A Moody vintage wedding: Bridgette + Lachlan’s Tumblr-Era party at The Hall

Bridgette and Lachlan – a Hinge success story – spent their fourth anniversary tying the knot! Trading out typical tradition for a full-throttle celebration, this Melbourne wedding was an absolute vibe. Eddy Mac soundtracked their day.

Their brief was crystal clear: they wanted a cocktail reception with 160 guests that felt like a “gig at The Forum, raging dance floor, dark lighting”. Drawing on their teenage years, they blended a romantic, “moody vintage” aesthetic (think deep red florals and a groom in a dark green suit) with a “tasteful twee glamour” inspired by the late 2000s Tumblr era.

“Eddy Mac from One More Song DJs went above and beyond for us when it came to spinning tunes on the day, from yacht rock at the reception cocktail hour to selfishly indulgent late 2000s indie rock on the dance floor. He gave such a personal and unique touch to our day.”

The Hall at Welcome to Brunswick on Sydney Road

The couple chose The Hall at Welcome to Brunswick for its stunning high ceilings and hanging vines, loving that they could have both the ceremony and reception in the one spot. The venue’s industrial yet lush feel spoke directly to their vision.

The vow renewal (and some Yacht Rock, because, why not?)

Having handled the legalities the day before, the ceremony on the day was a heartfelt renewal of vows, officiated by Lachlan’s mother, Heather.

Pre-ceremony vibe

For the lead-in, the vibe was funky and lounge-y, leaning into jazz and some lo-fi energy.

Key ceremony tracks

• Aisle song: “The Luckiest” – Ben Folds (The track was custom-edited to skip the second verse, moving from the 0:00 start for the bridesmaids to jumping to 2:10 for the bride’s entrance).

• Recessional song: “Best of my Love” – The Emotions.

Once the “I do’s” (or “I renew’s”) were done, the post-ceremony vibe took a slightly unexpected, but incredible, turn: funky yacht rock. Eddy channelled the chill energy and soul undertones of tracks like “What A Fool Believes” by The Doobie Brothers and “Dirty Work” by Steely Dan.

The double-sided dance floor brief

When it came to the reception, the couple described their musical vibe as “a coin with two sides”. One side was deep cuts and great dancing tunes that aren’t often played. The other side was major bangers from their teenage/early 20s, heavily focusing on indie and funk.

There was everything from Vampire Weekend and Passion Pit (the Tumblr aesthetic side) to absolute party kings like Michael Jackson and Bruno Mars (the banger side). And the oldies got down to The Beatles, Prince and David Bowie – music so good, even the 80-year-old great aunt was boogying until the end!

The do-not-play list: “footy club windup” songs

In one of the most important requests of the night, we were given a list of songs to absolutely avoid – the tunes that are just “done to death”. The do-not-play list included:

• “Love Story” – Taylor Swift

• “Angels” – Robbie Williams

• “Dancing Queen” – ABBA

• “Mr Brightside” – The Killers

• …and other high-rotation hits like “Africa,” “Marry You,” and “Single Ladies”.

Key reception moments

• Wedding party entrance: “Cousins” – Vampire Weekend

• First dance: “This Must be the Place” – Talking Heads. The plan was to use the long intro as the couple walked to the dance floor, starting the actual dance around one minute in.

• Party starter: “All My Loving” – The Beatles (specifically chosen to bring the parents and bridal party onto the dance floor immediately after the first dance).

• Final tune: “God Only Knows” – The Beach Boys.

Before wrapping up, the couple shared their guilty pleasures: Bridgette’s choice of “Ultraviolet” by Stiff Dylans and Lachlan’s of “1 Thing” by Amerie – songs that made a surprise appearance!

“All these months later, we still have friends tell us how great the music was at the wedding – even the 80-year-old great aunt was boogying up until the end on the dance floor.”

The deets that made the day!

Beyond the music, this wedding was packed with personality.

• The groom, Lachlan, delivered a surprise speech using a flip chart presentation, listing a whopping 452 reasons why he loved Bridgette (an abridged version, thankfully!).

• Instead of a traditional bouquet toss, the newlyweds threw custom-made T-shirts to their guests.

• The night finished on a high note, with kick-ons organised for guests next door at The Penny Black.

The vendor team

• Photography: Jules (Love by Colour Captured)

• Cake: Mali Bakes

• DJ: Eddy Mac.

Congratulations to Bridgette and Lachlan on throwing an epic, bespoke party! You can also read all about their wedding and see more photos in this Hello May writeup.

If you’re planning a wedding with an anti-playlist and a desire for a raging, non-cringe dance floor, we’d love to chat.