Choose a Gown You Are Genuinely Excited to Wear on Your Wedding Day
“More than six months on from our wedding, I still smile every time I look at my beautiful dress. Sophie’s knowledge and distinct understanding of my vision was apparent almost immediately after our meeting. I hadn’t been in the boutique for longer than 20 minutes when she brought out my Monique Lhuillier gown. She made me feel confident in my decision and was helpful with any additional questions I had before and after purchase. I always looked forward to my fittings with Helen and Glynis and they kindly rushed my gown through given my short timeframe.”
Bride & Groom: Julia & Nicholas
Gown: Monique Lhuillier Bliss BL19211
Venue: Athol Hall, Mosman NSW
Photography: Justin Aaron
Videography: Elliot Swift
Floral: Eden and Bell
Makeup: Georgia Hull
Hair: Missy Veyret
Cake: Added Sugar
Rings: Affinity Diamonds
Celebrant: Jessie Cacchillo
How did you and your husband meet?
At Falls Festival in Lorne, Victoria. It was 3am on New Year’s Day in the rave cave. Hardly the stuff of fairytales but something clicked! Hours later, we parted ways – I was returning to Sydney and Nick to Adelaide where he was living at the time. Then, as with all great millennial romances, a friend request on social media followed.
How did he propose?
I grew up in Melbourne and the Spring Racing Carnival is something Nick and I look forward to each year. We often attend Derby Day and make a long weekend of it. In November 2018, after a winery lunch with my parents on the Mornington Peninsula, Nick got down on one knee in the garden of my family home. Champagne flowed and the celebrations continued all weekend.
What was your vision for your wedding day?
We knew early on that we wanted a venue with views of Sydney Harbour. While it’s home for us, we had a lot of interstate guests and we wanted to show our city off! Being February, we opted for a later ceremony to avoid the afternoon heat, followed by a cocktail hour at sunset on Athol Hall lawn. I worked with Sophie from Eden & Bell to create a ground arbour of white flowers and foliage and kept everything else fairly simple to let the natural landscape speak for itself.
Where did you look for your wedding inspiration?
Instagram was my go-to (I followed a mix of bridal designers, websites and photographers).
What drew you to your gown from Luxe Bridal Samples?
I have the lovely Sophie to thank for finding my dream gown. I was originally wearing a silk slip dress but two months’ out, I popped into Helen Rodrigues having briefly visited back in 2019 following our engagement. Looking for another dress so late in the game was Bad Bride Behaviour but while I loved the silk number, I wasn’t bursting with excitement to wear it. I told Sophie my concerns and we came up with a new brief: “Traditional and romantic but also a little fun.” Essentially, I wanted to feel like a Bride. She disappeared upstairs and came back with my gown. I immediately fell in love with the delicate lace, deep V-neck and frothy, flowy skirt.
What was your wedding planning journey like for you? How far out did you start planning?
We had two cancelled dates before our big day. Despite having initially planned a longer engagement, three-and-a-half years – thanks COVID! – felt like a really long wait. My advice to couples now is to get it done fast or if you want a long engagement, delay the planning process. If you can sort the venue, and secure the vendors that are important to you, that’s sufficient. Then, kick back and enjoy your engagement without second guessing your decisions.
What was the biggest decision you had to make?
Postponing our date for the second time. The second COVID wave had hit and interstate borders were closed which meant both our parents and the majority of our bridal party would not make it. It was tremendously disappointing but the right decision.
What was the highlight of your wedding day for you?
Our ceremony! I hadn’t expected to love it as much as I did. It was actually delayed due to a heavy rain cloud that was due to come down exactly when the ceremony was meant to commence. Both our celebrant and florist (who had been closely watching the radar) advised it would pass fairly quickly. We decided to wait and soon after a heavy shower (our guests were thankfully kept undercover) the sun peeked through the clouds casting an exquisite wash of light over our guests as we said “I do.”
Is there anything you would do differently?
Hire proper transport. I wrongly assumed Uber Luxe would be fine but it only added unnecessary stress.
Is there any advice you would give other #LuxeBride’s?
Be open to different styles initially but also, if you know a certain silhouette or neckline works for you, be confident in speaking up. Also, choose a gown you’re genuinely excited to wear on your wedding day!
