Morana - A Real Bride Story

Morana’s Story

Bride & Groom: Morana & Nicholas
Planning & Styling: I Heart Flowers (Zoe Webb)
Gown: Monique Lhuillier
Venue: Stones of Yarra Valley, Victoria
Photography: Chloe May
Floral: I Heart Flowers
Letter pressed invitations and stationery: I Heart Flowers
Video: Apertura
Music: TobiTobi
Rings: Cerrone

‘After arriving at Helen’s with preconceived ideas, Helen’s guidance resulted in an elegant combination of a Monique Lhuillier dress and Oscar de La Renta veil. Helen Rodrigues and her team were a breath of fresh air in what can be a whirlwind process. I found the team grounded, considered and patient, and am grateful for the memory I will cherish for a very long time’. Morana #HRBride

How did he propose? 

Atop a mountain in Queenstown, while heliskiing. It was just picturesque. I said yes!

 What was your vision for your wedding day?

The vision for the day was an intimate celebration with family and friends. Zoe Webb did a spectacular job at creating a lavish, yet natural and effortless, vibe. And there was something so warm and familial about dining at a single long table with our 35 guests. 

We had very few formalities (no MC, no first dance and only 2 speeches, which were given by Nicholas and I). Instead we kicked the night off with a champagne tower, enjoyed a delicious four-course dinner followed by four-courses of dessert, and danced the night away to Tobi Tobi and the very lively Opa! Serbian brass brand.

We also chose to marry interstate to allow for a getaway wedding that wasn’t a destination too far from home; and on a Thursday too, which gave us a long weekend with family and friends. Stones of the Yarra Valley, surrounded by vineyards and oak trees, provided a charming chapel, restaurant, and accommodation on the one property, all with a Tuscan-feel. It was the perfect destination.

Where did you look for your wedding inspiration?

Mostly Instagram.

For your wedding day what drew you to your gown from Helen Rodrigues Bridal?

I went to Helen to see a completely different dress, which wound up not feeling right when I tried it on. We tried on a few gowns before I noticed the one. My advice is to be open-minded and buy the dress that you feel fabulous in.

When did you know that your Monique Lhuillier gown was ‘the one’?

As soon as I put it on. As cliché as it sounds, it just felt right. I felt comfortable and beautiful. I loved every stitch on that dress.

What was your wedding planning journey like for you? How far out did you start planning?

We had a short – 3 month - engagement, which meant we had be very productive (and there was no time to stress). Zoe Webb (quite seriously, the wedding fairy of all wedding fairies!) was just amazing at making it all happen and quickly too – letter pressed invitations, stationery, styling and hiring, and flowers!

What was the biggest decision you had to make?

Containing a guest list to 35 people!

What was the highlight of your wedding day for you?

The ceremony, which was held in the charming chapel on the property. The moment I saw Nicholas and our closest family and friends, while Tobi Tobi played Can’t Help Falling in Love with you, was definitely my highlight.

Is there anything you would do differently?

Definitely not. It was in every way the most perfect day.

Is there any advice you would give other #HRBride’s?

Relax and enjoy your engagement. Planning the best day of your life should not be stressful.

Helena - A Real Bride Story

Helena’s Story

Bride & Groom: Helena & Justin
Planning & Styling: Kashaya & Co 
Gown: Monique Lhuillier 
Venue: Café Sydney  
Photography: Bayleigh Vedelago 
Floral: Kashaya & Co 
Videography: Soda Films 
Make up: Chloe Langford
Hair: JaydeTurner Ledwige

How did you and your husband meet? 

We got introduced by a mutual friend when Justin came to Sydney for work. I didn’t realise it at the time but our friend was trying to set us up from the beginning. It took a few times before we actually met as we kept missing each other but when we finally met it was a perfect match as we got along so well. We ended up spending a lot of time together when Justin was in Sydney and soon after that we started a long distance relationship between Sydney and Melbourne. We did this for over a year until two years ago I decided to move to Melbourne. It was the best decision as now I get to call Justin my husband.

How did he propose? 

