Real Wedding – Megan & Patrick, Melbourne VIC
Megan and Patrick’s ultra-cool celebrations are a stunning example of the magic of a micro-wedding. Choosing to honour their nearest and dearest by including them in their day led to their plan of a sweet but small ceremony, long, leisurely lunch and plenty of fun-filled romance.
And the perfect celebrant to set the tone for this intimate but impactful affair? Our friend Alex from For the Love of Celebrancy. After leading the guests and the blissed-up couple through a perfectly personal, laid back and loved-up ceremony, the mood was set for the party to follow.
Choosing inner-city venue Melbourne Supper Club, with its old-world charm and chic vibes, makes for a stunning setting, elevated by simple spring-inspired florals of creamy vanilla, soft melon and tendrils of texture. Against this beautiful backdrop, Megan looks every bit the modern bride in her contemporary gown by Rebecca Vallance.
As the radiant newlyweds dance their way through the streetscape with their wedding party, it is clear this is a truly dreamy day, captured to perfection by lens legend Nikki McCrone Photography.
Scroll on to see how a micro-wedding can max out the wow factor!
The meeting.
We met in 2015 at our mutual friend Sam’s 21st Birthday. Sam and Pat went to school together. Sam and Megan were best friends from university. A few drinks and a dance floor party pash later; the rest is history!
The ‘one’.
The stories we told on our wedding day were scarily similar. For both of us, it was when we introduced each other to our families. I took Pat home to meet my Mum and Dad in Wangaratta, and he was able to withstand my Mum’s signature, quick-fire questions.
For Pat, it was when Megan was able to hold her own at her first loud Johnson family dinner.
The proposal.
Pat had a very stressful 24hrs leading up to the proposal. The ring was scheduled to arrive via FedEx the day prior, but with delays happening, it ended up coming on the afternoon he was planning to propose. It was delivered to his parent’s house, and the neighbour somehow accepted the delivery for them! Our best mate Ali saved the day with the ring, as well as planning with Sam an elaborate back story which meant the unsuprisable Megan was actually surprised.
Megan arrived home from a movie with Ali, and Pat was waiting on one knee with our border collie Sootie. Pat says he had a whole speech planned but got nervous and just yelled, “SUPRISE!”.
Planning process.
When talking about getting married, we always said we would elope. But the closer it got, we realised how important it was to us to celebrate with the people who got us there and who bring out the best in us as a couple.
We landed on a small, intimate, romantic ceremony and long lunch. Classic, laid back and simple, which is exactly how it was executed in the end. We had just our immediate families and our four best friends with us for our ceremony and long lunch. We celebrated with our close friends afterwards with drinks and nibbles.
Style inspiration.
We did very limited research when it came to our day. However, we definitely leant on real wedding stories like those on Ivory Tribe, as we had never experienced a wedding like we were planning. It was super helpful to see what worked for other couples in planning a non-traditional micro-wedding.
The ceremony.
Our ceremony was us to a T. Alex was an absolute dream to work with; from the outset, there was no question when deciding on a celebrant. In addition, Alex and Megan had a special connection prior, Megan being a midwife at the birth of her firstborn. So it felt extra special for her to be part of a big milestone for us.
She understood what we wanted from the very start. She constructed the whole ceremony for us based on our questionnaires, which landed many laughs, awws and tears. It was laid back, romantic and personal. Our families adored her as much as we do.
The outfit.
The search for a dress was very uneventful for me. I wanted something a bit more non-traditional, like our wedding. The fabric on my Rebecca Vallance gown was unusual and instantly caught my eye. No alterations were required; it was a match made in heaven.
Favourite moments.
The favourite part by far, for both of us, was the hour between our lunch and after party. We danced through the city with our four best friends to photographer Nikki’s bangers blaring through her speaker. The photos she captured showed just how much fun we had. The hour went by so quickly, but we’ll remember that forever.
Meaning of marriage.
Again, we both agree on this one. It’s the celebration of a partnership with friends and family. The union of two families and the creation of a new family. Celebrating the people who bring you together and lift you up. Committing to each other as a team.
Wedding soundtrack.
Aisle song: Annie’s Song, William Fitzimmons version
Signing song: More than a Woman by Bee Gees
Funny stories or near disasters.
Our wedding was basically planned before we were engaged! Megan is an extremely impatient person by nature and also extremely organised. So, with Pat’s blessing, before the ring, all the big vendors were booked. We were engaged for less than four months.
I also changed hair stylist 48hrs prior due to scheduling conflicts. Jenna from my usual Salon, Three Blind Mice, saved the day and was AMAZING!
Planning surprises.
How quickly you can plan a micro wedding!
Also, how amazing wedding vendors are. I just put all my trust in every single one of them and was absolutely not disappointed.
Words of wisdom.
Don’t lose sight of why you’re doing this and what you want. There’s a lot of noise that comes with wedding planning and a lot of opinions. I also absolutely recommend a micro wedding and a lunchtime reception.
Loving the vibes of a small-scale celebration? For an inner city elopement with a slightly different style, check out Tegan and Jake’s dream day, here on the blog.
MEGAN & PATRICK’S VENDORS
Ceremony venue & reception venue: Tea Room at Melbourne Supper Club; Spring Street, Melbourne.
After Party drinks: Magic Mountain Saloon, Little Collins Street, Melbourne.
Celebrant: Alexandra Baxter, For The Love of Celebrancy
Photography: Nikki McCrone
Florist: Piper, Piper + Posie
Hair: Jenna, Three Blind Mice
Make-up: Sarah McMaster
The dress: Rebecca Vallance
Shoes: Alias Mae
Rings: Wedding bands: Ringwood Jewellers, engagement ring: Ryder Diamonds
Suits: Ferrari – Mitcham
Catering, bar & cake: Spring St Events
Honeymoon: Flores Island, Indonesia
