The couple met in 2007 at music venue The Basement in Sydney over Mardi Gras weekend, where they swapped numbers and MySpace pages. This was Vanessa and Adam’s second wedding. The week beforehand, they had a traditional Vietnamese wedding, paying homage to Vanessa’s culture. ‘Getting the venue right was the biggest decision for us,’ said Vanessa. ‘Once we secured the Cell Block Theatre, everything fell into place. It’s an old gaol site with grand, high ceilings and sandstone walls – so it didn’t need much decoration; its history speaks for itself. As a lover of foliage over flower, I knew I wanted a canopy of greenery as well as bright festoon lights. The length of the room meant long tables filled with oversized shared platters of food – just like you’d eat at home.’ ‘To offset the greenery and add pops of colour, we used mismatched chairs. All the other decorative pieces on the table (provided by the seriously talented She Design) were inspired by things we would have in our own home – candles, mirrored balls, animal horns, mini toy animals, old jars and glass vases.’
Photography Lara Hotz Photography | Styling + decorations She Designs | Florals Casey Foriere of Lynch Group + All About Sweet Peas | Location Sydney, New South Wales | Venue Cell Block Theatre, National Art School | Guest List 120 guests | Catering + Drinks Mario’s Kitchen