Bellarine Peninsula Restaurant Wedding

Alana & Kevin

“We were conscious of keeping it traditional but making the day our own. We made sure to include things such as the first dance and cutting the cake but were happy to let some of the other traditions go.” For Alana and Kevin, their day was just as traditional and just as they as they wanted it. They ditched what didn’t work for them, and included what they loved. And that? That’s what your wedding should be about. The pair, chose a brilliant Summer’s day for their nuptials, enlisting the help of Nic Stephens Photography to capture their day at a beautiful restaurant setting.

It was a beautiful new beginning for the pair who met over their love of the sea. Alana sharing “We met through friends at the surf club, we both trained and competed in Surf Life Saving and Kevin had just returned to the club after being away for a couple of years. He first caught my eye when he kept falling off his board during training on the river. From there a friendship grew over a couple of years before we starting dating.”

It as in Point Lonsdale that Kevin popped the question. “We had been living in Singapore for a year and were home in Point Lonsdale for Christmas. For my Christmas present, Kevin got us a boat trip to swim with the dolphins and seals – seems I had grown up in the area and never done it, so he thought it would be cool to do something touristy in our home town since we had been living overseas. It was freezing so after the boat trip I was cold and just wanted to go home, but he kept insisting I had a shower and we would go for lunch. Little did I know that down on the harbour he would get down on one knee and propose. It was completely unexpected and I asked if he was sure before I said yes!”

Of course, the morning started with surfing for the groom and his groomsmen! A moment, Alana is thrilled to have captured by the couple’s chosen photographer. “Nic was great to work with and is such a legend! He accommodated the boys who wanted to go for a surf in the morning instead of the usual ‘getting ready’ photos so now we have some cool ones of the boys all surfing together! He also helped us feel less awkward when the photos were getting taken which is a big plus! A lot of friends have commented on how great the photos turned out and some even booked him for their own wedding which is fantastic!”

The bride found her simple but beautiful gown at The Bridal Atelier. She tells “I always thought for my wedding dress I would wear something I wouldn’t normally choose, something with a bit more detail, but in the end, I chose the last dress I tried on which was so simple and understated that I loved it!”

The bride and groom left the floral details for the day to As Daisy Does. “I know nothing about flowers so was happy to leave that up to the experts!” remembers the bride. “I sent photos of the groomsman and bridesmaids outfits to the florist and they did the rest, they looked amazing!”

Kevin’s look began with a dapper blue and white jacket from Benjamin Barker.

Alana and Kevin were married at Merne at Lighthouse. The bride remembering “It’s a beautiful venue that looks over Swan Bay and we loved it because it allowed us to have our ceremony outside in the olive groves before moving inside for the reception. We could not speak more highly of the staff, particularly Jess and Caleb who went above and beyond to make sure our day ran smoothly.”

The bride walked down the aisle with both of her parents to Kinna Grannis’ version of “I Can’t Help Falling In Love”.

Alana and Kevin chose Jo Betz to perform the official part of the day. Alana sharing “We wanted the ceremony to be fun and tell the story of us as a couple. We included one reading which my brother’s partner read called On Your Wedding Day – anonymous.”.

Guests celebrated at the restaurant with a cocktail hour on the lawn before a sit-down dinner reception. “We loved looking around and seeing all our closest friends and relatives in one place, living overseas has really made us appreciate them so much more!” remembers the bride.

For their first dance, the newlyweds chose “Coming Home” by Leon Bridges. “It was a song we both loved and it really resonated with us,” remarks Alana.