Emily and Alex didn’t set out to have an ‘alternative’ wedding, but they wanted an elegant affair that didn’t feel stuffy and was unmistakingly them. The bride even planned her tattoo sessions around the wedding, having three sessions in 45 days to get her backpiece finished!

Emily explained. “Our vision was swaggy, not stuffy, elegant, but not pretentious. Richly textured, but not cluttered and overdone. Vintage glam vibe, but with a modern tone – Gatsby inspired, hold the flappers. I think Irene + Co. really nailed it, and the whole thing felt our own brand of cool.”

Emily asked her older niece to look after the rings instead of choosing a younger flower girl. The rest of her bridal party all wore dresses she selected, but everyone styled themselves with their own shoes and accessories.

For the flowers, the couple wanted impact without having to fill the venue with oversized arrangements or a traditional floral arch. Their florist designed installations to be draped across a fabric backdrop, which still gave the wow factor. For the tables, they chose ikebana-inspired centrepieces that felt sculptural but still allowed guests to actually see each other across dinner.

The ceremony was soundtracked by a string quartet playing modern songs chosen by the couple. Guests took their seats to First Date by Blink-182 before the wedding party entered to music fromUp. Emily then walked down the aisle to Can’t Help Falling in Love and her brother officiated the ceremony.

“Walking in was unreal, like walking into your own party and realising it’s the dopest party you’ve ever thrown,” she said. “Alex was crying, the bridal party was crying, I started crying – this is where that Kleenex plan would have really been clutch, I’m a very snot forward crier.”

The couple wrote their own vows, including one line that quickly became a guest favourite. “We vowed to never be each other’s emergency contacts, because all our adventures are made together.” During the first kiss, Emily instinctively threw a rock fist into the air, creating one of the most talked about moments of the day.

After the ceremony, guests moved into an extended cocktail hour with tray-passed snacks and more live quartet covers. The longer drinks reception gave everyone time to properly catch up before dinner.

One big expected highlight of the day was the DJ surprising them with a saxophone player to perform alongside their set. “This was a massive hit,” Emily said. “We would have loved to do something like that but it seemed a little out of reach at the time, so we were over the moon.”

Once late night hit, their caterers brought out chicken nuggets and fries while guests retreated to the lounge. “I am so glad we did it, I was more than ready for snacks by that time! We had so much fun working with Culinary Crafts. The majority of the menu selections happened over a fun conversation where she got to know us and threw out fun suggestions that reflected who we are as a couple. She really vibed with us and we came up with something that felt more upscale than your average. We are the foodies of our friends and fams, so there was a high bar and we surpassed it.”

Looking back, Emily’s biggest advice is simple. “Lean in to joy”, she said. “This season comes and goes faster than you’ll ever imagine, and if you’re in the weeds the whole time you’ll regret not having time to soak it all in.”