Nikka and Taran have built their life around Enmore Road in Sydney. They own a bar there, spend their time with the people who make up the community and share a love of rock music, tattoos and late nights over a good drink. Their wedding never needed a moodboard because they already had one – it looked exactly like their everyday life.

They gathered everyone at Young Henry’s Brewery, where industrial surrounds, native flowers, lawn games, picnic blankets and a food truck created the backdrop. The guest list reflected the same thinking. There were no courtesy invitations or family obligations, only the people they genuinely wanted to celebrate with. Their wedding party ignored traditional gender roles, bringing together their closest friends, including non-binary members of their community.

Before the ceremony had even started, Taran made one of the day’s defining entrances by riding his motorbike straight down the aisle. Every person chose their own processional song, turning the ceremony into a playlist that could only belong to this group of people. The groom’s side walked in to Goo Goo Muck by The Cramps before Taran arrived to Danzig’s Am I Demon. Nikka’s side entered to Ozzy Osbourne’s Hellraiser, while their daughter Elke and Nikka’s mum walked together to the Spice Girls’ Mama. Nikka closed the procession with Metallica’s Nothing Else Matters.

Waiting at the end of the aisle was a coffin shaped arbour, designed, built and decorated by Taran himself. Nikka’s mother and grandmother led a Lithuanian Pagan tradition where the couple shared dark bread, salt and vodka to symbolise prosperity, resilience and joy. The objects used carried their own stories too. The shot glasses came from Nikka’s grandmother’s wedding, the plate from her paternal grandparents’ wedding and the bowl from her parents’ wedding. Later, their daughter Elke signed the marriage certificate as one of their witnesses.

When the ceremony was over, they climbed back onto the motorbike together, Nikka riding on the back while holding a hand painted cardboard Just Married sign.

The space featured flowers bought at the flower market and arranged by the couple themselves. Instead of formal catering, guests grabbed pizzas and arancini from food trucks while brewery taps handled the drinks. The entire celebration came together for around $10,000 AUD, with the venue taking the biggest share of the budget, even though, compared to more traditional wedding venues it was super affordable.

After the main wedding, everyone headed back onto Enmore Road for a bar crawl – including their own! “Don’t get pressured into a wedding that doesn’t feel authentically you!”, Nikka advises. “The day goes so quickly and you want to enjoy it! Also don’t sweat the small stuff – no one cares if there’s a seat in the wrong spot or if you sound funny during vows. It’s all about you! Get married under a coffin! Ride a motorbike out! Wear the spiky cunty heels or vampire fang grillz! Invite the people you love! And play the music you wanna hear!”