In the lead up to Christmas, I was very fortunate to photograph the styling of a handful of beautiful events by Georgeous.  I’ll be showcasing each of these events over the next couple of weeks, but for now, here is a stunning wedding at one of my favourite venues, Gardens House, perched on the edge of the Royal Botanic Gardens.  The all-white colour palate could have been bland, but the Georgeous team used textures and stunning floral arrangements to create a marquee that was anything but boring!

So these are my gorgeous girls – Miss Finlay (3) and Miss Lila (1).  They’re getting to an age where they are really starting to interact with each other which is so much fun to watch.  One morning as they were playing around in the white sheets on the ‘big bed’, I couldn’t help but grab my camera and capture the action!

As much as I love photographing ‘first time’ weddings, with the excitement and anticipation, I adore a good ‘second’ wedding too!  Second time ’round seems a lot more relaxed, and there’s not so much obligation to adhere to the usual traditions, so the day is uaually more of a fun celebration with no set rules.

This was exactly the case for Sharon and Matt, both previously married, for their gorgeous wedding at one of my favourite venues, the Deck at The Prince.  While they toyed with the idea of running away and eloping, it was important to them for their family and friends to be part of a bigger celebration, so these two cycling enthusiasts (thankfully) went ‘sans lycra’ for a night, (with Sharon in a stunning Jane Hill gown, and Matt suited up with “the most expensive tie ever!”), had a great party with the people closest to them, including Sharon’s family from New Zealand, and Matt’s ‘grown’ children, who each played a part in the proceedings.

In a refreshing break from tradition, this bride and groom got ready together, were ‘announced’ in to the party together pre-ceremony to mingle with their guests early, and to get treated to an upbeat rendition of The Beatles’ “I Saw Her Standing There” by Sharon’s maid of honour, and Matt’s daughter Poppy and two of her friends.  The official papers were witnessed by Matt’s two sons, as Sharon’s brother serenaded the couple (and the crowd) with a stirring performance of the Maori love song “Pokarekare Ana”, which left very few dry eyes in the house.

Add to the stunning location a magnificent St Kilda sunset, and another shot at wedded bliss seems like a pretty good decision for these two!

One of my first weddings back for the ‘season’ took place at the very gorgeous Lake House in Daylesford.  Ny and her girls (and boys!) all looked so divine, and I also got to work with fantastic celebrant (and former bride of mine from earlier this year), Jo Betz.  Apart from being attacked by some territorial ducks down by the lake, a fun and beautiful day was had by all. xx

As anyone who attended the Portobello Boutique Bridal Market in Melbourne earlier this year could attest, Portobello’s founder, the gorgeous Kim, knows how to put on a beautiful event.  Not quite on such a large scale, but still gorgeous none the less, was her ‘Girls Night In’ fundraising lunch for Breast Cancer Research.  Utilising her pool of contacts in the wedding industry, gorgeous cakes, flowers, stationary were donated to the event, and I was honoured to give my time to photograph all of the beautiful, mouth-watering fare, and amazing decorations.  The cake pops were a particular hit with the little people!  So don’t forget to Think Pink in October to bring awareness to, and hopefully someday find a cure for, breast cancer.

In the Northern Hemisphere, being a “June Bride” is what it’s all about… In cold, grey, mid-winter Melbourne, not so much!  Luckily for Lucy and Trent, the usual winter grey was replaced by a beautiful crisp blue sky for their June wedding at the Carousel in Albert Park.  And keeping it all in the family, Lucy’s beautifully intricate dress was lovingly made by her mother-in-law to be!  What a talented woman!

Long distance relationships are hardly a new thing, but thankfully technology has made them a little easier to bear.  And when one of the parties does move to be with the other, there are still friends and family on the other side of the world… For Malaysian-born, Melbourne-based Casey, his long distance relationship with Tracey began five years ago on a work trip to her native China.  When Tracey finally moved to Melbourne last year to marry Casey, their wedding day was still a little bittersweet with friends and family still in her homeland, but made a little less ‘bitter’ by the laptop set up with a live streaming link through the ceremony, and skype chat with her best friend and ‘cyber-bridesmaid’ immediately after the “I do’s”, so for this couple the world did get just a little bit smaller.  Tracey even got in a virtual bouquet throw!

Such a beautifully simplistic wedding gown, and as always, we basked in the divine light that filters through at the Monsalvat Artists retreat, where every little nook & cranny presents another gorgeous photo opportunity. xx