Mon Bijou wedding photos: George and Julian embrace on a city park lawn, tall office towers rising above the trees behind them, Melbourne
Home/Weddings/Mon Bijou, Melbourne
Real wedding · Melbourne CBD

Mon Bijou Wedding Photos: George & Julian

Mon Bijou · Flinders Lane, Melbourne VIC · Melbourne

City: Melbourne

A penthouse above Flinders Lane, a wall of roses behind the vows and St Paul’s Cathedral spires filling every window. George and Julian’s Mon Bijou wedding in the Melbourne CBD was small, bright and full of red dresses, with a ring bearer in a red bow tie and a silver and navy cake waiting by the glass. We walked them from the rooftop to Hosier Lane and the Treasury Gardens, then back up for champagne and a slow dance, and we loved every minute.

The gallery
Mon Bijou lettering etched on the penthouse glass, with sandstone cathedral spires and city towers beyond
White wire chairs and tables set out among potted palms on the sunny rooftop terrace
A potted white orchid, a pen cup and a gold Happily Ever After card on a mirrored console
Close detail of the glittering gold Happily Ever After card beside a candle on the glass console
The glass ceremony room at Mon Bijou on Flinders Lane, a white aisle running to a wall of roses
White roses and orchids with a glowing candle lining the edge of the white aisle
White chairs with woven hearts beside vases of white orchids and candles along the aisle
A bare tree decal on the window panels framing the stone tower of St Paul's Cathedral across the rooftops
Deep red, pink and lilac flowers in a glass vase on a black stone bar
A framed portrait of a Siamese cat with blue eyes and a pink collar, set on an easel by the glass
The three tier cake at Mon Bijou in the Melbourne CBD, silver beads over a deep navy base and a Mr and Mr topper
A navy welcome sign for the wedding of Julian and George, painted with burgundy flowers, on a wooden easel
George and Julian stand together by the welcome sign and a lettered venue banner on the rooftop terrace
Mirrored ceiling panels at the Mon Bijou penthouse above a white aisle of orchids leading to the rose wall
Guests in red dresses climb the steps past the glass fenced rooftop pool to the terrace
A guest in a black suit, red tie and red pocket square waits on the sunny terrace deck
A smiling guest in a black suit and red tie carries two red wrapped gifts with silver ribbon
A guest in a long red dress sits on a bar stool in the lounge at Mon Bijou, Melbourne, cocktails and gifts beside her
Two girls in red lace and satin dresses smile from their front row seats beside white flowers
George and Julian greet guests in red and the ring bearer on the rooftop deck at Mon Bijou on Flinders Lane
The two grooms with two women in red dresses stand together against the grey terrace wall
The ring bearer in a black suit and red bow tie, seen through the glass beside the welcome sign
The ring bearer walks down the white aisle holding the ring box, led by a woman in a long red gown
The groom in charcoal walks down the aisle arm in arm with a smiling loved one in red
A loved one in a red dress laughs as she walks the groom in charcoal past the tree decal windows
The groom in charcoal smiles in profile at the front of the room, the rose wall behind him
The groom in royal blue walks in at Mon Bijou hand in hand with a loved one in a red dress
Guests smile from their seats as the groom in royal blue comes down the aisle with his loved one
The groom in royal blue waits at the front, smiling across at his groom in charcoal
Guests in red wave from their chairs along the white aisle, the ring bearer holding the ring box
The groom in charcoal, a white rose buttonhole on his lapel, looks at his groom during the vows
The celebrant in a red gown reads between the two grooms in front of the pink, red and white rose wall
Guests in red watch the ceremony inside the glass room at Mon Bijou in the Melbourne CBD, cathedral stonework beyond
A reflection in the glass catches the grooms facing each other as the celebrant reads from her folder
The ring bearer in a red bow tie sits in the front row beside guests in red during the vows
A smiling guest with long blonde hair watches the ceremony among guests in red dresses
The ring bearer holds the open ring box on his knee beside a woman in a long sleeved red dress
A guest in red dabs her eye during the ceremony, white roses at the end of her row
The grooms exchange rings in front of the rose wall at Mon Bijou, Melbourne as the celebrant holds her folder
The groom in charcoal signs at the white table as the celebrant points to the line
The groom in royal blue signs the register while his groom in charcoal watches over his shoulder
A woman in a red dress adds her signature to the certificate at the signing table
Laughter by the rose wall as a woman in red hugs the grooms while two guests sign at the table
A guest with long blonde hair and silver bangles signs the certificate in her red dress
The groom in charcoal laughs holding the certificate at Mon Bijou beside his groom and two women in red
Guests chat and laugh in their white chairs beside the tree decal windows after the ceremony
George and Julian stand either side of the celebrant in her long red gown before the rose wall
The groom in charcoal pulls a wide eyed face as he and his groom pose with a friend at the rose wall
The two grooms, the celebrant and a friend in black lace smile at the flower wall of Mon Bijou on Flinders Lane
A guest in a black suit and a guest in a red dress sit smiling by the tree decal window
The grooms with the celebrant and a friend in burgundy velvet on the glossy black floor before the roses
A group portrait at the Mon Bijou penthouse rose wall, the two grooms between two women in red
A family group of five lines up before the rose wall, the grooms in the centre in blue and charcoal
A wide group portrait of the grooms with the ring bearer, a girl in red and loved ones at the flower wall
A playful moment at the rose wall, the groom in charcoal open mouthed beside a friend and his grinning groom
A loved one in red admires the new ring on the hand of the groom in royal blue, ring box in his other hand
