Suffice to say we’re infatuated by this soiree – a Melbourne church ceremony and winery reception celebrating the union of Natalie and Andrew. “We toured a handful of venues before deciding on Marnong Estate Winery,” the pair share. “It was less of a ‘reception room’ and more of a destination. With beautiful gardens, accommodation, and spectacular views of the rolling hills and countryside from the reception space. It was also home to many animals, like peacocks and camels which added to the appeal. It really was a place our guests could explore and enjoy.”
Photography was an important element for this pair, who both work in creative fields. And after reviewing close to 50 portfolios online (!), Kinship by Kristy was a stand out. “Her approach matched exactly what we wanted. No cliche’s, a strong focus on real candid moments, mixed with thoughtful compositions captured beautifully.”
There’s much to love: wild mushroom centrepieces (one of the most unique wedding ideas but we love it), vintage toy store portraits, and a silk wedding gown designed by the bride herself (yep!). The bride tells us all about that journey below, plus fun moments with the bridal party (wearing M.J. Bale and Forever New), sentimental details and what stood out to the guests.
Unique Wedding Centrepiece Ideas: Wild Mushrooms, Florals & Personalised Details
“Flowers were a stand out, The Beautiful Bunch did an incredible job, crafting floral and wild mushroom table centrepieces in burgundy and blush tones. Natalie also embroidered the name of my dog ‘Milo’ (who passed a few years prior), onto my pocket square so I could keep him close to my heart, which was really meaningful.”
How This Bride Designed Her Own Custom Silk Wedding Gown
“I knew from the start that I didn’t want a typical wedding dress. I tried on over 20 different dresses, but nothing really stood out or felt like me. My mind kept going back to an Italian bridal magazine I’ve had since 2006, which featured a very modern shoot with retro styling and clean, contemporary silhouettes. There was one dress in particular that I still loved nearly 20 years later, even though the photo only showed the back. With six months until the wedding, I had to lock in a design if I was to have a dress made. In the end, I decided to design my own, inspired by that image from the magazine. I reached out to my uni teacher, Sharon, who taught fashion to ask for recommendations for a tailor, and she offered to make the dress herself, which felt incredibly special. Although the design seemed relatively simple, it was technically very challenging. It featured a large back bow that was quite heavy, so it needed a lot of structure for it to stand on its own. For functionality we also had to make it detachable so it wouldn’t get crushed on the way to the ceremony. Together with Sharon, and my twin sister Manal, we spent many weekends in fittings, working through the design and problem solving the construction. Sharon quite literally put her blood, sweat and tears into it. The dress ended up feeling completely weightless, and the bow held perfectly all day and night.”
How Natalie & Andrew Honoured Lebanese Wedding Traditions on Their Big Day
“Natalie’s family is Lebanese so we very much embraced that for our wedding celebration. It is tradition for close family and friends to gather at the bride’s house before the ceremony accompanied by drums and dancing. At these pre-wedding celebrations, female elders recite poetry honouring the couple and the family.”
Meaningful Ways to Include Loved Ones Who Have Passed in Your Wedding
“Sadly my best friend Laura passed away very suddenly a few years ago. It was important for me to find a way to include her in the celebration, so we reserved a seat at the bridal table. She had a place next to my best man, Phil, with a commemorative photo. A small gesture to recognise her importance to us.”
Creative Wedding Party Photo Ideas | Art Deco Cinemas & Vintage Toy Stores in Northcote
“We had loads of fun travelling around Northcote taking photos with our bridal party. We wanted to choose unique locations that had a lot of personality, and matched our interests. . . . The first location was Palace Westgarth Cinemas, a classic art deco theatre that’s over 100 years old. The next was a playful store, Lobos Collectables, who specialise in vintage toys. A place I drag Natalie into whenever we’re in the area. Their store layout is filled with colour and nostalgia.”
Planning a Vineyard Wedding in Melbourne? Start Here…
Kinship by Kristy has done it again! A much-adored photographer among Hello May newlyweds, visit the directory to see more of Kristy’s work. Love a bit of fashion chat? Explore wedding styles we covet, including M.J. Bales’ autumn collection. Then pour yourself a vino and check out these vineyard venues.
CONTRIBUTING VENDORS Photographer Kinship by Kristy Cinematographer C2 Films Venue Event Coordinator Kayla Middleton – Marnong Estate Florist The Beautiful Bunch Printer The Distillery Ceremony Venue Saint George Antiochian Orthodox Cathedral Reception Venue & Catering Marnong Estate Cake Maker Good Good Cake DJ/Entertainment Danny Farrah Drummers Mohammed Souki Priest Father Jack Lutfi Rings Amy Renshaw Transport STAR Chauffeured Cars, Luxury Limousines THE BRIDE Bridal Gown Designer & Hair Piece/Veil Natalie (Bride) Bridal Gown Tailor Sharon Koenig Shoes Paris Texas, Jo Mercer Accessories Harli & Harpa, Simone Rocha, Natalie (Bride) Hair Hair by Sima Makeup Bec Shannon Reception Dress Montsand Bridesmaid Dresses Forever New Bridesmaid Shoes Ninewest THE GROOM Suit Ralph Lauren Shirt & Bow Tie Dior Shoes Christian Louboutin Grooming Kings Domain Best Man Suit M.J. Bale
