We have slightly fallen head over heels for the stunning wedding of Lisa and Jacob – a celebration filled with elegance and glamour captured by Love & Other Photography. Lisa wore not just one, but two breathtaking dresses on her special day – a timeless and unique gown by Marianna Hardwick, and a stunning, custom-made dress by d’Italia. With attention to every detail, Lisa and Jacob’s wedding was a perfect reflection of their love story, with sentimental touches and nods to cultural traditions throughout the day. Lisa tells us about how she and Jacob came to be, and their wedding story…

Just over a decade ago in Rosebud, I met Jacob through a mutual acquaintance who happened to be his cousin. At the time, his cousin was dating my friend (who is now happily married to her partner). I also happened to know the couple from university. When Jacob and I were introduced, there was an instant spark between us, and he kept finding excuses to come and talk to me. The perfect opportunity finally presented itself when our group decided to grab a drink at the Bay Hotel. Jacob and I spent the whole night getting to know each other, and eventually, he asked me for my number and if I wanted to go on a proper date when we were both back in Melbourne. Of course, I said yes, and the rest is history.

There was a plan A, which involved Jacob taking me back to where we had first met all those years ago in Rosebud. But unfortunately, as Covid began to spread, Melbourne went into lockdown, and our plans had to change. It was time to activate plan B. It happened to be the week of my 30th birthday, and Jacob decided the best place to propose was in the comfort of our newly bought and painted house. Jacob, being the thoughtful man he is, didn’t want to do it alone, so he enlisted the help of some family to set up the living room for the big moment. When I arrived at the house, he blindfolded me and led me to the living room. He removed the blindfold, got down on one knee, and asked me to marry him. It’s a memory we look back on fondly, and it’s nice to have it connected to our house. Sharing the happy news with our family and friends is a memory we’ll treasure forever.

I had two dresses on the day. As soon as I tried on the Mariana Hardwick Stella gown, I knew it was the one for me. The dress was classy and timeless, with a unique structure and beautiful detailing that caught my eye. The process of getting the dress was just as wonderful – I attended multiple fittings to make sure every detail was perfect, including the leg split and bodice of the dress. From start to finish, I loved every moment of finding and wearing my dream wedding dress.

I felt so special wearing the veil and sleeves that my mother had made for me. It was a meaningful and personal touch that made the day even more special. Now, I look forward to passing on this cherished family heirloom to my future daughter, so that she too can experience the love and tradition that comes with it.

For my wedding, I wanted to incorporate the traditional “something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue” elements. I borrowed my mother-in-law’s silver bracelet as my “something borrowed,” and wore my mother’s engagement ring as my “something old.” My beautiful Mariana Hardwick gown was my “something new.” Lastly, my mother-in-law made a white handkerchief with the date of our wedding embroidered in blue stitching, which served as my “something blue.”

Jacob wanted to find a suit that would not only suit his body but also compliment his personality. So, he decided to go for a custom-made suit from InStitchu. The experience of selecting fabrics, going through the details, and seeing the suit made from start to finish was something he cherished. He knew that he wanted something unique and this was the perfect opportunity to have a suit that would be made just for him. Jacob wanted to look his best on his wedding day, and the InStitchu suit was the perfect way to achieve that.

Our wedding was held at Bramleigh Estate. The estate is situated in the breathtaking Yarra Valley, with stunning Australian scenery all around. The elegant and classy interior of the venue was exactly what I wanted for our wedding day, and it reflected the timeless and sophisticated vibe that we were after. Having the ceremony outdoors surrounded by greenery and trees added to the magic of the day, and it was convenient for our guests that the reception was in the same area. There was no long waiting time, and everything flowed smoothly. It was the perfect day at the perfect venue.

We had Lucinda and Ben from WBC Entertainment perform an acoustic set before my walk down the aisle. They also played the acoustic version of my aisle song, “(Everything I Do) I Do It For You” by Bryan Adams (Boyce Avenue ft. Connie Talbot acoustic cover) as I walked out with my mother and father. It was important for me to have both my mother and father by my side, as they have made a significant impact on my life, and I wanted our guests to see that. The live performance made the moment even more special and memorable.

Shura Taft was our celebrant, and he conducted our outdoor ceremony. We specifically chose him because we felt a connection with him and loved his storytelling style. During the ceremony, he told our love story from start to finish, making it personal and meaningful for us and our guests. Being outdoors surrounded by the stunning Yarra Valley landscape was the perfect backdrop for our special moment.

Bunch About Town provided the florals for our wedding day, and they did an amazing job at creating a classic and elegant floral design. We opted for white flowers for the wedding party bouquets to match the reception florals at Bramleigh Estate. As for the ceremony, my bouquet, and the wedding table, we chose a combination of white and quicksand florals, to make them stand out against the rest of the venue’s white palette. It was essential to us that all the floral arrangements reflected the classic and elegant theme. The arbour florals were my favourite feature of the floral design.

