UM Mag Issue 4 by unholymatrimony

2020

T H E U N H O LY M AT R I M O N Y M A G A Z I N E

REAL COUPLES WEDDING ARTISANS

RITES & RITUALS

THE LOVE RECOV(ID-19)ERY

PHOTO: BRI A R S ATL A S

. 4 e u s s i o t e m o c l e W

As you’ve probably noticed, the world has not been an easy place to exist in 2020. Just like every other species on the planet we, as humans, are not immune to the arbitrary and hostile forces of nature: disease, earth-scorching fire, floods, and storms that are as destructive as they are relentless and often seem like they will never end. The physical and emotional toll even a single crisis like this takes can be devastating, but when we absorb one after the other, over and over again, you see humanity pushed to its collective brink. And in most cases, driven to the inevitable drink (cheers). Yes, it’s been a year. Even as I sat down to write this, I felt overwhelmed at the enormity of such an endeavour. How do I encapsulate all that has transpired over the course of 2020, and even come close to scratching the surface of just how tumultuous it has been? It has taken so much, from so many, so rapidly and so furiously and with little to convince us that the devastation is anywhere near over. Putting this issue together has come with its own set of unique challenges. Without content, our magazine can’t exist. When weddings were cancelled, so was our content. We were left staring at blank screens and empty inboxes wondering what the hell to do next. Let’s just recap that for a moment, because I want to let the gravity of that statement really sink in: Weddings were cancelled. People could not get married! In fact, funerals were cancelled too. I can’t remember another time in history this unprecedented – not only were we unable to celebrate love, but we were also prevented from commemorating and remembering life. The death of a loved one in 2020 suddenly became all the more grim, knowing that you had to sit alone in that grief. The emotional strain this year has put us all under has certainly left us scarred in many ways. We’ve seen social tensions grow, mental health problems created and/or exacerbated, jobs and businesses lost, relationships fall apart, and of course, a great number of people have died. On good days, we saw glimpses of hope occasionally pierce the otherwise unforgiving, war-torn landscape and it felt like we might actually be able to recover. For me, nothing gave me more hope than seeing couples, with odds pitted against them, rise to the challenge of getting married – the very embodiment of what Tennyson called “One equal temper of heroic hearts”. And make no mistake, simply getting married this year was a huge feat to accomplish - but they found a way. Through sheer will and perseverance, they found a way. This issue is dedicated to those couples. Because in the end, in the face of chaos and uncertainty, they realised that it wasn’t the wedding they needed to celebrate their love. All they needed was each other. And in the simplicity of that understanding came a sense of relief, unburdened by the melancholy, which brought with it some of the most beautiful and intimate celebrations we have ever seen. We are so honoured to share them with you. Welcome to Issue 4, the Love Recov(ID-19)ery. A N N I E

M O L E N A A R ,

E D I T O R .

E D I T O R

Annie Molenaar A R T I S T I C

D I R E C T O R

Sophie Sauzier E D I T O R I A L

C O N T R I B U T O R S

Damon Hughes Danielle Binaisse Jessie Belle Sarah Thompson Jac The Hitcher F I N D

U S

O N L I N E

www.unholymatrimony.com.au S U B S C R I B E

www.unholymatrimony.com.au B E C O M E

S T O C K I S T

hello@unholymatrimony.com.au S U B M I T

Y O U R

W O R K

hello@unholymatrimony.com.au

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@ U N H O L Y M A T R I M O N Y _

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NOT YOUR AVERAGE SHOTGUN WEDDING P H O T O S W O R D S

THE HOOK UP From the moment Mara met Claudia, she knew she wanted to marry her. There was an undeniable chemistry between them, resulting in each of them unexpectedly falling hard and fast in love. When Mara raised the question of getting married (quite early on in the relationship), Claud screamed out a big fat “NO!” But Mara was undeterred. She asked Claud to marry her every single day for an entire year, until one day, while enjoying a picnic in the back of their car (a favourite ritual of theirs) at the beach, as they watched the sun set, Mara pulled out a ring and proposed. And this time, Claud was ready. Claudia and Mara have always had such an incredibly strong connection. They may live gently, surrounding themselves with nature (including inside the home with Mara’s ever-growing indoor plant obsession), but they love hard. It’s not unusual to stumble upon them embroiled in a deep and meaningful conversation about the kind of values-based work they are both passionate about. They both work in similar community roles, specialising in mental health,

JAKE HOGAN JESSIE BELLE

disability and trauma. These two boss bitches describe themselves as adventurous homebodies (say what?)! Whilst they value their social life and connections with friends, what they love most is being in each other’s company, spending time in their home space or out in nature together. Of the million and one things Claud loves about Mara, top of the list is the way Mara has embraced her Wildling daughter as her own; Claud is in constant awe of the incredible bond those two have formed. As time went on, it became clearer that they really wanted to make their love official and solidify their very own wolf pack. GETTING HITCHED Claud and Mara’s main aim was quite simple: to get hitched, STAT. They didn’t care how, where, when. Well, the “when” was kind of a priority, come to think of it. With Claud and Mara about to bring their very own bundle of love into the world, they were keen to seal the deal before wilding child number 2 arrived on the scene. Claud and Mara knew right off the bat they wanted something super chill and intimate (with none of that soppy,

lovey-dovey crap). They wanted to simply sign on the dotted line! But, me being their celebrant (and one half of Big Love Elopements with my rad photographer mate Jake Hogan), I had other grand ideas in store for them. When I casually suggested a registry-style ceremony set amongst luscious green indoor plants at the most glorious plant store, Oh Honey in Geelong, Mara lit up. As mentioned, Mara has a teeny tiny indoor plant obsession. So, it was fate, my friends! It could not have worked out more perfectly. I did make a mental note to keep an eye on the security camera in case Mara’s handbag looked suspiciously full and the plant store became increasingly bare. It turns out, plants weren’t her main focus that day. There may have been a few false starts in getting these two love birds hitched (oh hey COVID-19, you’ve been swell!) but we were determined to make their low-key day as loved up as ever. Claud and Mara’s main priority was to have their Little Wild One present to share their day with them, so as soon as restrictions in Victoria eased to allow her to be there, it was on like Donkey Kong. A floor length black lace gown with extra stretch room in front for Claud’s ever-grow-

