Real Wedding – Cem & Brooke, Fitzroy VIC

After partying all night in a Berlin club, Cem seized the moment to ask Brooke to be his wife. Fast forward to their celebration, and these two gorgeous party people brought all that loved-up emotion to their dream day, a vision of elegant, uplifting, modern romance.

Cem and Brooke sought to recreate the atmosphere and style of a gorgeous meal in a stunning restaurant surrounded by their best humans. And boy, did their talented team of vendors meet the brief.

Against the backdrop of the chic Panama Dining Room, florist Piper and Posie added florals in bold, bright shades to enhance their minimalist style. Long tables elevated with candles and crisp linen enhanced the dinner party feel, while the guests more than brought the vibe.

With Logan Entertainment behind the soundtrack of the celebration, this is one party that is as effervescent in emotion and fun as it is gorgeous in aesthetics, captured in visual poetry by the talented Nikola Janev.

Scroll on for every darling detail!

The meeting.

We met in our late teens when we were 19 years old. Brooke picked Cem and his friends up, as she was friends with one of the crew, and they met in the car. We were on our way to a nightclub event at Billboards!

The one.

Funnily, nine years later, we were on a European trip with some friends. We went off to Berlin together, and we had been partying at the famous Berghain nightclub all night, and after the party, we realised we had a connection and kissed! And the rest is history!

The proposal.

We were getting ready for a fine dining experience at Osteria Francescana in Modena, Italy, at a beautiful AirBnB in Florence. We had about ten minutes before we needed to leave for our train, and Brooke’s hair was still wet, but Cem managed to persuade her to go to the rooftop terrace of the Airbnb for a ‘photo’. As Brooke was trying to find a good angle, Cem was waiting for her to realise he was on one knee!

Planning process.

It was a joy! We absolutely loved the process and found it really fun. We made decisions together with ease. We both agreed not to throw too many options in the mix to avoid decision fatigue and made sure we made decisions without too much procrastination.

Style inspiration.

We wanted something elegant with a pop of colour. We both like a minimalist style, but we didn’t want to be too classic, so we decided to add some pretty colours!

For inspiration, honestly we actually just focused on what we like, such as long tables with candles, that moody, elegant vibe, like a nice dining experience. We love going to nice restaurants, so we wanted something that was what we like! We also used Pinterest.

The ceremony.

It was fun and not too serious; it was filled with tears, smiles and laughs. It was authentic and us, and the love was really felt in the room, not a dry eye in the house!

The outfits.

Brooke wasn’t sure what the perfect dress was, so she tried on many different styles, and the one that felt the most her was a classic, simple, strapless dress.

Cem wanted a classic tux, nothing too out of the ordinary!

Favourite moment.

Our first look. It makes me teary thinking about it! We thought Brooke would cry more but Cem’s tears were flowing, it was beautiful. And having our friends there to witness the moment in an intimate setting was perfect.

Meaning of marriage.

Marriage, to us, means committing to a long life together of happiness, connection, and nothing but good times.

Wedding soundtrack.

Aisle: Even When I’m Sleeping by Leonardos Bride

First dance: Little L by Jamiroquai.

Our last song was: Dancing Queen by Abba

Funny stories (or near disasters).

The week of, Brooke ended up sick with a severe cold and was losing her voice! Thankfully, she woke up on the day feeling 100%. Brooke also forgot to give the dietary requirements to Panama (oops!) but thankfully the staff were amazing, they went around asking all the guests as the staff didn’t want to bother her or make her stressed.

Planning surprises.

We would say – how enjoyable it was, we worked as a team and really made our dream wedding.

Words of wisdom.

Enjoy the process, take deep breaths, don’t overthink it and trust your instincts. Go for what you truly want; don’t be persuaded by others or what you see online!

Enjoy every minute of your wedding day and take your time, take it all in, because before you know it it’s the next morning! And enjoy the next day, the high from all the love it like nothing else!

Love Brooke and Cem’s vibrant florals? We’ve curated a round-up of our favourite bouquets from 2024’s real weddings, from the bold and bright to chic white on white, and everything in between. 

CEM & BROOKE’S SUPPLIERS

We used Easy Weddings, Ivory Tribe, Google and Instagram to find our vendors. And worth of mouth for our Florist Piper!

Ceremony & reception venue: Panama Dining Room. Judith, our Wedding Coordinator, was a gem!

Celebrant/Officiant: Alyce Bailey. The best celebrant EVER. She was so natural, had humour but wasn’t cringe, and she was a joy to work with!

Photography: Nikola Janev. Hands down, the best wedding photographer in business. He captured our special moments perfectly and is the most humble person you’ll ever meet.

Florist: Piper and Posie. Beautiful, fun flowers! She creates unique pieces that stand out.

Hair: Eddy Mystery MUA for the bride, and Ryan Kennedy from Paragon Studios Armadale.

Make-up: Sarah Peart

The dress: Luv Bridal

Veil / headwear: Allure Bridal

Shoes: Bared Footwear

Rings: Kavalri

Bridesmaid’s dresses: Billy J

Suits: Trevor West

Cake / Cake topper: Miss Ladybird Cakes

Stationery / Signage: Etsy

Entertainment: Logan Entertainment