STM wedding edition: Inside the love story and Italian-inspired wedding of Gabi Sullivan and Chad Cross

Gabi and Chad Cross are used to turning heads. On a surface level, the content creator couple — who co-own popular activewear brand Vang Athletica — are blessed with model good looks. An athletic Chad is etched in a mural of tattoos, while Gabi’s effortless style has seen her amass a massive following on social media, 507,000 on Instagram and more than 280,000 on TikTok. After spending time on these socials, though, and posing nosy questions about their relationship and recent wedding, it’s evident there is much more to the aesthetic duo than meets the eye. This is a couple who have been inseparable since meeting at a festival on Rottnest Island in 2015. Despite the rowdy setting, Gabi, nee Sullivan, was drawn to Chad’s electrifying charm, his beautiful smile, and their easy conversation. Now, they connect over the simple pleasures in life; classical music, takeaway pizza at Kings Park, working out together at the gym, and pottering around at home with their dachshunds, Yoda and Pippin. It’s a safe and easy kind of connection filled with joy and a commitment to support each other to be the best people they can be. So when it came to celebrating this love, they wanted their wedding day to reflect the place where their connection had grown, and where Chad proposed. “My biggest goal was to teleport our families to the European coastline where Chad and my love blossomed and where we spend a lot of time,” Gabi tells STM. “To find a home that felt like we really were in the Italian countryside having a garden soiree with a beautiful candlelit dinner and delicious food. “I collected a lot of inspiration from weddings held in Europe. Social media and Pinterest is your best friend.” Chad surprised Gabi by getting down on one knee during dinner on Greece’s largest island Crete, a destination known for its crystalline waters and rich history. As the singing waiters delivered a cake in the bustling restaurant, there was Chad with the ring. After two years searching for the perfect location — wondering if perhaps they’d have to jet off once again for a destination wedding — they finally found it in a private property in the Swan Valley. The grand home with sweeping grounds, pale pink walls and a romantic balcony was the ideal backdrop for the ceremony set in front of its grand facade, cocktail hour by its pool, and long table reception stretching across the grass. “The house has such a beautiful charm and presence,” Gabi says. “I think I speak for all our guests when I say they were all blown away.” Every thought and idea the couple had was made a reality by their wedding stylists and planners, Lara White and Hollie McDonald of White Events. Like an outfit completed by jewellery, the arches overlooking the ceremony were embellished with colourful blooms and sculptural greenery by Natural Art Flowers, which also ran down the aisle. A cluster of oranges and grapes at the bottom of the arches was a subtle nod to Europe. And what is a getaway to the Med without an unforgettable feast? The couple had their eyes on Mi Scusi, founded by Marco Bevilacqua and Olivia Ledger, who launched their Italian-skewed catering company in 2021. “I love their Italian-inspired menus. The food looks as good as it tastes,” Gabi says. “Their attention to detail is incredible, and in all honesty the team is so beautiful to work with. They really catered to every idea and vision I had.” Over three courses their 40 guests indulged in ricotta ravioli doused in lemon butter, kingfish crudo, caprese salad, and melt-in the-mouth beef and fish. Dessert was a fresh raspberry and cream-topped pavlova. From start to fairy tale finish, Gabi says their day reflected who they are and what they wanted in a wedding. The bride’s morning started slow with a workout before a quiet breakfast with her mum in their room at Como The Treasury. Kris Kross applied soft curls in her long caramel tresses, while Jacinta McDonald used a bronze palette to elevate Gabi’s natural beauty. It was within the luxury hotel that Gabi stepped into her first look; an off-the-shoulder corseted gown by renowned designer Vivienne Westwood paired with satin point heels by The Attico. “I think finding your looks is quite overwhelming but I can’t deny I’ve been saving images for inspiration for the last 10 years. Confirming my looks did surprise me, though” Gabi says. “As soon as I tried on a variety of Vivienne Westwood dresses I knew it was the shape for me. They are so timeless but still have that ‘wow’ factor. It felt so incredible when I tried on the Camille gown.” In her dream dress, Gabi walked down the aisle, with her mum at her side, to Spring 1 by Max Richter played by string quartet Dolce Ensembles. As a special surprise for Chad, they played a tune from the film Interstellar in the moments before she arrived — one of his favourite scores. “Music was a very important part to set the tone for our day,” Gabi says. “It really sets the tone and brings back memories.” DJ Aslan was on the decks throughout the reception, expertly mixing Motown and the classics including Etta James, Aretha Franklin, Sugar Minott and The Cranberries. Can’t Take My Eyes Off You by Frankie Valli and Summer Wind by Frank Sinatra were particularly meaningful songs for the couple. For Gabi’s second look, she turned to New York designer Danielle Frankel whose pieces she describes as a “work of art”. Both looks were from Bloom Australia. “When you see her corsets up close they are just breathtaking,” Gabi says of Frankel’s work. “I loved the idea of a two-piece for the second look. My corset had a beautiful fabric attached that made the look very versatile. “I knew other brides had worn the corset before so I wanted to make sure my look had my own twist. I went to the beautiful local designer Natalie Rolt to custom-design a silk skirt that moulded to my body and complemented the beautiful curves of the corset.” Not forgetting the groom, Chad’s custom suit was from Oscar Hunt, with the couple’s initials and wedding date embroidered inside the jacket close to his heart. Gabi’s three-ring stack that can be worn as a trio, or solo, was designed by jeweller Louise Jean, and Chad’s ring was from Peppermint Grove Jewellers. Now the day is behind them, and they embark on their honeymoon in Japan, there is only one small tweak Gabi would make. “It is challenging, especially getting married in summer, but I would have loved to bring it forward so I had one or two hours more to actually socialise with my guests in between photos,” she says. “They take up a lot of time and I feel like I didn’t get to mingle as much as I would have liked at cocktail hour — I also missed out on an incredible grazing table!”