Two proposals, seven courses and a round of lawn bowls: Inside Charlie and Gareth’s Melbourne wedding

“It felt thoughtful and relaxed, rather than like we were just filling a massive room for the sake of it.”

Here at Fashion Journal, we make no secret of our love of weddings. We’re suckers for a bit of romance and have a soft spot for weddings that do things differently, whether it’s a Las Vegas elopement, a tropical getaway or a Town Hall celebration.

Seven months after their first date, Charlie Roach proposed to her now-husband, Gareth, while travelling overseas in San Sebastián. The pair were waiting for an overnight FlixBus in front of a condom vending machine when she popped the question. “It wasn’t traditional by any means, but it was completely us,” Charlie remembers. Gareth followed suit shortly after, proposing to Charlie with his grandma’s ring at Disneyland in Paris.

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When it comes time to plan a wedding, certain external pressures can make it difficult to really stay true to what you want. But for Charlie and Gareth, they were certain they wanted to keep it intimate. They settled on 38 friends and family, managing to fit all their guests in the room for their ceremony at Melbourne’s Treasury Building and for their reception at Carlton North wine bar, Henry Sugar. “I fully stand by never inviting people to a wedding out of expectation,” they say.

Finding the right outfit was treated with a similar level of reverence. “I found it really challenging to feel like myself in a traditional wedding gown,” Charlie explains. It wasn’t until they came across a two-piece sample from Perple Women, a local designer, that she knew she found the one. Gareth went for a custom-made suit, opting for a velvet jacket and woollen pants.

“I remember feeling strangely nervous hanging both the suit and my wedding gown up beforehand, like something terrible might happen to them, as if they might break or catch on fire,” Charlie tells me. “They were just the nicest pieces either of us had ever owned, and suddenly they felt very precious.”

Fashion Journal: Hi Charlie! Congratulations on your beautiful wedding. Can you walk me through how you met Gareth and how you two got engaged?

Charlie: Gaz and I had only been officially together for around seven months when we got engaged, which still feels a little surreal. We met on Hinge and went on a date at Mr West for a whole 30 minutes. It almost didn’t happen, but somehow the timing worked out and we both happened to be in the same area on a Monday, so we committed to the short window and met anyway.

On our second date at the Brunswick Ballroom, I opened Gaz’s wallet and found the most petite engagement ring tucked inside. I still have no idea why he was carrying around a family heirloom, but I tried it on and it fit perfectly. I think somewhere in that moment, without really saying it out loud, I already knew.

Fast forward seven months, the day before we left for our first overseas trip together, I made a ring at home using silver clay. I gave it to Gaz without much explanation, which feels very on-brand for me. Then, while we were in San Sebastián, just after leaving the pub and waiting for our overnight FlixBus, I popped the question in the rain in front of a condom vending machine. It wasn’t traditional by any means, but it was completely us. He then proposed with his grandma’s ring while we were at Disneyland in Paris.

What venue did you choose for your wedding ceremony, and why?

We chose the Treasury Building in the city for our ceremony. It was practical, beautiful in a quiet way and most importantly, the room fit everyone comfortably without feeling overwhelming. It also saved us a lot of money, which felt like a big win. We were never interested in a huge production or anything overly traditional, we wanted something simple, meaningful and low-stress, and the Treasury Building ticked all those boxes for us.

What about after your wedding, where did you have your reception?

Our reception was at Henry Sugar in Carlton North, and honestly, it felt like a breath of fresh air. After visiting multiple venues that were far too big and lacked personality, Henry Sugar felt intimate, warm, and food-focused in the best way. We really loved that there was a strong emphasis on fresh, seasonal food and great wine. It felt thoughtful and relaxed, rather than like we were just filling a massive room for the sake of it.

The following day, we hosted a very relaxed recovery lawn bowls at our local, the Thornbury Bowls Club. It was open to anyone who wanted to come along, including extended family and friends, who unfortunately couldn’t fit into the ceremony itself. It felt like a really nice way to stretch the celebration out and include more people without any pressure. It was easy, social and exactly the kind of relaxed atmosphere we wanted after such a big day.

Would you say it was a big or intimate wedding? 

It was very intimate, which felt important to us from the start. We invited around 38 of our closest friends and family. Gaz’s family are scattered all over the world, and my dad is too, so it meant a lot to have everyone in the same room. Planning the table seating ended up being the hardest part of the whole process. It sounds small, but we really wanted to make sure everyone felt considered and had a special day as well, especially knowing how far some people had travelled.

In the end, I’m so glad we didn’t invite anyone extra. The number fit the space perfectly and every single person there was someone we genuinely love. I fully stand by never inviting people to a wedding out of expectation.

Where was your wedding dress from, and what was the process of sourcing it like?

My wedding dress (or set, really) was made by Perple Women. From the moment I tried on a sample, I just knew it was the one. I found it really challenging to feel like myself in traditional wedding gowns. Nothing felt quite right, and I was completely stuck until I stumbled across her Instagram. Holly made the whole process incredibly easy. There was a short fitting and then when I came back to pick it up, it fit perfectly.

