There’s something wonderfully relaxed about Julia and Brandon’s autumn celebration at Abbotsford Convent, from the cocktails waiting for guests on arrival to the surprise sax player and (our favourite) plenty of time with their puppy Sonny! They kept the day moving at their own pace, choosing a first look and portraits before the ceremony so they could spend more of the afternoon with their favourite people. Captured by Tree Studio, this chill wedding is our final feature of the Garden Issue, and we couldn’t think of a better way to close it out.

A Bumble match led Brandon and Julia to their first date at Yo-Chi in Hawthorn in late 2018, followed by a beach date where Brandon made the first move with a kiss. After a few months apart, they found their way back to each other when Brandon returned to Melbourne in January 2019.

From helping him move into his new share house to attempting to teach Julia how to watch cricket, the pair simply kept finding reasons to spend time together. There was never an official moment when they became a couple – it just happened, slowly and naturally, with Julia and Brandon’s feelings growing every moment they spent together.

Julia had a feeling something was up when Brandon took charge of booking their long-weekend Airbnb in Lorne, but she decided to roll with it. Their little stay overlooked the Otway Forest, and after grabbing some cheese and wine, they settled onto the balcony for the afternoon.

As Julia wandered off to photograph the sunset, Brandon grabbed the ring from his bag and waited. When she turned around, he dropped to one knee, and the weekend getaway suddenly became a whole lot more memorable. “Of course we tried to FaceTime family, and there were no answers, but some trusty friends did.”

Brandon put full trust in the team at Men’s Suit Warehouse to help him pick out his wedding look. And from the moment he walked in, he knew he was in good hands. “The lady there was really lovely and helped him out. They had a nice variety, as Brandon didn’t have a set look in mind,” Julia shared.

When Julia started searching for her wedding look, she knew a traditional gown wasn’t what she was searching for. But in a divine twist of fate, a few Eleonore Pauc pieces were available for try-on at the Carte Blanch store in Hawthorn at the perfect moment. “I did change a few things on the set; the straps and took sleeves off, but they made the outfit in France (wowwww) and sent it back. It was the most seamless experience. It was the only shop I looked at, and I’m so happy I did not overwhelm myself,” she explained.

Instead of pouring money into their flower budget, Julia and Brandon opted for a sax player as a surprise for their guests! “My sister made our bouquets and the buttonholes from the Richmond Florist. Flowers on the tables were all fake and created by our stylist, Melbourne Wedding Designers.”

They shared a first look before the ceremony, and did all of their portraits with the wedding party so they didn’t have to rush off afterwards. “We also spent the night together beforehand and the morning of the wedding,” Julia shared.

“We really wanted to include our dog Sonny in some pictures, as he was a puppy and would regret it if we didn’t bring him.”

Tree Studio captured Julia and Brandon’s relaxed wedding and helped them feel comfortable in front of the lens, serving as both videographer and photographer. “They were just the best. We were scared that it would feel awkward taking pictures, but honestly we felt the opposite. We felt comfortable, happy, and so joyful when taking photos. The photos were so gorgeous and really capture us truly as we are. They captured us laughing, having fun, just every moment. We are so happy we went with Tree Studio. It’s also just so hard picking a photographer; however, we have seen that they have done the convent before, so they were all over it. We just felt so at home and just comfortable. All the photography spots were set out by them, and coordinating the first look was so simple.”

The original venue Brandon and Julia wanted couldn’t quite cater to the number of guests they wanted, so they fell back on a venue they’ve always loved: Abbotsford Convent. “We love the garden, and the Rosina courtyard and room really made it easy, as everything was together and guests didn’t need to travel. A very central location, easy parking and just nice and quiet,” they shared.

As Indi Event Co performed “Home” by Edward Sharpe, Julia began her walk down the aisle. “I really enjoyed watching all the guests turn up and grab a cocktail on arrival. It was one of the last details we added, but I’m so happy we did it.”

Their ceremony, led by Jorgia Brown, was beautifully wholesome. Julia and Brandon wanted something simple, without any readings or filler. Overall, they wanted something that represented their needs, and with Jorgia’s help, they had exactly that.

Aside from any shot with their adorable pup Sonny, this moment here has to be Julia and Brandon’s favourite. “I think second fave would be the one of us walking back up the aisle after saying we do. We are smiling and so happy,” Julia explained.

The best piece of advice Julia and Brandon want to share is this: take it all in as it’s happening. “Don’t get too overwhelmed with the whole experience. Don’t think about what should be done and what’s traditional; do what you want to do. There is no right or wrong way to do things. Really think about being a guest at your own wedding and running through the plan in your head. This really helps put it into perspective to make sure it flows.”

When it came to DIY, Brandon and Julia thought it was wiser for them to pay the professionals to do their thing. Aside from the invitations that they made, one of their favourite vendors was Avenue Studio Co., who created their menus and signage for the big day.

The initial task of planning terrified Julia, but once they had some incredible vendors locked in, the excitement kicked in. “I really enjoyed making the timeline and ensuring everything lined up. I like planning, so I didn’t want to hire someone. I did enjoy planning it all so I knew what was happening. It was hard handing all that over on the day to ensure it ran smoothly, but Gabby from the Peter Rowland Group was absolutely amazing on the day. Absolute best.”

One of Julia’s favourite memories from her and Brandon’s relaxed autumn wedding was sneaking out for their sunset shots! “I really enjoyed going out for photos, just Brandon and me, for sunset, as we did all our other pics before. The sunset pics were a moment of chill time, really getting into a quiet outdoor space even just for a few minutes. Brandon really loved the canapé hour and how we could mingle with guests. That was so wholesome and lovely.”

Finishing out the night, Julia and Brandon had their first dance to “My Girl” by The Temptations. As the song came to an end, it transitioned into A “Sunshine” remix, where the couple encouraged their guests to join them on the dance floor!

Thanks to Tree Studio for capturing everything for Julia and Brandon, and for sharing it with us. And a huge congratulations to the happy couple on your beautiful wedding!