Christie & Santino
The Valley Estate Wedding, Currumbin Valley
Some love stories take their time, and Christie and Santino's is proof of exactly why that's worth the wait. They met 14 years ago through mutual friends, both with other partners at the time - and yet Christie went home and told her mum she'd met the man she wanted to marry. Fate agreed, just five years later than planned, reuniting them over lunch in Sydney, both single this time.
From there, they were inseparable. Thirteen years, three children and a business built together later, their wedding day at The Valley Estate in Currumbin Valley wasn't the start of a journey - it was a celebration of the one they'd already walked, side by side.
Wedding Planner & Stylist: The Events Lounge
Venue: The Valley Estate
Photography: Bayleigh Vedelago
Videography: Soda Films
Celebrant: Modern Love Ceremonies
Entertainment: Tobi Tobi / Jam Hot Live / Jeff Reid
Florist: Florals & Co
Hair Stylist: Jaala Brinsmead
Make Up Artist: Alex Perrin
Stationery: Laura Elizabeth Designs & Azure Paper
Wedding Cake: Marina Machado
Décor Hire: Social Event Hire, Staging Creations, House of Harvey, Table Art, Candles by Jessica, Out of the Dark Lighting
Santino proposed in Vaucluse, Sydney, under the guise of a couples' photoshoot - dropping to one knee on the very last shot, with pre-recorded messages from Christie's family waiting for her, and champagne at sunset to close it out. That same instinct for surprise and heartfelt detail carried all the way through to their wedding day, which unfolded as a journey in itself. A soft, romantic ceremony bathed in golden hour light gave way, as evening fell, to a completely transformed reception - deep red roses, flickering candlelight, crystal chandeliers, and a striking black-and-white checkerboard floor beneath a glowing "Maison Silvestro" sign, a beautiful nod to the great fashion houses, reimagined with Santino's own family name.
Every single detail of the day was personalised - custom chocolates, matchboxes, napkins, decals, even an Italian cannoli cart, all carrying the Maison Silvestro mark. But the moment that stopped guests in their tracks was Christie's handwritten love notes, one for each person in the room, doubling as their seating chart - a quietly extraordinary way to make an entire wedding feel like a letter to the people who mattered most.
Working with Christie and Santino was an absolute joy from start to finish - fun, kind, and endlessly thoughtful, exactly the energy they poured into every element of their day. We loved it so much we were back the very next day for their recovery party, because a celebration this special was never going to end with the last dance. Christie and Santino didn't just plan a wedding - they built a love letter to everything they've created together, and it showed in every detail.
