Rhys and Lachlan: An Italian Dream

Rhys and Lachlan’s story begins with a message on Instagram, a shared love of travel, and a coffee in Brisbane that quietly changed everything. Ten years on, that easy connection carried them all the way to Il Pavarano, a villa in the hills near Parma, where 83 of their closest people crossed the world to be there.

Photographer Pearce Brennan Weddings | Location Il Pavarano, Parma, Italy

THEODORE Mag: How and when did you meet?

Lachlan: Rhys messaged me on Instagram after he had been following me for a few months, asking about a Europe trip I had just been on. What started as a casual exchange about travel quickly grew into something deeper. A few weeks later, we met in person for the first time.

THEODORE Mag: Tell us a little about that first time you met…

Rhys and Lachlan: The first time we met in person was at Chapter IV Café in Paddington, Brisbane. We went for coffee and just sat and got to know each other. It was a simple afternoon, but we both walked away feeling like something really special had started.

THEODORE Mag: What was the first thing you noticed about each other

Rhys: The first thing I noticed about Lachlan was how naturally cool he seemed. He had this effortless confidence, like he was completely comfortable in his own skin. I remember feeling pretty nervous, but he was so relaxed that it put me straight at ease. Even in that first conversation, there was just this quiet sense of trust and connection that I loved.

Lachlan: The first time I saw Rhys, he was wearing this nice green Ralph Lauren polo with white Converse and ripped denim jeans. I immediately thought he looked cool and stylish, and had this clean, put-together vibe, which is exactly what I was drawn to. But beyond that, as we talked, I could tell he was so genuine and warm, and really a breath of fresh air, someone I could see myself building a future with.

THEODORE Mag: Tell us about the standout moment or milestone in your relationship…

Rhys and Lachlan: We've had some of the most amazing memories together. We have been lucky enough to go to Europe a few times now, and it is always such a special place to experience together. We are always doing something, whether we are at a concert, going out with friends, on a beach trip or spending time with our families (who both get along so well, which we love); we are always making special memories together.

THEODORE Mag: What does marriage mean to you?

Rhys and Lachlan: To us, marriage is about trust, love, support, and a promise that, no matter what, we will care for each other and support each other through the good and the bad. It's that steady foundation that makes everything else feel possible.

We've had this incredible example of marriage from both of our parents, having been together for over 30 years. They've shown us that marriage is about embracing both the good and the bad, accepting each other fully, and choosing to love one another, no matter what.

THEODORE Mag: Who proposed and how?

Rhys: On our first trip away together 10 years ago, we had both planned to tell each other we loved one another, but Lachy beat me to it. So from that day, I've always said I will be the one to propose to him!

In 2022 we were planning a Europe trip for the next year and I was going to propose on that trip, but when we booked a last-minute getaway to Hamilton Island in the Whitsundays, about three weeks before, I realised I didn't want to wait another year. I decided to organise the proposal then and there. I managed to book a last-minute helicopter ride out to the reef and on Whitehaven Beach. I bought the ring, and told Lachy's dad and my family that I was going to do it.

The day of the surprise helicopter ride came, the weather was awful and Lachy woke up feeling a bit unwell. I had to tell him, "Surprise! We're going on a helicopter!"

Lachlan: When Rhys said that, I very quickly felt better, as I was sensing it might be more than just a helicopter ride!

Rhys: So we did the flight, landed on the beach, and whilst I thought I was acting normal, Lachy knew what was coming.

Lachlan: I just had to slowly ease him into asking, because it was so obvious he was nervous!

It was so perfect, just the two of us on the beach declaring our love for one another.

Rhys: Even though I was a nervous wreck and a lot of it is a blur, one thing I'll always love thinking about was how Lachy asked me to marry him right back, right after I had asked him.

THEODORE Mag: When did you get married?

Rhys and Lachlan: We got married on the 2nd July, 2025.

THEODORE Mag: What was the main influence behind your wedding day?

