Mountain MAGIC
15.09.2018
IDELIA LEONARDI and RAM VARANASI headed to the hills for a second celebration in part two of their gorgeous wedding nuptials.
Ram and I met at a mutual friend’s 30th birthday party in Sydney. We knew of each other but had never actually met. So, with plenty of liquid courage, Ram walked up to me and introduced himself and we started chatting. Then I asked him how his honeymoon had been. He replied with “I’m not married…” which is when I realised, “Oh, you’re Ram, not Raj!” That was over four years ago now and still makes us laugh.
We came across Rippon Vineyard while we were visiting on holiday. We saw them setting up a wedding and thought it would be an amazing place to get married. We weren’t engaged at that point, but when it came time to pick a venue, there was no other location in Wanaka that compared – you really feel like you’re in the mountain range, and Rippon Hall, with its cosy fireplace, was ideal for our winter wedding.
Our ceremony was held on the hilltop, with breathtaking views of the water behind us. We’d actually had our official Hindu ceremony in Sydney the week before [pictures on page 58], so had a ‘faux’ celebrant, Jacinta, which meant we could completely personalise the ceremony script and chose not to have bridesmaids or groomsmen.
Two weeks after Ram proposed, I hopped onto the website Still White and spotted a dress I loved the look of. The dress was custom made by Paolo Sebastian for the person I bought it off. Luckily, she was exactly my size and height! It had exquisite detail on the bodice with a simple, flowing skirt. I’m so happy that I bought a second-hand dress. Besides the fact that I saved a lot of money, I like how there are more layers and stories behind the dress.
Ram loves a bow tie, so we knew he’d have to get one for the wedding. He wore this with a light grey check suit from Hackett.
Instead of canapés, we opted for a grazing table, which included our delicious cheese wheel cake from Whitestone Cheese. It was an absolute winner.
As cheesy as it might sound, our first look was probably one of the most memorable parts of the day. Being able to share that moment together with no one else around before the day kicked off – that was a truly special moment.