Brodie and Joel were living in inner-West Sydney when they first got together, so the area’s hipster/ grunge/ alternative scene seemed like a good starting point for their October wedding day. “We’re not nature lovers, we prefer the city, and inner-West Sydney symbolises us and our relationship. We definitely didn’t want anything traditional, neither of us are religious. We just enjoy a cold bevy and a burger. Good music, people and cool place to hang out at,” said Brodie.

Picking the perfect venue was the starting point to the couple achieving their dream, laid-back day. They had both their ceremony and reception at Stick and Stone in Marrickville, New South Wales – a warehouse space and the perfect blank canvas for Brodie and Joel to add personal touches and do things their way. Everything was geared towards creating a relaxed environment. They had a food truck, a cake smash, no bridesmaids or groomsmen. “Not that we don’t have any friends,” they laughed, “we are lucky to have too many and just couldn’t choose!”

Joel works for an events company so they were able to utilise his expertise for planning and logistics, and all the audio and lighting equipment, too. Joel’s sister is also a florist, and the couple were lucky enough to be gifted all the event styling and flowers. The Marmalade Sky took care of all the styling, florals, backdrops, archway and hanging features, and offered a guiding hand when planning the event themselves became a little overwhelming.

This left little for Brodie and Joel to do in terms of DIY. Brodie took charge of the spreadsheets and keeping control of the planning and Joel and his father built a wooden table for the grazing board to go on. Aside from putting together a polaroid photo booth, all that was left was for the couple to rock up and enjoy their day!

Their ceremony was kicked off with a welcome punch for their guests to loosen everybody up, while Brodie enjoyed a drink with her dad at a local bar. Their niece and nephews walked down the aisle first to Heroes by David Bowie, followed by Brodie rocking up in a Ford Mustang to follow them. It was officiated by an old friend of Brodie’s, so it felt very natural as she knows both of their stories. There were a few laughs, a few tears, “and a very, very good first kiss (that we didn’t even practice for!)”

They moved inside to the venue, which was closed and out of sight to everyone else. They signed their marriage certificate and stayed inside while the DJ played Itchin on a Photograph by Grouplove. As the songs intro built up, Alicia hyped up their guests and announced them for the first time as husband and wife. As the first verse came in and the song dropped, the big wooden doors opened and they stepped out as husband and wife for the first time. There were more hugs and kisses, before the couple hopped in the Mustang with their photographer to their favourite local pub for photos.

“The whole thing was honestly amazing, but that first beer at The Courthouse Hotel…Oh man. It was great just the two of us because we hadn’t seen each other in 24hrs, and you know… we’d just got married,” said Brodie, of her favourite part of the day. “I’d really recommend scheduling a little part of the day for just the two of you, and even with the most detailed run sheet on the day, it can be easy for things to get rushed. Also, remember; a good DJ goes a long way. Good music, food and alcohol are the foundation of a good party. That being said, the wedding is about you and your partner, not anyone else.”