Adrian and Harley’s Melbourne wedding at Rippon Lea Estate was photographed by Georgia Verrells, and it first appeared in Hello May’s Real Wedding Special Vol 9. With a ceremony at the Melbourne Town Hall Portico Balcony, bright florals, a live band with trumpet and saxophone, a mailbox wishing well and a seriously good cake, this one is packed with personality. Here’s how the day came together.
Rippon Lea Estate wedding reception: crystal coupes, a ballroom and a pool
Adrian and Harley held their Melbourne wedding at Rippon Lea Estate, with a ceremony at the Melbourne Town Hall Portico Balcony. Crystal coupes drew in the hearts of the Melbourne couple when it came to deciding on a reception venue. “Rippon Lea Estate was one of the first venues we looked at, and it won us over with its beauty and the amazing combination of ballroom, pool and garden, but the crystal champagne coupes were what really sealed the deal!” they said.
Melbourne Town Hall Portico Balcony ceremony for out of town guests
When it came to selecting a ceremony location, the grooms wanted a spot that really felt like Melbourne, as they had guests travelling in from out of town. Melbourne Town Hall Portico Balcony absolutely fitted the bill for their nuptials.
Bright florals, a live band and hot chips: a Melbourne wedding done differently
Doing things differently was the name of the game for Adrian and Harley. “Everything we included in the day was something that we specifically wanted, not because it’s what you’re supposed to do at your wedding. We wanted bright colours for the flowers and lots of greenery, neither of which are the normal look at our venues, and they looked amazing. At the same time, we didn’t care what cars we travelled in, so we prioritised other things in our budget,” says Harley.
Making sure everyone had a blast was a top priority. They chose their celebrant, Mich, for her amazing energy, then kept speeches and formalities to a minimum so the dance floor could get a proper workout, led by an 11/10 live band complete with trumpet and saxophone. To wrap it all up, hot chips were served after dessert. “We wanted everyone to leave saying ‘That was so Adrian and Harley!’”
DIY wedding ideas: stationery, a mailbox wishing well and a homemade cake
The couple were keen to get crafty during the planning. “Adrian became a master of Canva, designing all our stationery and signage. Once everything was printed, we then spent a weekend edging each card and name tag with gold paint and learning how to apply the wax seals on our envelopes. Adrian envisioned a mailbox as our wishing well, so we bought a mailbox off Facebook Marketplace, cemented it into a pot and painted it black. We sourced and designed our own bonbonnieres, plus Adrian’s baking skills meant he made our cake,” said Harley.
And it was a very good cake. Adrian collected plenty of compliments throughout the night for the “best wedding cake ever” from his admiring guests. The flavour, you ask? Chocolate cake with fresh raspberries and vanilla swiss meringue buttercream. Delish!
Melbourne wedding vendors: photographer, celebrant, florist and producer
Luckily for Adrian and Harley, their brilliant photographer Georgia Verrells captured all the special moments of the busy day. “She did an amazing job of directing us through the photos, and keeping us on track during the crazy schedule of locations we had planned!”
The couple sing the praises of all their vendors. “Our celebrant Mich made us feel like the only couple she was working with right through the process, which really made us feel special. And our producer Jasmine from Showtime at Rippon Lea was fantastic at catering all our requests and plans. And finally, Elle from Love Alfalfa really understood what we wanted for florals and ran with it. It felt fresh, modern and uniquely us.”
CONTRIBUTING VENDORS Photographer Georgia Verrells Photography Florist Love Alfalfa Ceremony Venue Melbourne Town Hall, Portico Balcony Reception Venue Rippon Lea Estate Catering Showtime Event Group Cake Adrian Barila Other Desserts 4me Gluten Free Hire Items A Day to Remember Event Hire Lighting Showtime Event Group Neon Signage HDJ Sign Entertainment Baker Boys Band Celebrant Marry Us Mich Rings (Harley) The Wooden Circle Rings (Adrian) Eliise Maar (engagement ring), Cash for Anything Transport Combined Chauffeured Cars Group Hair & Makeup Rachel Morrison Makeup THE GROOM (Harley) Jacket Calibre, Shirt & Pants Mens Suit Warehouse, Bowtie M.J. Bale Shoes Aquila THE GROOM (Adrian) Jacket Arthur Galan, Shirt & Pants Soho Workshop Bowtie Arthur Galan Shoes Gucci
