Antoinette and Chloe: Striking in Black
Although mutual friends had tried to set the pair up numerous times, Antoinette and Chloe actually met by chance one evening at a bar. "I was immediately drawn to her, she has a really striking look and was dressed all in black," says Chloe of Antoinette... "this definitely inspired our all black wedding looks."
Photographer Jeremy Blode Photography | Venue Stokehouse, St Kilda
“We got married on our 3 year anniversary – Saturday, 6th April 2019.”
How and when did you meet?
Antoinette: One of my friends, Michelle, had been trying to set me up with her sister’s best friend. Meanwhile, Nadia (Michelle’s sister) had mentioned a friend of hers to Chloe but not any names. Neither of us were particularly interested in being set up. A few months later, at a bar, we met completely independently through totally different friends.
Tell us a little about the first time you met?
Chloe: Out of all the people at the bar, I was immediately drawn to Antoinette. She has a really striking look and was dressed in all black. We share a love of black clothes; friends would often joke about us both being dressed in all black outfits most of the time. This definitely inspired our all black wedding looks.
What was the first thing you noticed about each other?
Chloe: Aside from the all black aesthetic, she has an amazing smile… her whole face lights up when she’s happy.
Antoinette: I was immediately drawn to her glass half full sensibility. From our first date I simply felt a happiness, and sense of positivity that I had never experienced before.
What does marriage mean to you?
Chloe: A commitment to always be each other’s biggest cheerleaders and to bring our families together. Marriage also became far more important to us as a couple once the Marriage Equality vote went through and all the years of fighting for the right to have what everyone else had made it something we really wanted to do. After the vote passed, we were able to make a choice and after fighting for that right, Marriage became far more politicised and meaningful to us. To share that moment in which we too could make that lifelong promise to each other as a couple in front of our loved ones, was one of the most profoundly emotional and proud moments of my life.
Who proposed and how?
We find the lead up and process of the ‘Yes’ Vote emotionally taxing. Having to listen to strangers give their opinion about our relationship and decide whether we should have the privilege of getting married was difficult and we were resentful that we were even put in such a position by our government. Thankfully, we’ve always socialised in very supportive circles, but it was baffling that the vote emboldened anyone and everyone to feel as if they had the right to tell us their opinion on sexuality and Marriage Equality. We got engaged not long after the vote. In a way it made us feel as if we were reclaiming the dialogue around Marriage Equality. We were spending the weekend away in Apollo Bay, looking out onto beautiful ocean views discussing the outcome of the vote. In a way, the conversation naturally progressed towards how important it was for us to celebrate our relationship with those we love. We got rings made within a month and exchanged them over a few glasses of champagne at Vue du Monde.
When did you get married?
We got married on our 3 year anniversary – Saturday, 6th April, 2019. Luckily, it was a beautiful day with clear skies, so we could enjoy the stunning view from the Stokehouse, where we had our ceremony as the sun was setting.
What was the most important thing to you surrounding your wedding?
Chloe: Bringing all of our loved ones together. Not only were we celebrating our relationship, but the most wonderful part of the celebration was uniting our families. And also throwing the best party we could! We chose to do cocktail instead of a sit-down dinner, so everyone could move around, talk, dance, drink and enjoy the views. We just wanted everyone to have a blast.
Where did you find the bulk of your inspiration?
Chloe: We really trusted our team of amazing suppliers to create a vibe and aesthetic for the day. The Style Co. are true visionaries and we were blown away by the design and how they decorated the Stokehouse. They made the night truly magical!
How did you choose your suppliers?
Antoinette: Some we had worked with before such as The Style Co, and J’Aton and others we knew we wanted to work with from either being at other weddings (we go to A LOT of weddings) and also other people’s recommendations.
Any surprises on your wedding day?
Chloe: I lost my voice an hour before the ceremony. I think I was so overwhelmed by the occasion I literally became speechless. Thankfully, I managed to get through my vows and our speech. Everyone found it endearing, so that was lucky.
What was the most difficult thing about planning your wedding?
Antoinette: I have a really big family. Chloe had a solid 25, and I had 150, and that wasn’t even everyone I would have liked to have invited. Guest lists are always a challenge, but I felt quite consumed by it when we first began planning.
Any advice for other couples planning their day and finding it difficult to navigate the journey?
Chloe: Be true to yourself and how you imagined your day. It’s so easy to feel pressure to do what’s expected or what you should do. We decided early on that when we were standing across from each other, saying our vows, that we wanted the wedding (design, style, venue), our outfits, hair and makeup etc. to reflect who we are. Hence our black wedding outfits and my choice of a jumpsuit as opposed to a dress. We wanted our wedding to be an amazing party, so we opted for a cocktail party instead of a more traditional sit-down event. The more authentic you can make the experience to who you are as a couple the better the experience for you and all of your guests.
Suppliers
Photographer Jeremy Blode Photography
Videographer Moon + Back Co.
Venue Stokehouse, St Kilda
Wedding Outfits J’Aton
Planner The Style Co.
Flowers Superbloom by The Style Co.
Cars Star Chauffeurs - Mercedes E Class
Cake 15kgs of cheese wheels
Stationery Seagull Press
Celebrant Megan Watson - Marry Me Megan
DJ Dan Martin - Rutherford Entertainment
Hair RL Hair
Makeup Katia Amarena
Antoinette and Chloe’s weddings has also been featured in the very first issue of Mr Theodore Weddings magazine.
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