Before he proposed Justin flew to Brisbane to see my dad to ask for his permission to marry me. My dad and Justin had become close, and he asked my dad what he thought would be the best day to do it on our upcoming trip and dad suggested my birthday. Justin and I were in Positano and it was my birthday. We had a beautiful lunch at La Sirenuse and then Justin had organised a boat just for the two of us along the Amalfi coast. We were cruising along and looking at the beautiful coastline when he came out from the back of the boat with a ring box, got on his knee and asked me to marry him. I was so surprised and had no idea!! We had champagne, called our friends and family and then went for dinner and cocktails followed by a night of dancing in Positano. I couldn’t of imagined a better night, it was so special and even more so that I will always have that memory on my birthday.

What was your vision for your wedding day? 

 My vision for the day was an elegant venue and lots of flowers. We had so many friends and family coming from interstate and overseas we just wanted to give everyone an experience. Having it a Café Sydney was just that as the views and the food spoke volumes. I also said to Kashaya, I wanted bold colours and an abundance of flowers everywhere. We wanted the venue to be a feature but we also wanted the florals to be a feature also. We also had this beautiful dessert table, with cake, fruit, mini desserts, cheese and a 1m croquembouche tower which was surrounded with masses of flowers in all sizes and in brightly coloured reds, pinks and purples –it was just stunning and a total focal point.

Where did you look for your wedding inspiration? 

I started by getting my ideas on Instagram and following a few different bridal pages, photographers, florists, etc and this gave me a good base. I really wanted a chic and elegant feel with bright florals so once I picked what I wanted I just let Kashaya work her magic from there.

For your wedding day what drew you to your gown from Helen Rodrigues Bridal?  

I have always loved Monique Lhuillier’s elegant and classic designs. My wedding dress was part of the new Monique Lhuillier 2019 collection which I had seen online and immediately fell in love with. Helen Rodrigues was the only stockist in Australia to be receiving it but unfortunately it wasn’t coming until only a couple months before my wedding. I tried on a couple of other ML dresses with Helen but I couldn’t stop thinking of my dream dress. I decided to take a chance and wait until it arrived a few months before my wedding before trying it on. I’m so glad I waited for it because I couldn’t imagine wearing anything else.

When did you know your Monique Lhuillier gown was ‘the one’? 

I always knew I wanted my wedding dress to be simple and elegant. I didn’t want any beading or too much lace and being a smaller frame I didn’t want to be consumed by too much fabric. When I first tried it on, it was so classic and it ticked all of my boxes. It felt so feminine but it was still sexy with a low back and low front. The dress felt like it was made for me and I just loved wearing it.

What was your wedding planning journey like for you? How far out did you start planning? 

I started planning 8 months out. I knew we had to lock in the venue, photographer, church and wedding planner pretty quickly so we didn’t miss getting the ones we wanted. Once we booked in those everything was a lot easier to coordinate.

What was the biggest decision you had to make? 

The location. We met in Sydney but we live in Melbourne so there was a bit of back and forth but we chose Sydney and I’m so glad we did.

What was the highlight of your wedding day for you? 

Everything. Every moment was so special. From walking down the isle and seeing Justin to being surrounded by everyone we love in one place, it was just perfect.

 Is there anything you would do differently? 

Nothing, we couldn’t of asked for a better day.

Is there any advice you would give other #HRBride’s? 

Don’t let the little things stress you out and have fun!!! It’s your day and everyone is there for you so enjoy every moment as it will be over before you know it.

Emerald - A Real Bride Story

Emerald’s Story

Bride & Groom: Emerald & Frank
Planning & Styling: Susie, from Knot & Pop, London and Coralie from Loli Events, Paris
Gown: Alon Livné Bridal
Venue: The Mona Bismarck American Centre, Paris
Photography: Ryan Murphy (Varga Murphy)
Hair and Makeup: Harold James, Paris
Floral: Florésie
Ring: Olivia Bond Diamonds

How did you and Frank meet?

