A Newcastle city wedding offers something few destinations can match: coastal light, historic architecture, and a relaxed, walkable CBD that keeps the day flowing effortlessly. For Olivia and Matt, choosing to marry in the city they call home made perfect sense. Having met in Newcastle and built their life together here, they leaned into everything the city does best — a grand sandstone ceremony at Newcastle City Hall, sunset portraits through the CBD, and a rooftop celebration overlooking the harbour. Their November wedding brought together 80 family and friends for a day that felt equal parts elegant and easygoing, with thoughtful local details woven throughout.
From cocktails and oysters at Rooftop at QT to a vintage Mustang drive through town, their celebration captured the charm and convenience that make a Newcastle city wedding so appealing. With all vendors local and locations within minutes of each other, the result was a day that felt seamless, stylish and unmistakably Newcastle. Below, the couple share how they planned their Newcastle city wedding, the venues they chose and the details that made the day their own.
Tell us a bit about yourselves, how you met and what you’re like as a couple.
I (Olivia) grew up in Maitland, and Matt grew up in Hay, rural NSW, before moving to Newcastle nine years ago. Newcastle is where we met, and where we now call home!
We met through a social mixed Oztag team a friend put together. Though we were on the same team all season, it wasn’t until the end-of-season celebrations that we noticed each other. On our first date, and conversation flowed so easily that it felt like we had known each other forever.
As a couple, we both love to travel and have spent much of our relationship exploring different parts of the world together. We love experiencing different cultures, trying new food and discovering new places, and those trips are some of our favourite memories.
But day to day, it’s the little things that make up our relationship, a walk to a local cafe for a coffee (shout out Praise Joe Tighes Hill!), walking our dogs, a beach day at one of our local beaches/Newcastle Ocean Baths, or trying a new restaurant. We love taking it easy and just living our lives together in Newcastle.
When did you tie the knot? How many people were there?
Our wedding day was Sunday, 23 November 2025 and we had 80 of our family and friends there on the day with us.
Why did you decide on a Newcastle city wedding instead of a Hunter Valley or Sydney city wedding?
We initially planned to elope overseas, but we’re so glad we chose to have our wedding in Newcastle. From the beginning, we felt more aligned with a Newcastle city wedding than a Hunter Valley wedding. We wanted the day to be fun and stress-free with minimal logistics. We did consider Sydney City as an option, but Newcastle has so much meaning to us, so it made sense to celebrate here.
How did the city setting shape the vibe or feel of your wedding?
We really just wanted to have a fun, rooftop party, with sunset views, cocktails, oysters (highly recommended a live oyster shucker!), good food and of course, a DJ all afternoon/night.
Rooftop at QT gave us all those things which was perfect.
Which venue(s) did you choose, and what made them stand out?
We chose the Hunter Balcony at Newcastle City Hall as our ceremony venue. The sandstone, the red stairs, and the balcony overlooking lush green Civic Park felt so grand and romantic, almost like being transported to a European city.
For the reception, Rooftop at QT Newcastle matched our style perfectly. We love great views, good food and a great cocktail, so leaning into the rooftop bar and restaurant vibe felt natural. QT also had a special meaning to us, a few months after our first date we stayed at QT Melbourne where Matt asked me to be his girlfriend, so QT became a full circle part of our story, and it felt so special to have our wedding reception at QT Newcastle.
How did you balance city logistics (parking, noise, transport) with style and convenience? Were there any city-specific challenges in coordinating vendors or permits?
Our wedding was held on a Sunday afternoon; we had no issues with parking (it’s free on a Sunday) or noise. We found having a Newcastle CBD wedding really convenient and easy to manage. Also, less travel for all of our amazing Newcastle vendors.
Were there any hidden gems, local spots, or unique features that made your day special?
Firstly, the Hunter Balcony at City Hall, we didn’t even know it existed!
We also loved sneaking away in the vintage Mustang and driving around the Newcastle CBD together. It gave us a moment of calm in the middle of the day, with just us, taking it all in, before heading into the party.
