“We thought a wedding and a holiday combined made complete sense,” says Jess. “We find excitement in travel, and we wanted our guests to be able to relax and enjoy the experience too.”
After living in three cities together and sharing countless adventures — from Iceland to Barbados — it was only fitting that Jessica and Brandon’s next big chapter would begin somewhere special. They chose to exchange vows at the luxurious Silavadee Pool Spa Resort in Koh Samui, bringing 35 of their favourite people together for a relaxed and joy-filled celebration by the sea.
The couple’s journey started at a university bar, where two separate nights out led to a serendipitous second meeting. “We started talking and spending time together, and officially became a couple two weeks later,” Jess recalls. “Fate is real!”
The proposal came five years later, on a sweltering summer’s day in Japan. After a morning exploring Nara Park, sipping vending-machine electrolytes and sampling mochi, Brandon guided Jess under a tree to cool off. “He told me there was a blue dragonfly to distract me,” she says. “The next minute, he was on one knee.” Despite the heat-induced haze, it was a joyful, emotional moment neither will forget.
When it came to planning their wedding, they knew they wanted a destination that felt like a proper getaway. With guests arriving from around the world, Thailand proved the ideal meeting point. “We filled in a questionnaire on an overseas wedding website and got five options,” says Jess. “Silavadee appealed immediately — not only for its lush setting but for the rare opportunity to marry on a private beach.”
Jess and Brandon exchanged handwritten vows beneath a canopy of soft pink and white blooms, surrounded by lush green foliage and views of the turquoise sea. “It was everything we hoped for — tropical, colourful and relaxed,” says Jess. Bridesmaids wore dusty rose dresses, while the groomsmen were dressed in sandy-coloured linen to reflect the golden tones of the sunset. Jess and Brandon were barefoot in the sand, their looks effortless and elegant — Jess in a beaded high-neck gown with an open back, Brandon in a breezy linen suit with a simple boutonnière.
Silavadee’s team had planned for everything, even when the tide rose higher than expected. “They simply shifted the ceremony to a different spot on the beach,” Jess explains. “If no one had told me, I would’ve had no idea it wasn’t the original plan.”
From start to finish, the day flowed with ease. Acoustic versions of their favourite songs set the mood — including Stephen Sanchez’s Until I Found You for the aisle and Runnin’ Home to You by Grant Gustin for their first dance. “We didn’t plan choreography,” says Jess. “We just swayed together. It was really special.”
The couple credits Silavadee’s full-service approach — and the support of wedding planner Sukun Tunmaneeprasert — for making the whole experience seamless. “Everything was supplied through Silavadee, which took so much hassle out of the process,” Jess says.
And the festivities didn’t stop at “I do.” After their beachfront ceremony and reception at Silavadee’s Moon Restaurant, Jessica and Brandon set off on a four-week honeymoon through northern Thailand, Laos and Vietnam — the perfect end to a trip that brought all the people and places they love together.
Among the standout memories? “Getting ready with my bridesmaids who had come from all parts of the world, saying our vows at the altar, and walking down the boardwalk with my dad onto the most beautiful beach wedding setup I’ve ever seen. It made all the months of planning more than worthwhile.”
Planning from afar, Jess says, can be daunting — but well worth it. Her advice: “Choose the top three things that matter most to you and base your venue choice on those. Communicate early with your vendors, and try not to worry about minor hiccups — what you’ll remember most is the feeling of love and pride that you made it to this day together.”
And for couples concerned about guests who can’t make the trip? “You can always host a party beforehand so everyone feels included. You won’t be able to please everyone — just focus on creating the day that feels right for you both.”
DREAM TEAM
Guests: 35
Venue: Silavadee Pool Spa Resort, Koh Samui
Wedding Planner: Sukun Tunmaneeprasert
Photography: Eak Samui Photographer
Videography: iFun Film
Dress: Brides of Beecroft, NSW
Groom + Groomsmen: Joe Black via Myer
Bridesmaids: Hello Molly
Hair + Makeup: Polina Pak’s Studio
Celebrant: Camille Lemmens
Florals, Cake, Catering, Music, Stationery: Silavadee Team
Rings: Simon Curwood, Angus and Coote