A black-tie wedding inside the State Library of Victoria sounds impressive on paper, but what makes Emma and Gerard’s celebration such a joy to see is everything happening within those historic walls. Family travelled from Korea, friends arrived from interstate, a traditional Paebaek ceremony honoured Gerard’s heritage, and the celebrations carried on well into the night beneath one of Melbourne’s most recognisable domes. Beautifully photographed by Mia Sara Photography, today’s feature is a reminder that sometimes an incredible venue doesn’t need to compete for attention: it provides the backdrop for the people who fill it.

The first time Emma and Gerard crossed paths was at a mutual friend’s housewarming party in 2019. Emma is from a small town on the South Coast of NSW, and Gerard is from the bustling suburbs of Seoul, so there was an initial language barrier. Not that that stopped Emma. “Gerard was initially quite nervous about his English. Sensing a connection, I took matters into my own hands and asked him out. Best decision I ever made – we’ve been inseparable ever since!”

Amid the bustling noise of Paris, the howling winds at the top of the Eiffel Tower and Gerard’s frayed nerves, Emma still had no idea what was about to happen. “Gerard was acting incredibly nervous, but I just figured it was because of the dizzying heights and the wild wind. I had no idea his nerves were actually driven by the life-changing question he was preparing to ask. But when the moment finally came, we hit a slight glitch. As the box opened, the ring slipped from its holder and almost tumbled right out! After a heart-stopping moment of pure panic and shared laughter, everything turned out perfectly, making our proposal story all the more memorable,” she shared.

Gerard wore a bespoke black tuxedo from Heritz Tailor in Ilsan, South Korea. It was perfectly crafted with a single-breasted black coat, a notched lapel, and a beautiful wool finish. “He had it custom-tailored during our trip there in early 2025. He chose Heritz Tailor for its exceptional in-house master tailors and extensive range of premium fabrics, allowing him to design a truly custom suit that perfectly matched both his personal style and the classic black-tie elegance of our wedding.”

Gerard had his two best friends as his groomsmen, looking sharp in their peak-lapel tuxedos crafted from black Australian merino wool from Mens Suit Warehouse.

From the moment Emma laid eyes on her Jenny Yoo Romina gown at The Bridal Curator in Prahran, she knew it was the one. Complete with a strapless cowl neckline, a beautiful dropped waist and sweeping A-line skirt, it was the perfect match for their State Library wedding. “I wanted something timeless and sophisticated yet simple enough to let the venue and our personal touches take centre stage. The ultimate highlight for me was wearing my grandmother’s lace veil – a beautiful piece of history worn by three generations of women, from my grandmother to my mother, and now me,” she explained,

Surrounded by their nearest and dearest friends in the wedding party, Emma and Gerard felt like the luckiest people in the world that day! In Emma’s wedding party, she had her sister and two best friends, wearing full-length black gowns with an incredible sculpted one-shoulder detail.

Melbourne event florist Molly Molly curated all of these beautiful flowers for Emma and Gerard, centred on traditional elegance and using a burgundy-and-white colour palette. “Our ceremony installation made a dramatic statement, featuring a rich red velvet drapery backdrop flanked by cloud-like arrangements of baby’s breath overflowing from neoclassical white urns and plinths,” Emma shared.

Mia Sara Photography is the ridiculously talented artist behind all of these beautiful portraits, and was a dream for Emma and Gerard to work with. “We were originally introduced to Mia through our videographer, At Last Studio, and we couldn’t be happier with that meeting. Mia’s modern signature style was exactly what we envisioned for our day; she effortlessly combines striking editorial visuals with a playful, relaxed casualness that results in spectacular imagery. Throughout the celebration, her presence felt entirely natural and never intrusive. She was always there at just the right moment to capture our most candid, emotional, and magical memories. We were completely blown away when she sent our sneak peek photos almost immediately after the wedding, and receiving the full gallery within just a few weeks was incredible!”

Both the ceremony and reception took place inside the historic State Library of Victoria. Not only was this a dream venue for Emma and Gerard, but not even two weeks after their first visit, a cancellation freed up their dates! “We chose the library for its timeless, classical aesthetic, wanting a grand space that spoke for itself without relying on extensive decorations. We hosted the main formalities in the Ian Potter Queen’s Hall, but the definitive highlight of our evening was the cocktail hour inside the iconic La Trobe Reading Room. Lit low and accompanied by live violin and cello performances, the historic dome felt completely magical.”

Emma walked down the aisle with her dad as Elvis Presley’s “Can’t Help Falling In Love” was performed by their live musicians, Doubleshow Entertainment. “Hearing that classic song played live on strings as I walked toward Gerard in that grand room was absolutely beautiful and brought so many feelings to the moment.”

Their ceremony was a traditional one, but it wasn’t dragged out or slow – instead, Emma and Gerard put a lot of work into making it feel cosy and intimate. “It was also super important to us to keep things simple and straightforward, since many of Gerard’s family members had flown over from Korea to celebrate with us. Our celebrant, Brooke Brodie, was an absolute dream to work with,” Emma explained.

