Alyce & Matt

Oh hello beautiful weather, hello beautiful blooms, we’re so ready for you! The beautiful cocktail wedding of Alyce and Matt (inspiration we all need for this month’s Cocktail issue) is stunning beauty personified. From Alyce’s amazing bouquet to the first look that will just about have you melting, to a first dance they did so they could have some good old fashioned fun.

Every moment, captured by  Michael Briggs Photography shows just how joy-filled these two made their day and I know you’re going to love it just as much as us. Pull up a chair and read on!

Friendship brought these two together, tells Alyce. “Matt and I met through two mutual friends who had started dating (they are both married now themselves and were both also in our wedding party). Both had separately assured us we were going to hit it off however our first meeting didn’t go down that way.

It wasn’t until a few weeks later when we met again at another group gathering that we got talking and realised maybe they were onto something. We went on a date shortly after and have both been crazy about each other ever since.”

And after seven memorable years together, Matt popped the question. “On the lead up to our seventh anniversary, Matt had planned a picnic in the botanical gardens” reminisces Alyce. “Knowing Matt, this was a little unusual so I started to think something was up. The day before, the weather report looked shocking so my anxiety levels went through the roof and in a moment of weakness, I told Matt if he was planning anything maybe he shouldn’t.

The day ended up having perfect weather and to throw me off the scent he suggested we go to our local park and grab our favourite snack banh mi and have some bubbles. He ended up bringing along some photo albums of recent years and holidays, at the end he had a note saying ‘Will you marry me’ and got down on one knee to propose. It was perfect and Matt loves telling the story about how I almost wrecked it for him and we enjoy laughing about often.”

Check that chic navy suit! It’s by Hugo Boss says Alyce. “Matt opted for Mid Night Blue Tux With Black Lapel. We wanted our wedding to be a relaxed and fun affair but couldn’t go past Matt looking so handsome in a Tux which you don’t get the chance to do very often!”

Alyce had one criteria for her wedding gown – no lace! She found her match at One Day Bridal.

“I realised pretty quickly on that a simple dress with no lace suited me. With my options limited to no lace it was a no brainer to visit One Day Bridal and select my dress. I had their ‘Sadie’ gown customised to have a more elaborate bottom & train.”

I know you love the look of that bouquet as much as us, they were styled by Raven And The Rose. “With the flowers, I simply select a colour scheme and some arrangements that I liked and let Ame from Raven & the Rose do her magic” remarks Alyce, ” The best thing about hiring vendors who are good at what they do means you can let go and trust that they will deliver your vision.”

Alyce and Matt met for a first look on their day, along with their photographer Michael Briggs. “Michael Briggs made being photographed fun and not awkward which was the most important thing for us. It was an absolute bonus when we got our photos back and they were amazing. He even went to the trouble of sneaking us a couple the next day which was a really thoughtful thing to do. His energy and ability to put not only us but everyone at ease really helped us relax and enjoy our day to the maximum.”

“We both selected three close friends each to be a part of our wedding party. Originally we were thinking of not having a bridal party but decided it would be much more fun to have friends involved along the way which turned out to be the right decision.”

Beautiful Mount Macedon Winery set the scene for the day, Alyce sharing  “Matt and I love visiting wineries so it was a no brainer for us on the venue. Mount Macedon Winery with its beautiful views and tasty wines had us hooked instantly. The bonus was the staff who were really attentive and went that extra mile to make the day the best it could be for us.”

Alyce and Matt chose “their” song, “The Luckiest” by Ben Folds Five for their unique walk down the aisle. “I walked down the aisle halfway and Matt met me and we walked the rest of the way together” explains  Alyce.

Sweet Wonderful You – Erin McMahon made it official.  “We wanted the ceremony to be fun and involve our guests. Working with Erin from Sweet Wonderful You was a pleasure and she nailed our brief getting the right mix of emotions flowing from laughs to happy tears and the good stuff in-between. We did not have a reading but instead asked my Grandmother to say a few words on the meaning of marriage. My grandfather who both Matt and I were close with, passed away the year before. He and my Grandmother had shared a special marriage which is something that Matt and I look up to.”

“Erin was so professional yet warm and friendly she was in the preparation, and on the day going above and beyond a celebrant’s role on the day.”

Alyce and Matt worked with catered Hudson’s Famous to create an epic grazing table and cocktail dinner menu for guests to feast upon.

“You have to have the right attitude,” says Alyce “being more relaxed allowed us both to be in the moment as much as possible and really focus on how much fun we were having instead of sweating over the small stuff that went wrong. Not saying I didn’t have moments though, like when it started raining as the guests were arriving and the ceremony was about to start!”

Not everything goes to plan, and that? That makes for magic, or rather humorous, stories to tell after the day. Alyce laughingly agrees “While running out with Sash & Briggsy to capture us in front of an epic rainbow Matt swallowed whole a meatball and started choking. This happened to be in front of all the guests who were watching from inside while Briggsy, Sash and I just laughed not taking him seriously. Luckily, he was okay and recovered but was left with meatball sauce all over the front of his white shirt.”

“One of the best thing about Mount Macedon Winery is that it didn’t need a lot of additional decorations to look great as it is a really beautiful venue in its own right plus has big windows showcasing the beautiful scenery, therefore, our decorations were minimal.”

We’re loving Alyce’s advice for couples yet to tie the knot. “One piece of advice we did get though was to have a nice backdrop for speeches. Lots of photos (and video) get taken when these are happening and a nice backdrop to this makes a big difference to how the photos turn out. We opted for a vintage couch with flower arrangement behind it. The photos of Matt and I laughing through the speeches are just the best!”

The first dance was a fun way to kick off the dance floor for the newlyweds, explains the bride. “Both of us not knowing how to dance thought it would be fun to learn a dance together to do at the wedding. We wanted the dance to be fun to learn and also for our guests to watch which we hoped would get the dance floor started. We chose “Everybody Needs Somebody” by The Blues Brothers.”

Alyce and Matt chose Apertura Studios to capture a film of their day, a decision they say they will never regret. “When they say ‘the day goes so quick’ – they are not lying. Try your best to not stress and soak up all those good feelings and memories. Our last-minute decision to get Sash from Apertura Films to work alongside Briggsy was definitely a wise decision. The photographs are a must but having the footage means we can immerse ourselves back into the day anytime we want!”

Congratulations Alyce and Matt! Thank you for sharing your story with us and a big congratulations! Thanks also to Michael Briggs Photography for sharing today’s imagery with us.