By Sally Hughes, Melbourne Marriage Celebrant

Meet Renata, a Director at Weddings of Distinction, a premiere wedding and special events company based in Melbourne. I’ve seen Renata style and manage some epic events, so I knew that when the time came for her to marry her Nick, their celebration would be beautifully styled and managed with the precision I have come to expect from WoD. I knew Renata and Nick would bring together a very large team of Melbourne’s most sought after suppliers too, industry professionals I very much admire.

And so you can image how thrilled I was when Renata and Nick asked me to conduct their marriage ceremony at The Glasshouse in Melbourne.

Not surprisingly, Renata and Nick decided to do things a little differently to the norm. They wanted the transition between ceremony and reception to be a seamless one and so decided that the spaces would be one in the same. They envisaged a formal and traditional ceremony, one that would incorporate humour, theatricality and elements of their Russian and Greek heritage. I couldn't wait to get started.

While guests enjoyed pre ceremony cocktails and canapes, Renata and Nick met for "first look" photos at the stylish Crown Towers.

They then made their way to The Glasshouse together and waited in their bridal suite for their guests to enter the room. When the doors opened, allowing family and friends to be seated at their tables, I lost count of the number of "oohs and aahs" I heard. The room looked nothing short of spectacular.

Before 200 guests, all seated in the round, Renata and Nick stood under a magnificent suspended floral chuppah (which, to the delight of the crowd, slowly descended from the ceiling as Renata entered the room) to celebrate a relationship that came about as a result of a Groupon voucher, a rather persistent matchmaker and a touch of Facebook stalking.

Not withstanding the jaw-droppingly beautiful floral arrangements, the many crystal chandeliers and candles, the perfectly placed table settings in gold and crystal, the cigar and cognac station, the champagne and dessert bar, the chilled vodka carts, the fantastic live music, the exceptional sound and lighting design, the motorised ceiling installation and the highly courteous and impeccably dressed staff, it was the love between two people and the strong sense of celebration in the room that impressed me most that evening.

Renata and Nick, thank you for inviting me to play a role in your big, fat, theatrical, romantic, joyful, loud and utterly beautiful Russian / Greek wedding. I wish we could do it all again (says the person who didn't spend countless days and nights planning it!).