In the Byron Bay hinterland, where rolling greenery meets the soft glow of the Australian sun, Lily and Regan gathered 35 of their closest friends and family for a wedding weekend designed as an intimate escape rather than a single-day celebration. Hosted at an Italian-style villa hidden among the hills, the atmosphere felt relaxed yet artfully considered, blending long-table dining, sculptural florals, and sun-drenched poolside moments. The festivities began with sunset canapés and a candlelit Italian dinner before flowing into a garden-party ceremony framed by creamy ruched drapery cascading from the villa’s second storey and romantic floral installations. As daylight faded, curved reception tables became lush landscapes of moss, grasses, and blooms, glowing beneath hundreds of candles. Lily’s bridal wardrobe mirrored the effortless elegance of the setting: a drop-waist Floure gown with bow detailing for the ceremony, paired with satin Miu Miu ballet flats, followed by a ruffled Zimmermann runway dress for the evening celebration. The entire weekend carried the easy rhythm of a shared holiday – complete with oysters, live illustration, a surprise fire show, and a recovery by the pool. Captured beautifully by our member, wedding photographer Lei Lei Clavey, the celebration feels both intimate and strikingly cinematic.
Our Welcome Dinner
The Location
We hosted our multi-day celebration at Lo Scoglio, an Italian-style villa tucked away in the Byron Bay hinterland. We wanted the weekend to feel intimate, centered around good food, long tables, and quality time. Truthfully, I was completely obsessed with the venue, and it felt only right to host all the events in the one place.
Décor and Ambience
We kicked off the celebrations with sunset canapés and drinks, soaking up the views before gathering for a three-course Italian dinner. Our groomsmen set the tone with a heartfelt welcome speech, and the waterworks quickly followed. It was such a fun and memorable way to begin the wedding weekend. For the recovery, I wanted to channel a Slim Aarons–inspired poolside afternoon. I’m matcha-obsessed, so a matcha bar was a non-negotiable and quickly became a crowd favorite, alongside an Italian-style grazing table.
Our Style
I was drawn to pieces I could re-wear long after the wedding. For the welcome dinner, I wore a silk set by Hanne Bloch, perfectly suited to the relaxed Byron Bay vibe. The following day, I layered a Zimmermann bikini beneath a white lace robe with crochet shorts from Arakii, paired with understated flats by Loewe. Being in Byron Bay, linen felt like a natural choice throughout the weekend. For the welcome, he opted for a chocolate linen button-up by Onia, paired with Rag & Bone linen trousers. The following day, he wore Stone Island pants styled with a Jacquemus linen top.
Our Love Story
The Day We Met
We met on the first day of high school, complete opposites who became friends first. What began as a slow burn quietly turned into love, and sixteen years later, we’re still each other’s best friends.
The Proposal
On our holiday in Koh Samui, we hired a jet ski from our resort and spent the day island hopping. I was on a mission to find the right spot, passing a few beaches that felt almost right before insisting we head towards a tiny island in the distance.
We ended up on a secluded tropical island completely to ourselves, and under the pretence of filming an Instagram video, I dropped to one knee and proposed to Lily.
The Engagement Ring
Regan picked an oval diamond ring from Louise Jean Jewellery, which we later redesigned into an oval bezel setting — a subtle change that felt very me.
Our Wedding
The Vision
We had our hearts set on a multi-day weekend with 35 of our favorite people: a welcome dinner with an Italian-inspired feast and sunset drinks; an Italian garden-party-style wedding celebration; and a Slim Aarons–inspired recovery by the pool with burgers and matcha. I had always envisioned a wedding that felt more like a shared holiday than a single event. We love hosting and gathering our friends in one place, and this weekend was our way of recreating that feeling.
The Location
Byron Bay has always held a special place in our hearts — it’s where we’ve celebrated many milestones together, so it felt only natural to get married there. We discovered our venue, Lo Scoglio, by chance during a Byron getaway organised by friends and, despite it not yet being officially open for bookings, enquired and visited immediately. The moment we saw the Italian-style villa, my heart skipped a beat and we knew instantly it was the one.
Our Team of Vendors
We were intentional in choosing vendors who truly aligned with us. The first we secured were our planner, photographer, florist, and videographer, and we trusted them with the creative freedom to bring our vision to life, which they executed beautifully. I also want to give a special shout-out to my glam team, who were the ultimate hype girls alongside my bridesmaids.
The Ceremony
When we first visited the venue, there was an elevated patch of grass that felt almost like a stage, and I knew instantly it was where we wanted to hold the ceremony. Our florist is a true artist and visionary — she dreamed up creamy, ruched draping cascading from the second storey of the villa, creating a soft, flowing backdrop, paired with sculptural floral installations that brought a sense of romance and artistry to the space. I will truly never get over the styling.
The Cocktail Hour
Cocktail hour was all about thoughtful touches that felt true to us — a roaming magician at Regan’s request, a live oyster-shucking station as a nod to his work in the seafood industry, and a live illustrator creating keepsakes for our guests, inspired by my love for art.
