Happy Friday, lovelies! I’m about to send you into your weekend with a huge does of pretty from fotoJOJO and this Stones of the Yarra Valley wedding. After the bride + groom visited the Victoria vineyard, everything else began to fall into place for their big day-from the bride’s custom Wendy Makin dress to the gorgeous cake made of cheeses by aDixions. There is so much more to feast your eyes on in the full gallery!
Click here for the FULL wedding!
From the Bride… When Nobuto proposed to me on Boxing Day last year, choosing a venue or a date was the last thing on my mind, especially as he had to return to Japan the very next day on my birthday! But after having lunch with my family at Chandon, my sister suggested that we visit Stones of the Yarra Valley (her pre-chosen venue). The moment that I walked in, I knew that it was perfect for us. Simple, beautiful and in the middle of a vineyard! Nobuto put all of his trust into me when we booked Stones on our six-year dating anniversary, and he only saw it two months before the wedding. Luckily, he loved it too!
We are both passionate about wine, and there was never a question that we would get married in a winery setting or that the theme would be wine-related. Our stationery set was hand-written in the style of Vouette et Sorbee, “Saignee de Sorbee,” a bottle of champagne that both love. The flowers reflected subtle wines colors in a spring theme. I gave Rita of Blooming Brides some ideas but trusted her to create her own special magic, which she did. Nobuto and I both love cheese, so we decided to go with an actual cheese cake. Vicki from aDixions sourced cheese from France and Spain, and created a work of art. When I saw it for the first time, I couldn’t believe how perfect it was for the setting. Nobuto and I wanted a photographer who was able to capture the day in a natural, candid way without too much unnatural posing. Jo Cush did that for us perfectly. She was so amazingly easy to get along with, and I felt that we had known each other for years! Finally, my dress was designed by Wendy Makin. I was lucky enough to meet with her in Melbourne during my visit, and she created the perfect dress for me in two months! I cannot recommend her or the team highly enough, and their dedication and friendly personalities are second to none. It was quite difficult to plan a wedding from overseas, and in the case of the officiant, florist, hairdresser, makeup artist and cake designer, they were the first and last people I looked at. I was able to go back to Australia for a very busy two weeks in August and meet with everyone, and I was happy with my decisions.
The actual day was wonderful. I was so blessed and honored to see all of the people that I love in the same room, sharing the special day with us. I was so grateful that not only did I get to marry my perfect man, but also that everyone I care about was able to come and celebrate. Especially as I don’t get to see everyone that often because we live in Japan. I know that my grandmas were also there celebrating in spirit, and I pinned two of their brooches to my bouquet as a reminder of their love. One of the highlights was feeling the emotions and love in the room, especially when my dad conducted his speech in Japanese and Nobuto’s dad performed his in English. There were a lot of laughs and a lot of tears. It was a rainy, windy and cold day, but that didn’t stop all of the guests from enjoying themselves and having a great time. We arranged for instant photos to be taken instead of a guest book, and the guests had fun doing this! In terms of DIY, I created orders of service for everyone and including fun facts about us and the schedule of the day. I also created the place card holders from all of the bottles of wine that Nobuto and have enjoyed over the years. And of course, arranging all of the favors. It does go by in a flash like everyone says, but I wouldn’t take a second of it back.
Wedding Photography: Jo Cush of fotoJOJO / Reception: Stones of the Yarra Valley in Coldstream, Victoria / Floral Design: Blooming Brides / Officiant: Ann Flockhart / Wedding Cheese Cake: aDixions / Wedding Invitations: Little Flamingo / DJ: Full Dress / Bus: McKenzie’s Transport / Wine Favors: Ocean Eight / Wedding Dress: Wendy Makin / Hair: Christie Buswell (A Friend) / Bridesmaids’ Dresses: Swish / Rings: Tiffany & Co.