Lydia & Masson, 20th September 2019
Tell us about your proposal…
It was a complete surprise! We were on holidays in Arashiyama, Japan. Masson carried the ring with him from Australia, he was so nervous the whole time he couldn't wait any longer and proposed as soon as we checked into the Ryokan. We kept our engagement a secret for the whole trip, and only told everyone when we came back home. It was so magical, a memory shared by just the two of us.
What's the best piece of planning advice you can share?
Don't overthink it, follow your gut. Wedding planning was no doubt the most stressful 12 months of our relationship. Everyone around us, out of love, were giving us recommendations and their ideas on all aspects of the wedding. Top that with recommendations from suppliers, pinterest boards, insta stories.....it can feel very overwhelming. Just remember that it's your big day, not anyone else's. Pleasing everyone will be impossible, so follow your heart, and people who love you will see how happy you are with your decisions and be happy for you.
What was the inspiration for the look and feel of your day?
Both born in China originally and growing up in Australia, we wanted our wedding to be the perfect fusion. Traditional tea ceremony was green tea followed by glass of bubbles, bonbonniere was our favourite Godiva chocolate wrapped in red boxes shaped like Chinese Sedan Chairs.... It was absolutely magical to celebrate the day by sharing all aspects of our lives so far with those we love.
What was it about Stones of the Yarra Valley that made you choose us?
Lydia: I knew Stones of the Yarra Valley is where I would be married before I even met Masson! We both loved Stones - beautiful drive in, tuscan style chapel, breathtaking vines and hills in the backdrop, high ceilings in the Barn filled with light.... Stones was the absolute fairytale setting, we knew we simply wouldn't have been happy getting married anywhere else.
What did you think would be your favourite part of the day? What did it end up being?
Honestly, leading up to the wedding was so stressful, we were so busy planning the last min details, didn't even pause to think what we would look forward to the most! On the day though we both think that the best part of the day was after the ceremony and photos, we decided to sneak back into the chapel, and spent 5 mins there, just the two of us. We took in the beautiful chapel, replayed the ceremony and our wedding vows in our minds, and just hugged without saying anything. It was only 5 mins of alone time, but in that moment we felt like the luckiest couple on earth.
What did you splurge on? What did you save on?
Everything! :) It's honestly scary to think afterwards about the amount you spend on your big day, but everything was so perfect I would not have had it any other way...
I'd say the two things we were most generous on was food and flowers. We added all the extras we could off the Stones menu - freshly shucked oysters, antipasto platters... and ordered a cake that was enough for double our guest numbers! Masson and I are both foodies, so our worst nightmare was if guests left our wedding hungry... Needless to say, the food was absolutely delicious on the day, we were definitely not disappointed! Youki from Sugarbee flowers is the most gifted and lovely person you'll ever meet - she was a true friend throughout the wedding planning process, and our flowers on the day were absolutely stunning!
One thing I'm very proud of is not spending as much as I thought on my wedding dress. Luv Bridal had a huge selection of dresses, at half the price of the boutique shops in Richmond / Armadale. I couldn't be happier with my dresses, and most importantly I got to fit in an extra reception dress for the same budget, which was the perfect way to transition from the ceremony to party time!
What was your first dance song and why?
It was 'Perfect' by Ed Sheeran. We both love Ed Sheeran, and the lyrics of 'Perfect' resonate strongly with us.
What wedding traditions did you involve and why?
Masson and I wanted a warm, intimate feel to our wedding, so we avoided having too many formalities and traditions on the day. Having said that, the tea ceremony was definitely a highlight, it was so touching to spend a moment with our family, and feel the unity of not just the two of us, but our families coming together as well.
What does marriage mean to you?
Marriage for me means 1+1>2. That’s what I genuinely believe about the relationship between masson and I. We are two independent, capable people, but we choose to bring the best of ourselves together, because all the good times are better with the two of us combined, and all the bad times don’t feel so bad because together we believe we can work through everything.
Where are you now? Living, career, family?
What a crazy year it's been since our wedding! We were lucky enough to squeeze in our honeymoon trip to Spain, Portugal and Italy, and a trip back home to China to celebrate our wedding with our wider family. The last few months have been settling into living together, and working together - 24/7 thanks to COVID-19! but honestly, we are secretly grateful that we got this year to treasure our times being together just the two of us, it's been a real treat starting our married life being able to spend so much time together. Having said that, we're definitely getting itchy feet to go on our next adventure once COVID-19 is over!
Vendors:
Celebrant: John McCullough from Right Match Civil Celebrant
Photographer: Wide-Eyedea Studio
Videographer: Wed-deographer
Florist: Sugar Bee Flowers
Band/DJ: The White Tree
Cake: Miss Ladybird Cakes
Wedding Cars: Always Classic Cars
Wedding Emcee: William Lee
Wedding Dress: LuvBridal