We had known each other for a while through mutual friends and had an annual flirtation at the pub at Christmas when I came home, but I was living in Paris and he was living in Perth so it never went anywhere. I flew home at the end of 2016 to care for my mum who was ill and ran into him while I was there, we got chatting and had an instant spark. When I flew back to Paris we began speaking lots, and a few weeks later he came to visit me (under the guise of going to see friends in London!). We had a whirlwind 4-day romance, and a few weeks later I came back to Perth to be with my mum again. We started dating and 5 weeks later I fell pregnant (whoops!). I found out a week after my beautiful mum passed away which was heartbreaking, but also lifesaving in a way. She met Frank once before she died and told me she felt happy leaving knowing that I had met my match.

How did Frank propose?

It was a few months after our daughter Queenie was born. My whole family was home for my little brother’s wedding and I hopped out of the shower to find a beautiful ring under my daughter’s arm as she slept, and Frank on one knee. My family was listening outside the door with champagne.

Emerald, your wedding celebrations were curated over a three day period. What did that entail?

Wednesday 25th - We had a civil ceremony at the town hall in the Marais, right near where I lived for 5 years. My friend, who is the current deputy mayor, married us in front of 20 of our closest friends and family in the most hysterical ceremony I have ever attended. We had champagne at the local bar afterwards, followed by an intimate family dinner in a private room at Le Meurice. It was breathtakingly beautiful, and such an incredible memory. I wore an Alexander Rich dress to my civil ceremony, and a white two piece suit designed by my friend Vanessa Cocchiaro of Les Heroines for the dinner, as well as a very special ruby necklace that was my mothers.

Thursday 26th – We held a cocktail party for all of our guests at rooftop bar Le Perchoir. Paris was having an uncharacteristic heatwave and we were all literally sweltering, but it was a really fun night – we were all dancing into the early hours of the morning with the most magical view over the Parisian rooftops. I wore a custom sequinned two piece by local Perth designer Alvin Fernandez.

Saturday 28th – Our wedding day! The girls got ready at the Shangri-La, next door to the venue, and the boys were at our apartment in the Marais. I walked down the aisle at 4.30pm with my brothers and sister as my bridesmaids, my daughter, nephews and nieces as our flower girls and boy, and my Dad on my arm. We chose ‘Dreams’ by the Cranberries as our entry song as it’s the opening song for You’ve Got Mail, that 90s RomCom with Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan, as we both felt a bit like them during our (very short!) long distance romance. This was followed by cocktails and speeches and then a two course sit-down dinner. For dessert we had a croquembouche tower, éclair tower and choux pastry tower set up outside that everyone could pick off.

For our first dance Frank and I did a tango which was hilarious, and then Love is in the Air came on (I’m a bit of a Strictly Ballroom fan) and all of our guests joined in. We were still dancing at 2am on the shoulders of our friends. We finished with ‘Les Champs-Élysées’ by Joe Dassin and stumbled back to the Shangri-La, shoes in hand.

What was your vision for your wedding day?

I didn’t really have a vision, I hadn’t ever thought about my wedding until Frank proposed. I just knew I wanted it to be in Paris in a beautiful old French building filled with all our closest friends and family, with epic music, food and wine.

Where did you look for your wedding inspiration?

Mainly Instagram. I knew what I wanted in terms of flowers as I love anthuriums, but to be honest I left the rest up to Knot & Pop. Susie has the most incredible eye for design, and she even hand-made much of the table setting including the beautiful little salt and pepper pinch pots.

For your wedding day what drew you to your gown from Helen Rodrigues Bridal?

I saw a picture of the gown on Instagram through White Dossier which is a curated bridal page, and I just had to have it. I’m not particularly classical, I wanted something fun (and with sleeves!) and that was the perfect dress for me. I flew to Sydney to try it on, and ordered it then and there!

What was your wedding planning journey like for you? How far out did you start planning?

Frank proposed in December and we got married in July, so we didn’t have a great deal of time to plan an overseas wedding. My whole family was already going to be in Europe for a family holiday at that time, so it made sense to combine the two. Once I got Knot & Pop on board it was all smooth sailing, I had a newborn and not a whole heap of time to dedicate to wedding planning so I was thrilled Susie, and Coralie from Loli Events took over and arranged everything!

