Tell us a little about yourselves!
I am a Melbourne girl and Hugo is from Portugal. We met six years ago in Melbourne, fell madly in love and, because of visas, spent the next four years skipping around to different countries to be together.
Why did you decide to get married where you did?
We knew we wanted to get married in either Portugal, which is Hugo’s home country, or Australia, which is mine, so it was just a matter of deciding which.
How many guests did you have?
We had 37 guests.
What was your budget?
We didn’t really set a budget (oops). We reviewed quotes together and without a strict budget, focused our resources towards the elements of the day that mattered the most to us.
Tell us about your outfits.
I didn’t have a clear vision for my wedding day outfit. Fortunately, the endlessly patient Olivia from Twelve South Bridal guided me through the process and made the whole experience effortless. She carefully listened to my thoughts on each dress and then suggested one I hadn’t even noticed, which combined all my favourite elements of the dresses I’d tried on so far. It ended up being ‘the’ dress!
The pearl choker and earrings belong to my Mum and were worn by her on her wedding day. After I chose my gown, my Mum’s pearls worked so perfectly it felt like it was meant to be.
7 Camicie created the bespoke suit of Hugo’s dreams. The Portuguese are renowned for their shoe-making craftsmanship, so naturally Hugo waited until we got to Portugal to organise his shoes. He found them one afternoon at a charming little shoe shop called Sapataria do Carmo.
Hugo’s wedding band was custom-made at Rohan Jewellers in Mount Lawley, WA. They were exceptional and possessed a dizzying range of stunning jewels. Hugo opted for two jewels on his band; the Champagne Diamond for its lovely warmth, and an Australian Green Sapphire because it matches the colour of my eyes.
What was the most important aspect for you, in terms of planning your wedding?
We have family and friends scattered all around the world, so the thought of having (nearly) everyone we love in the same place at the same time was absolutely mind blowing to us. We felt so spoiled that all these wonderful people were coming to celebrate with us, and we didn’t want to miss a single moment with them. Our intention was to create a day that would be full of fun with our favourite people.
Were there any elements that were important for you to incorporate?
With half of our guest list coming from overseas, it was important to us that we gave our guests the full Lisbon experience! It just so happened that we’d unintentionally organised to have the wedding in the middle of Santo António, Lisbon’s month-long festival (for the Saint of marriages, nonetheless). For June, Alfama’s streets would transform into a colourful maze of pimba music and Superbock stalls, hazy with sardine smoke. We adored the idea of walking to a nearby restaurant for dinner to experience a little bit of Santo António with our guests.
Are there any vendors that you would like to tell us a little more about?
Taylor of Taylor Kezia Photography was our photographer. We are completely and totally in awe of the moments she captured. Taylor was a delightful presence to have around on the day, but was also a total ninja, capturing so many gorgeous candid moments that were revealed when she delivered the gallery. We felt totally at ease in front of her camera. She captured our day, and us, so beautifully.
Our celebrant, Tracy of Boho Ceremonies, was exceptional. She is a deeply kind person and warmth just radiates from her, and we couldn’t have imagined being married by anyone else. She crafted the most beautiful ceremony and told our story in such an engaging way, full of emotion and humour in equal parts. After getting to know us, she also suggested a ‘ring-warming ’ceremony, which is where our wedding rings would be passed from guest to guest to fill with good wishes and positive intentions for our future together. We adored this idea, and it was a beautiful way to include all of our guests in the ceremony.
Twelve South Bridal was nothing short of perfect. The boutique is home to a range of beautiful samples from a variety of designers, which is what initially drew me in. But the stand out is by far the service. Olivia and Grace were the most wonderful ladies to be on the dress journey with. They are both so warm, welcoming and made the whole experience feel really special.
Our pistachio cake from Mabu Lisboa was probably the element of the day that surprised us the most! Being overseas, we didn’t have the opportunity to try the cake beforehand. Anna absolutely smashed our expectations by delivering a cake that looked identical to our reference images and tasted divine.
Luis Capitão & Leonardo Pisco are inimitable artists, and I still can’t believe we were lucky enough to have them perform at our wedding. They blend the melancholic Portuguese fado guitar with the vibrancy of Latin beats for a sound that is just as dance-inducing as it is sensual. Paired with the romantic setting of the Palacete Chafriz D’El Reii, I honestly felt like we were in a movie.
Our DJ Kelson too, is a master of his craft. His brilliant energy is infectious as he grooves along with the crowd he is playing for. A couple of days prior to the wedding, we’d had a boat party which Kelson also DJ’ed. Something I found really sweet was how excited our guests were to see him again when they walked into the reception - a testament to his personableness! We didn’t give him a brief, and he didn’t need one; he created the most perfect set that literally everybody got down to.
Photographer: Taylor Kezia Photography @taylorkezia_photography | On the day Coordination: Héloïse
Luxardo | Flora: Pando Studio @pando__studio | Ceremony & Reception Location: Palacete Chafriz D’El Rei @chafarizdelrei | Dinner Location: Ácosta by Olivier @acosta_byolivier | Celebrant: Boho Ceremonies
@bohoceremonies | Hire: Alugue Aqui | Makeup: Make Up by Balu @mubybalu | Hair: Hair Fusion Lisboa @hairfusionlisboa | Cake: Mabu Lisboa @mabu.lisboa | Stationery: by the couple | Entertainment (Portuguese Guitar Players): Luis Capitão & Leonardo Pisco @luiscapitao_ @leonardo.p1sco | DJ:
Kelson @kelson__ | Dress: Jenny Yoo from Twelve South Bridal @jennyyoonyc @twelvesouthbridal | Suit:
7 Camicie @camicieroma | Veil: Madame Tulle @madametulle | Alterations: Perth Best Alteration @faraalmasicouture | Engagement Ring: HLSK @hlsk | Wedding Rings: Sarah Gardener Jewellery & Rohan Jewellers @sarahgardnerjewellery @rohanjewellers | Shoes (Teasha): Charles & Keith @charleskeithofficial & Jo Mercer @jomercershoes | Shoes (Hugo): Sapataria do Carmo
@sapatariadocarmo | Pearl choker & Earrings: from Teasha's Mother, Vintage Oroton @oroton