If you dream of a wedding that is all about modern, effortless style, then Amanda and Prince’s big day holds all the inspiration you need. From Prince’s custom-tailored look to Amanda’s elegant and beautiful gown. From the bouquet of soft pink blooms to the modern tiered wedding cake with amazing pops of colour.

This was a day that married classic with modern, tradition with trends and did it in a way that completely spoke of Amanda and Prince’s own personalities, traditions and love for one another.

They invited photographer Eric Ronald Photography along for the ride, and the story, the result? Just what you need for hump day!

It was through friendship that Amanda and Prince first laid eyes on one another, a mutual friend hinting that they’d be a good match, says Amanda. “We met through our mutual friends Karina and James who ended up being our best man and maid of honour on our wedding day. I have known Karina since high school and Prince met James through university. Prince and James ended up living together for a period of time.

Prince and I were both singles at the time and Karina floated the idea of the two of us meeting. It took a month or two of convincing but we finally ended up meeting at a house party.

Prince didn’t ask for my phone number that night but he found out where I worked and called the store! I thought that took some balls so the least I could do was give him my number. Our first date was very chilled and we got to know each other over dumplings and a couple of drinks.”

Amanda only had a slight inkling the day that Prince popped the big question. “We both had the day off and Prince took us to lunch in Manly. I remember thinking something was wrong with him because he wasn’t eating much. Anyone who knows Prince knows that if he doesn’t want to eat then something’s wrong! He kept saying his hands were clammy, and he was really quiet over lunch. Looking back it was all pretty obvious. Another thing that was funny in hindsight was that he was carrying a tote bag around all day and refused to put it down and wouldn’t let me hold it when I offered.

After lunch we walked down to Bradley’s Head, which is a nice picnic spot near Taronga Zoo, overlooking Sydney Harbour. We were sat on the grass and next thing I know Prince casually pulled out a box from the tote bag which was holding my engagement ring. I flung back on the grass in excitement. We rang our family and friends straight away to tell them the exciting news.”

Prince was set on something custom for his look, says Amanda. “Prince always wanted a bespoke suit for his wedding day”. The groom choosing Rochefort Tailor to bring his look to life. “Shane and Prince really bonded and the process was very detailed. Prince pays a lot of attention on the construction of clothes/products and it was important for Prince to choose a tailor that was able to deliver the suit end-to-end with the design and construction to be made in Sydney. He wanted the suit to be versatile, one that he could wear in the future with a different shirt/tie to different events.

The fabric chosen was Dugdale Bros & Co 100% Wool High Twist. Shane really guided Prince on the preferred cut and length to suit his height and stocky build. Prince definitely underestimated what it took to design a suit! He was overwhelmed with the number of decisions that he needed to make, how wide do you want the lapels? 3 or 4 buttons the sleeves of the jacket? What lining did you want on the inside of the jacket? Where do you want your pockets? Do you want forward-facing or rear-facing pleats on your trousers? Shane really helped Prince make these tough decisions and the construction of the suit turned out amazing. Prince also had a custom shirt made with Rochefort to complete the look.”

As with every wedding, the magic moments are not just about the day, but in the moments before it. The days before the wedding some of Amanda’s favourites. “We loved planning our stay at The Paramount House Hotel in Surry Hills the night before and night after the wedding. We had our hire car company pick up our parents the night before the wedding and drop them off to the hotel. We had our parents and the bridal party stay with us and it was a nice way to start the wedding celebrations. The Paramount Hotel staff were amazing and we felt so relaxed getting ready on the morning of the wedding. We got room service from the cafe downstairs and the coffee and food were delicious.”

Amanda chose a stunning gown by Couture By Francesca.”I wanted a classic dress and one that complemented my shape. Being petite I was nervous about wearing a long traditional wedding gown. I knew I wanted a sleek design and a train that didn’t swallow me up since I’m only 5ft. When we lived in the same area I came across ‘Couture by Francesca’ walking past her boutique one day. The dress was in the window at the time and I had to try it on. I loved the gown instantly and so did my sister who was with me that day. I felt myself in it and I was comfortable straight away. Mum, my mother and sister in law came to my next appointment to see the dress and they all loved it as well, so that’s when I chose the dress!

