Tell us a little about yourselves!
We’ve grown up together. We met in high school but started dating after we both finished school, following a few attempts from Brandon to win me over. Brandon’s mum always says, ‘I knew she was the one for him,’ which is such a sweet sentiment.
Our lives revolve around our wonderful friends and family, with a special focus on our two little gremlins, Norman and Bobby. We clearly thrive on challenges – so we thought renovating our home while planning a wedding would be a brilliant idea... and somehow, we made it through unscathed!
When we’re not working or tackling renovation projects, we’re all about weekend coffee dates with our dogs, enjoying Pilates, and slowly ticking off the never-ending list of wine bars and restaurant recommendations that we’ve collected. But honestly, we wouldn’t have it any other way.
Why did you decide to get married where you did?
We wanted our wedding to truly reflect who we are – fun, stress-free, filled with love, and, most importantly, amazing food and wine. We wanted every moment to feel authentic, relaxed, and totally us, from the intimate ceremony to the epic celebration with our favourite people.
For the ceremony, we aimed to keep it simple and get the formalities out of the way so we could focus on celebrating our love. The registry offered a timeless, classic setting that was the perfect choice for us.
We live in Carlton North and often go to Old Palm Liquor. We funnily enough happened to drop into Old Palm Liquor on the way home from looking at what you’d call your more ‘typical wedding venue’ and both had that lightbulb moment with a wine in hand that this was the venue, and we couldn’t have imagined a better spot to celebrate.
How many guests did you have?
We opted for a small intimate ceremony at the Victorian Marriage Registry, attended by our closest family and best friends. Later, we were joined by 88 guests at our reception at Old Palm Liquor, which felt like one big love party!
What was your budget?
Instead of sticking to a fixed budget, we focused on investing in the things that mattered most to us – our outfits, photography, food and wine, and of course, the overall vibe. For everything else, we got resourceful, taking on what we could handle ourselves, like the stationery and planning aspects.
Tell us about your outfits.
Laura – The amazing Mia from Mia Ateliers helped me bring my dream gown to life. I knew I wanted something modern yet timeless, and not too over-the-top for a registry wedding – and she absolutely nailed it! For my shoes, I found the perfect pair of heels from By Far , and in a last-minute dash, I picked up my jewellery – a simple string of pearls and matching pearl studs – from Oroton the night before the wedding!
Brandon – Brandon opted for a custom P Johnson suit for the big day. One of Brandons’ good friends arranged for a private after-hours suit fitting at P Johnson Tailors with his groomsmen. The boys spent the evening learning about the history of suits whilst being fitted and enjoying a few bottles of red – it was truly a special experience!
What was the most important aspect for you, in terms of planning your wedding?
The most important thing for us was ensuring the day truly reflected who we are, while keeping it stress-free – and that’s exactly how it turned out!
Were there any elements that were important for you to incorporate?
Laura and her family have a tradition of celebrating big milestones with an Akvavit shot and champagne, so naturally, this was a must for our wedding! Other non-negotiables for us were great food, delicious wines, and throwing a big love party for our nearest and dearest to enjoy.
We also pass a photo booth on our walks with our dogs, Norman and Bob, near our place. We made sure to add it to our photography itinerary on the day, and it turned out to be one of the best decisions. We're so glad we did it.
Any tips for couples getting married?
One piece of advice we always give to our friends planning their weddings is to carve out some time just for the two of you before heading into the reception.
Between the ceremony and reception, we popped by a local wine bar, Carnation Canteen, for champagne, oysters, and some nibbles. It was honestly the best decision we made. It gave us a peaceful moment to reflect on what had just happened, debrief on each other’s mornings, and celebrate as a couple before heading into our big love party with all our guests. It was simply the best!
Are there any vendors that you would like to tell us a little more about?
Honestly all our vendors we’re simply brilliant – thanks for all the good vibes and making our day just the best, we couldn’t have done it without them!
Photographer: Mandy Wood Studio @manywood.studio | Flora: Rose Studios @rosestudios__ |
Ceremony Location: Victorian Marriage Registry @vicmarriageregistry | Reception Location: Old Palm Liquor @oldpalmliquor | HMUA: Georgia Glen @gorg.boutique | Catering + Beverages: Old Palm Liquor @oldpalmliquor | Content: Bridal BTS @bridal_bts | Entertainment: Hausmates @haus.mates | Dress & Veil: Mia Ateliers @miaateliers | Suit: P Johnson Tailors @pjohnsontailors | Other Outfit Details:
Maison Essentiele @Maison_Essentiele | Engagement & Wedding Rings: Rhea Nikolaou Jewellery @rhea_nikolaou_jewellery | Shoes: By Far @byfar_official | Jewellery: Oroton @oroton
Photographer: Mandy Wood Studio @manywood.studio | Flora: Rose Studios @rosestudios__ |
Ceremony Location: Victorian Marriage Registry @vicmarriageregistry | Reception Location: Old Palm Liquor @oldpalmliquor | HMUA: Georgia Glen @gorg.boutique | Catering + Beverages: Old Palm Liquor @oldpalmliquor | Content: Bridal BTS @bridal_bts | Entertainment: Hausmates @haus.mates | Dress & Veil: Mia Atelier @miaateliers | Suit: P Johnson Tailors @pjohnsontailors | Other Outfit Details:
Maison Essentiele @Maison_Essentiele | Engagement & Wedding Rings: Rhea Nikolaou Jewellery @rhea_nikolaou_jewellery | Shoes: By Far @byfar_official | Jewellery: Oroton @oroton