With a perfect city view, Jessica Gillatt, 26, and Joshua Spotswood, 32, were married in a timeless Melbourne wedding.

The couple, together for nine years, say their wedding day on October 19, 2013, has taken their relationship to new heights.

“A lot of people say your relationship doesn’t change, but I feel like, coming from a relationship where we’d been together for nine years, it was like we went back into a honeymoon stage,” beams Jessica. “We’ve fallen back in love again.”

The pair chose a timeless theme for their wedding incorporating lace and soft colours into their décor. “I just wanted something quite classical that wasn’t going to date that I could look back on and the style wouldn’t have changed too much,” says Jessica.

She adds, “We wanted quite a relaxed feel, we’re both relaxed people, so we opted for a cocktail wedding.”

One-hundred-and-ten guests celebrated with the radiant couple at the city’s Rivers Edge Events. It was the 15th and final venue Jessica and Josh had viewed. “Josh came to find the venue with me, we looked at about 15! As soon as we went there we just loved it,” recalls Jessica.

The bride praised her groom for being involved in most of the planning. “He pretty much helped with most of the things…I was really impressed,” she smiles.

There were many reasons for Sydney couple Danielle Coombes and Anthony Muscat to choose a fairytale wedding over any other theme.

For it wasn’t just that the 26-year-old “girly girl” had always dreamt it would be. Or that her enchanting Mia Solano gown and dazzling statement necklace had a distinctly Disney Princess feel to it. As it turns out, the Sydney groom, 27, had his own Prince Charming tendencies which is how he came to woo a girl from Perth to the opposite end of the kingdom.

Danielle tells: “We met when I was on holidays in Sydney and although Anthony spilt his drink on me I decided to give him a chance anyway. He flew to Perth to try and impress me – and it worked! After many phone calls, texts and Facebook messages, we decided to give this difficult situation a go. Five months later and after many frequent flyer miles I moved to Sydney so we could be together.”

In chapter two of their romantic tale, the couple flew to New Zealand for a magical skiing holiday. Out on the postcard-perfect balcony of Christchurch’s Skyline Restaurant, with snowflakes falling around them, Anthony asked Danielle to be his bride. On bended knee. With a diamond and pink sapphire engagement ring hand. “I burst into tears,” recalls Danielle, “and said yes!”

The pair’s nuptials at the Cardinal Cerretti Memorial Chapel on November 16, 2013, were witnessed by 180 guestds preceding a sit-down reception with a few modern and humorous twists at Orso Bayside Reception.

On their seventh anniversary as a couple, young lovers Vanessa Fodor and Eli Shem-Tov married under the peaceful greenery along Parramatta River.

Vanessa, 27, and Eli, 25, opted for a relaxed atmosphere at Sydney’s Parramatta Park, inviting only 58 guests to their intimate wedding on October 26, 2013. “We wanted to have a relaxed atmosphere, so we had the ceremony and reception at the same location,” explains Vanessa.

They exchanged vows in a rustic setting with the trees creating a natural aisle, and scattered chairs invoking a less structured feel. “The quiet location enabled the guests to relax and enjoy the scenery,” says Vanessa.

The bride spent countless hours using DIY techniques to build an event that truly reflected her and her groom. “We decorated the reception [held at Parramatta Park Café and Event Centre] ourselves the whole week beforehand, says Vanessa. “I felt the need to give a part of myself and make it really personal.”

An earthy feel dominated the decorating with nuts scattered on the reception tables along with cloves, purple glitter and lemon ribbon. Vanessa made everything from the ring pillow, thumbprint tree and ceremony programs to the bombonniere, table seating chart and menu.

“I originally wanted a vintage themed wedding,” she says, “but couldn’t get a grip on it entirely and didn’t feel it reflected us completely. So I started collecting jars, drying lavender and making paper doily cones to get a feel for it…I used a lot of hessian material and that tended to be part of our theme in the end!”

It’s a tough one to pull off, but if successful, a surprise wedding can be a special treat for all involved.

Bonnie Taylor and Benjamin Cheverall, both 31, knew it was the perfect way to celebrate their love with their 50 closest family and friends on October 18, 2013.

“The thought of planning a wedding and walking down the aisle with everyone looking at me absolutely terrified me,” laughs bride Bonnie. “With this fear in the back of my mind but desperately wanting to marry my best friend, we decided on a surprise wedding.”

The pair chose a stunning rural property in New South Wales which was inspiration for their French Provincial-themed event – which guests thought was an engagement party. “The only people who knew were our parents and the bridal party. It was perfect, relaxed, intimate, fun but most of all it was ‘us’,” says Bonnie.

