The classic architecture and picturesque gardens of Quat Quatta have me totally enamored! What a beautiful backdrop for this sweet couple's wedding day. With bubble confetti, a mix of cultures, and an elegant atmosphere, this couple rang in their nuptials in style. A cultural highlight for me is the Chinese character signifying "double happiness" that was incorporated into the tablescape design. What's better than happiness? Double happiness of course! Many thanks to Stewart Leishman Photography for sharing the full gallery of images with us and for his tireless work capturing weddings throughout Asia!
Ripponlea Wedding at Quat Quatta from Stewart Leishman Photography
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From the Bride... Julian and I met in our first year at Melbourne University. We were studying very different courses at opposite ends of the campus and only met by chance through a mutual friend. Fresh out of high school, we didn’t know what to expect, whether our relationship would last a day, a week or a year. I don’t think either of us imagined that eight years down the road, that we would be walking down the aisle! Growing up with a simple upbringing and no extended family in Australia, I pictured us having a small registry wedding. However, Julian, coming from Greek-German heritage with a large network of family and relatives, meant that we needed to come to a compromise. The end result, I think, was a perfect marriage of our backgrounds, our personalities and our vision for the day.
We left ourselves four short months to organize everything, as we had only locked in our venue before going on a big overseas trip. We had visited a few venues to get an idea, but none came close to the history and polished elegance of the stunning Quat Quatta mansion, where we had both our ceremony and reception. The overriding objective in planning our wedding day was to create a day full of laughter and fun that represented exactly who we were as a couple without being pretentious or showy. We spent many hours planning and organizing every intricate detail, from the place cards we made together by hand, which included an individual origami crane for the boys and a rose for the girls; to Julian using his graphic design skills to create vintage-inspired questionnaires for a fresh twist on the traditional guest book. We wanted the venue to represent us, so we dug up some old photographs of ourselves as kids and a photo of each of our parents from their wedding days to decorate the mantel above the fireplace. We decorated the tables with a red box cut in the shape of the Chinese character "double happiness." At every step, we recruited the help of family and friends – Julian’s mother put together the stunning floral bouquets, and a musically-gifted friend of ours serenaded guests on the grand piano in the drawing room while canapés were served beside the crackling fire.
Despite many challenges and much stress ahead of the big day, neither of us could have imagined a more perfect occasion. Melbourne’s weather is unpredictable, especially in winter and having chosen to have the ceremony in the courtyard, I had been keeping an obsessive watch on the weather. On the day, the sun broke through the clouds and shone just as I walked down the aisle — we honestly could not have asked for better timing! The whole ceremony was just magical with bubbles as confetti, towering green hedges surrounding us and soft classical music played by a string trio. The other highlights of the day were the heartfelt speeches, the attentive and impeccable service of all of the staff at Quat Quatta, and our incredibly delicious and artistic cake from Le Petite Gateau. And we also must mention our amazing and tireless photographer Stewart Leishman, who was with us the whole day from start to finish . We researched and spoke to numerous photographers, none of who felt quite right, until we stumbled across his work. Stewart seems to have this intrinsic ability to see extraordinary things in the ordinary, and he is able to capture moments with all of the beauty and emotion of real life.
Wedding Photography: Stewart Leishman Photography (Available Throughout Asia) / Wedding Venue: Quat Quatta in Ripponlea, Victoria / Floral Design: The Groom’s Mother / Wedding Day Decorations: DIY by the Bride, Groom + Family / Wedding Cake: Le Petite Gateau / String Quartet: Four Seasons String Quartet / Speakers: DJ Warehouse / Wedding Dress: Landy Bridal / Shoes: Robert Robert / Hair: Alison Brudenell of Alli the Hair Lady