S4, EP2: All about our micro wedding concept, Little Love Gatherings

Eddy: Welcome to Project Engaged, a podcast for fun loving couples planning their non traditional wedding.

Aleks: We’re wedding DJs Aleks and Eddy Mac from Melbourne. We run a business called One More Song, and our tagline is No More Nutbush.

Eddy: In this podcast, we’ll share our wedding experiences and chat to some of our past couples.

Aleks: We’ll also interview bold wedding suppliers who share our philosophy of your wedding being a celebration of you as a couple and one epic party.

Eddy: Let’s get into today’s episode.

Aleks: Hello, hello and welcome. We’ve got a bonus episode.

Eddy: We have a big one. So we’re chatting all about little love gatherings and you may have heard some whispers from us. Well, you know, we introduced it last week. Really. It’s a micro wedding concept that we’ve been working on with two very good friends in the industry.

Aleks: And this episode is really just to chat through what it’s all about and how you can book in.

Eddy: So if you haven’t seen our new website or Instagram. Little Love Gatherings. Micro wedding days, where we host three back to back weddings with pretty much everything locked in for the couple. So the stress of planning is taken away.

Aleks: And we’ve got joining us for this chat, Meleah from Lovegood images, who is our photographer, and Amy Wood, who is our planner and coordinator.

Eddy: So let’s work with you guys. Come on.

Amy: Hey.

Eddy: Geez. What a. Oh, man. That introduction was hard work.

Aleks: That was slick. As slick as.

Eddy: How are you guys?

Meleah: Good, and you?

Eddy: Very good. I mean, to our listeners, we’ve been catching up a fair bit, so it’s kind of like we’d be like, how are you going?

Aleks: Yeah. For everyone listening, we actually see each other and talk every day.

Amy: Way too often, though.

Aleks: Way too often.

Eddy: Way too often.

Aleks: But we work really well together. Despite what Amy just said about singing.

Eddy: We all have our little personalities.

Aleks: We all have our little personalities, which makes it all the more colourful. So we’re gonna have a little introduction. Amy, why don’t you tell our listeners who you are about your background in weddings and what your role is in our little love gatherings team.

Amy: Well, clearly. I’m Amy. Hello. I have been working as an event manager, or I guess, wedding planner for quite a few years now. I used to work at the Panama dining room for probably three and a half years, I think it was. And then I moved to Brunswick Mess hall for a while. But now I’ve quit those and I’m doing this, which is way more fun for the little love gatherings. I’m basically just going to be like, I don’t know your go to for all questions. I’ll be the one responding to your inquiry and then just guiding you through the whole planning process. And then on the day, I will be a little bit of everything.

Amy: So, manager, waitress, whatever, you name it, I like it.

Aleks: You will be running around like a headless chook, basically.

Amy: Absolutely. Yeah, yeah, we love it.

Aleks: And Meleah, intro yourself.

Meleah: Hi, I’m Meleah, obviously.

Eddy: Hi, Meleah.

Meleah: I’m Meleah and I shoot weddings. I’m a wedding photographer based in Melbourne. And so, yeah, I’ll be the photographer at your little love gathering. I’ve been shooting yay weddings since 2017, but I especially love shooting non traditional and inner city weddings. The vibe iest ones.

Aleks: Perfect.

Eddy: Yes.

Meleah: Yeah.

Aleks: Well, we need to get you. We need to get you on an episode. You’re on our hit list for, you know, a vendor. Vendor episode. Yep, yep. We can chat a little bit more about some of the weddings that we’ve worked on together. I suppose we should probably intro our roles quickly, although I think we’ll get into this. For those of you who have been listening to project engaged for a little while, you’ll know I’m a celebrant as well as a DJ. So I will be the celebrant in little love gatherings and Ed will be doing the DJ duties, which we’ll get into in a bit. But just stepping back a bit, I guess, just to talk about the idea of little love gatherings, really inspired by another micro wedding day that Ed and I were involved with last year.

Aleks: And we wanted to create something that could be kind of recreated a few times a year, maybe even move to different venues, you know, offering kind of winter dates as well. And, you know, I had a chat to Amy and Meleah who had loads of ideas about how it would work and it all just kind of came together.