I was so impressed by the quality of the sewing and finishing, and I was genuinely over the moon to be wearing something made by a local designer. It felt very special and very me. A few days before the wedding, I picked up a fur coat from Retropolis as my summer-planned wedding was a bit colder than expected.

What about Gareth’s outfit?

It took us a bit of time to really land on the look Gaz wanted, but once we did, everything came together beautifully. He had his suit custom-made at Oscar Hunt, which I think is a must, especially on such a special day. He chose a velvet jacket paired with wool pants, and the finishing was impeccable. We also kept some parts refreshingly simple. We walked into David Jones, picked up a pair of shoes, asked for his size and it was done. Gaz also wore my grandma’s chainlink bracelet (it always did look better on him) and a bolo from Garage Band.

I remember feeling strangely nervous hanging both the suit and my wedding gown up beforehand, like something terrible might happen to them, as if they might break or catch on fire. They were just the nicest pieces either of us had ever owned, and suddenly they felt very precious.

What kind of beauty and hair look did you go for on the day?

I’m very much a wake up, moisturise, and maybe run a comb through my hair kind of person, so getting professionals involved was a hard yes. I knew I wanted to feel like myself, just a little bit more fun.

This part still makes me laugh and also cry because it was such a last-minute, meant-to-be situation. My original makeup artist cancelled one week out, which was pretty devastating! In a moment of mild panic, I reached out to our cake creator, and she connected me with Lulu. Lulu completely understood the brief: Twiggy meets ’90s Kate Moss, with a little pop of colour.

For hair, Teesh at Alchemy Salon worked her magic. Finger waves were the initial inspiration, but I wanted something a bit edgier and more masculine, so we went for sharper, more structured curls instead. It felt strong, modern and very true to my style. Oh, and don’t forget the hoops by our favourite jeweller, Courtney Hogan. She’s been making our jewels for years!

What kind of food did you have on the day? And how did you choose the cake?

Henry Sugar organised a seven-course shared-plate dinner, which suited the vibe perfectly. The menu began with oysters paired with a Vietnamese mignonette, followed by Abrolhos Island scallops with spring peas and sobrasada. We shared house-made focaccia with Vegemite butter, which felt both nostalgic and very us, alongside a smoked kahawai fish rillette with potato rosti and crème fraîche.

One of the standout dishes of the night, and the clear crowd favourite, was the smoked carrot with sunflower cream and fermented red pepper nduja. Mains included wagyu porterhouse served with asparagus, pumpkin miso, macadamia and buckwheat chilli crisp, alongside rock flathead with turmeric and dill salsa, plus classic hasselback potatoes.

Our cake was created by Lil Choux Choux, and it felt like a visual extension of my outfit and hair. It was a stunning meringue with lemon curd in an olive oil and rosemary sponge, finished with a cherry on top. It honestly felt like the literal cherry on top of an already beautiful day.

What did you do for music and entertainment?

We’re very lucky to have musicians in the family. Zac Gunthorpe kicked things off with some Neil Young, and Gaz’s brother wrapped up the night with classic singalong mashups, including an acoustic version of ‘Diet Pepsi’, which somehow worked perfectly.

Tell us about the photography – how did you capture the event? Was there a certain vibe you were going for?

I reached out to Her Exposure, a women’s film photography group, and was recommended the lovely Julia from Sans Berry. I knew I didn’t want a traditional wedding photographer; we wanted someone who shot on film and digital and could capture things as they unfolded naturally. The goal was candid, unposed moments: us wandering around, hugging friends, laughing, being present. Julia let us just exist in the day, and that was exactly what we were after.

We added a few disposable cameras on the reception table, which we got a handful of great shots out of. We have a few mates that also carry around their film cameras, so we’ve been sent a great collection from all different angles (shoutout to Haylee Evans). I think having our photographer leave while we started dinner was ideal, as it made things feel more intimate. Julia got a shot of the oysters and then so professionally slid out the door, waving goodbye.

Did you have any other fun or unique quirks about your wedding?

We walked down the aisle to ‘I Believe in Miracles’, which we chose on the actual morning of our wedding. Very last-minute, very us and somehow perfect. A few laughs made the nerves dissipate for a moment before the ‘public speaking’ portion.

Looking back, what was the best part of your day?

Even though we didn’t have an MC or much structure at all, the day flowed so beautifully. Everything just worked, and that sense of ease was such a relief. It felt natural, joyful and unforced. We’re also really glad we kept the style of the day true to us. We went in with a few clear non-negotiables and tried not to overcomplicate something that, while incredibly beautiful, is also a massive thing to take on.

For us, this was one of the biggest events of our lives, and all we ever wanted was to feel surrounded by people we love and to feel somewhat grounded throughout it all. In the end, that’s exactly how it felt.

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