“Festival meets house party” might sound like a bold brief for a wedding, but when one half of the couple is Nathan, founder of Melbourne Entertainment Company, you know it’s going to be something special. For Nathan and Alana, their day wasn’t just about saying “I do”, it was about creating an atmosphere, one where music, movement and pure joy took centre stage, and where every guest felt completely part of the celebration. From a heartfelt garden ceremony at Abbotsford Convent to a backyard reception turned full scale entertainment playground, this was a wedding designed to be felt just as much as it was seen, and one their guests won’t be forgetting anytime soon.

Their wedding was complete with a viral party bus, live music at every turn and a dance floor that never slowed down, this is a celebration of energy, connection and doing things completely your own way. So much Joy!

We’re so excited to share it with you today on Polka Dot You. 

Grand Final Day, 2013, we met at a house party thrown by our mate Lachie. Footy was on, but neither of us cared. The real action happened over a cocktail frankfurts at the snack table. Lachie introduced us with strict “no flirting” rules, which lasted… maybe 2 hours. By the time Fremantle made a half-hearted comeback, we were scrolling through Nathan’s business ideas, laughing at gym selfies and sharing Lani’s endless nursing stories. One snack table spark turned into 12 magical years together.

A few special traditions and heirlooms that were included were Mum’s engagement and wedding band (now Lani’s to keep), Nanna’s opal earrings and Nanna’s vintage fine gold bracelet. All a sweet sentimental touch and a nod to tradition.

We got engaged during our joint 30th birthday on a party boat, 150 friends, sun, music, laughter. Nathan pulled out a Cheezel box (I pretended that I hadn’t purchased a real ring and instead would present her with a Cheezel) and revealed the ring. Everyone screamed, hugged and cheered. Then came the surprise: a six-piece marching band leading everyone through Melbourne CBD. Romantic, chaotic, loud, and totally us.

Lani wore The Grace gown from Grace Loves Lace, sleek, backless, perfectly fitted and effortlessly elegant. She paired it with a borrowed Mariana Hardwick veil for a sentimental touch.

Nathan wore a cream jacket with black pants, classic, sharp and slightly different from his groomsmen in black suits. A minor jacket mix-up just added to the story (Nathan on his second fitting was trying on the wrong jacket and hence got a slightly different colour to the OG one that Lani picked – but after some tailoring it looked amazing – Nathan only realised on wedding day when Lani pointed it out and said “I thought it was a bit big in the shop initially”).

I think our favourite photograph of the day was the shot of us and our bridal party on the steps of Abbotsford Convent. Tess kept saying “do sexy-serious”… and we all nailed it!

Groomsmen: Lachie, James, Max, Jake & Callan. Bridesmaids: Emily, Alpal, Chloe & Katherine. Our flower boys Jason and Jordan stole the show with bubble guns. Bridesmaids wore Shona Joy dresses. Groomsmen wore black suits and bow ties from Connor.

Abbotsford Convent’s Heritage Gardens was serene, historic and beautiful for the ceremony. For the reception, we wanted intimate fun, so we brought everyone back to our home in Kew East.

Lowvely Flowers created simple, elegant arrangements that felt effortless, nothing overdone, just beautiful natural touches. She works with Lani as a nurse so there that made the whole process as smooth as possible and she provided us with some incredible arrangements.

Lani walked down to a live cover of “Yellow” by Coldplay, sung by our family friend Eva Goudie. Eva was one of 3 sisters who Lani helped raise and babysit through Lani’s 20s. Her dad escorted her and it was emotional, beautiful and unforgettable.

We wanted the ceremony to feel light, joyful and full of laughs. Leah, our celebrant, layered in stories, jokes and personal touches. No readings, just real moments, love and laughter. There were a few “….s**t should we really be saying that?” moments, which was exactly how we wanted it! Very riskay, very hilarious.

Nathan kept losing his place in the vows thanks to a very off-key flute player in the background. Lani had to reel him in, everyone laughed so hard.

Our favourite part of the day was the party bus! Between the ceremony and reception, it became a moving dance floor blasting “All The Small Things.” Pure madness, pure fun. The clip was one of a few that went viral on social media!

We DIY’d our favours, signage and little personal touches sprinkled throughout to make the day feel uniquely ours.

Entertainment was key for our wedding. 4 piece jazz band at the ceremony, 4 different roving acts at the reception, DJ, sax, gospel duo singing some incredible music to keep everyone dancing. Personal touches included Lani’s borrowed items from her Mum and Nanna and our little weather rituals, they worked!

For the first dance, Nathan created a mashup: “Come Away” by Sons of the East, followed by AC/DC’s “Thunderstruck.” Slow romance, then full energy release. Just us. Nathan made the mashup in Ableton and put his music production skills to use.

Tess Follett and Tom from Melbourne Entertainment Company really captured the light, the chaos, the love and every single moment from our wedding. Both such a vibe! Tom captured our bucks and hens, and so we know each other very well. Tess also met Lani together on the tools at a wedding and instantly vibed. Together their shots were absolutely phenomenal.

Kate from Hey Lovers was a hero. She handled all the tiny details so we could focus on the big picture. Our favourite part of planning? Designing the entertainment journey to make every guest feel part of the story. She was our fairy god mother and we would have been SO STRESSED without her. Honestly it’s an absolute must when you’re hosting at your own venue or space.

5 things which made our wedding special:

  • Entertainment, it set the tone for everything… NO. BORING. BITS!!
  • Our vows, full of laughter and love
  • Weather, it was supposed to rain, but we made it work!
  • The party bus, moving mayhem, best memories
  • Our incredible vendors, who made everything happen

Trust your vendors, stay true to your vision and don’t follow trends for the sake of it. And if entertainment matters at all, invest in it, it transforms the day from “wedding” to “unforgettable experience.”

This is a beautiful reminder for couples in the midst of planning to trust your vendors, stay true to what feels like you, and prioritise the elements that matter most, because as this unforgettable day proves, when you do, your wedding becomes so much more than a celebration. It becomes an experience your guests will carry with them long after the final song. A heartfelt thank you to Tess Follett for capturing this day in all its colour, energy and joy, and of course, thank you to Nathan and Alana as well, for so generously sharing your story with us.