The gown was ivory v-neck with floral applique, which tapered down towards the waistline. I had a Mikado overskirt for the church ceremony, which made it feel more formal and traditional with the long train. I took it off as well as my veil, for the reception dinner and went for a more relaxed look.

Fran was lovely and easy to work with. Nothing was ever too difficult. She walked me through the whole experience over a period of a year with ease and the whole process was enjoyable. I miss our appointments and she felt like family by the end of it all.”

Prince and Amanda were married at St Brigid’s Catholic Church, Marrickville, chosen not just for its beauty, explains Amanda. “We chose St Brigid’s for the ceremony because my parents got married there in 1976. We thought it was a pretty special sentiment to have it there as well. ”

Amanda walked down the aisle on the arm of her father to Sade’s “By Your Side”.

The ceremony was a very classic part of the day, thanks in part to Amanda and Prince’s backgrounds. “The ceremony was dictated by tradition” notes the bride. “My heritage is Italian and Prince’s heritage is Filipino, both cultures having a strong Catholic background. It was important to our parents that our ceremony was in a church.”

“We wanted to incorporate Prince’s Filipino heritage so we had the cord and veil ceremony during the mass. My two sisters, Prince’s sister and brother in law were all involved in coming up to the altar and putting the veil and cord on and off over our shoulders. This ritual symbolises Prince and I becoming one.”

Amanda and Prince loved their choice of photographer, Eric. “We had Eric Ronald come up from Melbourne to photograph our wedding. In the midst of all our wedding planning, we came across Eric’s work and we both instantly loved his work. We booked it so far in advance and was the first thing we booked for the wedding! We had our photos taken at The Opera House in between the ceremony and reception. With Eric being from Melbourne we really thought he captured the Opera House with fresh eyes and in a unique way. Some of our favourite shots were taken during the portrait session.”

And then it was time to celebrate! Three Blue Ducks hosting a celebratory dinner for the happy couple. Amanda sharing  “Prince and I had been there lots before our wedding and we have always loved the style of food. We wanted a relaxed reception with a grazing table and drinks for guests upon arrival. We had 4 long tables once guests sat down and didn’t have a bridal table. We wanted to sit amongst the guests and it was just perfect. It felt more intimate to be sitting with and surrounded by everyone.”

Beautiful blooms were such a focal point for the day, styled by Aleksandra. “The flowers were amazing and probably one of our favourite elements of the wedding day. I picked Aleksandra because I loved her huge arrangements and how organic they looked. She has such an eye for what she does and is truly talented. Prince and I both wanted a colourful palette, especially for our reception dinner at Three Blue Ducks. Being in a warehouse we wanted to liven up space. We had large arrangements scattered around the warehouse and small arrangements in vases down each table. The flowers we chose were made up of roses, orchards, dahlias, hydrangeas and peonies in shades of red, pink and mustard.

We received so many compliments about the flowers. My favourite part was receiving photos the next day of our guests who had taken bunches of flowers home and put them in vases the next day.”

“I think the main special thing for us would have to be just having all our friends and family there. We had family travel from the US, Canada, the Philippines, interstate etc. It was the last big event where we were all together before COVID-19 hit the world. So much has changed now, so we are just so lucky and grateful that we got to have the wedding we wanted and planned for, with everyone we wanted there.”

“The event coordinator Amanda from Three Blue Ducks was amazing to work with. She was incredibly organised and so lovely, making the whole process easy. We had nearly 200 guests and we thought it was going to be a real task to organise everything for the reception, but she made it effortless and smooth. It was so nice to sit back on the night and trust everything would fall into place as planned.”

“Be true to yourselves and your style” advises the bride. “Do what makes you happy and do what you both want. At the end of the day, the wedding is about you two and a reflection of yourselves and your love for each other. It’s very easy to get swept up and overwhelmed by taking on too much advice from the people around you.”

Amanda and Prince hired Sound Agents to kick off their dance floor, a decision they highly recommend says, Amanda. “Our first dance was to “So in Love” by Curtis Mayfield. We had Michael Duchesne sing it live for us with his band. It was so nice having a live band at the wedding and would really recommend it for those planning a wedding. It really adds to the atmosphere.”

A big congratulations to you both Amanda and Prince! Thank you for taking the time to share your story with us. Thanks also go to Eric Ronald Photography for sharing today’s beautiful wedding with us.