Despite her nerves, Bonnie says all her guests were surprised and she made it down the aisle. “As soon as I laid eyes on Ben my nerves settled – this may have something to do with the fact he was crying like a baby!” she smiles.

She said the highlight was her husband’s words the next morning. “He was laying flicking through photos of our big day and asking me if we can do it all again as it was the best day of his life.”

An “instant connection” led Amy Putman, 24, and Shaun McMahon, 27, to their rustic vineyard wedding at Wild Cattle Creek Estate in Victoria.

The young couple met at 19 and 23 respectively while Shaun was playing in a rock band. Within a year of dating the couple moved in together and, during a two-month Europe holiday, Shaun popped the question.

“A mere four days into the trip, Shaun proposed to me in my grandmother’s apartment in the south of Holland,” smiles Amy. “It was beautiful and we got to spend the next two months travelling together as fiancés!”

Sixty-five close family and friends joined the pair outdoors on December 14, 2013 in what was designed to be a relaxed affair. “It was a simple and effective wedding,” says Amy. “Shaun and I worked together through every stage of the planning and had such a fun, relaxed night.”

The cocktail style setting meant the newlyweds could speak to every guest and not miss out on any special moments.

What Amy calls her “dream wedding day” was elegantly decorated with peach and navy blue – floor length navy bridesmaid dresses to complement Amy’s lace high-neck gown and contrasting feminine blooms by Red Earth Flowers in apricot and cream.

When your sister works for the number one wedding website in Australia (that’s us!) and can advise you in every aspect, your big day is bound to be breathtaking.

Jessica Beckman (sister to Easy Weddings account manager, Emily) married best friend Jared Major on November 16, 2013 in what was a quintessentially Melbourne, modern vintage wedding.

The vibrant bayside suburb St Kilda played host to the union of the beach-loving pair and, before 140 friends and family, Jess and Jared, both 28, exchanged vows at iconic Luna Park.

The choice of ceremony venue not only provided for playful photo opportunities (by Serendipity Image), capturing the mood of their modern vintage theme, but for Jess, it was a practical decision too.

“We didn’t want the stress of dealing with Melbourne’s weather conditions and wanted it inside,” she says. “We fell instantly in love!”

Later at St Kilda’s Encore, guests enjoyed a delicious three-course menu including roast pork dumplings, ocean trout ravioli and mini house-made ice-creams.

“Encore are known for their amazing food and they still exceeded expectations,” gushes Jess.

Whilst this wedding had all the ingredients of a spectacular event – two amazing venues, an entertaining celebrant, beautiful styling and much more – what guests will ultimately remember is the pure joy of a love that began humbly with a mix tape.

When this Scotsman and Australian fell in love, it didn’t take long to get the relationship wheels turning.

Ainsley Rae and Euan Rose, both 28, met in November 2009 and by June 2012, the pair had moved in together, purchased a home, travelled overseas and become engaged. “We chose an 18-month engagement to enable overseas guests time to save for a trip to Australia,” says Ainsley.

The pair carefully selected Kenilworth Homestead in the Sunshine Coast Hinterland for their October 29, 2013 rustic Scottish wedding. The site provided accommodation for all guests, and spa cottage rooms where the bridal party could prepare. “We chose a venue to accommodate all guests overnight to enable us to enjoy a weekend with everyone,” explains Ainsley.

Euan donned traditional Scottish gear including kilt, jacket, waistcoat, sporren, hose and brogues, all of which were his own from Scotland. The bridesmaids were dressed in latte coloured gowns, each with individual designs.

Ainsley channelled her inner DIY skills and, with the help of Amore Wedding Stylists and Decorators, created a rustic-fusion theme using free printables from Pinterest, fabric garlands, vintage items and coloured pom poms.

Ainsley describes their wedding day as a “unique fusion of cultures… the men dressed in tartan under a Jacaranda tree… the romantic, personalised ceremony with bagpipes in the background. In Euan’s words – ‘I bloody love you, darling.’”

“Friends first” was a policy that proved successful for the relationship of Hailey Sildatke and Matthew Kennedy who married on July 13, 2013.

“Matty and I had known each other for quite some time before we actually got together,” explains Hailey. The pair were both members at Werribee Centrals Football & Netball Club.

“I think it was roughly four years he pursued me, asking me out on dates at every chance he could get, which I declined each time. As I got to know Matty our friendship grew and I finally gave in,” smiles Hailey.

She says they both look back now and realise love blossoming from friendship has made them stronger as a couple today. Their rustic wedding joined by 110 guests took place at Emu Bottom Homestead in Melbourne’s Sunbury.