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ing belly was purchased, shiny new shoes were on their way to Mara, and their spooky chic/ lush forest theme was falling into place. On the day of their elopement, Claud and Mara stuck to their “no frills” approach by getting ready at home together and rocking up to Oh Honey with their very excited Little Wild One in tow, and a handful of stunning guests along for the ride. It was everything they had hoped for. They loved being in such an intimate space, surrounded by stunning greenery which meant they didn’t feel the need for bouquets or fancy frills as the beauty spoke for itself. But these two just couldn’t resist adding a few personal touches to truly make it their own; a “Til Death” neon by Neon Jungle Co. and skulls, candles and crystals hidden amongst the greenery created the perfect space for them to say “I Do”. THE CEREMONY This celebrant over here had an absolute field day creating such a personal, unique and love-filled ceremony for these two and the best part was that they wanted to leave their ceremony script as a surprise on the day. Neither Mara nor Claud, being self-confessed introverts, were comfortable saying personal

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After the ceremony, the happy couple mingled with their guests at Oh Honey, enjoying delicious coffee and sweet treats before taking off to the laneways of Geelong CBD with Jake for some epic portraits. Then it was off to the pub for a delicious meal and cocktails/mocktails, surrounded by their closest friends before heading home to put their feet up and enjoy their very first evening together as wife and wife.

Jessie Belle

P H O T O G R A P H E R : C E R E M O N Y

Jake Hogan Photography

V E N U E :

Oh Honey Geelong

Zamazaan Hair

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It was very important for their Little Wild One to be included in the day so, just before the couple exchanged rings, Mara gave their daughter a ring of her own while making vows of commitment to be there for her, no matter what, and to continue loving her mum forever and ever. Their little lady thrived on being part of the ceremony and her parents had no issue with her stealing the limelight! It also added to the relaxed and joyous nature of the day.

Big Love Elopements

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vows to one another so I made sure I included everything they love about each other, what they value, all the incredible adventures they’ve been on together and their future plans as a family. They were more than happy to let me do all the talking so they could cuddle into one another and soak it all in.

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HALLOWEEN NUPTIALS UNDER THE ULTRA RARE MOON P H O T O S W O R D S

Ashley Martini, now Ashley Boehme, (also known as the artist, Miss Cherry Martini), is an alternative artist and designer. She’s a mother to Phoenix and Raven, and now a wife to Jakob Boehme. Jakob drives huge trucks and moves people around the world. He loves Blacksmithing and gaming (in fact, they are both self-professed major gamer nerds), and prospecting/metal detecting. They live in a tiny little gothic house that they are renovating, with their pets, Menchi (chihuahua), Lucifur (black cat), scorpions, yabbies, and a pony named Rhea. It was three years ago when Jakob and Ashley exploded into each other’s lives and hearts. It happened when they least expected it and it was something they couldn’t ignore. They felt as if something was missing when they were apart and it was then, that they learnt the true meaning of the term “Love sick.” So they worked hard to overcome the challenges that stood before them, as together, was exactly where they were meant to be. What got them through was knowing with every cell of their being, that it’d be worth it! And they were right, as the challenges only made them stronger as a couple. The love gods high-fived with joy, life

K E L LY CL A R K PHOTOGR A PH Y

A N N I E MOL E NA A R A N D DA N I E L L E BI NA ISSE

moved full steam ahead and they’ve created a bank of amazing memories ever since. Jakob and Ashley share the kind of connection they never knew existed and they know, without a shadow of a doubt, that they’ve got exactly what it takes to rock their marriage. Ashley says they planned a few weddings prior to and during 2020. But at the core of her being, she knew she wanted HALLOWEEN as their date. She’s wanted to marry on Halloween ever since she was a little girl, and 2020’s Halloween was quite the special one. Not only was it on a Saturday, it also fell on a full moon - an ultra rare blue moon, in fact, which was seen by the whole earth at once for the first time since WW2. Originally, they were going to get married on Ashley’s Dad’s property by the barn with all the horses and farm life setting the scene for some country Australian gothic vibes. All of their friends and family were excited to join them. They had a celebrant booked and had started planning… but then Covid struck. They were unable to see their family and friends, all the things they needed to create their wedding were impossible to source because stores had closed

down, or items sold out/on hold. They couldn’t book anything in without the risk of losing deposits, and they couldn’t go to her dad’s place to plan. It was a logistical nightmare and an impossible task. They let go of the barn wedding dream and re-thought everything. They considered having their ceremony at home but again, they couldn’t get what they needed to make it happen and they without a great indoor option, they weren’t confident the Melbourne weather Gods would smile on them. So, they decided to book in with the Altar Electric, who they describe as actual legendary saviours, as they were happy for rebookings and offered money/deposits back if things went pear-shaped with Covid restrictions. They hadn’t seen or visited anyone for months and everyone’s invitations were on hold. Everything was still up in the air but they held onto the hope their Hallowedding dreams would come true and the restrictions would ease in time to allow everything they wanted to go ahead. 2 weeks before the wedding, they were still waiting on restrictions

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to lift and just when they thought they were home free, the Victorian PM, Dan Andrews, decided to wait another week and stalled the ease on restrictions. They waited right up until the eleventh hour before making a call and then finally, one week before their big day, the news they had been waiting for arrived. Weddings in Victoria were back on. But there was a catch, they had to take place outdoors.

tions, ensuring they were in a public place, and with only 3 extra people. Ashley’s besties and mother-in-law helped her with everything and then just before the date, Dan Andrews decided to ease restrictions further so they were able to have 13 guests. Geez what a rush! He also made way for indoor ceremonies to take place but Ashley was at her wits end by this point and simply couldn’t fathom the idea of re-planning another wedding.

“It was a panic,” remembers Ashley, “I really didn’t want to change my date and was ready to marry outside in the rain if I had to, with zero guests!”

On the day, everything was amazing. The weather was perfect, and they were able to have their close friends and family there! Everyone else watched via Facetime live.

After ringing their original celebrant, Danielle Binaisse, and asking if she would get them hitched with next-tono notice, and getting the green light from her, their wedding plans were FINALLY coming to fruition and they began to relax (all the while doing a mad rush to get everything they needed in place with only a couple of days to spare).

