Brighton Savoy’s Connection to Same-Sex Celebrations
Brighton Savoy’s former beachfront hotel and wedding venue was part of Melbourne’s hospitality community for more than five decades. Its original gay weddings page recorded its support for same-sex couples and its experience hosting commitment ceremonies and celebrations.
That history matters. For couples who celebrated their relationships before marriage equality, commitment ceremonies could carry deep personal significance even without legal recognition as a marriage.
The hotel and wedding venue ceased operating in 2021. Brighton Savoy now publishes wedding, hospitality, travel and consumer information. References to our wedding experience are historical; we no longer offer wedding receptions, ceremony packages or venue bookings.
Read more about Brighton Savoy’s hospitality background. This guide combines that historical experience with the official marriage information linked below; it does not certify individual suppliers as LGBTQIA+ specialists.
Our perspective is straightforward: a good wedding team should listen carefully, explain its services clearly and make both partners feel equally welcome throughout the planning process.
Choosing a Melbourne Wedding Setting
Start with the atmosphere you want, then check the practical details. A beautiful room only works if it suits your guest numbers, budget and plans for the day.
| Wedding setting | Could suit | Questions to ask |
|---|---|---|
| City restaurant or private dining room | An intimate celebration centred on food and conversation | Is the room exclusively yours? What are the minimum spend and finish time? |
| Hotel or ballroom | A larger seated reception with coordinated service | What is included, who coordinates the event and how does the room work at your guest count? |
| Bayside or waterfront location | Coastal portraits and a relaxed Melbourne setting | What is the indoor backup, and is the route suitable for guests with mobility needs? |
| Garden or outdoor ceremony | A personal ceremony surrounded by greenery | Who manages permissions, seating, power, toilets and wet-weather decisions? |
| Yarra Valley or Mornington Peninsula venue | A celebration with a regional escape feel | How will guests travel home, and what accommodation and supplier travel costs apply? |
| Registry ceremony followed by a meal | A smaller celebration with simpler arrangements | What ceremony choices, guest limits and booking conditions apply? |
For a registry option, the Victorian Marriage Registry’s ceremony guide explains its Old Treasury Building location, ceremony formats, witness requirements and access arrangements. Check its current conditions before booking your reception around a ceremony time.
If you are considering the coast, our guide to whether a beach wedding is a good idea explains the practical trade-offs.
For any outdoor location, ask the relevant venue or land manager about permission, public access and restrictions before paying suppliers. Confirm who is responsible for arranging each approval.
How to Recognise an Inclusive Wedding Venue
A welcoming statement on a website is a useful starting point. Your conversations with the team should give you a clearer sense of how the wedding will be managed.
Notice whether staff speak to both partners, ask what terms you use and describe options without assigning roles according to gender. You should be able to discuss two preparation rooms, a shared entrance, mixed wedding parties or a reception without a formal first dance as ordinary planning choices.
Ask these questions during your enquiry:
- Have you hosted weddings for same-sex or LGBTQIA+ couples, and can you explain how you supported their preferences?
- Can your planning forms and running sheet use our names and preferred terms?
- Who briefs the staff, MC and other suppliers before the wedding?
- Can we choose how we enter, stand during the ceremony and are introduced at the reception?
- What accessible facilities and quiet spaces are available?
- Who will handle an uncomfortable guest interaction if we need help?
- Will you seek our permission before sharing photographs or our wedding story?
Previous experience can be reassuring, but respectful communication and clear follow-through also matter. Agree on important arrangements in writing so they remain clear if your coordinator changes.
Legal Requirements for a Same-Sex Wedding
In Australia, the right to marry does not depend on sex or gender. The standard marriage requirements apply to same-sex couples.
The Australian Attorney-General’s Department explains that you must be legally free to marry, freely consent and meet the eligibility requirements. You generally must be at least 18; a limited court-approved exception exists where one person is 16 or 17.
Give your Notice of Intended Marriage to your authorised celebrant at least one month and no more than 18 months before the wedding. Your celebrant will check identity documents and, where relevant, evidence that a previous marriage ended. They must also meet each partner separately and in person before solemnising the marriage.
Arrange two witnesses aged 18 or older. The couple, celebrant and witnesses must be physically present for the marriage ceremony. Your celebrant will explain the required ceremony wording and paperwork.
Discuss your circumstances with your celebrant early, especially if you are travelling from overseas, need an interpreter or have questions about your documents.
Choosing Your Celebrant
Your celebrant helps set the tone of the ceremony. Look for someone whose approach makes you feel comfortable and whose explanation of the process is easy to understand.
Ask how they learn about your relationship, how much input you have into the script and whether you can review it beforehand. Discuss the names, pronouns and relationship terms you want used, along with any family circumstances they should handle sensitively.
You might want a short ceremony with a few personal details, or a longer celebration with readings, music and a story about your life together. Ask what is included in the fee, including meetings, travel, rehearsal arrangements, sound equipment and registration paperwork.
If you want religious or cultural elements, discuss them early with your chosen officiant. Confirm that the ceremony you want can be accommodated before booking other services around it.
Making Wedding Traditions Your Own
You can keep traditions that mean something to you and change those that do not. There is no need to allocate a conventional bride or groom role to either partner.
Walking into the ceremony
You could enter together, arrive separately with important people in your lives, or greet guests before taking your places. A shared entrance can be especially meaningful if you want the ceremony to begin with the two of you side by side.
Wedding parties and outfits
Choose attendants because of your relationships with them. Friends, siblings and other loved ones can stand with either partner, regardless of gender.
