Real Weddings – Romina & Nick, Strath Creek VIC
Romina and Nick favoured sentimental touches over social media trends to curate a celebration of their partnership that was warm, authentic and memorable.
Set against the rustic beauty of Flowerdale Estate, their day balanced classic style with the rich romance of autumnal tones.
Deep reds, burnt oranges and golden yellows perfectly complemented the leafy garden ceremony space, barn-style reception venue and endless portrait locations, all optimised by the brilliant Alegria Photo and Film.
As a photographer, this wonderful woman has mastered the art of capturing authenticity while unveiling elegance, and this gallery is all heart.
Scroll on to delight in every frame and learn how a sweet sideline connection at a football club grew into a love story defined by depth, care and quiet strength.
The meeting.
We met at Coburg Football Club, I was a sports trainer and Nick played in the footy in the midfield (not the most ideal of situations, but it worked out for us).
‘The one’.
There was no specific moment, we got to know each other as friends during the season on a very surface level, but when the season ended and we started actually hanging out I got to see a different side to Nick – a more gentle and caring side. I just knew he was different to what I had initially thought. I was also not the best version of myself when we met, so I knew if he could love and care for me when I was healing from other things in my life, then he was 100 per cent worth having around forever.
The proposal.
We went back to Nick’s hometown in Benalla. The very first time he took me there to meet his parents, he also took me to this mountain that looked over the whole town. He and his friends would hang out on this mountain as teenagers, and Nick joked that one day he would propose to his girlfriend up there. The only problem was that this mountain had now become private property so when we got to Benalla, Nick disappeared for what seemed to be hours catching up with his “friends” – when he was actually knocking on the door of the person who owned the land to ask if he could go up at sunset to propose to me. Thankfully, the man said yes! I knew this mountain was private property, so when Nick made up a wild story about wanting to trespass to go up the mountain that night, I was scared, but I tagged along. When we got up there, Nick had the nervous jitters (come to think of it, he was acting like a crazy person all day!), but when he finally popped the question, you couldn’t wipe the smile and tears off my face. It was a very big YES!
Planning process.
Everybody says that planning a wedding has got to be one of the most stressful and time-consuming things, and they’re not wrong. But thank goodness we had each other throughout the whole process – we were on the same page with a lot of the things we wanted. We’re not over-the-top people, so we focused on things that were special or meaningful rather than ‘just for Instagram’. We chose Flowerdale Estate, which was a beautiful family-run wedding venue halfway between Benalla and Melbourne, and then slowly we just chipped away at things together. The days leading up were filled with stress, laughing at our backyard choreographed first dance that we made up five days before the wedding and lots and lots of excitement.
Style inspiration.
We wanted our day to be simple, classic and not over the top. We initially liked the idea of a ‘black tie’ wedding but felt that it didn’t really go with our wedding venue, so we added a pop of colour with autumn oranges, reds and yellows to go with the beautiful farmstead style of the venue.
The ceremony.
Our celebrant, Kirby, was amazing. She was so organised and offered lots of suggestions on how to include the special people in our lives who weren’t in our bridal party, or that had passed away. From start to finish, the entire ceremony was carefully and thoughtfully planned, but I’d say the most special part about it was writing/hearing our own vows to each other. There is something so special about hearing the person you love the most tell you how much they love you in their own way.
The outfits.
Nick went with a classic custom black and white tux (the tailor joked that his athletic body, specifically his booty, wouldn’t fit into the ready-to-wear pants).
I used the same designer who made my sister-in-law’s wedding dress. I always liked the idea of going with someone you know and trust, plus after trying on 10-15 wedding dresses, and always liking part of one and part of another, I decided that designing one myself with my own style would be much easier.
Favourite moment.
Can you say the whole thing? It’s so hard to pick one thing, but if I had to, it would be listening to Nick’s vows.
Meaning of marriage.
Making a lifelong commitment to spend the rest of your life with someone who makes you a better person. Knowing that you’re cared for, loved unconditionally and that you’ll never have to face life’s challenges alone. Knowing that you have someone’s whole heart is truly an incredible feeling, and every day together is a blessing.
Wedding soundtrack.
Aisle: Feels Like Home – Chantel Kreviazuik
Reception entry – Danza Kuduro by Don Omar (Spanish version)
First dance: From This Moment – Shania Twain
Near disasters.
Not really – I randomly decided to cut shorter layers around my face that I haven’t had done before without consulting my hairstylist, so when she came to do my hair at the wedding, it took a couple of goes to get the fringe part right. I also had a pimple right on my cheek the day of the wedding! But if that’s all I would consider a ‘disaster’, then we got away with the day pretty much unscathed!
Words of wisdom.
Of course! I have so many!
Before you visit and fall in love with the venue, call them and find out how many people they can fit FIRST! Then plan backwards from there.
Include your partner in decision-making and spread the load of tasks so you don’t feel overloaded and under pressure.
If you don’t like something, SPEAK UP! Don’t be scared to ask for something to be changed, all they can do is say no – but most of the time, I found I got what I wanted or got better solutions for problems that popped up.
Yes, it is your day, and your decisions are what matter most, but you can be considerate of your guests as well:
- If you’re having a destination, offer options for transport, or accommodation.
- If parking is an issue, offer parking options so people aren’t stressed or late.
- Make sure there is enough food! It matters.
You can fit it into your budget; you just have to get creative – i.e., make your own invitations and wedding favours. The chances are that no one will remember these details except for you, so you don’t need to throw your life savings out the window.
If you can fit a videographer into your budget, I would highly recommend it – the day goes by so quickly, it is the most exciting and overwhelming day, and there are so many things I didn’t remember until I watched the video back. You also get to relive all the highlights from the day, in my opinion, hiring a videographer as well as our photographer was one of the best things we did.
Have fun! Smile! Don’t take it too seriously – you get to marry the love of your life!!
ROMINA & NICK’S SUPPLIERS:
Ceremony and reception venue: Flowerdale Estate
Celebrant: Kirby Steele
Photography: Alegria Photo and Film
Videography: Ellena Louise Weddings
Florist: Something Bloomed
Hair: Cass & Co
Make-up: Sian Monique Makeup
The dress: LookBook Bride
Veil: Borrowed from sister-in-law
Shoes: Bared Footwear
Rings: Lorandi Master Jewellers
Suits & ties: Formal Red
Favours: Homemade Limoncello
Cake / Cake topper: Baked by Belinda
Stationery & Signage: Homemade
Entertainment: Floor Fillers
Décor: Homemade
Honeymoon: Europe
