A bold, colourful winter wedding in Melbourne
Liam and Ash’s winter wedding wasn’t anything like the weather. It was vibrant in colour and warm in feeling.
Surrounded by greenery and potted plants, The Post Office Hotel’s undercover, heated deck made for a stress-free outdoor ceremony setting, which transformed into an open space to mingle with guests for cocktails and canapés once the formalities concluded.
The versatile venue’s cathedral ceilings, exposed beams and vintage pendant lights helped to set the tone for a celebration that was relaxed and lively.
The joyful sensibility was frozen in time through the frames of Nikki McCrone Photography, whose genuine care, eye for detail and experience extracted the emotion and atmosphere of the occasion organically.
Delight in the results of her talents below, where Liam and Ash also provide a peek behind the curtains at how their low-stress soiree came together.
The meeting.
It was a very modern bumble romance at the start of Covid in 2020. We went for a beach walk in Altona, two weeks later we were thrown into lockdown and about a month in we decided the only way to keep seeing each other was to meet each other’s families (a huge step much earlier than either of us had planned!). It ended up being the best decision. Things fell into place naturally and by the three-month mark we’d moved into an apartment together and never looked back.
‘The one’.
We just ‘worked’ from the very beginning. Everything between us felt easy and natural, even in the middle of Covid chaos. There was no drama, no second-guessing, we just knew we were exactly where we were meant to be.
The proposal.
Liam was under strict instructions: no grand gestures, no public proposal and no family watching. So, with a big bouquet of flowers in one hand and our dog Mulu watching on (she was the exception to the family rule) he got down on one knee in our kitchen at home and asked me to marry him. The lead‑up, however, was typical Liam. He had to tell me that he’d ordered the ring online and it was arriving in the mail because he’d forgotten that I work from home and tend to open any packages that arrived. Thankfully for him, the package was sent to the local post office, where he managed to collect it himself.
Planning process.
Our planning process was surprisingly smooth and far less stressful than we ever expected. We kept things simple and focused on what mattered to us, mainly big items like food, drinks and entertainment. Once we chose our incredible venue, everything else started to fall into place. We relied heavily on recommendations from our venue, which made choosing our team so much easier.
In the months leading up to the day, we took a relaxed approach. We had our key decisions made early and from there it was mostly small details. We stayed away from DIY where it was possible to reduce our stress leading up to the day.
By the time our day arrived, everything was organised, and we felt genuinely excited instead of overwhelmed.
Style inspiration.
We’ve never been fans of the traditional “all‑white everything” wedding vibe (sorry). Since we chose a more alternative venue, and were getting married in winter, we really wanted the day to feel bright, bold, and joyful. We chose a colour palette of pinks, oranges, and reds, which brought so much warmth to the space and made our photos pop. Every detail was chosen with purpose to reflect that cheerful, vibrant feeling we wanted for the day.
As far as sourcing inspiration, we loved being able to scroll through Real Weddings to see the colours, styling and little details from other weddings. It helped us get a feel for what we liked and what we didn’t like and made the whole planning process so much easier.
The ceremony.
Our celebrant, Dee, created a ceremony that felt so uniquely ‘us’. Because we chose to do private vows, she wove little touches from our relationship into our “I do” questions, making the moment personal, meaningful and full of love. We also did a Celtic hand fasting, which was very special!
Even though it was winter, we were still able to have an outdoor ceremony, and the venue staff transformed the space straight after into the cocktail‑hour area. It meant our guests didn’t need to move around or relocate – everything flowed perfectly in one place, which created a relaxed atmosphere. We were also surrounded by our nearest and dearest who travelled from across the country and across the world to celebrate with us. Having all the people we love watching on made the whole ceremony feel even more special.
The outfits.
Ash’s dress: I visited a few different dress shops, and because I’d never imagined or planned my “dream wedding” before getting engaged, I genuinely had no idea what style I wanted. We tried several dress shops, but nothing really stood out or felt right.
Then I found a bridal shop in Geelong and went with my Mum to try on a few more options. There I tried on a very plain satin princess‑style gown and instantly loved it. I was almost ready to commit to it, but there was one more dress I wanted to try on. The next one had a similar shape but had a fully beaded pearl bodice paired with a sparkly glitter skirt. It wasn’t something I ever expected myself to choose, but I’ve always loved pearls, and that was what immediately drew me to it. The moment I put it on, I knew it was ‘the’ dress. I felt amazing and completely myself in it.