George and Julian sit side by side in white chairs by the tree decal glass at Mon Bijou in the Melbourne CBD
The groom with the tousled fringe leans between mirrored panels by the window, in black and white
The groom in royal blue checks his cufflink in silhouette against the spires of St Paul's Cathedral, Melbourne
The two grooms stand apart between mirrored columns in the bright window light, in black and white
The grooms raise red cocktails in silhouette at the window, the cathedral tower glowing behind them
George and Julian walk hand in hand across the sunny rooftop deck of Mon Bijou, Melbourne towards the pool
The grooms share a kiss in the street, sunlight on a red brick wall and a glass tower in the city
The two grooms walk a city footpath through long shadows and hard sunlight, in black and white
George and Julian hold hands on the cobblestones of Hosier Lane, Melbourne, the walls covered in street art
The grooms laugh and walk hand in hand past bright graffiti murals along the cobbled laneway
The two grooms gaze at each other in front of a wall of orange, purple and black tags
A kiss against a painted brick wall in Hosier Lane, passers by on the cobbles behind
Both grooms stride side by side down the graffiti laneway in bright sun, in black and white
The grooms hold hands in a shaded corner of the lane beside a red and blue painted wall
George and Julian embrace and kiss under a huge green and yellow mural in Hosier Lane in the Melbourne CBD
Close up of the grooms' hands stacked together, ornate gold rings against charcoal and royal blue jackets
The groom in charcoal glances back as the couple walk hand in hand down a tagged lane, in black and white
Holding hands on the footpath, the grooms look up a sunlit city street of red brick and leafy trees
A cheeky kiss on the cheek in front of a shop window with big pink lettering, one groom wide eyed
George and Julian cross a wide city street hand in hand, towers and old sandstone buildings behind them
The grooms laugh and dance together on a shaded path under the elms of the Treasury Gardens
The groom in royal blue wraps his arms around his groom on a leafy path in the gardens
The groom in charcoal hugs his groom on the lawn, city towers rising above the trees of the Treasury Gardens, East Melbourne
The same close embrace on the park lawn with tall city towers behind the trees, in black and white
A kiss in the sunshine on the lawn, golden shrubs and glass towers behind the two grooms
Laughing together, the grooms walk hand in hand across the sunlit lawn under tall shade trees
George and Julian stroll across the wide green lawn of the Treasury Gardens in East Melbourne on a bright blue day
Back on the rooftop terrace, the grooms walk past a sunbather towards the upper level of the penthouse
The grooms clink champagne flutes in soft silhouette by a Mon Bijou window, white orchids on the table behind
Champagne in hand, the grooms laugh beside the etched glass wall of the lounge, a white couch behind them
The ring bearer and a girl in red stand at the front of loved ones raising glasses by the bar
George and Julian lift their champagne beside the framed cat portrait at Mon Bijou on Flinders Lane
The grooms reach out to clink glasses with loved ones in red as a girl hugs the ring bearer
The groom in royal blue toasts with a smiling guest in a black suit beside the bar
The grooms pose by the silver and navy cake at Mon Bijou in the Melbourne CBD, the cathedral spires and towers behind
The grooms cut into the silver beaded navy cake together, smiling down at the knife
A kiss mid cake cutting, both grooms' hands on the knife beside the Mr and Mr topper
The grooms sit close on a white couch in the Mon Bijou penthouse, the groom in royal blue holding champagne
Hands linked on his knee, the groom in royal blue smiles at his groom with champagne in hand
The grooms share a quiet look on the couch, the cathedral tower filling the window, in black and white
The groom in royal blue raises his champagne to his groom on the window seat, St Paul's rising behind
The gothic spire and city towers stay sharp behind the softly blurred grooms, in black and white
A family portrait at Mon Bijou, Melbourne, the cat portrait at its centre and loved ones in red and black around the grooms
The ring bearer and a girl in a red tulle dress bounce on the tufted white couch by the windows
The grooms hold each other close on the glossy black floor, white roses on a side table nearby
A slow dance in the glass room at the Mon Bijou penthouse, the cat portrait on its easel beside the grooms
Over the shoulder of the groom in charcoal, his groom smiles as they sway together by the windows
Dancing at Mon Bijou beside the cake table and cat portrait, the cathedral spires and city skyline filling the glass
Eyes closed, the groom in royal blue rests his cheek against his groom during their dance
The grooms laugh as they twirl hands during the dance at Mon Bijou on Flinders Lane, the cat portrait nearby
Holding both hands, the grooms swing each other around in front of the bright window wall
The grooms kiss by the glass door with its etched Mon Bijou lettering, the white couch behind them
A girl in a red tulle dress holds the hand of a smiling guest in a black suit on the dance floor
The ring bearer beams up at a guest in a long red dress as they dance by the windows
The groom in royal blue dances hand in hand with a loved one in red at Mon Bijou in the Melbourne CBD
A little girl in red throws her arms around a woman in red for a long, happy hug
A portrait of the groom in charcoal at the window, Mon Bijou etched on the glass before the cathedral tower
The groom in charcoal gazes out of the window, the sandstone cathedral tower soft behind him
The groom in royal blue stands hands in pockets at a Mon Bijou penthouse window, the cathedral spires behind
Looking down in profile, the groom in royal blue stands at the glass above the city rooftops
Sitting close on a tufted white couch in the glass corner, the grooms smile with city towers all around
George and Julian share a kiss on the white couch in the glass corner of Mon Bijou, Melbourne, high above the city
The wedding story

