A cocktail-style Melbourne wedding made for dancing
Hannah and Liam’s wedding was the perfect blend of considered style, heartfelt moments and a whole lot of fun. Set amongst the lush greenery of Glasshaus Brücke, their cocktail-style celebration was filled with personal touches, beautiful music, an incredible cake and a dancefloor that was always going to be a highlight.
Having met at work ten years ago, with Hannah as Liam’s boss (yes, really!), they spent years building a close friendship before realising they were each other’s favourite person. Five years later, and following a thoughtful piano-playing proposal, they brought their people together for a celebration that felt entirely their own. Hannah wore a striking gown featuring an asymmetrical neckline and sculptural pleating before changing into a second look made for dancing, while Liam opted for a timeless black tux.
With Liam’s sister Kait as their celebrant and Maegan Brown behind the camera, the day was a beautiful reflection of the life they’ve built together – full of love, laughter, meaningful moments and plenty of reasons to hit the dance floor.
The meeting.
We actually met at work ten years ago, Hannah was Liam’s boss (scandalous!) We’d been close friends for a very long time, and then five years ago things suddenly fell into place, and we realised our favourite person was each other.
The one.
Liam: There wasn’t one specific moment for me, rather the ongoing feeling of being in the ‘honeymoon phase’ and thinking life together couldn’t possibly be this good forever, but then slowly realising and starting to believe that this is the reality of each day, that this life together might actually be everything I’d ever hoped for. I get to wake up next to my best friend and feel seen, respected and loved for who I am. But if there was one single moment, it was early into dating when we’d been spending a lot of time between each other’s houses, I went to leave one day and felt really sad, because it felt like I was leaving home, because home had become wherever Hannah was.
Hannah: Looking back, there were signs I knew, long before I knew I knew, and so the realisation dawned more like a sunrise than a lightning bolt out of the blue. It was a series of moments – of realising he was my safe harbour, my favourite person, the one I most liked making laugh, the one whose opinion mattered most, the one my eyes and heart always searched for in a room. And the fact he’s the best cook I’ve ever met didn’t hurt.
The proposal.
We’d discussed getting married prior to the proposal and had purchased an engagement ring together, so the getting engaged part wasn’t a surprise, but the timing and the proposal itself were. We’d been to a concert a few months before Liam popped the question, and one of Hannah’s favourite songs played. It was a really special moment, and the song is about doing the small things in life with the person you love and finding the joy in the little things. So, at that point, Liam decided he was going to learn that song on piano for Hannah for the proposal – having not played piano in about 15 years. Liam then proceeded to practice every moment Hannah wasn’t home (which was rare, because she works from home). Liam organised for his sister to pretend she had a nail voucher appointment that was going to expire so he could get the house ready and surprise Hannah when she arrived, with flowers, candles around the piano, and playing the song for her. Upon arriving home, Hannah realised what was about to happen and yelped ‘my nails!’ as she’d gone for a super funky colour without noticing the subtle cues from Liam’s sister to go something neutral. Liam played the song, Hannah said yes, and we had oysters, champagne and Hannah’s favourite cakes from Raya bakery.
Planning process.
We had a really clear vision of how we wanted the day to go, what vibe we were after, and the aesthetic. We started by locking in Glasshaus Brücke as we wanted a beautiful open space for a cocktail-style evening with lots of dancing, lots of greenery, and a stylish yet relaxed feel.
The next thing we organised was the cake (Mali Bakes 100%; Hannah knew that this would be her wedding cake even before she thought she wanted to get married), and then our incredible photographer Maegan (we love you Maegan!).
After that, we’d sit down every few weeks (with lots of procrastination in between) and power through a chunk of planning and prep on a Saturday on the couch together, supported by cocktails and snacks.
The ceremony.
We felt really lucky to have Liam’s sister Kait as our celebrant, Hannah’s brother as our MC, and our niece and nephew as the ring-bearers, so the ceremony felt really personal and special. We also wrote our own vows, which felt terrifying in the lead-up but became one of the most incredible moments for us of the night.
The outfits.
Liam’s sister Kait was again our MVP; Hannah felt really overwhelmed by wedding dress shopping, so Kait booked an appointment at Maison Oui ‘just to get a feel for what you might like’, and the very first dress Hannah tried on was perfect. It felt elegant while still having a little bit of drama, and then Hannah also got her second look for the dancing part of the night from Maison Oui – a dress she constantly referred to as ‘my Plumette from Beauty and the Beast dress’.
