An Intimate Waterfront Celebration: Lina & Ryan's Wedding at Zest Waterfront Venues
- Author: Natali Grace Levine
- Wedding date: 11/03/2023
- City: Sydney
In the digital age romance of April 2021, Tinder brought together two souls who would soon become inseparable. Their first date at Rose Bay Marina would later become beautifully symbolic, as it was at this very location that they would find their perfect wedding venue.
Their whirlwind romance moved swiftly but surely. After eight magical months together, Ryan couldn't even wait until Christmas Day to pop the question. "Ryan proposed on Christmas Eve when we were opening gifts at home. It was a wonderful night," Lina shares.
After a year of careful planning, Lina and Ryan's vision of an intimate waterfront celebration came to life exactly as they'd dreamed.
"We wanted to have an intimate celebration with family and closest friends in a beautiful venue by the water on a sunny day," the couple explains. "Our vision came through beyond our expectations."
Rather than following strict wedding traditions or themes, the couple focused on creating an atmosphere of joy and togetherness. With just 25 of their closest family and friends in attendance, the celebration spread across some of Sydney's most picturesque locations - from the getting-ready location in Tamarama to the ceremony at Zest Water Front Venue in Point Piper, and photo sessions at both Parsley Bay and the historic Vaucluse House.
What touched them most during the year-long planning process wasn't the details or decor, but the human connection. "Inviting our guests and seeing everyone being so excited for us," is what they recall inspired them most.
The morning began in a spacious Airbnb apartment in Tamarama,where Lina prepared for her big day surrounded by her father, sister, and nephew. Her dress, a stunning creation from Carolina Couture salon by a Ukrainian designer, was destiny at first sight.
"It was the very first dress that I tried on," Lina recalls with a smile. "My best friends and I instantly knew it was the one even after trying other dresses it remained my choice." She discovered the Carolina Couture salon through online research, proving sometimes the perfect dress is just a click away.
Lina chose to keep her bridal look elegantly simple, complementing her gown with carefully chosen shoes and a delicate handbag. Adding a deeply personal touch to her day, Lina channeled her creativity into the floral elements: "I love making flower arrangements so a day before our wedding I bought a lot of flowers from Sydney flowers market in white and cream colour and created my own flower arrangements as well as the bouquet."
The couple chose to capture their pre-ceremony moments at their getting-ready location, with the stunning Tamarama beach as their backdrop. "We chose it because we loved the location and the view," they explain.
The Zest Waterfront venue in Point Piper provided a stunning backdrop for Lina and Ryan's intimate ceremony. As the opening notes of Air Supply's "Lost in Love" filled the air, all eyes turned to see Lina walk down the aisle. Their young niece Ruby preceded the bride as flower girl, adding an adorable touch to the procession, while both fathers shared the honored role of ring bearers.
"Beautiful speech from the celebrant," the couple recalls, their eyes shining. But it was their personal vows that truly captured the essence of their love story, each word carefully chosen to express their deepest feelings and promises to one another. In this waterfront setting, surrounded by their closest family and friends, Lina and Ryan's commitment to each other felt as vast as the ocean before them.
The newlyweds chose Vaucluse House and Parsley Bay for their post-ceremony photographs. "Beautiful nature and views, gardens, water, bridge allowed us to take a lot of different beautiful photos," they share.
The Zest Waterfront venue captured Lina and Ryan's hearts instantly during their venue search. "Our chosen venue immediately seemed right when we saw it as we have spent a lot of time together in that area," they share. The space transformed into their dream setting with a sophisticated palette of white and cream, elegantly accented by gold tableware that caught the light of the waterfront venue. A personalized guest book invited loved ones to leave their heartfelt messages, adding to the intimate atmosphere they had carefully crafted.
Their first dance as husband and wife was to Ed Sheeran's "Perfect" - a fitting choice for their fairytale day. The celebration continued with exquisite canapés, multiple courses, and a beautiful wedding cake from Little White Bakery.
"Everyone did an outstanding job. We are very grateful," the couple reflects on working with their vendors. From their modern meeting to their intimate celebration, Lina and Ryan's wedding day was a perfect reflection of their love story - beautifully personal, elegantly simple, and filled with joy.