Aden and Tim: A Celebration Rich in Intention
Aden and Tim’s story began the moment they locked eyes across a sweaty dance floor at Sircuit in Collingwood — a chance meeting that sparked something truly special. From a first date at a pub that won’t be named, to music-filled memories and a shared love of great food, their story is rooted deep in shared passions. When it came time to wed, they crafted a celebration rich in intention, full of heart, and unapologetically theirs.
Photographer Miranda Stokkel | Location Melbourne, Australia
“…While Tim was definitely as hot as I remembered, and drinks were great fun! The night didn't quite go to plan because I somehow ended up taking us to the wrong pub for dinner…”
How and when did you meet?
IRL! On the dance floor at Sircuit (Smith St, Collingwood) in 2016.
Tell us a little about that first time you met…
Tim: We met on a sweaty dance floor in 2016, both out with friends celebrating our respective birthdays. I remember seeing Aden on the dance floor — and more specifically, I remember Ben (Aden’s mate, now a close friend) physically pushing him into me, saying something along the lines of, "he thinks you’re hot." Aden turned to me, sheepish but smiling, and quickly apologised for his very unsubtle friends and admitted he'd told them earlier that he thought I was handsome too. Sparks flew, chats were had, drinks were drunk, and yes, we went home together that night.
What was the first thing you noticed about each other?
Tim: I thought Aden was very handsome, funny and with a mischievous twinkle in his bright blue eyes.
Aden: My first impressions of Tim was that he was very smart, kind and gentle. He was also quite cool and trendy - he paraded a great collection of designer sweaters on our early dates, and I was very excited to learn that we were the same clothing size! haha. He had great taste in music and had his finger on the pulse of lots of cool things, but he was also a bit nerdy, and I could tell he was MOSTLY a 'good boy'.
Tell us about the standout moments in your relationship…
Aden: I reached out after that first night, asking Tim out on a date, he was living in North Melbourne at the time, so I got to work planning a cute, casual local date. Drinks first - just in case he wasn't as hot as I remembered - and all going to plan, dinner at a trendy local pub. While Tim was definitely as hot as I remembered, and drinks were great fun! The night didn't quite go to plan because I somehow ended up taking us to the wrong pub for dinner, a pub which was so bad that it has since become a La Porchetta. Knowing us now, and how much we love great restaurants and good food, I often feel that Tim must have really liked me for wanting to see me again after I took him to such a terrible spot for dinner! In those early months, Tim and I got to know each other largely through sharing music. Every day we would text sharing the songs we were listening to - from old favourites to current bangers, as well as a suggestive sprinkle of sexy slow jams. After a year of dating, I sifted through these messages and collated a playlist of the music we shared and it's still one of my go-to's today! In fact, much of the music we've included in our save-the-date playlist, our pre-ceremony and ceremony music, and the cocktail hour of the wedding has come from this playlist. In the best way possible, Tim and my relationship moved quite slowly to begin with. I think perhaps we were both a bit cautious or guarded but every time we chose to see each other again, it felt really exciting. I remember the first time we made a plan that was in the future together - it was deciding to go to Laneway Festival together in 2017, which a. meant we needed to buy tickets for something that was 3 months away, and b. we would be meeting each others friends for the first time. I was nervous to put this proposal to Tim, but felt so excited when he was keen and we bought the tickets together. We've since been to countless gigs and festivals together, danced in pouring rain and sweaty dark rooms, had sing-alongs in theatres and screamed lyrics at DJ's in crowded tents and barns. We are often at our happiest when enjoying live music, and often talk about how many gigs we'd both attended before we even knew each other, not knowing the other was even there! In 2019, Tim and I went on our first holiday together, first we went to Bali, living our best villa life, and then later in the same year we went to Greece, Spain, and Portugal. These holidays hold some of our best and most cherished memories! Days spent relaxing in the sun at Faros in Kazi, eating at amazing restaurants and local gems alike, partying all through the night like we were much younger than we actually were, backed up with hungover adventures to find custard tarts! Though we had been spending nearly every night together for years, Tim and I officially moved in together at the end of 2021 into my small apartment. In March of 2022 (after what felt like an eternity of looking) we found our dream home in the golden triangle of Brunswick - we saw it for the first time on a Thursday, we made an offer on the Friday, and on the Saturday it was ours! We both cried in the car after hanging up from the real estate agent, we couldn't believe it was real! One Sunday morning in June 2022, lying in bed with no plans that day, we saw an ad in the Trading Post for a litter of Golden Retriever Puppies just one hour away in Frankston. We thought 'let's just go have a look' long story short... no one 'just looks' at a litter of Golden Retrievers and we drove home that day, me holding Billy wrapped in a towel in the front seat, again, both of us crying in the car!! In 2023, Tim and I decided that for our birthday / anniversary week, we would go on a holiday to celebrate. Being that it would be our 7th anniversary, the seed of asking Tim to marry me started to spring in my mind. I thought long and hard about this question... I knew that I loved Tim more than anyone I'd ever loved before, I knew I loved our life together and the life we were building, I knew that I would spend the rest of my life with him regardless, so... did we even need to get married? For much of both of our lives we believed that we never would or even could get married, it was never a guaranteed experience for us, so I ultimately realised that while we didn't HAVE to get married, I really WANTED to! I wanted to stand in front of our family and friends and tell them how much I loved Tim and make that commitment to him very publicly, because I hadn't always been able to do so. I am so proud and excited to marry Tim and want everyone to know it!