Gumboots featured prominently on the day with the unpredictable Melbourne weather taking hold. “As our guests remained dry and warm by the fire places, the bridal party ventured into the rain,” says Hailey. “With a quick change into our gumboots, and umbrellas in hand, we were able to capture some perfect and everlasting photos.”

Hailey remembers the end of her night being a highlight of the day. “Our journey back to Melbourne was a fun one, sharing it with friends on the double-decker bus we had organised.”

“My soul will find yours.” ― Jude Deveraux, A Knight in Shining Armor.

It’s the challenges in life that help us find our way and for Canadian Sophie Dimitropoulos and Australian Damien Mavroudis, through life’s curve balls they found each other.

Both of Greek heritage, the couple met while travelling in Greece and consequently reorganised their holidays to spend more time together. “At the end of the trip we both went back to our hometowns not really knowing what the future had in store for us,” says 32-year-old Sophie of Damien, 34.

But they needn’t have wondered, for they spoke every day and a year later were engaged after visiting one another a handful of times.

Plans were in motion after spending a year living together in Australia, however unexpected news brought their wedding in Greece to a halt. “The dress was brought, the tickets were booked and the invitations were sent out,” recalls Sophie. “I was then diagnosed with bowel cancer one month before the wedding.”

After coming out the other side of hard times stronger than ever, the couple were officially married at a registry office in July 2013. “We saw our City Hall wedding as an immigration formality and a way to prevent anymore bad luck from happening.”

But keen to have the big day they always dreamed of, they later celebrated with a Greek wedding on November 2, 2013 in Adelaide with 90 guests. “Not only did I marry the love of my life, it was testament and celebration to how strong our love is,” smiles Sophie.

A simple but romantic proposal was reflective of the simply elegant garden wedding of Stephanie Schieb, 35, and Sean Hickey, 36.

Their baby daughter, Willow, was instrumental in popping the big question which took place at a lookout between Inverell and Sydney.

“Sean had left a note in Willow’s capsule on her lap written from her saying dad was wondering if a) I wanted the same last name as her and dad, b) what I was doing for the next 100 or so years and if I wanted to hang out with him, c) if I wanted to get married soon or d) all of the above,” smiles Stephanie.

The pair from Sydney chose to hold their special day in the garden of Sean’s parents home in Castle Hill. Preparations were a family affair. “Sean, myself and Sean’s family did absolutely everything for the wedding,” explains Stephanie. “We spent four or five months preparing the garden and growing white flowers for decorating.”

Sean’s sister, who was also a bridesmaid, created the bouquets, buttonholes, table and marquee decorations, cake flowers and ceremony arrangements. “I owe so much to Sean’s family for making my wedding day the most amazing fairytale wedding possible.”

It is with a huge grin and a bursting heart that I announce Melbourne couple Sinead and Matt Commerford winners of Easy Weddings’ inaugural Wedding of the Year competition. I’m so thrilled for them both!

The veterinary nurse and electrician who recently celebrated their one year anniversary in Tassie (thanks to our monthly prize sponsors Aussie and Rydges) say “life is the same really; we are each other’s best friend and have continued to be a team. If anything we get stronger as hubby and wifey as the days go on…still very much in love.”

There must be something about the breathtaking Australian countryside that got voters madly clicking, for our runners up Carissa & Lachlan of SA (in second place) and Taleah & Aaron of NSW (in third) also chose rustic country themes for their big days.

But Sinead & Matt’s was the wedding that wowed the most – a combination of gorgeous scenery (and photography, thank you Marcel Voss), a colossal DIY effort (thank you, hot glue gun) and a sweet tale of high school sweethearts finding their soul mate at just 15 years old.

The couple, who celebrate 10 years together this year, can now pack their suitcases and prepare their passports for eight glorious nights in sunny Hawaii courtesy of our friends at My Holiday Centre.

Congratulations xx

Here are some of our favourite images from Sinead and Matt’s gorgeous wedding day. See the full posts here:

Young love: Sinead & Matt’s rustic country wedding

Sinead & Matt’s trash the dress with Voss Photography (and Wilson)

It was a close call at the beach wedding of Kayley Wise and Howard Pattern who almost had to marry at the Nambour Hospital in front of a fish tank on the paediatric ward.

Their newly born daughter Marli Mai had been admitted to hospital, but thankfully, was released the day before their wedding on January 9, 2014. ”Marli came out of hospital the day before and the sun decided to shine upon our day and our lives together as husband and wife, and as a family,” says 29-year-old Kayley.

Kayley planned her wedding to Howard, also 29, while pregnant. “I planned all of the wedding myself only a few weeks before the baby was due – I never got stressed out about any of the decision process, everything just seemed to fall into place.”

