Nov 27th
He surfs, he cooks and his mums owns a rural property near the Tweed Coast, plus he’s pretty good looking. Or so my wife said when she saw these images. Well actually she just raised her eyebrows in that way that says “Heeellloooo” and I knew. There is just no competing with some guys is there? Maria knew that and now, sorry ladies, David is her husband.
David and Maria’s wedding was so personal in so many ways. You can see they are in love and so good together. After their wedding ceremony at St Augustine & St Monica’s Catholic Church in Cooloongatta (near the surf), they and 120 of their closest family and friends celebrated the day on David’s Mum’s property. I know why they had so many guests…..everyone loves them. You can’t help it.
This was no run-of-the-mill hotel wedding that you see on one of those TV shows. This wedding had true personal touches – things that really meant something as well as looked good. The venue for starters. I always love receptions at people’s properties. They are almost always relaxed. Maria and David had themed the wedding to reflect the setting, their love of food and David’s career as a chef. Guests were seated at tables identified by a different herb, and each table decorated with that herb. Little touches were placed everywhere to make guests feel truly at home.
Gone was the traditional wedding cake for this couple. No, David & Maria cut a cheese wheel for their wedding cake. Different types of cheeses were placed on tiers and ceremoniously cut, instead of the traditional wedding cake. Perfect. Everything about it suited this couple, their guests and this wedding.
Maria, not to be outdone by her husband, looked every bit the vision in a Carla Zampatti dress. She absolutely radiated. Maria is Argentinian. It was so touching to see that her Grandma and her aunty had flown all the way from Argentina to be there for her on this her special day. I know why they did. She would hold a special place in anyone’s heart. They were so proud of her. I saw it on their faces.
After 12 years in this business you would think I would stop looking forward to weddings. Well I was really looking forward to this one in particular this year. I couldn’t explain why, but now I know. David and Maria are genuinely warm and loving people. Their wedding was warm and loving, simple and personal. It was about family, friends and all that is important in life – love, laughter, enjoying the simple pleasures, and not taking anything for granted. Maria and David, it was an honour to be your photographer. Thanks for letting me capture your happiness. It gave me a little happiness too.
Wedding guests are welcome to click on the link to view Maria & David’s sneak peek slideshow.
Wedding guests are welcome to view all images on the online gallery.
(Slideshow and gallery are password protected. Please contact Maria & David for access).
Nov 23rd
Sometimes, in my job, you just get swept away by it all….. a beautiful setting, tender details, heartwarming music, and palpable love. It’s like waves washing over you, leaving you feeling invigorated, refreshed. Sometimes, you get swept away by it all….literally.
Susie and Nicholas’ Nossa wedding had all this AND the waves. They had chosen one of THE most beautiful settings in the world , Little Cove Noosa, to have their romantic and touching wedding ceremony (not that I’m biased as a Queenslander or anything). Someone forgot to tell Huey though, and Noosa was met with freakishly high tides that week.
As the waves encircled their feet during the ceremony and lapped at the seating area for friends and family, Susie and Nicholas held their cool. In fact they smiled. Big, Joyous, Couldn’t Care Less, Smiles. Guests ran from the waves like children on their first visit to the beach. The wedding wasn’t ruined. It was even better. The party had just begun!
Susie and Nicholas are from Sydney and after holidays on this beautiful beach, chose this special place to seal their love. Their family and friends travelled from all over to be there. Susie is the Marketing Director for Marie Claire magazine, so some of her friends are people you might recognise. Many of her friends helped her put together one of the most stylish and most relaxed weddings I’ve been to in a while.
The elegant and understated styling is all thanks to Katerina and David from the legendary DG3. These guys are used to important events, like the Olympic Games, the Superbowl in the US, the Logies and Susie and Nicholas’ wedding. Susie very obviously took Nicholas’ breathe away as she walked down their beach aisle in her Steven Khalil couture gown. Stunning. The fun and romance continued right through their reception at the one and only Sails . Terrianne at Mondo Floral Designs outdid herself with romantic flowers to suit the mood. The cake too was classic soft pink romance by Lee Berryman at Cake Designs .
BUTt nothing beat the romance of Nicholas giving his speech. Following the usual thank you list, Nicholas chooses to replace the standard “doesn’t she look beautiful tonight” acknowledgement of his bride, by lifting a guitar and giving his rendition of “Drops of Jupiter” directly to Susie. Corny? Oh no. This guy can sing. Not a dry eye in the house. Thank god for my lens cleaner.
As I said, the night was a party. A real celebration of love and all that feels good in life. The DJ Stephen Ferris had this party rocking until the wee hours. Susie and Nicholas were celebrating like anyone starting a new chapter in their life, at one of their favourite places in the world, with their most favourite person in the world. With Joy and lots of it.