Wear clothing that feels like you. Coordinating colour, formality or small details can bring two different outfits together without requiring matching suits or dresses.
Vows, rings and readings
Work with your celebrant to include the required legal wording alongside personal vows. Rings and readings can be part of the ceremony if you want them. Tell readers how long their contribution should be and give them enough time to prepare.
For help comparing styles, comfort and everyday wear, see our guide to choosing a wedding ring.
Reception introductions and speeches
Give your MC the exact names and introduction you prefer. Choose speakers for what they mean to you, and agree on boundaries around jokes, personal stories and references to people who are absent.
A first dance, cake cutting or bouquet toss can be included, adapted or left out. Build the running sheet around moments you will enjoy.
Choosing Photographers and Other Suppliers
When choosing a photographer, ask to see complete galleries as well as favourite portfolio images. Look for comfortable expressions, thoughtful coverage of both partners and photographs that capture the people who matter to the couple.
Explain how you feel about posed photographs, public displays of affection and sharing images online. Ask how the photographer would organise family groups and cover preparations if you get ready in different places.
Use our Melbourne wedding photographers guide as a starting point for enquiries, then assess individual suppliers against your own brief. Inclusion in a general supplier guide does not establish their experience with LGBTQIA+ weddings.
The same approach applies to florists, entertainers, stylists and videographers. Describe what you want, ask how they would deliver it and check that the written quote reflects your discussion.
If a wedding film is a priority, use our Melbourne wedding videographers guide to begin your shortlist. Ask about ceremony audio, speeches, coverage hours and privacy before choosing a package.
For portraits, our Melbourne wedding photo locations guide can help you consider settings and travel. Limit the number of stops so photography does not consume the time you hoped to spend with guests.
Budgeting for Your Wedding
Build a budget around your actual plans rather than a headline average. Guest numbers, food and drinks, venue choice, date and hours of supplier coverage will shape the total.
Start with an amount you are comfortable spending. Allocate it to your priorities, then leave room for costs that emerge during planning.
| Budget area | What to confirm in writing |
|---|---|
| Venue and catering | Hire charges, minimum spend, guest numbers, drinks, dietary meals and staff |
| Celebrant and ceremony | Meetings, travel, sound equipment, rehearsal arrangements and paperwork |
| Photography and video | Coverage hours, number of operators, deliverables, editing and delivery timing |
| Outfits and styling | Alterations, accessories, preparation appointments and delivery |
| Flowers and decorations | Setup, pack-down, hire items and damage conditions |
| Entertainment | Performance hours, breaks, equipment and overtime |
| Transport and accommodation | Travel between locations, late-night returns and supplier travel charges |
Ask each supplier to identify taxes, surcharges and optional extras. Review payment dates, cancellation and postponement conditions before signing. Comparing the same inclusions makes differences between quotes easier to understand.
Our Australian wedding cost guide provides broader budget context. Use current written quotes for your own wedding when setting spending limits.
For a smaller budget, consider whether reducing guest numbers, choosing a shorter celebration or simplifying decorations would preserve what matters most to you.
Supporting Your Guests and Yourselves
Your guest information should explain the dress code, timing, transport, accessibility and arrangements for weather. Ask about dietary and access needs early enough to respond properly.
If there are sensitive family relationships, decide together how much you want to share with suppliers. You can nominate a trusted friend or coordinator to handle questions on the day and prepare a family photograph list that avoids awkward assumptions.
Be clear about photography and social media preferences. Some couples enjoy immediate sharing; others want to announce the marriage themselves or keep the celebration private. Agree on the approach with your suppliers and tell guests before the ceremony.
Include the people who support you. Parents, friends, siblings, children and chosen family can all take meaningful roles in your celebration.
Your Wedding Planning Checklist
- Agree on the atmosphere, approximate guest count and spending limit.
- Compare suitable settings and ask practical inclusion questions.
- Choose an authorised celebrant and organise the Notice of Intended Marriage in time.
- Read venue and supplier quotes, contracts and payment schedules.
- Plan your ceremony, names, introductions and wedding-party roles.
- Confirm accessibility, guest transport and the weather backup.
- Give suppliers the agreed running sheet and key contacts.
- Confirm witnesses, required documents and ceremony arrangements with your celebrant.
- Share your photography permissions and social media preferences.
- Leave time during the celebration to enjoy being together.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can same-sex couples get married in Melbourne?
Yes. The right to marry in Australia does not depend on sex or gender. Couples must meet the standard eligibility and ceremony requirements. See the Attorney-General’s marriage guidance.
Do we need a special same-sex wedding package?
Start by asking for a package or quote that suits your guest numbers, format and services. Ask suppliers to explain any differences between their options and to personalise the arrangements around both partners.
Can we both walk down the aisle?
Yes. Discuss the entrance with your celebrant and venue. You could walk together, enter separately or begin the ceremony already standing with your guests.
Can we have a small registry wedding followed by a reception?
Yes. Check your chosen registry’s guest limits, ceremony options and available times, then arrange a meal or reception that works with the booking. The Victorian Marriage Registry publishes details of its ceremony arrangements.
Does Brighton Savoy still host weddings?
No. The former hotel and wedding venue ceased operating in 2021. Brighton Savoy now publishes information informed by its hospitality history and current research.
Should we use the term gay wedding, same-sex wedding or LGBTQIA+ wedding?
Use the language that feels right for you. These terms are not interchangeable for everyone, so tell suppliers how you describe yourselves and your celebration. You can simply call it your wedding.