What was the biggest decision you had to make?

The venue was the hardest choice. It was fairly late in the game to be planning a wedding in Paris in peak wedding season so the choice was limited. Of course I wanted the venue to be beautiful but I also wanted to make sure we had more control over our suppliers (alcohol, DJ etc) and I wanted to be able to stay and party late into the night.

What was the highlight of your three day wedding festival?

To be honest it was just the most magical week. Every part of it was truly perfect. I got to marry the man I love, in the city I love, surrounded by all the people we love. I just want to relive it again and again.

Is there anything you would do differently?

Yes I wouldn’t have gone on a family holiday to Tuscany the week before I got married! I was the least stressed bride ever, and didn’t think about holding back on the pasta, tiramisu and wine. Three days before my wedding I tried on my dress with my sister and we literally could not do it up!! Needless to say I didn’t eat much in the 48 hours prior to the wedding!

Did you go on a honeymoon and if so where?

We were already in Europe and we had our 10 month old with us, so we just had a few weeks around the English countryside. It was very chilled, but beautiful – travelling changes a lot once kids are involved!

Is there any advise you would give other #HRBride’s?

Don’t sweat the small stuff. The wedding day goes so quickly it is such a waste of time being stressed. All the guests are desperate to celebrate with you and have fun, and no one even notices if little things go wrong.

How has married life being so far?

Not much has changed since our wedding, we already had a baby together so we were pretty settled. We’ve just added to the brood with a rescue pup and a second bub on the way.

Helen Rodrigues Bridal Inaugural #HRBride Lunch

On Tuesday 14th may Helen Rodrigues hosted an intimate lunch at Catalina Rose Bay to celebrate her #HRBride with some of Australia's most beautiful brides including Jocelyn Petroni, Founder of Woollahra's exclusive Jocelyn Petroni Beauty Salon, Paspaley's Creative Director Christine Salter, Montarna Pitt (nee MacDonald) Founder of The Audience Agency and Georgie Karloci (nee Duddy) from After The Rock Weddings.

For the last 20 years Helen Rodrigues have been responsible for importing famed International Designers exclusively to our Australian shores including Inbal Dror, Lee Grebenau, Elie Saab, Monique Lhuillier, Livné White, Suzanne Neville, Jenny Packham and Elihav Sasson to name a few and the inaugral #HRBride event was to showcase the variety of real brides and exquisite designers Helen and her team service.

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#HRBrides each received a bespoke Natalie Rompotis Bridal illustration

Catalina is one of Sydney’s most exclusive wedding venues, hosting over one hundred weddings per year. This year, the venue was again voted in the top six wedding venues by Harper’s Bazaar and included in top fourteen list of most romantic restaurants in the world, by CNN global. Furthermore, Catalina has hosted the weddings of high-profile fashion designer Rachel Gilbert, radio personality Jackie O, Sophie Faulkner, Kelly Landry and Anthony Bell and Zoe Bingley Pullin and Michael Ryan, to name a few.

In late 2018 #HRBride Jocelyn Petroni wore a stunning Elie Saab gown for her wedding at Catalina.

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#HRBride Jocelyn Petroni, Founder Jocelyn Petroni Beauty

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The Future Mrs Kellie Nichol-Smith

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#HRBride Montarna Pitt, Founder The Audience Agency

Helen Rodrigues with #HRBrides Montarna Pitt and Georgie Karloci of After The Rock Weddings

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#HRBride’s Samantha Hewitt Culmone and Jade Cottee

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Indulgence Magazine Editor Icy Ling

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Kellie Nichol-Smith with #HRBride Lucinda Pikkat

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Kashaya Williams of Kashaya& Co with #HRBride Jocelyn Petroni & Vogue’s Danielle Gay

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#HRBride and After The Rock Weddings Founder Georgie Karloci with Helen Rodrigues

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Guests including Austraila’s top wedding planners, past and current Helen Rodrigues brides and select media dined on Catalina House Smoked Salmon, Pan Seared Abrolhos Islands Scallops and Crispy Skin Cone Bay Barramundi paired with exquisite matched wines.