Did you organise a welcome activity, drinks, or pre-wedding events around the city?
We hosted a pre-wedding welcome event with our immediate family at Customs House on the veranda. We chose this venue as it tied in with the sandstone architecture at City Hall. It’s also a great place for a sunset cocktail in Newcastle.
Did you work with local Newcastle vendors (photographers, florists, celebrants)?
We used all local Newcastle vendors and every one of them were incredible to deal with and added so positively to the day.
Is there anything you’d do differently if you had to do it all over again?
Not at all, we had the best day!
Any words of encouragement for couples nervous about choosing a city over somewhere tried-and-tested like the Hunter Valley?
Newcastle is so beautiful and honestly it was so easy and stress free! Everything is in close proximity with great accommodation options for guests too.
What are your top three tips for planning a chic Newcastle city wedding?
- Keep things minimal and intentional
- Lean into the city backdrop
- Plan for guest experience, flow and fun
Looking back, what is a standout moment – big or small – from your wedding?
It’s hard to choose just one favourite moment, a few really stand out but if I had to choose one it would be walking down the red stairs at City Hall and arriving on the Hunter Balcony to see Matt standing there and our guests with parasols and fans in hand in a black dress code. Everything looked so good! Tyler from Tyler Chapman Functions sang as I walked down the aisle and we were so lucky to have one of my oldest friends, Britt from Per Sempre Ceremonies, as our celebrant. It truly was so special.
Any “must-do” tips for making the day smooth, stress-free, and magical?
At the beginning of the planning process we got really clear on how we wanted the day to feel and made every decision from that. We knew we wanted it to be fun, relaxed, and centred on us as a couple, with an amazing guest experience.
With so much inspiration online, it can be easy to get pulled in different directions throughout the process, especially when our goal was to keep things minimal. We just kept coming back to our original vision and stayed true to what felt like us.
If you stay true to yourselves as a couple, everything comes together so naturally. We truly had the best day and are so happy our wedding felt exactly like us.
Tell us about some of the little details you brought in to make the celebration feel completely your own?
We intentionally included little details throughout the wedding day that tied back to us as a couple. From choosing a reception venue that linked back to early in our relationship and suited our love of a great rooftop bar or restaurant, to the song choices, food, and cocktails, everything reflected what we enjoy together and made the day feel so special.
Now talk to us about the all-important outfits. What did each of you wear?
My dress was actually the first one I tried on at Grace Loves Lace in Sydney. I tried on other dresses and designers afterwards, but I kept coming back to that first dress.
Matt wore a custom-tailored white peak lapel dinner jacket and black pants from Rundle Tailoring.
Later in the night, I changed into a Natalie Rolt skirt and corset for the party and wore my great-grandmother’s crystal necklace and earrings.
Why did you choose Rundle Tailoring, and how did you find the experience?
How lucky are we to have Australia’s number one wedding suit specialist in our hometown?! We had a great experience with the team. So helpful, knowledgeable and up to date with all the latest trends in the wedding world! So grateful to have them part of our wedding journey.
Olivia and Matt’s vendor list:
CEREMONY VENUE Hunter Balcony, City Hall
RECEPTION VENUE Rooftop at QT
CELEBRANT Per Sempre Ceremonies
PHOTOGRAPHER Sarbo Studio
CONTENT By Lucy
CAKE Butter
FLORALS Bold & Blooming
HAIR By J Creative – Jess Monck
MAKEUP Denham MUA
SUIT Rundle Tailoring
RINGS Kate & Kole
ENTERTAINMENT Tyler Chapman Functions / DJ Tipsey
STYLING HIRE/SIGNAGE The Event Artists
TRANSPORT Sydney Mustangs
If you’re planning a chic city wedding and looking for the perfect suit to fit the vibe, our award-winning team would love to help. Visit us in-store or book a fitting to begin your journey with Rundle Tailoring.