In these past two years, a lot of couples have had to either compromise on their dream wedding or have had to postpone celebrations. Here is the wedding of Andrew + Nicole planned by the amazing Elana K Weddings team in Sydney, Australia, that will take your breath away. And their journey to finally having the celebration they deserve proves that love truly does conquer all.
Husband and wife duo Elie and Anna Kondrajian, with their Elana K Weddings team, are known for creating sophisticated and classy weddings that leave you awestruck with every detail. And when it came to Andrew and Nicole’s big day, they did what they do best, channeling the couple’s personalities through a sleek modern setup with soft champagne hues complimenting striking black and white details. The wedding took place at Doltone House, opposite Sydney’s Hyde Park.
But before we get into the elegant decor elements, let’s dive into the couple’s love story, as told by the bride herself…
How They Met
Who says the gym is a ‘build muscles only’ place? Turns out, it’s also great for building relationships! Nicole joined a UFC gym earlier in 2017, where she first saw Andrew. “He was boxing on the bags, being so loud, and I thought to myself what a show-off!” Says Nicole. “After many shared glances at one another, we finally interacted with one another, and I guess you could say the rest is history.”
“It was always love at first sight for Andrew. I remember him telling one of his friends when he first met me that he was going to marry me; his friend thought he was crazy. It wasn’t exactly the same with me, but it was Andrew’s personality that drew me in. After all, he was not that “show off” I thought he was. He was very down-to-earth, intelligent, charismatic, and humorous. It didn’t take long for me to fall head over heels.”
The Surprise Proposal & Engagement Party
“I always said to Andrew, when the time comes to propose, please don’t do it in a restaurant because I always found that so awkward.” Recalls the bride. And when the time did come, Andrew didn’t hesitate to do precisely that! He and the unsuspecting Nicole headed to the restaurant under the pretense of having dinner with some friends. On the way, their friends bailed for an ’emergency,’ leaving the two to continue on their own.
Once seated, Andrew asked Nicole to close her eyes. Thinking he was only going to play a joke, she obliged, still unaware of what was about to happen. “I open my eyes, and in front of me is Andrew holding a little white box. On the inside, it said, ‘will you marry me, Nicole?’ I was in so much shock, I didn’t even say anything, I just cried.” Nicole goes on to mention her only response to that was “you ruined my makeup.”
Moving on to the engagement party, there wasn’t going to be one in the first place! Although yet again, Andrew had other plans than to skip right to the wedding. With a cousin of Andrew’s getting engaged around the same time, Nicole was fooled to believe it was their (the cousin’s) party they were attending when it was actually her own! It’s safe to say that Andrew is full of pleasant surprises.
The Dress
Unlike most brides, choosing a dress designer wasn’t hard at all for Nicole! Since Andrew is close friends with designer Thomas Lazar, it was a no-brainer that he was going to be the one creating the dream bridal attire.
“We instantly clicked and this had to be my absolute favorite part of the whole wedding planning process. I always imagined myself wearing a long sleeve lace dress however after multiple meetings with Thomas we ended up with something completely different!” Shares Nicole. “Never would I have imagined having two wedding dresses but it was just so hard to have everything I wanted in just one dress. Thomas suggested “why not have two?” and so we did.” She continues.
The first dress was loved by so many, which got the designer to introduce it as part of his ‘ready to wear’ collection and called it Nicole. Now that is a dream come true!
The Jewelry
“For as long as I could remember I have always been obsessed with jewelry and have always found myself making my own. It was only until planning my own wedding that Kaelesti Jewels was finally created, something I feel that was bound to happen.” Says the bride. “I was searching for something that was of high-quality, uniquely bridal, timeless, and something I absolutely loved.”
After endless scouting, Nicole decided to start her own brand to reflect her style and help make the process easier for future brides. Kaelesti Jewels combines traditional and modern elegance, a blend of classic and atypical.
“It makes me so happy that I got to wear my own pieces on my wedding day, something that I can pass on to my future daughter, God Willing. “
The Venue & Date
Andrew and Nicole initially booked a different venue and date before landing on Doltone House Hyde Park for the 8th of November 2020. The bride shares that they fell in love with the venue and its Gatsby-era style, which reflected their taste for glamour and elegance.
After months of planning, like many couples, they too had to push back the wedding to the 17th of January 2021. “Love is patient, and so were we.”
“Almost there… covid restrictions yet again rained on our parade!” After three date changes already, Nicole and Andrew had to yet again postpone their reception but decided to go ahead with their intimate church ceremony and celebration on the 17th. “Looking back, this was the best decision we made and it was so special as we really took in the day. Love truly does conquer all.” Nicole says, reminiscing the day they finally did tie the knot!
The Decor & Planning
“For a long time, I admired the work of Elana K and the magic she and her husband created! I remember showing Andrew and he simply responded, “you know I know Anna personally, I am friends with her sons” my jaw dropped, and I begged him to organize a meeting with her asap!” Says the bride.
Anna, Elie, and their team of professionals installed elegant arched florals behind the main table, beautifully blending with the dark interior and complimenting the floor-to-ceiling arched windows boasting Manhattan style. Slimline gold frames and faux flowers enhanced with preserved and dried foliage decorated the king’s tables while guest tables were adorned with custom gold triangle stands.
The white and gold decor looked striking against the gorgeous black interior of Doltone House, creating a dramatic and eye-catching effect and enhancing the grandeur of the entire place. And seeing that the black and white theme is a growing trend now, this seems to be the perfect inspiration for future weddings!
Ceremony 2.0 – The Sequel Wedding
Yet another date change later, the couple got to celebrate bigger with all their family. On the 9th of May the same year, a small ceremony was held at Doltone House, followed by the reception. This was equally as special to have shared vows again, now in front of everyone who missed the first wedding. “It was such an emotional day filled with so much love and joy, almost as if everyone was just so relieved that it was finally happening!”
“After 4 date changes, many tears and uncertainty, the time to party finally came, and what a party it was! It was so surreal and [it was] not until all my family started arriving at my house during the morning celebrations that I actually felt I was finally having my dream wedding.” Says Nicole.
“Many people say they wished they could relive their wedding day and it was like we really did!”
With the multiple postponements they had to endure, Nicole recalls Andrew often joking about getting the dates tattooed so he wouldn’t forget while she joked about receiving two anniversary gifts each year. “On the morning of the reception day, Andrew surprised me and had his friend/tattoo artist come over and tattoo both wedding dates as promised for the wedding video.”
“From our first meeting, it was just effortless. Without Anna and Eli, we would not have had the amazing wedding that we did! We are forever grateful to have had them by our side throughout the whole journey.”
Vendors:
Planning, Design Concept, Styling, & Florals: @elana_k_weddings
Photography: @tone_image
Styling Photography/ Videography: @_beautography
Venue: @doltonehouse
Bride’s Dress: @thomaslazar
Groom’s Suit: @institchu
Jewellery: @kaelestijewels
Hair: @bridalhairculture
Makeup: @taniachihamakeup
Rings: @gatteajewellers & @louisvuitton
Cake: @holysuga
Entertainment: @alexdjentertainment , @alfiearcuri & @sunsetbros
Fireworks: @sparkfx.au
Celebrant: @caterinakouzcelebrant
