Mark our words, Sarah and Oli’s wedding might just start a movement. Because, honestly, why not get married at the movies?!
“The Ritz was suggested by Sarah, almost as a joke but when we considered it more, it became an obvious choice,” Oli told us. “We didn’t feel the need to look at any other venues, The Ritz felt so ideal. We spend a lot of time watching movies and this is our local cinema.”
These uni sweethearts had actually legally wed a couple of years prior. But they say this cinematic Randwick occasion, captured by Carlita Sari Photography, was a chance to celebrate with everyone they love gathered in one place. Sarah (wearing Romance Was Born) and Oli (in M.J. Bale) shared their vows in the cinema itself while guests snacked on popcorn. Shortly after, The Ritz’s art deco bar proved the perfect location for their unconventional reception.
“We weren’t sure if the venue would be open to hosting a wedding, but they were very accommodating and excited to be part of our special day, even though it certainly wasn’t a typical event for them.”
5/5 starts for thinking outside the box. Scroll on for Sarah and Oli’s commentary, including wardrobe details and wedding planning advice.
COOL WEDDING VENUES SYDNEY | A SUBTLE CINEMA THEME
“We could have leaned a little more into the movie/Oscar theme but we were conscious of making the event a bit cheesy. . . Lots of ideas were thrown at us about creating movie posters, making a short film to show on the screen in the cinema. In the end, we just wanted us to be the focus.”
SARAH’S BLACK, SHIMMERY UNTRADITIONAL WEDDING DRESS
“I bought my dress online after I saw it in a targeted ad from Romance Was Born. I’d planned on hiring my dress, as I didn’t want to spend big on an item I would only wear once. I’d booked an appointment at a dress hire place, already knowing I wasn’t going to be wearing white and was looking for a real old Hollywood, Oscar night vibe to match our art deco venue. When I first saw the RWB dress, I thought wow, I love that! But it was a little pricey, and I was still pretty set on hiring. A few weeks later I was online and the dress popped up again. This time, half price. It was one of those situations where I thought hmmm, does the internet know my every thought? I didn’t hesitate to buy it, and I cancelled my appointment at the dress shop. The dress came to my door in a small box, fit beautifully, and I didn’t need to make any alterations. It was like it was just meant to be, and didn’t involve having to settle for a dress that wasn’t quite my vibe.”
OLI’S STRESS-FREE SUITING EXPERIENCE
“After some fairly fruitless experiences visiting larger department stores with no one to assist me in sight, M.J. Bale provided some wonderful personalised service, removing the stress of the experience. This was my first purchase of a suit. I don’t wear them to work so had never really needed one until recent years when we had three years of formal occasions ahead of us. This suit has been lugged across the world and seen me through four weddings now, so I’m very pleased with it.”
PLANNING A UNIQUE WEDDING | ON HOSTING A DAY WEDDING
“Have the day you want to have. We didn’t have a wedding that went all day and night. We had done all the official paperwork already. We didn’t have a first dance. We had popcorn buckets from the candy bar filled with popcorn rather than bouquets of flowers. We walked down the aisle together, and had friends and family give speeches during the ceremony rather than the reception. We did everything exactly as we wanted and had a wonderful day, and so did our guests.”
THOUGHTFUL DETAILS | UNIQUE WEDDING IDEAS
“We wanted to change the marquee out the front of The Ritz to have our names on it but didn’t think it would be worth the extra cost. Our friend decided to get it for us as a wedding present and we’re so glad he did. It ended up being one of the highlights and every guest commented on how much they loved arriving and seeing it.”
MORE GOOD STUFF
For a truly unique take on wedding photos hit up Carlita Sari here on the directory. While you’re there, take a leaf out of Oli’s book and suss out some M.J. Bale suits.
CONTRIBUTING VENDORS Photographer Carlita Sari Venue & Signage Ritz Cinemas & Bar Randwick Catering Good Ways Deli Cake Maker Maddison Sherrah (Friend) Wedding Favours Amazon, Ritz Cinemas Celebrant Bacchus Celebrations Rings Reems Jewellery THE BRIDE Outfit Designer Romance Was Born Shoes LMS Accessories Mimco Hair & Makeup Prive Hair & Makeup THE GROOM Outfit Designer M.J. Bale
