THE LOOK

Ceremony: Eaton Gown

YOUR LOVE STORY

As many NYC love stories begin, Callum and I met at a bar, Acme. Despite the bar being loud and dimly lit, I did vaguely remember him being tall, dark and handsome – with a faint Australian accent – so I gave him a chance. We squeezed three dates into five days before heading off to different parts of the world for Christmas and New Year’s.

Over the next few weeks, we texted in the spare overlapping hours between California and London and then Montreal and Verbier. After finally returning to NYC in January 2020, after Cal got over some mystery ailment (2020 remember…), we began the official courting phase. Quintessential NYC cocktail bar dates, long (cold) walks through the West Village, the meetings of the inner circles – all led us to March of 2020.

About 36 hours after declaring we’d stick out COVID in NYC, Cal and I booked two one-way tickets to California. We eventually moved back to NYC in June – and continued moving from then on.

By the end of 2023, I started getting the typical “when are you getting engaged?” questions from friends and family. My answer was always, “Could be 6 months, could be 6 years!” Little did I know it was more like 6 days. We were in Australia for New Years and in the early hours on January 2nd, Cal mentioned we were meeting a friend for breakfast in Bondi. I rolled out of bed, didn’t put much thought into what I was wearing, and oddly enough didn’t think anything of Cal asking if I could help iron his button-down shirt at 7am. Therefore, when we got up to the North Bondi Rocks and Cal said there was indeed no breakfast meeting, got down on one knee, and asked me to marry him, I was completely surprised – but said yes, of course.

Since I was still in a bit of shock (in the best way!) the rest of the day, we agreed to just enjoy the engagement and hold on wedding planning for six months. But the next day I saw a video of Redleaf Wollombi – and the rest is history.

FINDING YOUR DRESS

I actually visited the KYHA studio in NoHo 6 months before my wedding just to find an after-party look. This was one of the most fun days in the wedding planning process. I came in being pretty set on the Ruby Corset and Viola Skirt. But the team pulled so many amazing looks that I never would have thought of trying – like Vermont & Sauline. The Sauline skirt perfectly balanced chic and fun with the sequins, with just the right amount of late-night risqué with the subtle sheerness. And the Vermont corset just complemented it perfectly. Another surprise sleeper-hit: Oswald. Admittedly, an all-lace, deep-cut halter wasn’t something I thought I was looking for. But once I put her on, I didn’t want to ever take her off. It was so light and airy, it was absolutely perfect for our seaside welcome party at Icebergs.

I was still in conversations with the KYHA team following that dream appointment, and they mentioned that a new collection was coming out around the time of my wedding. Over the next couple of months, I chatted with them about what I was looking for in a dress, styles I gravitated toward and timelines. While I had already chosen a ceremony gown months prior and never felt any pressure to change, something about working with this team felt so right. I’d been following the brand since my engagement and had seen 3 collections drop in that time – each somehow even better than the last. I’m the type of person that typically needs to have everything figured out, far in advance – Type A I think they call it? But I had full trust in Kyha and the team to create something absolutely perfect. When I received initial designs from Waterlines in August, I knew right away that Eaton was my gown. It somehow had everything I was looking for on paper, but also just felt so me. I tried on its sister gown, the Winton, the following week to make sure the silhouette was flattering and knew instantly it was my gown.

Over the next couple of months, KYHA NoHo basically became my second home – between fittings for Vermont & Sauline and try-ons for Oswald. Eaton, however, I wouldn’t be trying on for the first time until landing in Sydney, less than two weeks before the wedding. Once I finally got to Aus, I was able to visit the studio in Paddington with first my mother-in-law and then my mom, sisters-in-law and maid of honour for my initial fitting and final try-on/pick-up. It was perfect. Not just the dress. Everything.

THE NON-NEGOTIABLES

From the beginning I knew I wanted a dress that felt timeless and elegant, but had some unexpected elements. I loved drop-waist silhouettes, strapless necklines, draping – and after many, many pilates classes, I knew I wanted to be able to show off my figure.

A HIGHLIGHT FROM THE DAY

In my head, I always pictured our reception being an intimate and romantic, candle-lit dinner – similar to the dinner parties I host at home. Unexpectedly, once Cal & I did our entrance, the reception turned into a full blown 6PM dance party to a remix of Love Story by Taylor Swift. Everyone was on the dance floor, the vibes were so high. After that, our DJ played banger after banger – all before entrées were served. Eventually by 8PM, I had to beg him to play a slow song next so we could sit down and eat. It was chaotic, unexpected, and the absolute best.

A WORD OF ADVICE FOR BRIDES TO BE

Though booking some vendors like venue and photographer should happen as soon as possible, try not to get too deep into all things planning too early. So much inspiration comes as you get closer to your wedding date. Soak in the inspo you see online, but remember the day is about you and your partner – and should be reflective of yourselves as a couple as much as possible.