Sione and Tahj weren’t sold on having a wedding at first. They eventually agreed to “just throw the damn party” – and now they’re so glad they did (us too!). The result was a beautifully bespoke, no-frills Melbourne wedding with Jewish traditions, full of heartfelt contributions from loved ones, shaped by rituals the couple made entirely their own.
“Early on we agreed that if we were going to do this, every decision needed to feel authentic to us,” Tahj explains. “As long as we created an event we thought we’d enjoy on a personal level ourselves, everything would make sense.”
Brunswick’s Hotel Railway made for a perfect reception address. But not before the outdoor ceremony took place at nearby Balam Balam, which drew the couple in with its unique, creative feel. Picture bright seating, a Chuppah constructed with vibrant blue scaffolding, and rows of draping, dancing in the Melbourne wind.
Dive in below for cool details that made this day one-of-a-kind, plus artfully captured moments from photographer Tom Hvala, aka Thomasjpg.
The Dynamic Outdoor Ceremony Draping
“The material we hung in the ceremony area was probably my favourite detail. It added this whole sensory element – it billowed in the wind and was responsive to the weather as it changed throughout the day – which I loved.” (Tahj) “Early on in the planning process, I decided I wanted to make something physical that guests could keep as a memento. I made a zine with a collection of my sketches that explain the Jewish aspects of the ceremony, as well as elements of our relationship. It was a really fun thing to do, and we loved seeing how people engaged with it.”
A Chuppah Built by Dad
(Sione) “My beautiful dad (after I had a meltdown about a rainy forecast and the possibility of us needing to shift things inside) quietly went off and made us a back-up Chuppah (a canopy used at Jewish weddings – that he kept calling a ‘Hooplah’) which would fit inside just in case. We had planned to use bright blue scaffolding to build the Chuppah but if we moved inside, it would’ve been too tall. A true engineer, he worked out the specifications and took himself off to Bunnings. He even colour matched it to our original option. In the end, we loved it so much we decided we had to use it even though we kept the ceremony outside.”
Private Letters Instead of Public Vows
“One of my favourite moments was when Sione and I shared personal letters to each other before the ceremony. It was a really special moment between us in the midst of the madness.”
How the Couple Wove Jewish Traditions Into Their Melbourne Wedding
“We were incredibly lucky to have our friend Gus, who had facilitated Chuppah ceremonies before, officiate on the day. We had all the hallmarks of a traditional Chuppah ceremony, but definitely put our own spin on it. We walked down the aisle together. We did the seven circles — three each, plus one shared, rather than only the bride circling. And we both smashed the glass.”
Standout Melbourne Vendors
“All our vendors were incredible truly… we are so beyond lucky and (to toot our own horn) absolutely nailed our choices. Tom (our photographer) is a clear and obvious standout. He is a master of his craft and really went above and beyond from the start.”
Melbourne Wedding Photography & Inspiration You’ll Love
Explore more weddings snapped by Thomasjpg here. Or get your hands on our latest Real Wedding Special, Issue 11, to see his work in action during Annie and Bryan’s day, plus 194 pages of real weddings, product recs and ideas we reckon you’ll love.
CONTRIBUTING VENDORS Photographer Tom Hvala – Thomasjpg Film Walkens Film Lab Halide Cinematographer Jimi Connor (Friend) Florist World of Petals Stationery DIY Printer Any Colour You Like Ceremony Venue Balam Balam Place Reception Venue Hotel Railway Catering Big Yummers Dessert Fiona Soller (Family) Decor Lucy Marks (Friend), Super Cheap Fabrics Chuppah Michael Pemberton (Family) Entertainment Lena Douglas (friend), Nick ‘Stikki’ Roder, Max König – Sax & Fabian Acuna, Alistair Rolls (friend) & Lucy Jones (friend) Celebrant Kolenu (Legals), Russell Goldblatt (Friend) Rings Bella Clark THE BRIDE Bridal Boutique Rachel Gilbert Veil Tania Maras Shoes Mi Piaci Accessories The Hold, Ada Hodgson Second Look Jillian Boustred, Friends with Frank Hair Kenny & The Sunshine Girls Makeup Zara Henderson Fragrance Maison Marie Louis THE GROOM Suit P. Johnson Shoes Camper
