In today’s day and age, social media reigns supreme, and with every wedding having its own hashtag and a multitude of images shared so publicly, hosting a truly luxurious occasion is something many couples aspire to when planning their wedding. Regardless of whether you’re interested in hosting a small and intimate affair, or your dream wedding is an extravagantly large-scale event, the rise of the luxe wedding is influencing every aspect of wedding planning and design.

First Things First

When it comes to selecting a venue for your wedding, the options are endless. First and foremost, where you intend to hold your ceremony will dictate your reception options, and whether you may require two separate locations.

For instance, if you’re interested in the classic opulence of a church wedding, complete with hundreds of guests and a cathedral-length veil, it would be hard to go past the truly magnificent Melbourne icon, St Paul’s Cathedral. If you’re selecting a venue of this nature however, your reception will need to be held at a secondary location.

There are certainly select city locations, such as the Abbotsford Convent, which are optimised to offer a stunning church ceremony and reception services. However, many churches won’t contain the facilities necessary to host a truly luxurious post-ceremony celebration. Luckily, Melbourne is replete with beautiful venues that are easily accessible and offer options for wedding receptions to suit any and every style. Not to mention, there is always the option to eschew tradition and host your wedding in a less expected venue.

While selecting a venue that is either local to you, or within a central part of the city, may seem like the obvious choice, a typical church wedding can also be elevated through the careful selection of a more unique locale. There are many all-inclusive options located a mere hour from Melbourne’s CBD, such as the stunning Stones of the Yarra Valley, which provide the opportunity to host a spectacular church wedding in a distinct location, with everything from your pre-wedding dinner to on-site accommodation, and everything in between, catered to.

Selecting a venue that can host your event, from pre-ceremony preparations right through to the reception, proves an excellent choice for an especially lavish occasion. Maintaining a singular location allows for cohesion to be achieved effortlessly, and will also resonate beautifully in your wedding photography and videography. In this situation, you can also take style inspiration from the locale, whether it be coast or country, church or estate. Everything from colour palettes and gown styles to table settings, floral arrangements and menus can be intertwined with the venue functioning as your central thematic influence.

The Thing About Themes 

There are key styling elements that are worth focusing on to create an air of effortless opulence around your event; one significant consideration when it comes to styling a luxurious event is that ‘luxury’ needn’t be the only theme. Luxe weddings can easily adopt an additional theme, whether it be a rustic vineyard event, a glamourous vintage theme, or a modern minimalist affair by the coast. The way you choose to style your event and the attention that is paid to luxurious details will elevate the theme, creating the ultimate opulent occasion.

The ideal wedding location will also bring its own character. A stunning heritage-listed venue such as the Abbotsford Convent, for instance, lends itself to a vintage theme with moody florals and a myriad of candles. In comparison, a seaside locale, such as the serene Portsea Hotel, which boasts spectacular panoramic ocean views would suit a crisp, clean colour palette featuring plenty of white. White florals with hints of greenery, white table settings, and crystal accessories with silver accents for candleholders, vases and glassware would create a sense of effortless elegance in such a space.

Regardless, if the venue is carefully selected, and you take its innate aesthetics into account, adorning it in a suitably luxurious fashion should be unproblematic. Regardless of the style of your event, incorporating stunning and theme-befitting floral arrangements will always add a sense of luxury.