Say it with us: ‘It’s your wedding day, do it your bloody way!’ You wanna get married at Taronga Zoo? Go for it! Heck, that’s exactly what Yanni and Charlie did! This bride (in a sleek Rachel Gilbert gown) and groom (so cool in M.J. Bale) told us that as soon as they toured Sydney’s Taronga Zoo, they knew it was the wedding location for them. “We both love nature and animals, so it fit that well, but once we saw the view from the reception looking out over the harbour, we were sold.”
Before the duo left to hike around the world for a year (#HoneymoonGoals), we got to chat with them about their magic day, which they shared with about 150 guests (plus countless new furry and feathered friends). Oh, and as you can imagine, the location lent itself to some pretty awesome wedding pics, snapped by our friends Across The Forest. Check it out below…
THE VIBE “We didn’t really want a theme, so instead just encouraged colour. I think the phrasing was something like, ‘you’re at the zoo, so peacock it.’”
FAVE DETAILS “We were really happy we under-did all the little things like flowers, cake and invites, and just went simple. It really meant that the venue, which is stunning, and us (especially Charlie) became the complete focus. Especially glad we got no ceremony flowers so that the native bush and the view shone. The flowers we did get were all natives, which was important to us.”
MEMORABLE MOMENT “We had a first look and three or so hours of photos in Bradley’s Head and the zoo with our bridal party (our siblings), which was super fun, and felt very personal and special. It was so nice to have time together in the day, which was otherwise a bit manic, and walking through the zoo in our formal wear was very entertaining. The highlight was definitely our ceremony, though. There was a perfect sunset, and the atmosphere was just magic. We were both in tears almost immediately, and it was incredibly moving.”
COOL CUSTOM “We had a whole segment of Greek dancing in the night, which was awesome. All the Greeks, including the oldies, came out of the woodwork onto the dance floor, and all our non-Greek guests leaned into the chaos. It ended with smashing some ceramic plates and drinking a shot of ouzo off the floor without your hands, both of which are classic Greek wedding traditions.”
LITTLE LOL “Yanni’s glasses broke at 9 am on the day, which caused a bit of panic. Emergency fix at the optometrist, and all was saved. Also, being at the zoo, there were some really loud bird noises during our vows, which we had to embrace.”
A WORD OF ADVICE “Grooms need to get more involved in wedding planning. It was a bit different for us, given I had a lot more free time than Charlie when we were planning, so I could give more to it, but getting stuck into it was really fun and gave so much ownership and satisfaction when it came together. Divvy up the work, ask opinions, finalise decisions together, and make the planning exciting rather than tedious. They say planning a holiday is as fun as the holiday itself, so try getting into the same mentality with your wedding.”
STANDOUT VENDORS “Our photographers, Anton and Tim, were legends in running the day and capturing all the moments (in nearly 2000 photos!), and our families really enjoyed working with them. Also, the Taronga events team did a fabulous job organising and running the day, including taking us around in a golf buggy for zoo photos and sourcing critical pre-ceremony espressos for the bridal party. All our vendors were such smooth operators, the day ran without a hitch.”
We simply can’t get enough of Across The Forest and their easy-going, candid, and just a little quirky photography style. Get in touch here if you’re searching for a lens legend in Sydney. Then head to the Directory to discover more awesome vendors in the area. If Yanni’s get-up has got your attention, check out more weddings featuring M.J. Bale menswear here. Love a first look moment? Get a hanky and click here.
CONTRIBUTING VENDORS Photographer Anton Kross – Across the Forest Florist & Bridal Flower Crown Matt Bisaro – Floral Craftsman Stationery & Signage DIY, Vistaprint Venue & Catering Taronga Zoo Cake Maker My Little Cupcake Cake Topper Rosewed via Etsy Wedding Favours GIASEMAKI via Etsy Photo Booth & DJ Upbeat Social Celebrant Megumi Carver Rings Grew & Co THE BRIDE Bridal Gown Designer Rachel Gilbert Shoes Bared Footwear Hair & Makeup Tina Hessell Bridesmaid Dresses Leo Lin THE GROOM Suit & Groomsmen Suits M.J. Bale Shoes David Jones Watch Rolex Grooming Mister Hipster
