Dale and Glenn: Romance, Joy and Pure Style

Dale and Glenn's magical Melbourne wedding was a heartfelt celebration that took place on a sunfilled, picturesque autumn afternoon. Their wedding was centred around spreading love and creating unforgettable moments for their loved ones. Dale and Glenn worked closely alongside The Eventurer, a renowned Melbourne-based event planner, to plan a wedding that overflowed with romance, joy, and pure style.

Photography Tess Follett | Location Melbourne, AUS

“For us, the meaning of marriage is a relatively simple one. We wanted to declare our love for each other in front of our family and friends and formalise our relationship...”

How and when did you meet?

Dale and Glenn: Like many young modern couples, we met on Tinder in early 2015. During our quick Tinder conversation, it turned out we were both going to the same nightclub that night, Swagger, on Little Collins Street in Melbourne. We met there that night, and the rest was history.

Tell us a little about that first time you met…

Dale: Our first meeting was the same night we matched on Tinder. Ever the romantic, Glenn bought me a drink - a shot of tequila. At the time, I specifically said no to the shot but drank it anyway. It was a fun night, and we instantly hit it off and have continued to do so. Following that night, we had a beautiful first date in the Royal Botanical Gardens - not far from where we got married.

What was the first thing you noticed about each other?

Glenn: The first thing I noticed was Dale's smile. It sounds very cliché, but Dale really does have a beautiful smile, and that's the first thing I noticed.

Dale: How easy it was to talk to each other and be around each other. The hours would go by in a flash, and the conversation never got boring.

Tell us about the standout moments in your relationship…

Dale and Glenn: The day we bought our dog home, Ziggy (a Schipperke) and buying our home together. We've been lucky enough to also travel to some incredible locations together like Santorini, Montenegro, Copenhagen and South America, which were all standout moments.

What does marriage mean to you?

Dale and Glenn: A lot of people tend to shy away from marriage because it is either 'not for them' or perhaps because there is a degree of fear involved or hostility towards tradition, religion or family. For us, the meaning of marriage is a relatively simple one. We wanted to declare our love for each other in front of our family and friends and formalise our relationship. We also wanted to celebrate our love for one another and make a commitment to each other for life. And the truth is, as we have found out (at least in the few months post our wedding), that getting married doesn't really change anything. Life has carried on in the same way as before. Weddings are also a lot of fun, which was another reason we wanted to marry and celebrate.

Who proposed and how?

Glenn: I asked Dale to marry me on New Year's Eve in 2021. We were on holiday in Port Douglas after a long year of lockdowns and busy workloads – but I told myself that was the year I would do it. We were snorkelling on a coral reef when I proposed to him; I showed him the jewellery box while we were under the water box before opening it.

When did you get married?

Dale and Glenn: 10th of March 2023, late afternoon on a Friday.

Dale and Glenn’s story continues below ↓

What was the main influence behind your wedding day?

Glenn: We wanted an excuse to throw a party! Dale and I met 8 years ago when I was 24 (he was 23). Soon after that, we moved in, bought a house together and then got engaged a few years into the pandemic. We thought to ourselves, we're getting married at the beginning of next year, and everyone needs a good excuse to dress up and celebrate in the warmer months in Melbourne, so let's make a thing of it. We probably won't have kids, and have already bought our house, so we just decided it was our moment to go for it.

What was the most important thing to you surrounding your wedding?

Glenn: There were many parts to our wedding that we considered important, but one that often springs to our minds is the weather. We planned an outdoor ceremony in a garden setting, followed by a marquee reception, so having good weather was important to our overall wedding concept. We were so nervous about the weather (Melbourne being so unpredictable at the best of times) that we were regularly checking our weather apps in the weeks leading up to March 10th. At one point I joked to Dale, saying we'd have to cancel the whole wedding if it rained! The weather gods were definitely on our side, though, and in the end, we were lucky to have lovely autumn sun and blue skies, which made our day so special.

Did you incorporate any family sentiments or traditions?

Glenn: We included our siblings in our ceremony. Our brothers were both tasked with presenting our wedding bands, and because Dale's family has an Irish heritage, his sister read the Irish blessing which is a tradition in almost all Mitchell weddings. Our sisters witnessed the signing of our marriage certificate, and our parents walked us down the aisle. I wore my grandfathers cufflinks.

Where did you find the bulk of your inspiration?

Dale and Glenn: The bulk of our inspiration came from our meetings with Steph at The Eventurer. At the beginning, we didn't really know how to approach things like colour schemes, invitations, floor plans or anything like that. Steph challenged us to think outside our comfort zones and showed us that almost anything was possible when planning an event and that there were many amazing suppliers we had no idea about. Instagram was a big part of our mood board, but ultimately Steph's work and refinement as our planner was invaluable and brought our vision to life.

What was the most difficult thing about planning your wedding?

Dale and Glenn: Planning a wedding is almost like having a part-time job, even when you have the help of a planner! There are lots of decisions to make, big and small, at all stages, and we were a bit naive about that. We definitely suffered a bit of 'decision fatigue', but we think the answer to that is to not think too much about things, and trust the people around you to do their jobs well.

Where did you spend your honeymoon?

Dale and Glenn: We delayed our honeymoon due to work commitments at home, but in July we will travel to Europe for six weeks. We are starting in London before heading to France and Italy.

Any advice for other couples planning their day and finding it difficult to navigate the journey?

Dale and Glenn: Planning a wedding is a rollercoaster! Every couple will feel that way, so you're not alone! Don't take things too seriously or overthink your decision-making. Better yet, don't compare your wedding to what others might be doing. Ultimately the only thing that matters on the day is the happy couple, which is what your guests have come to see - they won't care what colour napkins you have! If you can afford it in your budget, though, a wedding planner is a wise investment and will save you hours of back and forth with suppliers and steer you through all the questions or decisions you'll inevitably be making leading into your big day.