Amy & Simon were married at Villa Alba in Kew. Here’s what they had to say about their big day.
How did you meet? We met at a Pub Trivia night. All the tables were full so me and my friend asked to join Simon and his friends on their team. We ended up going to Trivia every Tuesday and were a couple a few months later.
What was the first thing you decided on as a couple when arranging your big day? We chose the ceremony venue. Villa Alba in Kew.
What wedding vibe were you after? We wanted a relaxed, casual mood where our friends and family felt comfortable to mingle.
How did you choose your outfits? We didn’t want to feel too formal so Simon chose a blue Hugo Boss suit with a colourful pocket square and white shirt, no tie. He changed into a floral shirt for the reception.
I didn’t want a traditional dress or veil and wanted to feel comfortable all day. I was recommended a dressmaker by a friend and she did an amazing job of making my Project Runway dreams come true! I chose the fabrics then over several fittings Lainie and I worked together to design a dress that was even more amazing than I had envisioned.
How did you decide on your venue? The ceremony venue we chose is Villa Alba, a historical 1880’s house just around the corner from where we live. We had visited a year or so earlier on one of their open days and loved the hand painted murals and the surrounding gardens.
The reception venue, AU79 in Abbotsford, is a cafe with a large, light-filled atrium at the back with lots of full sized fiddle leaf figs and palms. We had been there a few times for brunch and loved the Palm Beach/Art Deco style of the space.
What was the most stressful part of the planning process? Finalising the guest list! We wanted a fairly intimate day and had about 100 guests at the ceremony and 85 at the reception.
What was the best thing you did to make your wedding easier? It was more about the things we chose NOT to do. We didn’t have a bridal party, wedding cars or a wedding cake. My sister did all the flowers and we used Appy Couple for out digital invites so we didn’t have that many vendors to deal with. A couple of friends help set up the ceremony venue in the morning and we chose a reception venue that needed almost no styling except we put up festoon lights.
Lots of people get nervous before their wedding, did you? Simon says he was very relaxed in the lead up to the day and so was I. I took the three days prior off work so I could do all the last minute prep without having to be rushed. We also finished writing our vows and speeches Well beforehand so we had time to practice
Getting my dress made definitely reduced my stress level. I went wedding dress shopping once and it was agony. I just don’t like traditional dresses and trying on one after the other that I didn’t like or didn’t fit was so disheartening. Designing my own with Lainie was such an joyful and positive experience that it made me feel confident and excited for the big day.
Who was your stand out vendor? Honestly, they were all so flexible and accomodating that we would recommend them all! Both our venues were easy to deal with and happy to tailor their services to us. Our celebrant Sarita de Gruchy was helpful and efficient while preparing us for the day and provided a calm, positive energy during the ceremony and we had a fantastic photographer, Jax Moussa, who went above and beyond getting a huge variety of posed and candid shots.
Is there anything that you would change about your day? We would have checked the sound at the venue as the music wasn’t as loud as we would have liked. I wish I’d tried a greater variety of styles with my hair during the hair trial to find something I liked more. We definitely would have ordered less red wine and more sparkling!
Did anything go wrong on your day? Nope. Except one of the sleeve seams on Simon’s suit jacket came undone but he took it off for the ceremony so no one noticed.
What was the funniest part of your day? The speeches! And me not being able to stop crying at the ceremony.
Have you got any advice for a couple planning their wedding? Less is more! Think about the atmosphere you want to create and the things that will make you feel confident and calm on the day. Anything beyond that may be unnecessary and add to your stress. Great music is essential!
How has life changed since you got married? We had been together for over 6 years when we got married and I can happily say that almost nothing has changed. It is now over a year later and we’re still getting used to calling each other “husband” and “wife”.
Who were your vendors:
Ceremony Venue: Villa Alba Museum Kew
Reception Venue: AU79 Abbotsford
Bride’s Dress: Fabric - Tyler’s in Cremorne Dressmaker - Lainie Brookman
Groom’s Suit: Hugo Boss
Flower girl dresses: Purchased in Mexico
Flowers: Bride’s sister
Hair: Edward Beale Hawthorn
Make-up: Janey Umback
Celebrant: Sarita de Gruchy
Photography: Jax Moussa
Photo Booth: Oh My Booth!
Invitations: Appy Couple
Bride’s rings: Ferko’s
Groom’s ring: Kavalri
Ceremony venue styling: White ‘papel picado’ bunting from Mexico and couple’s own plants, rug and basket