The pair, who both originate from the UK, chose Peregian Beach near their home of Noosa for their big day after originally deciding to marry in Thailand. “With the news of our baby’s arrival all of our family booked flights to come and visit so Howard and I decided to marry while they were all here in Noosa,” explains Kayley.

Seventy guests, a mix of overseas visitors and local loved ones, moved to the Noosa Waterfront Restaurant for the cocktail-style reception.

With emerging trends and a continuous desire to be unique, black tie weddings aren’t as common as they once were.

This is exactly why Olivia Jones, 28, and Rob Skillington, 26, chose a classic black tie theme for their Melbourne wedding on November 23, 2013. “We wanted to buck the vintage wedding trend and have a lavish affair that people could dress up for and always remember,” says bride Olivia of her 150 guests. “Somehow we also achieved wonderful intimacy.”

Elegant touches could be seen everywhere on their wedding day; a 1970s Rolls Royce stretch limousine, table numbers with hand written quotes from love stories and a song performed by Olivia herself, just to name a few.

The couple met while studying at Melbourne University and things progressed to romance thanks to a bold move by Rob. “After two years of being close friends Rob walked me home one night and gave me a huge shock when he kissed me,” recalls Olivia. “It was like someone had switched on a light and suddenly my whole world made sense.”

The pair are planning a move to San Francisco where they will work for some time before settling back in Melbourne. “Rob is so incredibly loyal and generous that I can hardly believe I get to be his person,” says Olivia.

It’s lucky first impressions don’t always last, especially for journalist Renae Strike and maintenance supervisor Hilton Ward.

The couple were married in Wilmington, SA at their rustic wedding on November 22, 2013 – but it wasn’t a match made in heaven to begin with. “Hilton [23] and I met through his best friend,” recalls bride Renae, 20. “The first time we met, I wasn’t very impressed – I thought Hilton was over-confident and quite… ‘cocky’ might be the word I am looking for,” she laughs.

Lucky for the pair the relationship grew and friends became lovers over the next year. Despite the romance being long-distance at first, Renae soon moved to Western Australia to be by Hilton’s side. “About five months later on my grandparent’s 50th wedding anniversary, at the first place we ever laid eyes on one another, and in my hometown, Hilton proposed,” says Renae.

On the big day Renae paid tribute to her grandfather who had passed away 11 days prior. “On the way to the ceremony, we stopped off at the cemetary… I wanted to honour his memory in some way. Along with my family, we placed roses on his grave before continuing on.”

Soft pastels, florals and vintage-style decor set the theme for the wedding on Renae’s parents’ Wilmington farm.

Distance was no obstacle for 28-year-old Tiffany Wright and 30-year-old Riaz Datoo who married on November 23, 2013.

Their Sydney wedding was a simple, tasteful affair celebrated four months after the birth of their first child, Hudson. “Due to Riaz’s work [as a pilot] we have spent more time living interstate from one another than we have together,” says Tiffany. “First it was WA/NSW, then VIC/QLD, we were in Sydney together for a little while but then it was WA/NSW again right up until after our wedding.”

Riaz proposed to Tiffany after four years together while on an African safari. “He gave me a beautiful Tanzanite, which he had bought is Arusha, Tanzania, before setting out on safari,” recalls Tiffany. “This was particularly special as Riaz’s heritage traces through Tanzania.”

Two weeks prior to their engagement party the couple learned they were expecting a baby. “We didn’t want this wonderful news to deter our wedding plans any further, so with Riaz living in WA and myself nearing the due date and still working full-time in Sydney, we opted for simple and hassle-free planning while still looking for a subtle touch of class and elegance.”

Seventy-nine guests attended the ceremony at Sydney Harbour Foreshore followed by a reception at Sebel Pier One, Walsh Bay. “We asked our guests to dress in black and white,” says Tiffany.

It’s baaaack. Footy season is upon us again and to celebrate take a peek into the AFL wedding of Melbourne Demon Neville Jetta and his lovely partner Samantha Joyce.

The pair, 25 and 24 respectively, wed on October 20, 2013 at unique Melbourne wedding venue, Red Scooter. Pastor Joe Day, the bride’s uncle, performed the ceremony in front of 120 loved ones, and the couple’s two-year-old daughter Nalani not only made for an adorable flower girl, she also walked her proud mum down the aisle and gave her away.

Neville, originally from WA and drafted to Melbourne Football Club in 2008, met Samantha the old-fashioned way – at a nightclub – and three years on was planning a surprise proposal after choosing an engagement ring by prominent diamond jeweller Paul Bram.

