Chloe & Tom’s Colourful Wedding in Canberra

Chloe and Tom, who first locked eyes in a Sydney karaoke room, really know how to think outside the box. It’s why we’re OBSESSED with their quirky Canberra nuptials. Guests dressed in their finest ‘fresh and juicy’ attire to see their union at Bicentennial Square. The groom had always dreamt of wearing something from Joe Bananas, and his own wedding seemed “like a good time to splash out”. Meanwhile, our bride wore Van Der Kooij for the formalities before switching into a fun party frock that she actually made herself using an “eclectic collection” of secondhand textiles.

Decked out in ‘Freakebana’ decor, celebrations continued at nearby Gang Gang Cafe after the duo said ‘I do’. Fun fact: this locale had never hosted a wedding before. But the couple had a vision, and Gang Gang understood the assignment.

You know who else understood the assignment? Photographer Jackson Grant. “He manages to get the very best out of people and out of the surroundings,” the newlyweds shared. “Jackson captures the big moments and the little details that will actually make you want to do it all again, just so you can work together! Artistic and weird and funny and warm.”

Oh, to be a fly on the wall (or a possum in a tree… scroll on, you’ll see) at Chloe and Tom’s wedding. Thankfully, we get to reminisce with these cool cats below…

THE VIBE

“The first night that we met in Sydney, the karaoke crew, including Chloe, came back to my house for a nightcap and a chat. It was there that I showed Chloe the odd assortment of vegetables growing in the small courtyard. I proudly displayed herbs, chillies, some carrots grown in a toaster, and a solitary broccoli named Peter Broc. We devoured poor Peter raw and, from that day, fresh fruits and vegetables became a theme of our relationship. When the topic of a dress code or theme came around, we weren’t happy with the idea of just “black tie” or “cocktail”; it all felt too restrictive. So we came upon a more artistic concept – a theme that would allow everyone to wear what they wanted, express themselves, be unfettered, and bring the colour and vibrancy that we wanted to see on the day. ‘Fresh and juicy!’ (The crowd sure did not disappoint on the day, and we loved how it was interpreted.”

MEMORABLE MOMENT

(Tom} “My favourite moment was arriving at the ceremony in the back of Chloe’s sister’s ute driven by her Dad. The car had been decked out with ribbons and fresh vegies by Chloe’s Dad and sister. Chloe and I had our first few moments to ourselves to actually look at each other, talk and prepare ourselves for what was to come. As we arrived, all 150ish guests were cheering and smiling, our walking down the aisle song was playing, and I was just overcome with emotion.” (Chloe) “I would have to agree… A close second favourite moment was the choreographed dance by Melissa from Dancensations. We wanted to do a routine that was a little different – think Napoleon Dynamite or Muriel’s Wedding but with a couple of lifts and spins and some confetti for dramatic effect. The guests LOVED it, we really surprised them with something a bit unexpected there, and it felt like such a thrill to be our complete and silly selves and go into the dancefloor with a bang.”

COOL CUSTOMS

“We are not at all religious, but there were a few meaningful incorporations that we felt were important. Obviously, an acknowledgement of country was first and foremost, but another important touch was to invite anyone in the crowd to take off their shoes and socks and feel the ground beneath their feet. Connect with the earth so that they could connect with each other. This was entirely optional, but for Tom, this helped to centre himself and bring him to the moment.”

LITTLE LOL

“During the first look session, there was a possum sitting in a tree (in the daylight!) and that felt very special as Tom and I both volunteered as wildlife carers for a number of years, raising Brushtail possum joeys and releasing them into the wild. This felt like they had come to say hi and given their significance to us, it made me feel a great sense of ease and calm.”

STANDOUT VENDOR

“Jackson Grant. Damn. The effort he puts into his vision and his crowd wrangling is just something special. He manages to get the very best out of people and out of the surrounds. Jackson captures the big moments and the little details that will actually make you want to do it all again just so you can work together! Artistic and weird and funny and warm. Just love Jackson.”

In love with these pics? There’s more Jackson Grant goodness this way. Chloe and Tom’s unconventional circular ceremony layout caught your eye? Here’s some more inspo if you’d like to pull it off yourself. Or visit the blog for quirky local weddings that we can’t get enough of.