Sarah & Matthew, 12th August 2017
Tell us about your proposal
Sarah
Our proposal was magical. We were living in London at the time and Matt planned a secret getaway to Positano on the Amalfi Coast in Italy. The weekend was filled with sun, water, food, wine, and of course a ring! On the night of the actual proposal, Matt organised dinner at a gorgeous restaurant and then took me to the beach to ‘walk off dinner’. It was there in the moonlight and surrounded by the lights of Positano that he got on one knee and popped the question.
What's the best piece of planning advice you can share?
Don’t sweat the small stuff. Planning your wedding and getting married is meant to be a fun time – try not to focus on details that don’t really matter in the grand scheme of things.
What was the inspiration for the look and feel of your day?
Getting married in Winter, we wanted a warm feel for the day. We also wanted to draw on the beautiful surrounds of the Yarra Valley. Our florist did a stunning job, filling the space with native foliage and deep crimson flowers.
What was it about Stones of the Yarra Valley that made you choose us?
The beauty and rustic feel of the venue is what captured our hearts to start. We loved that the Barn was romantic and had a touch of Italy to it – it fitted in perfectly with our Italian engagement! The large dance floor it offered was also a winner in our eyes – we were keen to dance the night away!
As a winter wedding, we wanted the option to be inside for the ceremony, canapes and reception (and all in one spot) – Stones offers it all! The Stones’ staff also gave us the confidence that all we needed to do was show up on the day. They made the whole planning process stress-free and the day ran seamlessly. We knew we were in good hands from the beginning.
What did you think would be your favourite part of the day? What did it end up being?
Matt
I was expecting the reception to be my favourite part of the day. In actual fact, it was when I first caught sight of Sarah walking down the aisle towards me.
Sarah
I’m not sure what I thought would be my favourite part of the day. I loved every part of it, from getting ready with my bridesmaids, mum, sister and soon-to-be mother-in-law in the Day Room, to the special moment I had with my dad before we walked down the aisle together, to exchanging vows with Matt, to getting our photos taken with our bridal party, and then celebrating at the reception. If I had to choose, I’d say it was when Matt and I snuck to a corner of the Barn during the reception and just took a moment to take it all in. It was so wonderful seeing all the people we cared so much for being in the one room celebrating our love.
What did you splurge on? What did you save on?
We prioritised things that really mattered to us – the venue, band and photographer. We opted not to have a videographer but instead had a video camera set up on the balcony of the chapel to record the ceremony. We made our own place cards and table numbers and arranged polaroid cameras so that guests could take photos of themselves for our DIY wedding guest book. One of Sarah’s girlfriend’s also made our gorgeous 3-tiered cake as a wedding gift!
What was your first dance song and why?
Our first dance was to Tenerife Sea by Ed Sheeran, which we asked our band to sing. The lyrics to the song resonated with us and it just felt right. We still stop and have a dance together whenever we hear it play.
What wedding traditions did you involve and why?
Sarah asked her dad to walk her down the aisle, and she wore something old, something new, something borrowed and something blue. Matt, being a traditionalist at heart, waited until the ceremony to get his first look at Sarah since the day before.
As a new tradition, we wanted our mums to be part of the ceremony and arranged for an exchange of roses with them to symbolise our families coming together.
What does marriage mean to you?
Marriage is being in a committed relationship and experiencing life’s highs and lows with someone you love and trust. It’s lifting each other up when times are tough and celebrating the other’s achievements no matter how big or small. It’s making memories together and fulfilling what life has to offer as a family.
Where are you now? Living, career, family?
We are happily living in the suburbs of Melbourne with our busy one-year old boy (Oliver) and groodle (Harvey). We have recently sold our first home and hope to shortly start on the journey of building our forever home!
Vendors
Celebrant: Paul O’Donohue
Photographer: Kas Richards
Florist: Raven & the Rose
Band: The White Tree
