SARINA | PATO

Sarina and Pato's wedding was a joyful celebration of love, laughter and the beautifully personal details that made the day entirely their own. Set against the romantic backdrop of Maison de Moon, every moment, from handmade friendship bracelets to matching moon tattoos beneath the night sky, reflected a story thoughtfully woven together with heart.

Tell us about your special day:

We were married on April 11th at Maison de Moon in Clarendon, and it truly felt like the perfect reflection of us. The French provincial farmhouse, beautiful gardens, and warm, welcoming atmosphere made it feel less like a venue and more like a home filled with our favourite people. After a little weather-induced panic in the lead-up to the ceremony, we made the decision to move indoors. In hindsight, it couldn’t have worked out more perfectly — the space was stunning and created an intimate, romantic feeling that made the ceremony even more special.

We put a lot of ourselves into the day. In true Swiftie fashion, every guest received a handmade friendship bracelet that doubled as their place setting, one of many DIY touches that helped create the upscale garden party feel we had envisioned. One of the most memorable moments came thanks to Pato’s best man, who is a tattoo artist. During the celebrations, he gave us matching moon tattoos inspired by our venue, each representing the exact phase of the moon shining above us that night — a waning crescent. It’s such a meaningful reminder of the day and a memory we’ll carry with us forever.

As the sun set, we celebrated under the stars in a clear marquee, dancing late into the night surrounded by the people we love most. There were so many highlights, but watching my grandad somehow get lower than anyone else on the dance floor was definitely one for the history books. The entire day was filled with so much love, laughter, and joy. If we could relive it again and again and again, we absolutely would.

Your journey to the dress:

Finding “The One” was a little bit of fate and a little bit of very unfortunate timing. I travelled from Adelaide to Melbourne for my dress shopping trip, but only after having to postpone it by two weeks because I caught COVID. It’s probably the only time I’ve ever been grateful for getting sick, because that delay ended up changing everything. The week I finally made it to the boutique happened to be the same week the new Adorn collection had arrived. In fact, I think it may have been the very first day it was available to try on — it wasn’t even online yet. If I had gone when originally planned, I never would have found the Cassandra gown that I ultimately fell in love with. The Cassandra was actually the first “real” wedding dress I tried on at my very first appointment. I was there with my friend Kassandra, which felt like a sign in itself. The moment I stepped into it, I looked at Kassandra and Frankie, my stylist, and said, “I think this is going to be the one.” We tried on plenty of other dresses afterwards to be certain, but nothing else came close to how I felt in that gown. What I loved most about the Cassandra was the way it made me feel. It was elegant and timeless, but it also made me feel incredibly confident and, honestly, hot. The shoulder adornment was absolutely stunning, and the pearl detailing throughout both the gown and accessories added such a beautiful level of sophistication. From the moment I put it on, it felt less like I had found my dress and more like the dress had been waiting for me all along.

How was your experience with the Anna Campbell team?

My experience with the Anna Campbell team was nothing short of amazing. Anna Campbell was the very first boutique I visited, and at the time I didn’t realise just how spoiled I was. Every appointment afterwards was compared to that experience, and nothing else came close. From the moment we walked through the door, everyone was warm, welcoming, and genuinely invested in helping me find the perfect dress. Frankie was absolutely incredible throughout the entire process. Even though I think she knew from the moment I stepped out in the Cassandra gown that it was going to be my dress, she completely humoured me and encouraged me to explore every option. We tried on what felt like a million gowns, and she was endlessly patient and creative. At one point she even pinned a Cassandra neckline onto a different dress because I loved the overall vibe but wasn’t sold on how it sat across my chest. It never felt like she was trying to rush me towards a decision — she simply wanted me to be completely certain, and that made all the difference. One of the things that stood out most was how welcoming the boutique felt. My friend brought her infant son along to the appointment, and he was made to feel just as welcome as the rest of us. It created such a relaxed, comfortable atmosphere and made the whole experience feel special rather than stressful. As someone travelling interstate from Adelaide, I was also incredibly grateful for how accommodating the team was. They managed to schedule all of my fittings across just two days, which made the logistics so much easier without ever making the process feel rushed. When I later needed to move my fitting dates because of a commitment back home that couldn’t be changed, the team went above and beyond to find alternative appointments that worked with my travel plans while still being close enough to the wedding. Every interaction felt thoughtful, flexible, and genuinely customer-focused, and I couldn’t have asked for a better experience.

What was your favourite moment from the day?

I’m genuinely torn between two moments. The first was doing first looks with my family — my mum, dad, grandparents — and then with my now husband. Wedding days can feel like they pass in a blur, so having those quiet, intentional moments with the people I love most before everything began felt incredibly special. They’re some of my favourite memories from the entire day. The other moment I’ll treasure forever was walking down the aisle with my dad. In a very “me” move, I somehow forgot to actually ask him until the day before the wedding, and he’d simply assumed I’d be marching down the aisle independently! I’ve always shared a special bond with my dad, and having him by my side during such a significant moment meant more to me than I can put into words. Looking back, I don’t think I could imagine it any other way.

Vendors:

Photographer @emmafaithphoto

Videographer @lukejohnphotography @the_film_room

Celebrant @marrymelorri

Hair & Makeup @hairbygracewright @samantharuby_mua

Venue, Florals & Styling @maison.de.moon

The Brains @wedbuild

Tattoos @jayden.tattoo

Vibes @djmanov