Bec & Joel by Christopher Morrison

Tell us a little about yourselves, what you do, what you love, what is unique about you and your relationship … We are total opposites! Joel is an Environmental Scientist and I am a Graphic Designer. He is definitely the brains and I am the creative, but I think that’s why we work!

Joel and I both grew up country SA, but didn’t meet until both of us had moved to Adelaide for university. We were introduced at a house party just after Joel had been thrown into the pool and was only wearing a Mexican-style poncho. Regardless of this, we hit it off! We instantly bonded over good music, love of good food and strong family values. You’ll find we are quite the jokesters, often playing pranks on each other and constantly having a laugh together. From dance-offs in the kitchen, to rapping in the shower, this kind of silly stuff is truly the foundation of our relationship.

Tell us about your special day, was there a specific theme or style? Tell us a little about the setting, the styling and some of your favourite details…

We both have large families and a lot of friends, which meant a 200+ guest list. Joel and I loved the idea of a destination wedding but because we wanted our all of our relatives, grandparents and friends there we knew we’d have to stay within the state. I’m so happy we found the beautiful Waverley Estate in Port Elliot. Although the venue was stunning, it essentially was a blank canvas meaning we had to organise absolutely everything ourself. From catering, staff and alcohol, to the marquee, furniture, cutlery and glassware – it had to be hired. That added a lot of extra stress in the planning of our big day, however allowed us to have exactly what we wanted. We were lucky we had amazing suppliers that went above and beyond to help put together our big day.

In terms of the setting and styling, I’m a Graphic Designer so couldn’t help but be hands-on in the design aspects of our big day. We wanted our theme to be stylish and smart but not too over the top. We kept our colour palette to whites, greys, light wood and gold tones which was complemented by our venue. Our florals were large, green and wild with touches of white and nude which really helped bring everything together. Waverley Estate also has the gorgeous swimming pool which acted as a main feature for our reception area. We had a large clear marquee set up next to the pool which lit up beautifully at night and created a really unique backdrop.

Tell us about your main outfits:

When it came to my wedding dress, I had been following the amazing Sok from Malachi Couture for a long time and knew I wanted her to create my dream gown. Because our wedding was outdoors I didn’t want something that was too over the top, however wanted a really classy looking gown. Sok was so wonderful to deal with and knew exactly how to bring my vision to life! I opted for a non-white champagne coloured gown and teamed it with white bridesmaid dresses from Misha Collection.

Because Joel dresses quite smart for work, he knew he wanted him and the boys to dress up for the occasion. He chose a modern black tux and velvet bow tie, with the groomsmen matching in the same suits.

What were some of the most memorable/unique moments from the day?

It’s so hard to choose – everything was so perfect! Stepping out to Rocky Bay just the two of us for photos allowed us to have a moment to ourselves before the reception. We walked out to the most incredible views and it made for some of our favourite photos, but it was also just special to have the time out for the two of us.

Apart from this, we tried to incorporate some sentimental details in memory of Bec’s dad. This included replacing the bonbonnieres with a donation to the Cancer Council in his honour. I also had a photo pendant attached to my bouquet and shared a dance with my brother to ‘Stand by Me’; a song that Dad and I had always played and sung together. Walking down the aisle with mum was also a very special and emotional moment.