Real Wedding – Jess & Nick, Fitzroy VIC
Planning their day from overseas Jess and Nick found the whole wedding planning thing quite easy, as they simply made informed decisions and stuck to their guns.
They wanted a day that celebrated the city of Melbourne and showed off how cosmopolitan it is, so Panama Dining Room provided a beautiful loft-style backdrop they simply loved.
While the rain wreaked a little havoc on their day, they didn’t let it spoil the party in any way, instead they felt it only added to the urban feel they were trying to bring to their celebration.
Capturing the day in all it’s magical glory was Tribe talent Sabine Legrand.
The meeting.
Our first interaction was over a video conference call! Jess at PwC Melbourne and Nick in PwC Sydney. Not long after that, Jess moved to Sydney for a secondment and Nick volunteered to be her ‘buddy’ in the new team. Three weeks later and we were an item…
The ‘One’.
Nick: When did I know she was the one? when she told my mum to shut up when she interrupted her telling a funny story at their first meeting.
Jess: I don’t think there was any definitive moment for me. What melted me the most and made Nick stand out was how he interacted with my friends and family. It all came so naturally to him and the resounding feedback from loved ones was, “he’s so sincere”. I knew I’d hit the jackpot from that point.
The proposal.
Nick knows that I love the European Christmas markets and living over in Amsterdam, they’re everywhere! So one weekend we caught the train to Cologne which are known for their range of markets. We checked into a beautiful hotel where they upgraded us to the Presidential suite. Nick pretended it was an error. After walking around the markets, I began to get a bit hungry / cold / tired (Nick’s original plan was to buy Christmas ornaments and then show them to each other back in the room, one of which would’ve been the ring box). But by the time we got to the room, I was exhausted and cold and decided to have a bath followed by a nap. Nick had planned a romantic dinner overlooking the river so needed to propose prior to that to celebrate at the restaurant. So, he casually woke me from my nap, got on one knee (in the bed!) and proposed. After five minutes of crying (and confusion from having just woken up!), I said yes.
The process.
It was a breeze actually – having both our parents in Australia was really helpful. They’d do our tastings, we had all our stationery posted to their places etc so that was a big help. Also my brother got married the year before us so we used that opportunity to check out venues ourselves and lock one in. Panama Dining Room also made the whole lead up re menus, styling, drinks etc, a walk in the park!
Style inspiration.
An urban, Autumnal, loft-style, city wedding. Something that celebrated the city of Melbourne and showed off how cosmopolitan it is.
The dress.
It’s modern, a-typical and elegant. I actually found the designer, Rime Arodaky, while deep in an Instagram session and immediately fell in love with the Joni dress. I immediately booked a fitting at the closest boutique that stocked the dress (which was at The Mews Bridal in Notting Hill), jumped on a plane to London, tried it on and then paid the deposit then and there.
Favourite moments.
Nick: surprisingly (for me) the ceremony. I hadn’t expected to feel so emotional. It was really special
Jess: Too many to choose from! I think the moment I felt Nick’s hands as I reached the end of the aisle and gave my flowers to my Maid of Honour. It immediately calmed us both and was the real kick-start to the day!
Meaning of marriage.
Marriage is telling the world that you choose just ONE. It’s a statement to my partner that I’ll be with him/her forever. It’s a partnership, teamwork and an adventure. Now that we are married, we feel like we’ve been let in on the biggest happiness secret ever and can’t believe our luck that we managed to not only find each other but make the commitment to do life together. We’re incredibly lucky.
Wedding soundtrack.
Aisle: Cavalier by James Vincent McMorrow
Entry: I Need You Tonight by INXS
First dance: Warm on a Cold Night by Honne
Funny stories (or near disasters).
The rain was pretty hilarious and caused a bit of chaos. We originally booked vans to take us to Carlton Gardens for photos and by the end of the ceremony, had the vans ready to go, but the rain just persisting. So we had to act on our feet – the groomsmen and some others were staying at a cool Airbnb in Rose St, Fitzroy. We sent one of them ahead to clean up the place quickly before our arrival and ended up doing the majority of the shoot, in this bachelor pad Airbnb! It ended up creating an awesome urban feel as well that complimented the whole day.
Planning surprises.
What I didn’t expect was how manageable it’d be – even from afar. Skype, FaceTime all of it – it made things so much easier than I anticipated.
Words of wisdom.
Give yourselves time to NOT do anything wedding related. Continue to go on dates/hang out and NOT discuss the wedding. It shouldn’t consume your 12 months leading up to it – should just be a fun activity that compliments your life.
Need a Tribe of talent to bring your dream day to life? We have the best of the best, so be sure to check out our wedding supplier directory.
JESS & NICK’S TRIBE
Ceremony and reception: Panama Dining Room, Fitzroy
Celebrant/Officiant: Nick’s sister (also named Jess!) and our friend, Mimi of Married by Mietta.
Photography: Sabine Legrand captured our day better than we could’ve imagined! Sabine was a dream to work with – she made us feel so natural, she directed us and our bridal group/family when they needed to and worked through all the shots so efficiently that we were left with more time for all the fun stuff. Looking back on the finished product, we’re speechless. I’m so happy we went with someone who we knew would capture our style so well – I can’t wait to look back on our photos in the years to come.
Videography: Josue Films
Florist: Flowers Vasette
Hair: Rhodes Hawthorn
Make-up: Zoe Karlis Makeup
The dress: Rime Arodaky
Shoes: Jimmy Choo
Rings: Atelier Steenmeijer
Bridesmaids dresses: Shona Joy
Menswear: Gallery Tailors in Amsterdam
Catering: Panama Dining Room
Stationery / Signage: Design by Mouse
Entertainment: Chris Wilson (Melbourne DJ)
Honeymoon: Safari.com
Other: Jasmine and Will sleepwear for the Bridesmaid’s boyfriend shirts
