An elegant Collingwood wedding: crimson florals, modern romance
Meeting at work, but keeping their relationship under wraps, Emma and Adrian were the office secret everyone wished they’d noticed sooner. After opting for a long engagement (and eventually tiring of all the questions), they decided it was time, with Panama Dining Room setting the scene for a celebration that felt effortlessly them.
Emma stunned in a gown with a delicate off-shoulder sleeve, later transforming her look with a chic necktie for the evening. Their ceremony was heartfelt and full of authenticity, led by the always incredible Precious Celebrations, with Adrian’s sensational vows becoming an instant talking point among guests.
Some of their favourite moments came quietly – a first look captured by the incredible Nikola Janev, and a stolen 20 minutes together, just the two of them. From there, it was all about one thing: creating a big, joyful party. And that’s exactly what they did.
The meeting.
We first met at work in 2016, but it wasn’t until 2019 that our relationship began. Because we were still working together, we decided to keep things under wraps, a secret that we managed to maintain for three years – COVID lockdowns definitely worked in our favour! Thankfully, when we finally shared the news, our work friends were more surprised and happy, than they were upset!
The one.
Emma: I knew very early on after we started dating. There wasn’t one specific moment, but it was the first time I could truly be myself with someone, and Adrian made me feel completely at ease. He also fit so naturally into my family, which was incredibly important to me.
Adrian: I also knew early on. Not long after we started dating, Emma came to a house party with my friends and fit in effortlessly. Seeing how easily she connected with the people I care about made it clear that she was the one.
The proposal.
Adrian had planned a beautiful lunch down in Sorrento. I knew something was up when he was obsessively checking his weather app. After lunch we went to a lookout spot at the Bay of Islands and that’s where Adrian got down on one knee.
Planning process.
When we first got engaged, we had both agreed and had said to each other several times that we were happy with a longer engagement and didn’t need to get married soon. However, once we were engaged, pretty much every conversation with friends and family started with “So, when is the wedding?” We got so sick of not being able to answer that question that we just went ahead and started planning. We started with the venue and then locked in the other vendors quite quickly after that. We just trusted our guts and tried to overwhelm ourselves with choices and decision-making.
Style inspiration.
We just wanted it to be a fabulous party for all our family and friends. Good food and wine are important to us, and so that was a major factor when it came to choosing a venue. We tried to have a mix of both classic and contemporary elements. We wanted it to be authentically us.
The ceremony.
Our ceremony was held in front of the stunning windows of the Panama Dining Room, which created such a beautiful and intimate backdrop. Adrian discovered the song we chose to walk down the aisle very early in our planning process, and the moment we heard it, we knew it was the one. While it has minimal lyrics, the message felt incredibly meaningful and perfectly reflected us. Walking down the aisle with both of my parents was a truly special moment. We wanted our ceremony to be short, heartfelt, and true to who we are. Our celebrant, Precious, did an incredible job of telling our story in a way that felt authentic and personal. The most unforgettable part was hearing Adrian’s vows; they were so beautiful and heartfelt that guests were still talking about them well into the night.
The outfits.
I had a clear idea of the style I wanted for my dress, and it turned out to be the very first dress I tried on at the second shop I visited. It was an instant yes! I loved that it allowed me to create different looks throughout the day, with sleeves for the ceremony and a necktie for the reception.
Adrian always knew he wanted something a little less traditional than a classic wedding suit, so going custom was an easy decision. Oscar Hunt came highly recommended, and they absolutely delivered in bringing his vision to life.
Favourite moment.
The entire day felt like a highlight, but if we had to choose, Adrian’s favourite moment was our first look in Fitzroy Gardens. Emma’s was stepping out during dinner for golden hour photos. Spending those quiet 20 minutes outside together, just the two of us and our incredible photographer Nik, was the perfect way to pause, soak it all in, and truly appreciate how special the day was.
Meaning of marriage.
Marriage is partnership. Building a life together and supporting each other through everything. Having someone always in your corner and to share experiences with.
Wedding soundtrack.
Aisle Song – Home by A Song For You, Holan.
Recessional – Dive by Olivia Dean.
First Dance – Beyond by Leon Bridges
Funny stories (or near disasters).
Adrian’s dad going so hard on the dancefloor all night. Absolute party animal!
Planning surprises.
Just the overwhelming amount of wedding content. From the moment we got engaged my social media feeds were inundated with it.
Words of wisdom.
Get on the same page from the beginning and don’t let external factors influence your decisions. Trust your gut and don’t overwhelm yourself with options. If it feels right, lock it in!
EMMA & ADRIAN’S VENDORS
Ceremony and reception venue: Panama Dining Room, Fitzroy. We had toured a couple of venues before landing on Panama. The fact that Panama also runs as a restaurant, we felt that the food and drink offering would be unique and special in comparison to more standard wedding venues. The layout of Panama, as well as the beautiful windows also lent to our idea of throwing a big party. The whole team at Panama were exceptional and made the day run so smoothly.
Celebrant: Precious Celebrations. Precious came recommended to us by our venue and ended up being the only celebrant we met with. We locked her in straight away as we knew that she was exactly the right vibe for our wedding. Along with being our celebrant, she was also our MC and was such an incredible support on the day.
Photography: Nikola Janev. Nik also came recommended by the venue. Nik has such a wonderful energy and did such an incredible job in helping us feel comfortable in front of the camera.
Florist: Flowers Vasette
Hair: Nikki Porter – Rubi Hair. Nikki is a very good friend of mine and I couldn’t have imagined anyone else doing my hair for my wedding. I’m so lucky to have such a talented friend!
Make-up: Steph Bottrell. I found Steph through instagram and she was incredible!
The dress: Alba & Stardust via Ivory Thread Bridal. Gemma at Ivory Thread was amazing and made the whole experience so wonderful.
Veil: Amelie George
Shoes: Novo, Loake
Rings: Cullen Jewellry
Suits: Oscar Hunt
Bow ties / ties: Henry Bucks
Catering and bar: Panama Dining Room
Cake / Cake topper: Pinto Tiramisu
Stationery / Signage: Bride via Officeworks
Entertainment: Rich Spanning Time
Honeymoon: We had a mini moon at Cape Schank but the big honeymoon will be Europe 2026!