Eddy: Yeah, exactly. So just, just off of that, I guess the big thing for us, and obviously we’re very biassed, was to create something that would still let the couples and their friends and family dance and have fun after the ceremony. So our little love gatherings will go for 3 hours per wedding. So all the best bits, I reckon, allowing for around 2 hours of solid drinks, mingling and dancing after the nuptials are done.

Aleks: Yep, the nuptials. I think that’s where it kind of differs from your more traditional elopements, where you might not necessarily have that dancing time with just the two of you and your witnesses.

Eddy: Yeah, yeah, yeah. I mean, yeah, yeah.

Aleks: So a bit high vibe somewhere in between an elopement and what we normally do, basically, is what we’re shooting for. So just talking about the, I suppose, how the timing will work on the day. Amy, can you kind of give a run through of an example? Not an example, but the timeline and how it would work based on, let’s call it the 11:00 a.m.. Slot.

Amy: Basically you get 3 hours of fun with us. You and your guests will arrive. So if we say we’re doing the 11:00 time slot, you’ll all arrive at eleven. And then while your guests are enjoying some delicious beverages, you guys will be doing first look photos with malaya and then we will be moving to the ceremony. So Alex will do like a 1520 minutes ceremony with you guys afterwards, obviously we’ll move into the main area for the reception. So Eddie will be your DJ and then it’s kind of a little bit flexible. So we have different options. You can add on if you want. So like family photos, you can do an entrance, a first dance. That’s all the stuff that we’ll be figuring out together.

Aleks: Beautiful. Perfectly summed up. That’s why she’s our coordinator, you see. Exactly. She’s all over it now.

Eddy: That’s great. And Meleah, so what sort of shots will you focus on during the micro wedding?

Meleah: So the best thing about us having our little love gatherings is that you get all the best bits of the weddings and the photos to show for it. Right. So my style and focus for shooting a micro wedding doesn’t change, will fit with like, the relaxed and candid theme of the day. So during your first portraits. First portraits, first look and portraits, I’ll be there to guide our couples. You know, tell them where the light looks best and where to stand, but no awkward posing. Basically, I just want our couples to enjoy the day and capture it as it unfolds. So then we’ll get all those authentic moments that might have slipped past unnoticed. Anything from like cheeky kisses to those wild dance floor moves. Basically, we want you to have a gallery full of not only images of, you know, your love, but of everyone else.

Meleah: Dancing, eating, drinking, celebrating too.

Aleks: I love that. Do you know how, how many, like, sit down, like quite long sit down weddings there are with the photographers? Like, how many photos can I take of people eating? You know what I mean?

Meleah: Yeah, you get the worst part.

Aleks: Yeah, yeah, you get like the cute moments, but then it’s just like people stuffing their face and just. Yeah, waiting for something to happen. So, yeah, that’s great. You basically get all the best bits I’ll talk about my role and then, Ed, we’ll talk about his. So, as I mentioned, I will be the celebrant and my service is basically the same as a normal sized wedding, I suppose, except obviously the timelines are a little bit condensed. So we do meet up beforehand to do some of the legal paperwork that needs to be completed at least a month in advance. So we’ve got a sort of mid January deadline for booking couples in for our first date, which is the 25th of Feb. I’ll send you a questionnaire. Actually, there’ll be a questionnaire from all of us kind of combined that will, from my perspective, help you to write your. Get to know your story and write your ceremony script.

Aleks: I’ll help you with your vows and then on the day, I’ll obviously deliver your 15 to 20 minutes ceremony, finish all the paperwork, get everything signed, and then get your marriage registered over to you, Ed, to talk about tunes.

Eddy: Yeah, so, tunes. Okay. So as guests arrive, when the couple is with Meleah doing their first look photos out of the back of the venue in that beautiful.

Aleks: And around the streets.

Eddy: Around the streets, etcetera. Everyone will be inside at that point. So I’ll be spinning vinyl at that point. So you’ll get that kind of cool vibe straight from the beginning. Vinyl, dj spinning some like, wicked tunes. That will really set that vibe. As people move to the other end of or the back of the venue in that lovely beer garden to get hitched by Aleks. There’ll be vibes going there as well, so it’d be seamless. And I’ll also play the key moment songs. So the aisle song and the ceremony finish songs.

