The Wedding Of Sophia & Victor – The Valley Estate

WORDS: Ocean Road Editorial Staff PHOTOGRAPHY Evernew Studio

Let yourself get lost in love at The Valley Estate, the bespoke, one-off venue crafted to inspire celebration and reflection with loved ones. Here’s a peek inside the dreamy wedding of Sophia & Victor.

Please provide a short back story of how you both met:

We met via mutual friends at a bbq, not long after that we became good friends and somehow, we were always seeing each other or hanging out within group settings. We were best friends for a while before we started dating.

How did the proposal occur?

Victor proposed in Japan which is also where we had made it official back in 2018. He planned a dream proposal in Kyoto. We were surrounded by the most gorgeous Autumn foliage. He dropped to one knee as we were crossing the bridge, and it was the perfect backdrop and day. This truly was a dream come true moment.

Why did you choose The Valley Estate to host your amazing wedding?

The Valley Estate has a certain atmosphere which other venues couldn’t replicate for us. From the moment you enter the front gates, you’re whisked away to a luxurious and grand setting; it’s truly a one-of-a-kind venue. We fell in love with it, and we just knew it was the perfect location. Our guest count exceeded the venues limit however, as we loved it so much, we chose to host a weekend long celebration to accommodate. It was the best weekend of our life so far. The Valley Estate has truly thought of every small detail from the gorgeous bridal sanctuary and grooms retreat to the stunning grounds which are picture perfect from every angle; and not to mention the delicious food- it’s a complete package and more.

What inspired you to choose the ceremony location at The Valley Estate?

For our traditional Chinese/Vietnamese tea ceremony we chose to have it in The Glasshouse. The morning sunshine coming through the glass panels and softly illuminating the space was magical. The greenery from the plants which hung from the roof paired with the rich red colours of our Chinese tea ceremony outfits complimented one another perfectly. For our wedding ceremony itself, we chose The Chapel as we wanted a classic look which this location was able to offer. We wanted The Chapel to have the same romantic feel, filled with lush florals and live music. The floral arrangements were adorned with some of Sophia’s favourite flowers including peonies, orchids and roses. We had the amazingly talented Lauren Bradnam playing her violin which really brought everything together.

What is your fondest memory of the wedding?

In The Chapel, seeing all our nearest and dearest there to celebrate our love. There was also a moment during the reception, seeing everyone laughing and having fun, that made us realise how fortunate we are to have each other and such an amazing support system of friends and family surrounding us.

What was the inspiration behind your styling?

It is essentially our fairytale wedding brought to life- romantic yet elegant and classic. We wanted to enhance the already gorgeous surroundings and create something that was uniquely our own. We worked with Athena from Celebrating in Style, who was not only able to understand our vision but meticulously brought it to life!

Details of the dresses, Brand, style, the process:

As we had the wedding celebrations over two days, we had a total of 7 dresses organised. We had the traditional wedding dress, a Chinese tea ceremony outfit, a traditional Vietnamese dress, a first dance dress, and three other dresses we alternated for cake cutting, entering the reception and greeting guests. For my wedding dress we went to about four bridal shops but the one that stood out to us was White Atelier Bridal. We loved how elegant and personalised their showroom experience was. Their selection of dresses was beautifully curated, and their suggestions and customer service were incredible. We went with a flattering A-line dress which had intricate beading, lace detailing and detachable straps.

Details of the Suit, Brand, and style:

Victor’s suit was from Tony Barlow who has been in the business since 1973. We went with a classic black suit with satin detailing.

 Your favourite dish of the night?

We love a good steak, so it was definitely the Beef Sirloin with potato puree, mushrooms and black garlic jus. We also had a lot of people tell us that they loved the Crispy Skin Barramundi with salsa verde and lemon.

Favourite photo location?

The gardens were our favourite photo locations. We can’t pinpoint a single area because it was all so picturesque. If we had to choose, it would be in front of The Manor and the tree-lined bridal driveway, which is absolutely beautiful.

Words of advice for future couples who are planning their wedding:

Enjoy yourself! Planning a wedding can be stressful and time consuming but ultimately it should be fun and something to look forward to. Ask for help if you need it and create a strong support system around you. Having an amazing stylist and event coordinator really makes a world of difference.

Photographers name and company:

Andy, Danny and Fee from Evernew Studio

THE VALLEY ESTATE 

393 CURRUMBIN CREEK ROAD CURRUMBIN WATERS QLD

PH: 1800 908 090 www.thevalleyestate.com.au