Rhys and Lachlan: The main influence behind our wedding day was that deep connection we had to the venue through our good friends, Pietro and Ester. Pietro's family own the wedding venue in Italy and they offered it to us for the wedding. Since we'd stayed there before, we knew it was the perfect place. So, from Australia, we just kept planning and making it happen.

THEODORE Mag: What was the most important thing to you surrounding your wedding?

Rhys and Lachlan: So, the most important thing surrounding our wedding was making sure to spend a lot of time with everyone who had come over from Australia to be there with us. We had 83 people come from Australia and the UK, so we wanted to really cherish that opportunity, having almost everyone we love on the other side of the world together! We spent some amazing time with both families in Stresa, Italy, prior to the wedding.

THEODORE Mag: Did you incorporate any family sentiments or traditions?

Rhys and Lachlan: We didn't have any real traditions; however, we tried to incorporate our families into the day as much as possible. Rhys' sister was our celebrant, which was so special. We were incredibly lucky to have one of Lachlan's grandmothers come over from Australia to be the ring bearer. Lachlan's brother was in his wedding party and Rhys' brother was our MC. Everyone did such an amazing job.

We also walked down the aisle with our mums, which was a really beautiful moment.

THEODORE Mag: Where did you find the bulk of your inspiration?

Rhys and Lachlan: The bulk of our inspiration really came from a mix of sources. We wanted it to be a formal event, especially in how we looked and dressed, because that was really important to us. But at the same time, since it was going to be so hot in Italy, we knew we needed a manageable dress code for our guests. So, we pulled a lot of ideas from Pinterest, Instagram, and previous summer weddings we'd seen in similar climates, typical Italian wedding vibes.

THEODORE Mag: How did you choose your suppliers?

Rhys and Lachlan: So, it was really a team effort. We relied on Ester and Pietro's local connections, and then we found our incredible Australian photographer, Pearce Brennan, through a recommendation. We found our wedding planner online, Antonella Zamboni, who is based in Italy. She was absolutely vital, organising everything from Italy, and just making the whole process so smooth. She made it all possible and worked so well with us from the other side of the world.

THEODORE Mag: What was the most difficult thing about planning your wedding?

Rhys and Lachlan: The biggest challenge was definitely organising a wedding from the opposite side of the world, mostly in a different language. That's why having Antonella on the ground in Italy was so crucial; she handled everything and it meant we could focus on every detail, especially with 83 guests making the trip.

THEODORE Mag: Where did you spend your honeymoon?

Rhys and Lachlan: We wanted to make the most of having our loved ones all on holiday together, so we decided to have more of a "buddy moon" straight after the wedding. We went to Tuscany with 14 of our closest friends, staying in a beautiful villa, eating pizza, swimming in the pool, and visiting a winery. After that, we headed to Mykonos in Greece for a real party vibe. We stayed in a villa with 35 of our friends, and we had the best day on a yacht; it was one of the most incredible days of our lives (after the wedding day!). After all that, we finished our honeymoon in London, just relaxing after the trip, and once we got back to Australia, we took a few days in Noosa to unwind and recover, because it really was a beautiful but very exhausting adventure.

THEODORE Mag: Any advice for other couples planning their day and finding it difficult to navigate the journey?

Rhys and Lachlan: We think the most important advice we can give is to do everything that you truly want and not feel pressured to do things you don't. It's such an emotional time, not just for you, but for your families as well, so we really encourage you to respect people's feelings, but also stand firm on what matters to you most. For example, we chose not to do a first dance because it would have felt awkward for us. We also read our vows to each other privately first, and then we recited them again in front of everyone. In the end, it's your day, so make sure the focus stays on what you both truly want.

Rhys and Lachlan’s Team

Photographer @pearcebrennanweddings

Venue @il_pavarano

Wedding Planner @antonella_zamboni_wp

Florist @stelidistile

Musician @giorgia_camurati

Catering @laportaaviarolo

Welcome Drinks Venue @lamoretti_cantinaagriturismo

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