Rhiannon & Toni’s Dazzling Wedding Of Love & Surprises.

Rhiannon and Toni have been together for almost eight years now. Rhiannon hit Toni up on a dating up, and the rest is history!

Tell Us About The Proposal.

Rhiannon had planned a thousand ways to propose to Toni, many of them over-the-top gestures that weren’t quite Toni’s style. Ultimately, she chose a quiet dinner after they’d been skiing. Rhiannon couldn’t keep the secret to herself, and proposed with a simple ring from Toni’s favourite jeweller, knowing too well Toni would want to choose her own.

What Was The Inspiration Behind The Vibe Of Your Wedding?

We just wanted a big, relaxed party and ensured everyone felt included. For Rhiannon, some of her better memories growing up are around the dancefloor at family events, seeing uncles dance with random workmates, and nanna having a boogie with the in-laws. Our focus was creating a space for everyone to feel loved up and happy.

We also wanted to play on our different personalities and use contrast as a bit of a theme. Just as Rupert on Rupert has a jungle of greenery enhancing its industrial aesthetic, we used the moody tones of winter to act as a backdrop to bold pops of colour, from Rhiannon’s purple suit to Toni’s bouquet and the arbour, with autumnal reds, terracotta brown, and blush pinks standing out against the rich Rupert décor. Our florist, North St Botanical, really came through with this for us.

We wanted to combine our personalities and strike a balance between Toni’s classy, sexy, elegant style and Rhiannon’s fun-loving, sentimental, and bright flair.

Talk To Us About The Big Day! 

Toni wanted to have the ‘best wedding ever.’ Rhiannon kept trying to temper her expectations, but it turns out it was ‘the best wedding ever,’ to us at least.

We had a blast and wish we could do it again.

We were both up from around 6 am getting make-up and hair done—Rhiannon at home, Toni at her parent’s house in Glen Iris.

Rhiannon picked Toni up for the first look, but she surprised her with a limousine instead of the Sprinter van she told her she was getting. 

Getting ready was stressful, but we felt calmer once we saw each other at our first look. 

We had photos at the venue prior to the ceremony, which was a little hectic as some guests arrived very early, but it was still fun.

The ceremony was beautiful, and we felt we’d personalised it perfectly.

Then, the reception kicked off, cocktail style, with incredible food by Rupert, a photo booth, and DJ Alex absolutely ripping it up.

Around 7 pm, we did speeches, with Toni’s Dad, Russell, Rhiannon’s sister Paige, Rhiannon, and their close friend Tim all giving speeches.

Then, the final surprise Rhiannon had for Toni, a six-piece marching band, came through the venue, playing a half-hour set on the dance floor before leaving again.

This kicked off the dancefloor perfectly and was never empty after that. There was never a dull moment between the photo booth, the great food and drinks, and the dancefloor. 

It all ended before we knew it, and it was time to return to our hotel!

What Are Your Favorite Moments?

The limo ride to the venue was a cool moment, with Rhiannon’s niece peering out the window and everyone buzzing with excitement before the wedding.

Our ceremony was incredible, with all of our friends and family surrounding us for our vows.

Our toddler nieces were meant to be flower girls but went into tantrum mode at the last minute, so while Rhiannon waited for Toni at the end of the aisle, Mali from Rupert came down the aisle with both girls on her hips like an absolute pro.

This left Rhiannon and Toni’s sisters with the job of flower girls, and they both nailed it!

The photo booth was a massive hit and kept everyone busy for hours.

The speeches were great. Toni’s dad is a nervous public speaker who did a fantastic job. Rhiannon’s sister’s speech was brilliant, and both did a great job of welcoming the girls into one another’s families.

The surprise band was also a huge highlight. Rhiannon is shocking at keeping secrets, so to pull this off was epic. No one expected it and Toni had no idea. It was another way Rhiannon could incorporate a bit of fun and mayhem into Toni’s structure and order.

Do You Have A Stand-Out Vendor?

That’s a tough one. We seriously were so lucky with our vendors! They were incredible.

Our photographer, Kyra, was such a sweetheart and an integral part of our day. She helped us through some really stressful moments and had a few laughs with us throughout. It felt like she was in it with us, and we were overwhelmed a lot of the time, so it was a welcome feeling. The photos were unbelievably good. We’re so, so happy and couldn’t have had a better photographer to work with us on the day. 

Rupert on Rupert was brilliant, too. Our entire wedding raved about the venue and the staff. Mali, Rupert’s wedding coordinator, was a dream to work with and was like an angel/mind reader on the day.

Luke from Boothalicious, the photo booth, was amazing as well. He had incredibly calm energy and a really lovely presence, and the photos were amazing.

And DJ Watts from Astound DJ’s was a gem, too. We didn’t want some club DJ playing the same tired wedding songs, and Alex understood the assignment and knocked it out of the park. Seriously, our vendors were amazing!

What Does Marriage Mean To You?

Well, with marriage only becoming legal for us in the past six years, it’s been interesting to realise what it’s meant to both of us.

Marriage to us is partially just a bit of paper and a cool party. We’ve been committed for a while now, so it was weird to wake up and realise not much has changed for us.

On the other hand though, marriage to one another is our way of demonstrating that commitment yet again and choosing one another every day from now on.

Over the past eight years, we have had our share of very good times and very hard times. Marriage for us is not just the vow to keep choosing one another but a new chapter where we celebrate having truly learned to love one another and continue doing that for the rest of our lives.

Advice For Other Couples Planning A Wedding?

Do it your way. Ditch the formalities. You don’t need them. If you want them, fine, but if you’re doing it because your great Aunt Susan thinks you should, it’s pointless. Everyone has an opinion, but it’s your big day, so do it your way. Also, it’s impossible to make this once-in-a-lifetime experience perfect. There are a billion ways to do everything, so enjoy it for what it is, and have fun!

Anything You Are Glad You Did? Or Wish You Didn’t Do?  

We were so relieved we decided not to worry about a cake or feel pressured to do a first dance. We consulted each other and ensured we were both happy with things rather than listening to others. Sometimes, that meant a little bit of compromise, but all in all, it was the best thing we could’ve done.

We’re so glad we trusted the expertise of all of our vendors. Once we found people we could trust, we left it to them to guide us and do what they do best, and they all really shone.

We’re glad we focused on our guests, making sure the food, music, and entertainment were just perfect for a good time, and having a cocktail wedding with minimal formalities really helped in that endeavour.

We both feel thrilled we had such a relaxed ceremony, with lots of laughter thrown in. It made it feel more authentic to us and closer to our friends and family in the process.

If anything, we probably could’ve given ourselves a bit more time on the day just to get the photographs done a little more peacefully and have a few moments to brace ourselves for the ceremony, but honestly, it was amazing as it was.


DWH RECOMMENDED VENDOR
Photography by Kyra Boyer

DWH RECOMMENDED VENDOR
Catering & Venue Rupert On Rupert

Celebrant Sally – Celebrant & Elopements
DJ Watts Love
Dress Designer Ingrid Olic Bridal
Florist North St Botanical
Hair Rachael Boler
Live Music Applause Entertainment
Make-up Eliana Stefanou
Shirt Jay Dillon
Suit Designer Isadora Nim

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