Liam knew he wanted a classic black tux, white shirt, black bow tie, cummerbund and patent leather shoes. He had it tailored at Oscar Hunt and sent multiple pictures to Hannah to get her thoughts on lapel width, pin or no pin, and every other option (which made sense because Hannah had also sent a photo of her dress to Liam to get his thoughts before she chose it).
Favourite moment.
Standing out the front of the building together just after we got married on Bridge Road. It was freezing, so Liam gave his jacket to Hannah, and there were a few minutes where it was just us, both feeling so relieved we’d made it through our vows without breaking down too much, getting to have this moment together of looking at each other like ‘we did it!’. And having a long cuddle on the street with random passers-by congratulating us as they walked by, and a little girl telling Hannah she looked like a princess.
Meaning of marriage.
Waking up every morning feeling ecstatic that we get to live this life together. Choosing each other, every day. Being each other’s biggest fans and supporters and knowing that the other person genuinely thinks you hang the moon, and will always help you figure out how to be the best version of yourself. Getting to create a world filled with fun, laughter, and decisions based on what will make us happiest, together.
Wedding soundtrack.
Both of us wanted the other to get an entrance moment, so Liam walked down Glasshaus’ stairs first, followed by Hannah. Our incredibly talented professional musician friend Marcus G. Miller started the ceremony by playing his sax to an acoustic version of Heartbeats by ELEW, which Liam walked down to, and Hannah followed to Bloom by The Paper Kites.
We didn’t want to do a traditional first dance but also wanted a clear segue into the dancefloor kicking off. So, we organised for Maegan, the world’s best photographer, to take a group shot of everyone on the dancefloor, then as she took the photo, our amazing DJ Alex Watts hit go on Gimme Gimme Gimme – the perfect song for our guests of all age groups to have a boogie.
Funny stories (or near disasters).
We didn’t have a bridal party, so instead had a small gathering at our home the morning of the wedding where we got ready together with our closest friends (who set up a glorious bagel bar complete with mimosas), making it the perfect chill, fun start to the day. Shortly before we were leaving to take photos in the city, we spontaneously decided to do a reveal of Hannah because she had an enormous train (that wasn’t coming to the wedding). Hannah and her best friend were hiding in the bathroom while everyone else gathered in the living area, forming a fake aisle, but Liam’s best friend had ducked outside briefly, and when he saw everyone lined up when he came back, he thought he’d go through the bathroom to be safe – which meant he ran past Hannah and out into the room to everyone cheering before they realised it wasn’t Hannah at all.
We also accidentally dropped our slice of cake on the floor while doing the cake-cutting, but ten-second rule – Mali Bakes cake cannot ever go to waste.
Words of wisdom.
This day is yours, together. Think about what makes you happy, how you want to feel on the day, and how you want the ones you love most, who’ll be there with you celebrating, to feel. And remember to save any leftover cake – it makes an incredible breakfast the next day.
Final words.
More than anything, our wedding was a chance to gather the people we love in one room and celebrate the life we’ve built together. Looking around and seeing everyone we love laughing, talking and celebrating with us is something we’ll never forget. We feel incredibly lucky to have those memories.
Hannah & Liam’s Vendors
Ceremony and reception venue: Glasshaus Brucke
Celebrant: Kaitlin Ferris (Liam’s Sister)
Photography: Maegan Brown
Portrait Artist: Risa Liu
Florist: Glasshaus Florists
Hair and makeup: Kylie Shek
The dresses: Maison Oui Rhapsody (ceremony and reception), Maison Oui Lima (second look/dancing dress)
Shoes: Bared Footwear Gavilan (ceremony/reception), Badgley Mishka Jayda II (second look)
Rings: Cushla Whiting (Hannah) and Uniform Black (Liam)
Suit and accessories: Oscar Hunt
Catering and bar: Glasshaus Brucke
Cake: Mali Bakes
Stationery / Signage: Kimberly Thorpe
Entertainment: Alex Watts (DJ) Marcus G Miller (Saxophonist)
Honeymoon: Europe trip (coming 2027)