His plan was thwarted however when Samantha stumbled across the ring docket in his car! But alas, he still managed to surprise her.

Says Samantha, “A couple more days had passed before Neville proposed to me, but in the meantime he would randomly get down on one knee and give me gifts until, when I least expected it, he… proposed,” she smiles.

Samantha, who is studying to become a social worker, was inspired by the glamour of old Hollywood to create their modern vintage wedding; her couture gown by Sydney designer Leah De Gloria taking centre stage in the highly acclaimed funky event space.

A casual conversation over clay led to the intimate wedding of Alissa Davis and Lester Gay on November 2, 2013.

The pair met while at university where Alissa was studying fine arts. “I was waiting for the bus with a bag of clay…Lester was lost trying to find the carpark after going to the uni gym for the first time,” recalls the bride, 30. “He asked for directions and the conversation turned to clay [Lester's parents are ceramicists].”

About six years later Lester, 34, proposed over a cup of tea. “Informal and no fuss was the proposal – exactly how our relationship has been and how we wanted our wedding day to be,” smiles Alissa.

Alissa, an online shopping guru, purchased a majority of wedding items online, incorporating a green theme to suit their spring event. “A short ceremony followed by an informal reception with lots of laughs, music and good company, which is all we asked for,” she recalls.

Lester was surprised at the reception with a traditional Maori welcome from their New Zealand guests. “This was an eye-opener for most, and passersby were left wondering where the noise was coming from,” laughs Alissa.

“You had better say yes” were the five words James Wardle spoke when proposing to his girlfriend of 10 years, Zara Black.

Zara describes James as a man of few words but says the ring he had carefully designed spoke volumes. “I could see every little bit of thought and care he had taken when collaborating with my truly talented friend Anny of Mavro jewellery,” praises Zara.

James says Zara had “particular” taste so he wanted to make sure it was the perfect design. “[Anny and I] managed to work together to get the exact details of a perfect engagement [ring] and pulled it off beautifully without Zara knowing a thing,” says James. “Needless to say Zara was amazed at how gorgeous the ring turned out.”

Zara’s unique choice of wedding dress was also a custom-make, created in collaboration with her fashion-savvy friend. “One of my best friends Marc, who was also part of my bridal party, is an amazing fashion designer with his own label, Vale and Ward,” explains Zara. “We spent countless hours searching for just the right combination of fabrics…the end result was something stitched with love.”

The couple, both 31, were married at their picnic wedding on January 18, 2014 at Mirboo North in Victoria.

Rising at 4.30am might not be the case for many brides, but when you’ve booked a morning ceremony it is!

Lillian Leung, 27, and Staunton Li, 31, were married on December 2, 2013 at 11am with 200 guests. The black tie wedding was styled in hot pink and white and after exchanging vows at Brisbane’s Graceville Uniting Church, celebrations were held at Parkland Chinese Restaurant.

“My day started at 4.30am when Nadia and Junella turned up for our hair and make-up – we didn’t know if we had enough time as we had to be out of the hotel by 10.15am at the latest,” recalls Lillian.

After running a little late, Lillian arrived at the church to be greeted by an emotional Staunton. “As I walked down the aisle, Staunton looked like he was going to cry…I quietly told him ‘don’t cry’ or I would too,” she says.

The couple decided to use every opportunity to capture photos (by Southern Base Photography) of their day. There were family photos pre-ceremony, then afterwards in the church yard, followed by a shoot at the botanic gardens and the hotel where Lillian had prepared for her day. “As our ceremony and reception were in separate locations we decided to take pictures between each event,” says Lillian.

When a bride tells you her dress is vintage you don’t always expect that to be a literal description. But in the case of Bianca Di Nuzzo, her wedding dress has survived the decades; worn previously by her grandmother and mother.

“I wore the dress that was handmade for my grandma for her wedding in 1955,” explains Bianca. “It was altered a little and worn by my mum in 1984.” The exterior of the dress remained in its original condition for Bianca’s wedding to Matthew Latimer, however a corset-style structure was created to give support as the original lace sleeves were removed.

“I announced the origin of the dress after our formal ceremony at the church and thanked my grandma and mum for allowing me to wear it,” says Bianca. “There were gasps from our guests as they weren’t expecting the dress to literally be vintage and in such great condition.”

The Melbourne couple, both 27, were married on February 16, 2013 at a vineyard wedding with 116 guests. The pair opted for elegant, rustic styling including pink and white cherry blossoms and Tiffany style chairs to complement the winery shed. “We had round glass candles as well as large fairy lights hanging from the roof and the entire shed surrounded by wine barrels,” recalls Bianca.