They put up their own arbour and decorated it up on the old, overgrown railway line that they cut back and made pretty. They were married under the giant dead, lonely gum tree. In the words of Ashley, “It was gorg.” Even their pony, Rhea, got to attend. That night they had a bonfire and BBQ out the back of their place and truly, it could not have been more perfect, or more them. And even though their guests had to wear facemasks and socially distance during the ceremony, it was still amazing and they were deliriously happy to have been able to marry on their special date!

Ashley says the team at Altar Electric were amazingly understanding, refunded them, and wished them luck! Their final wedding plans were set to take place out the back of their property as they were still required to work within the Covid restricP H O T O G R A P H E R :

English RosE

F L O R I S T : C U S T O M

C A N D L E

C E L E B R A N T :

Melburn Co

Pinup Girl Clothing

D R E S S : C R O W N :

Ebay

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Danielle Binaisse

Bunnings

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Kelly McDonald

Lazy cakes by Lauren

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Killstar

miss cherry martin S A V E

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To t a l l y C u t O u t

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--- ARTISAN

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HURT SO GOOD BOUNCING BACK AFTER THE PANDEMIC W O R D S

B Y

M E L B O U R N E

D A M O N

H U G H E S

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The wedding industry has been one of the hardest hit by the COVID-19 crisis. Government-enforced gathering limits, travel restrictions and general safety concerns have caused millions of weddings around the world to be postponed or cancelled. Here in Melbourne, Australia the very act of getting married - even without guests - was banned for almost 3 months.

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new wedding dates,” says Charlotte. “We are extremely fortunate that we have the ability to be completely flexible and can work to any wedding date. Our priority became creating new fitting schedules and new working timelines.”

As a celebrant, this has all been heartbreaking to witness. To be blunt, it fucking sucked. And I don’t just mean that from a business standpoint. Every wedding vendor I know is emotionally invested in what they do. For most, it is more than a profession. It is their passion, their creative outlet and even part of their identity. So to lose all that, even temporarily, was crushing. And of course it took us all completely by surprise. Charlotte Yates of UK-based dress designer Legend Bridal Designs says that the COVID crisis hit their business just as they were in the midst of preparing for an extremely busy wedding season. “Back in Feb/March we were focused and organised and feeling good about the year ahead. In the space of a couple of very short weeks we went from a bustling workroom and running 4 fitting rooms to a dead stop. Those first few weeks were the most stressful weeks ever.” Like so many wedding businesses Legend Bridal Designs transitioned virtually overnight from being dressmakers to being organisational gurus. “We worked tirelessly with our couples to accommodate

“As the weeks and months have dragged on and restrictions on weddings have continued, we have tried to support our couples through multiple date changes. We have watched as plans have been changed and scaled down and moved again and again.” It’s all the uncertainty that has been the biggest cause of stress for both couples and vendors. It’s made running an events-related business extremely difficult. For Australian wedding photographer Em Jensen, this year was meant to be one of expansion. “I had so many killer plans to grow my business,” she says “and then old mate ‘rona came in and really flipped shit for me.” But amongst the shit-flipping, the rescheduling, the uncertainty and the stress, 2020 has offered us all one very rare and important thing: time. “I think having some time to reassess where I wanna be and the kind of hitchin’ I wanna shoot has been great,’ says Em Jensen. “Not shooting weddings for a while helped me to completely wipe my brain of how a wedding should be photographed, and reconsider what’s important.” “Photos are there to remind you of a feeling, and fancy cameras and editing techniques are so irrelevant when you shift your focus to remembering how you felt. I’ve had

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time to play around with super 8 and shooting film, and the simplicity of these tools have taught me to always keep looking for that moment. I’m more excited than ever to capture real life feels again soon.” It’s been a similar story for Legend Bridal Designs. Charlotta Yates says the downtime has allowed them to take a step back from the day-to-day hustle of their business and think about the bigger picture. “We completely overhauled our workrooms and streamlined our processes. We took the time to really look at how we work and how we can make ourselves more efficient and to work wiser. We have managed to completely transform our studio and workflows something we’ve never had the time or ability to do before and so on some level we are really appreciative of being able to hit pause. We have also been able to grow outside our little island into a fully fledged global business. We are so thankful for our overseas brides and being able to create and ship dresses all over the world. A slower pace has also allowed us to really get creative. We have always had too many ideas, but we are actually getting to test out new concepts and techniques... 2021 is going to be an exciting year for new designs and new product launches that’s for sure. But us vendors aren’t the only people that have taken the time to reconsider how we want to do things. I’ve spoken to couples at all stages of the wedding planning process - from recently engaged to repeatedly postponed - that are now thinking differently about what it means to get married. As a celebrant, these conversations have been the best thing to come from this shitty year. It’s been heartwarming to hear couples explain what matters most to them about their wedding. Whether that’s just the simple act of making a commitment to each other in private or gathering their closest friends and family in a park or getting sweaty on a heaving dancefloor and screaming Bon Jovi lyrics at the top of their lungs (obviously that one will have to wait, but it’s still a totally valid answer).

The thing that’s given me solace through the carnage of COVID is thinking about how much better weddings are going to be on the other side of all this. How much more meaningful. We’ve all been reminded that life is short, time together is precious and there’s no point doing things halfhearted or for the wrong reasons. For those of you planning a wedding, now more than ever it’s important to work with a team that shares your priorities. There is a world of vendors out there that are energised and inspired like never before. We want to create moments that matter, void of fluff and hollow tradition. We want to create and capture unique memories. We want to create work that was worth waiting through a lockdown for. And yeah to be honest most of us probably want to get sweaty on a heaving dancefloor too.