Liam’s suit: We originally planned for Liam and his groomsmen to wear simple, elegant black suits. But when we visited the suit shop, Liam was instantly drawn to a green suit. Since he hadn’t had many opportunities to make choices during the wedding planning process, we agreed that this was his moment, it was his day too, and he deserved to wear something that felt uniquely him. In the end Liam went with a custom forest green suit jacket with a black trim, paired with a white shirt, black pants and a black bow tie. Liam looked and felt amazing and it really fit with the vibe of our day.
Favourite moment.
Once we were married, we escaped to a private space with just our parents and bridal party located off the main reception area. It was the first moment when we could take a deep breath and have a drink. We hugged our closest people and just soaked in the joy together. Nikki, our photographer, managed to snap a group photo of all of us squeezed in together. It’s not the perfectly posed, picture‑perfect wedding shot, but it was such a happy moment of pure love and joy.
Instead of your typical champagne toast, we decided to do something that was uniquely us and that honoured our Irish background. So, at the end of our speech, we had the venue staff hand out Baby Guinness shots (Kahlua and Baileys) to all our guests. Standing in front of our family and friends after our speech and watching everyone enjoy something we love so much was such a special moment. It felt so fun, personal, and completely different and seeing the smiles and laughter throughout the room made it one of our absolute favourite parts of the day.
Meaning of marriage.
It’s about choosing each other every single day. It means showing up for the good days and the hard ones, celebrating the big wins and the little accomplishments. It’s finding joy together, whether we’re off on a European adventure or having dinner together at home. It means building a life and a family together and loving each other for exactly who we are.
Wedding soundtrack.
Aisle: Adore You – Sidney
Processional: This Will Be (Everlasting Love) – Natalie Cole
First Dance: Tenerife Sea – Ed Sheeran
Certificate Signing: L.O.V.E – Nat King Cole & Here Comes The Sun – The Beetles & Can’t Help Falling in Love – Elvis
Reception entry song: Never Let You Go – Jakaranda
Planning surprises.
How relaxed I was! I would usually describe myself as a classic Type A personality – organised, detail-focused and someone who likes things done in a particular way. But throughout the entire planning process, nothing really bothered me. I just took everything in stride, even the crazy rain on the day! Instead of stressing, I felt calm, present and genuinely excited.
Words of wisdom.
One of the best decisions we made was choosing vendors who already knew each other and had worked together before. It made the entire day feel seamless.
For hair and makeup on the wedding morning, we had a rough schedule, but because our hair and makeup artist were familiar with each other’s style and pace, they worked in perfect sync. Everything ran on time, and we felt relaxed and calm throughout the whole getting‑ready process.
We also ended up with the ultimate dream team for our venue, celebrant, DJ, photographer, and photobooth. They all came recommended by our venue, and it made all the difference. They communicated so well behind the scenes, understood how each other operated, and organised everything without needing us for a single thing. If anything went wrong, we never knew about it.
Surround yourself with people you trust, let them do what they do best, and enjoy the day.
LIAM & ASH’S SUPPLIERS
We found most of our vendors through recommendations. Our venue was the biggest help, they had a list of recommended suppliers they had worked with before and that ended up being the best decision we made.
Ceremony & reception venue: Post Office Hotel
We can’t speak highly enough about the Post Office Hotel. From our very first meeting at the Open Day event in 2023, the team were organised, supportive, and genuinely invested in making our day unforgettable. Every question was answered quickly, nothing was ever too hard and their calm, confident approach made the entire planning process feel incredibly smooth. The venue itself was perfect for our winter wedding, warm, inviting, and full of character. Even though it was cold, we were still able to have our ceremony outdoors, and the team seamlessly transformed the space into the cocktail‑hour area straight afterwards. Our guests loved being able to stay in the one place for the whole celebration. A special shout‑out goes to Meg, our on‑the‑day coordinator, who was truly exceptional. She handled every detail with ease, kept everything running on time and made sure we didn’t have to worry about a single thing. Her warmth, organisation, and constant behind‑the‑scenes support made such a huge difference – the day simply wouldn’t have been the same without her. The food was incredible, the drinks flowed and the atmosphere was exactly what we’d hoped for. The Post Office Hotel provided the perfect backdrop for our celebration and we’re so grateful to their entire team.
