Non-conforming, Melbourne couple Thao and Matt weren’t afraid to do their wedding day their own way. From getting ready together, to having no groomsmen or bridesmaids, their vibe was “a fun party” and they nailed it. The venue spoke for itself, with exposed bricks, wooden beams and an abundance of greenery, while the couple created the “dark and inviting” feel with photos at twilight by the talented Tanya Voltchanskaya and countless candles. Add pre-drinks into the mix and you’ve got a recipe for a day to remember.
THE DRESS Thao’s wedding dress was from Lover – she bought it online, via email. It was the first thing she did, and after realising it was a perfect fit and super comfortable, she stuck with it knowing how easily she could change her mind. She also went all out and bought a Lover jumpsuit in an online sale to wear as her pre-drinks outfit.
THE VENUE East Elevation was an incredible place. We loved the leafy, flowery vibe and the wooden beams and brickwork, and it all came together perfectly. We wanted things to be dark and inviting, and for people to be up and walking and dancing about, and it all turned out exactly as we had hoped.
MEMORABLE MOMENT Having our photos taken in the twilight immediately after the ceremony was special, because it felt like a brief moment of relief to be together and just take a breath.
MARRIAGE MEANS… Marriage for us is about taking the next step in our lives together. It’s about celebrating our love in the company of our family and friends, and looking forward to the future together.
A WORD OF ADVICE Don’t worry too much about the traditions or etiquette that tend to go with getting married. We were always very clear on wanting to do things our way, and for it to properly reflect us, so our advice would be that you should do it for yourselves. We didn’t have bridesmaids or groomsmen. For us, it didn’t feel natural to specifically pick out groups of people, and we didn’t want to impose on anyone to do things for us.
STANDOUT VENDORS We were so happy we choose our photographer, Tanya Voltchanskay. Her candid style is exactly what we wanted, and she made us and our guests feel totally comfortable at all times. Our celebrant, Natalie Banks, put in so much effort to get our story. She was super-responsive and flexible. Thao’s makeup artist, Sarah Jobson (Making Pretty), did an amazing job and special thanks also goes to Cecilia Fox, who provided our flowers and Jemma at Herr Blick who did our hair.
VENDOR CREDITS Photographer: Tanya Voltchanskaya Florist Cecilia Fox Stationery Jianery Ceremony, Reception & Catering East Elevation Cake Emelia Jackson Wedding favours Monsieur Truffe Photo booth Oh My Booth Lighting Festoon Lighting Melbourne Sound hire Warehouse Sound Celebrant Natalie Banks Rings Satomi Kawakita THE BRIDE Bridal gown Lover Flower crown Cecilia Fox Shoes Rachel Comey Hair Herr Blick Makeup Making Pretty THE GROOM Suit Suit Shop Shirt Comme des Garçons Shoes Grenson Watch TSOVET