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THE GYPSY MEETS THE BOY P H O T O G R A P H Y

K I N G S + T H I E V E S ( W I T H A F E W C H E E K Y O N E S T H R O W N I N F R O M T H E I R M AT E , M AT T V I E S I S )

W O R D S

Once upon a time, in a sleepy li’l surf town not so far away, a young James Bingham received an alert ping on his phone. It was from Tinder the match-making rascals letting him know that a saucy young vixen had not only swiped right on his profile, but gone the extra mile and ‘super liked’ him. Needless to say, he was intrigued. Endless conversations with said vixen (whose name was Kaitlyn) followed, and they decided to meet one afternoon at the Bank in Newtown where a doe-eyed, button-nosed girl with an incredible smile and cute bob, met a surfy-haired, big blue-eyed man, who had some major Johnny Depp vibes going on. They

were

match

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alright. Smitten kittens, right from the start. And before long they were loved-up and shacked-up. Fast-forward through a few years of crazy, fun times together, and they’re planning a wedding. Only it’s 2020, and wedding planning is about as easy as nailing jelly to a wall. Originally, Kaitlyn and James won a competition through wedshed where they were given a photographer and a heap of other wedding-related prizes. Vendors were signed up, invites sent out, and the whole shebang was set to take off in April. Then - da dah daaaaah Covid happened. The C-bomb. And the whole thing got pulled out from under them. “We basically had to pull the pin last minute and then re-plan the whole thing,” said Kaitlyn.

At the time it felt rough as fuck but looking back, they wouldn’t change a thing and they firmly believe everything happened the way it was supposed to. A new date was set - on Hallo-fucking-ween, no less - and new (and improved) vendors were enlisted (after the original ones were no longer free/willing, lol, whadda jib) to help bring it all together. Admittedly, they were both anxious about restrictions and how they might impede their ability to enjoy the day. James recalled thinking, “I’m not going to be able to swing my nephew up in my arms, or go around and get pics with my mates at their tables, or have a big old dance with my family… and that was hard. I was ok with it. But it was hard.”

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allowed herself the luxury of elation and excitement as she thought, “It’s finally happening - this is it.”

“ J A M E S F E A T H E R S O ,

W H E N

R I G H T N A M E , T O

T H E

A T I T

H A S

I N

M E M O R Y T H A T T H E

W A S

H E A R T ”

B I M E N

R E A L

After everything they’d been through, and T A T T O O O F A with all of the O F H I M T O O . anticipation R D A P P E A R E D leading up T I O N O F H I S to the big S U C K E R P U N C H m o m e n t , when it finally arrived, Kaitlyn was overwhelmed with emotion and was reduced to tears at various intervals throughout the day. But she wasn’t the only one.

They knew that if they were to proceed, they ran the risk of their plans going balls up again but after reassessing what was most important to them - and that was GETTING FUCKING MARRIED - they decided to run the gauntlet, embrace the new ‘normal’ and lean hard into the Covid aesthetic. Their wedding would be the answer everyone needed to this dumpster fire of a year. And so began the Love Recov(ID-19) very Party. Through meticulous planning, a healthy dose of cautious optimism, and some obvious rockstar genes, somehow, they made Covid look cool. As the day drew nearer, and restrictions started easing, Kaitlyn recalls feeling the tension of “what ifs” starting to lift and she finally

Everyone cried. Kaitlyn said she never expected for James or her dad to cry but there they were, with wet cheeks, unable to contain their emotion. By all accounts, the energy in that warehouse was on another level - the love in the air was palpable. There was a thunderstorm and a massive downpour - Thor really beat his hammer down hard that day - so their plans to wed outside were foiled and they were forced to take the celebration indoors. But as James (who was high on the drama of it all) said, “That just added to the intensity of the day. Making that call at the last minute and setting up a new ceremony space five minutes before go time was wild.” They opted to open their ceremony with a sage cleansing ritual, delivered by their mate, while their celebrant, Sarah, centred and grounded everyone through a light meditation before kicking things up a gear. There were many note-worthy and moving moments that occurred throughout the day but perhaps the most poignant was when a small Swallow appeared at

the window and entered the ceremony space. It was right when Sarah began talking about loved ones who had passed and specifically mentioned the couple’s friend, Connor, who died a couple of years ago. The groomsmen wore feathers in their buttonholes for Connor and James has a tattoo of a feather in memory of him too. So, when that bird appeared right at the mention of his name, it was a real sucker punch to the heart. James and Kaitlyn both say that the ceremony and the entire experience of getting married and partying with their loved ones felt cathartic in so many ways. James said, “The culmination of Covid was our wedding. After that, like right now, we are starting our new lives together. We came out of it feeling healed and refreshed. We didn’t just get married. It was a time of healing.” They want to sincerely thank everyone - their friends, family, and all the vendors who worked tirelessly and with such intention, integrity and love, to make this day happen. Words can’t express what it meant to have such an incredible team at the helm, steering their ship to the place where wedding dreams come true. They wouldn’t change a thing. This day was everything.

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Ashdown and Bee

F L O R I S T R Y

The Sisters

C A T E R I N G

Hangree

V I D E O G R A P H Y

GoPhutt

P H O T O G R A P H E R E X T R A

C E L E B R A N C Y

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N i c k Po t t s

Beyond the Willows and Ruby Fields Andy Bowdy

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Kaitlyn Bingham (the bride!)

Yo u n g H e n r y s

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Sarah from Celebrant Lady Love

Ashdown and Bee

I N V I T A T I O N S B O O Z E

Matt Viesis

S T A T I O N E R Y

Kings and Thieves

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L o u i s Pa c o

M A K E U P

Georgia Hull

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J. Andreatta

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S H O E S

S o p h i a We b s t e r

W E D D I N G

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To n i M a y

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Holly Ryan

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Dyspnea

Jacquemus

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Heart & Dagger

P h i x Ta i l o r s

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Crooked Howlet

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J e f f e r y We s t

The Great Frog P h i x Ta i l o r s

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Tw i s t e d Ta i l o r

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B R I D E S M A I D D R E S S E S S H O E S

Dazie -

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I LOVE YOU SO MUCH I LL CLEAN UP THE CAT VOMIT FOR YOU P H O T O S W O R D S

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JAC T H E H ITCH E R

Ben first caught Ve r i t y ’ s attention back in 2006 when they were both in high school. They had separate classrooms located a c r o s s f r o m e a c h o t h e r. Ve r i t y, the new chick at the school, would sit by the window of her art class and regularly spot Ben heading to his class – running late as usual. Ben would smile as he threw a bit of a wave back in her direction. These very brief encounters between them didn’t g o u n n o t i c e d . Ve r i t y ’ s f r i e n d a n d classmate would watch them daily and was always sure to comment on how cute he was… dropping hints.

to know each other and they hung o u t r e g u l a r l y. It w a s n o s e c r e t t h a t B e n f a n c i e d Ve r i t y. A f t e r being super smooth on MSN and c h a t t i n g t o h e r f o r w h a t f e l t l i ke m o n t h s w h i l e f e e l i n g l i ke m a y b e h e w a s s t u c k i n t h e f r i e n d -z o n e i n d e f i n i t e l y, h e f i n a l l y m a n a g e d t o l a n d a m o v i e d a t e . T h e Ne w Zealand zombie movie he took her to didn’t scare her off so he w a s a b l e t o ke e p w o r k i n g a t i t f o r t h e r e s t o f t h e s c h o o l y e a r. S h e played hard to get for ages - she wasn’t so sure that she wanted to date someone from school though, she was totally in denial that she fancied him too.

