AU$12.95
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BOOK YOUR COMPLIMENTARY APPOINTMENT TODAY
SHOP 5, 117 MACQUARIE STREET SYDNEY 0422 108 508 VERAWANG@MULPHA.COM.AU WWW.VERAWANG.COM @VERAWANGAUS
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| CONTENTS |
28 52
16 18
Designer in Focus | Steven Khalil
12
InterContinental Sydney Double Bay
49
Image Haus Weddings
15
QT Gold Coast
50
Hugo Boss Made to Measure
16
InterContinental Sanctuary Cove
51
Love Story | Lee & Eitan
18
Ethereal Beauty
52
Love Story | Tilly & Sam
28
Tess Alexander
58
Love Story | Li Chi & Mike
36
Real Wedding Alastair & Isabelle
60
Love Story | Kim & Eric
40
The Lust List
64
Beautiful Stay, Breathtaking Day
44
The Future Mrs
66
Emirates One&Only Wolgan Valley
45
The Langham Sydney
46
Bangalay Luxury Villas
47
The Robertson Hotel
48
KEEP UP TO DATE WITH TWS www.theweddingseries.com theweddingseriesagency
Front & back cover Lee wears Steven Khalil ‘Ophelia’ gown P.O.A captured by Image Haus Weddings
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At the heart of every love story is a rare moment when you both knew time stopped. The world paused for your unspoken affection. Illuminate that moment with a rare Argyle Pink Diamond from Calleija. The opportunity to own one is rarer than ever before as the Argyle Pink Diamond mine comes to the end of its life this year. Celebrate your unforgettable moments and discover the majestic beauty of our Calleija Argyle Pink Diamond collection today.
CA L L E IJ A. CO M LO N D O N
G O L D COA ST
SYDNEY
Enjoy responsibly – www.moet.com
Launching MoĂŤt & Chandon Wedding Packages Visit weddings.maisonone.com.au for more information
Bringing in the New Year was a little different for me in 2020; my fast and fervent allnighter was not spent in revelry but in orchestrating a wedding that had been 12 months in the making. This wedding was an exquisite display of love and beauty, made all the more spectacular by its climactic finish with Sydney Harbour’s famous midnight fireworks as its backdrop. The wedding of Alastair and Isabelle could easily be a very early contender for wedding of the year, as you will see in our feature on pages 60-64. Complete with a floral studded neon sign beaming End of the Decade, Start of a New Era, this was a unique wedding but was not without its drama. In the two months leading into the wedding Australia was ablaze. A few weeks before the wedding, the whole world was watching as much of our country quite literally went up in smoke. I received a panicked call from our groom, Alastair, wondering if the wedding would need to be postponed. Alastair and Isabelle were drawing in predominantly international guests and he was concerned for their safety and experience in the still rather smoky Sydney. Concurrently, debate was raging on the airwaves as to whether the NYE Sydney fireworks should go ahead as planned. “Was it distasteful to be celebrating a magnificent occasion while the State was burning?,” Alastair had wondered. Ultimately it was decided, much like the fireworks, the show must go on. What we all needed was light, love and hope in a dark time. It was the right choice. Little did we know at the time that the world was on the precipice of a pandemic that would change all of our lives, maybe forever, and certainly lay waste to thousands if not millions of weddings the whole year through. The wedding industry has taken an absolute battering this year. Most nuptials have been postponed or reduced to five or ten guests. For many, physical and economic survival has taken precedence over ceremonial hopes. But still, that hope is important. That’s why it has been my pleasure and honour to produce this magazine to continue inspiring our future brides and grooms. The Covid-19 Pandemic has also caused infinite chaos to wedding couple, Israeli-Danish Actress Lee Levi and her fiancé Eitan Neishlos, who tell their story across pages 18 to 27. They have said they, like so many couples, will be “patiently waiting for a better and safer world so that we can make the commute and celebrate our wedding with our loved ones.” Back at TWS HQ, I have been busy juggling home schooling and forging ahead in this new way of life. It brings me great pleasure to introduce The Wedding Series TV, an additional platform to inspire you and provide you with exclusive insights and behind the scenes access to our world. With each episode I will introduce you to the best bridal designers, tailors, wedding suppliers, and Love Story couples, as well as the homes of some of Australia’s most intriguing and successful people. I’ll also be presenting walk-throughs in Australia’s best wedding venues. These will be like virtual tours and I’ll be asking all the questions couples want to know about a venue when planning their wedding day, whenever that day may come. Wishing us all a safer, healthier and happier future, Kate Founder The Wedding Series
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| DESIGNER IN FOCUS |
STEVEN KHALIL What inspired you to become a bridal designer? I was first inspired to become a designer from watching Royal Weddings as a kid. It was the fabric, the beauty, the flowers that I loved and I knew that’s what I wanted to do. My favorite Royal Wedding was of course, Princess Diana’s.
What advice would you give to brides who are just embarking on finding their wedding gown? Be sure to stick to your own style and draw inspiration from what you know suits your body shape and taste. It’s best to also reference past SK designs as a start because this is a great way to kickstart design conversations and we can take it from there based on what you do and don’t like. Try to work to a 12-month timeline as the designs process is one we like to not rush and it gives plenty of time for fittings and custom designs.
How would you best describe the Steven Khalil bride? Elegant, classic, confident, loves luxury.
What does the Steve Khalil ‘Bridal Journey’ entail for a new bride? The first step is an initial consultation where we have a design meeting and discuss what you want from a shape point of view. The second step / meeting is where we talk specifics like fabrics and beading. Next we design the gown in cotton to confirm shape and have a fitting. Then the gown is crafted in the chosen fabric. In total there is 3-5 fittings. We also have the option of SK fitting the gown on wedding day – this is a special service which really rounds out the design journey.
What has been the highlight of your career to date? It’s really being able to do what I love to do everyday and that is dressing amazing brides, watching the SK brand grow and evolve and reflecting on this amazing opportunity I’ve been given from originally making dresses in my bedroom to seeing my gowns on the red carpet.
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What did it mean to you to start showing as part of Paris Haute Couture Fashion Week?
What are you working on now and what can we expect next from Steven Khalil in the next 12 months?
This was a dream come true, that’s the sum of it! A truly career defining moment and one I will be forever grateful for.
The design team and I will be launching a Demi Couture collection in 2020.
You have dressed so many celebrities including Jennifer Lopez, Kylie Jenner, Emily Ratajkowski, Bella Thorne, Giuliana Rancic, Paula Abdul and American actress Jane Levy. What does it mean to you to see your exquisite designs on these incredible women? Every designer aspires to this, it’s what you work for to see your designs come to life on a world stage. Each design takes inspiration from the personality of the talent wearing the gown and it’s always a new chance to push the design process.
What bridal trends can we expect to see for 2021? Brides staying true to their personal styles. Your wedding gown is such a personal thing and I think modern brides are less inclined to not be guided by trends because they don’t want to look back and think I should not have done that. My favourite trend is the more traditional look where a bride wears her hair down, and the dress is quite a natural, whimsical look.
This is still a bespoke SK offering but it doesn’t require as many fittings and the designs are made to size. It means an SK girl doesn’t just have to have a wedding day in order to wear and feel beautiful in an SK design . We’re also hoping to introduce more new gown designs and continue growing the reputation of the brand.
COV ER SHOOT G OW N I NSPI R ATION An ethereal gown using multiple layers of English tulle. I wanted the gown to be the ultimate in soft romance showcasing the delicate feminine silhouette.’ Each dress we used in addition to this in the shoot aimed to showcase the different ranges of gown options we have at SK which target different girls and styles.
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