Annabelle & Dom's Winter Wedding at Old Palm Liquor, Brunswick

An intimate Melbourne restaurant wedding, complete with a roaring fire, a dress made by Auntie Brenda and a few very good reasons to get married in winter.

Annabelle and Dom are both actors, so perhaps it's no surprise that their wedding was a brilliantly put-together production. Although this one involved an exceptional wine list, a homemade wedding dress and a room full of people encouraged to dress as extravagantly as they pleased.

Their winter wedding at Old Palm Liquor in Brunswick East was intimate, a little theatrical and completely their own.

There was no real theme, just a clear idea of how they wanted the day to feel. Good food, excellent wine, a proper party and plenty of personality.

A cosy winter wedding at Old Palm Liquor

Annabelle and Dom had eaten at Old Palm Liquor plenty of times before getting married there. They loved the food, the service and the atmosphere, and knew they wanted a restaurant wedding rather than a traditional venue.

As Annabelle put it, they wanted the party to feel like hosting everyone at home, if they happened to have a huge house instead of a one-bedroom flat.

And Old Palm Liquor is pretty perfect for that.

Tucked along Lygon Street in Brunswick East, the restaurant is full of warm timber, beautiful textures and atmospheric lighting. Add a roaring fire and a room full of your favourite people, and you've got a pretty good setting for a Melbourne winter wedding.

The space already has so much character that they barely needed to touch it. A few flowers arranged by family and friends were enough.

It's one of the reasons I love restaurant weddings. Find somewhere you already enjoy spending time, with great food and a good atmosphere, and half the work is done.

A green wedding dress and a very good dress code

The dress code was simply "Dress: Up", which tells you quite a lot about Annabelle and Dom.

They wanted everyone to make an occasion of it, and their guests certainly understood the assignment.

Annabelle wore a green wedding dress inspired by Vivienne Westwood, handmade by her Auntie Brenda in Ballarat. No bridal boutiques or endless appointments, just a few visits for coffee and fittings in her aunt's sewing room.

Dom's outfit was a brilliant collection of vintage, secondhand and borrowed pieces. His black watch tartan jacket complemented Annabelle's dress, while his trousers had belonged to her stepmother's late father. His shirt was a thrifted Wayne Cooper piece, a nod to his own dad, who once designed for the label.

Even the little silver unicorn pinned to his jacket had a story.

It all looked incredible, but what I loved most was how much meaning they'd managed to weave into what they wore.

Getting ready together and doing things their own way

Getting dressed up together and having a martini before heading out is one of Annabelle and Dom's favourite rituals, so they saw no reason to do things differently on their wedding day.

They spent the morning getting ready together at an Airbnb, before inviting their families over for a few quiet moments ahead of the ceremony.

Their dads made speeches, Annabelle's father performed a song he'd written especially for them, and they shared whisky from a traditional Scottish Quaich. Their families also took part in a ring warming ceremony, passing the wedding rings between them.

It was a lovely way to spend some proper time with their closest people before the excitement of the rest of the day.

And something worth considering if you're planning your own wedding. A little time together beforehand, without a schedule to keep or a room full of guests waiting, can make a real difference to how the day feels.

Planning a wedding at Old Palm Liquor, Brunswick East?

If you're considering Old Palm Liquor for your own wedding, there's quite a lot going for it beyond the beautiful interiors.

The restaurant offers exclusive hire of either the full venue or its undercover garden for lunch or dinner, seven days a week. There are also options for larger group bookings around long banquet tables, if you're after something a little more low-key.

Food is a big part of the appeal. The kitchen focuses on seasonal produce and cooking over fire, with sharing-style menus that lend themselves nicely to a long, relaxed wedding meal. There's also an extensive wine list, which was a big drawcard for Annabelle and Dom.

And if you're planning a winter wedding, the warm interiors, atmospheric lighting and fireplace make it a particularly lovely setting. You don't need to do much to make the space feel special.

A few handy details:

• Location: 133B Lygon Street, Brunswick East, Melbourne

• Wedding options: Full venue hire, undercover garden hire or larger group bookings

• Food: Seasonal menus, including sharing-style dining and event packages

• Availability: Private event hire offered for lunch or dinner, seven days a week

• Bookings: Contact the venue directly for current guest capacities, packages and pricing

You can find more information on the Old Palm Liquor events page.

A little Shakespeare, a lot of personality

For their ceremony at Old Palm Liquor, Annabelle and Dom walked down the aisle together.

They weren't interested in the tradition of one person being given away, so they entered as a partnership instead.

Their celebrant and close friend Jess created a ceremony inspired by Shakespeare's Seven Ages of Man speech from As You Like It. Appropriately theatrical for two actors, but also incredibly personal.

Standing in front of the fireplace, looking out at all their favourite people, turned out to be one of the couple's most memorable moments.

Annabelle, who spends much of her working life performing, found herself unexpectedly laugh-crying through the legal vows.

No performance required for this one.

Good wine, tiramisu and a proper party

Food and wine were always going to be a big part of this wedding.

Rather than opting for a standard drinks package, Annabelle and Dom curated their own selection of local wines and cocktails. They wanted their guests to eat and drink exceptionally well, and Old Palm Liquor was the perfect place for it.

There was tiramisu, a DJ who happened to be a dear friend and fellow theatre performer, and a first dance to Tom Jones' "It's Not Unusual".

There were also some quieter personal touches. Family members who'd passed away were represented through jewellery, clothing and even Annabelle's nan's favourite after-dinner mints.

The whole celebration felt thoughtful without being overly orchestrated. Stylish, warm and full of people having a genuinely good time.

Exactly what they'd hoped for.

Final Thoughts…

Annabelle and Dom's advice for other couples? Make some time for yourselves beforehand, trust the people you've chosen to help, and don't worry too much when little things don't go exactly to plan.

I think that's pretty sound advice.

I'm Jen, a Melbourne and Central Victoria wedding photographer working exclusively on analogue film. I love photographing weddings like this, where the personalities, atmosphere and people are what make the day.

If you're planning an intimate Melbourne wedding, whether at Old Palm Liquor or somewhere entirely different, I'd love to hear what you have in mind.

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I hope this feature has provided you with some inspiration towards your own celebration! If you’d like to see more of my work, please feel welcome to check out my wedding portfolio or read more about how I approach weddings.

Credits: Hair & Makeup: Trish Sousa Mua, Rings: White November Jewellery, Celebrant: Jess - Stan By Me Celebrations, DJ: Kirby from Between The Covers, Tiramisu: Kirbie Restaurant