Eddy: It’s likely that Aleks will be signing after the ceremony, unless. Are you going during?

Aleks: Yeah, get it all done.

Eddy: Okay.

Aleks: You can focus on partying for 2 hours after.

Eddy: Okay, that’s cool. Yeah, no, no worries. No worries.

Aleks: If couples are really. Yeah, really keen on signing after, we can do that too.

Eddy: Okay. Yeah. Okay, perfect. So either or I’ll have full control over those key moment songs. And as everyone gets back into the reception area, you know, it’s more or less party time. From my perspective, my job is pretty easy. It’s just vibes and party time.

Aleks: I think I’ve talked it up.

Eddy: I’ve got the best job.

Meleah: But you do that so well.

Eddy: Yeah, try to. And obviously in the lead up, there will be an opportunity for you to send through, you know, some of your favourite tunes, either for background or dance floor, some of those key moments songs. And, you know, I’m available to have chats about music because it’s a big part of it is the chats we have beforehand.

Aleks: Definitely. And you’re also absolutely no nut bush. I mean, that’s.

Eddy: That transcends whatever. Whatever little businesses we’re involved in.

Aleks: No side hustle can escape that tag. Absolutely not. Um, just one more thing that you didn’t mention, actually, a couple more things, is that if Amy, you mentioned, you know, if the couple wants to do like a first dance or kind of an entrance into the reception, Ed, you can jump on the mic, act as a kind of informal mc as well.

Eddy: Yeah, so. Absolutely. So there might be an after party happening at a nearby pub if you have got that eleven dollar 11:00 slot.

Aleks: So that’s it, guys, $11 slot.

Eddy: That one’s gonna sell out quick. And so obviously you might want me to make an announcement as to where you’re going after as well at 02:00.

Aleks: P.M., yeah, sounds good. One more thing from me before we hear from Amy and Meleah about a couple of other things, is the photo booth. So we will have our one more song digital photo booth in there for the whole time. So even in that first kind of half hour pre ceremony drinks time, guests can use the photo booth. They can take photos, and there is more information on our website about it. But basically, you set it up. There are some props. People just follow the prompts on the screen. They can take a photo gif or a boomerang and then send it to.

Eddy: Themselves via text, which is super easy, super fun. We have some really cool little props that do tend to bleed onto the dance floor at times too, and go beginning really fun. We’re often chasing people after. Can I have that back? But we’ll also provide all of the photos, all of the gifts, all the boomerangs after the fact as well. So we’ll package them all up and send them through to the couple so they can have a bit of a chuckle as to what people came up with.

Aleks: Enjoy it during your hangover. Definitely. Let’s talk about what else the packaging includes. Amy, can you run us through the other vendors who are involved in what’s included?

Amy: Basically, the whole thing is happening at Crystal palace and Courtyard, which is the cutest venue in Carlton north. Like, it’s literally stunning. I’m obsessed with it. It’s like retro, like, velvet curtains, like black and white tile flooring. It’s stunning. And then it’s got so inside, where the black and white tile floor is, is where your reception is going to be. And then we’ve got the ceremony out back in the beer garden. So it’s a very cool space. And then we’ll have floristry from Babylon flowers, who are based in Brunswick. I don’t know if you’ve had a look at our instagram yet, but the florals that they did for our photoshoot are stunning.

Amy: They’ll be doing the florals for the ceremony. And then they’ll also provide a bouquet and a boutonniere. Is that how you pronounce it? I never.

Aleks: That sounds great to me.

Eddy: I can’t help you, there either.

Aleks: No one knows buttonholes.

Amy: Well, let’s go buttonhole. We’ll have drinks provided by the venue. So we’ve got beverage package for the entire 3 hours. Obviously, mine is the ceremony. We don’t want anybody drinking while the attention should be on you guys.

Aleks: Well, they can drink if they already had a drink in hand, but we.

Amy: Don’t want to leave. And then we’ll also have some canapes. So we’re going to have some bespoke canopies that we’ll be serving during the reception.

