Lolly and Olly: The Ceremony

The big day came and went like a blink of the eye … April 15^th, 2011. Every married woman you speak to before the big day says ‘make sure you try and slow it down on the day’, ‘take it all in’, ‘it will go SO fast’… I simply thought to all of that ‘as if’.

That was until the day after when I woke up like I had been spun though a twister causing a mass of matted, teased and fuzzy hair and mascara on my face. I looked down at my wedding band and looked up to see my now HUSBAND on the balcony in his hotel robe eating left over pizza! ‘Wait, what?’ I said, to hear his response ‘Woo! We’re married wifey … sorry I was hungry’. All I could think was that I only had two glasses of champagne and I couldn’t remember anything to any great detail!

The day started just as I would have hoped, my bridesmaids and flower girl all coming together for a morning of makeup, hair, bubbles, Spanx struggles and nerves. The boys were much the same I was told; a mixture of excitement over the finer details I had kept secret, beers and making sure they didn’t forget anything.

The bridesmaids were decked head to toe in grey and yellow, bringing brightness to my chic vintage theme. Their dresses were from Etsy store YongS. My favourite things were the fact I wore one of my bridesmaids wedding shoes that she married her husband in and carried the bag my other bridesmaid had used. The handbag was adorned with a white gold mother of pearl pin my late grandfather had given to my grandmother and the fake diamond ring Olly proposed with in Venice – I just had to have it with me on the day. I also was in love with my head piece! One of my favourite Etsy buys from The Little White Dresser.

Our stunning flowers were by Kate Hill Flowers.

The boys were easy to dress; we just had to get three of everything all the same size! We decided to make Olly stand out on the day and avoid any awkwardness of my family congratulating a man that wasn’t my husband! The boys wore charcoal suits whist Olly wore a concrete grey suit, matched back with tanned accessories.

It was the surprise accessories the boys loved the most, complimenting their inner nerd I had Star Wars patches put inside their suits and Lego Storm trooper cufflinks for each of them from Etsy story Bits and Badges!

The sun came out for the day and I was in true bride fashion running half an hour late! I was walked down the aisle by my Dad and Step Dad, a moment in my life I will never forget. I walked down to a Kings of Leon cover of ‘Someone Like You’ by Laura Jansen.

It was a rooftop ceremony at The Harbour Room, at the Royal Melbourne Yacht Squadron in St Kilda (Victoria) and it was everything we had hoped – albeit a tad windy for the guests! Olly and I laughed the whole way through the ceremony and made sure it was heartfelt but also fun and casual. Olly is the only groom I know to turn to the guests to ‘explain’ his vows before giving them … (They were out of a book he was lent … etc. etc.) it had everyone in stitches.

Both Olly and I are often told we could talk under wet cement with a mouthful of marbles! His explanation, combined with our symbolic ‘loving cup’ ceremony (which people thought we added in so we could drink before anyone else!), were parts that made the day very ‘us’. My wedding band is my Great Grandmother Jean’s wedding band, Olly had a gold and white gold band made to match (with three lines to remind him of his triplet self!).

I had always thought that although being the most important part of the ‘wedding’ that I wouldn’t really care too much for the ceremony part of the day, in fact, looking back much to the contrary. I absolutely loved it. I think maybe I enjoyed it because I hadn’t put much worry into it, even choosing to forgo a rehearsal and ‘wing’ it!

The first half of the day went off without a hitch, well… just one big perfect HITCH!

Photography by Katie Hillary

Ms Gingham says: Love, love, love the headpiece!! Love, love, love the stormtroopers!!

Lauren says: “28 year old Queensland born girl, who grew up in Adelaide and has called Melbourne home for the past 7 years! A Chatterbox, some say I could ‘talk under wet cement with a mouth full of marbles’! Organised, bossy, love to exaggerate a good story when I don’t remember parts! I love to play jokes and spoil my friends and family. Obsessed with my furry babies, Basil the Chi x Jack Russell and tabby cat hunter. Head over heels in love with my Pommy Bear Grylls look-a-like fiancé! Living a lucky life and extremely thankful for it!”

Read about Lolly and Olly’s engagement here.