Helen Rodrigues Bridal editorial in The Wedding Series Love Story Magazine

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She Designs Nina Sky

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Benita Kam of BNT Events, #HRBride and Paspaley Creative Director Christine Salter, The Wedding Series Agency Founder Kate O’Shea and Jocelyn Petroni

Helen Rodrigues thanking guests for their enduring support of Helen Rodrigues Bridal

Helen said of the day ‘this lunch is to thank everyone for their support of my business over the last 20 years, my brides and like minded partners and suppliers. It is a celebration of the consistent calibre of gorgeous brides that come to Helen Rodrigues Bridal to find their perfect gown.’

With Thanks

Venue – Catalina Rose Bay
Floral – Kashaya & Co
Photography – Chris Prestidge, At Dusk
Film – Soda Films
Menu – DD Letterpress
Illustration – Natalie Rompotis
Cutlery – Simply Seated

Dusanka - A Real Bride Story

Dusanka’s Story

Bride and Groom: Dusanka and Sandro
Gown Designer: Lee Petra Grebenau
Planning & Styling: Kailey Kirk Events and Weddings
Venue: The Lagoon Seafood Restaurant
Photography: Image Haus Weddings
Floral: Pepes Garden

How would you describe your wedding vision?

We both wanted everything to be very traditional, elegant, simple and to reflect our easygoing personalities as well as our Mediterranean roots.

What was the highlight of your day?

The highlight of the day was probably the ceremony. I’ve never felt so much excitement, happiness and peace all at once. I couldn’t stop smiling the entire time and every time I looked at Sandro I felt happy tears coming on. It was also the only part of the day which didn’t fly by even though for us, it only felt like the hour long ceremony went for only 10 minutes.

The highlight of the night was our first dance. I felt like we were the only ones in the room, so I let all the happy tears out and once again time stood still.

When did you know your Lee Grebenau gown was 'the one’?

My gown was actually very similar to what I first envisioned myself wearing on my wedding day, but after trying on similar styles at other boutiques I became very disheartened and worried that strapless would not suit me... so I started looking for dresses with straps.

I saw a dress on Lee’s Instagram that I thought could work for me and tracked it down only to find out Helen had it in store for her upcoming Lee Grebenau Trunk Show.

As soon as I stepped into the boutique and had a little look around my eyes were instantly drawn to a stunning leaf embroidered gown. It stood out amongst the rest, but it wasn’t the one I came in for. And it was strapless. I quickly overlooked it, thinking that would never look good on me. Helen persuaded me to try it on alongside one other Lee gown with arm cuffs.

They were both stunning and very similar in shape but the embroidery of my chosen dress was just mesmerising.

I actually wasn’t very happy with the way I looked on the day of my appointment... I was a little bit heavier than normal and I felt very bloated, yet despite everything I still felt amazing in the Lee Grebenau gown. I remember thinking “if I feel this good, in this dress, when I feel like I’m at my worst, I can’t wait to see how I’ll feel on the best day of my life”.

Helen was absolutely amazing during the entire process and helped so much in keeping me sane ( especially because I lost a little bit of weight for a gown made to my old measurements).

The fittings were always such a great experience and Helen was always very accommodating, even though I was almost always running late to appointments.

I loved the arm cuffs so I had some custom made and we also added a few extra details which made my dress completely unique to me and complete with all the features that I originally wanted but thought I couldn’t have. It was better than what I hoped for. I constantly had happy tears. Even though the dress was well over my budget, I felt such a huge relief after locking it in. And as soon as I found my dress everything just fell into place.

The dress actually ended up inspiring the design of all our stationery as well as the venue decor. Our stylist used a lot of olive beaches and eucalyptus leaves to match the pattern of the dress as well as pay homage to our Mediterranean and Australian ties.

Your photography is stunning. How did you go about selecting your wedding suppliers?

The photographer I originally wanted to book in was already booked, so I was completely lost and I couldn’t find someone that compared because I really wanted something with an editorial yet candid feel. I went to expos, bought countless magazines, googled, searched Instagram, but I didn’t have much luck.

