After a week of rain and all the effort that went into designing and building their own pergola DJ stand and bar, Chloe and Tim were lucky to have clear skies for their outdoor wedding at The Benev – a charming new VIC wedding venue, wellness space and day spa in one (think couples massages the day after your wedding or treatments with the gals the day before!).
It was a stunning day without too many formalities and a team of incredible vendors working their magic, including photographer Bianca Virtue, planner and stylist Forethought by Samantha, florist Wren Floralista and stationery designer Love and Revel. A dreamy cocktail wedding with loads of attention to detail and a fabulous vibe. Enjoy it.
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How long have you been together and how did you meet?
Eight years. We met through mutual friends. Tim was living with my sister’s partner at the time so we would hang around each other a lot. From friendship, love quickly blossomed. Soon after we got together, I’d had travel plans to Europe with a friend for three months. ‘Absence made the heart grow fonder’ during that time and we’ve been inseparable ever since.
Who proposed to who and how?
Tim proposed to me at our newly built home (built by him) and then he organised celebrations to follow at one of our favourite wineries.
In a few sentences, how would you describe your wedding?
Our style was simple, modern and relaxed. We wanted everyone to have a good time and party the night away without too many formalities. It rained (heavily) the week leading up but the weather on the day turned out to be absolutely perfect for our outdoor reception. Total garden party vibes.
Was your wedding in your home town or was it a destination wedding?
In our local area (Beechworth).
How did you decide on the location of your wedding and the venue itself?
We knew we wanted to keep it in our local area and Beechworth had special family ties which included our venue, The Benev. We fell in love with its heritage charm and modern restoration.
Did you write your own vows? How did you find that experience?
We wrote our own vows as we wanted them to feel personal to us and reflect the love and commitment we have for one another.
What are some of the most memorable and special moments of your wedding?
Our ceremony, having our family and friends witness one of the most special, raw and meaningful moments in our lives is something we will never forget. Plus, our celebrant Sally Lewry completely rocked the ceremony and made it have all the feels. We have to mention our French Cheese toasties that came out towards the end of the night! Guests are still talking about them.
Any funny elements that just made the day or lead up even more amazing?
Tim’s wedding band wouldn’t fit on his finger during the ‘exchanging of the rings’. I soon realised I was putting it on his wrong hand.
Tell us about what you wore.
I wore custom Cappellazzo Couture and knew I was in safe hands with the ever so lovely Sonia. My brief was modern, simple, with clean lines and Sonia exceeded my expectations with her design.
Tim wore a classic black suit.
Did you partake in any DIY elements to your day?
We made our open pergola structure and bar – it’s handy having a builder as a husband! It seemed to be a common theme in our speeches, that I come up with bold design ideas and then Tim is left to build them.
How did you find your dream team?
Instagram and word-of-mouth. We also obtained the help of a planner (Forethought By Samantha) who was able to refer some amazing vendors.
Do you have any standout suppliers that you would recommend in a heartbeat?
We would highly recommend all of our suppliers, they were amazing and we can’t thank them enough for making our day the epic party it was. Standouts would have to be our photographer Bianca Virtue, she is the sweetest and incredibly talented (I tend to look at our wedding pics on the daily), our celebrant Sally Lewry for making our ceremony perfect and personalised to us, Forethought by Samantha for hooking us up with all our amazing vendors and ensuring everything ran smoothly, Deb and Kade from our venue for going above and beyond and Wren Floralista for the stunning florals.
So many more, I could go on and on.
Now that you are married, any advice for couples planning their wedding right now?
Source vendors you know you can trust to take care of everything in the lead up and on the day. Most importantly, enjoy every moment. It’s true what they say, it is the best day of your life and goes way too fast!
CREDITS: Photos Bianca Virtue // Venue The Benev // Celebrant Sally Lewry // Florist Wren Floralista // Planning and styling Forethought by Samantha // Catering Dr Mauve // Cake Little Red Robyn Cake Designs // Stationery and signage Blaze Displays, State of Elliott, D&D Letterpress and Love and Revel // Bridal gown and bridesmaid dresses Cappellazzo Couture // Brides shoes David Jones // Groom and groomsmen suits Jack London and Aquila via Myer // Hair Boudoir Hair // Makeup Jenna Guy // Music Lark Music and Logan Entertainment // Transport Dyson Group // Furniture Hire Dann Event Hire // Favours Beechworth Honey.
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