Urban Micro Wedding in Sydney - Polka Dot Wedding

In the heart of Sydney’s vibrant cityscape, Isabella and Jean-Paul celebrated their love with an urban micro-wedding that reflected their commitment and connection in the most intimate way. Their wedding day was all about simplicity, sophistication, and honouring their faith. Set against the backdrop of St Patrick’s Church, a cherished landmark of the city, this intimate celebration was a perfect prelude to their main event later in the week. From chic city strolls to a candle-lit family ceremony, this urban micro-wedding was a love letter to each other. And with the help of Across the Forest, they captured each and every intimate moment.

Isabella and Jean-Paul met at a university Ball event, where Jean-Paul went up to Isabella at the end of the night to introduce himself. And the rest is history!

Their engagement was nothing short of a fairytale – exactly what Isabella had always dreamed of. “He whisked me away for a weekend in the Hunter Valley. We stayed at the most beautiful boutique hotel, indulged in spa treatments, and he took me on a hot air balloon ride,” she shared. “For the actual proposal, he arranged a picnic on the grounds of the hotel and hired a strings duo who played some of my favourite classical pieces. It was like our own private show. He also had a photographer and videographer present – the whole nine yards. It was an incredibly special day.”

Their urban micro-wedding was actually just the taster for their main event later that week. They still wanted to include a religious component in their wedding, and St Patrick’s Church was the perfect addition! “We have walked past St Patrick’s countless times and knew we had to have it there! The church is a stunning, historic icon of the city landscape. After the ceremony, we had a little city photoshoot, just the two of us, and later hosted our family for dinner at Santa Catarina – one of our favourite Mexican restaurants in Sydney.”

Isabella walked down the aisle as the organist played Canon in D, opting to walk alone for their ceremony. “My dad later walked me down the aisle for our Main Event!”

They had a lovely, intimate ceremony, just wanting to highlight their commitment to each other and to God. “We also involved our family through a candle-lighting ceremony at the church. We exchanged very traditional vows, and our priest read a Bible passage.”

For their urban micro-wedding, Isabella wanted something simple and sophisticated. She ended up choosing an Effie Kats dress with a pair of heels she’d owned for years. Isabella also did her own makeup and hair, going for that laid-back and relaxed look but with that hint of sophistication in her red lip.

Out of all these incredible photos, Isabella’s favourite has to be this shot of the two of them outside the church! “With the cars zooming by in the foreground and you can appreciate the historical architecture of the church in the background. It’s a nice contrast of contemporary and traditional.”

Jean-Paul wore a custom navy tuxedo made with Institchu and his Oxfords from Crockett and Jones. “He specifically wanted to divert from the classic black tux look and hence went with a lovely deep navy blue with a double-breasted jacket which I think is a little more fashionable and fun!”

These beautiful flowers were picked up from a local florist an hour before the ceremony was set to start! Isabella just walked in and picked out the brightest arrangement that spoke to her. “I loved the deep, rich reds and pinks and felt that it contrasted really nicely against my dress. I can definitely ID roses and cockscomb, but I have no idea what other flowers were in it! I made some minor tweaks and added a white ribbon to give it more of a bridal look.”

Since the idea of an urban micro-wedding was so last minute, they left out many of the usual “bells and whistles”. “Anyone who knows me knows that I am usually super organised and planned, so it definitely took me out of my comfort zone to still do my makeup and wrap the ribbon around the bouquet in the car on the way to the venue! It was quite funny, actually. We were about 20 minutes late to our own wedding!”

They reached out to Anton from Across the Forest to capture their day. “I loved the style of his portfolio on Instagram and the way that he composed his shots. I felt he was the perfect fit to capture the story we wanted to tell in the Urban Jungle of Sydney CBD. He instantly made us feel comfortable, and I think he did a fantastic job highlighting our personalities and chemistry. I particularly love the shots he got on film; I think the film photography really gives a unique grungy look.”

The advice Isabella and Jean-Paul want to leave you with is this: “Don’t lose sight of your why. Wedding planning can be lots of things – it can be stressful, it can be costly, and sometimes you can feel that you are making choices for your wedding to make others happy. At the end of the day, it is about you and your partner, so do it exactly the way the two of you want.”