It started with a quiet spark in the glow of computer screens at university and unfolded into the most beautiful love story. Alee and Anthony’s Greyleigh Kiama wedding combined custom fashion, emotional details, a fusion of Filipino and Greek traditions, and a collaborative team of vendors to create a day that was as beautiful as it was personal. With Ed Summerhays behind the lens and I Love You Films behind the cinematography, every candid smile and confetti-filled kiss was captured to perfection.

It all began one late night in the UNSW architecture computer labs. Anthony, a solar engineering student, had taken to working there after hours, thanks to his best mate, who studied architecture and had access to the late-night lab. As fate would have it, Alee was also there, as she too studied architecture and was knee-deep in a group assignment. Introduced through mutual friends, they met among laptops, deadlines, and the soft hum of fluorescent lights – and the rest, as they say, is history!

After celebrating their friend’s wedding in Cebu, Alee and Anthony decided to extend their trip and head over to Boracay next. “It was our second day there, and all of us were planning to go out to dinner. I thought it was strange that Anthony was in pants, shoes, and a shirt, as I was ready for the post-swim, no-makeup, wet-hair kind of vibe for a holiday dinner. I then decided to chuck on some makeup and a dress. We walked along the beach for sunset photos with our friends,” Alee shared.

“Anthony mentioned that the pontoon on the beach was pretty empty and we could get some photos over there with our friends. We all took turns taking photos, and as the sun was setting, it was our turn for our couple photo. Anthony got down on one knee and popped the question. I was so shocked, but also because with all the boats around the pontoon was swaying! After I said yes, Anthony quickly popped the ring back in his pocket, as he was afraid it would fall into the ocean. It was pure magic as the sun was stuck behind a cloud for most of it, but as Anthony asked, the sun was just coming out of the clouds! We then had dinner with our friends to celebrate, and it was so perfect!”

Anthony always knew he wanted to wear a tuxedo for his wedding, but he preferred the idea of a custom-made set over something off the rack. “We went through Bentex Suits. It was such a smooth and seamless process, we even had a groom in New York that they made a suit for and they were very accommodating!”

Following Anthony in his custom-made route, Alee also had a custom gown made. When she was trying on dresses to find her style, she fell in love with two different designers and wanted pieces from each. That’s when she found ARA Experience, and her visions came to life! “I loved the idea of a long-sleeved dress, but knew I wanted to be hands-free while dancing / eating in the reception. My dress ended up having three ways to wear it and I absolutely loved it. The experience was a dream and I wish I could do it all over again,” she explained.

“My dad also couldn’t be with me on the day, and Shaina, my dress designer and my MOH, had a picture of me and dad sewn right where my heart is as a surprise! It’s an experience I will never forget. I also had a my mum’s wedding ring as my something old. She now wears my dad’s ring, so it’s something that I forever cherish.”

When looking for the perfect dreamy venue, Alee and Anthony had three main boxes to tick: they wanted a location all to themselves, somewhere close by for guests to travel from Sydney AND on-site accommodations. Greyleigh Kiama definitely ticked all of their needs – and so much more!

To kick off their ceremony, Alee and Anthony had their godparents walk down the aisle to honour, which is a Filipino tradition. This was also the moment they almost lost their rings! “Our beautiful ring bearer was so excited, and they completely flew off the pillow when he was walking down. The amazing vendors found it during the ceremony right before we did the ring exchange (I had no idea!!), another example of the vendors working their magic and making the day perfect for their couples!”

As “Ribbon In The Sky” by Stevie Wonder began to play, Alee started her walk down the aisle with her mum on her arm.

The ceremony itself was authentic and sentimental, with a side of laughter. “The only reading we had was a love poem my dad wrote for my mum when they first started dating. Our vows were super sentimental, but definitely didn’t go without any laughter!”

Of all their incredible vendors, two really stood out to Alee: Pania, their wedding coordinator with Greyleigh, and their celebrant, Chloe Celebrates Love. “They made the whole process less daunting and guided us every step of the way.”

Alee’s favourite photo from their dreamy wedding was definitely this shot of her and Anthony walking down the aisle with the confetti floating through the air. “You could just see the pure joy and happiness in our faces.”

When it came to photography, the couple couldn’t speak more highly of Ed Summerhays. “Ed is amazing! It felt like having a friend around; Anthony is super nervous about taking photos, so it made the day feel authentic, natural, and candid. We loved his photography style and all the photos turned out incredible!”

The top five things that made their dreamy spring wedding so special were:

“1. The People – We had family and friends come from all over the world

2. The Venue – Greyleigh!

3. The Food – Garnish Catering did not disappoint!

4. The Music – DJ Savvy was such a good time.

5. The Weather – the wind literally disappeared as we started our ceremony, and there wasn’t a cloud in the sky! We got so lucky!!”

Flowers by Pili crafted all of these dreamy florals and styling for Alee and Anthony’s wedding, working collaboratively alongside Inkfloetry. “The whole process was so collaborative, along with the stationery with Inkfloetry, and they totally understood our vision and went above and beyond on the day. It was incredible!”

A sentimental touch the couple added to their reception decor was a memorial table full of frames from couples and people who have passed away. “It was important that they were still a part of our special day.”

One of Alee’s favourite parts of planning their dreamy spring wedding was putting her thoughts and feelings into words! “I actually loved writing our vows and all our speeches on the day. How deep you dig to write your vows and speak from the heart, and also being able to tell your family and friends how grateful you were to have them there.”

As guests enjoyed the delicious meals from Garnish Catering and yummy drinks from Henry Clive, Anthony switched into his Filipino Barong.

“Don’t Change” by Musiq Soulchild was the soundtrack to their first dance, swaying as they were surrounded by their loved ones. “Our Celebrant, Chloe, had everyone standing around, so everyone started slow dancing with us shortly after, which was so amazing. Anthony and I also didn’t want the spotlight on us for the whole time, so we broke out into some ’80s funk after a couple of minutes, and the dance floor was so much fun.”

With so many incredible vendors, details and moments, it wasn’t easy for Alee to pick her favourite – but having gelato on the dance floor was definitely top of the list. “I loved all the details, all the vendors were so amazing and made the day so easy and stress-free! I did, however, love having a gelato cart and dancing with gelato with my hand all night!”

Congratulations, Alee and Anthony! You should be so so so proud of how this dreamy wedding turned out. And thanks to Ed Summerhays for capturing and sharing this wedding with us.