Inside the surprise wedding of Western Australian artist Bobbi Lockyer

“I also cut up a $3,000 veil to incorporate into the design and hand-painted parts of the dress.”

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 or a classic Town Hall celebration.

An artist and chef respectively, Bobbi Lockyer and Zach Green are both naturally creative, so it’s no surprise to hear their wedding reflected this in every way. From Bobbi’s turquoise wedding dress to their surprise engagement party, every detail of their Port Hedland celebrations were full of unique touches.

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Though Bobbi purchased the base of her dress, she customised every element herself. This involved cutting up a $3,000 veil that she sewed into the design, hand-painting parts of the dress and adding doilies from all around the world to create a one-of-a-kind heart-shaped pattern. She added this personal touch to her sons’ outfits as well, making them each bow-tie from the same fabric as Zach’s shirt.

Their wedding ceremony was on the same beach where Zach proposed in Port Hedland, the very same one Bobbi used to frequent throughout her childhood. It was intimate, attended only by their four sons and mothers. Afterwards, the couple held an engagement party with their friends and family, and surprised their unsuspecting guests by playing a video of their recently-held wedding ceremony.

Fashion Journal: How did you meet your partner and how did the proposal happen?

Bobbi: I first met Zach when he moved town and started working with my mum. He’d been trying to slide into my DMs for a while, even ‘super liking’ me on Tinder. After a series of chance encounters orchestrated by my mum, Zach formally asked me out on a coffee date (in front of my mum). The rest is history.

He proposed on the beach at night under a full moon. He played my favourite song, ‘Yellow’ by King Stingray, before getting down on one knee. Initially, he’d planned a beach picnic proposal but chickened out, fearing it might be too elaborate and considering I usually prefer low-key gestures.

What venue did you choose for your wedding and why?

We got married on the beach in Port Hedland where Zach proposed. It was really significant to me as it was my regular childhood beach, a place filled with fond memories.

Our reception took place at our café, Little Starfish. Our guests initially thought it was an engagement party, but we surprised them all with a video of our ceremony, announcing we’d just been married. It was so special sharing that with everyone.

How many guests did you have?

The ceremony was an intimate gathering with our four boys and both of our mums. For our engagement/reception, we had about 80 guests there and it was really special. We wanted the vibe to feel like a family gathering rather than a formal event.

Where was your outfit from and what was the process of sourcing it?

The base of my dress was a store-bought piece, but I customised it myself. I collected and added doilies from all around the world, including Paris when I was there for Fashion Week. I also cut up a $3,000 veil to incorporate into the design and hand-painted parts of the dress. The entire process took me about seven days. I ended up finishing just one day before the wedding, due to a hectic schedule, so I cut it finely.

What about your partner’s outfit?

Zach wore suspenders and a bow-tie thrifted from a vintage store in Paris and a shirt bought from a local Australian label. I also bought a second shirt that I used to make matching bow-ties for our boys.

In terms of beauty, what look did you go for on the day and what was your inspiration?

I worked with HD Hair Lounge to create a look that embodied ‘fairy princess and mermaid queen’ vibes. I wore a loose braid with fresh flowers from Woolworths. My makeup also fit the same Disney-inspired aesthetic.

What did you do to celebrate after the wedding?

After the ceremony, we were pretty exhausted, so we ordered pizza and had it at the hotel we were staying at. We actually ended up finding the bed uncomfortable and ended up heading home at midnight to get a better sleep in our own bed! Three days later, we left for our honeymoon in Queensland’s Daintree Rainforest.

What kind of food and or entertainment did you have on the day?

My sister-in-law prepared a few cheese platters on each table and we had some special family-catered dishes, including curry chicken.

We had Disney-themed songs played throughout the event, including a mash-up for our first dance and a playlist of ’90s and early 2000s love songs that my sister created on the day. I also had a special mother-son dance to ‘You’ll Be in My Heart’ from Disney’s Tarzan as a tribute to my late father.

Tell us about the photography. How did you capture the event?

The ceremony was captured by my long-time favourite photographer, Anya Maria, from the Sunshine Coast, who has been documenting my family for over a decade. It was really special having a friend there to photograph the day. Our reception was photographed by another local, Amelia.

Follow Bobbi here.