Aleks: Perfect. Yeah, I just want to go back to the florals as well, because the arrangement that Babylon said, which you can see on our Instagram account. What did I say that I’ve said that put together. Oh, jeez. Is like, substantial. It’s stunning. It fits that space so well. And I suppose you’re really getting bang for your buck because you kind of. It’s there for the whole day for the three weddings. So you’re kind of getting a really substantial floral arrangement because you’re sort of showing the cost with the other two couples.

Eddy: And it’s far more sustainable because they’re not doing three separate.

Aleks: It is separate arrangements. Very good. We love that.

Amy: We love that.

Meleah: We do love that.

Eddy: We do love that. So back to you, Meleah. You’ve been involved with quite a few intimate weddings. Tell us what you liked about them and the types of couples that would suit them more.

Meleah: So I feel like almost all of the couples that I photograph talk about their day being such a blur. So a big pro of having such a small wedding is that you can really enjoy the whole experience. Slow it down, spend some quality time with your guests rather than rushing around and trying to say hi to everyone. So from a photography perspective, it allows me to capture so many more candid moments of our couples with their guests, chatting, dancing, like, doing whatever, having the best time. And I think that this would suit someone who wants to do something a bit different from the, like, original cookie cutter type wedding.

Eddy: Yeah.

Meleah: And do something that, you know, they can get a bit more creative or have a day that’s way more symbolic of, you know, you guys and your love, which, you know, we’ve nailed down the party essentials, so then you guys can just focus on, like, you and what amazing outfit you’re gonna rock up in or.

Aleks: Yeah, we’ve nailed down the party essentials. That’s a. That’s a Instagram post.

Eddy: Straight to Instagram.

Meleah: Yeah.

Eddy: And we’re just. For our listeners, we’re actually all sort of sharing the load of the Instagram posting, so.

Aleks: Yes.

Eddy: Almost like a rock, scissors, paper approach or whose turn is it today to, you know, to keep posting? And look, we’re having fun. We’re having fun.

Meleah: You’re getting love from all of us.

Aleks: Yes, that’s right.

Amy: So we’re all.

Aleks: Yeah, we are all involved.

Eddy: Exactly. And we’re all as much as involved as everybody else here. So we’re all, you know, very much believe in this concept and, yeah, we’re all very much here to make it happen. So it’s very exciting.

Aleks: Yeah, I think it’s. It’s fun for us because normally, obviously, a couple will come to us having already booked their venue, maybe a lot of their other vendors, etcetera, their date. Whereas with this, we have actually created something that we are really excited to be a part of because it’s our kind of vision coming to life. So it’s very much, you know, if you like what you see, then you’re our people, basically, just lock it in.

Eddy: I like that. I’m going to bring everyone down to earth and start to talk about the booking process. So we have three spots available, all of which need to be booked by mid January. So Alex can start the legal paperwork on time.

Aleks: So we’re talking about the 25th Feb, 2024, which is our first date.

Eddy: Yes. 25 February 2024. At Crystal palace and courtyard. We have an 11:00 a.m.. A 02:30 p.m. And a 06:00 p.m.. Slot.

Aleks: Yeah.

Eddy: So if you do want to get in touch with us, you can do so via our Instagram account or our website, littlelovegatherings.com dot au.

Aleks: Perfect.

Meleah: Yeah. And it has to be booked by midnight, but obviously there’s limited spots, so it’s first and best dressed.

Eddy: Exactly.

Aleks: Yes. And especially when it comes to choosing your times as well. But as we’ve mentioned before, I think we mentioned on the last podcast, there are so many places that you can go afterwards. We assume that most couples will want to book either a dinner or maybe even invite extra people. You can have up to 28 guests, maybe even invite some extra people and do some drinks after at a bar.

Eddy: Nearby before, like, you know what I mean? So you know you can come.

Aleks: Don’t get too drunk, though, before.

Eddy: Legally, yeah.

Aleks: If you look. If you look drunk, I don’t care if you’ve had a couple, but if you look drunk, I can’t marry you.

