Real Bride Vin wearing Serrano by Suzanne Neville with detachable bow
“Even before my appointment at HRB, I knew my experience here would be different. Helen took the time to call me before my appointment to get a sense of me and my personality. I really appreciated this because my appointment time was used really effectively. She was very accommodating of having my 3 bridesmaids and both parents in the boutique (quite a boisterous crowd!) and was professional, gorgeous and incredibly organised.
My whole experience was seamless from start to finish, and I’m so grateful to her and her lovely team (including the fabulous alterations lady!) for making my dress so perfect for me.”
Bride & Groom: Vin & Duncan
Gown: Suzanne Neville ‘Serrano’ gown and detachable bow from Helen Rodrigues Bridal
Photography: Damien Milan
Venue: Pilu at Freshwater
Accessories: HR Bridal Accessories New York veil & Paspaley Jewellery
Florals: The Ivy League Florist
Hair & Make-up: Rachelle Facelo
Celebrant: Meggan Brummer
Streaming: Dragone Productions
Wedding guest favours: Fabbrica Sydney
How did you and your husband meet?
We were both working in New York at the time. We met completely by accident on a random day in the office. He was by far the best looking guy on the floor and grabbed my attention immediately.
How did he propose?
When Duncan moved to Sydney to live here with me, Palm Beach was one of the first places we visited. He proposed to me 6 months later on a beautiful sunny day at Palmy. After he popped the question, he surprised me with lunch with my parents and best friend so that we could all celebrate the occasion together!
What was your vision for your wedding day?
Overall we wanted the vision to be a reflection of who we are as a couple, so all decisions were made based on being true to our favourite things and aesthetics.
And our main focus was to make sure both sets of our families and friends felt completely part of the celebrations (even from afar).
Where did you look for your wedding inspiration?
There were so many useful sources! I selected the colour palette after visiting the colour pantone wall at Bunnings.
What drew you to your gown from Helen Rodrigues Bridal?
Before I visited Helen, I had tried on dresses at a couple of other boutiques and hadn’t really had the wow moment… and was starting to think that was a kind of silly fairytale. When I tried my Suzanne Neville gown for the first time, it’s like I knew instantly it was the perfect one for me. I finally had that moment where I felt like a princess.
The Serrano gown was so chic and classic with its clean lines. But my favourite thing about it was the custom detachable bow and train on the back. It had the perfect amount of personality for me.
What was your wedding planning journey like for you? How far out did you start planning?
Because Duncan is from the UK and we have friends and family in lots of different parts of the world, we had originally planned our wedding to be in a kind of central location. We picked Lake Como, Italy. We had spent 6 months living there and absolutely fell in love with La Dolce Vita. Because it was overseas for everyone, we sent out ‘Save the Dates’ and started planning a year in advance of the original wedding date.
Being impacted by the pandemic, our wedding planning took a very unexpected turn when international travel became so uncertain. We found it was useful to keep everyone updated via our wedding website.
What was the biggest decision you had to make?
When we decided to put a hold on celebrations in Italy, and decided to be married in Sydney. This meant that Duncan’s immediate family and many of his friends weren’t able to be there in person. Fortunately, with the miracles of streaming, they were able to be there live for the ceremony and reception.
What was the highlight of your wedding day for you?
Seeing Duncan at the alter and putting that ring on his finger! I also truly loved walking down the aisle through the garden at Pilu, feeling like a princess with my sparkly veil in the sunlight.
I also just loved seeing the whole vision come to life - from the beautiful florals, to the bridesmaid dresses, the music, to the food etc. Everything was a celebration of the things we love and I’m so glad that our guests were able to share in that!
Is there anything you would do differently?
Honestly nothing I can think of!
Is there any advice you would give other #HRBride’s?
Planning a wedding really is a huge task regardless of the scale. I was so glad that Duncan and I struck to our strengths through it all, so it kept the fun and excitement up throughout the planning phase. And of course - make sure you ask your bridesmaids for help!
