I love an impulsive couple! Cathy and Jon were visiting from Canberra when they decided they’d like to have some photographs taken, and our beautiful Tweed scenery was the perfect backdrop – and I was more than happy to help them out! We spent a sunny afternoon making some beautiful memories for them at Fingal.  Hopefully these shots will keep them warm through the chilly Canberran winter!

Not much went accord to plan on Christie and Zane’s wedding day. It bucketed down all day over the Uki hills with no reprieve. A film crew overtook the area they’d planned to use for their ceremony (if it was sunny) and bridal portraits, and the dense cloud cover meant we lost the light far earlier than usual for an early April afternoon, but Christie and Zane weren’t bothered at all. They were surrounded by their closest friends and family from all over the world – quite literally! A bit of rain and a score of Fox Lights trucks weren’t even a blip on their radar, and their day was magical.

There were so many personal touches that made their day extra-special and drew each element together. Christie is an incredible milliner and created her own hairpiece, as well as the gorgeous hairpieces and hats worn by her bridesmaids, her mother, and Zane’s mother and Grandmother. She also added the custom embellishments on her shoes and the shoulder strap on her dress. This girl is talented! Each table at their reception was named for a place in the world that represented a chapter in their lives, and they surprised their guests with a live bush band and impromptu bush dancing lesson, just like Christie’s parents had at their own wedding. The day was full of joy and happy tears, and I’m so glad I got to be part of it.

Venue: Midginbil Hill, Uki
Ladies’ hairpieces: Christie Millinery Designs

There’s something extra-beautiful about photographing the wedding of a friend. I’ve known Helena (or Noon, as she will always be to me) since we were both eleven years old. It was incredible to see her marry her dream man and help them and their family remember their beautiful day!

Helena and Damian are what I like to call a Disney couple. They are perfect together. Helena absolutely adores Damian. Damien is completely besotted by Helena, and he loves surprising her with the most romantic things – like a smoke-covered dance floor for the first dance as husband and wife (which was a little last minute and required some kitchen-sink dry ice experimentation that morning). Best of all, they’re both completely in awe of their gorgeous son Jonathan. There is so much love in their little family, and it’s obvious at a glance.

Take a look and tell me if you can see it too; the air of Disney one-true-love that this couple’s joy radiates. Congratulations, my beautiful friends!

Ceremony and reception venue: The Abbey Cobaki

Tess and Chris are all about fun. I can’t wait to photograph their wedding on Saturday!

Here are a few images from our sweet little engagement session at Cudgen Creek.

My favourite part about Tahlia and Beau’s gorgeous country wedding was that it was incredibly personal. Tahlia’s mother personally hand-stitched their wedding date into the hem of Tahlia’s dress in blue thread for her daughter’s “something blue”. The girls made their bouquets themselves. Tahlia made the cake toppers. They were married on Beau’s parents’ property at Pine Mountain in the round yard. They decorated their reception themselves. Beau’s ring is a beautiful and unusual ceramic piece, since as an electrician he can’t wear a metal ring. Their adorable daughter Tilly was part of each stage of the day, warming hearts with her cheeky grin.

Tahlia and Beau also chose to break tradition and see each other before their wedding ceremony in what’s known as a “first look” or “first sight”. It’s a concept that’s gaining popularity – the couple choose a location and the bride approaches her groom and taps his shoulder, he turns around and they get to fully appreciate the first time they see each other on their wedding day, and react – without the pressure of lots of eyes watching! We also took this opportunity to take their bridal party portraits prior to the ceremony at the Wivenhoe Dam, which meant Tahlia and Beau got to head straight to their reception from the ceremony and party with their guests!

There was no part of their day that wasn’t beautiful, and I’m so happy to share it with you.

Vendors:

Hair: Kelly Weaver’s Bridal Hair

Makeup: Tyneale Hahn

Hayley and David wanted a small, simple wedding to celebrate their love. It suited them perfectly. I feel as though a small, simple blog post will suit them too, so I’ll let their images tell you all about it. Congratulations, Hayley and David!

When I think of all the weddings I’ve photographed to date, I think I’d have to say Mel and Nick’s was the most honest, personal and emotional. It was truly touching to witness. I’m something of a sympathetic crier, so when Mel’s tears started up right before she walked down the aisle, I had to work hard to keep my own back!

I have a lot in common with these guys – we share a love of great music (they signed the marriage register to Incubus’ “Friends and Lovers”, which is a song that’s very close to my own partner’s and my hearts) and a love of Asian, particularly Japanese, culture (hence the Hello Kitty/sakura-themed cake), and having so much in common really made me feel like I was capturing the memories of two kindred spirits. Their wedding day was such a pleasure to photograph.

I drove past the beautiful grassy patch where Mel and Nick were married recently. Kingscliff’s been experiencing some pretty drastic erosion the past few years, and that gorgeous little knoll is almost gone. Thankfully, the memories (and the photos) are still here.

Wedding ceremony: Kingscliff Beach
Wedding reception: Kingscliff Beach Bowls Club

Damian and Helena are adorable. Damian and Helena are in love. Damian and Helena are engaged. Damian and Helena are getting married tomorrow!
Every time I look at their engagement photos from our lovely sun-drenched session at Point Danger and Greenmount headlands I get a warm fuzzy. I hope they give you a warm fuzzy too.

Let me tell you a story.

One upon a time there was one very creative mum (let’s call her Ammber) and one very creative dad (we’ll call him Justin). They had one very ambitious three year old boy (who we’ll call Oscar) and one very cruisy 4 month old girl (let’s call her Evie), and together they made one seriously awesome Doyle family. That was their family super-power – making awesome.

One day, they realised they had made so much awesome that they didn’t need it all, but they didn’t know what to do with it. What does one do with surplus awesomeness? And then it hit them – one creates an AWESOME kids clothing label!

And so MyArkadia was born, a childrens’ clothing line with pieces so amazing I want to wear them myself. I’m not even kidding. I mustn’t be the only grown-up Arkadian either, because Ammber and Justin have just done their first run of ladies shirts (one of which has my name on it!! YES!!). If you like unique, environmentally-conscious and seriously cool kids clothes (or just awesome stuff in general) you should definitely check out MyArkadia right now. And then come straight back here for the rest of this post!

I had the honour of catching up with this Family of Awesome on two lovely Sunday mornings to make the memories you see below. I’ll let their photos tell you the rest of the story.

Lindsay and Tim are fierce adventurers. They’ve swum with elephants in Africa and regularly take on some crazy competition on the roller derby track, so it made perfect sense for them, after a decade together, to make their wedding an adventure too. The relaxing, palm-trees-and-cocktails kind of adventure where you can give all your friends and family a holiday too. And where is better for a relaxing, balmy wedding adventure than Fiji? Nowhere.

A chapel on the beach. Glorious sunsets over the ocean. 26 degree days in winter. The friendliest locals you’ll find anywhere. This is definitely the kind of gig I could get used to.

Check out their adventure below. And don’t forget your sunscreen.

Vendors:

Ceremony & reception venue, flowers, cake: Sofitel Fiji Resort & Spa, Denarau, Fiji
Band: The Korners