A millennial wedding trend had society snobs clutching their pearls last weekend as restaurateur Charlie Kelly tied the knot with his wife Mira in Canggu, Bali.
Charlie, the owner of trendy Double Bay venue Bartiga, said ‘I do’ with Mira last Sunday at Arnalaya Beach House – a luxury villa famous for its waterfront views.
It may sound like a standard destination wedding – but the Kellys’ nuptials came with a twist: it was, in fact, a surprise wedding.
Guests had been invited months prior for what they believed was an engagement party – an opportunity for the bride and groom’s respective friends and family to meet.
But the jig was up when the couple suddenly announced they were actually about to exchange vows – right there and then.
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Double Bay restaurateur Charlie Kelly (right) and wife Mira married in a surprise wedding in Bali
Guests had been invited months prior for what they believed was an engagement party
This kind of wedding – disguised as a more casual gathering until the big reveal – is now all the rage among younger newlyweds.
The new tradition – made famous by Meta billionaire Mark Zuckerberg whose 2012 wedding to Priscilla Chan was billed as her graduation party – is often preferred by couples who wish to avoid the months of planning, family politics, hype and pomp that often come with traditional ceremonies.
It can be quite romantic – but that doesn’t mean everyone has to like it.
We’ve heard rumblings on the society grapevine that some felt the rug had been pulled out from under them.
The off-the-cuff ceremony was at odds with that of fellow culinary king Chris Lucas who tied the knot with Sarah Lew in a long-planned Italian wedding two years ago.
One insider was thrilled by the big reveal, telling us: ‘No one guessed it, and it was such an incredible surprise – and so refreshing given the over-the-top weddings you often read about.’
But inevitably these surprise weddings do tend to draw whispers from guests who miss the opportunity to really dress up – or bring the couple a wedding gift.
Still, while the customer may always be right at Charlie’s restaurant, it was the couple who made the rules on their wedding day.
Guests unknowingly posed for wedding photos as the sun began to set. But it would soon transpire that the ‘engagement party’ was in fact a prelude for the couple’s nuptials
One insider was thrilled by the big reveal, telling us: ‘No one guessed it, and it was such an incredible surprise – and so refreshing given the over-the-top weddings you often read about’
But inevitably these surprise weddings do tend to draw whispers from guests who miss the opportunity to really dress up – or bring the couple a wedding gift
Mira, an art dealer who also works in banking and tech, spent the first portion of the evening in an engagement party dress – a slip frock with asymmetrical sleeves.
After the big moment, she slipped into her wedding gown – a show-stopping, ivory tulle number with a plunging neckline and open back.
Her groom sported a camel-coloured suit and button-down white shirt throughout the night, as well as a corsage of pink flowers that matched his bride’s bouquet.
Of course, a corps d’élite of Sydney’s most glamorous figures were in attendance, including model Charlie Austin and her restaurateur partner Poata Okeroa, who owns Sydney hotspots Pelicano, Gitano and Sussudio.
Elsewhere, socialite Laura Csortan was spotted in the crowd, as well as Olympic swimmer Ian Thorpe and former Bachelor star Monique Morley.
Jay G. Lyon, a Sydney art gallery owner, also attended the exclusive party.
The venue itself was a tropical wonderland, boasting waterfront views and manicured greenery bedecked with streamers and floral garlands.
The couple exchanged vows beneath a canopy of fairy lights, and were showered with yellow flowers after saying ‘I do’ at an outdoor podium.
Then came speeches, before the pair cut their extravagant, three-tiered wedding cake which was festooned with flowers.
The newlyweds then danced the night away beneath the stars with their guests, only stopping to take photos in front of a wall decorated with colourful flower garlands.
The couple exchanged vows beneath a canopy of fairy lights, and were showered with yellow flowers after saying ‘I do’ at an outdoor podium
There were plenty of familiar faces in the crowd, including (from left to right) Laura Csortan, Charlie Austin, Poata Okeroa and Jay G. Lyon
Bachelor star Monique Morley (second left) cosied up to other guests at the event
Olympic swimmer Ian Thorpe (right) posed for a photo with Laura Csortan (centre)
The venue itself was a tropical wonderland, boasting waterfront views and manicured greenery bedecked with streamers and floral garlands
The next day, the newlyweds and a handful of guests reunited for a recovery brunch at a beach club, enjoying cocktails and massages by the water.
And, of course, it wouldn’t be a Sydney high-society wedding without at least one of the guests announcing a hook-up or a break-up.
Enter property developer Max Shepherd, who hard-launched his new girlfriend Hannah Waites after we first reported on their romance back in June.
As DailyMail+ subscribers will know, Hannah used to date David Malouf, the same real estate agent who sold Max’s Darling Point apartment – the one he co-owned with his former partner Dina Broadhurst – several months ago.
Property developer Max Shepherd, the former partner of Dina Broadhurst, hard-launched his new girlfriend Hannah Waites at the Bali wedding
We first reported on their romance back in June
Max and Dina (right) dated for four years
Meanwhile, Charlie has become Double Bay’s hottest new hospitality king since opening the doors of Bartiga in January last year.
The space previously housed his mother’s restaurant, Café Perons, which she ran for four decades before giving her son the keys.
When the opportunity arose to reimagine the space, Charlie partnered with executive chef Faheem Noor to launch Bartiga, a contemporary restaurant blending modern Australian cuisine with Southeast Asian influences.
Charlie’s vision was to honour his family’s legacy while pushing culinary boundaries, creating a venue that could serve both casual diners and those seeking an elevated, design-forward experience.
He proposed to Mira in December 2024 during a Christmas gathering with her family in Bali.
Mira’s wedding gown was a show-stopping, ivory tulle number with a plunging neckline
The next day, the newlyweds and a handful of guests reunited for a recovery brunch at a beach club, enjoying cocktails and massages by the water
Charlie proposed to Mira in December 2024 during a Christmas gathering with her family in Bali
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