Weddings of Chantel Williams and Travis Twist, Melanie Stow and groom Hattem Serewa, Emma Wallace and Sam Williams

The bride wore Nikes, the groom Vans, and with a tattooist on hand to ink guests at the nuptials of Chantel Williams and Travis Twist, it was a wedding their loved ones will always remember.

Chantel and Travis Twist had a tattooist at their wedding reception so guests could get a memento of the occasion if they wished. Picture: Single Soul

Chantel Williams and Travis Twist wed at the exquisite Warrawong Estate in Eynesbury on February 18, 2023.

The couple, who met in 2005 through their sisters, added a unique touch to their special day by having a tattoo artist at their reception, allowing their guests who wanted a unique memento of the day to have a discreet inking done on the spot.

“I had a small tattoo of an ice cream cone done and Travis got a panda,” Chantel said.

“Most of our guests did (get a tattoo), our celebrant did and some of the people actually working at the wedding got one too.”

Chantel said the wedding was “boho, fun and basically just a big party.”

Chantel and Travis wed on February 18 at Warrawong Estate in Eynesbury. Picture: Single Soul

“It was the most amazing, fun and exciting day and we loved being able to celebrate with our nearest and dearest,” Chantel said.

For her wedding gown Chantel chose an ivory lace dress which she teamed with a pair of white Nikes. Travis wore black chinos, a white shirt and with a bone coloured jacket which he wore with black Vans.

Chantel’s bridesmaids looked lovely in berry coloured dresses and the groomsmen wore tan chinos, white shirts and Adidas sneakers.

“Travis is very into shoes so he wanted his groomsmen to be wearing particular shoes, he had his Vans, our son, Jye, was wearing Vans that matched the pair Travis was wearing, and I had white Nikes,” Chantel said.

The wedding was “boho, fun and basically just a big party”. Picture: Single Soul

Jye, 4, was part of the wedding party with Chantel’s niece who was the flower girl.

Chantel and Travis had their first dance to First Date by Taylor Acorn.

The wedding and reception was planned by Harper Grace Designs, the couple’s close friend Fabian Ardino was the MC, the wedding was officiated by celebrant Hitched by Heidi, Luxe Blooms by Bec created the floral arrangements and photography was by Single Soul.

Travis and Chantel and a number of guests stayed at Warrawong on the wedding night at the Estate’s glamping enclosure, with the newlyweds enjoying a specially constructed glamping wedding suite.

RAINBOW OF COLOUR: MELANIE STOW AND HATTEM SEREWA

As a lover of the colour purple, it was only fitting that Melanie Stow would wear a stunning custom made purple tulle gown on her most special of days at one of Melbourne’s most iconic wedding venues.

Melanie wed Hattem Serewa in the garden of Ripponlea Estate in Elsternwick with their cocktail reception held in the stately home’s grand ballroom on January 7, 2023.

It was a fridge that brought the couple together in 2015.

“Hat and I met eight years ago when I was purchasing my fridge at Harvey Norman in Richmond,” Melanie said.

Melanie Stow wed Hattem Serewa at Ripponlea Estate earlier this year. Picture: Chole May

Melanie wore a stunning purple dress custom made by Melbourne designer Holly Butler. Picture: Chole May

“He was working at Harvey Norman at the time and he got my number. The rest is history.”

Hattem proposed at their house-warming.

“Hat organised a house-warming party, then gave a speech in front of our closest friends and got down on one knee,” Melanie said.

The couple’s warm and loving wedding, officiated by celebrant Shelley Amar, was filled with colour and fun.

“Hat and I both have colourful fashion sense. We express ourselves through what we wear,” Melanie said.

“I am obsessed with purple, it is a clear identifier when people meet me. So it was only fitting that our wedding was a rainbow of colour centred around my purple dress custom made by Holly Butler.

“We would describe it as a ‘Parisian Marie Antoinette Garden Wedding’ with a cocktail reception.”

The couple's ‘furbabies’, Hendrix and Bowie, were party of the wedding party, dressed in doggie tuxedos the same colour as the suits worn by the groomsmen. Picture: Chole May

Hattem wore a three piece houndstooth blue suit by P Johnson with black mother of pearl buttons, and a purple bow tie and pocket square from OTAA Brothers.

Melanie’s five bridesmaids wore sky blue gowns from Erika Georg.

Their wedding party was completed by their “furbabies” Hendrix and Bowie who wore custom dog tuxedos matching back to the groomsmen’s suits.

The newlyweds surprised guests with their first dance.

“The moment our traditional wedding waltz to Louis Armstrong’s What a Wonderful World finished we suddenly switched to a hip-hop routine to Beyonce’s Crazy in Love and then MC Hammers Can’t Touch This,” Melanie said.

“After 12 months of zoom rehearsals with our amazingly talented friend Phoebe we felt like we nailed the dance. Our wedding day was magical. We had our nearest and dearest by our sides to celebrate this special day and have so many beautifully captured moments to cherish for the rest of our life, happily ever after.”

Music was by DJ Kitty Kat, flowers were by Twig and Type, Showtime Events did the catering, Ladybird Cakes created the wedding cake and photography was by Chloe May.

School sweethearts still crazy in love: Emma Wallace and Sam Williams

High school sweethearts Emma Wallace and Sam Williams wed at the grand George Ballroom in St Kilda on Thursday, April 6, 2023.

The couple first met in 1997 at three-year-old kindergarten and started dating in 2012 when they were completing Year 12.

Sam and Emma Williams wed at The George Ballroom in St Kilda. Picture: Liz Barnes

Sam popped the question in December 2021 with a ring he had designed for Sam with the help of an expert jeweller and Sam’s sister Maia. The proposal came by the lake at the Royal Botanic Gardens when Sam got down on one knee and presented Emma with the ring as they were on their way to the Moonlight Cinema.

Sam wore a Hugo Boss suit. Emma wore a dress from Grace Loves Lace. Picture: Liz Barnes

The couple walked down the aisle to Crazy in Love by Beyonce and Jay-Z. Picture: Liz Barnes

The couple exchanged vows in an intimate, “relaxed, fun and family focused” ceremony conducted by celebrant Shelley Amar, in front of 20 guests at The George. Sam and Emma’s grandmothers were their witnesses, Emma’s grandpa, who is in Canada, joined the day via Facetime and Emma’s cousin, Leon, 8, was the ring bearer.

Emma wore a delicate gown from Grace Loves Lace with Sam dapper in a Hugo Boss suit.

Their reception was held at the private upstairs dining room at The Carlton Wine Room.

“Our wedding was done our way. We organised the whole thing in about two months,” Emma said.

“It wasn’t a great big lead up with hundreds of guests. We had just 20 people there which meant we could really sink in and enjoy the moments throughout the day. Sam and I have been together for over a decade now, so it didn’t really feel like anything was going to change getting married, however, it was a really special day full of love.”

Flowers were by Grown Florists and photography/videography by Liz Barnes.