Henryk (our photographer) actually found me. He messaged me via Instagram and as soon as I saw his work I fell in love. After we met with him in person (and hung out for a few hours) we knew we didn’t need to look any further.

All the ‘big’ suppliers were easy to find because we knew what kind of wedding we were going to have. A local Traditional Orthodox wedding with live ex-Yugoslavian rock music.

I really struggled finding vendors within our budget because I’m a sucker for good marketing so I ended up hiring Kailey Kirk to help out and coordinate... three months before the wedding. She literally saved the day, a few times over.

What advise would you give future brides to be?

Forget the budget when it comes to the dress. Once you find a dress and you’re confident in it, everything else will fall into place. Remain optimistic, try your best to be easygoing and trust your designer, but also be very clear about what you want and what is most important to you.

When it came to finding your wedding gown where did you start?

I was about 17 when I first came across Helen’s boutique. I became obsessed with Israeli designers thanks to Pinterest and Helen’s was the only store that stocked them. I contacted Helen as soon as I got engaged but the Inbal Dror dress I was interested wasn’t in store. I then went to one other trunk show which was really disappointing and decided I might be better off getting my dress made. I even made an appointment to see a designer, and in the meanwhile I accidentally discovered that Helen had Lee Grebenau dresses in for a trunk show. I actually came in with no intention of buying a dress because I was so disappointed the last time. I was just hoping to find a neckline and silhouette that worked for me.

Simona - A Real Bride Story

Simona’s Story

Bride & Groom: Simona & Ben
Gown Designer: Lee Petra Grebenau
Veil: Peter Langner
Venue: Bennelong Point
Photography: Image Haus
Film: C2 Films
Floral: Kashaya & Co
Wedding Plannign & Styling: Kashaya & Co
Neons: Sketch & Etch Creative

Simona, you were such a stunning bride and your wedding was utterly beautiful. What was your vision for your wedding day?

Thank you! Our vision for the wedding and across all my mood boards was modern elegance with crisp white tones throughout with hints of gold. A space that felt like it represented us and where our close family and friends could get together and celebrate our love.

What were the most important wedding reception styling elements to you?

It was important for us to really incorporate small elements of who we are throughout the wedding. My favourite style elements were the flower arch with our neon sign for the guests to take photos under, the seating chart which instead of table numbers we used names of travel destinations we love (we are big travellers and also live abroad) and the way the seafood bar was styled outdoors.

How did you select your wedding suppliers?

I had been saving wedding inspiration since before we even got engaged so when the time came I knew who my favourite suppliers were in the industry and it was a mixture of that and word of mouth.

What drew you to Helen Rodrigues Bridal and at what moment did you know your Lee Grebenau gown was ‘the one’?

My best friend had found her dream gown at Helen’s store so naturally it was my first booking. Helen asked me to pick a bunch of gowns to try on and funnily enough they all ended up being Lee Petra Grebenau gowns so I knew then that one of Lee’s gowns would be the one for me. I went back the following week to try on some of Lee’s new designs and as soon as I slipped in to my dress, my hands found the hidden pockets and I knew it was mine!

How did you decide to accessorise your gown?

I found this part of the process really fun. The type of accessories I had initially thought I would use didn’t actually match my gown so it was a matter of standing in front of Helen’s mirror in my dress and trying on different styles of earrings/hair pieces/veils to see what went well together. As the gown itself was heavily beaded I decided to go with a plain veil that was subtly beaded at the edge to tie in with the dress and a pair of drop earrings as my dress was strapless and my chest was bare.

What was your experience like as a #HRRealBride?

I would say Helen was definitely one of the easiest of my suppliers to work with. It was always so refreshing walking in to her store and knowing that this part of the process was always on track.

What was the highlight of your wedding day?

There are so many stand out moments for me but nothing can compare to the overwhelming feeling of walking down the aisle with my husband and walking in to the reception and feeling the love from your closest family and friends.

What was your greatest learning through your wedding planning journey?

