NICOLE + WILL

Nicole and Will’s celebration unfolded as a vibrant gathering of music, friendship and personality set against the surrounds of Runnymede Farm in Lorne. With around 140 guests in attendance, the couple transformed the picturesque property into what they affectionately called their ‘Big Love Bash’ – a joyful, festival-inspired celebration that reflected their shared passions for music, good food and spirited company.

Their connection first began years earlier behind the bar at The Village on St Kilda Road, where both were working in hospitality. Nicole initially mistook Will’s quiet nature for a language barrier. “I assumed he was European and didn’t speak much English,” laughs Nicole. “Once I actually heard him talk, that theory quickly fell apart.” What began as casual chats eventually deepened after a long night out, finishing with a sunrise tram ride and a kiss that changed everything.

Will approached the proposal with quiet mischief on New Year’s Eve 2024 at a rooftop party hosted by friends. The theme asked guests to dress as what they hoped to manifest in 2025. After floating costume ideas the night before, Will returned to a joke Nicole had made and arrived dressed as a tongue-in-cheek groom. As midnight fireworks faded, he surprised Nicole by dropping to one knee with a small box filled not with a ring but Post-it notes that read “fill me with ring” – referencing a favourite Simpsons joke.

Convinced it was part of the joke, Nicole kept asking if this was real, until Will finally said, “Can you shut up, I’m trying to propose here.”

Planning followed quickly, with the couple working to a nine-month timeline. They began by defining what they called their ‘pillars’ – exceptional food, great music, no curfew and a dog-friendly venue so their two dogs could join the festivities. “We wanted it to feel like a big, joyful celebration with the people we love,” they explain.

With Will working in events, he managed the logistics and spreadsheets while Nicole shaped the creative vision. Their aesthetic blended the earthy romance of 1970s bohemia with the glamour of disco, drawing inspiration from boutique music festivals such as Meredith and Golden Plains. Guests were encouraged to embrace the ‘boho disco’ brief, resulting in a kaleidoscope of sequins, flowing fabrics and bold prints.

Will’s suit was playful, bold and festival-inspired, blending boho embroidery with rhinestones and fringing that nodded to the disco theme. “I leaned into a fun, festival-inspired look rather than a classic formal style. It felt bold, expressive and perfectly in tune with the celebration we were creating.”