B e n w a s r e a l l y i n t o Ve r i t y f r o m the get-go. This new emo chic definitely stood out. She had the wildest blue eyes, the coolest hair - coloured and half shaved - she had a septum piercing and the most badass attitude to boot. He w a s s m i t t e n .

So, by their very last day of y e a r 1 2 i n O c t o b e r o f 2 0 0 7, Ve r i t y c a v e d a n d t h e y h o o ke d u p . B e n a n d Ve r i t y w e r e o f f i c i a l l y g o i n g steady and have been inseparable ever since.

So they were on each other’s radar and they shared some mutual friends but it wasn’t until t h e f o l l o w i n g y e a r, d u r i n g y e a r 12, when they really started to get

Things progressed quite beautifully from those early days, they were warmly welcomed into each other’s friendship groups, and each other’s families; they continued to just enjoy being in e a c h o t h e r ’ s c o m p a ny a n d s i m p l y

l o v e d t h e s h i t o u t o f e a c h o t h e r. By m i d -2 0 1 4 t h e y w e r e l i v i n g together and shortly after that they became the proud parents of their beloved cats, Manga and Pasha. They’ve since moved in and out of a bunch of houses and have been on some pretty sweet holidays in between. They’re happiest when they’re just living it up at home, sprawled out on the couch with the cats hopping from o n e l a p t o t h e o t h e r. L i f e w i t h the four of them is never dull. A s l o n g a s t h e y ’ r e a l l t o g e t h e r, they’re just living their best antisocial lives. Ye s , i t ’ s a l l p r e t t y p e a c hy i n t h e B e n a n d Ve r i t y h o u s e h o l d . T h e y d o n ’ t d i s a g r e e o n m u c h h o w e v e r, Ve r i t y ’ s l a c k o f w i l l i n g n e s s t o clean up the cat vomit can be a point of contention. When they’re sitting on the couch and they hear those sounds of the cat hocking u p s o m e f r e s h l y i n h a l e d d i n n e r, B e n g i v e s Ve r i t y t h a t l o o k - a l o o k that says “I love you enough to clean up the cat vomit for you…” but at the same time, the look also says, “I’m really bloody over p i c k i n g u p c a t v o m i t f o r y o u … ”.

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As if they couldn’t get enough o f e a c h o t h e r, m o r e r e c e n t l y B e n a n d Ve r i t y s t a r t e d w o r k i n g t o g e t h e r. A n y c o u p l e t h a t c a n survive being c o -w o r ke r s together could probably get through anything together! After nailing the whole ‘colleagues’ gig and still wanting to share a bed t o g e t h e r a t t h e e n d o f t h e d a y, the thought of marriage was on their minds. W h i l e o n a t r i p t o Ja p a n i n June 2016, Ben had intended to propose at the picturesque Imperial Palace but torrential r a i n s f o i l e d t h o s e p l a n s . He was fast running out of ideas. M e a n w h i l e , Ve r i t y h a d a f e e l i n g that Ben was going to pop the question over the course of this trip – she put it down to the fact that he was suspiciously hanging on to his backpack for dear life the entire time. By the second last night, after a great day of shopping they went f o r d i n n e r. F r u s t r a t e d n o w, a s n o t h i n g h a d h a p p e n e d y e t , Ve r i t y c a m e o u t a n d a s ke d i f h e w o u l d

ever propose (as she had done many times before) but on this particular occasion - and maybe thankful that the opportunity actually came up - Ben pulled out a beautiful ring that was burning a h o l e i n h i s b a c k p a c k p o c ke t f o r l i ke , 8 d a y s b y t h i s s t a g e . B e n s o r t of got down on one knee then, BAM! Engaged. B e n a n d Ve r i t y w e r e m a r r i e d at The Brunswick Mess Hall in Melbourne back in October 2 0 1 9 . Ve r i t y a n d B e n k n e w t h a t they wanted to steer clear of the stiff formalities of a traditional wedding and they weren’t too ke e n o n a l l t h a t a t t e n t i o n i n t h e spotlight. Their priorities were to have a pretty sick party with a l l o f t h e i r f r i e n d s a n d f a m i l y, mad tunes, good food and plenty of booze… with a hint of nuptials thrown in the middle somewhere j u s t t o m a ke i t l e g i t . No a i s l e , n o w h i t e d r e s s , n o w e d d i n g p a r t y, no naff traditions or rituals just the good bits. B e n a n d Ve r i t y t i c ke d o f f their family portraits before

the ceremony so as not to cut into their party time. Their car was towed away in the process – but how rock and roll, right?! We r e t h e y b o t h e r e d ? He l l n o . T h e y r o c ke d u p t o t h e v e n u e a l l loved-up, they greeted all their guests as they arrived, the DJ was already on the decks and the cocktails were flowing. After a few hours of partying, just when the couple were good and r e a d y, t h e y g a t h e r e d e v e r y o n e around for a very rowdy storytelling session to celebrate their s e n s a t i o n a l e x i s t e n c e t o g e t h e r. Everyone laughed, cried and c h e e r e d a s B e n a n d Ve r i t y m a d e some pretty mammoth promises t o e a c h o t h e r. A f t e r 1 2 y e a r s , these high school darlings were finally wed.