Celebrant: Custom Celebrations By Dee
Dee was amazing and played such a huge role in making our ceremony feel uniquely us. From the very beginning, Dee took the time to truly get to know us, our story and our personalities and she created a ceremony that was warm, personal and full of love – Parent Trap references and all. We are two people who aren’t naturally comfortable being the centre of attention and Dee made us feel incredibly calm, supported and grounded throughout the entire process. Standing up there with her by our side, we knew we could get married without nerves taking over. Because we chose to do private vows, Dee wove thoughtful touches of our relationship into our “I do” questions, adding meaning, humour and emotion in all the right places. She also guided us through our Celtic handfasting with such care, turning it into one of the most special parts of the day. Her presence was calming, her delivery was flawless, and she had our guests laughing, tearing up and completely captivated from start to finish. Dee truly was the perfect person to marry us, and I couldn’t recommend her more.
Photography: Nikki McCrone Photography
I don’t even know where to start – Nikki was extraordinary. She kept us on time, on track, and on our toes in the best possible way, from the moment she arrived at the house for getting‑ready photos right through to the end of the night. Nikki struck the perfect balance between being warm, fun, and genuinely easy to be around, while also being an absolute professional who knew exactly what needed to happen and when. She guided us effortlessly, never making anything feel posed or awkward, and somehow managed to capture every genuine moment, the big ones, the quiet ones, and the ones we didn’t even realise were happening. Her eye for detail is incredible. She captured the emotion, the colour, and the atmosphere of our day perfectly. Our photos are vibrant, joyful, and so us. Nikki wasn’t just our photographer, she was a calming presence, a hype woman, a timekeeper and someone who truly cared about our day running smoothly. We couldn’t imagine having anyone else document our wedding.
Florist: Urban Antidote
Urban Antidote (Anastasia) was an absolute dream to work with from start to finish. From our very first engagement, 12 months out, Anastasia was incredible. She took the time to understand our vision perfectly and brought it to life with creativity, passion and the most stunning attention to detail. The detailed design plans she provided made it so easy to visualise how everything would come together, and on the day the florals were breathtaking and the perfect reflection of our colour palette. they completely transformed the Venue and tied every element together. Our guests are still talking about how amazing the flowers were! Anastasia’s professionalism, artistry and warm approach made the whole experience exceptional.
DJ/ MC: DJ MC Apples
DJ MC Apples (Chris) was absolutely incredible and truly the heartbeat of our entire day, not just the reception. He brought so much talent and energy to every moment. Chris managed the ceremony music, then moved seamlessly into singing and playing guitar for our cocktail hour, creating the perfect atmosphere as guests mingled. After that, he transitioned into full DJ mode for the reception and kept the party alive all night. We also requested lots of Irish music, much of which he hadn’t played before, but you would never have known. He blended everything effortlessly, kept the vibe exactly where it needed to be, and made sure the dance floor was full from start to finish. Chris went above and beyond. He didn’t just play music; he shaped the experience of the entire day.
Photobooth: Jimbo’s Amazing Photobooth
Jimbo and his photobooth were such a hit with our guests! The set up was fun, easy to use, and added so much laughter to the reception. The props, the quality of the photos, and the energy it brought to the night were incredible. Jimbo stayed all night to make sure everything ran smoothly, and he was genuinely so much fun to have around. His enthusiasm kept everyone jumping in for photos, and we ended up with the most hilarious and heart‑warming snaps. Jimbo was the perfect addition to our celebration.
Hair: Amanda Audrey Hair
Amanda created the most stunning styles for the entire bridal party while keeping the morning relaxed, organised, and truly enjoyable. She is a genuine wedding‑hair specialist, incredibly talented, calm, and so detail‑oriented. Everything held perfectly all day and night, and she went above and beyond in every way.
She even stayed back after everyone was ready, waiting for me to get dressed just to ensure my veil was placed perfectly. We couldn’t imagine having anyone else with us on the morning of the wedding.
Make-up: Make up by Enrica
Enrica was incredible. She created a calm, relaxed atmosphere on the morning of the wedding and made everyone feel beautiful and comfortable. Her attention to detail was flawless, the makeup photographed beautifully and lasted all day and night. We couldn’t have asked for a more talented or lovely artist to be part of our day.
Stationery / Signage: Pipi Printables
We used a stationery bundle and it was perfect for what we wanted. The bundle included everything including invitations, menus, welcome sign, seating chart, and more. We were able to customise all the templates to match our colour palette and overall wedding style. It was simple, affordable, and gave us complete creative control. Being able to adjust fonts, colours, and layouts meant everything felt cohesive and personal without having to start from scratch. Everything was printed through various online printing companies.
The dress: Foreverness Bridal Boutique Geelong (closed 2025)
Shoes: Bared Footwear
Rings: Micheal Hill
Bridesmaid’s dresses: Billy J
Suits: The Gentry
Cake: Brunetti Oro
