Real Wedding – Vinnie & Emma, Brunswick East VIC
Emma and Vinnie say that sometimes when you know, you just know. It was a special feeling they both felt early on in their relationship and one they effortlessly applied to the planning of their dream day. The result is a celebration sky high on style and filled with all the good feels.
This classy twosome cut the sweetest of scenes from the lush greenery of Fitzroy Gardens to the urban streetscape of inner Melbourne. Surrounded by their wedding party in tones of jet black and dusky cream, carrying florals of soft scarlet and blush, the stylish soiree was elevated by the beaming smiles on everyone’s faces.
Celebrant superstar Megan Thompson set the tone with a ceremony equal parts light and laughter, with the vivacious vibes continuing well into the night. Of course, we love the epic golden hour moments, where photography legend Nikki McCrone has captured the gorgeous newlyweds, bathed in dazzling sunset, hand in hand against the stunning cityscape.
For a dive into a day filled with urban magic and the sweetest of moments, check out Emma and Vinnie’s celebrations.
The meeting.
We met on Tinder. Our first date was at the Night Noodle Markets.
The ‘one’.
We saw each other every second day for the first two weeks. We both sort of knew something special was brewing. Sometimes, when you know, you know!
The proposal.
We were at a winery on a weekend away with friends, and he asked if I wanted to take a cute photo. As we were posing, he got down on one knee! It was all caught on camera, which was so nice.
Planning process.
We both knew we wanted an inner-city venue, something a bit closer to home.
With that in mind, we scoped out a couple of places in the inner north. Just like the early days of our relationship, when we first set foot into Noisy Ritual, we knew it was our venue.
We both always wanted to have the ceremony in Fitzroy Gardens; it was just a matter of finding the right spot.
Considering the craziness of 2020, we were pretty fortunate to have locked down a majority of our vendors early on; everything seemed to fall into place so easily.
All in all, we found the process surprisingly enjoyable!
Style inspiration.
We didn’t go into the process with a specific style in mind for the wedding. We ended up just choosing things we both loved and seeing how they would complement each other.
Instagram was the main source of inspiration, followed by wedding blogs and a few real-life weddings thrown into the mix as well.
The ceremony.
We were fortunate enough to be able to have the majority of our guests attend with no restrictions on numbers. For our overseas guests that were unable to attend, we had a live stream set up.
Our celebrant, Megan, really set the tone for the day by delivering a light-hearted and love-filled ceremony.
We also had a beautiful and personalised reading from our friend, Pip.
The outfit.
I found my dress in between the two Melbourne lockdowns last year, which was lucky! It was the second bridal store I visited, and as soon as I put it on, I knew it was the one.
Favourite moments.
We had a few faves. Hearing each other’s vows for the first time, the beautiful speeches and definitely the dancefloor where we could finally let loose! It was also really special having Emma’s brother be MC for the night.
Meaning of marriage.
Marriage to us means love and support for each other, someone to talk to, listen to you, laugh with and confide in.
Wedding soundtrack.
Aisle: Lullaby (Acoustic) by Lusaint
Reception entry: Get Up Offa That Thing by James Brown
First dance: Beyond by Leon Bridges
Funny stories or near disasters.
Our original choice of DJ had to cancel on us seven weeks out from the wedding. Fortunately, he already organised another DJ friend of his to step in. Mikey was amazing!
Planning surprises.
How much we actually enjoyed the process!
Words of wisdom.
Don’t stress about the little things because no one will really notice on the day. Just enjoy!
Wondering how to find your dream day celebrant among the endless google pages and Instagram accounts? We’ve pulled together some sweet tips to help guide your search, here.
VINNIE & EMMA’S VENDORS
Ceremony location: Fitzroy Gardens, Melbourne VIC
Reception venue: Noisy Ritual. We could not thank these guys enough. The staff on the night were so easy to deal with. They catered to our every need!
Celebrant: Megan Thompson. Megan set the tone for the day brilliantly. She made us both feel so special and made the ceremony so seamless and lovely.
Photography: Nikki McCrone. What can we say? She is a one-woman powerhouse, a photography ninja. She managed to capture the day beyond even our wildest dreams. Her candid shots caught some very beautiful moments.
Florist: Thrive Flowers. We could not have been happier with the gorgeous flowers that Rosie from Thrive prepared for the day. The selection of natives and the colour palette matched exactly what we had envisioned.
Hair: Ashlea Aitken
Make-up: Laura Difrancesco
The dress: Caleche from Raffaele Ciuca
Veil / headwear: Raffaele Ciuca
Shoes: Bared Footwear
Rings: SH Jewellery
Bridesmaid’s dresses: A mixture!
Suits: Peter Jackson
Bow ties / ties: Hugo Boss
Catering: Essential Caterer
Cake / Cake topper: Butter Baking
Invitations: State of Elliott
Signage: Inspired Design
Entertainment: Mikey Cahill aka DJ Joey Lightbulb
Transport: Star Chauffeured Cars
Hire: Ceremony – Wedding Hire Melbourne. Reception – The Table Station.
Honeymoon: Western Australia
Other: Photobooth – In the Booth