An intimate elopement with a day-time vibe was perfect for this chilled VIC couple who hosted their 20 guests at The Calile Hotel in QLD. With a 9-month-old baby and a not so traditional stance on weddings, Vanessa and Nick wanted their day to be simple and laidback, led by the notion ‘less is more’. Being a fair distance from The Calile however, the couple had to rely on their vendors more than most. Luckily, thanks to The Elopement Collective, all organisation and styling was taken care of, resulting in a day that looked chic yet totally effortless – just as the couple wanted. Photographer Tessa Shannon shares all the special details.

The Bride’s Look

Well suited to her less is more mantra, Vanessa wore a simple silky Bec and Bridge number paired with a long veil found on Etsy by Juliet Charms. Then, for an extra touch of glamour, she wore studded Valentino points and her great grandmother’s gold bangle. Tying the bride’s look together, Kerri Nash nailed hair and makeup. “Kerri was amazing, we are in Melbourne and our elopement was in Brisbane, so I wasn’t able to have a trial or anything,” says Vanessa. “I met Kerri for the first time on the day and showed her some Pinterest photos and she made it happen!”

Ada Suite Terrace Ceremony at the Calile Hotel

Discovering the Calile Hotel on the Elopement Collective’s Instagram page, Vanessa says she found the venue stunning and knew it would be perfect to host their elopement. “Our Ceremony was very intimate, we were very nervous,” begins Vanessa. “We hadn’t even spoken to our celebrant Josh in person, but we just wanted everything to flow naturally and he made sure that happened.” The couple also opted to write their own vowels, though these weren’t much of a surprise to each other! “To be honest, Nick and I are very untraditional – he had seen me the morning of, we even read each other’s vows, oops, that’s just how we are!” Vanessa tells us.

Photography by Tessa Shannon

Working her magic behind the lens, Tessa Shannon did an amazing job capturing the love Vanessa and Nick share with little, authentic moments. “I was actually quite worried about how our photos would turn out, I was quite stressed on the day with a sick 9-month-old but yet she somehow captured so many naturally happy moments for us,” says Vanessa.

Styling by The Elopement Collective

Styling and coordination of the ceremony was organised by Britt from The Elopement Collective, who Vanessa tells us did a great job delivering her minimalistic but stylish brief and organising the more technical bits. “I didn’t have to worry about who was turning up and when, they just took care of everything,” says Vanessa. When it came to styling the area, unstructured summery blooms by Mrs Gibbons Flowers breathed life into the already beautiful space, achieving that day-time vibe while not being too over the top. “To Be honest, I didn’t even see the area until I turned up at the Ceremony,” says Vanessa. “I wanted things kept to a minimum and The Elopement Collective did it beautifully.”

Ada Suite Terrace Reception at the Calile Hotel 

The reception, also held on the Ada Suite Terrace, was organised by Julia from The Calile, featuring cocktails, canapes, and brownies in place of a wedding cake. Taking any stress off the couple’s shoulders, The Calile ensured everything was ready to go for the reception without the lovebirds having to lift a finger. “They organised the removal of ceremony chairs and set everything up for our little party after, we didn’t have to do a thing,” says Vanessa. The couple tells us having Luke Morris play throughout the reception was another highlight, who they have been huge fans of for years. “We love to watch him play live, we were so privileged to have him play at our elopement,” Vanessa says. “He is amazing, he absolutely set the vibe we were after and our guests were amazed with how great he was.”