“She has the most incredibly calming and relaxed voice, which was exactly what we needed to help us take a breath and shake off the nerves in the moment. Brooke shared a very loving, emotional retelling of our love story that made the whole experience feel so special and meaningful for everyone who travelled to be there.”

Two standout vendors for Emma and Gerard would have to be their florist, Molly, and their design and styling team from The Small Things Co. “On the wedding morning, our florist, Molly, faced an unexpected hurdle when the originally planned white lilies didn’t arrive looking as expected. Thinking quickly on her feet inside a cramped bridal suite, Molly pivoted and hand-crafted an absolutely breathtaking bouquet of burgundy and white roses. The final design was so spectacular that it actually surpassed our original vision,” Emma explained.

“Simultaneously, our design and styling team at The Small Things Co. proved to be absolute lifesavers. When our wedding venue coordinator unexpectedly changed just six weeks before the big day, we were incredibly grateful that we had hired an experienced team. Because they knew the intricacies of the library so well, they provided invaluable guidance to both us and the new management. We ultimately gave them full creative control over the venue styling, and they did a masterful job – expertly using atmospheric lighting and decor to transform the soaring ceilings and vast spaces of the hall into an incredibly intimate, moody masterpiece.”

Only a few months before the wedding did it finally hit Emma and Gerard that neither of them possessed dancing feet. So they turned to Jo at First Dance Melbourne for an emergency choreography session. “She tailored a simple yet stately routine designed to match the grand scale of the library while providing perfect photographic moments. Jo’s guidance paid off flawlessly on the night, resulting in an effortless performance and stunning pictures. For our song, we chose “Rewrite the Stars” from The Greatest Showman (one of our favourite films), brought to life via a cinematic live violin and cello performance by Dario and Gary from Doubleshow Entertainment.”

For Gerard, the whole day was a blur, but one of the warmest feelings in the world. “It was so incredibly special to have my family travel all the way from Korea to be there with us. I was a nervous wreck leading up to the first look and the ceremony, but as soon as the formal parts were over, I felt this huge wave of relief,” he explained.

“In that moment, looking around the library, it just felt like everything, and everyone was exactly where they were meant to be. The other big highlight for me was the afterparty, which kept going until 1:00 AM. Seeing absolutely everyone from different parts of our lives come together, let loose, and just have the best time was something I’ll never forget.”

Towards the end of the reception, Emma and Gerard changed into traditional Korean clothing. For Emma, that included a Hanbok, complete with a chima skirt, jeogori jacket, green ceremonial wonsam robe and a jewelled jokduri crown. “We included the traditional Pyebaek (PaeBaek) ceremony, which is a beautiful Korean custom entirely focused on bringing both of our families together as one. It was such a special, emotional experience that perfectly bridged our two worlds. We presented formal bows and served traditional tea to Gerard’s parents in exchange for their blessings and words of wisdom. Afterwards, they playfully threw dates and chestnuts into a ceremonial red silk scarf held between us – a custom where the number caught symbolises how many sons and daughters we will have. To close the ritual, we shared the traditional “biting of the date,” in which whoever successfully claims the pit is said to hold ultimate authority in the marriage. Gerard was a little too excited when he won that one!”

The four things that defined Emma and Gerard’s black-tie wedding included:

“1. The joining of our families across continents, highlighted by the presence of Gerard’s family who travelled from Korea.

2. This warmth extended to our friends, the majority of whom travelled from Canberra and the South Coast of New South Wales to stand by us.

3. The day was elevated by a beautiful blending of heritages, highlighted by the inclusion of the traditional Paebaek ceremony for Gerard’s family.

4. Ultimately, the final element that makes the day so special is the visual legacy left behind – allowing us to endlessly revisit our wedding film and imagery with absolute love.”

If there was only one detail Emma could pick out as her favourite, it would simply have to be their venue! “Getting to spend time inside the State Library after hours felt so surreal and magical. The whole place takes on a completely different energy when it’s empty – the incredible grandeur of the architecture really stands out when the spotlights and low mood lighting are shining up on the ceilings and walls. It felt like we had our own secret, enchanted world for the night.”

The last thing Gerard and Emma want to leave you with is this piece of advice: Savour. Every. Moment! “It may sound incredibly cliché, but our absolute best advice is to consciously savour every single second of the day because it truly passes by in a beautiful blur. More importantly, we highly recommend making a deliberate effort to spend as much time together as a couple as possible during the celebration. It is incredibly easy to get separated when greeting different groups of guests, but staying by each other’s side ensures you share the same memories of your night. Years down the road, you will be able to reminisce about the exact same moments, laughs, and magic together.”

A huge thanks to Mia Sara Photography for capturing and sharing these special moments. Please join us in congratulating Emma and Gerard on this incredible celebration!