Bright Blooms and a Brass Band at Rupert on Rupert
Wedding days are supposed to carry a little bit of stress… right? Apparently not for Tharushi and Niall, who managed both a wedding and a house purchase at auction on the same day.
Wanting a day that was fun, different, and not too traditional, they chose Rupert on Rupert to set the vibe, brought to life with bright blooms and a brass band, with unmistakable excitement written all over their faces.
Tharushi’s Rachel Gilbert gown was a standout in its simplicity, elevated beautifully by its elegant neck scarf detail – even more special knowing it was a spontaneous lunch-break find in between shifts at work, proof that sometimes the perfect dress just finds you.
This couple kept things easy. Being based in France while planning their wedding, they simply emailed vendors, held Zoom meetings, and locked everything in remotely.
Read on to hear more about their day and soak up the stunning captures by Kyra Boyer.
The meeting.
At work in Darwin, we were both working in the hospital there and had a very brief chance meeting. I’m originally from Melbourne, and Niall was moving there, so we kept in touch and eventually met up here.
The one.
Well, it took a while. After meeting at work, we were texting for nine months before we actually met up for our first date. The first date was so much fun, we sort of knew there was something there from that day.
The proposal.
We were on holiday in New York City. Niall carried the ring around with him all day very nervously when we were out sightseeing and was convinced he would get mugged. In the evening we went to Brooklyn Bridge Park overlooking the Manhattan skyline at sunset. We were sitting on a bench chatting away when he pulled out the ring.
Planning process.
It was oddly quite easy. We had moved to France last year so had to organise everything via email. We had zoom meetings with all our vendors and just locked them in. We had most of our wedding planned and booked in about eight months before the wedding day.
Style inspiration.
We just wanted something fun, different, and not too traditional.
We found Instagram the most helpful tool for planning the day. It was a great way to have a look at all our vendors’ work prior to booking in. It helped us imagine what the day would look like. We were able to find photos of the cake, flowers etc. online and we could just show the vendor what looks we loved and wanted on the day.
The ceremony.
We wanted our ceremony to be light, fun, and easy, without too many traditions. We had Horns of Leroy, a really cool Melbourne-based brass band, play Sexual Healing as our entrance. Niall and I walked in together, hand in hand. It was a nice way to start the celebration. Our dads were our witnesses which was really special for us (they’re both total legends!)
The outfit.
I saw my dress online at Rachel Gilbert and instantly loved the simplicity of the dress, with the detail being the attached scarf. I called them up, and they had one dress left in my size in Australia as it had gone on sale. They could hold it until the end of the day. I was at work so jumped on the tram in my lunch break, still in my scrubs. I quickly tried it on and trammed it back to work. The whole process was 30 minutes!
Favourite moment.
The whole day was a massive high! We’ve been looking for a house for a while and found one we loved. Only problem was, the auction was on our wedding day! Niall went to the auction at 1pm whilst I was at home getting ready. We got the house, and he was back home, ready and walking down the aisle by 4pm. So, it was a crazy happy start to the day, and that just continued all night. Walking into the ceremony together and just seeing everyone’s smiling faces was so heartwarming – all of our favourite people in one room.
Meaning of marriage.
It’s hard to describe this one. It’s a wonderful thing to be able to have someone with you for life to share the happy moments and to support each other through the not-so-great times.
Wedding soundtrack.
A bit cheeky but we walked into Sexual Healing played by Horns of Leroy. Our reception entry song was Dreams by The Cranberries. Niall is Irish so it worked perfectly.
Funny stories (or near disasters).
Thankfully, no near disasters, but buying a house three hours before you get married was a good laugh. We just moved in last week!
Word of wisdom.
Do a little bit at a time. Slowly chip away at the planning. It really helped it become a relatively stress- free experience.
Tharushi and Niall’s vendors.
Ceremony and reception venue: Rupert on Rupert. Collingwood, Melbourne
Celebrant: Wendy Beech of Wendy does Weddings
Photography: Kyra Boyer
Florist: Pomp and Splendour
Hair: Laura Ohanna
Make-up: Marielou Creatives
The dress: Rachel Gilbert
Shoes: Loeffler Randall & RM Williams
Rings: Grew & Co
Bridesmaid’s dresses: Bec & Bridge
Suits: Oscar Hunt
Catering: Rupert on Rupert
Cake: Ladybird Cakes
Stationery / Signage: Peppermint Press
Entertainment: Horns of Leroy (band) and Like This Entertainment (DJ)
Audio Guestbook: Off the Hook
Honeymoon: Haven’t had one yet but were planning on heading to Sri Lanka later in the year.
