Deep in the local queer spaces of Sydney is where we’ll find Maggie and Max’s vibrant retro wedding. Full of eclectic vibes, loud colours and queer culture – Maggie and Max would describe their wedding as “fabulous and fruity”. Surrounded by those closest to them, this couple celebrated their marriage their way. Thanks to Margan Photography for capturing their day, we now have to share it with all of you!

Maggie and Max met the good old-fashioned way, of course—Tinder! It was love at first swipe, and they instantly matched. It wasn’t until soon after that that Max realised that Maggie was a bit of an ‘unofficial investigator’ and that he would need to go above and beyond to surprise her.

And what surprise could be bigger than a proposal – one Max had planned long and hard to avoid Maggie sniffing out anything amiss. “To his credit, he completely surprised me. He knew I hated public proposals – so planning one would be a complete surprise. The plan was to propose Evie’s Disco Diner in Fitzroy during their drag bingo – the drag queen on the night was even in on it. What he didn’t account for was the COVID outbreak in the area, which meant only three other people turned up at the venue… It made it nearly impossible to have the moment he had pictured, so he had to think quickly. He invited me outside during the break to the smoko and got down on one knee (to be fair, it was a very cute smoko with fairy lights). The ring was also way too big. I had to wrap some sticky tape underneath so it was somewhat wearable on the night – and look absolutely hilarious.”

Opting for a more retro fit, Max wore this incredible emerald green velvet blazer from Politix with a matching butterfly bowtie. “That specific colour had always been in his wedding vision, and velvet felt like a must. Luckily, it was the second jacket he tried on in a store – it was perfect.”

As many plus-sized people know, finding formal wear for a bigger body is pretty uncomfortable, and the process was no different for Maggie. “Most bridal stores don’t stock above a size eight sample, so ‘trying on’ dresses was nearly impossible. Some boutiques were great and stocked a variety of sizes, but they were few and far between. Unfortunately, I believe the industry can be pretty exclusive to a particular type of person, one with a straight-sized body and cash to spend.”

So, to prevent more heartbreak (and with plenty of faith), Maggie ordered a dress online and hoped her dream dress would arrive. “It wasn’t perfect, but I worked with a local tailor to make it fit just right, and had additional alterations such as sleeves, bustle loops and a matching veil. The dress was a rose gold tulle gown with flecks of glitter throughout,” Maggie explained. “Looking back, I don’t think I would have opted for a traditional bridal gown, and I would have found a perfect dress outside a ‘bridal’ store.”

Lime Tree Bower created her beautiful bouquet in Sydney, which Maggie gave full creative license to. The eclectic mix of colours perfectly suited the vibrant retro vibes of the day. “I didn’t choose flowers—I trusted my florist 100%! I gave her an idea of what I liked but didn’t feel particular about it. All the flowers are beautiful, and I chose the expert to make the decisions.”

Before the ceremony, Maggie and Max had their first look with those closest to them. “We didn’t really have wedding parties because we only had 20 guests for our wedding, so everyone was really important. There were a lot of colours across our guests, which complimented them perfectly. Pastel blue, green, pink, gold and many other colours of the rainbow were captured in our photos on the day.”

Their venue of choice for the day was an iconic space rooted in the local Sydney queer scene. The Bearded Tit in Redfern was the perfect space for Maggie and Max, filled with so much character and the grunge energy they were looking for. In the lead-up to the wedding, Maggie’s mum couldn’t quite get her head around the venue’s name, often saying, “What’s it called? The Hairy Tit? The Fuzzy Bosom?”

Sweet notes began as Maggie walked herself down the aisle to Max, who teared up a bit seeing his beautiful bride. The song Maggie chose to walk down the aisle was an important one to both of them. “I chose Latch (acoustic version) by Sam Smith. It was important to us to have a queer artist/music in our ceremony.”

Their ceremony was perfectly them – a harmonic mixture of love and humour. Laughter filled the room, as did many emotions. “We had a poem written by one of our close friends that she wrote early into our relationship. We also had a very thorough speech from our Celebrant Marie after getting to know us really well, and then we said our personal vows,” she explained.

There was no other celebrant for this couple; Married By Marie was the one for them. “Marie was a star on the day. She went above and beyond to ensure everything ran smoothly. We had a minor (pretty major, actually) hiccup on the day, and she was able to totally save the day for us. We will always be thankful for what she gave us. She’s more than a celebrant. She’s your wedding Mama. She was born to do this.”

This incredible cake, made by Black Star Pastry, is covered in crispy popcorn and a fun plaque saying “Love at first bite.” How adorable!

Maggie’s favourite part of wedding planning was the moment it was all over! “Wedding planning became super overwhelming and stressful. We had to remind ourselves to stay grounded and remember our wedding was about us—not all the bells and whistles!”

Capturing the retro vibes and vibrant atmosphere of their wedding, Margan Photography joined Maggie and Max on their special day. “You must hire them immediately for your wedding. They made our wedding so special and gave us lifetime memories. We could not believe how our photos turned out. They have an eye for detail like you wouldn’t believe!”

It’s so easy to blow thousands of dollars on your wedding – with some couples even going into debt. Here is Maggie’s tip to avoid that: “Have the wedding that you can with what you’ve got and do it your way. This goes with choosing vendors that encourage you to do it your way rather than following traditions or ‘trends’. There are some really special people working in this industry, and we were lucky enough to find our gorgeous vendors. When we had some hiccups or issues on the day, vendors are who you lean on to help you out of a tough situation – choose wisely.”

For their reception venue, Maggie and Max chose one of their favourite restaurants, Russo & Russo. “We had been having dinner at Russo & Russo and looked around and thought, “Why don’t we do it here?” It’s a beautiful Italian restaurant with a very romantic yet laid-back vibe, incredible food, and wine. The staff there are amazing, particularly Marc Russo, and you can feel the love as soon as you enter the space.”

“Something’s Got A Hold On Me” by Etta James was their first dance song, playing as they gently swayed while all their guests looked on.

We love a personal touch here at Polka Dot Wedding, and there’s nothing more personal than an illustration from a friend. Their talented artist friend Phoebe kindly drew these incredible illustrations of Maggie and Max for their wedding day, which they printed on the menus, thank you gifts, and name cards!

A huge congratulations to Maggie and Max! This incredibly vibrant retro wedding is one you and your guests will remember for the ages. And thanks to Margan Photography for capturing and submitting it for us to share.