Real Wedding – Fiona & Dickson, Melbourne VIC

July 5, 2023 In Black and White, Colourful, Real Weddings, Urban, Victoria, White By Ivory Tribe

Real Wedding – Fiona & Dickson, Melbourne VIC

Romance-filled style and elegance with touches of timeless tradition echo in every element of Fiona and Dickson’s wedding. Anchoring their ceremony in Melbourne City showcases the stunning streetscape they both love, highlighting European-influenced architecture and adding a sense of gravitas to balance this uplifting celebration.

We love the unfolding story the portrait shots reveal across tram rides, visits to iconic buildings and meandering walks through the lush gardens. Photographer Whites and Woods capture each moment with true visual vibrancy.

Floral hues differentiate the elements of the day, with abundant clouds of the softest white blossoms encompassing the ceremony, while the party vibes shine bright in blooms of bold magenta, tangerine and sunflower yellow.

And as the party heats up in the iconic George Ballroom in St Kilda, Fiona amps up her look with a stunning statement dress by Rachel Gilbert in bold black and white – a truly inspired selection.

Scroll on to see every dreamy detail of this captivatingly curated day.

The meeting.

We met at Monash College (a pre-university course) in 2014 when we were only 17 and 18. Then we started dating in 2015, when Dickson asked me out for a comedy show in Melbourne Town Hall, yes, eight years now.

The ‘one’.

All I can say is we have never gotten into a fight or argument in the last eight years of being together. Dickson always knows what I am about to say, and he will say it first. Soul mate!

The proposal.

We went back to Malaysia in February 2022 to visit our family, whom we hadn’t seen in two years due to the pandemic. On the Chinese New Year day one (2/2/22), Dickson kneeled down and asked me to marry him at the apartment balcony while enjoying the fireworks. It was just the two of us, and it was special.

Planning process.

I love to look at wedding posts on Instagram and save them in my phone. So, when we got engaged, we knew what style and theme we wanted, which is European buildings and fresh flowers. We always wanted a city-vibe wedding where we could take photos of the most iconic places in Melbourne CBD. We booked the venues 11 months before the wedding, which allowed us to have enough time to plan everything else.

Style inspiration.

Melbourne has always been a special city for us, and we wanted to officially be married in Melbourne despite having two wedding celebrations in Malaysia. So, for the ceremony, we wanted romantic and style-filled, with white floral arrangements.

For the reception, we wanted it to be more joyful, fun, and modern and for our guests to feel the love we have.

The ceremony.

We are Christian, and getting married is a super important moment for us. The special part was our guests. We included two worship songs, and the balcony was filled with our singing – it was such a touching, memorable moment.

The look.

I always thought I would wear a lacy, floral wedding dress. But I was wrong! After visiting a few bridal shops, I found out that a simple silk plain gown is more my type and suits my personality – more timeless and classic overall. I wanted to make the look a bit more fun, so I chose blue Loefflar Randall heels for my “something blue”.

Dickson went with a classic black and white tailored linen double-breasted tuxedo.

Favourite moments.

Our favourite moment of the day was both of us watching each other literally sobbing as I walked towards him at the altar. We remember the weather on our wedding day was forecast to be rainy for the whole day – but the sun was beaming down on the Portico Balcony the moment we started the ceremony. Miracle!

Meaning of marriage.

For us, it’s about two becoming one. And sharing our lives together through the lows and the highs.

Wedding soundtrack.

Pre-ceremony: Full album from Bridgeton

Aisle: Supernatural Love by Planetshakers

Recessional: Shut up and Dance by Walk the Moon

Reception entry: Let’s Get Loud by Jennifer Lopez

First dance: Amen by John Adams

Funny stories or near disasters.

We spent the whole month back in Malaysia before our wedding day in Melbourne. And guess what, we both got food poisoning for a whole week! Good thing is my wedding dress still fit perfectly.

Planning surprises.

Choosing the reception dress. I initially bought a white gown from Rebecca Vallance as my second dress; however, one day, Dickson asked this question, unintentionally, “Why don’t brides wear black to match the groom? It would be fun”. This idea stuck in my mind. I found the Rachel Gilbert dress, and it looked so fun and special. All the guests were so surprised when I changed, and I received lots of positive feedback on the dress.

Words of wisdom.

The wedding is about the two of you, don’t worry too much or pay too much attention to the details and please have the best time on your day. Because at the end of the day, everyone will remember how happy both of you are, not the food or anything else. Nothing is perfect, so just enjoy the moment and relax.

Love Fiona and Dickons’s choice to focus on florals as the main style element for their dreamy wedding day? We sat down with Lou from The Redwoods Florist to get her take on the bloom trends we’ll be seeing across real weddings this year. Read her inspired insights here on the blog.

FIONA & DICKSON’S VENDORS

All our vendor team were amazing and exceeded our expectations. We felt so loved and cared for by them throughout the whole planning process and on the wedding day!

Ceremony venue: Portico Balcony at the Melbourne Town Hall

Reception venue: The George Ballroom, St Kilda VIC

Officiant: Pastor Glenn Low from Planetshakers church

Photography: Whites & Woods

Florist: Little Green Mojo

Hair: Stephanie Cahyadi

Make-Up: Marlene Neysa

The dress: Ceremony, Hera Couture. Reception, Rachel Gilbert.

Shoes: Loeffler Randall

Rings: Engagement ring from Anton Jewellery and bride’s wedding band from Janai, groom’s wedding band from Tiffany and Co.

Suits: Oscar Hunt

Catering: Bubble tea from BBT Lab