fbpx

Suzie + Amar || Luminare

From the very beginning, Suzie and Amar wanted their wedding to be fun and relaxed, showing off the things they love about each other (and Melbourne) to their guests, many of whom travelled internationally to attend their ceremony!

We first met Amar in a suite in Crown Metropol, overlooking Melbourne’s Southbank and Yarra River. Amar was having fun with his groomsmen trying on their custom made Indian wedding garments. Amar’s was gold brocade, the boys wore navy blue. The banter and Japanese Nikka whiskey was flowing freely, setting the tone for what promised to be an exciting day!

Meanwhile, Suzie was getting ready in another room of the hotel, surrounded by her bridesmaids and immediate family. Suzie’s hair was pulled into a perfect bridal ponytail styled by the talented Kelly (@kxhairdesign) and looked effortlessly the part with a dusky red lip and subtle bronze eye from make-up artist St Kristal.

Suzie wore a pair of mules with a fashionable square toe and white satin bow from One Day Bridal x Alias Mae. Her dress, by Marquise Bridal, was open backed and entirely beaded – Suzie said it was quite heavy but she exuded effortless style. Her bridesmaids wore flowing ivory dresses, and when they were stood next to Suzie, we instantly thought of the Muses from Ancient Greece! The family fastened boutonnières of white rosebuds and green rose blossoms to their clothes; Suzie carried a bouquet of roses and orchids (all from Juliet Louise Weddings). With a last little bit of help from Suzie’s mum, a pair of pearl drop earrings from MIMCO finished the bride-to-be’s look.

With the cork popped from a bottle of Veuve Clicquot champagne, there was time for a surprise before heading off to the ceremony. That surprise came in the form of a dozen long-stemmed red roses from Amar, delivered straight into Suzie’s arms! We all dried away a few (pesky) early tears as Suzie read a note from Amar and prepared herself for an emotion-filled day!

The first of two venues for the day was Carousel in Albert Park. The ultra-modern and minimalist space offers unrivalled views of Melbourne’s skyline over the water, and was a super glamorous setting for Amar and Suzie’s ceremony. The space offered plenty of room for the guests, from both Indian and Greek sides of the family to mingle before celebrant (and local celebrity) Mike Larkin called out attention to Amar waiting patiently for his bride to arrive.

Suzie couldn’t hold back the happy tears (although she tried very hard!) as she was walked up the aisle by her proud dad. What followed was a lovely participation in both of the wedding traditions of Indian rose garland giving, and the Greek giving of crowns. We love a wedding that acknowledges and engages in the public rituals around the joining of two families (what a mouthful… but you know what we mean)! After exchanging amazing wedding bands from Paul Bram, the formalities were over and it was on with the show; time to eat, drink, and be merry!

Amar changed into a three-piece black tuxedo from P.Johnson and swept Suzie off into the laneways and streets of Melbourne where they spent so many first dates before meeting the groomsmen and bridesmaids back  at their actual first date location (one of Melbourne’s most popular rooftop bars) for cocktail hour… c’mon you two, leave some style for the rest of us!

Whilst Amar’s brother was making hasty adjustments to his best man speech, Suzie slipped into a pair of flats and they all headed for the reception venue – the stunning and versatile Luminare (we recommend checking out their Instagram @luminaresouthmelbourne, our description couldn’t do the venue justice)! There we were met with a live band including harp, trumpet, and acoustic guitar. The MCs for the evening were two of Amar’s close old friends, and they warmly welcomed the newlyweds into their reception. With the delectable cake (from Burnt Butter – they also provided a mouth-watering cheese tower!) cut, it was time for speeches. Suzie and Amar’s close friends and family had us all in tears of laughter and love, and, with what was to be Amar’s modus operandi of the day, a final gift of flowers to the parents of the groom it was time to hit the dancefloor.

Greek dancing is one of our favourite things to see at weddings, and Suzie’s dad whipped up a storm, leading everyone in a traditional spiralling dance that had more than a few of the guests removing their jackets and loosening their strappy sandals! Amar and Suzie cleared the dancefloor as the sun set over Melbourne for their first dance… then it was time for some Indian grooves to bring the tempo back up!

Thanks everyone, we had so much fun! A wedding that brought lots and lots of elements together with perfect organisation and the minimum of fuss.

We wish you all the best,

from Iconic Pictures xoxo