What does marriage mean to you?
Tim and Aden: Marriage for us was a really conscious decision. Growing up and not being able to get married meant that we both didn't have dreams of suits or celebrations or any idea on what we would want that day to look like. And so, when we decided to throw this party - every decision was considered, which traditions we did and didn't care for, and what was important to us - was all part of the level of detail we put into the day. Beyond the party and celebration, marriage to us means being each others cheerleaders, supporting each other to be who we are, growing and changing with each other, listening to each others dreams and doing all that we can to make them happen. Marriage is about the small moments of care, just as much as the big gestures of love. Marriage to us is about working together as a team and a promise to be the two old guys that still go to gigs.
Who proposed and how?
Tim: Aden proposed to me in Phuket, on our seventh year anniversary. Sun setting over the turquoise waters and looking out at some beautiful Thai islands in the distance. It's a moment neither of us will ever forget.
When did you get married?
Tim and Aden: March 29th, 2025.
What was the main influence behind your wedding day?
Tim and Aden:Music and our shared love thereof. In fact, a lot of the inspiration for the florals and the colour scheme were specifically inspired by the album cover of one of our favourite albums "Coexist" by The xx. They were a band who, early in our relationship, we saw together with friends in the pouring rain at the Sidney Myer Music Bowl and it still goes down as one for the best gigs we've ever seen together.
What was the most important thing to you surrounding your wedding?
Tim and Aden: The guest experience, good food and good wine. We wanted everyone to feel the love in the room that day. Everything was chosen, nothing was cookie-cutter. Secondary only to music, food and wine is an integral part of our lives, and people know us for this. So it was important to know the food we were serving and the wine we were drinking was of a certain standard. That's why we chose a Scott Pickett venue and somewhere where we had eaten multiple times before. I also love that we served Thai food at the wedding - a subtle nod to Phuket, we love to eat it and love how removed it is from alternate drop chicken or fish it is. Longsong were amazing at letting us curate a cocktail and wine list, alongside their delicious banquet. Thai food is all about sharing and family coming together, so it all just felt right for us. Some of the earliest feedback we got from our guests was how good the food was and how attentive the service was. I think when hospitality is your core business (as opposed to running an event space), the guest experience is placed first and foremost.
Where did you find the bulk of your inspiration?
Tim and Aden: Online mainly. Lots of instagramming, and Pinterest boarding - there were moodboards on moodboards. Plus Aden works in Marketing and branding, so we often thought of the event as a 'brand activation' rather than a wedding. We wanted things to be a little unexpected, exciting and non-traditional. From our logo, choice of entertainment, use of non-traditional music and materials, we wanted the guests to keep guessing what was next and for them to all tell their friends what a hot ticket it was after the fact. We also took inspiration from festivals and planned a full weekend event - see our line-up timetable featured on the back of our invites complete with set times. We held a Welcome Party at Thornbury Picture House the night before, we put on a private screening of Muriel's Wedding (one of our favourite films) and served hotdogs and popcorn and choc tops, as well as a recovery session at our local pub on Sunday with kids and dogs joining us to keep the party going. Ultimately, our inspiration mostly came from all the things we love.
How did you choose your suppliers?
