Inside the intimate surprise wedding of Melbourne-based creative director Courtney McGregor

“It was magical having our wedding celebrations all within a 100m radius, our guests walked from location to location and were able to enjoy every minute together.”

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 are a little different, whether it’s a Las Vegas elopement or a huge, debaucherous party.

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As the founder and creative director of Shé, a Melbourne-based label that makes clothing using deadstock fabric, Courtney McGregor, was able to design her own wedding dress, customising every detail, from the silhouette to the opera-length gloves. Looking at the photos of her ballerina-inspired dress and hearing about her artful coordination of each location within walking distance of each other, you’d never know her wedding only took two months to plan.

As true Melbourne locals, Courtney and Tom’s wedding started at the Hotel Windsor, followed by a small ceremony at the Melbourne Courthouse in the Margaret Craig Room with 17 guests. From there, everyone walked back to Courtney and Tom’s suite for drinks and photos before relocating to Recoleta for a three-course dinner.

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

We were a Hinge love story, however, when I came across Tom’s profile I definitely recognised his face as he worked at a well-known cafe and restaurant in my area. When he proposed [back in 2022], it was so magical. I had expected it was coming as we’d designed the ring together, but it was still a surprise. He’d told me I needed to leave the house for the entire day and only allowed to come home at 7 pm– no earlier.

I walked into our Armadale apartment and he met me at the back of our courtyard. I was excited and felt giddy with butterflies – like I had when we had our first date. I walked into our apartment, completely taken down memory lane with rose petals, flowers, pictures and champagne leading to a mirror filled with every memory of our relationship. This was followed by him popping the question.

After half an hour alone together we were surprised by 70 of our closest friends and family to celebrate our engagement. It was truly the perfect evening, with champagne flowing and our nearest and dearest there to celebrate.

What venue did you choose for your wedding and why?

As Tom and I spent three years of Covid on the fringe of Melbourne CBD in South Yarra, we knew the city was the place for us to tie the knot. Having strolled through the Fitzroy Gardens, sprawling into Carlton and many a long lunch at Di Stasio Citta, the Melbourne Courthouse felt urbanely chic and intimate.

We knew the location was everything and wanted to ensure our wedding was easily accessible by walking for both us and our guests. We started the day at the royal suite at the Hotel Windsor, followed by the ceremony in the Margaret Craig Room.

How many guests did you have?

We opted for an intimate surprise wedding with immediate family only. We had 17 guests in total. We didn’t want any fuss and wanted to ensure the wedding felt authentically us. We’d spent three years getting to know each other and exchanging stories of our shared experiences growing up in South Africa and had many laughs over Pictionary – there’s something so personal about being under time pressure and having to articulate through drawing, so it was fun to incorporate a tailored Pictionary experience into the wedding reception. This made it feel just like a long dinner party at home.

Talk us through the process of designing your dress. Where did you take inspiration from and what kind of look were you going for?

It was a very organic process, having worked in bridal for a brief period. Yet there was nothing on the market that felt authentically me. Every courthouse-inspired look featured a mini skirt, which didn’t feel aligned with our theme. I’d had Shé for three and a half years and I knew it was a natural progression for the label to design a bespoke bridal piece that wouldn’t typically translate into a bridal market.

We had requested our guests wear black tie, in a midnight theme, highlighting shades of Black, grey and navy specifically. As the wedding was in winter, I knew I wanted a modest, timeless and elegant ballerina-length gown to showcase my shoes. I went for a tailored boat neck and super cinched waist with a full skirt. In the pattern-making process, I removed the sleeves to allow for an opera-length glove which allowed the dress to be worn as two different looks.

How long did the design process take?

The design process was quite seamless. I perform best under pressure, so naturally, I only picked up the final dress 24 hours before the wedding. I had my amazing pattern maker and local makers guiding me through the entire process. The design vision started with long sleeves, and in our second fitting, I knew they were the limiting factor within the design.

As soon as we detached the sleeves from the toile, the vision really came to life. From there, my pattern maker was away for a brief period and only returned two weeks before the wedding date. We had the pattern finalised and the dress made within two weeks.

What about your partner’s outfit?

My husband Tom is extremely tall, being six foot five. Given we had planned the wedding within two months, we were down to the wire with lead times. Tom had previously purchased with InStitchu for his corporate suites and they were extremely reliable and knew his measurements to a tee. He wore the perfect black tuxedo with a satin lapel.

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

Having previously worked with Stella Tu on Shé photoshoots, I knew there was no better person for the job. Stella is a true artist, she is so calming and can quite literally transform you into any vision required. I knew I wanted to be among familiar faces when getting ready for our big day, hence engaging with vendors who I have both personal and professional relationships with.

What did you do to celebrate after the wedding?

Our wedding was on a Sunday at 3pm and our guests enjoyed champagne, whisky and charcuterie in the Royal Suite at The Windsor Hotel after our ceremony as we took photographs. This was followed by a reception and sit-down dinner at Recoleta at 6pm just off Spring St. We had a fabulous set menu, having spent many a date night at both City Wine Shop and Siglo. We knew the menu back to front and felt super comfortable with their offering and wines to match. We paired this with a gorgeous raspberry Cake from the Cake Club to finish.

It was magical having our wedding celebrations all within a 100m radius, our guests walked from location to location and were able to enjoy every minute together.

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

It was an absolute no-brainer to enlist the vision of Zebe and Tatum. They are both true professionals who capture every second of the day with the most genuine intention. Having worked with both of them over the past two years, there was again, a familiar energy that instantly put us at ease. Nothing felt contrived, both Zebe and Tatum went above and beyond to capture our special day with multiple lenses.

There is a certain artistic flare the two have perfected having specialised in both film and digital photography and the final selection of images tells a story beyond words. To say we were pleased with the results would be an understatement!

Follow Courtney here.