Tess & Ash

The golden sunset on Tess and Ash’s day, seemed to top off magically what was a stunning modern vineyard wedding. The two love to laugh together, filled their day with plenty of love and light-hearted moments- the most beautiful contrast to the emotion of the day, Tess and Ash chose Sarah Godenzi to capture their day.

Tess fills us in on the story of how they came to be. “We worked together, and remained friends after I left to continue studying. Until one night with shaking hands at a bar in the city Ash told me the truth about how he felt…Ash’s proclamation was sealed with a kiss.”

Tess chose her two oldest friends of fifteen years and her sister as her bridesmaids, noting “This might sound a bit cheesy, but my favourite part was getting together the bridesmaids boxes for my three girls. I had such fun making them boxes when I asked them to be my bridesmaids, and then again when I gave them individual presents the night before the wedding, as well as their own box of goodies including their robes, necklaces, and champagne glasses with their names on them.”

Tess chose a strapless gown by Jane Hill , noting “I had always admired the beautiful work that goes into the gowns produced by Jane Hill so when I began my search, I just had to make an appointment with them. From the onset the atmosphere and professional approach was outstanding. I fell in love with the form fitting lace dress and was able to make slight alterations to suit my taste and style.

The entire dress process was so amazing and I loved every minute of it. The staff are incredible, so accommodating and willing to help at every turn. I was so pleased they were also able to incorporate material from my Mum’s wedding dress into my own. Special mentions go out to the wonderful Jen and Sophie who made my Jane Hill experience simply wonderful.”

Tess and Ash held their wedding at Stones of the Yarra Valley . Tess remarking “Stones of the Yarra Valley was always number 1 on my list. The atmosphere, ease of progression and breathtaking surroundings are second to none. This was made all the more special by the amazing attention to detail and care displayed by the extremely attentive and wonderful staff. It was my dream destination and I feel so incredibly lucky to have had our special day at such an amazing venue.”

“Ash and I appreciate good music and wanted to steer away from anything too obvious for our aisle song. We chose an acoustic version of a more fast paced song; Sam Smith’s Latch for the processional. I am fortunate enough to have a ridiculously talented extended family, so we were blessed to have my cousins Ethan and Charlotte sing this together, while Ethan played the baby grand piano in the Chapel. It was magical.”

Erin Rollason  officiated the ceremony, the bride remembering “After a tidal wave of emotions nearly overwhelmed me entirely, as soon as I laid eyes on my husband to be I was told that I near ran down the aisle. We were lucky enough to have Ash’s brother and his wife deliver a short but sweet reading for us.

Both my Mum and my Dad walked me down the aisle. I have been raised by two of the most wonderful people on the planet who I am proud to say are not only my parents but my friends. Who I am today is because of them and if Ash and I are as happy and in love after 30 years of marriage as they are, I will feel truly blessed.”

Of their photographer, Tess remarks “The beautiful Sarah. Where to start with this amazing lady. I feel so lucky to have locked her down as I’m sure she will continue to be inundated with requests as she grows her business.

Her relaxed and easy going approach on the day paired with her responsive and professional coordination of all prior administrative necessities made dealing her not only a breeze but an absolute joy.I cannot recommend Sarah highly enough and have even had a guest book her for a family photo shoot in the not too distant future. The quality of her work is extraordinary and she has captured our day brilliantly.”

The bride handmade the wedding favors to a treasured family recipe, telling “Our bonbonniere was particularly special – my late Grandmother was famous for her delicious plum sauce which she made annually. With the help once again from my amazing family, we made a big batch and popped it into single serving jars for each guest to take home (it was really delicious if I do say do myself).”

Blooming Brides created the fresh floral arrangements for the day, Tess reminiscing “One word. Breathtaking. I was so overwhelmed with the stunning arrangements made by Rita from Blooming Brides who, from a few simple Pinterest pictures was able to completely bring to life my vision of natural greenery with pops of peach and pastel. The flowers were definitely a high point and we have had countless guests attest to how amazing they were. Thank you Rita – you are amazing!”

“Our cake made by our incredible friend Brianna was also accompanied by a family heirloom, originally a cake topper, which we used to showcase a small flower arrangement next to our cake.”

Of the first dance. Tess tells “We chose “Crash Into Me” by the Dave Mathews Band – a beautiful song with a soft uplifting vibe that again wasn’t anything too obvious (and easy to sway along to!).”

“There is a photo of where Ash and I are supposed to be looking at each other lovingly, instead we are screwing up our faced playfully, and to me, this perfectly sums up our relationship. We laugh every single day and I think that is one of the best things about us.”

Tess and Ash chose The White Tree to lead the dance floor “The White Tree who provided our music and had toes tapping all night long. Their music was exceptional. Mark is just fantastic to deal with and accommodated my Mum and Co who sang a couple of tunes themselves.”

Congratulations on your marriage Tess and Ash! Thank you for sharing their day with us! Thank you also to Sarah Godenzi for sharing today’s celebration with us!