Honouring their faith, meaningful catholic customs formed the foundation of Sinead and Matthew’s wedding day vision. “A lot of planning was involved with a lot of prayers,” the couple shared, “we wanted to show what marriage meant to us. We also wanted a traditional wedding with an elegant vibe.”
The bride (in a Amaline Vitale gown, paired with Michael Hill jewels) and groom (in M.J. Bale and heirloom accessories) made it official with an elegant church ceremony in Bendigo, Victoria. With 114 of their faves, celebrations followed at Chateau Dore, a charming historic winery in the Mandurang Valley, Victoria. “Once we met Nicole from Chateau Dore and saw the beautiful venue, we knew it was the one we didn’t need to look at anymore,” the lovebirds told us.
VIC’s very own Tree Studio was on the ground, snapping and filming all the loved-up action as it unfolded. Dive in below for wedding day highlights and the newlyweds’ advice.
MEMORABLE MOMENTS
(Matthew) “Our favourite memory was walking out of Sacred Heart Cathedral as a married couple with the organ playing and the bells chiming, we then got to see all our family and share the moment.” (Sinead) It’s hard to narrow down to just one but one my favourite memory would be when we got to the reception and seeing it all come together with all the people we love in one room was very special for me.”
Rosary Beads Wedding Favours
“Our favourite detail from the day would have been our wedding favours, which were Rosary beads we gave to all our guests with handmade keepsake bags. The rosary is a part of our lives so we wanted to share the blessing with everyone we love.” (Sinead) “My mother made all the white silk bags for the rosary beads. My sister Courtney and I made a little card for bags as well. They turned out perfect.”
A custom Amaline Vitale Wedding Dress
“My dress was from the Amaline Vitale in Brunswick. Ever since I was younger, I have always wanted long sleeves and lace. I was worried about budget, as I didn’t want to spend over $4000. Amaline was the second shop I went onto to try on wedding dresses, I explained the type of dress I was after, and we were on the same page straight away. Once we found the dress I liked, Amaline helped me design the sleeves and lace. She was so incredible to work with as she brought my dress to life and added all the beautiful details.”
A Classic Black Tux from M.J. Bale
“The inspiration for my suit was to keep it as simple and traditional as possible. I was always going to have a black tuxedo. My shoes were my dad’s when he got married and my cufflinks were my grandfathers. It didn’t take me very long to find my suit and the overall experience was pretty simple with some slight tailoring required.”
CATHOLIC WEDDING DAY TRADITIONS | INCORPORATING CROATIAN MUSIC
We are both Catholic, so we had a traditional catholic wedding. We walked down the aisle together as this is an old tradition in the catholic church we wanted to do. We had the priest walk in first and then our parents then Matthew and I. For the reception we had a mix of Croatian music and some traditional Croatian wedding songs.
WEDDING PLANNING ADVICE FROM THE NEWLYWEDS
“Don’t over think too much, prepare for your marriage and focus on the rest of your life together and your wedding day will fall into place.”
MORE GOOD STUFF
Head over heels for these happy snaps? Learn more about Tree Studio’s photography and videography offering here on the directory. It’s also where you’ll find our favourite wedding-wear specialists (like Michael Hill jewellers and M.J. Bale, to name a couple), plus local wedding day vendors of every variety (because we’re all about trying to make your planning journey smoother). Or for more elegant nuptials that inspire, visit the real wedding blog.
CONTRIBUTING VENDORS Photographer & Cinematographer Tree Studio Florist Blumetown Stationery Officeworks Ceremony VenueScared Heart Cathedral Reception Venue & Catering Chateau Dore Mandurang Valley Cake & Dessert Maker La Manna Cake Topper Temu Wedding Favours Central Catholic Bookshop, Mother of the Bride Entertainment Bentley Grattan Music Celebrant/Priest Fr Rob Galea Rings Cullen Jewellery THE BRIDE Bridal Gown & Veil Designer Amaline Vitale Getting Ready Kat the Label Shoes Betts Accessories Michael Hill Hair Kirsty Makeup Sinead (Bride), MECCA Fragrance Atkinson via Myer Bridesmaid Dresses Club London Bridesmaid Shoes Billini THE GROOM Suit, Pants & Groomsmen Suits Peter Jackson Shirt & Tie M.J. Bale Watch Tissot Grooming Barber on Errol Groomsmen Gifts Catholic Answers
