The Social Foundry in Kyneton can take credit for many community success stories and now the team can add to the list helping to match-make a couple and celebrate a COVID wedding!
It all began when customer Rowan Theel came in to check out the cafe on the major Kyneton corner two years ago and ordered a toastie and coffee from his future bride to be, Sue-Lee Seng Tak May.
His friend Michael Harris, who was chef at the time, got chatting to Rowan and later asked Sue-Lee what she’d thought of him.
“I couldn’t remember anything other than his coffee and toastie order!” Sue-Lee joked to the Express.
Michael and his wife Kathleen invited Sue-Lee to dinner with Rowan at their home a couple of months later, and Rowan plucked up the courage to ask her out on a first date a week after that.
“Rowan proposed just before the second lockdown and we had an emergency celebration with my parents because I was allowed to have five people at my house,” Sue-Lee said.
“Organising a wedding during COVID was very interesting.
“We got married at Barfold Church and had our reception lunch with our 24 guests at Social Foundry, of course!”
It was very much a community affair, with baristas Josh Rodgers and Connor Jamieson doing the photography and videography, while volunteer Cate Robbins made the bouquet. Elise Penney did Sue-Lee’s makeup and Bek Dettmann altered her $4 op shop wedding dress since Sue-Lee couldn’t do fittings at a bridal shop.
Chef Oz Turgut, with the help of Jessay Brooke and Jess Ford, catered for the lunch, and Michael and Kathleen made the cake and the bonbonnière.
“Our bonbonnière was hand sanitiser from (Michael’s gin distillery) Mountain Distillery because we thought that would be funny!” Sue-Lee said.
Social Foundry co-founder Paul Dettmann and his son Knox did some drone photography, while Paul’s mother Linley Dettmann made the dessert.
Social Foundry co-founder Simon Burnett and wife Bron sang at the wedding and volunteered as waiters at the reception lunch.
“Everyone was just so supportive, it was a beautiful day with the Social Foundry team,” Sue-Lee said.
“They closed the cafe for us so we felt very royal!”
