Grace and Thomas in the Vittoria, Birdie & Ravella
A free spirit who never planned to stay still, a man who became her reason to, and a weekend in the rainforest where the clouds parted right on cue.
An undeniable knowing between them
Before Grace and Tom met, her nickname was "Gypsy". She was always chasing the next place, the next experience, the next chapter. She was loving her newfound freedom again and wasn't ready to stay still. "Deep down, I truly don't think I believed I would ever love someone enough to choose a life beside them."
Then she met Tom.
From the beginning, they both knew there was something bigger at play. Tom didn't stop her love for adventure, he became the person she wanted to experience life with.
“For the first time in my life, love didn’t feel confusing or conditional. It felt safe. Expansive. Real. Like I could fully exhale and finally let myself be loved.”
Real Bride Grace in the Vittoria Gown
Time stopped for a moment
With her carefree nature, Grace thought Tom was being overly cautious about locking their Airbnb doors when travelling through Morocco and Tuscany, little did she know, he was hiding her engagement ring and waiting for the perfect moment to pop the question.
Italy was full of slow mornings, long lunches, good wine and the kind of days that stretch on in the best possible way. Then one evening, as the restaurant emptied around them and the night grew quiet, he got down on one knee.
"After years of being the girl always chasing the next adventure, there I was, sitting across from the man I wanted to build a life with."
More Than a Venue
When it came to planning the day they’d say ‘I do’ they knew they wanted a full weekend of love, connection, nature, dancing, food and every person they adore gathered in one place. Austinvilla Estate offered exactly that, a rare mix of wildness and beauty; rainforest, open lawns, candlelit spaces and a feeling that makes you exhale the moment you arrive.
The ceremony was the moment she'll never forget. Her grandmother walked as one of the flower girls, one of the most tender and beautiful things she had ever experienced. Grace made her way down the aisle barefoot, arm in arm with both her mum and dad, to Higher Than the Mountains by Sam Garrett. It had been raining all morning, and then, right as the ceremony began, the clouds parted. "It honestly felt like the whole universe paused for us." Seeing her husband standing there, surrounded by everyone they love, on the land that means so much to them, it was, in every sense, pure magic.
Dressed for Every Moment
When it came to choosing her gown, she couldn't settle on just one, and we understood completely. Each look was chosen to speak to a different part of the day.
Finding her dresses with us was, in Grace's own words, one of the most special parts of the entire wedding journey. She came in thinking she was simply choosing gowns. What she found was something more. "I was overwhelmed with all the decisions, emotions and moving pieces of the wedding, and they became my calm." Our team, including founder Meg Ziems, took the time to truly understand the feeling of the day she was trying to create, and together, they found three looks that each told a different part of her story.
She got ready surrounded by the ones she loves most, wearing the Como Lounge Set and Como Satin Robe before walking down the aisle in our Vittoria Gown, its softness and emotion perfectly held in every step towards her person.
As the celebration moved into speeches and reception, she changed into the Birdie Gown, effortless, contemporary and made for a room full of love.
Then, as the night opened up and the dancing began, she slipped into Ravella, pure energy from the very first song.
"I didn't just find dresses. I found the women who helped me feel like the bride I was always meant to be."
Advice for Future Grace Brides
“Honestly, I don’t think I would change a thing ...even the little imperfect moments became part of the magic. Choose the dress that makes you feel the most like yourself. The right gown doesn’t just change how you look ....it changes how you feel walking into one of the biggest moments of your life.”
