Carly and Pat's Vibey Butler Lane Wedding

Carly & Pat’s Butler Lane Love Party

A super fun celebration in Abbotsford and the two piece gown that broke my Instagram.

Carly and Pat planned their Melbourne wedding from London and they nailed it.

The party vibe was there from the very start. Their ceremony included a lot of big laughs and some tears too before finishing with a petal exit and signing with Aperol Spritz in hand. Their palette was classy and modern, simple green and white. Their cake melted but the d floor went off!

““..Miranda blasted the tunes and photographed us poppin’ bottles in the sun””

1. What was the best decision you made?

I have a few, if you'll allow me!

Giving our phones to other people to take snaps so we had candid, fun footage to look at the next day - Game changer!

We were really keen on doing things our own way, which often meant breaking traditions. Eg. Seeing each other before the ceremony, digital invites, having a fully vegan menu, ditching certain formalities - like the first dance, cake cutting, and bouquet toss.

By picking and choosing which wedding traditions we personally found meaningful, it made the day feel like a genuine reflection of 'us'.

We also wrote every guest a personalised note on the back of their menus which took a while, but we're so glad we did it!

2. Did anything not go to plan/ what would you do differently?

A few little hiccups in the lead up but luckily (and miraculously) nothing major that ended up affecting the day itself. I'd like to put that down to both of us being extremely organised individuals (shout out to the 55 tabs in our planning docs)... But more importantly, we chose amazing vendors and experts; we left nothing to DIY.

3. What was your fave part of the day?

How can I pick just one!!

The 'first look' and pre-ceremony bridal party photo shoot was so much fun - it was just like having a little party in Fitzroy Gardens with our best mates all looking hot as hell, while Miranda blasted the tunes and photographed us poppin' bottles in the sun. Then our whole bridal party travelled to the venue together in a luxury van which got everyone super pumped for the rest of the day!

Doing this also meant we could stick around and spend more time with our friends and family at cocktail hour.

The ceremony! It was perfectly relaxed, personalised, funny and entertaining (all in under 24 mins!!). I can't even tell you how many people approached us afterwards to comment on how fantastic and refreshing it was. Nat is a superstar, she set the vibe for the whole night.

And then the D-floor: I physically could not leave, people had to bring the drinks to me, ha! Eddy's tunes were banging!

““Choose one or two vendors you vibe with and ask them for recommendations for other vendors - this way you end up having a crew that feels like family””

4. In a few words- what advice would you give couples planning their wedding now?

Make a decision and move on. If it feels right, go for it. If it doesn't mean anything to you, scrap it.

Choose one or two vendors you vibe with and ask them for recommendations for other vendors - this way you end up having a crew that feels like family, which makes a huge difference in the lead up and on the big day.

Finally, eat the damn food! You likely spent so long deliberating over the menu, so make sure you get to enjoy it too!

VENDOR TEAM

Celebrant of our dreams / Comedian / Vibe Queen: Nat Sproal

Photographer / Literal Angel: Miranda Stokkel

Venue: Butler Lane by Peter Rowland

Acoustic Duo: Revery from Hey Jack

DJ: Eddy from One More Song

Cake (not on display, as it started melting, lol) + epic breakfast spread: Mister Nice Guy's

Florals/Candles: Babylon Flowers

Signage/Stationary: The Parker Effect

Dress (top & skirt): Chosen by Kyha

Bride's Shoes: Billini

Party Pants: Kookai

Headband: Moira Hughes

Rings: London Diamonds

H&MU: Andrea Takagi via Tonic Agency

BMs dresses: Whatever they felt comfortable in (a mix of Shona Joy, Scanlan Theodore and Forever New)

Boys get up: Daniel Hechter (suits), MJ bale (shirts)

Groom's shoes: Julius Marlow

Table Linens: Table Art

Furniture & Aisle Runner: Dann Event Hire

Transport all day: Deluxe Chauffeurs

More on how to assemble your own killer crew right here.

HEY THERE LEGENDS! I’M NAT SPROAL, MELBOURNE WEDDING CELEBRANT, AND AFICIONADO OF ALL THINGS HITCHING-RELATED.

Thanks for stopping by and reading my blog! You’ll find loads of no-BS advice and tips on how to create the day of your dreams - without the wedstress and the drama.

I’m your wing woman and captain of your ship when it comes to having a cruisy, loved-up and utterly memorable and joyous day. Enjoy!