Inside the farmstead wedding of Australian ballet dancers, Lucien Xu and George-Murray Nightingale

“Our goal for the day was just to have the best time for us and for everyone, and I think we definitely achieved that goal.”

Looking for more thought-provoking reads? Try our Life section.

Held in the rolling paddocks of the Yarra Valley’s The Farm, the summer wedding of Australian ballet dancers Lucien Xu and George-Murray paid homage to a shared love of the Australian countryside. With 60 of their nearest and dearest in tow, the outdoor wedding comprised of genuine homestead charm, a seasonal garden-to-table menu and a custom-made tulle train. The day was fun and dreamy, captured by Melbourne wedding photographer Jackson Grant. Below, Lucien gives us an intimate glimpse into the day.

How did you meet your partner, and how did the proposal happen?

We are both ballet dancers, we work together and we have been best friends for a while. One night in Penrith, while we were on tour, something just clicked and the rest is history. At the time, George was also looking for a place to live, [so] he moved into my apartment ‘temporarily’ ’til he found a place… and never moved out.

George proposed to me in 2020 during the COVID lockdowns… he had an artwork made with Prince Eric and Ariel from The Little Mermaid on it because The Little Mermaid is our favourite movie. In the artwork, he was Ariel and he was holding a shell and in the shell, it said “Will you marry me?” Then I said yes. 

What venue did you choose for your wedding and why?

We chose The Farm Yarra Valley as our wedding venue. It’s the first venue we looked at and it just felt right for both of us. It’s very outdoorsy and super down-to-earth, natural and rustic. [It] feels very Australian – everything The Farm offers just ticks all the boxes for us. We are so pleased to be able to get married in this beautiful venue, it’s everything we dreamed of and more.

Tell us about the vibe for your big day. What was the vision, and did you take inspiration from anywhere in particular? 

Our goal for the day was just to have the best time for us and for everyone, [and] I think we definitely achieved that goal. The weather was perfect. We want[ed] everything to be quite natural, even for the hair and makeup. We also didn’t set a dress code, [because] everyone looks the best in their own way for an Australian summer wedding.

We only had two long tables and didn’t have a head table. The idea was to be together with everyone, passing food around, drinking [and] laughing. My partner George did a lot of searching. He got a lot of inspo from Pinterest.

How many guests did you have? 

We only had 60 guests, so we got a chance to see everyone, [and] to talk to everyone.

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

My idea for my wedding outfit was something super simple and classic. I wanted a super fitted black suit and [a] custom white shirt with a black bow tie. I did some research on which tailor to choose from… then I found The Bespoke Corner Tailor in South Yarra.

The process was super simple… we did a couple of fittings to choose what I liked and what looked the best. I can say they didn’t disappoint. I also didn’t want some normal dressing shoes. I wanted something chunky, something a bit fun for a classic look. I bought my first pair of Alexander McQueens [and] loved it.

What about your partner’s outfit?

George is completely different to me. He had a suit made by Viktor Luna, a designer you may know from Project Runway. They had months of communication to design his ideal wedding outfit. There was also a surprise he saved for me on the day. He had a train made to attach to his wedding suit when he walked down the aisle from Raffaele Ciuca Bridal. It was amazing.

What did you do to celebrate after the wedding?

We started the day of celebration at around 10 in the morning. By the end of the night, I don’t even remember much… We went back to our honeymoon suite in The Hotel Windsor after the wedding. Probably had the best sleep of our lives!

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

It’s [was] very rustic and ‘farmhouse’. All the food was made on the site, so it was all seasonal. All the guests couldn’t stop talking about how good the food was. We also had one of George’s best friends Claire sing ‘Somewhere Over the Rainbow’ live, it was so beautiful.