Our Mon Bijou wedding photos: red dresses down the aisle, Hosier Lane colour and a slow dance beside the cathedral spires

Penthouse ceremony at Mon Bijou · Rings before a rose wall · Hosier Lane street art · Elms in the Treasury Gardens · Champagne and cake upstairs · A slow dance by the glass

Read the full story

Spires over the rooftops

We arrived at Mon Bijou to find St Paul’s Cathedral filling the window, its spires rising out of the rooftops with the city towers behind. Inside, a long glass room ran towards a wall of roses, with mirrored panels across the ceiling and white chairs either side of a white aisle lined with orchids and candles. A little ‘Happily Ever After’ sign sat by a potted orchid, and the cake had its own table: three tiers coated in silver beads over a deep navy base. We always photograph these details before the first guest walks in.

Red on the terrace

Out on the terrace, George and Julian stood together beside a navy welcome sign on an easel, one in a royal blue three-piece suit, the other in charcoal with a burgundy tie. Then the guests came up the steps past the rooftop pool in a flash of red, because red was the colour of the day. A guest in a black suit arrived with a red-wrapped gift, two girls in red dresses claimed front-row seats, and two women in red slipped in beside the couple for a photo against the grey wall.

Walked in by loved ones

The ceremony began with the ring bearer, a boy in a black suit and red bow tie, walked down the aisle by a woman in a long red gown. Then each groom came in on the arm of a loved one in red, smiling at the guests on either side. We stood at the far end of the aisle with a longer lens, which kept us out of everyone’s way and still filled the frame with faces. When they met at the front, the look they gave each other said everything we needed.

