CHELSEA & SAM'S GREAT OCEAN ROAD WEDDING

We’re putting it on the record: seaside weddings are always a good idea, and this happens to be one of the sweetest ones we’ve seen. From the couple’s ‘fits – Chelsea wore & For Love and Sam rocked an M.J.Bale suit, FYI – to the thoughtful DIY details, this wedding day on Great Ocean Road coast was just *chef’s kiss*. “We wanted the day to be down-to-earth and intimate, so we could connect with our guests, and make it incredibly fun. Being a small local town, Port Campbell was a great location to help create this feeling and celebrate all being together.” Of course, it did help that their vendors were an absolute dream team, including Sheree Dubois behind the lens. So go on, we know that you want to take a squiz…

THE VENUE “Sam grew up on the Great Ocean Road where his family run a dairy farm. We both love the coast and enjoy getting away to small vibrant towns with good coffee, food and fun things to do. Port Campbell has a beautiful beach and lots of accommodation, so all our friends and family could stay in town and make a weekend of it. We had explored a few options, but when we saw Port Campbell Surf Life Saving Club and its incredible view of the ocean, we knew it was meant to be.”

THE DRESS “I had seen the & For Love wedding dresses online and loved their boho style and the freedom of the flowy linen fabric. It looked perfect for a wedding at the coast. I was lucky that SoHo Bride in Geelong was a stockist, as & For Love are based in Canada which felt nostalgic after recently living there.”

FAVE DETAILS “The Arts Space where we had our ceremony, was such a quaint and cosy building. We decorated it with colourful flowers on plinths, thanks to the wonderfully talented Ashlee from Yellow House Flower Farm and had plenty of wooden seating for our guests. It was simple, warm and inviting and only a short walk down to the Surf Club too! Chelsea’s brother sang as she walked down the aisle, which added such a sentimental and meaningful touch. We kept the atmosphere energised with a few surprises for the guests, like the Timboon Ice Cream Van at the post-ceremony drinks.”

STANDOUT VENDORS “Sheree Dubois was the photographer for Sam’s sister’s wedding and we loved her relaxed and fun vibe that we knew we really wanted to work with her. We got lots of inspiration from the beautiful photos she takes around the coast.”

A TOUCH OF TRADITION “Sam’s grandad is infamous for his speeches, pearls of wisdom and love for his family. We asked him several times if he’d like to make a speech to which he played it cool and said no. He was our reliable ringbearer and on the day he surprised us with sharing some special words with the rings during the ceremony. He noted the wedding rings are a circle, the ancient symbol of wholeness, and a reminder that your souls are united in your hearts.”

A WORD OF ADVICE “Enjoy it! It’s really easy to caught up with everything to do, but we said from the outset that we were going to make sure we enjoyed the process of planning the wedding, which helped to make sure we didn’t take it too seriously. Take notes! We were also lucky to attend a few weddings for friends and family in the lead up to our own, where it was great to get some ideas and understand the flow and schedule of the day.”

We’re totally smitten with these sweet snaps from Sheree Dubois. You too? Obvs! Find Sheree’s deets on the Hello May directory. Need some assistance in the suit department? M.J. Bale — these guys nail it every time. Check them out here on the Directory.