Eddy: Keep that in mind. So, yeah, yeah. So if you do get in touch with us, Amy will send through more detailed info packs. So you’ve got everything that you need, and it’s a $3,000 non refundable fee to book in your spot. So we will send you a questionnaire then to organise planning and meetings, etcetera, find your outfits till up to 28 of your friends and family about the date. And then, boom, the countdown is on. And it’s close.

Aleks: It is very close. Now, just one more thing. With the 28 guests as well, there is the capacity to add a few more guests if you decide, you know, you’ve got another extra five people that you really want to add. Obviously that will increase the catering and drinks package cost a little bit, so there’ll be an extra per head cost, but we can have a chat about that if you are looking to add a few more.

Eddy: So there is some flexibility there if you do want to invite those extra couple of lads, ladies, et al, et cetera.

Aleks: I hope that is a good summary. Has anyone else got anything to add that we’ve missed?

Amy: Just that it’s a prime date as well. Just pointing that out. We’ve locked in one of the best dates you can get.

Meleah: Peak wedding season.

Amy: Yeah, peak wedding season. So get involved.

Aleks: Yeah. We’re hoping that, you know, a few people will get engaged over Christmas, if it’s not too late.

Eddy: Engagement boom.

Aleks: Little engagement boom.

Meleah: Yes.

Aleks: Very soon. So, yeah, definitely. Well, thank you so much for your time. Not that we don’t talk every.

Eddy: Thank you for your time.

Aleks: We didn’t ask the favourite question.

Eddy: Oh, okay. So, I mean, this is.

Aleks: I can’t answer it myself.

Eddy: I mean. Yeah, well, yeah, well, the benefit of it being our podcast is that we can ask. Never have to answer ourselves. Okay, cool. So we do. This is, you know, just a trope of our potty, but you have to answer this separately. But what one song would get you on the dance floor? So, Meleah, let’s start with you.

Meleah: Oh, yeah. Because I love being put under pressure.

Eddy: Yeah.

Meleah: I think I’d be lying if I didn’t say it was gonna be, like, an avid song, probably.

Aleks: I didn’t expect that.

Meleah: Yeah. Really?

Aleks: I don’t even know.

Eddy: You’d say something really cool in indie, perhaps.

Aleks: No, no. I thought you’d been to too many weddings to say Abba.

Eddy: Like a bit of like, oh, what about, like vule vu? Like, cooler Abba, like, yeah, I would.

Meleah: Really go, any ABBA.

Eddy: Any ABBA.

Meleah: Just, yeah, I’m like, yeah, big nerd. Like. Like, huge geek on the inside.

Aleks: All right, guys, don’t let this put you off booking us. Yeah.

Eddy: Something wrong with ABBA?

Aleks: No, I’m joking. I love Abba.

Eddy: All right, so ABBA’s song for familiar and Amy.

Amy: Oh, it’s hard. There’s two, but definitely September. Earth, wind and fire. Yes. Sandstorm.

Eddy: Sandstorm.

Aleks: Oh, yeah.

Eddy: I just didn’t go in the way that I thought it would.

Meleah: These days, I feel like that we don’t even know.

Aleks: We don’t have to answer.

Amy: Yeah.

Meleah: And you’ve definitely seen me up on almost. Almost every wedding dance floor. Yeah, yeah.

Eddy: And you will see.

Meleah: Do I get to bring my tambourine?

Eddy: Absolutely.

Aleks: Hey, this could turn into, you know. What is it? The little river band. We could be the little love gatherings band.

Eddy: Little love gatherings river band.

Meleah: It’s a wedding and a show.

Eddy: You got more than what you bargained for.

Aleks: Yeah. Yeah. Everyone pay for this. Pricing details everything on our website as well, so you can see what the package costs. It’s $13,800 for the whole thing. There you go. Don’t even need to go. Just get in touch. Just get in touch. All right.

Aleks: Thank you so much, guys. We will chat to you very soon. Yay. Bye. Yay.

Amy: Bye.

Aleks: Thanks for tuning in. If you’re enjoying project engaged, please hit the subscribe button on your fave podcast app.

Eddy:You can also follow us on Instagram, @projectengaged, and @onemoresongdjs.

Aleks: We’ll see you next time. And until then, have fun out there.