Abbé and Will’s Intimate Winery Wedding

Abbé  and Will

I simply love today’s intimate winery wedding. With the hullabaloo of bigger celebrations and the endless planning that goes into them, it’s always nice to get a head whack of perspective when a couple comes along who has planned their day with only their hearts and their love at the focus and beautiful photography (by Annette Wilson) to remember it all.

Abbé  and Will met at a bookstore! Abbé remembers their story for us .”Will is a chef, and at the time we met I was working in a bookstore next door to his restaurant. The first time he walked into the bookstore to buy a book we both were lost for words on the incredible energy that was between us. It was pure electricity! Will ordered some books from me that were out of stock. I was dying to see him again, so after he left I drove to pick up some copies hoping he would come in the next day to pick them up. When he did – he was armed with petit fours (sweets!) and an asked me out on what was later the most perfect first date. As cliche as this sounds, I really did know that day that this was the beginning of the rest of my life!”

Abbé wore a long sleeve lace gown from Mariana Hardwick. She remarks, “The dress was an off the shelf Mariana Hardwick evening dress – no alterations and no appointment! I felt so beautiful in my dress. I want to wear it again so bad, I’ve even had bets at work to wear it to the office one day…I am actually considering it as it made me feel incredible!”

Abbé bought her bouquet of roses from In Full Bloom the day before the wedding.

The entire day was planned to be just about Abbé and Will, every single element was relaxed, right down to inviting their guests. Abbé remembering, “We didn’t even do wedding invitations! We simply phoned everyone and told them to book flights (from Sydney) down to Melbourne. I created no stress about this day! The calmer you are, the more fun you will have.”

Lovers of the Mornington Peninsula, Abbé and Will wed in front of the vineyards at Montalto Winery. Abbé recalls, “All the elements of Montalto, the food, the vineyard, the setting, where such a perfect combination for what we wanted. A year before the wedding we went there for lunch and absolutely fell in love. We weren’t even engaged at this point and I declared ‘I am getting married here!’ The Mornington Peninsula is a stunning part of Victoria, and Montalto was incredible.”

Abbé walked down the aisle to Bob Dylan’s ‘Lay Lady Lay’.

Carol Campbell performed the ceremony, Abbé remarking “Our celebrant, Carol Campbell, was exactly the right fit.”

The guest list was purposely kept small – just family and two friends. Abbé tells, “We only had our intimate family and a best friend each on the day. I didn’t want to spend the day running around saying hi to people, and we both agreed that the smaller the wedding size was, the more love we would have to share around! The restaurant was still open to the public, so I still had the chance to show off my dress to lots of people. We had our ceremony by the vineyard in the sunshine, then champagne on the deck followed by beautiful lunch in the private dining room.”

Abbé loved, “The location and the weather completely complimenting who we are. We took a stroll through the veggie garden after the ceremony and spent time admiring what was growing. The train of my dress was covered in dirt by the time we sat down for lunch, but that is who I am and that’s what made it our day.”

Of their photographer, Annette Wilson, recommended by a friend (the gorgeous Luisa Brimble, no less) and flown in for the day, Abbé tells ,”I had asked a close friend (who happened to be a great photographer) to recommend someone for our engagement party. Luisa had the most incredible words to say about Annette, who shot the party and left me gushing over her photos. After our engagement party, nearly every guest commented to me about how spirited and sweet our photographer was. I knew that I needed Annette for our wedding! She effortlessly glided about all day, from the early hours to the last. Always smiling and radiant! I couldn’t be happier with the results. It was important for us to have someone to fit the energy of the day. Annette just did it so perfectly.”

The newlyweds left the reception in a yellow taxi provided by Peninsula Taxis.

Congratulations on your marriage Abbé and Will! Thank you for sharing your day with us! Thank you also to Annette Wilson for sharing today’s photographs with us.