Kate and Nicholas’ classic Italian celebration at San Remo Ballroom

Many couples we see talk about wanting their wedding to feel like a big family party, but for Kate and Nicholas, that meant booking the San Remo Ballroom.

Bringing two Italian families together required a space that could handle 260 guests who are loud, affectionate, and deeply invested in the three pillars of a great wedding: food, music, and people. The journey to the altar began with a surprise proposal at Crown, where the room was filled with red roses and photos documenting their five year history. Within a week of the news, they had already toured and booked their dream venue. The ceremony followed at St Mary’s Catholic Church in St Kilda, a location deeply woven into Kate’s family history as the same place her Nonna was married over 70 years ago.

Embracing a classic and romantic wedding style, the couple chose a sophisticated palette of white, black, blush, and nude. Kate’s bridal look was a masterclass in elegance, featuring a gown from Luv Bridal with a statement bow and sentimental jewellery gifted by her parents, sisters, and Nicholas. Even a sudden bee sting on the morning of the wedding could not dampen the mood, thanks to a lucky dose of antihistamines and the calm presence of her makeup artist, Adele Rossi. Across the city, the men were also preparing in style, wearing sharp tailoring from Menzclub and wearing custom cufflinks with their initials engraved on them as a special gift.

As an Italian couple with two very food focused families, the menu had to be exceptional. It was not just nice or standard wedding food, it was genuinely memorable. After a relaxed afternoon in St Kilda, the celebration moved to the San Remo Ballroom, where the couple worked with Kerr Events to transform the space with a white dance floor and a bespoke bridal table. The circular table configuration was a deliberate choice that allowed their families to intertwine, symbolising the blending of two lives into one. Guests were treated to a legendary Italian feast featuring Limoncello Spritzes, potato and ricotta gnocchi with pulled oxtail, and a three tier white chocolate and raspberry cake from Priscilla’s Cakes.

The central dance floor remained the heart of the room, kept full all night by Carda Music playing a mix of 80s classics and Italian favourites. From the timeless white Rolls Royces provided by Always Classic Cars to the lush arrangements from Flowers For Ever After, every detail reflected their culture and high energy spirit.

Reflecting on the choice of venue, Kate notes that “from the moment we saw it, we could picture the energy, the noise, the laughter and the dancing. It just felt right”. One year on, guests are still talking about how good the food was, proving that the San Remo Ballroom was the perfect fit for their unforgettable celebration. To cap off the festivities, the newlyweds headed to the Grand Hyatt Bali for a well deserved honeymoon.

 

This classic Italian wedding was captured by John Warren Photography.

"...from the moment we saw [San Remo Ballroom], we could picture the energy, the noise, the laughter and the dancing. It just felt right."

Kate Lentini