Hollywood Glamour Warehouse Wedding with a Grungy Twist

Jemima Richards

August 20, 2017

The format of Jess and Tim’s wedding was pretty unusual, but it ended up really working for them. Due to some restrictions they were unaware of when they booked their date, they weren’t able to have their ceremony on the day they’d planned for, so ended up having a small intimate ceremony in February, followed by their big reception in March. Luckily they loved doing it this way around, and now have two wedding anniversaries to celebrate (bonus!)

“We think keeping the ceremony private for immediate family and throwing a separate party afterwards was actually really perfect for us,” said Jess, “because it gave us quality time with our family in a sentimental moment that perhaps many other guests don’t really care so much about. We both liked being able to enjoy that moment privately and it allowed us to be more present rather than stressing about the usual formalities. We were then able to mingle more freely and party with our extended family and friends in a larger and more relaxed space.”

When wedding planning, they took inspiration from their own personal styles and tastes. “The theme was Hollywood glamour with a grungy kind of twist. My hairdresser did the most amazing Hollywood waves for my hair. She channelled Marilyn Monroe and Veronica Lake perfectly by doing a traditional 50s style set. My make up was classic with a red lip and winged eyeliner but bronzed/shimmered it up a little so it tied in with my sparkling dress and made me look glowing. I loved getting glammed up!”

“One of my favourite moments of the party was looking over to see Tim crowd-surfing on the dance floor while he sung along with the band!” she laughed. “There was such a great energy in the room as we were surrounded by loved-ones and it was just nice to see that people were celebrating along with us in an environment that reflected us as a couple yet everyone seemed to enjoy it in their own way.”

As well as the crowd-surfing, their favourite parts of the day included singing together and the speeches. “Singing along with Tim on stage and dancing with all of our friends was amazing. Also when our mate Brendan got up and said a speech for us, it meant a lot. My best friend Amy also said a speech which we weren’t expecting. It made me cry and was a really special moment that I’ll cherish forever.”

For entertainment they had great music and a burlesque show! “Barking Spiders performed an incredible set of classic hits and brought so much energy to the party, everyone was on the dance floor! We also had Memphis Mae perform a burlesque act which was wild and had everyone gasping and cheering… even my grandparents who were front and centre!”

They spent the most money on the food for everyone, but saved money on their venue. “Without a doubt the food was our biggest expense because we had so much of it and didn’t want to limit the options. But it was definitely worth it! We did a cocktail and buffet style with a mix of cuisines; Lebanese dips, bread and finger foods, vegan sushi, salads and quiches, vegan pizzas and a pop up tent and rotisserie with Mr Wolf BBQ who supplied pork, crackling and slaw burgers. However, we saved money on our venue, which we were able to hire at a discount because we are both active volunteers at the theatre. This was a great help but it was also a sentimental choice because we’d both been to see heaps of bands there together in the past.”

“We also saved money on my dress; I scored a second-hand J’adore sequin dress on eBay for $60! I originally bought it as a back up while I was still looking around but I was so happy with how it looked so I stuck with it as nothing else really compared.”

“On our day the only thing we would have done differently is spend less time stressing at the beginning. It took a little while for us to wind-down and get into a party spirit because we were busy worrying about the food and our speeches (I misplaced my speech notes!) It’s amazing how easy it is to lose things on the day if you don’t keep track of them.”

“Our advice for future brides and grooms is do things the way you want to because when you look back, those little personal touches are what stand out the most in your memories. Try to take some time to get away with your partner and have a moment to tell each other how much the night means to you both and how much you love each other. The ironic thing about weddings is that you can be so busy trying to mingle with everyone else that time goes quickly and before you know it you’ve spent most of the time apart!”

Suppliers