It’s difficult to choose just one favorite photo from our wedding day, but we absolutely adore the picture of us walking down the aisle after being announced as Mr. and Mrs. Sirgo. Seeing our family and friends showering us with floral confetti and our happy reactions captured at that moment is truly beautiful.

I wanted our wedding to have a timeless, classy, and elegant feel, which was reflected in the classy Hamptons vibe of the venue. We chose sage green bridesmaid dresses to match the sage envelope of our wedding invitations, and white and quicksand florals for the ceremony, bouquets, and main table. The result was a perfect combination of white, classy elements that created the elegant wedding I had always envisioned.

Kyla and the Love & Other Photography team were exceptional to deal with during the process of planning our wedding photography & videography leading up to our big day. They worked in a professional and relaxed manner, making us, our wedding party, and our families feel very comfortable. There were many laughs in between takes, and their quick thinking on the day captured some beautiful moments between my husband and me. The preview gallery of our wedding highlights was a delight to receive within a week of our wedding and allowed us to relive all the wonderful memories. Thank you L&O for making the biggest day of our lives stress-free and extremely memorable – we honestly wish we could do it all over again! Our other favourite photos were our twilight photos. We were able to take beautiful and intimate photos of the beautiful landscape of Bramleigh Estate (surrounded by lush greenery and even some appearances from kangaroos!).

For our wedding, we decided to give out gold coasters with custom name decals as our wedding favors. We thought it was a great idea to also use them as name cards, so we had the Love & Other team create the decals for us. It was a fun and unique way to thank our guests for being a part of our special day, and we hope they still use them as coasters to this day!

The most memorable moment of the night was our first dance as we had spent months choreographing it. We chose the modern-day take of “Take My Breath Away” by Boyce Avenue as it was slower and more romantic than the original track. It was a moment where we could embrace each other and appreciate the love we have for one another while being surrounded by our family and friends. We also had pyrotechnics and dried ice, which made our first dance feel even more magical and romantic. Looking back at the photos now, it reminds us of how united we felt and how special that moment was for us. It is something we will never forget.

The ceiling florals created by Melbourne Event Florals were another one of my favorite features. It was an impressive installation that hung above the reception dance floor and really tied the entire aesthetic of the space together. The hanging flowers and greenery cascading from the ceiling created a magical atmosphere that made the dance floor feel like it was its own little world. It was a stunning addition to the already elegant and classic theme we had in mind. I’m so grateful to the team at Melbourne Event Florals for bringing my vision to life.

As a couple, Jacob comes from a Lebanese and Spanish background, while I come from a Vietnamese background. We felt that it was important to represent all three cultures at our wedding to showcase the beauty of blending unique cultures. To achieve this, we decided to incorporate a guzheng player, a Lebanese drummer, and a flamenco dancer performance into our reception. During the entree, the guzheng player from Artist Bookings created a romantic atmosphere, and we timed the Lebanese drum performance by Drumming Events Melbourne with my second dress reveal to create more impact and mark the beginning of the party. Lastly, after dinner, we surprised our guests with a beautiful flamenco performance by Senes Flamenco. This performance felt especially meaningful to us, as Jacob’s parents had a flamenco dancer perform at their own wedding. It was a unique and special way to honor our heritage and create lasting memories for ourselves and our guests.

I had always wanted a unique reception dress for my wedding day, and that’s when I decided to get a custom-made dress from d’Italia. The team made the process of designing my dress an absolute dream come true. I was able to contribute to the design and see the journey of its creation from start to finish. Selecting my fabrics was a special and memorable process, and being paired with my dressmaker, Eva, made the experience even better. Eva and the team were very meticulous and made sure the process was enjoyable. The end result was a dress that represented elegance, glamour, and fun – exactly what I had hoped for. I’m so grateful to d’Italia for creating the dress of my dreams, and I’ll always look back on memories of my wedding day with a big smile.

Bramleigh Estate, Love & Other, WBC Entertainment, and our celebrant/MC Shura Taft did an amazing job at our wedding. It would be too hard to select just one, as they all worked together so well to ensure Jacob and I had the wedding we had envisioned. Each vendor excelled in their areas, and we are so grateful to them for making our special day unforgettable.

Our advice for future couples getting married would be to schedule twilight photos into your run sheet. This was a recommendation from Love & Other, and I can’t recommend it enough. Some of the photos we took during this period are our absolute favorite, and it also gave us a moment to enjoy some time alone and fully embrace each other and all the hard work that went into the wedding. Another idea is to consider having a sparkler and pyrotechnic exit to end the evening and send off the bride and groom in style. It’s a beautiful way to end the night and create a memorable moment for everyone involved.

Thank you to Lisa & Jacob for letting us revisit their glorious wedding with them! And to the d’Italia team and Love & Other Photography for sharing their day…