Jess & Rhett

There is something that I love to the very core about little weddings. There is a specialness about refining your guest list to the people that truly make your heart sing, that truly “get” you. Jess and Rhett did their day very much their way, their guest list was just their true family, their ceremony venue simply the registry office and their reception venue? Their backyard. “Celebrating in our own home was just so special, it was a chance for friends and family to really participate on a very intimate level in the life we’re building together” shares Jess. Thankfully for us Jessica Rose Photography was there to capture it all, because this story? It’s one that needs to be told.

It was a beautiful next step for these two, who were together six years before they tied the knot, Jess reminiscing of the moment that Rhett popped the big question. “We had been together for six years before Rhett proposed, I guess he just wanted to make extra sure we were in this for the long run! My Dad nearly blew the whole thing actually, I think he was just so genuinely excited to be getting Rhett for a son-in-law. Rhett had gone to ask my parent’s blessing and when we both came round next to visit, my dad came out of the house and gave me a huge hug saying “congratulations!”. Needless to say, I was very confused! My Mum came rushing over and elbowed Dad in the ribs saying in not quite a whisper “we don’t know if he’s done it yet!”. Later that week Rhett organised an anniversary dinner at our favourite restaurant and proposed at the table after we’d eaten. Very low-key romantic and relaxed, just so us. Our server was very excited for us haha!”

Jess found her beautiful beaded lace wedding gown at Leah S Designs. She tells “Like a true bridechilla I left the dress shopping until three months before the wedding. The consultant I worked with at Leah S Designs did such a fantastic job listening to my brief about what I wanted and only picked gowns she knew would fit my budget and limited time frame. The dress I ended up choosing was the third I’d put on and it really was that “moment” you hear about. It fit beautifully, it was a little vintage-inspired and so dreamy and romantic with the netting over-skirt and little train, we added some beaded cap sleeves for a little more coverage.”

Jess and Rhett met before their ceremony for a first look in the halls of the historic Treasury building. it remains one of the groom’s favourite memories of the day.

Jess walked down the aisle with her father to an instrumental version of Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believin”.

Jess and Rhett chose the registry office at Old Treasury Building for their ceremony, doing away with any fuss. Jess tells “Keeping our watch-words of simple and relaxed in mind we chose to marry through the registry office. The ceremony was in the Margaret Craig room of the Old Treasury Building, it was a lovely old world looking room with dark wood and big windows looking out onto Spring street.”

Although an officiant at the registry office is somewhat of a lucky dip, as fate would have it, a friend of Jess and Rhett was on the day’s agenda. Jess explains “Choosing to have a registry ceremony we didn’t meet our celebrant until just before the ceremony was due to start. It sounds daunting I know, but we genuinely lucked out and randomly ended up with a family friend marrying us! (Thanks Bonnie!) I think we mostly just wanted our ceremony to be relaxed, brief and legal haha! It was a very cool experience to be standing in the foyer of the Old Treasury Building with six or seven other slightly anxious but joyful couples and their families just feeling the love and congratulating each other (and complimenting each other’s dresses!)”

“I feel grateful that my family and friends were so supportive of us not having the traditional “big white wedding”. It allowed us to really focus on what we felt were the important aspects of getting married, and once we had that support, pulling everything together felt easy and relaxed!” shares Jess.

“We kept the guest list small, both due to necessity (the venue spaces) and the fact that we wanted one of the most important days of our life to be shared with our true family making it a more intimate and informal gathering of celebration”

The bride carried a bouquet styled by Cakes & Vases. “My brief to my florist was fairly vague, I mentioned natives and blush and burgundy (something a little romantic but not overly structured!) and I really couldn’t have been happier with how she pulled everything together to make it perfect. She sourced some burgundy dahlias that just looked so lush!”

Of their chosen photographer, Jess tells “Booking Jess of Jessica Rose photography was by far one of the best decisions we made about our wedding. I was wandering through a wedding expo, feeling completely overwhelmed when I saw this stall with the most amazing display of wedding photography. I was caught by her truly artful ability to capture colour and her amazing eye for light. I was so thrilled when she was available for our date! She managed to capture the most beautiful shots, the most candid moments of love we had for each other that day, I couldn’t imagine any other photographer doing such a magnificent job.”

 

“After the photos in the Treasury Gardens, Rhett and I drove home together in our car. Having that time alone with my new husband, sitting in Saturday night CBD traffic, is strangely my most fond memory of the day.”

Jess and Rhett chose their own backyard for their wedding reception, the bride telling “I know I’ve already mentioned how right it felt to be celebrating our marriage in our home but it really is so special to look around the everyday place you live and think “that was where we had our first dance as a married couple” or “that’s the bench I cut my wedding cake up for my guests on”. Those memories get to live alongside us every day!”

The reception was set up and styled by the couple, with the help of Rhett’s mum. Jess explaining “My mother-in-law did all the reception styling and we joke that she’s missed her calling as an event stylist. She did such a phenomenal job of making our suburban backyard into a boho-bombshell venue. She literally sourced everything from chairs to picture frames and trolled Op-Shops for months to look for vintage glassware.”

BigPlatter Co served up an amazing table of deliciousness for Jess and Rhett’s reception, along with cake by Cakes & Vases  and Les Crepes de Marion for dessert. Jess raving “Food – one of THE MOST important aspects of any good party! Good quality food and plenty of it! We definitely had food covered with our gorgeous grazing table put together by Amanda from BigPlatterCo (it was a feast for the eyes and for the tummy), a raspberry and white chocolate cake by Cakes and Vases described as like “the tastiest most fancy cream and jam bun I’ve ever eaten” by one of our guests and self-cook/ self-serve pizza from the pizza oven we bought on Gumtree and of course, the magnificent Crepes by Crepes de Marion.”

Les Crepes de Marion served up hot, Nutella filled crepes to the guests. Jess shares “We chose to have crepes served for dessert by Les Crepes de Marion. Marion was such a treasure! Right from our first communication, she was so personable and helpful. She has this compact and efficient set up for smaller spaces which worked so well for our space and our guests went mad for these gorgeously light and delicious dessert crepes, some of our friends literally just ate crepes all night they were so good! I felt so lucky to have found such a great vendor.”

The first dance was an unexpected nod to tradition by the couple, Jess explaining “Our first dance was under the fairy lights Rhett had put up in our backyard, on our lawn, to Otis Redding’s “That’s how strong my love is”. We weren’t initially planning on doing a lot of wedding traditions, including a first dance but we miscalculated how important those little things can be for your guests. It turned out to be a very nice moment for us to remember that we would’ve missed otherwise.”

A big congratulations Jess & Rhett! Thank you for sharing your gorgeous day with us! Thank you also to Jessica Rose Photography for sharing today’s beautiful day!