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Jac the Hitcher

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Life in Light Films

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Ve r i t y ’s m u m , D a r i a n n e

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WE GOT MARRIED IN GAOL AND IT WAS BADASS P H O T O G R A P H Y

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When Matt proposed to Leish on April Fools Day, naturally she thought he was joking. She threw a few profanities his way and told him to GTFO. It wasn’t until he produced the awesome Kipkalinka ring he’d had especially made that she realised he was for real. And of course, she said yes. Matt and Leisha have spent a good portion of their relationship traveling the globe. In fact, it was on one of their trips abroad, while at Wye River in the UK, they got engaged. They caught the travel bug early and pretty much quit their lives here to visit thirty-six countries in eighteen months. They still haven’t quite managed to shake the bug but with dreams of a family and life here in Australia, they’ve tempered it by investing in a campervan which they regularly get out and about in. After dropping their anchor back home in Australia, they set to work planning their wedding which, according to Leish, was the most genuine representation of them

they could muster. They cast tradition aside and focused on the people and the things that were truly important to them. And their timing could not have been more fortuitous. They managed to get their grand scale wedding over the line just before the harsh lockdown measures were set in place and weddings across the country were cancelled. They chose to get married at the old gaol in Trial Bay, South West Rocks. They originally wanted to get married in a cave but couldn’t find “the one”. So they tried to find some old church ruins but again lucked out. When they stumbled upon the gaol ruins, they immediately knew they had found their place. It was love at first sight. Throughout the planning process, they tried to keep their spending as minimal as possible. They hated the idea of spending huge amounts of money on one day, and especially while they were

trying to save for a house as well. Having a “non traditional” wedding meant that they were able to source most things much cheaper than usual. Leisha and her Mum are pretty crafty and they consider themselves lucky to have lots of friends and family who shared their time and skills with them. Their budget wasn’t huge and they are proud to say they managed to have the wedding of their dreams without going over it. When asked about their vendor team, they said that picking a photographer was a no-brainer. They chose the talented Morgan Roberts because they liked his style, most especially the candid nature of his shots. They didn’t want photos that were too staged and wanted someone to be there to capture the real moments and more importantly, to understand the vibe they were going for. They also said that they need to give a special shoutout to Bianca from Audella Cake Design for creating the blackest and most delicious cake ever made. So good in fact, that

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there was none left. Chanelle from Coco Film and Photography captured what they described as “the most epic wedding video ever made with the right vibes and all the feels”. And finally, Leish wanted to throw some accolades over to her Mum, who worked tirelessly helping them to bring their vision to life. Matt and Leish decided they both wanted to walk down the aisle so Matt went first with his mum, followed by Leisha and her dad. Their guests clapped and cheered as soon as they appeared and Leisha even got a standing ovation. She said it was the best feeling walking into their future

together while being cheered on by their loved ones. Matt was dressed like a rock n roll cowboy, inspired by Lemmy. He wore a burgundy jacket, black shirt & jeans, a snaggletooth bolo tie and cowboy boots flown in from Texas. Leisha was dressed like a dark princess. They had to make some last minute alterations to the dress to make room for the extra guest they hadn’t planned for (hello, baby) but it all came together beautifully in the end. She wore a black Cinderella dress, Doc Martens, a custom-made crystal crown,

vintage back necklace, and her mum’s veil that she dyed black. They describe their wedding day as being one of the best days of their lives and their parting advice to couples who are planning to wed is this, “Don’t be afraid to question traditions and add your own flair to your wedding. We kept a lot of traditions but just made them “us”. It made it a more special experience for our guests too, who got a feel for who we are as a couple, and got a glimpse into our life and love.”

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Morgan Roberts

Va u D e v i l l e P L A N N E R :

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C h r i s Pe r r y De s i g n

Coco Film and Photography

P H O T O G R A P H Y : M A K E

S I G N A G E :

Audella Cake Design

C A K E :

L i z a n n e Pe r r y

2 Honour Church

H A I R :

The Bride, Leisha

mighty rambunctious. matriarch relaxant. moment recorder. martini refresher. mixtape rockstar. memory reviver. magic recaller. map reader.

morgan roberts.

morganrobertsphotography.com/ / @morganrobertsweddings

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DARK CELESTIAL COUTURE AND ROMANCE - NICOLE AND EMMA S WEDSTIVAL

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Before Emma and Nicole found each other, Nicole’s little sister (who had been working on a show with Emma), came home one evening with a glint in her eye and said to Nicole, ‘ I have found someone for you!’ But, big sister did not listen to little sister, and it would be a few years before Nicole, and Emma would make their way into each other’s world. Filmmaker, Emma, and professional singer, Nicole, have since built an alliance, which at its core, is about always being in each other’s corner; they always encourage each other’s passions and ideas. They have filled their lives together with adventure, travel, spontaneous plans and road trips. But, their best times together, the ones they hold most dear, are in the sharing of food and the hours spent talking over cups of tea and games of Yahtzee. They are both equally obsessed with their ragdoll kitten, Fern, and their

TA H N E E J A D E P H O T O G R A P H Y SAR AH THOMPSON

newest family member, their son, Henry Fox. Adding, becoming mothers is by far the greatest thing they’ve ever experienced. Over the years, many people have asked Emma and Nicole about their feelings on marriage equality, and in response they like to quote bonafide queen, Beyoncé - ‘If you like it, you should be able to put a ring on it.’ And on their own proposal, it all went down while they sat in bed one morning musing about their life together. Emma turned to Nicole whilst eating honey toast and said, ‘Let’s get married.’ Nicole said, “Yes!” instantly. When it came time to put plans in place for their wedding, they knew exactly what they wanted to create – a festival of their love. The most important elements to Emma and Nicole were to create a joyous and open space for their guests to let their hair down.

