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Belinda & Ben

I love scrolling through the images of a wedding and seeing the many emotions captured by a photographer, whether it be from the bride and groom, their wedding party or the guests. Belinda and Ben’s elegant Coombe wedding was so evidently full of love and affection from all involved in their day, and Sarah Godenzi Photography was there to capture these moments so beautifully.

Of how they met, Belinda remembers, “Ben and I met in 2010 at the Stawell Gift (a professional running event). I went down there to enjoy the weekend with my running friends, and Ben went to support a friend of his who was also running. We met at the Stawell Gift Hotel and it was love at first sight! It started with me saying hello to him and, unknowingly, he didn’t say it back (!), but ended in a crazy, fun weekend. From that moment I knew he would be a good fun guy, and Mum thought he was going to be the one.”

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Vouge and Jackson

Of Ben’s attire for their day, Belinda says,”After discussing the style of my dress, we agreed on a beautiful charcoal suit with black trimming from V & J Menswear. The suit went beautifully with the venue and the dress, and the best part was that he looked like such a spunk!”

Ian Phillips

Sugar Bee Flowers

The stunning bouquets were created by Sugar Bee Flowers.

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Rhilee Coughlan

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Belinda’s delicately beaded gown from Luci De Bella suited her theme and venue perfectly. “I wanted something quite elegant, that would suit the venue and give me that wow factor! It needed to work in with the period of the venue (Dame Nelly Melba) and once I found my designer and her beaded dress design, I was in love. She made it just the best experience, and I had full trust she was going to deliver and of course, she did. Luci was so much fun, and every time I had to visit I knew it would make my day. She made me feel like a goddess.”

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Mick Cambino

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“Our ceremony programs were DIY – we knew it was going to be hot on the day and so they doubled as fans. I didn’t really need to do anything else as everything was included through the venue!”
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Belinda walked down the aisle to “Heartbeats” by Jose Gonzalez, and the couple were married under the beautiful oak tree in front of Dame Nelly Melba’s home. Belinda says,” When we saw the amazing tree, we knew we were getting married there. The ceremony was just so magical!”

“Our celebrant was the wonderful Ann Flockhart who made the ceremony flow so well, and ensured it was very much about us. It was very sweet and their were a few laughs along the way too. We had the reading “He’s not perfect” by Bob Marley which really represented us as a couple. It was just perfect! We couldn’t believe how quickly it went.”

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Belinda and Ben held their ceremony and reception at Coombe the Melba Estate. Belinda gushes about their venue, “It was the first venue we walked into, and I was beaming from ear to ear from the moment we walked in through the hedges. Having grown up in Lilydale, we learnt a lot about Dame Nelly Melba and the contribution she made to our community. She was the famous women of her time and I just loved her. To be married in her estate was so special to us. I loved the venue because it was also all-inclusive, and as I run my own business I really didn’t have time to worry about the minor details that came with organising a wedding. The team at Coombe, especially Sarah who helped out and ensured the day ran smoothly, were so helpful and amazing.”

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Sarah Godenzi Photography

Luci Di Bella Gown

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Of their photographer, Sarah Godenzi, Belinda says, “We loved Sarah! Not only is she the best, we also really connected and got along so well. I felt like she was just a friend taking photos of us. It was fantastic that I had full trust in her knowing she would capture the best shots. Sarah was so professional and accommodating to our needs.”
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Coombe Melba Estate Yarra Valley

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Danni Webb Cakes

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Coombe Melba Estate Catering

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Belinda and Ben’s guests were surprised with a very exceptional surprise announcement at the reception. “A special detail of our wedding was the announcement of our first baby being on the way. I was 15 weeks pregnant and we just couldn’t wait to share the best news ever with our friends and family. The best part was they didn’t have to ask us, “So, when are you going to start a family..?”. We got in before they got a chance! I think the most special part of the day was having our most loved people in one room. I just loved the feeling of support everyone gave us, it was magical,” the bride gushes.

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The couple shared their first dance as husband and wife to Beyonce’s “XO”, and Belinda remembers, “Our first dance was awesome. It got everyone going and started a huge dance floor which is what I really wanted. Having an Italian background, at family weddings we always have the couple wrapped up in streamers that bind our love together to last forever. We gave everyone streamers and they wrapped us up so tight we almost fell over! I will never ever forget that special dance.”

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Belinda and Ben’s gorgeous wedding video was captured by Lee Vella (who is no longer filming weddings, so we can definitely appreciate this beautiful one created for the couple!).

Congratulations Belinda and Ben! We adore your stunningly elegant wedding. Thank you to Sarah Godenzi Photography for sharing this lovely wedding with us.