Meet the couple
A busy hospital was the setting for Krystal and Glen’s first meeting, back in 2013. Krystal was in her first year of nursing and Glen was working in patient transport while studying business management.
“Glen’s not very forward,” says Krystal, laughing. After months of waiting for her to finish her shift so they could walk out to their cars together, Krystal had to eventually ask him whether he’d ask her for her phone number. That night, he called and they chatted until midnight. Now a theatre nurse and a health business banker, they were together for seven years until they decided to get married.
Who proposed?
Glen and Krystal have been going up to Bright every year for their anniversary. We were at a winery in 2019 for our seven-year anniversary, and Glen arranged with their wedding coordinator beforehand to get a photo as he was proposing. “I showed her how to use my camera when Krystal was in the bathroom, and she got a spectacular shot! It became our theme and we used it on the invitations and as a backdrop at our engagement party.”
How did you choose your ceremony and reception venue?
Krystal: We wanted a winery wedding where we’d have both the ceremony and reception, for a modern rustic look. We absolutely love the Yarra Valley and all its wineries, and being close to home made it a more affordable option for us. We’d been involved in a few weddings that were quite formal, so we knew we wanted a more relaxed day with good food as well. There’s nothing worse than having to stop off on your way home from a wedding to get something to eat!
We chose Riverstone Estate, with the beautiful backdrop of the Yarra Valley behind us. The food was fantastic and we had constant complements from our guests. In fact, we keep going back! We just go there for lunch or to visit their cellar door on the weekends.
What made your wedding unique?
We had a real Melbourne experience with four seasons in one day, including hail! We couldn’t believe it. After a week of beautiful weather, we woke up to rain, and it didn’t stop. The organisers at Riverstone had been watching the Bureau of Meteorology radar and made the call early in the day to move our outdoor wedding inside, and I’m so thankful they did.
During the ceremony, just as Glen was trying to read the vows he’d written, there was a really loud clap of thunder and most people couldn’t hear what he’d said. Afterwards, when we went into a nearby paddock to get some photos, it started hailing! I wasn’t cold – with all the adrenaline, I didn’t feel it at all – I just couldn’t believe it was hailing during our photos!
Tell us about some of the special elements of your day.
Krystal: I arrived at Riverstone Estate in an orange Ford 1967 Mustang fastback that belongs to a friend of my dad’s, and Glen arrived in a red Mustang around the same vintage. Both our dads drove us to our wedding.
My dad is also a signwriter, and he designed all the menus and signs, including the one announcing it was an unplugged ceremony. We asked our guests to turn off their phones and cameras and enjoy the moment with us. We also displayed photos of my grandfather and my cousin, who had passed away, on the mantlepiece above the fireplace. They are forever in our hearts.
Is there a story behind your dress?
Krystal: My Martina Liana dress was a backless, A-line dress of ivory lace with a semi-circular chapel train, which I had spread out for the ceremony, then later clipped to a chain. The dress needed no alterations, even though I’m not a standard size, and I was so comfortable in it, I wasn’t constantly adjusting myself. I added a necklace that dropped down my spine – I’d found the design online and had it custom made.
Glen: I chose a navy blue suit from Oxford and a floral bow tie and pocket square. I wear a normal tie for work, but I have a bit of a collection of bow ties that I wear when I go out. And when we were trying to get ideas, I’d see guys with braces, and every time, I’d say, “I want to look like that!” So we had caramel braces finished with brass buckles, including a set for our pageboy Luciano, who’s nearly three, but he was very uninterested in wearing them! He did wear his bow tie, though. My best man Tom’s bow tie was the same maroon as our maid-of-honour’s dress.
What’s your best advice for planning the perfect wedding?
- Communicate with each other about what you want at the wedding, and trying to make sure you’re both were on the same page. It was a lot of stress having to postpone the wedding, it’s easy for your budget to blow out, but we talked as much as possible.
- Don’t get hung upon the weather. As much as it was disappointing to move indoors at the last minute, we were adamant we weren’t going to let anything impact on our day.
- Take a moment to take it all in. Riverstone Estate set up a bridal room behind the function area where we could leave such things as spare shoes, and it was a space where we could go to and be alone, peaceful and quiet for a moment before getting back into the event.
Vendor Credits
Photographer: Rick Liston
Florist: Forget Me Not Floret
Ceremony & Reception Venue: Riverstone Estate
Celebrant: Pete Horden
Cake: Tilly’s Café, Berwick
Wedding Bands: Steve Richards jeweller, Australian Diamond Wholesale
Wedding night: Kangaroo Ridge Retreat
Bride Credits
Bridal Gown: Fairytales Bridal Boutique
Necklace: custom made by Poetry Designs
Hair: Pearly the Hairstylist
Groom Credits
Suit: Oxford
Shoes: Julius Marlow
Watch: Fossil