With music, cocktails, delectable food, and lighting all carefully considered to accomplish this. A warm, textured, and inviting playground was created for their family and friends. Working long hours in the lead up to the wedding directing the television series, Glitch, Emma had to buy her outfit online and hope it fit (luckily it did). And, of course, there’s the dress that will bring many an inspiring bride to their knees. Nicole’s couture Steven Khalil gown, was found by Emma (who has a gift for finding images and visual references). The celestially dark and embellished, cosmic couture gown was teamed with gold-studded punk-esque Dolce & Gabbana heels. Their ceremony was the highlight of their day; they felt purely elated by the experience of their vows and ceremony. To look out and see the loving faces of their people, as they made their

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And, against the dark romantic aesthetic, photographer and visual storyteller, Tahnee Jade (chosen for her detailed, real, warm and emotional eye) was able to capture the real love and intimacy between Emma and Nicole and the unbridled authenticity of their day. Emma and Nicole’s parting advice to anyone planning a wedding is, that it’s always going to be stressful planning a wedding, but when you arrive on the day, try to pause T H E Y D I D N ’ T D O A ‘ F I R S T D A N C E , ’ for a moment I N S T E A D O P T I N G F O R A M U S I C A L and enjoy S E R E N A D E , W I T H N I C O L E S I N G I N G A what you have F E W L O V E S O N G D E D I C A T I O N S T O E M M A created. Nicole W I T H A F E W O T H E R S P E C I A L G U E S T and Emma P E R F O R M A N C E S F O L L O W I N G . made a decision to relinquish control and embrace Emma and Nicole opted for more whatever unfolded on the evening, and unconventional than traditional, and this made for a wildly fun experience didn’t go with any preconceptions surrounded by their nearest and dearest. about how the wedding or ceremony ‘should be’ – they stayed together the Special Mentions go to: night before, had their mothers walk The success of Nicole and Emma’s them down the aisle together (followed by their fathers). They didn’t do a ‘first day began with celebrant, Jo Betz, dance,’ instead opting for a musical whose warmth, humour and guidance serenade, with Nicole singing a few made the ceremony the highlight of love song dedications to Emma with a their day. Tipi Tribe for helping create a few other special guest performances dream space following. Caterers, Truffleduck for the abundance of delicious food coordination AVFX for the exquisite romantic lighting, sound systems and fireworks promises to each other, felt like they were surrounded by a particular kind of magic.

Videographer, Little Cinema, who perfectly complimented photographer, Tahnee’s approach to capturing the moment so beautifully.

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Roaring Twenties Vintage Car Hire offers truly unique experiences in their iconic automobiles from the Art Deco Era. Take a step back in time and enjoy the authenticity, luxury and glamour of these elegant and beautiful vehicles. Let us help you arrive in style and create unforgettable memories. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Evocative and enigmatic capture of Helen on her arrival in Clyde our 1937 Dodge Convertible captured by Kat Cherry Photographyâ&#x20AC;? S A N D G AT E , Q U E E N S L A N D | R OA R I N G T W E N T I E S . N E T. A U

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LOW KEY NUPS, HIGH BROW THREADS CHRI S AND ABBY WE D THE IR WAY

P H O T O G R A P H Y W O R D S

When Chris and Abby decided to get married, they were sitting on their couch at home. There was no elaborate proposal, it was simply a decision they reached together while lounging about. It was Abby’s idea to make the wedding happen just before an upcoming trip to Italy they had planned, which she thought would make for a pretty decent honeymoon. They didn’t have much of an idea about what they wanted in terms of a wedding, but they did know they wanted it to be low-key, and low cost. The idea of dropping a bunch of money on this when it could instead

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be spent on their holiday seemed silly to them. So they set to work planning a day that was low on fuss and high on feels. Abby knew she didn’t want to wear a white dress, so when she happened upon an Alexia Maria skirt and top with a glorious silhouette and then discovered it came in black, she was sold. She made her own bouquet from Calla lilies from her dad’s garden. She then wrapped them with a blue velvet ribbon to match Chris’s jacket and attached a brooch that Chris’ mum gifted her which originally belonged to his grandmother.

Just as Abby knew she didn’t want to wear a white dress, Chris knew he didn’t want to wear a suit. They were walking past a store one day when they spotted the blue velvet jacket, and immediately fell in love. Everything else he needed he managed to source from his wardrobe, so he was totally set! Considering the only vendor they were hiring for the day was to be a photographer, they knew they had to find the right one. As soon as they discovered Anna (from Lulu & Lime) and checked out her instagram feed, they knew she was it! They describes

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themselves as being hopelessly awkward in front of a camera and didn’t want a lot of posed shots so Anna’s candid style of documenting the day was perfect. Their day began at the Victorian Marriage Registry. As they’d made the decision to get married together, they had been together for the better part of ten years, and they didn’t feel any kind of pressure to adhere to archaic traditions, they got ready together at home and then entered

their ceremony together too. They didn’t exchange rings, they omitted as much as they could from the celebrant’s script, there were eleven guests in total, their parents were their witnesses, and it was all said and done within five short minutes. Wham, bam, thank ya, fam. Afterwards, they went to Romeo Lane - a tiny laneway bar - for drinks and then across the road to Becco for dinner. They both love Italian food and Becco met their needs with a private

dining room and a big round table that could fit all 13 of them. It was an indulgence of all their favourite food groups, and shared with all their favourite people. Upon reflection, Chris and Abby say they wouldn’t change a thing about their wedding day. They did exactly what they wanted to do and fully endorse all couples who are planning their own wedding day to take the same self-indulgent approach.

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P H O T O G R A P H E R : D R E S S :

Alexia Maria

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Michel Pitt Kitty Lane

H & M U : S U I T

J A C K E T :

Y D Australia

J E A N S :

KSUBI

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London Boots

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Victorian Marriage Registry

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Lulu & Lime

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Becco Restaurant

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Romeo Lane

Creating unique, edible works of art, specialising in the more contemporary and unconventional weddings. Essentially our cakes Rock!! S Y D N E Y , N E W S O U T H WA L E S | R O S E B E R R Y C A K E C R E A T I O N S . C O M . A U

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LET S CUDDLE AND LISTEN TO METAL FOREVER P H O T O S W O R D S

Jo rd a n a n d K a t e m e t m a ny m o o n s ago at the annual metal, punk and hardcore festival, Soundwave. No t h i n g romantic happened between them for a few years as Kate was in another relationship - but they did become good f r i e n d s . Up o n d i s c o v e r i n g K a t e ’ s r e l a t i o n s h i p h a d e n d e d , Jo r d a n didn’t waste much time swooping in and scooping her up. There was a grace period (because he’s a g e n t l e m a n l i ke t h a t ) , b u t h e w a s p r e t t y ke e n t o m a ke a m o v e . Fo u r w e e k s a f t e r t h e y s t a r t e d dating, they moved from Ne w c a s t l e t o B r i s b a n e t o g e t h e r. Ob v i o u s l y, they both knew they were on a good thing and saw enough potential in the relationship to just dive straight in. And by all accounts, it totally paid off. T h e y h a d n e v e r s p o ke n a b o u t g e t t i n g m a r r i e d s o w h e n Jo r d a n p r o p o s e d , K a t e w a s i n s h o c k . It was their five year anniversary a n d K a t e h a d a s ke d i f t h e y c o u l d g o f o r a h i ke . T h e y e n d e d u p going to a little wildlife sanctuary first and then went for a very

