Portia and Norton’s Tasmanian elopement
The presence of Portia and Norton in our lives was like the introduction of a breath of fresh air. Since they first contacted us in December 2018 about having their wedding in Scotland around the northern summer of 2020, we’re not sure a couple could have had their plans changed more. It’s safe to say that the night after their elopement, we felt very, very happy with our day’s work. They were so quietly confident in their love and sure that their day would be magical no matter where or when. Despite the hundreds of emails exchanged and our feeling like we were squishing their dreams one by one with every news report, they were so quietly confident that their day would be magical no matter where and no matter when.
They decided to change their elopement plans from Scotland to a winter day in Hobart, forgoing a venue in favour of a small ceremony in the Botanical Gardens with Josh, their celebrant, and Harley and Ainsley from Bulb Creative, as well as flower arrangements from The Romantics. They started off their new life together by exchanging bespoke vows beneath an old tree, and then they went on a romantic photo and video shoot throughout the city. Moving on from the Hobart region, Bulb Creative and Portia and Norton arranged to meet near the shore of Coles Bay in the morning in order to take photographs of the sunrise against a natural setting.
We’ve gone on long enough; now it’s their turn to speak and get into the meat and potatoes of their elopement? Let’s go!
The location
When we weren’t able to travel overseas, we knew that we wanted to keep a similar feel, only in Australia — so Tasmania it was! Our original intention was to elope in the lovely Scottish Highlands but when we weren’t able to travel overseas, we knew that we wanted to keep a similar feel, only in Australia. We also enjoy the winter season, despite having spent our entire life in the warm climate of Queensland, and we wanted our wedding to have a warm and inviting atmosphere, which we most definitely achieved. We are mountain and environment enthusiasts, so we understood that we didn’t want a “venue” in the traditional sense; rather, we were looking for an epic place in a gorgeous setting that made us feel at home.
That is one of the reasons why we chose to work with The Elopement Collective; they are dedicated to helping you create a memorable and exclusive occasion amidst breathtaking settings.
We ended up choosing Hobart as our destination, which is a beautiful combination of sea and mountains and has an appealing European vibe to the whole town and region.
The clothes
I always knew that I wanted a dress that was basic and ethereal, but it turned out to be rather challenging for me to find one in Australia. I was browsing the internet when I came across Kamperett and immediately fell head over heels with their gowns.
Because they are situated in California, I was a little concerned to get my dress online without first trying it on, but I was sure that it was the right dress for me so I went ahead and placed the order. The ordering process was quite easy, and the final product, which was a dress, was even better than I could have hoped for. Norton opted for an ensemble consisting entirely of black clothing since he was going for a monochromatic appearance. The wonderful people working at YD were really helpful and made the whole process quite simple.
Favourite details
We kept our day quite uncomplicated, and the things that we did choose to include were selected with care and affection; hence, everything that we did was, to tell you the truth, our absolute fave. Everything about our wedding, from the minute details like our vow books to the big things like our clothing and jewellery, reflected who we are as a couple and the way we want to express ourselves.
Memorable moment
Although there were a lot of great moments throughout the day, one of our favourites was when our vows were over and we were formally married. To celebrate, we had a little dance together. An additional event that stands out in my memory is when we were taking pictures of us leisurely dancing at twilight while gazing out over the lake. We were able to give each other a full embrace because it seemed as though there was no one else in the area at that time.
A little LOL
Our day turned into a bit of an adventure when we were heading up Mount Wellington for our ceremony and hit a roadblock (literally!) due to the dense fog that was on the mountain.” We made the spontaneous decision to go with the flow and drive back down to Salamanca Place, where we were greeted by a breathtaking sunset over the sea. Although this was not exactly what we had in mind, it was equally as stunning.
We are delighted that…
… we eloped and had a carefree day that perfectly reflected us and allowed us to feel so at ease.” You get a chance to concentrate not just on each other but also on the things that are actually significant. We can’t say enough good things about it!”
Standout vendors
We are overjoyed that we decided to employ The Elopement Collective for our very important day, and to tell you the truth, all of our vendors were so wonderful that we can’t pick a favourite among them. From the very beginning, our celebrant Josh Withers put us at rest and helped us feel fully at peace throughout the entire ceremony. The photographers Harley and Ainsley from Bulb Creative are so pleasant, and despite all of the last-minute alterations that occurred throughout the day, they remained composed and joyous. This greatly assisted us in unwinding and taking pleasure in each and every moment. Kim from Makeup Bar Hobart is amazing, and she has a lot of talent when it comes to doing what she does. Last but not least, Lani from The Romantics put together the most stunning bouquet; I seriously couldn’t have wished for anything more perfect.