That it takes a village!! I have a tendency to be controlling and wanting to be very hands on but I learnt to lean on my family a lot as I live overseas and needed my mum and sister to basically be the brides during the whole process. I have never been so grateful for my support network.

What advice would you give other brides when it comes to selecting their own wedding gown?

Try and let go of the idea of what you think is your dream wedding gown and just try on anything in the store that catches your eye and just let your emotions take control. Trust the process!!

Samantha - A Real Bride Story

Samantha’s Story

Bride & Groom: Samantha & Tim
Gown: Lee Petra Grebenau “Giselle” Gown
Venue: Private Estate “Attunga Grove” - Southern Highlands NSW
Photography: Image Haus
Film: Image Haus
Floral: Venue - Florals She Design | Bouquets & Buttonholes - @stemsbysammy
Event Coordination: Emma Pace Events
Styling: She Design

How did you feel when you first walked into the Helen Rodrigues boutique?

We were made to feel very welcome, offered delicious beverages, engaged in delightful conversation about my vision for our wedding, then invited to explore the selection of gowns and accessories available.  Helen and her team made us feel very welcome and worked with us to refine preferences for styling and design as I made my selections.

Samantha, your wedding was unlike anything we have been before. So unique across all details. What was your vision for your wedding day?

Thank you so much. Our vision for the day was to give our guests a truly unique and unforgettable Wedding experience. We wanted to make our guests feel as if they had been magically transported to a garden in Italy for the day and so every choice we made in terms of Venue, drinks, food & styling were all made to keep with this Italian Garden vibe. I am completely obsessed with flowers, so it was no surprise that this was a huge part of the vision for me, as was infatuation for gold, baroque details & blue-white porcelain prints. (This is literally the styling of our house too).

Overall, we just wanted the day to ooze with vibrancy & personality and to ultimately be a true reflection of Tim & a homage to the things in life that we love.

What drew you to Helen Rodrigues Bridal and at what moment did you know your Lee Petra Grebenau gown was ‘the one’?

Like most brides, immediately following my proposal, I began following a multitude of bridal-related pages on Instagram. One of these pages was Helen Rodrigues and I quickly learned that the Boutique exclusively stocked many of the International Designers I had been lusting over.

I had taken a particular interest in the designs of Israeli designer, Lee Petra Grebenau, so when I found out that Helen Rodrigues was hosting a trunk show of her full collection, I immediately booked myself in.

I had come with in with my heart already set on a particular dress (the Sansa gown), but was encouraged by my sisters & Helen to try on several. Luckily I listened, because a completely different and unexpected dress suddenly crept into the picture. I left the Boutique in utter delight, knowing that I had found not one, but two phenomenal dresses, but in the back of my mind I knew I had one hell of a decision on my hands.

The next time I went back I still had not made up my mind and it was ultimately the reactions of my sisters & mum that cemented my decision to choose the beautiful Giselle gown I wore.

How did you decide to accessorise your gown?

The Gown itself had so much beautiful & intricate detail, that I felt that jewellery could be kept to a minimum.

I opted to wear my hair up and out of my face & decided that a statement pair of earrings would be the only jewellery I would wear (aside from rings of course). I had ordered earrings online, which did not arrived on time. As if it were truly fate, just days before the wedding at my final fitting with Helen I suddenly spotted the most devine pair of Keren Wolfe earrings on display. They ended up being a match made in heaven for the dress.

The other accessory I did not hold back on was my veil. It was a hand-beaded, 3D floral masterpiece that was designed by my sister/Maid-of-honor for me. No one had ever seen anything like it before & it was truly something very special.

What was your beauty routine in the lead up to your wedding day?

About a year out from the Wedding I decided to up the anti with my skincare and began using the Rationale essential six product range for my daily routine. I also had regular facials in the lead up at Rationale.

Aside from that I just tried to exercise daily, eat a balanced diet & to make sure I was getting enough sleep.

 What was your experience like as a #HRRealBride?

 With so many other tasks to worry about, it was so nice and relaxing to know that I was in the best hands. Helen & her team are so warm & genuine that I honestly felt so at home and relaxed every time I was in the Boutique. They offered the perfect amount of guidance and advice when it was needed, but ultimately gave me the time & space I needed to arrive at each decision on my own.

