Talia & Pete

12 Feburary 2016
Mt Duneed Estate, Waurn Ponds, VIC
Photography by Brett Danielsen

It was a fateful night when Pete served Talia a cocktail at Cookie bar in Melbourne.

"He asked me to be his wife on a cliff overlooking the ocean at Bruny Island lighthouse in Tasmania. I adore lighthouses!" Talia and Pete's wedding was all about having fun and being organised. "We were planning the biggest and best party of our lives!"

Summer sun

Talia and Pete tied the knot on a perfect 26 degree day in February. "On the morning of the wedding the boys went for a surf and the girls and I started our day with a champagne breakfast at the spa resort. It was a great way to set the vibe of the day, relaxed and fun!"

Kombi fun

Pete and his groomsmen arrived to the wedding ceremony via Kombi van. "They greeted our family and friends, had a drink and relaxed before the ceremony began." A 3-piece acoustic band The Victor Bravos played tunes as guests made their way into the heart of the olive grove where the ceremony was to take place. "The day had a beautiful light breeze and the girls and I arrived also by Kombi!"

"Excitement and anticipation swirled around us as we waited for Talia to arrive. Talia looked absolutely stunning as she walked down the aisle towards me with her mum and dad beside her. It took my breath away. As she joined me where I was standing at the end of the aisle it felt like a dream. It's all a bit of a euphoric blur!"

Amongst the olive groves

"Pete and I had been searching for a venue that felt very 'us'. We found it with Mt Duneed Estate. As my family is Sicilian it felt right to host our ceremony amongst the olive groves." The couple used the motif of the olive branch in all the design and styling aspects of their wedding. "It was tied into every detail from our invitations to our bouquets, place settings and floral arrangements."

Talia and Pete were so grateful to work with event specialist Bel Bullen from Bel_Co. "Bel brought our vision to life. The colour scheme was kept neutral with ivory blooms and lots of greenery. We also had a custom whiskey bar as a surprise for Pete as whiskey is his favourite drink!"

That fig-ures

Talia and Pete had a beetroot and carrot wedding cake with white chocolate icing. "The cake was decorated with fresh figs. It was delicious!"

The couple had their first dance as husband and wife to Bill Medley and Jennifer Warnes' classic love song (I've Had) The Time of My Life.

"Having an incredibly detailed running sheet for the entire day made the wedding ceremony and reception run very smoothly. Staying on top of all the plans throughout the wedding planning journey made Pete and I enjoy every minute of it. If something doesn't go to plan on your wedding day, who cares! It's your wedding, you're becoming husband and wife or wife and wife or husband and husband and surely that's all that matters!"

Can't stop smiling

"Our wedding exceeded our expectations and we couldn't stop smiling for days afterwards! It certainly was the party of our lives. The day wouldn't have been as incredible as it was without so many of our friends and family who helped bring the event together. This made the planning process and the wedding day itself personal and extra special. The photographer, celebrant, stylist, musicians and MC are all connected to us in some way. We are very lucky to be surrounded by so many talented creatives."

White & green

Together with Bel from Bel_Co. Event, Talia workshopped and experimented with different flowers to find what would work best in the space. "We used white lisianthus, garden roses, snowberries, veronica, freesias and Queen Anne's lace for both the ceremony and reception. The blooms looked gorgeous amongst the olive branches and foliage that were also used."

Boho chic

In keeping with the laid back nature of their wedding venue, Talia chose a gown with a bohemian feel. "My dress was a fitted lace gown with low back." For the ceremony Talia wore a sheer, long sleeve top with flared sleeves that she had designed herself. "It was tailor made by Francesca Di Pasquale. I also wore blue shoes and my mum's wedding veil for my something borrowed and something blue."

Peter had a navy blue custom suit by Cecil. "My bridesmaids wore LA designer Jen's Pirate Booty, which perfectly matched the feel and colour of my gown." The gowns complemented the wedding colour scheme and were a lovely contrast to the navy blue suits of the groom and groomsmen. "Our little flowergirl wore musk pink for a hint of colour."

Dance all night

"Once we had finished having our bridal photographs taken we joined our guests on the terrace for drinks, canapés and live music. This was an awesome way to get the party started and when we were announced as bride and groom at the reception our guests gave us a standing ovation in the Barrel Room. Delicious food and drink flowed as well as dancing, delightful speeches and of course whiskey! It was a magical day."