Tim and Aden: It was really important for our vendors to be queer themselves or an ally to the community. We started with our amazing photographer Miranda, who had worked with Aden many years before and who had just shot friends of ours wedding in 2024. Her style is just so joyous, and feels really "captured" rather than set-up portrait shots. Next came Precious, our celebrant and MC extraordinaire, who is about as fabulous as her name suggests. Once the door bitch at Dalston Superstore and part of the queer collective Little Gay Brother in London, Precious sprinkled glitter and glam all over the day. She was also integral at coordinating the day and helping take the stress out of the "on the day" experience. Next up is Graeme, our florist, and his business Tweed Twigs. He has a background in Architecture, and so his work was always so sculptural and impressive, we just knew we had to work with him. Grae was intergral in inspiring the colour story of the day, and he really ran with The xx idea. Aden's sister did our stationery and helped brand the day, so we really kept it in the family there. Next, Jordan our DJ, what can we say? This boy knows how to throw a party. We knew him from Sircuit and his high-energy lockdown megamixes, that we knew we could given him all our trust to keep those dance floor bangers coming. He even went above and beyond to mash together an exclusive megamix for Sam T to perform with all our favourite gay anthems. With music so important to us, the DJ choice was a big responsibility, and Jordan absolutely knocked it out of the park there. But then, the shining jewel in the evening and what most people will remember of the night, has to be Bendy Ben. We had an idea, a left of centre idea, of "how iconic would it be to destroy the wedding cake in front of the guests" like jaws on the floor memorable. And so, we took this to Bendy, who we know through friends, and curated the most amazing burlesque show mid-dinner, that culminated in her sitting on the cake to the iconic beat of "Birthday Cake" by Rihanna. It was EVERYTHING we dreamt that moment to be, and the photos of the "moment" capture everything from shock to joy to amazement. Finally, shout out to our amazing tailors Blair and Steve. Blair used to have his own label stocked at Masons, and so I knew his stunning detailed work from there. We took inspiration from Kim Jones in 2020 at Dior and ended with a 4 metre silk georgette train that was engineered through zips and draping, through the blazer and onto the floor. Let's also mention the amazing pleated detail (Blair's signature) on my back, which just added even more interest and refinement to our black tie guest code, and a vintage Lanvin pin which I wore as a bow tie. Boots by Dior. Aden worked with Steve at The Revere Tailors to create the most amazing ivory silk tuxedo. He then took inspriration from Simone Rocha and Loewe, and worked with local queer jeweller Bobby Corica, on his version of an embellishment. This incorporated natural pearls, handmade silver links and his mum's own wedding ring in his version of a lapel pin. It was a subtle but beautiful way to have her with us on the day.
What was the most difficult thing about planning your wedding?
Tim and Aden: Probably coordination, from "what colour pink is too pink" to "how do you smuggle two drag queens into the space unseen", that last few weeks prior to the wedding were perhaps the most stressful, but with a little planning and a massive Excel spreadsheet, we got there. Haha. I have to say, I never imagined in my life that I'd need to coordinate a meeting with multiple stakeholders to discuss 'where should we sit on the cake?'
Where did you spend your honeymoon?
Tim and Aden: We went to Daylesford for a few days to decompress immediately post, but the big trip is planned for June this year. We're off to Glastonbury (of course!). Not sure how we managed to secure tickets, but we are both so excited to tick off this bucket list festival. Then it will be off to Norway where we are hiking Trolltunga and have a reservation at Iris. Then Sicily, to eat and drink our weight in pasta and red wine. And finally home via Hong Kong, for all of the dim sum.
Any advice for other couples planning their day and finding it difficult to navigate the journey?
Tim and Aden: Don't do anything you don't want to do. Choose what to include. All of the traditions and ceremonial parts are all made up, so take what you want and leave what you don't. Also, your guests will notice the details and thoughtfulness over the extravagance or expensive things. One of the most talked about parts of our day was that we wrote a personalised message on each guests name cards just reminding them of an anecdote or why they are so important in our lives, and it literally cost us nothing but a night of writing nice things over a bottle of wine at home one night before the wedding. Choose amazing vendors that you love. Trust them and trust your gut. A lot of the wedding industry is built around straight women and is frustratingly het, so seek out resources like THEODORE, but explore wider to more event and branding pages which we found helpful. And ultimately, just choose things you love as a couple - your relationship should be your biggest inspiration for your celebration, as it is what you are celebrating!
Aden and Tim’s Team
Photography Miranda Stokkel
Venue Longsong
Celebrant Precious Fawcett
Flowers Tweed Twigs
Tim’s Suit Blair Archibald
Aden’s Suit The Revere Tailors
Custom Jewellery Bobba Corica
Lighting Colourblind
DJ Fragile Future (Jordan Bustin)
Cake Mali Bakes
Stationery Danya Eltchelebi
Dog Minding Furever Lasting
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