The wedding of Thurley designer Helen O’Connor and husband Trent Alexander simply embodies pure elegance.
The garden ceremony took place on the lawns of Helen’s family property in the Macedon Ranges of Victoria, Australia. Surrounded by the lush greenery of the property’s English gardens, the couple exchanged vows against a backdrop of sprawling views to Melbourne city.
And the most jaw-dropping feature? The dress, of course! When the bride is a fashion designer as talented as Helen, it’s no surprise that her dress is truly breathtaking. Helen spent over 1000 hours hand-making the decadent dress to bring her vision to life. With intricate beading, baroque lace and appliqué detailing, expertly sculpted to suit the bride’s silhouette, the dress is no less than a masterpiece.
Helen says, ‘It weighed over 25 kilograms and was made up of hundreds of thousands of individual beads which form fitted to my body and created the impression that they were suspended in thin air with the help of lightweight tulle.’
‘Being a designer I wanted a bit of drama so I included a long train, which was made extra special as it was carried by my three beautiful flower girls who all wore individualised dresses hand-beaded with the same design as my dress.’
After the ceremony, guests retreated to a white marquee to enjoy cocktails and canapés. An abundance of white blooms lined the dining tables, complemented by white linen and white bentwood chairs, which created a fresh, clean aesthetic. A hanging foliage installation of cedar branches hung high above the festivities inviting the garden theme into the marquee.
Helen says, ‘a cold wet weather front surprised us at the last minute, so we embraced the alpine conditions and brought in log fire pits, which created a really magical atmosphere and encouraged intimacy as everyone huddled together around the fires and the marquee for warmth.’
Photography: Pheobe Dunn, Image Play | Event planning + styling: The Bride and Groom | Floral styling: Constance | Venue: Private Residence | Location: Macedon Ranges, Victoria, Australia | Guest list: 120 guests | Catering: Stoke House | Stationery: Sophie Viska | Celebrant: Russell Healy | Entertainment: Chrissy Argros, Rebecca Ellis and Santana Ally | Bride + bridesmaids dresses: Designed by Helen O’Connor and Jo Sculli of Thurley | Grooms suits: Calibre | Bride’s shoes: Aquazzura | Hair + makeup: Mae Taylor
Helen + Trent
