Charlotte and Hugh met online during Covid, at a time when everything was beginning to shut down, but their love story was just starting! Before everything closed off for good, Charlotte simply drove over to collect Hugh, and, in her words, she never got rid of him.
For the Proposal, Hugh hid the ring in his hoodie, despite it being a very warm day, and the couple took their dogs for a walk to their favourite park. Hugh asked Charlotte to go and get a photo by the water with the dogs, saying it was for his mum. When she turned around, he was down on one knee. It was just the two of them and their dogs in the sunshine, and Charlotte says it couldn't have been more perfect.
To Charlotte and Hugh, marriage is about reinforcing their commitment and love for one another, with their most loved people around them to celebrate it with them.
Their original venue unfortunately closed its doors, leaving the couple searching high and low for a new one that suited the setup and schedule they'd already planned. Then they found Factory 51 in Coorparoo. After a look around with Courtney, they instantly knew it was the place for them. The team understood their situation, and there was absolutely no drama in pulling together their perfect day. They kept numbers quite small, and had a beautifully intimate wedding.
Charlotte knew she didn't want a traditional or white gown, and she knew she wanted a lot of sparkle. When she found When Freddie met Lilly on Instagram and saw the sparkles, she knew it would be her kind of place. She tried on a few different gowns, and Vanessa helped her pick out the elements she loved from each one. Vanessa ended up creating something Charlotte hadn't known could be made, and hadn't even known she wanted when she first walked through the door. Being able to say "I like the sleeves on this one but I like the neckline on that one" allowed her to end up with her dream dress that was, she says, absolutely amazing. She never thought she'd find an actual wedding dress covered in sparkles, and the first try-on was the best feeling. She couldn't wait to wear it.
Vanessa also thoughtfully customised the dress for Charlotte’s requirements allowing her to feel completely secure and removing an extra layer of stress on the day.
Hugh was struggling to find somewhere to have a suit made, as he didn't want a traditional black one, so naturally, Charlotte suggested When Freddie met Lilly. He tried a couple of jackets in different colours, but he already knew he wanted his favourite colour, green. When he told Vanessa, she immediately started gathering samples, and so began the adventure of choosing, measuring and tailoring his suit.
It only got better when Hugh discovered he could have anything printed on the inner lining, and he immediately started scrolling through photos of the couple's Greyhounds. At the fitting, he knew the suit was perfect: the colour, the fit, and his doggos as a personal touch brought it all together. Hugh didn't know anything about Charlotte's dress, and she had a surprise of her own for him. With Vanessa's help, a personal message was embroidered near the inner pocket of his jacket, featuring their nicknames and their wedding date.
The groomsmen were free to choose whatever colour suit they liked. Charlotte and Hugh wanted them to be comfortable and to have something they'd want to wear again. Once Charlotte had settled on her gold sparkly dress, she asked the girls to choose a dress they loved in a shade of orange, rust, red or burgundy, with Pinterest a big help for ideas. They happened to gravitate to a very similar brand, so the fabrics and colours came together beautifully.
Their wedding was in a stunning brick room with a wonderful chandelier in the middle, with the couple really making it their own. Charlotte had always wanted lots of fairy lights and candles, and they tied in perfectly with the venue. With plenty of Googling, Pinterest-ing and hiring, and a venue team who were incredibly helpful setting everything up on the morning, the room came together with fairy lights, disco balls, a light-up heart and a champagne tower.
Charlotte's florals followed the same palette: oranges and reds to match the bridal party, with greenery and ivory to compliment. After the flower consultation, she sent through a few picture ideas, and the result was exactly what she'd hoped for - bright, beautiful bouquets!
On the morning of the wedding, Charlotte and Hugh woke up early together, ordered room service coffee to their hotel room and spent an hour together before the madness started.
What mattered most to Charlotte was being surrounded by loved ones, celebrating and having fun. Her favourite advice from planning was to remember it's your day, not to worry about other people's opinions, and, if you want it, do it.
The highlight was simply being around the people they love and throwing a big party to celebrate. Charlotte and Hugh felt very lucky to just have everyone there for them. There was great food, great wine and a great dance floor! The couple had an absolute blast from start to finish, which was exactly what they wanted. Before the party started, they also squeezed in photos with their fur babies, which was extra special!
When Hugh saw Charlotte at the end of the aisle, there was no tear, but there was a big smile.He told her she looked beautiful, and that he knew she'd go sparkly but hadn't thought it was possible to be that sparkly!
Charlotte's tips for future brides: try on all the dresses, and on the day, hydrate, eat, sit down, and wear flat shoes for the dance floor.
Charlotte and Hugh couldn't recommend the When Freddie met Lilly team enough. They describe them as incredibly attentive, fun, kind and caring, with nothing ever being too much trouble. They were welcomed with open arms, and the whole experience felt special. A little visit from Coco and Buster, the resident sausage dogs, while trying on dresses delivered some extra happy endorphins. Both Charlotte and Hugh are so grateful for the help in creating their wedding outfits and for the care that goes into the work.
Vendors
Venue - Factory 51 - @factory51weddings
Photographer - Mary Miller - @marymillermedia_
Celebrant/MC/DJ - Luke de Gee - @marriedbyluke_ldg
Champagne Tower - Bubble Over Champagne Towers - @bubbleover_champagnetowers
Hair & makeup - Phoebe Lowenna - @phoebelowennamua
Cake - Simply Divine Occasions - @simplydivineoccasions
Flowers - Flower Lovers - @flowerlovers
Fairy lights & disco balls - Brisbane Fairy Lights - @brisbanefairylights
Arch and light-up heart - Big Light Letters - @biglightletters
Rings - @laherdesign
Gown & suit - @whenfreddiemetlilly