Rings in front of the roses

The celebrant stood between them in front of the rose wall, and the glass walls threw soft daylight across the whole room. A flower wall is one of our favourite ceremony backdrops in a city venue: it hides the clutter, adds colour behind every face and turns even a tight crop into something lush. In the front row the ring bearer sat very still, holding the ring box on his knee, with a guest in red beside him. Then the rings went on, carefully, with every chair in the room leaning forward.

Signatures and silly faces

Signing happened at a white table right beside the roses, the celebrant pointing to the line while the other groom watched over his shoulder. Then the certificate came out for a proud photo with two women in red. The rose wall did the heavy lifting for the family groups, which went quickly: small groups, tight rows, everyone close. One of the grooms pulled a wide-eyed face mid-frame and we kept it. Afterwards George and Julian sat together for a quiet minute by the window, and we caught one of them in silhouette against the cathedral.

Hosier Lane colour

Then we took them down to the street. We walked a block through long city shadows, a stretch we kept in black and white, and turned into Hosier Lane, where every wall is covered in paint. They held hands down the cobbles, kissed against a wall of tags and stood side by side under a mural. Busy walls need a simple pose, so we kept them centred and let the colour wrap around them. Close up, we framed their hands, gold rings on, against the blue and charcoal of their jackets.

Under the elms

From the lane we walked hand in hand along the footpath and across a wide city street, matching each other stride for stride. The Treasury Gardens gave us the change of pace we wanted. Under the elms the light was soft and even, exactly what you want in the middle of a sunny day, and they leant into each other on a shaded path. We made one frame in black and white with the city towers rising behind the trees, then let them wander out onto the sunlit lawn, laughing, before we headed back.

Champagne and a framed cat

Back upstairs, the glass room had been set for the celebration, and a framed portrait of a Siamese cat stood proudly on an easel by the windows, a guest of honour of sorts. Glasses went up with loved ones around the bar, then the knife went into that silver and navy cake with both of them grinning. They sat back on a white couch with champagne, and we moved along the window so the cathedral spire stood behind them, softened by a wide aperture. Our Mon Bijou wedding photos nearly all found room for that spire.

A slow dance by the glass

Two little guests bounced on the white couch while the music started. George and Julian danced slowly beside the cat portrait, framed by glass on three sides, with the whole city behind them. They kissed by the door, a guest in red danced with the ring bearer, and a little girl in red threw her arms around a woman in red for a long hug. We finished with a portrait of each groom alone at the window, St Paul’s behind them, and one last frame of the two of them in the glass corner.

Photographer's venue notes

Mon Bijou, Melbourne: a rose-wall ceremony, a laneway walk and window portraits by the spires

Read the venue notes

From the glass room to the street and back

George and Julian kept their whole day moving in a loop. Guests gathered on the rooftop terrace by the pool, then the long glass room held the vows in front of the rose wall, with the signing and family groups at the same spot. Straight after, we walked the grooms out to Hosier Lane and on to the Treasury Gardens, before heading back upstairs, where that same glass room had been turned around for champagne, cake and dancing.

Bright sun, inside and out

It was a clear blue day, which gave us two different problems within the hour. Inside the penthouse, the glass poured daylight across the room, so we turned the grooms side-on to the windows and let the light shape their faces rather than flatten them. Out on the footpath the sun was hard and the shadows long and sharp, so we kept the street walk brisk and saved the slower portraits for shade, under the painted walls and the elm canopy.

The spots that worked for George and Julian

The rose wall was our anchor for the ceremony, the signing and every family group, because it hides the room and puts colour behind each face. In Hosier Lane we found a shaded corner beside a red and blue wall, which gave the grooms soft light while the sunlit murals glowed around them. Back upstairs, the best seat in the house was the white couch in the glass corner, with the city towers on every side and the spire soft behind.

Tips for a penthouse day in the city

If your venue has a view like this one, plan your portraits around a window rather than a wall: we sat the grooms on the window seat and stood at an angle so the spire landed just over their shoulders. Silhouettes against the glass are easy wins too, and a raised cocktail or a cufflink check gives your hands something to do. For the walk outside, pick comfortable shoes and keep the route short enough that you are back upstairs while the champagne is still cold.

Keep exploring

Melbourne weddings

More real weddings across the city