Emma & Tim, 26th May 2019
When you get engaged in Florence like Emma and Tim did, it is almost inevitable that you’d want to bring a little bit of Italy into your special day, and what better place to do that than at Stones of the Yarra Valley…
How did you meet?
Emma
We met at work. We couldn’t keep our eyes off each other, and finally one day (after a few weeks of having an eye-contact relationship!), he built up the courage to ask me out. We’ve been inseparable ever since.
What’s one thing you wish you knew before you started planning?
Tim
The hardest thing was probably not realising how many friends and family you actually have, until you need to organise a wedding and work out seating arrangements. I mean, when was the last time you tried to count how many friends and family you have!? I also don’t think we really grasped the amount of work that would need to happen to pull everything together – especially on such short notice. One of the main reasons we decided to have our wedding at Stones of the Yarra Valley was that we could have everything organised in one place - the ceremony, pre-reception drinks, the reception and the after party. We loved how we could stay at their accommodation afterwards too.
What was it about Stones of the Yarra Valley that made you choose us?
Emma
The beauty of the venue was our first pull. It was everything we were looking for – rustic, chic, stylish, with an Italian touch. We loved how easy it was to work with the team at Stones. Everything was super organised and straight forward. We had a very quick turnaround with our wedding (only about four weeks), and Stones did everything they could to accommodate us and plan the wedding as quickly and as easily as possible. They are true pros! We also loved that we had access to The Providore at Meletos, for our floristry and event styling. They totally understood our vision, and what they ended up creating for us was unbelievably incredible, better than we could have ever dreamed!
Was there a particular vibe or theme you were aiming for on your wedding day?
Emma
Italy holds a very special place in our hearts, as we got engaged in romantic Florence. So, we decided to bring Italy to the Yarra Valley, and Italian chic was our theme. We asked our guests to be inspired by the stylish Italians for their outfits – I’m really into fashion so this was a fun little quirk for me! For our food, we chose the La Familia package. This meant we had big serving plates of food placed in the centre of the tables, and everyone could share and pick what they’d like to eat. This reminded us of how Italian families like to eat - everyone bonding by sharing beautiful food, drinking glorious wine and laughing and chatting away. We really wanted to create the vibe that we’re all one big family and having the food served this way really helped create that intimacy.
What traditions did you involve in the day and why?
Emma
My dad walked me down the aisle, which was a really special and emotional moment for the both of us.
Tim
I don’t think we particularly incorporated any specific traditions on the day. Other than the standard white dress, something “old, new, borrowed and blue”, we kept it very simple. We just wanted everyone to feel the love in the room, enjoy their time with us, and drink and eat plenty!
Did you write your own vows? If so, what made you do that?
Tim
We decided to write part of our vows ourselves and incorporate a few shared words to tie the knot. I think it’s important that on your most special day together, you share a few personal words about why you’re standing in front of each other, ready to commit to yourselves for the rest of your lives.
Did you tackle any DIY for the day?
Tim
Oh plenty! We bought several disposable cameras along with a polaroid camera and designed a little corner booth with our wedding guest book. We encouraged guests to pass around the polaroid throughout the night and stick their favourite shots into the book, writing down their favourite memory spent with us. We also designed and printed the table name cards, each referencing an Italian location we travelled through during our engagement tour. From Florence and Tuscany, to Rome and Cinque Terre, they matched perfectly with the amazing floral arrangements set up by The Providore at Meletos.
What was the best thing you did at your wedding?
Emma
I loved our reception. There was so much love in one room. We had a relatively small wedding, only about 45 people, so it was very intimate and we knew everyone very well. Our family and friends had travelled all over the world to be there, so to just be together and celebrate love, it was magical.
Tim
It’s hard to pick out the best thing – other than of course marrying Emma! But from start to finish, everything was perfect, intimate and had an incredible joy. From the amazing scenery, food and décor, to the hilarious and heartfelt speeches – it was all wonderful. We only wish the day didn’t go so quickly, it was over in a flash!
You mentioned you’re yet to go on your honeymoon. Where are you planning on going and why?
We actually have no idea where we want to go! Although, I would like to go to a tropical island and just relax… I know, your typical honeymoon! We have done quite a lot of travelling over the last few years, lots of city breaks and the kind, but we haven’t had a really relaxing holiday where you don’t do a thing, apart from go to the spa, chill by the pool, eat, drink and sleep! Dreamy!
Tell us a little about what life is like now... Where do you live (renting/bought), what do you do for work, been on any awesome holidays as a married couple, do you have any children (human or fur babies) etc?
Emma
I have gone back to study. I have started studying acting and pilates teacher training - it’s been a very busy time! We went to Noosa together at the end of 2019, which was just beautiful. I think the rest of the year will be spent close to home, but as we lived overseas for a number of years before our wedding, we don’t mind spending more time in gorgeous Victoria. We are excited to explore our own backyard!
Tim
No children yet – but maybe a couple in the near future… As Emma mentioned, now that we’re back in Australia, we’re very keen to start exploring our backyard more, and maybe get out to the west coast. We’ll just have to keep an eye out regarding how the whole Covid-19 situation pans out before we make a move!
Vendors
Celebrant: Georgia Mills
Photographer: Will Hartl, This Day Forward Weddings
Florist: The Providore at Meletos
Band/DJ: Ceremony – Claire Patty, singing and playing the harp. Reception - AstroSoul Band
Cake: Miss Ladybird Cakes
