Josie and Tom’s ultra intimate elopement was like the best kind of date day – a morning at home with their sausage dogs, Donnie and Bear, a beautiful day in the gardens and ice-cream cones – with just the two of them. Dressed to kill, they shared a ceremony at Fitzroy Gardens with the glorious backdrop of banana palms and bold florals. Then, they made their way through the streets of Melbourne before perching on chairs at Spring Street Grocer with gelati in hand to celebrate. Captured by Kat and Scout from It’s Beautiful Here, read on to learn more about this couple’s approach to a low-key, stress-free celebration.

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How did you both meet? We knew each other through mutual friends, and first met at a house party. Tom was tall, chatty (after a few beers) and had a big, impressive beard. Josie was cheeky, funny and gorgeous. We chatted, and then I (Josie) decided to send him a message a week after the party. The rest is history!

The proposal: We had another Melbourne lockdown date night at home making gnocchi ragu (Josie’s favourite dish) on a lazy Saturday. Tom then asked me to pick a movie, and sat me down on the couch. The next thing I saw was one of my sausage dogs (Donnie) running towards me with a ring attached to his collar! Tom then got down on one knee in our lounge room. It was intimate and perfect.

The venue: Because we were eloping without any family and friends present, it was really important that the backdrop of our photos were amazing. We were looking into parks across Melbourne, and our photographers Kat and Scout recommended some amazing spots in Fitzroy Gardens. After checking out some of their photos, we were sold! Fitzroy Gardens provided amazing greenery, as well as beautiful, bright colours which made our photos pop.

Wedding vibe: Tom and I like to think we are pretty no-fuss people, who really hate attention! We knew early in our relationship that we wanted to elope just the two of us, and once we were engaged we discussed this with our family and friends who were totally on board with the idea. We also wanted to spend the day doing things we love, like grabbing an ice-cream and wandering through the city streets. We wanted the day to be low-key, stress-free and fun – and it was!

Traditions: adopted, adapted or ditched? Tom and I decided to write our vows in cards that we gave one another the morning of the elopement, when we were home just the two of us. It felt special sharing that moment privately.

The outfits: I wanted something fun and short. I immediately fell in love with the Harriette Gordon mini dress, tried it on first and was sold. Tom wanted something classic that would work well with my white mini dress, and opted for a black suit with a classic bow tie.

Standout vendors: Hands down would recommend our photographers from It’s Beautiful Here. The photos are STUNNING and I am so proud sharing them with our friends and family. Our celebrant Michelle from Marry us Mich made us feel so comfortable and relaxed.

I’ll always remember: Getting ready at our home, together, alongside our sausage dogs Donnie & Bear.

Word of wedding wisdom: Do whatever you both feel, and don’t worry about opinions or judgement. The day is about the two of you.

Budget: We stayed under $10,000, which was our aim.

The future: We found out we were pregnant a couple weeks before the elopement. It was amazing telling our family over FaceTime at the end of our special day! We are looking forward to meeting our little one later this year.

CREDITS: Photos It’s Beautiful Here // Florist Salt Flower// Venue Fitzroy Gardens // Catering Spring Street Grocer // Celebrant Marry us Mich Gown Harriette Gordon via Bluebell Bridal // Veil Popovski // Bride’s shoes Scanlan Theodore // Bride’s accessories – Earrings: Aje, Bag: Morgan and Taylor, Sunnies: Local Supply // Groom’s suit Mens Suit Warehouse // Rings SH Jewellery // Hair RL Hair Studio // Makeup Tahlia Liapis Makeup

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