Tell us a little about yourselves!
Alex and I met 5 years ago through Bumble. We went on one date to a pub where I beat Alex in 3 games of pool, clearly winning Alex's heart, and we have been pretty much inseparable since.
We have the most cheeky but beautiful Golden Retriever daughter named Daisy. Alex is an Electrician and I am a Paediatric Nurse. We were both born and have lived in Adelaide our whole lives. We both love food, wine and travelling, seeing new countries and exploring. We have seen a lot of Australia and Europe together. Alex proposed to me on a surprise trip to Kangaroo Island, at the remarkable rocks, with a pun about rocks, with a diamond (rock) ring in hand.
Why did you decide to get married where you did?
Alex and I are suckers for a day out at a beautiful winery with delicious food and wine. McLaren Vale is our favourite wine region in South Australia, as it's a mini Italy 40 minutes from Adelaide CBC. Simon Hackett Winery is an open plan venue with big beautiful archways that look over their vineyards and has a real Tuscan feel. It was the first venue we looked at and instantly fell in love.
How many guests did you have?
Just under 100 people.
What was your budget?
Having not much of an idea what planning a wedding actually costs and entails, we started with a budget of $20k. This quickly increased to $35k but it was worth every cent!
To keep within budget, I did all the planning and styling myself. I made all the ceramic bowls, cups and plates for the wedding to match the marble slabs. We found the beautiful marble slabs from a stone wholesaler and cleaned them up and I made the pottery at home. I also made all the bud vases.
Tell us about your outfits.
I wanted something that was timeless but challenged the traditional wedding gown. I saw Acler's Australia Fashion week runway which showcased their first bridal collection and fell in love with the 'Ascot gown'. A Classic tailored strapless gown with tiered ruffles and the most gorgeous silhouette. Alcer, which also happens to be an SA brand and has been one of my favourite designers for years.
I paired it with a pair of classic beige coloured Prada slingbacks, something I will have and wear for years to come.
For my second dress, I bought one of Shona Joys discontinued dresses and had it altered into a fun mini dress. It was a high neck, long balloon sleeve satin dress with a draped open back. It was the perfect dancefloor party dress.
Alex had his suit custom made by InStitchu. He wanted a classic tailored black suit, white shirt and black tie combination but paid attention to the details, customising his lapel, buttons and having it made in Italian wool. He surprised me by having both our initials and wedding date embroidered on the interior of his suit jacket.
What was the most important aspect for you, in terms of planning your wedding?
Our absolute non-negotiable was for our wedding to be a reflection of us, incredible food, wine and a night dancing to good music, with the people we love most.
Were there any elements that were important for you to incorporate?
We wanted a relaxed, non-traditional wedding with big party energy, so we opted for a cocktail reception. We had Napoli style pizza and the most elaborate charcuterie table, our favourite feel good foods. We had our DJ start as soon as the speeches were done and the dance floor kicked off almost immediately and didn't empty out until we made our departure, which is exactly how we envisioned our night to go.
Alex and I also chose to do a first look and our wedding photos prior to our ceremony. We booked a few tables at Molly Dooker wines overlooking their incredible garden and had a glass of bubbles with our bridal party. It helped settle the nerves and gave us the time to slow down and soak it all before the ceremony. It also gave us that extra time during our cocktail hour with our family and friends.
Any tips for couples getting married?
Take the time to stop and soak it all in, because it really does go by so faster than you'd think. Try not to stress about the things you can't control, things may not go as planned but it's how you react to them that will impact how you wedding day goes.
Are there any vendors that you would like to tell us a little more about?
Our photographer, Jaz from In the Mood for Love, absolutely nailed the brief. She captured everything I imagined our photos to be, and more.
Our florist, Shack Flowers went above and beyond, the creativity and execution were incredible.
Photographer: In the Mood for Love @inthemoodforlove.jaz | Planning & Styling: by Morgan | Flora:
Shack Flowers @shackflowers | Ceremony & Reception Location: Simon Hackett Winery
@simonhackettwinery | Celebrant: Genevieve Dawson Scott | Hire: Olympic Party Hire (Disco Balls & Lanterns) & White Marquee (Sofa) @olympicparty @whitemarquee | Makeup: Amy Barton
@amybartonmakeup | Hair: Jaz @hollaifuhairme | Cake: by Morgan | Stationery: by the couple | Ceremony Dress: Acler @acler | Reception Dress: Shona Joy @shonajoy_ | Suit: Institchu @institchu | Engagement Ring: Everett Brookes @everettbrookes | Wedding Rings: Her Rock Jewelry, NYC (Morgan) & (Alex) Michael Hill @her_rockjewelry | Shoes: Prada @prada | Earrings: Mara Paris @mara.paris | Ring: from Morgan's Grandmother