A couple in formal attire shares a moment at a bar. The woman, in a floral dress, sits on the counter, smiling warmly at the man in a tuxedo. Bottles line the shelves behind them, under a glowing sign featuring cocktail names. The setting is elegant and intimate.

The Dress That Started It All: Laura & Dan’s Iconic Engagement at Pepe’s Italian in Melbourne’s CBD

When the dress is this good, you don’t just go out to dinner—you throw a party.

Laura spotted the dress—the Rachel Gilbert Francesca Star Gown—one day and instantly knew: it wasn’t just a dress. It needed a moment. A grand entrance. A reason to gather every person they loved in one room.

So she turned to Dan, her high school sweetheart of eleven years, and said: I need something REALLY special to wear this to.

And so, they got engaged.

Cue: a night full of sparkle, wild dancing, heartfelt speeches and just the right amount of chaos—in the best possible way.

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Your home for all things inspiration, travel, events, my favourite people & my latest work.

the hawkins

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Your home for all things inspiration, travel, events, my favourite people & my latest work.

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I'm Emma and I photograph weddings and elopements in Melbourne or wherever your love takes you.

I’ll capture your wedding day with the gentle direction of editorial style and the soul of documentary storytelling. What does that mean? It means I’ll guide you to get portraits that feel truly like you, and capture beautiful, candid moments and real emotions without you even knowing I’m there the rest of the wedding day. Trust me, I’ve got you!

What drives me is connection. 

I’m inspired by people who feel deeply, those blink-and-you’ll-miss-it moments, and the poetry in quiet gestures. I’ve always believed great photography feels like slipping back into a memory, not just looking at a picture.

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