Beverly & Ross – Sunday 28th October, 2018

Tell us about your proposal…

Ross: The lead-up to the proposal started with Beverly going on an extended family holiday; we had been together for several years at this point and while Beverly had been on other trips, this time it felt different. It was especially sad as Beverly was packing, we realised that this would be the last time we would see each other until she got back. Being apart was tough, and chatting with friends during this time planted the seed of talking to Beverly about the future and the possibility of getting married. Not long after Beverly returned, we had the chat and set things in motion. I proposed a few weeks later!

I had booked a nice restaurant (No.35 at the Sofitel Melbourne), met the restaurant team and planned to go traditional with the proposal. But just as we parked up and opened the car doors we could smell the food at our favourite nearby Mexican restaurant, we looked at each other and knew that I had to change the plan. I called the restaurant and adjusted our booking, and headed on in to eat some tasty Mexican! We then went and did the traditional proposal over dessert in the now quiet restaurant with a nighttime view of the CBD, with a discrete drop to the knee to cap off a beautiful night.

Beverly: We thought we'd be traditional but as soon as we smelled that Mexican, it was all over. It felt very us.

What’s one thing you wish you knew before you started planning?

Beverly: Be prepared to meet and speak to many vendors! It's time consuming but will produce the best results, and you can feel assured that the people you've engaged to help you and your guests celebrate the occasion understand your vision.

Ross: People in the wedding industry and friends/family suggesting that we book our key vendors nearly a full year out from the event date was a bit of a shock, but thanks to this advice we were able to secure almost all of our first preference suppliers and couldn't be happier with our choices.

Was there a particular vibe or theme you were aiming for on your wedding day?

Beverly: Overall, we wanted our celebrations to be relaxed and in gratitude for all the support our family and friends have given us over the years. I wanted to dedicate part of our ceremony to acknowledging both our parents, all still together, for the wonderful example they set and nurturing our relationship from the beginning. My Mum Debra and Ross' Mum Karen were the witnesses for our marriage certificate. Aesthetically, flowing green foliage was our focal feature; I wanted to bring the outside in wherever possible. Out of respect to Ross' allergies, we went minimal in the flowers and built any florals around an albino King Protea, which holds personal significance to me.

Ross: We were looking for a fun and relaxed day, a celebration of our relationship in which we could include our friends and family. We decided to display our parents and grandparents wedding photos to serve as a reminder of what helped lead us to this day and enjoy the fashion of weddings past — especially our parent's photos with plenty of big hair, moustaches and mullets!

What was it about Stones of the Yarra Valley that made you choose us?

Beverly: I was thankful to attend previous weddings at Stones, there's no better way to get a feel for a venue by attending an event there! Not to mention it's only 10 minutes from where we live. The rows of trees as you drive up the hill and immaculate lawns framed by the Dandenong Ranges are overwhelming — but I think it was cemented for us when we met the team. We were touched by their genuine desire to help bring our event to life, and allowed us numerous tours as we brought our families through and included them in the process.

Ross: The easygoing attitude of the wedding team, nothing was a problem or too difficult and there was always somebody available to answer questions.

Are there any funny stories or near disasters that surrounded your wedding?

Ross: Getting a face-full of rose petals just after the ceremony and still not knowing exactly who it was that threw them — made for some great photos with us laughing.

Beverly: We were well prepared for the unexpected and to go with the flow regardless of the situation, but thankfully we avoided any disappointments. The closest thing I can even think of was two guests unfortunately unable to attend at the last minute, and the Stones wedding team were on hand to amend the reception seating arrangements with just a few hours to go. I'm still thankful to the poor woman who ran the seating plan over to me in The Farmhouse while I was in the makeup chair.

What was the best thing you did at your wedding?

Beverly: Scheduling a morning ceremony and lunch reception! We were able to dedicate the entire day to celebrating, hosting formalities while everyone is fresh and letting us relax and enjoy the afternoon, evening and night. I think we utilised every space on the Stones property, finally ending up with a drink on the shady lawn of Meletos after the reception to reflect on the day. My Dad Mark generously took the role of our event MC which was perfect; he's very organised and rarely goes off-script, we knew we could rely on him to help our reception run smoothly.

Ross: The small gap between the end of our ceremony and leaving the chapel for the rose-petal toss — it was nice to spend some quiet time with Beverly and take in our ceremony before the celebrations commenced. We also delegated some authority to our key wedding party members during the reception, Maid of Honour (Lauren) and Best Man (Nathan), to make any decisions on our behalf or take care of small tasks which enabled us to stay present with our guests and enjoy the reception.

What were some of your favourite moments/details on the day?

Ross: Finally seeing Beverly as the doors opened, it was a great relief after all of the waiting in the morning to know that it was finally time.

Beverly: When the doors of the chapel opened and I got to see all our guests gathered, smiling, with Ross waiting for me at the end of the aisle. I could feel everyone's positive energy and was hit with their vibrant outfits. The only dress-code we gave was "dress fabulously" and our guests delivered! I was glad that our celebrant Yvonne taught us about "ring warming" where our ring box was passed to every guest prior to our vows to hold and impart their wishes and blessings.

Did you scrap any wedding traditions? If so, why?

Beverly: Instead of tossing the bridal bouquet, I saw it as an opportunity to acknowledge our guests in attendance who were already leading by example with beautiful marriages. During our reception, we asked all married couples to stand and as we moved through the years couples were seated. It was a privilege to present the longest married couple, our dear family friends Sandy & Dion, married for over 50 years with a floral gift to take home.

Ross: We decided to have a small wedding party and keep it simple; it made it easier to keep in touch with everybody and organise the day.

Do you have any advice for couples who are currently planning their weddings?

Ross: Do your research and read as many reviews as possible, it will really show you what you can expect from a vendor.

Beverly: Allow plenty of time and enjoy the process! The wedding itself is only one day in your life, but taking a comfortable length of time to review and meet vendors, consider food (our favourite) etc makes the whole occasion last much longer. When the time comes for the big day, go hands-off and just let everything happen as it will. And don't check the weather twice a day for a week leading up to the wedding like me!

Where are you now? Living, career, family?

We're still living our best life locally, enjoying all the fine foods and beautiful scenery of the Yarra Valley every opportunity we get. We can't imagine leaving this region, the community, views and produce is the best. Thankfully, our careers have kept us busy during the pandemic — we look forward to catching up with our loved ones again soon and supporting some local businesses.

Vendors:

Celebrant: @wedding_celebrant

Photographer: @igotyoubabeandco

Videographer: Nicholas Kerr Media

Flowers & styling: @theprovidore (Ruth is an absolute delight)

Hair: @rae.hairstylist

Makeup: @vbombamakeup