What better way to say farewell to the Traditions Issue than with today’s engagement party turned wedding?! For Rory and Lauren, their wedding meant swapping the formalities of tradition for a surprise celebration shared with the ones they love the most. Captured with the artistry and emotion that Aleksandar Jason Photography brings to every frame, this day was nothing short of spectacular!

Rory and Lauren met through a mutual friend, but that didn’t stop Rory from getting a head start on their relationship! “Rory did a little Insta-stalking, slid into my DMs, and kicked things off. The rest is history!”

Exploring Europe was already a dream come true, but it became something even more magical when Rory proposed in the little town of Praiano on the Amalfi Coast.

The Prince Deck in St Kilda was their venue of choice for this surprise wedding, offering the perfect vibe with an ocean view. “The food was delicious, the drinks were flowing, and the staff were absolute legends. Honestly, we couldn’t have asked for anything better.”

When it came to Rory and Lauren’s wedding, they’d never been drawn to the spotlight that came with a traditional celebration. Instead, they wanted a big party with all of their favourite people to mark the next chapter in their lives together. “We decided to throw an engagement party… with a little twist: a surprise wedding! We greeted everyone in our “engagement party” outfits, then quietly snuck off to change while it was announced that we’d actually be tying the knot.”

Irene from Pretty Wild Flowers took charge of all things florals for Lauren and Rory, and with just a few moodboards, she’d created the perfect blend of romantic, modern and earthy. “She absolutely nailed the vision on the day. We were beyond impressed with how the flowers turned out. We had mainly cream and blush with accents of caramel & toffee.”

Disaster struck just days before their wedding, when Lauren’s original outfit fell through. She miraculously found a gown and had it altered within five days! Combined with the beautiful work from Chantelle Baker on makeup and Courtney Bodger on hair, Lauren looked incredible. “While it wasn’t what I envisioned I would wear on my wedding day, it did a great job. I wore a Rachel Gilbert bridal gown paired with Jimmy Choo heels.”

Rory wore a classic black tux, with Lauren saying, “Because honestly, there’s nothing more irresistible than a man looking sharp in a classic tuxedo!”

Lauren and Rory stumbled across Aleksandar‘s Instagram page by accident – and instantly fell in love with his style. “We gave him free rein on the photos; we simply provided a few inspo shots to give him an understanding of what we were after.”

For this couple, the five things that truly made their wedding theirs included:

“1. Having all our loved ones together in one place, celebrating us.

2. Including our adorable nieces and nephews as flower girls and page boys. They stole the show!

3. Enjoying the night without the usual formalities and stresses of a traditional wedding.

4. Dancing the night away to amazing entertainment and watching Rory get up and sing Piano Man was unforgettable (the guy’s got serious pipes!).

5. Surprising everyone with a wedding!”

With her dad on her arm, Lauren walked towards Rory as Sam Smith’s “Latch” was played live by their incredible musician, Andrew Loadsman.

Their ceremony was led by the charming Candice from Love a Good Wedding. “She absolutely nailed the ceremony: short, sweet, and special, with just enough time for Rory and me to say a few kind words to each other.”

The most important piece of advice Rory and Lauren want to leave for future couples planning their own dream celebrations is this: “Don’t stress the small stuff. Spoiler: no one will remember the tiny details, but everyone will remember the fun vibes.”

The overall goal for the ceremony was for it to be brief – long enough to handle the legal stuff, share a few heartfelt words and then dive headfirst into the fun stuff! The only problem they ran into was when the rings tried to fly away. “Apparently, our rings decided to play hide and seek in the box. The moment I opened it, one took a flying leap onto the deck and nearly vanished through the cracks. Cue a mini heart attack and a frantic ring rescue mission!”

After the ceremony, it was time for cocktails on the deck and celebrating in style. The dance floor lit up with music from Andrew Loadsman and DJ Timmy Mac, and the smooth sounds of a live sax.

Between heartfelt speeches and laughter, Lauren and Rory ditched tradition and chose something uniquely them: a first shot instead of a first dance. Raising glasses of limoncello, they toasted to love, laughter, and the Italian proposal that started it all.

As far as favourite photos go, Lauren and Rory have to agree that the shots of them popping champagne with their wedding party take the cake. “It perfectly captured the fun, party vibe we were aiming for!”

With every detail of their surprise wedding captured so beautifully, we’re so grateful to Aleksandar Jason Photography for sharing this incredible celebration with us. Here’s to a lifetime of laughter, adventures, and many more chapters of love for you, Rory and Lauren!