Like all modern romances, Liam and Jesse’s relationship sparked after a singular swipe – Tinder winning once again! The relaxed tone of the day was beautifully contrasted by the black-tie dress code, creating the perfect paradox. Todd & Alyda McGaw followed the couple throughout their day, capturing the bright energy that shone out of Liam and Jesse.

After graduating from university, Jesse felt ready to move their relationship to the next step. But after talking to Liam, he realised they had to wait until Liam had also graduated to start this next chapter of their relationship. “Having spent endless hours together locked inside during the COVID-19 pandemic, I came to realise that Jesse was the one and decided to do the opposite of what I had already told Jesse,” Liam recalled. “I booked a weekend away at Noosa and arranged through one of Jesse’s work friends to get him Monday off of work. Under the guise of a “date day”, I took Jesse to Sunshine Beach for lunch. After a nice lunch, we went to the national park, and I popped the question.”

Liam and Jesse decided to wear dashing dinner suits that were custom-made by a good friend of Jesse’s. “We are both lawyers and wear suits daily, so we wanted to wear something that wasn’t an ordinary lounge suit and decided dinner suits were the go. Luckily, most of the wedding guests got on board with black-tie attire.”

Aptly named: Liam’s grooms-maids included Hannah (Maid of Honour), Erin (Liam’s Sister) and Carly (Liam’s Sister-in-Law). They wore classic-style ivory gowns from Shona Joy to match the black-tie theme. On the other hand, Jesse had his groomsmen: Tim (Best Man), Nick and Chris, who all wore matching dinner suits to Liam and Jesse.

The ceremony took place at City View Saddle in Roma Street Parklands. The decor and styling were done by With Love – Brisbane Wedding Decorators. To make the most of this outdoor ceremony spot, seating and decor were kept to a minimum to really let the natural Brisbane flora shine.

Venturing down the aisle first, Jesse walked with his mum on his arm to the sounds of “Good For Me” by Above and Beyond. Soon after, Liam walked with his parents on either arm to “Dreams” by The Cranberries.

Led by their celebrant Clare West, the ceremony was relaxed and focused on their relationship story. “We wrote our own vows, which we read to each other for the first time at the ceremony.”

Once their marriage was official and the ceremony had finished, the guests made their way over to the reception venue while Liam and Jesse stayed behind with their wedding party and photographers. “Todd and Alyda of Todd Hunter McGaw were just amazing. The husband and wife duo made our day so easy and relaxed. Everyone agrees the photos were incredible, and for us, people who generally don’t like photos, they made the experience so enjoyable and laid back.”

Their favourite photos from the shoot? “We love the photos of us walking down the street with traffic behind us. We also really love the photo of us outside Dior – it just shows the enjoyable and relaxed nature of our photo session with Todd and Alyda.”

Tattersall’s Club hosted their reception, perfectly matching that classic, dashing style that flows throughout the whole day. The flowers chosen for the day were created by Liam’s aunt and styled to match the venue and wedding parties’ classic attire.

As the night continued, speeches were toasted, food was enjoyed, and conversation flowed as Liam and Jesse cut their three-tiered wedding cake that Jesse’s mum created.

The newlyweds stepped onto the dance floor as their band, Elevation Live, started the cords to “Happiness Amplified” by Above and Beyond. “Our first dance was magical. We spent all of ten minutes practising for the dance, and despite being very nervous, we pulled it off amazingly. Many people commented after the fact that our first dance looked very put together.”

If there’s one thing you step away from this story with, it’s this: “Start planning early, try not to fuss over the little things (your guests won’t notice anyway) and make sure you take some alone-time on the day for one another (even just 10 minutes).”

Thanks again to Todd and Alyda from Todd Hunter McGaw for sending this beautiful couple our way. And a GIANT congratulations to Liam and Jesse on your dashing wedding – may you continue to be bright lights bringing joy to those around you!