as an office romance. We met at work, and after numerous emails, Friday lunches and secret communicator messages our friendship grew into something more. He officially asked me out in quite an unorthodox way by leaving a note on my car window… Clearly it worked!
‘The one’.
I can’t pinpoint one particular moment, but for me it was when he became my go-to person. He’s the first person I share with when I have exciting news and the first person I run to when I’m going through tough times. I knew that I wanted to go through all of life’s adventures with him right by my side.
The proposal.
In our relationship, I am the do-er. So for Arthur to organise a trip Phillip Island, I really should have put two and two together sooner! But he completely took me by surprise and proposed to me during a beautiful picnic on a secluded beach. He even got my sister involved and she secretly came up and decorated the beach house he had rented for the weekend. I walked into a room that was covered in rose petals, flowers and balloons. It was absolutely beautiful and every detail was thought of; they even packed me an overnight bag and bought me a new dress to wear for dinner that night!
The process.
This may sound odd, but I LOVED the planning process and lead up. I’m a bit of a control freak, so I was completely in my element and really had so much fun with it. It also helped that I literally had the A-team behind me, as all the vendors and suppliers that I worked with were simply amazing.
After locking in Werribee Gardens (the first and only venue we looked at – it was love at first sight!), I knew I needed to find the perfect person to help us capture our day. In came Kerri from Aviana Arden Photography. From the first email I knew she was the one! Her enthusiasm was infectious, and she was incredibly easy to deal with. I don’t know if I was just lucky, but I found this was the case when dealing with all my suppliers. I could not speak more highly of them all!
Closer to the day, I definitely did get very anxious in the month leading up. I just wanted everything that I’ve been planning to come together perfectly! But all you can really do is place your trust in your vendors, and let them work their magic (which they did!).
Style inspiration.
I definitely wanted our special day to be a reflection of who Arthur and I are as people. We’ve always wanted a garden wedding, so we wanted our day to have a relaxed and rustic feel but with elements of sophistication. We were so lucky to have the breathtaking backdrop of the Werribee Gardens, so our styling was just complimenting the already beautiful surroundings. Flowers also played a huge role to our day, and we were so blessed to have Mari from MarMar Designs execute exactly what I had envisaged. She absolutely nailed it and we definitely have her to thank for our day!
The dress.
I knew I wanted quite a simple and classic mermaid style dress. Being so short it was the only thing that wouldn’t look ridiculous on me! We walked into Bluebell Bridal and after trying on the Danni – Made with Love dress, I knew it was the one! I’ve always been a sucker for a dress with a low back, and the lace and detailing on this one won me over instantly. I’m also really lucky to have a mother who can sew, as she actually made my veil for me! The shoes were just a simple nude Tony Bianco pair and with Meg doing my make-up and Em from Eminence Hair doing my hair (which by the way, stayed in place the whole day!) my look was complete.
Favourite moments.
I know I’m probably supposed to say a key moment of the day like exchanging our vows… But for me, it was when all the formalities were over and we could finally get onto the dance floor! Just being able to relax and have a drink and a boogie with Arthur as well as being surrounded by all the people we loved was simply amazing.
Also, when my side of the family got around some Greek dancing, under the stars and festoon lighting… The atmosphere was unbelievable; you could feel the electricity in the air that night!
Meaning of marriage.
Marriage to us is being able to experience all of life’s adventures together. To be with that person through everything; the good, the bad and especially the ugly!
Wedding soundtrack.
All of Me by John Legend
Let’s Get Married by Jagged Edge
Perfect by Ed Sheeran
Funny stories (or near disasters).
A week before the wedding, I managed to burn my face with oil whilst cooking breakfast. This resulted in the left side of my face swelling up and three large blisters around and underneath my eye (trust me to injure myself a week before the wedding!). It was horrible, I wanted to call of the wedding then and there! But after a week of applying every antiseptic and healing cream known to man-kind, my face returned to its normal size and the blisters shrunk. And thanks to the power of make-up and my wonderful make-up artist Meg, it was barely even noticeable on the day!
Planning surprises.
How quickly I can spend money (not really a surprise) and how everything adds up! Thankfully, I am fortunate enough to have so many talented people in my life so I was able to DIY a lot of things. My sister and dad hand-made and painted my beautiful wedding sign and giant letters and my mum was the go-to dress alterer for my bride tribe. I even designed my own wedding invites, even though it’s a wedding – don’t be afraid to DIY!
Words of wisdom.
The day goes by so quickly so make sure you take five minutes at some point of the night, to just soak it all in and enjoy it with your partner! Also, remember that it’s you and your partner’s day. Don’t feel pressured into doing things that you aren’t comfortable with. At the end of the day, if you plan a day that you both love – chances are your guests will absolutely love it too!
Keep calm and get your wedding day off on the right foot with our morning survival guide.
VIVIAN & ARTHUR’S TRIBE
Ceremony location: The Parterre, Werribee Gardens
Reception venue: The Pavilion, Mansion Hotel & Spa at Werribee Park:
Celebrant/Officiant: Debbie Delle (family friend)
Photography: Aviana Arden Photography – For two people who are so uncomfortable in front of a camera, Kerri makes you feel so at ease and was a delight to work with!
Photography (second shooter): Olivia Mroz
Videography: Josué Films – David is a bundle of energy (something you definitely need on your wedding day) and did a same day edit for us. We got to watch our wedding video in our hotel room, the night of – amazing!
Florist/Styling: MarMar Designs – Mari was fab, so lovely to deal with and her work speaks for itself!
Hair: Eminence Hair – If only I could have my hair like this every day. Em made me feel like an absolute queen, and my hair did not move the whole night!
Make-up: Meg from Attention To Detail MUA – Even with a burnt and blistered canvas, Meg worked her magic and my make-up and all the bridesmaids were on point.
The Dress(es): Bluebell Bridal, Made with Love
Veil / headwear: DIY – made by my amazing mum
Shoes: Tony Bianco
Rings: Evita Jewellery
Bridesmaid’s dresses: Shona Joy
Groomsmen’s suits: Prinzi Collection
Bow ties / ties: Prinzi Collection
Catering: Mansion Hotel & Spa at Werribee Park
Bar: Mansion Hotel & Spa at Werribee Park
Cake / Cake topper: Danielle from Churchill Designs – The cake was as delicious as it looked, and Danielle was so easy to work with.
Stationery / Signage:
- Wooden Letters Australia did our wooden table names and signage. Absolutely amazing service, one of our signs broke in transit and they replaced it so quickly!
- DIY for our wedding sign, giant letters and invites
Entertainment: Con from In-Pulse Entertainment
Transport: Fantasy Limousines
Décor: Festoon lighting by Event Equipment
Honeymoon: Coco Bodu Hithi – Maldives. I thought this place was a dream, highly recommend for couples who want to relax and de-stress in breathtaking views.