The Reception
The reception unfolded as an outdoor, candlelit garden dinner at sunset. The idea of curved tables came from our planner, and we were instantly obsessed. The tables became immersive landscapes, with a continuous garden of florals, moss, and grassy textures flowing through the centre — sculptural yet low enough for conversation, and a true reflection of our florist’s artistry.
As the evening unfolded, we surprised our guests with a fire show, a nod to our engagement in Koh Samui. Watching fire dancers perform under the stars was one of our most memorable moments after getting engaged, and sharing that experience with our friends and family felt like a tribute to where our journey to marriage began.
The Special Touches
The day was filled with meaningful personal touches, many of them honouring my dad. From a gold bangle set with his birthstone, gifted by my bridesmaids, to a pendant of him that Regan surprised me with for my bouquet before I walked down the aisle — his presence was felt throughout the day. As the sun set, my bridesmaid serenaded us, setting a beautiful mood, and our stationery was thoughtfully designed by our closest friends. We also opted for tiramisu in place of a traditional wedding cake, making every detail feel deeply personal.
Our Favorite Moment
Our favorite moment actually came the next day during the recovery — standing on the deck at sunset with our friends, overlooking the Byron hinterland, soaking in the magic of the weekend and reminiscing about our wedding day with our favorite people.
Our Style
The Bridal Looks
Curating my bridal wardrobe was one of my favorite parts of wedding planning. I was intentional about wearing Australian labels for my key bridal looks. For the ceremony, I chose a drop-waist gown with bow detailing on the train by Floure Studio, paired with satin ballet flats from Miu Miu (heels have never really been my thing). I later switched my hair into a sleek ponytail, finished with a bow to match the gown’s detailing — a look that quickly became my favorite of the weekend.
For my second look, I changed into a floral-ruffle runway gown by Zimmermann, finishing with calla lily sandals from Cult Gaia to mirror the blooms in my bridal bouquet. I was drawn to pieces I could re-wear long after the wedding. For the welcome dinner, I wore a silk set by Hanne Bloch, perfectly suited to the relaxed Byron Bay vibe. The following day, I layered a Zimmermann bikini beneath a white lace robe with crochet shorts from Arakii, paired with understated flats by Loewe.
The Groom Looks
Regan wore a custom white suit by Suit Society for the ceremony, later changing into a black jacket for the reception. Being in Byron Bay, linen felt like a natural choice throughout the weekend. For the welcome, he opted for a chocolate linen button-up by Onia, paired with Rag & Bone linen trousers. The following day, he wore Stone Island pants styled with a Jacquemus linen top.
Our Bridesmaids’ & Groomsmen's Looks
I chose a deep burgundy colour palette to echo the mood of the venue and our overall styling. Each of my bridesmaids picked out their own dress, reflecting their individual style while still feeling cohesive. My two flower girls wore matching burgundy dresses, which tied everything together beautifully. After seeing the bridesmaids’ colour palette, Regan surprised me by choosing a custom-made dark brown suit by Suit Society for our groomsmen, perfectly complementing the rich burgundy tones of the bridal party.
Our Advice
For the Planning Process
Choose your venue first — it really sets the tone, and I planned the wedding around it. The day goes by so quickly, so finding a photographer and videographer who truly align with your vision is key. I initially thought I’d plan everything myself, but it soon became something Regan and I shared: Sunday planning sessions, practising the first dance he surprised me by choreographing, and creating a weekend filled with personal touches that felt very us. My biggest takeaway is to treat it as a shared project and plan it together.
For On The Day
Let go of the stress and trust your vendors and your vision. The day truly goes by so quickly, so slow down and allow yourself to be present. Once you arrive at the venue, let the planning go — whatever unfolds becomes part of the story. One of my favorite moments was taking a quiet morning stroll around the venue with my bridesmaids, a calm, grounding pause before the day began.
For Post-Wedding
After Byron, Regan and I went straight into back-to-back celebrations, hosting a banquet-style dinner to honour our cultures, which felt incredibly special and allowed us to stay in that post-wedding high a little longer. If you can, keep the celebrations going. We had friends and family travel from all over the world, so we took extra days off to soak up that time together. We also chose to postpone our honeymoon, which eased the pressure and gave us something beautiful to look forward to once the wedding high settled.
Vendors
Photographer: Lei Lei Clavey
Videographer: John Kurt
Venue: Lo Scoglio Byron Bay
Wedding Planner & Stylist: Elope
Fabric Installation Artist: The Seasalter Co
Furniture & Decor Hire: The Wedding Shed, Details Decided
Florist: Brær Studio
Stationery: Cloey Tenorio
Cake: Maria’s
Catering: Fig Tree Restaurant, Emerald Whisk
Celebrant: Lauren Bridge
Music: Janda Events
Hair: Leigh McCoy
Makeup: Janise Chan, Ava Belle Makeup
Style
Welcome Party Dress: Hanne Bloch
Ceremony Dress: Floure
Reception Dress: Zimmermann
Recovery Party Dress: Arakii
Shoes & Accessories: Miu Miu, Cult Gaia, Loewe, Louise Jean
Groom & Groomsmen Suits: Suit Society
Flower Girl Dress: Oui Babe