I photographed Susie’s brother Peter’s wedding to Sarah a little over a year ago, and I am so humbled that out of all the photographers in the world and out of the great photographers in Australia that Susie would know, she chose me to share this day with her and Nicholas. I LOVE going to a wedding where I have come to know the family. It makes it even more special. Sarah and Peter, it was so great to see you again after all of your travels, and I am so glad that you think of me as your family photographer. I could not want for a bigger compliment.
Susie and Nicholas, you are remarkable individuals, but together, you light up the world. I wish you the pure joy of your wedding day, forever.
Wedding guests are welcome to click on the link to view Susie & Nicholas’ sneak peek slideshow.
(The slideshow is password protected. Please contact Susie & Nicholas for access).
Nov 22nd
It’s 2:47am and my phone beeps. Who is texting me at this time of the morning? Why am I even looking at it?
How quickly I’ve forgotten what it is like to have a newborn. 2:47am, that’s like daylight when your baby is less than 4 weeks old. And so it was that I got a text from Bede Durbridge updating me on the weather on the Gold Coast that day. With plans in place to photograph Bede, Tarryn and tiny Willow at Currumbin that day, I had a choice – take Bede’s advice on the rain & sleep in (aaah so tempting) or get up anyway & head to the coast to meet this new addition to the world. Had a hunch on the weather & I was awake anyway, so I headed down and the gods were good to us that day.
I HAD to photograph Bede & Tarryn with Willow at the same place I photographed their wedding only 2 years ago. THIS is what I love about what I do. Seeing good people in happy times, as their lives grow, and fill with more and more joy (and maybe a few more sleepless nights). How could I put this off at the prospect of a little rain?
Welcome to the world Willow. May your life be filled with wonder and opportunity and your days be filled with clean waves .
(The gallery is password protected. Please contact Bede & Tarryn for access).
Nov 21st
Ruffles and tulle and swirly dresses, isn’t this what every little girl imagines her wedding dress to be? Princess for a day. The Cinderella fairytale kind of princess, of course, not the kind prominent in more contemporary stories.
Well at Rebecca and Robert’s wedding, I felt like I was photographing a princess, a sophisticated modern day princess. Brad from Darb created a dress for Rebecca straight out of a fairytale. She looked breathtaking. I couldn’t help also catching some shots of Rebecca’s flowergirls living the dream. Twirling and swirling in their fairytale dresses.
Not to be outdone, Robert scrubbed up pretty well himself. Here’s a man that oozes style, and just a little casual nonchalance. How good do they look together? Thanks guys for being a photographer’s dream.
Their fairytale wedding took place at St Stephen’s Cathedral, with reception at the stunning Stamford Plaza and it was, simply, beautiful. Tears and laughter flowed. Lots of tears – happy tears. Makes me smile just thinking of it.
There were lots of happy memories made that night. Many of them were captured “In the Booth” . If you haven’t hired a photo booth, you don’t know what you’re missing. Should have got my own pic taken!
Rebecca and Robert, you truly are the most wonderful people, and thank you for sharing your spectacular and very personal wedding, with me. May the special memories you share be endless.
Wedding guests are welcome to click on the link to view Rebecca & Robert’s sneak peek slideshow.
Wedding guests are welcome to view all images on the online gallery.
(Slideshow and gallery are password protected. Please contact Rebecca & Robert for access).
Nov 18th
“She walks in beauty, like the night
Of cloudless climes and starry skies;
And all that’s best of dark and bright
Meet in her aspect and her eyes:
Thus mellow’d to that tender light
Which heaven to gaudy day denies.”
Sometimes the love I see on a wedding day can’t be adequately described by me. A little from Lord Byron’s “She Walks in Beauty” seems a lot more fitting for Clare and Jon. Just look at the images. You’ll know what I mean. All taken at the beautiful Cedar Creek Estate.
Clare and Jon I wish you a shining future together.
Wedding guests are welcome to click on the link to view Clare & Jon’s sneak peek slideshow.
Wedding guests are welcome to view all images on the online gallery.
(Slideshow and gallery are password protected. Please contact Clare & Jon for access).
Nov 18th
So you are all probably wondering why we have been such bad bloggers for so many weeks. Our regular followers might even have wondered where our blog went for a little while. So did we. Quite simply, our blog disappeared for a little while. We don’t know where it went or why, but one day we simply couldn’t see it and couldn’t add to it. As our 4 year old Rohan likes to say…..”It’s a mystery”. BUT here we are, back online (hooray!), and looking a little different while we rebuild parts of our blog design. We have that many fabulous weddings to share with you that we didn’t want to wait until everything was perfect, so please bare with us as changes happen bit by bit over the next few weeks. In the meantime, I hope you enjoy the wedding stories we have to share.
Bringing photography to life
Describes what we do. This blog is about exactly that - here we will share a little of our life and a lot of what we love - people, art and photography. Whether you are planning a wedding, a family portrait or building your own professional photography business, I hope you find something to inspire you here. Thank you for visiting.
- Marcus Bell | Brisbane, Australia
