Wedding | Karmen & Hamish

Tell us a little about yourselves! 

We’re both designers. Karmen works in interior design, and Hamish is in digital product. We live in Fitzroy, Melbourne, with our tuxedo cat and beloved third wheel, Otto von Boots. 

We met in Brisbane in 2019 and quickly bonded over a shared love of good food, beautiful design, and thoughtful rituals. We’ve always sought out beauty in the everyday, whether in furniture, architecture, or an impeccably balanced negroni with a side of oysters and fries. Our relationship is grounded in creativity, conversation, and delight in the details.

Why did you decide to get married where you did? 

We only had two rules: no barrels and no warehouses. 

Poodle Bar and Bistro stole our hearts over dinner, and we never really got them back. The interiors, the wine, the way time slowed down — it had the kind of magic we wanted for our own celebration. So we borrowed the mood and filled it with our favourite people.

How many guests did you have? 

60, plus one very adorable new born!

What was your budget? 

Around $40,000, all in - including the venue, wardrobe, accommodation, and everything in between.

Tell us about your outfits. 

Hamish wore a custom black silk twill tuxedo with a wide-pleat tuxedo shirt and oversized bow tie, all from P Johnson Tailors. 

Karmen wore the Billie Gown by local Fitzroy designer Lola Varma. A quietly dramatic A-line silhouette with sparkly diamanté straps. Styled with yellow snake-print slingbacks from Aeyde, earrings by Cleopatra’s Bling, and a sculptural metal heirloom purse by The Hold. 

Both outfits serving something classic with a twist, it felt like the perfect fit for the day.

What was the most important aspect for you, in terms of planning your wedding?

Our brief was simple: keep it intimate, delicious, and a little bit magic. Great food and drinks were essential, but the atmosphere mattered just as much. We wanted to blur the line between a wedding and the kind of dinner party that lingers in your memory. 

With busy lives, we didn’t want to get swept up in micro-decisions. We chose a venue where the setting spoke for itself and everything was beautifully considered, allowing us to simply show up and enjoy the moment. That said, Karmen had a late-stage floral epiphany and couldn’t resist adding a personal touch. On the morning of the wedding, she created simple arrangements by hand in the soft chaos of the hotel bathroom, with the help of her future mother and sister-in-law.

Were there any elements that were important for you to incorporate? 

The whole point was to do things our way. We got ready together, walked down the aisle side by side, and wrote vows that made us laugh. We celebrated Otto with his own cocktail hour and let our guests build the dance floor playlist with their favourite songs to boogie to. 

No traditions for tradition’s sake. Just things that felt meaningful. 

One of our favourite moments was stepping back during dinner and watching the room glow. Everyone was laughing, eating, talking over each other. It felt exactly how we’d imagined it, only better.

Any tips for couples getting married? 

Trust your gut, not the algorithm. The only rules are the ones you make together. Lean into what feels like you, and let everything else go. 

And if you can, put disposable cameras on the tables so your guests can capture the day through their own eyes. The Fuji ones are the best.

Are there any vendors that you would like to tell us a little more about? 

We can’t rave about Poodle Bar and Bistro enough. Jacek and the team were exceptional—thoughtful, creative, and utterly seamless from start to finish. From the first meeting to the final espresso martini, every detail was delivered with care. The food? Next level. The service and hospitality? Impeccable. 

Lana and Luke from O Lemonade were kind, and unshakably cool under pressure. Even with a bridal hair malfunction and a surprise solo portrait session for Hamish, they made everything feel relaxed and natural. 

And our celebrant, Hannah Bierre, brought such a grounding energy to the day. Her presence was calm, warm, and deeply reassuring. She made the ceremony feel entirely our own.

Photographer: O Lemonade @olemonade.co | Flora: Vasette @flowersvasette, styled by Karmen | Ceremony & Reception Location: Poodle Bar & Bistro @poodlefitzroy | Celebrant: Hannah Bierre | Grooming: Grouch Hair @grouchhair | HMUA: Madeleine Goldsmith @madeleinegoldsmithbridal | Cake: Good Good Cake  @good.good.cake | Hotel: Standard X Hotel Fitzroy @thestandardxmelbourne | Dress: Lola Varma @lola.varma | Suit: P. Johnson Tailors @pjohnsontailors | Engagement & Wedding Rings: Hamish Munro @hamish.munro | Shoes: Aeyde @aeyde | Bag: The Hold @theholdlabel | Earrings: Cleopatra's Bling @cleopatrasbling