Riley Chapman-Politis has swapped his sea legs for a wedding chapel in the heart of Port Kembla. Photo: Zoe Cartwright.
Drive through Port Kembla and you’ll spot it straight away — the old ES&B bank on Wentworth Street has a bold new look.
Local couple Melissa Gilbert and Riley Chapman-Politis have used the space to bring a touch of romance to the industrial heart of Wollongong, with typical Port Kembla flair.
The Port Kembla Wedding Chapel brings a romantic vibe to the industrial heart of the city, and it’s doing it in style.
The concept came at the perfect time.
Between running Melissa’s business, wrangling their kids and Riley’s month-on, month-off work at sea, organising their own wedding felt like a bridge too far.
The ES&B bank was about to come up for lease – why not open a wedding chapel instead?
“We moved fast and it all just fell into place,” Riley said.
“We’ve been engaged for three years but organising a wedding felt like doing a house renovation on steroids when we were already time-poor.
“Melissa was hiring out nannies for weddings and said, ‘Why don’t we start our own and make it something we would want?'”
The Port Kembla Wedding Chapel was born.
Melissa and Riley have turned the space into a luxe period piece filled with furniture and decor from local businesses and makers.
Couples can choose anything from a one-hour elopement package to a six-hour package plus an open bar, and select from a variety of celebrants.
Several local hospitality vendors, including El Cantina, have already signed on to provide catering, and Pepe’s in Wollongong provides floristry.
Adam from the Vintage Stylist offers an all-vinyl DJ experience with a timber turntable that fits the chapel’s style perfectly.
“It takes out all the nonsense and all the stress,” Riley said.
“You don’t have to think about napkins, cutlery and seating.
“You just pick what you want and turn up on the day.”
The Chapel reflects Riley and Melissa’s personal values and style.
They’ve kept all their suppliers local – the bar is well stocked with a selection of spirits from Dharrawal Distilling – and they’re keen to open it up for events that celebrate Port Kembla’s diverse community, too.
It’s available for weddings, vow renewals, naming ceremonies, wakes, birthdays and a variety of community and arts events, including a kid’s disco at the upcoming Port Kembla Fear Fest.
The space is designed to welcome people from all backgrounds and is LGBTQIA+ and neurodiverse-affirming.
Everything from the glassware to the bar itself has been sourced and created with care.
After years spent managing ship maintenance and emergency responses at sea, Riley said it was fantastic to have a chance to put his creative side to use.
“I love a period, and once I saw the interior I knew I could make the most of it,” Riley said.
“The furniture is all mid-century that we’ve collected and had redone by the upholsterer across the road.
“The altar was custom-built and inspired by the old mid-century starburst clocks.
“We’d originally lined up an old RSL bar, but when that fell through we found a match to a little orange bar we already had on good old [Facebook] Marketplace and a middle section in Kiama.
“Our builder attached them and a guy in Wollongong 3D printed the stars in the middle; it fell into place in a few hours.”
Beyond the design element, Riley said he was excited to tackle a significant career change after 16 years at sea.
The idea of planting his feet firmly in Port Kembla after so much time away has a special appeal, too.
“I love the industry, I’ll always be a seafarer, but I missed the kids too much and realised I couldn’t give them back that time,” he said.
“I always found the idea of running a business very daunting, but Melissa and my family have put a lot of faith in me.
“I’m doing my celebrant’s course too, so I’ll be one of the celebrants you can choose from, too.
“There’s a really beautiful vibe in Port Kembla with lots of young families and kids out at the beach and the park, and always something on, it’s really nice to see.”
The chapel is open year-round, with flexible availability.
To keep up-to-date with what’s happening in the space follow it on Instagram or Facebook @_thechapel.
