Our story began thanks to my husband’s childhood best friend (someone who I had known for over a decade) who played matchmaker and introduced us. After a few years of dating, surviving the second Sydney lockdown and eventually moving in together, Stavros proposed down at Clovelly — the location of our first date — a few days before our big European holiday. The timing not only made it a huge surprise (doesn’t every girl think their man will pop the question on holidays?!) but it was also so wonderful to be able to celebrate with our families at home before jetting off on our 8 week trip to Greece.

We share a lot of mutual friends, as do our parents, so the wedding felt like My Big Fat Greek Eastern Suburbs reunion. My Parlour Room girls have been with me throughout the journey of our relationship, so it was incredibly special to have them celebrate with us on the day, we had a whole table just for TPR!

We were married at our local church, which holds special meaning for my husband and his family, so having our ceremony in that space felt incredibly sentimental. For the reception, we celebrated at the newly-built Winx Stand at Royal Randwick Racecourse, a modern venue that offered beautiful views over the course and surrounding areas and a large terrace for sunset cocktail hour before the formalities kicked off, which was just perfect for late November weather.

The inspiration behind the overall look & feel of the day was something pretty classic and traditional, but with a touch of vintage elegance — subtle nods to the past with a slightly modern twist.

We included customised matchboxes as a nostalgic touch for the bonbonniere. I worked closely with our cake supplier to design a vintage-inspired heart shaped cake, reminiscent of the styles our parents had at their wddings and engagement parties in the 80s.

I had decided a long time ago that I always wanted all-white flowers. Growing up, my dad was a wedding photographer in the ’90s and early 2000s, so I spent countless hours in his studio surrounded by wedding albums and magazines from that era. Those images filled with crisp white bouquets and classic bridal styling, have always stayed with me.

To tie it all together, we incorporated rich chocolate brown accents throughout our stationery (starting from the wedding invitations) and décor that balanced the clean, white palette beautifully and stayed very true to my personal style.

Working at The Parlour Room, I had the ultimate advantage when it came to beauty prep being surrounded by the best in the business! I knew that bridal beauty prep is so much more than just a few appointments before the big day, it’s a process that starts months (or even years!) in advance to help you look and feel your absolute best. 

At home, I used a curated selection of products as prescribed by the angels at SELF from my consultations, gentle exfoliants, hydrating serums, and barrier-supporting moisturisers — all aimed at keeping my skin calm and luminous.

AT TPR:

• Spray tans for every bridal event — hens, kitchen tea, and wedding — with tan trials to perfect the tone and finish. Because I don’t often wear white, I really had to consider the tone of my dress and the shade of my tan to make sure everything complemented my skin tone perfectly. We finally settled on a blend of half “Weekend in Bondi” & half “Month in Maui” from Sunescape, their hydrating formula was super glowy on my skin. 
• BIAB journey over a few months to grow my natural nails to the length and shape I wanted, plus colour trials to find the perfect, classic shade to suit my skin tone and dress. Honestly, finding the perfect natural nude — not too pink, not too white — feels like one of life’s great female quests.
  I loved my combo of “Bella” BIAB with “Crème” shellac over the top. 
• Shellac pedicures for that polished, photo-ready finish. I ended up dancing barefoot by the end of the night so I’m glad I had booked in for a pedi the week of!  
• Brow wax and tint, as well as facial and body waxing for smooth, glowing skin.

At SELF:

• Monthly facials and skin consultations starting about 15 months out to prepare my skin early.

• Vanilla Body Bliss exfoliation before each spray tan for an even application and extra glow.

• Signature Facial, Signature Peel, or Fire & Ice Facial combined with LED treatments for bright, fresh skin.

• Biotyspa Lymphatic Massage to reduce puffiness and boost circulation in the final weeks.

Other essentials:

• Teeth whitening—being a coffee addict, I’m so glad I did this; my smile stayed radiant all day.

• Hair gloss, toners, and regular trims for health and colour maintenance.

• A touch of Botox around the eyes —a subtle tweak that helped me feel refreshed and confident.

In the week leading up to the wedding, I’d organised a group booking at TPR for my mum, my mother-in-law-to-be, and my husband’s auntie. We all came in for nails and spray tans, and it ended up being such a special morning together,  soaking in that pre-wedding excitement. It’s one of those little moments I’ll always remember, and it reminded me how lovely it is that we get to create those same experiences for others.

My biggest piece of advice? Delegate and prioritise. You don’t have to do it all yourself (I wish I had taken my own advice earlier!), and you’ll enjoy the process so much more if you trust the people around you.

Have a clear vision from the start — whether that’s a list of priorities, non-negotiables, or a mood board that captures your style. Those early decisions will guide everything that follows and make it easier to stay true to your vision when things get crazy and decision fatigue hits!

• Book multiple tan trials to find your perfect shade & formula, as well as absolutely nail the pre & post care for the best results. 
• Exfoliate properly, especially those hard-to-reach areas (you’ll thank yourself later). 
• Indulge in self-care, this is the time to be a little selfish! Treat yourself to the special things you might normally skip. 
• Look after your body and mind — eat well, exercise, rest, and (try to!) get plenty of sleep in the weeks leading up. Even a short walk outside can reset your mind. 
• Create a beauty program — plan out your appointments as well as your at-home routine (gua sha, retinol, exfoliation, etc.) so you stay on track and stress-free.  
• Don’t try anything new too soon, now is not the time to experiment! Or if you do want to take this opportunity to try something you’ve always wanted to, give yourself enough time from the big day to avoid any mishaps. Again, this is where having a good plan as early as possible definitely helps.  
• Finally, remember there’s no right or wrong — it’s your day (and your partner’s!), so do what feels authentic to you. 

Your wedding day is truly one of a kind and when you feel your best, everything else just falls into place.