Couples planning a Perth queer wedding can take plenty of inspiration from Emily and Tess, whose day blended a meaningful tea ceremony, bold fashion, Haitian food and non-stop music. From a private family gathering to a lively 3Six5 reception, their celebration shows how thoughtful details can make a wedding feel deeply personal.
Essential Takeaways
- Start with meaning: Emily and Tess connected their wedding to their story, returning to South Perth and including a traditional tea ceremony.
- Choose flexible venues: 3Six5 offered courtyards, indoor space, furniture and a bar, making it possible to host the ceremony and reception together.
- Make colour do the work: Red, bright flowers and a block-colour dress code created a vivid look without excessive decoration.
- Plan for queer-friendly suppliers: The couple carefully chose vendors who made them feel comfortable, respected and understood.
- Protect a quiet moment: Wine and oysters before the ceremony gave them time to breathe before the celebrations gathered pace.
A love story that began beside the Swan River
The strongest detail in this Perth queer wedding is also the simplest: the couple's first date and proposal happened in the same place. Emily and Tess met on the South Perth foreshore in 2020, expecting a casual drink that turned into hours of conversation. According to Dancing With Her, Tess told a friend that evening she'd met the love of her life.
That early ease became the emotional thread running through the wedding. Years later, after moving in together, adopting cats and navigating study, work and travel, Emily returned to the foreshore to propose. It's a lovely reminder that the most memorable wedding details don't always need a large budget or elaborate production. Sometimes, the location already holds everything.
Why 3Six5 suited a relaxed Perth wedding
The celebration used two venues, each with a clear role. A private Airbnb hosted the smaller tea ceremony and family photographs, while 3Six5 in Perth city became the main setting for the ceremony, dinner and dancing.
The venue's flexibility was a major draw. Listings for 3Six5 describe it as an event space in Perth, and the couple valued its combination of indoor and outdoor areas, furniture and bar facilities. A private wine tasting with the managers also helped build confidence before booking, which is exactly the sort of personal service that can make planning feel less daunting.
For couples comparing Perth wedding venues, this is a useful lesson: look beyond polished photographs. Ask whether the team welcomes LGBTQ+ couples, how easily the room can change between ceremony and reception, and what is already included. A venue that answers questions warmly can save a remarkable amount of stress later.
Tea, wine and a courtyard ceremony
The day began quietly, with coffees, hot cross buns, hair and makeup, then the arrival of family for the tea ceremony. Emily wore a custom gold silk jacket, while Tess chose a red cheongsam with an embroidered gold phoenix. The traditional gathering gave close relatives a meaningful role before the larger celebration began.
After changing into their wedding outfits, the couple took a walk to Wines of While in Northbridge for wine and oysters. Their photographer and videographer captured the stroll, but the pause itself mattered just as much. According to the couple's account, it offered a rare chance to sit together and absorb what was happening.
Back at 3Six5, the ceremony took place in the courtyard. A Welcome to Country from Aunty Min, a local Noongar Elder, and a ring-warming ceremony involving family and the bridal party added depth without making the ceremony feel overly formal. The rain held off despite a worrying cyclone forecast, which must have felt like a small but welcome miracle.
Bold outfits and bright styling made the day feel personal
Emily's bespoke Reigner suit featured embroidery inspired by both partners' Chinese zodiac signs, along with orchids that carried personal meaning. Tess's two-piece Honeymoon Studios outfit included detachable sleeves, allowing her to change the silhouette throughout the day. Together, the looks felt coordinated without becoming matchy-matchy.
The styling followed the same confident approach. Red was an important auspicious colour, while Rose & Bud supplied the flowers and guests were asked to dress in block colours. The couple even created a Pinterest guide after friends understandably wanted clarification. It's a practical idea for anyone considering a less familiar dress code: show people what you mean, rather than leaving them to guess.
They also kept DIY under control, designing stationery and signage while borrowing decorations from friends' weddings. That balance is worth noting. A wedding can feel handmade without requiring the couple to build every prop, arrange every flower and lose sleep over tiny finishing touches.
A Haitian feast, live music and a very lively toast
Food and music were central to the reception. Guests shared a Haitian feast from Soul Provider, served at long tables, while a friend DJed alongside live band Cait & Sons. The couple deliberately avoided gaps in the soundtrack, creating a steady flow from welcome drinks through to the dance floor.
Speeches were kept short, but they still became one of the evening's emotional highlights. A Yam Seng toast brought extra energy, particularly with competitive friends and relatives involved. Their first dance, to Gloria Gaynor's "Can't Take My Eyes Off You", followed lessons taken before the wedding, while a carrot cake made by Tess's mother and decorated by Emily's sister rounded things off.
The couple's advice is refreshingly practical. Use a spreadsheet with separate tabs, allow extra room in the budget and remember that the guest list belongs to the couple, not every well-meaning relative. They also suggest considering a coordinator next time, even though friends and family helped on the day. And above all, take a quiet moment together. In a celebration this full, that pause can become one of the memories you keep closest.
The best Perth queer weddings are the ones that feel unmistakably like the people getting married.
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