Sophie + Andre by The Runaway Hearts - Together Journal

We dreamed of a wedding that radiated joy and playfulness—lighthearted, colourful, and full of personality rather than bound by tradition.

Tell us a little about yourselves, what you do, what you love…

Sophie: Originally from Tasmania, I had a short adventure in the U.S. before making Northside Melbourne my home for the past seven years. I thrive on escaping the city’s bustle for a good adventure outside, soaking up the fresh air and open spaces. André and I are devoted foodies and can often be found perched at one of Melbourne’s outdoor tables, indulging in little plates of whatever the bartender recommends. We are both big nerds and share a passion for cinema and video games. Work-wise, I have the pleasure of blending two fulfilling careers: working as a Clinical Educator and teaching yoga and meditation.

André: I grew up in Sweden and moved here to Melbourne in 2017. I moved here kind of on a whim, decided to visit Melbourne for a few months, left Sweden on two weeks’ notice, and here we are, seven years later. I met Sophie after my first year of living in Australia, we worked in a restaurant together for a few months and with time started spending more and more time together at work and outside of work. During this time,e I was so nervous to be around her and got butterflies any time we would share even the smallest moment.
Now, I work as a Sommelier, and we live together in Abbotsford with our cat, Coco.

How/where/when did you meet – and what were your first impressions?

Sophie: André and I first crossed paths back in 2018, during a memorable chapter of my life as a student and waitress. He was a customer at the restaurant that I was working at. Lucky me, I was assigned to his table, and the moment I saw him, I thought he was the most handsome man I’d ever encountered. I also thought he was outrageously unfriendly, which he now describes as ‘just very nervous’.

Fate intervened again when, just two weeks later, André became my colleague. As we got to know each other, it was clear we were opposites in many ways—me with my lively, extroverted Aussie personality and him with his calm, reserved Scandinavian charm. Yet, those differences became part of the magic that brought us together. André even returned to live in Sweden for a short period after we met, but our connection grew into a romance strong enough to bridge the 15,962 kilometres between Helsingborg and Melbourne – and now here we are.

André: When I first met Sophie, I thought she was the most beautiful and charming person I had ever met. I was so nervous and excited any chance I got to be around her, I was completely taken by her stunning looks and radiant personality, honestly it was quite intimidating for a shy, reserved bloke who had just moved to a new country. As our relationship grew and we started spending more and more time together, I couldn’t believe how lucky I was to have someone like her in my life. Today, I still have to pinch myself to make sure I’m not dreaming.

When did you first realise that this was someone you’d like to spend the rest of your life with?

Sophie: Early into 2020, I had expressed to André that I was desperate to try Kanelbullar again – a Swedish cinnamon roll that I had tried once on a holiday to many years prior to meeting him. He was very adamant that he knew how to make this and invited me to his share house, where he had 12 perfect cinnamon rolls resting on the counter and an overly nonchalant attitude regarding how ‘easy it was to make them’.

Unfortunately for André his cover was blown when his housemate came downstairs, grabbed a cinnamon roll and exclaimed ‘Wow! These are way better than the last 3 batches you made!”. He had lovingly kneaded, baked, decorated and possibility eaten 3 batches of cinnamon rolls prior to the tray in front of me, because he wanted them to be perfect and because he wanted me to think he was the kind of guy who just knew how to make Kanelbullar. This was the moment I knew that I wanted to be with him forever.

André: I knew I wanted to spend the rest of my life with Sophie from the moment I first met her, I know it sounds cliché but I truly believe it was love at first sight. I had felt so excited, nervous, joyous to just be around someone before. No one has made me feel so loved, happy, calm and safe, like the way Sophie makes me feel, I truly am so lucky to have someone like her to spend the rest of my life with.

Was there a proposal? Tell us a little about it…

André: Yes, there was a proposal. I surprised Sophie with a weekend trip to Gruyere in the Yarra Valley, where we spent the night in a ‘glamping’ tent overlooking the vineyards, drinking champagne and eating cheese. Later, when we were sitting outside, looking at the stars, I professed all the things I love about Sophie, how lucky I am to have found someone as amazing as her and how I have known from the moment we first met that I wanted to spend the rest of my life with her. I then got down on my knee, took out the ring that had been burning a hole in my pocket for the past couple of hours, and asked her to marry me, and she said yes!

Tell us about the vision you had for the mood or style of your wedding.

Sophie: We dreamed of a wedding that radiated joy and playfulness—lighthearted, colourful, and full of personality rather than bound by tradition. I envisioned a celebration bursting with vibrant hues, a touch of kitschy vintage charm, and an intimacy that made every guest feel involved in our story.

With just 32 of our closest friends by our side, we exchanged vows at The Altar Electric in Abbotsford—a delightfully quirky Vegas-style chapel that we had admired on countless walks through the neighbourhood. The bold, retro aesthetic had always captured our imaginations, and stepping inside felt like a perfect extension of our vision. After the ceremony, we continued the festivities at Old Palm Liquor in Brunswick, where we indulged in a leisurely outdoor lunch surrounded by lush greenery. The setting’s natural charm meant we kept table decorations minimal – a few flowers, fans for the summer heat and handwritten name cards, instead letting the venue and the towering banquet-style share plates of delicious food steals the show. It was everything we hoped for—vivid, fun, and not too serious.

What was one element you were happy to splurge on?

Soph: With the guest list so small, we were lucky enough to feel as if we could splurge on a few things.  One of our splurges was definitely the cake, and we were so lucky to work with Mali designing our dream 80s-inspired wedding cake for us. We were even fortunate enough to have an old flavour (Carrot cake with cream cheese!) resurrected from retirement just for our wedding.

We were also happy to splurge on the photography as we really wanted that effortless, timeless feel that Kara brings to her couples. As two people who feel very awkward in front of the camera, it was such a blessing to have someone as relaxed as Kara behind the lens on our big day.

Did anything happen on your wedding day that you laugh about in hindsight (even if it was stressful at the time)?

We had both agreed beforehand to embrace whatever happened, trusting that it would all work out—and that mindset was a game-changer. It took away any lingering pressure and let us focus entirely on the joy of the moment.

In fact, I can honestly say I didn’t feel stressed once throughout the day – aside from the getting ready part, which was more anxious anticipation than anything. Well, except for the moment I caught myself in a mirror and realized that all my happy tears had removed my makeup!

Tell us about your main outfits, what was unique, is there a story?

André: I wanted something that stood out and was a bit more fun than your traditional black and white suit and something that fit the Vegas vibe of the wedding. So, I went with a black velvet tuxedo from M.J. Bale.

Soph: The first time I saved my wedding dress to my pinterest board was in 2017 – and it was the only dress I pictured myself getting married in. Oresund and Iris don’t make it anymore, so I scoured the internet for it second-hand. I had to buy it a few sizes up and was lucky enough to work with Irene of Absolutely Altered and Tailored in Melbourne CBD to make it fit like a dream.

I bought my veil on etsy after trying a few different bridal styles, and loved the old timey feel of the birdcage style.  I went with pearled Jimmy Choos and some amazing pearl earrings by the incredible Natascha Schwizter to finish off the look. My nails were done by Trophy Wife in Melbourne, who did a great job of bringing my subtle ‘something blue’ to life.