Together for eight years before saying ‘I do’, Tilly and Joe describe marriage as the “cherry on top of an already very deep commitment”. A testament to their cool, calm, collected attitude, the duo got engaged in a super sweet sunset moment amidst the chaos of house renos and an interstate move. The couple’s vision for the day was rustic, warm, and oh-so-romantic, infused with subtle gothic vibes. Even the weather got the memo, with the picturesque Huon Valley treating them to a cinematic sky show that set the scene just right. Cassie Sullivan was there to capture every dreamy detail (including that jaw-dropping bouquet). Take a scroll and hear from the newlyweds…
MEMORABLE MOMENT “Walking down the aisle and our ceremony were my favourite parts of the day. My bridesmaids and I had been hiding in the orchard, sipping some calming ciders, getting more and more nervous hearing the sound of everyone getting off of the bus. When the music we had chosen finally swelled up we hit our walk-out cue. Rounding the apple crates and finally seeing everyone’s faces just hit me right in the heart. Here were all of the most special people in our lives who had travelled from all over and gathered together for us. I lost it a bit at Joe getting emotional too as I made my way up to the arch. The whole ceremony was so full-on and beautiful, very emotional and raw, and everyone there was just with us at every word. The weather rose to the occasion, with the wind picking up and a dark cloud rolling over the mountain range. The drama of the weather definitely added to the emotional rush of everything and we managed to just get through the ceremony and sign our papers before the sky broke open. The first little droplets of rain that smudged out some of the calligraphy on our wedding certificate are one of my favourite details from the day – a tiny souvenir of the epic afternoon.”
COOL CUSTOM “Arika, [our celebrant], introduced us to the idea of a Ring Warming Ceremony, where the wedding rings are passed around the crowd to be blessed by your guests. We loved this as a way to bring everyone into the ceremony as active participants, and it was really well received by everyone. So many people went out of their way to tell us how much they loved being involved in that.”
FAVE DETAILS “The flowers, both in the bouquet and in the table styling, were a real highlight for me. Eliza (This Natural World) created the most perfect, bright, rambling florals with seasonal flowers. They were an explosion of peonies, irises, roses, poppies and fuchsia. They just looked incredible up against the blue and purple candles and red velvet on the tables.”
A WORD OF ADVICE “For us, it was all about taking the things we were interested in and leaving out all the rest. We didn’t waste our time (or money) on traditions or expectations that didn’t meet what we both wanted to take away from the day. Before we started locking in any details, we had lots of big chats about what we both wanted to achieve and what was important to us. We used that to inform all of the other little details to come. Also Pinterest. It is just such an invaluable tool for sourcing and sorting ideas and inspiration.”
WE’RE GLAD WE… “We did our portraits before the ceremony. The day felt so surreal when the morning came, but after doing the first look photos, we were zooming up kunanyi [Mount Wellington] in a van with our best friends (all looking incredible). It was honestly just such a nice time and so grounding, and took all the nerves out of the day. Taking our portraits beforehand also meant that directly after the ceremony, we could just get into the celebration with everyone and have so much more time with our guests. It’s not for everyone, but it just created such a nice rhythm for the evening for us and gave us extra time with our loved ones who had travelled so far to be with us. Despite taking photos for a couple of hours before the ceremony, we still did the big reveal of me walking up the aisle and I’m glad we still included that. I know from weddings I’ve attended, that first moment of the couple seeing each other at the aisle is just so special, so we didn’t want to skip past that even though we’d already seen each other in our finery. I did have a secret three-metre-long Cathedral veil, that Joe didn’t know about, that I clipped in for the ceremony. I felt like that helped give the moment a bit of a ‘reveal’ element for him as well, and with the wind, it certainly brought the drama.”
Tilly’s gorgeous gown caught your eye? You’ll find more from KYHA Studios in our recent wedding gown round-up. Or visit the directory to discover your own dream team of Tassie-based vendors.
CONTRIBUTING VENDORS Photographer Cassie Sullivan Stylist, Florist & Cake Topper Eliza Rodgers – This Natural World Stationery DIY (Bride) Printer Vistaprint Ceremony & Reception Venue Willie Smith Apple Shed Signage DIY (Bride) Celebrant Arika Crotty (Family) Rings Fiat Lux THE BRIDE Bridal Gown & Veil designer KYHA Robes I Love Linen Shoes Yvolla Shoes via Etsy Earrings Bonito Jewelry Hair Rachel Keaveny (Family) Makeup Sophie McDermott Fragrance/perfume Escentric Molecules ‘Molecule 01’ via Mecca Bridesmaid dresses Baltic Born Bridesmaid gifts I Love Linen (Robe), The Super Bloom (Book) THE GROOM Suit, Jacket, Shirt, & Pants Sullivan Tailors Tie Les Lee’s Shoes Hugo Boss Barber / Grooming Monks & Co Groomsmen Suits Les Lee’s