When my dress arrived, the measurements that Helen had taken were so precise that it literally fit like a glove on first fitting.

I could not recommend Helen & her team more highly to future brides.

What was the highlight of your wedding day?

The whole day was such a dream. There are so many highlights, but I will say that I cannot get over the pure joy I felt during our newlywed moment, walking back down the aisle hand-in-hand as husband and wife for the first time. We were smitten & you could not wipe the smiles off our faces.

 What was your greatest learning through your wedding planning journey?

I already knew this, but the whole Wedding process also served as a huge reminder of just how incredible my Husband is. Whilst I planned all the details of the day, if it were not for him there seriously would not have been a Wedding on the day. He literally project-managed the entire Wedding seamlessly & coordinated all of our Vendors during the week of the build & the pack-down like a pro. I am a very lucky girl.

What advice would you give other brides when it comes to selecting their own wedding gown?

Don’t play into the trends too much. Go for something with timeless elegance, so that you will not find yourself cringing at your own Wedding photos in years to come.

Also put priority on comfort, you need to be able to walk, hug, dance & enjoy yourself.

Finally, be true to yourself & choose a dress that is representative of you & your style.

Alexandra - A Real Bride Story

Alexandra’s Story

Bride & Groom: Alexandra & Matthew
Gown: Elihav Sasson from Helen Rodrigues Bridal
Venue: Spicers Clovelly Estate, Sunshine Coast, Queensland
Photography: Calli B Photography

How did you feel when you first walked into the Helen Rodrigues boutique?

We were made to feel very welcome, offered delicious beverages, engaged in delightful conversation about my vision for our wedding, then invited to explore the selection of gowns and accessories available. Helen and her team made us feel very welcome and worked with us to refine preferences for styling and design as I made my selections.

Describe how you felt when you found your gown?

I was drawn to the design of the gown, having seen it online earlier and was eager to try it on. Once I put the gown on, I felt wonderful as it confirmed my initial instinct that this style and design would work for me. It was a moment, and the reactions of those with me confirmed my own thoughts about this gown.

Which designer did you select and why?

I came across an image of the dress online very early on in the wedding planning process and it immediately struck a chord with me. After further research I discovered it was created by an Israeli designer, Elihav Sasson, and stocked by the fabulous Helen Rodrigues. A fun mother/daughter/bride’s maid shopping long weekend excursion to Sydney was planned, where I tried on several other gowns, just to confirm styles suited to my body type and vision for my wedding. As soon as I tried this gown, it was clear that this was the perfect gown for me. Elihav’s designs are gossamer light, classically elegant, and beautifully detailed. These unique designs are truly exquisite, helping a bride feel truly beautiful. Elihav Sasson is truly a master at his craft.

What was the inspiration for your wedding day?

My vision for my special day was informed by the style of the venue which I had always felt drawn to. It is a beautiful French inspired resort setting in the Sunshine Coast hinterland with glorious gardens and an abundance of beautiful blooms and classic European styling. My gown needed to work well in that setting and the Elihav Sasson gown I selected was perfect in every way.

What was the highlight of your day?

Our wedding day was a fabulous blend of dreamy, relaxed and beautiful with a delicious sense of anticipation added to the mix, providing just a hint of excitement. A number of elements made this so; from the fabulous venue, Spicers Clovelly Estate with is magnificent gardens and blooming jacaranda tree setting, the incredibly welcoming and efficient team of wedding coordinators who took such care with every detail, the exquisite floral displays by Mondo Floral, the styling of Love Bird who brought in more French inspired furnishings to dress the gardens for the comfort of our guests, and the presence of our families who celebrated this special occasion with us at each step. We couldn’t have asked for a more special start to our journey together. It was certainly a day to remember.

What advice would you give other brides?

I would encourage each bride to trust her instincts. There is a reason you are drawn to a particular gown. By all means, try on other dresses to confirm your best style and look, but try not to lose sight of your initial vision as often our first instincts prove to be correct. I feel it certainly did for me.