A month full of the colour red sounds about perfection for February, and when folks like Sal & Matt walk down the aisle with glam celebrations filled with red flowers, well, we’re going to be completely smitten.

Captured beautifully by Ashleigh Haase Photography this is a wedding of incredible flowers, sparkling candlelight and despite the threat of rain (and a few hopeful prayers) a day that beautifully shows off all the elegance of a city celebration.

Meeting as teens, it took a little while for Sal & Matt’s love story to blossom, remembers Sal. “We met as teenagers through mutual friendship groups however it wasn’t until one adventurous night at a local nightclub that we realised how we made each other laugh. Our friend bowled her chicken fillet, sticky boob to Matt and he hit it across the dancefloor and hit the DJ in the head. I laughed like I had never laughed before and that’s when I knew that I needed more of this guy in my life. Not long after that, he added me on social media and just like that..it was on and we haven’t looked back!”

And blossom it did! Matt proposing at home, with a food delivery. “On a lazy Sunday, in our kitchen when out of the blue, my hangry self noticed that Matt had ordered Uber Eats without me. He grabbed my hands and launched into a lovely spiel as I realised that something very special was unfolding. He asked me to spend the rest of my life with him and of course, I said yes!”

The black-tie dress code started with the groom and groomsmen, tells Sal “Matt was hoping for a traditional, neat, black and white look and I think he nailed it. Matt engaged Lidis Tailor’s in Richmond to get his suit together and they were fantastic to deal with.”

The couple made sure to honour their loved ones- past and present. “My friend Cindy arranged for little photo charms to be created with the faces of those who have passed that couldn’t be there on the day. It was the most thoughtful gift.”

Sal’s off the shoulder gown was a Caleche number from  Raffaele Ciuca. She shares “As someone who had never had a ‘dream dress’ or looks envisioned, I was drawn towards a classic, timeless look for our day. I fell in love with an Amal dress by Caleche Bridal House. I adored the simplicity, the buttons down the back and the shape of the skirt. The team at Raffaele Ciuca were some helpful including helping me find the perfect veil with pearls to compliment the dress.”

Sal and Matt chose Royal Botanic Gardens, Melbourne for their garden ceremony. “Being country kids, we were always drawn to the Royal Botanic Gardens in South Yarra. There is something so peaceful and ground about the gardens and we often visit to unwind. When we became engaged, we knew exactly where we wanted to be married.”

Flowers By Brett Matthew John styled the stunning red and pink floral details for the day. “We had come across Flowers by Brett Matthew John as his studio is just down the road from our home. ” explains Sal. “We had been following his Instagram for a while and I was so happy that he was able to work with us for our big day. In terms of flowers, we loved roses and wanted a rich, bold style that would not only pop with the all-black attire of our bridal party but fit perfectly with our styling at Half Acre. Brett and his team are magicians!”

Brothers in Harmony performed live at both the ceremony and the reception. “These guys definitely exceeded our expectations from our very first chat and we cannot wait to see them again soon.”

Sal walked down the aisle hand in hand with her uncle Kevin and “He’s the best!”to “Latch” by Sam Smith.

Shannon Jeans Celebrant made the newlyweds official. “Our loved ones are so important to us so we wanted it to really start the day off with a bang. We wanted the ceremony to reflect us; casual, light-hearted and always ready for a laugh. Our amazing celebrant Shannon Jeans exceeded every single expectation we had and set the tone for the rest of the day. We are so lucky to have found her.”

A little rain did not dampen Sal’s spirit, well, almost. She recovered! Sharing “For some unknown reason (maybe because Melbourne weather is temperamental!) the rain began to pour right as we arrived for the ceremony. As you can imagine, it was not the most ideal time to be watching your quests huddle together in the rain but after my bridezilla meltdown, I got it together. I said a little prayer and asked anyone watching from above to help me out, to let us have this moment. I took one step out of the van and the rain cleared and stopped for the entirety of the ceremony. I’m always grateful for the people up there.”

Sal and Matt are thrilled with their photographer and give this rave review. “I don’t even know where to begin with her. Photography wizard, chief people wrangler, part-time jokester and above all, top-notch human. She went above and beyond on our day and we are eternally grateful to have met her. You can say that we are three peas in a pod!”

By the glam of candlelight,  Half Acre was the perfect venue for an evening cocktail reception. Sal explaining “We had come across a new venue opening up, Half Acre on Instagram and were instantly interested. We didn’t have a set idea in our mind however once we did a walkthrough, everything just felt right. The space is stunning and offers you the opportunity to use it as a blank canvas. Our coordinator, Lauren Chen was exceptional and we cannot thank her enough for everything she did for us.”

Instead of a classic wedding cake, Sal and Matt chose a smash cake from Soda Lane Smash Cakes “We weren’t sold on having a traditional cake so we arranged for a chocolate smash ‘cake’ filled with Maltesers. It was a great way to start the celebrations.”

To make the most of the party, Sal change into a silver beaded gown from Asos. “I stumbled across a heavily beaded dress from ASOS and absolutely loved wearing that. It was the polar opposite of my ceremony dress and I am so glad that I was able to wear two pieces that I feel represented my personality.”

Sal’s tips if you’re yet to marry “Do you and only you. It’s your day, your way
– Make sure you spend time together to take it all in
– Let the professionals do their thing. They are the experts and will come together and get it done!
– Plan and pay for things ahead of time
– Always remember that the wedding is nice but the marriage ahead is the biggest focus.

My hope is that people enjoy the process and try and relax as they go through it. It’s such a beautiful time in your life.”

For their first dance, Sal and Matt chose “Ho hey” by The Lumineers. “It was a really sweet moment for us. So much love in the room and to have our closest loved ones around us was a feeling we will never forget.”

Want more? Sal and Matt chose Rachael Mary Films to capture a beautiful film on their wedding day. “Rachael is a true storyteller with both the skills and kind soul to match.”

A big congratulations Sal & Matt! What a delight it was to share your day. Thank you both and thank you to Ashleigh Haase Photography for today’s beautiful photography!