1920s jazz wedding at The Royce Hotel, Melbourne

This Melbourne wedding at The Royce Hotel mixed 1920s jazz-era glamour with a comic book twist. Rochelle and David got married at The Royce Hotel in Melbourne, throwing roaring twenties drama, showgirl performances and a sneaky pre-ceremony pitstop at the comic book store into one glorious, quirky celebration. Photographed by the fabulous Kyra Boyer, the day captured the couple’s shared love of fantasy, jazz and comic book artwork against the venue’s art nouveau backdrop. “Drama and romance with a touch of quirk,” was the inspiration, the couple share. “We wanted it to feel like us – a kaleidoscope of fantasy and jazz themes smashing into high-contrast comic book artwork.”

Why did this couple choose The Royce Hotel as their wedding venue?

“The moment we walked into The Royce Hotel – from the lobby to the terrace, to the magnificent suites – we were totally blown away and knew it was the right place for us. It’s a jaw-dropping place. The charm, sophistication and flamboyance of the 1920s was perfectly our style! We chose a weekday to suit our budget, and the chef was very accommodating with vegan options for our menu.”

Fave wedding details: showgirls, comic books and a custom guest book

“We wanted roaring 20s drinks at the bar, toe-tapping songs, showgirls twirling their can-can skirts, and lots of love and laughter. Guests are still raving about how fun that was, everyone was impressed! We also made a custom comic-book-style guest book, with a little speech bubble above each person for them to fill in, everyone loved it. And since we’re both cocktail drinkers, we had a blast creating our cocktail and mocktail menu, complete with fun, on-theme drink names.”

The bride’s gown: a vintage-inspired Azazie Bridal dress with a cathedral train

“I wanted to wear something unique on our wedding day, and once we had locked in our venue, I knew I needed to find a dress that matched the romance and elegance of the space.

I have some experience with renaissance and fantasy attire, being a performer and cosplayer, so I searched for a gown that would harmonise with the art nouveau murals on the walls and compliment the Parisian mosaic tiled terrace for our ceremony. And I found it! A billowing basque-waist gown from Azazie Bridal in vintage French blue and bronze flowers. The cathedral train and heavy jacquard material added the necessary drama to the day!”

A custom suit from Institchu

“I knew I wanted a custom three-piece – I had a great experience at Institchu on Collins Street. The staff were amazing and very knowledgeable about getting the correct fit. I was in really good hands. We changed colours a few times before settling back on my original green-teal choice, which Rochelle helped pick to harmonise with her dress and the venue.”

A Melbourne traffic jam almost derailed this wedding ceremony

“Everyone was late! But it worked out okay. We were late coming back from our visit to the comic book store, through Melbourne traffic – turns out Melbourne had a big event on that day, and it was gridlock! When we rushed into the hotel, we expected to have to hurry down the aisle, but all of our guests were caught in the same traffic. Our parents and siblings helped usher in the late guests, and we heard hysterical stories of friends frantically driving over curbs and driving through side streets to get to the ceremony.”

Advice from the couple: protect your together-time

“Add in time together to connect with each other on the day, and stick together, as much as possible. We stayed at the hotel together the night before and chose to get ready together, just us two. We scheduled in time to ourselves, in between the big moments, so that we could regroup and reconnect. The day is huge and overwhelming, and parts of it are a blur. But we both clearly remember the moments we set aside to check in with each other.”

Who were the standout wedding vendors at this Melbourne wedding?

“Our superheroes of the day! Our photographer Kyra Boyer, cinematographer Carlo Peritore of LunaRossa Films, and celebrant-DJ-MC Renee Thompson. We felt so safe and loved by our wonderful trio. We also chose to have our vendors sit with us at our banquet table for dinner, which just felt right and was so beautifully inclusive.”

More Melbourne wedding inspiration

Loved this celebration? Explore more weddings by Kyra Boyer or discover Institchu, the sharp suiting behind this celebration. Then browse our full directory of Melbourne wedding vendors and explore beautiful wedding venues in Victoria for every style of celebration.