Hariklia + Ben
Tradition takes a turn in this unorthodox Greek wedding.
Photography: Meaghan Coles
Hair and make-up: Seb from Seb & Tom at Plant 3, Bowden
Something borrowed: Hariklia’s dad passed away when she was a teenager and his wedding ring was sewn, using blue thread, into the bodice of her dress, under the first layer or tulle.
Groom’s suit: Hugo Boss
Event stylist: Out in the Paddock
Transport: A classic white Ford Mustang convertible
Entertainment: Emile Ryjoch jazz trio, DJ Tom Borgas from Track Team and Greek band Music3000
The Ceremony
We had a stripped back Greek Orthodox ceremony in my family church. Generations of family have been married in the church and we both wanted to continue on the tradition. There was no music other than the priest’s chants. Instead, the ceremony was rich in symbolism and we had our graphic designer craft a small booklet to briefly explain the traditions. These include the rings, crowns and the dance of Isaiah. To this we attached corn flower confetti to celebrate our nuptials with guests. For us, the church was also about the architecture. It has a paired back beauty and we also love the candles and what they represent. Candles represent life in the Greek church, and this is a theme that we carried through to our reception.
The Reception
The reception was at the Freemasons Grand Lodge – we got sucked in by the architecture and the beautiful entry space, we thought it suited our vibe.We also wanted to be CBD-based. We had been to so many winery weddings and we were sick of bus rides and remote locations. We also wanted to have photos in locations that are local.
The Theme
We had an autumn wedding and we wanted something that was dark, stormy and romantic. We chose black, dark reds and pops of light pink to set our day off with a few twists on some classic elements. We wanted something unique and memorable that people hadn’t seen before. We wanted it to reflect our creativity and who we are.
The Dress
I’m not one to conform to tradition, so I wanted something different, memorable and something I wouldn’t normally wear. I also wanted something pink! Millia London designed a bespoke gown for me. I came across Millia London through a blog on Instagram and I ordered it online. I always knew getting a bespoke dress made overseas was going to be tricky, but I didn’t realise how challenging it was going to be. Ruth from Millia London was really patient and understanding with countless emails/photos/mark-ups back and forth. Even re-dying the gown to make it perfect and sending additional neckline ruffles. Of course, when the moment came to try it on it didn’t quite fit [but] luckily another dress maker, Tina, who was making some family outfits stepped in and saved the day. There was one defining moment where Tina was cutting layers of tulle off of me! In the end I got my dream gown and I still get comments about it!
