Maximalist wedding styling is having a moment, and quirky, playful nostalgia is right there with it. This Melbourne wedding styled shoot is a darling marriage of the two, with a distinctly Y2K and ’90s edge. Strap in for a generous heaping of pastels, juxtaposed by bold reds, fun sculptural details, flash photography and bright bridal looks.
Like a hug in wedding day form, the concept of nostalgia was at the crux. Or, as creative director/stylist Kath Hunter of Inner North Studio puts it, “the feeling you get when you watch home movies from your childhood, or an old romcom for the first time in years. The feeling of falling in love”.
Victoria based brides and grooms will want to take careful note of this vendor team, it’s truly a playground of clever Melbourne brains. Inner North Studio tapped Hey Babe Photography for camera duties, Soya and Yumi Studio for florals, and Annie Rose Artistry for all things beauty. Ryan Lee took care of videography, and model Ariana Ghosh played the beaming bride. Below, a fresh field of maximalist wedding styling inspo ripe for the pinning, plus wise insights from the collaborators involved.
Vic-based brides and grooms will want to take careful note of this vendor team, it’s truly a playground of clever Melbourne brains. Inner North Studio tapped Hey Babe photography for camera duties, Soya and Yumi Studio for florals, Annie Rose Artistry for all things beauty. Ryan Lee took care of videography and model Ariana Ghosh played our beaming bride. Below, a fresh field of inspo ripe for the pinning, plus wise insights from the collaborators involved.
MAXIMALIST WEDDING DECOR: STYLING WITH FRUIT, BUBBLES & OLD-SCHOOL FILMS
As you may have gathered, Inner North Studio is all about creating weddings that feel personal and not like everyone else’s. An unexpected soft blue tablecloth is adorned with juicy looking jelly cakes, bagel candle holders, tropical fruit and gerberas. “At various points,” Inner North Studio shares, “the set was showered with bubbles, and colourful confetti. This one of the most fun and wholesome shoot ever – we all had a ball on set bringing it together.” For good measure, projected against the venue wall is a treasured film from Kath’s childhood, ‘The father of the bride’. “Arguably the greatest wedding romcom of the 90s,” and whether you agree with that sentiment or not, it’s a pretty iconic idea, no?
PASTEL WEDDING FLOWERS & INCORPORATING FRUIT IN YOUR WEDDING FLORALS
“We wanted to create something playful and full of personality,” shares Soya, resident florist for this total dreamscape. Based in Melbourne, they’re driven by curiosity and a love for creating something a little unexpected, while still respecting the beauty of classic floral design. “Drawing on the colours of the dress and the overall mood, we leaned into fruit-inspired floral arrangements to bring a fun, nostalgic 90s vibe.”
Also on team blooms was Yumi Studio, who prides themselves on pushing the boundaries of floral design. “The ’90s lingers like a fever dream: playful, nostalgic, and slightly surreal. From Inner North Studio’s vision, we wanted the flowers to capture just that, in a soft-focus memory,” explains Yumi Studio. “Soya and I explored pastel florals to create movement and form, while tropical fruits nod to my own childhood as a half-Asian woman born in the ’90s. Blending past and present, the result reflects a naïve, carefree playfulness through a modern, refined lens.”
BOLD, OFFBEAT WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHY & FILM
In tune with the retro tone, Hey Babe photo didn’t shy away from using high flash and we’re big BIG fans. “This shoot was everything I want Hey Babe to be – maximalist, a little unhinged, and completely full of life,” they explain. “The red satin look with the bubbles and the cherry basically shot itself. And then the shift into the blue – candlelight, projections the teal veil, felt like a completely different world living inside the same story.”
Capturing the magic in motion, Melbourne videographer Ryan Lee Wed described the shoot as “super fun and refreshing” (hard agree from us), and also took the opportunity honour this epic crew. “Working with talented, but super kind humans and creatives. Everyone was very good at empowering one another. And I loved the pops of colour!”
What does fun, nostalgic bridal beauty look like?
“These beauty looks reflected the playful glamour of the late ’90s and early 2000s – when beauty was expressive, a little rebellious and full of personality,” shares seasoned hair and makeup pro Annie-Rose Artistry. A natural fit for this brief, Annie-Rose brings a fun, luxe edge to modern beauty, and believes that makeup is about more than just looking good. It’s about feeling confident and completely ‘you’. “An elevated take on the era, it features luminous skin paired with soft, frosted metallic eyes that catch the light from every angle. High-shine textures add a sense of energy and nostalgia, while still feeling refined and modern. The result is fun, confident beauty that celebrates individuality, colour, and that carefree, dress-up-at-home spirit we all remember.”
BOLD & BRIGHT BRIDAL DRESSES
Let these attention demanding frocks be your reminder to not limit yourself to ivory tones. The rest of the rainbow is on offer if you wish. Model Ariana Ghosh is the lucky gal that got to play dress up in these Baaby and Kika Vargas looks, styled with candy bracelets and red frilly socks to top it all off. “I loved how each look told a different story – playful, rebellious, and a little surreal,” Ariana told us. “The contrast of soft fabrics with striking colours and dramatic settings made it feel cinematic and deeply creative.”
CONTRIBUTING VENDORS Creative Direction, Planning, Production & Styling Kath Hunter – Inner North Studio Photography Hey Babe Photo Videography Ryan Lee Wed Florist Soya Florist Assistant Yumi Studio Hair & Makeup Annie-Rose Artistry Model Ariana Ghosh Bridal Dresses Baaby, Kika Vargas
FAQs
Focus your search on bridal designers specialising in bold, offbeat, modern designs, as well as formalwear frocks that aren’t ‘technically’ wedding dresses (but stunning all the same). Here are some of our favourite colourful bridal moments from recent real weddings.
Start by studying shoots like this one and real weddings too – what specifically do you love, and what styling elements will slide seamlessly into the format of your day and dining situation (for example, if you’re doing family style feasting you might not want too much decor on the table). From these snaps saved on your moodboard, hone in on specific decor items and consider swaps that give off the same vibe but feel more personal to you. For example, instead of the gerberas featured in this shoot, could you incorporate the flowers your betrothed gave you on your first date, or the flora/fruit/veg that used to grow in your granny’s garden? What about scented candles that smell reminiscent of the regions in which you grew up? This is the fun bit, so let your imagination run wild! Lastly, and we can’t emphasise this enough, having a legendary stylist like Inner North Studio by your side is also a fool proof plan for personalised, maximalist decor that feels cohesive.
Head to the real wedding section of the website, where we’ve gathered up all our favourite quirky weddings from around the country. Unique, fun, even a little wacky, but all bursting with love (and ideas just begging to be borrowed).