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d e c e n t 1 0 k m h i ke . K a t e t h o u g h t i t s t r a n g e t h a t Jo r d a n c a r r i e d t h e camera for the entire walk instead of carrying it in the camera bag. He ke p t s t o p p i n g t a k i n g p h o t o s of the most ridiculous things trees, stumps, leaves, probably e v e n a n i m a l p o o p . C o n s e q u e n t l y, K a t e r e m e m b e r s f e e l i n g l i ke t h e w a l k t o o k f o r e v e r, t h a n k s t o h i s constant stopping. They reached the halfway point, where there w a s m e a n t t o b e a l o o ko u t , b u t was just a carpark, so they turned back around, a bit deflated, to h e a d b a c k t o t h e c a r. After arriving back, where Jo r d a n k n e w t h e r e w a s a d e c e n t look out, he began preparing for t h e b i g q u e s t i o n . Jo r d a n w e n t to the bathroom and when she r e t u r n e d , Jo r d a n w a s n o w h e r e to be seen. She eventually f o u n d h i m b a c k a t t h e l o o ko u t area, again, taking more photos. Kate was looking out over the mountain edge and taking in the v i e w w h e n Jo r d a n t o l d h e r t o turn around. She spun around to discover him on bended knee, w i t h a r i n g i n h i s h a n d . He h a d h a n d m a d e t h e b ox t h e r i n g w a s

in and was taking photos of the whole event. Kate says she can barely even remember what he said in that moment as she was in s u c h a s t a t e o f d i s b e l i e f . S h e ke p t saying, ‘What? Are you serious? A r e y o u s u r e ? ’ u n t i l f i n a l l y, h e said Kate, you need to say yes or n o . Ob v i o u s l y, i t w a s a r e s o u n d i n g yes! When they began planning for their wedding, their main priority was ensuring their day f e l t l i ke a t r u e r e f l e c t i o n o f w h o they are. They wanted something r e l a xe d , s m a l l , a l t e r n a t i v e a n d f o r everyone who attended to have a heap of fun. The idea of a formal a n d /o r t r a d i t i o n a l w e d d i n g w a s enough to put them off having a wedding at all so they did things their way and in their own time. The highlight of the day for them was definitely the c e r e m o ny. K a t e s a i d , “ I l o v e d o u r c e r e m o ny ! We h a d t h e b e a u t i f u l Rin Ilett perform it and we just c l i c ke d . S h e s h a r e d o u r l o v e s t o r y perfectly and was hilarious! I think the highlight was when she s a i d ‘ Jo r d a n d o y o u t a ke K a t e t o

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be your wife? Do you promise to hold her close, be her safe place and love her endlessly until the reaper claims your bodies?’ it captured us perfectly!!” They wanted to marry somewhere in the Sunshine Coast Hinterland and when they stumbled upon Obi Obi Community Hall, they knew it was for them. Although they indulged on all the things that mattered most to them, they still managed t o ke e p t h e i r c o s t s l o w, s p e n d i n g somewhere in the vicinity of $10,000-$12,000. Their biggest e x p e n s e w a s p h o t o g r a p h y, w h i c h was very important to them. They took one look at the work of Kiera McCall and knew they needed to have her there to c a p t u r e t h e i r d a y. S h e d i d n o t d i s a p p o i n t e i t h e r. T h e y c o u l d n ’ t be happier with their wedding album and described Kiera as a delight to work with too.

on a bit too much of the DIY jobs which meant she had less time to relax and socialise on the d a y. I f s h e c o u l d g o b a c k , s h e ’ d be sharing that shit around and p o u r i n g h e r s e l f a n o t h e r b e v. Solid advice, Kate. Cheers.

Looking back, Kate says the only thing she wished she’d done more of was delegating. She took

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Keira McCall

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Dolls and Sailors

Jack Sullivan Designs

ETSY

Pizza Fusion

Obi Obi Hall

Tickets selling fast! R I V E RW O O D D O W N S , N E W S O U T H WA L E S | H I T C H M A S . C O M . A U

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DAMON HUGHES - CELEBRANT

Melbourne, VIC

Documenting ritual unions across Australia and New Zealand for people who are in love.

Celebrant. Storyteller. Party starter.

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JO BOOTH - CELEBRANT

N E L L D A R K- J O N E S - C E L E B R A N T

Sydney, NSW

New L ambton, NS W

Fun, relaxed ceremonies in Sydney and beyond.

Proof that you can have your double beef extra cheese celebrant burger and eat it too (and yes she will have fucking fries with thatâ&#x20AC;¦ and a schooner).

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NEON REPUBLIC

LOVE LEAH CELEBRANT

Gold Coast, QLD

Neon Republic creates original LED neon signs, enamel pins & keyrings for all events.

Leah will marry the shit outta you then be your bestie til death do you part.

Welcome to the brightside.

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CEREMONA - CELEBRANT

SARAH THOMPSON -

Byron Bay, NSW

CELEBRANT

Western Australia

Rewilding your wedding with shamanic ritual, infused with ancient wisdom and injecting the old ways back into modern life. Ann handcrafts ceremonies for the nature worshipers, adventure seekers, gypsy lovers and free spirited couples who are searching for a wedding that is sacred AF.

The Great Southernâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s rebel romantic and love story-teller, marrying lovers on Menang and Whadjuk Country, Western Australia. W W W . I N S T A G R A M . C O M / S A R A H T H O M P S O N . C E L E B R A N T

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The happiest food dudes in town, specialising in grouse food for grouse people. Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re the crew to dish up a fun and foxy feast for your cracking connubials - Fuck Yeah! M E L B O U R N E , A U S T R A L I A | W W W. FATA N D S K I N N Y. C O M . A U

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â&#x20AC;&#x201D; unholymatrimony.com.au