Lisa and James were married in Bendigo on the 16th of April at the Sacred Heart Cathedral. This was a wedding I had been really looking forward to, and will certainly never forget! I first met Lisa and James early last year and was instantly drawn to them. They are both truly beautiful inside and out, and I really admired their enthusiasm during the planning stages of the wedding and their obvious love and respect for each other. I also took engagement photographs for Lisa and James mid last year, but never posted any of the images because many of them featured in the gorgeous guest book they had at their reception, and I didn’t want to spoil the surprise for their guests. Now they’re married I will post some of those engagement photographs here on the Photo Journal soon.
Alright… back to this utterly gorgeous wedding. It had it all. Beautiful details, stunning bride, debonair groom, lots of lovely family and friends, kids, puppy dogs, fabulous dancing, laughter, tears, and lashings of love. Unfortunately it also had an element of loss, as James’ father passed away suddenly in October last year. I really don’t want to say too much about that, other than to mention how deeply moved I was at the courage, love and support that was demonstrated by this very close family and everyone present. It never felt like a sad day, and even though the emotion was very apparent, it always felt very positive and like a true celebration for James and Lisa.
We started the day photographing James and the groomsmen getting ready. James was so cool, calm and collected, and looked amazing in his wedding attire. James and Lisa have two dogs that they adore, and had asked me if it would be OK to include their ‘babies’ in some of the photographs. James had Aero the Border Collie with him, and Lisa had their Cavoodle, Nala with her at her parents house. Both dogs were very well behaved, and I just adore the photographs featuring these furry friends. After we left James and the guys we moved on to where Lisa and her bridesmaids were getting ready. Seeing Lisa in her wedding gown for the first time quite simply took my breath away. She looked utterly stunning! I also really loved the soft green bridesmaid dresses. The ladies looked amazing, and the two little flower girls were as sweet as can be. Lisa has an identical twin sister, which as a photographer was a first for me. It was a little surreal look through the lens at them together!
After the ceremony and family formals at the Cathedral we chose to stay a while longer and take some photographs of the entire bridal party at this gorgeous location. We then moved on to Victoria Hill to take advantage of the last golden light and gorgeous sunset. It was quite cold and we had to move very quickly as the light falls fast at that time of the day. Thanks to a fantastic bridal party and James and Lisa’s dedication we got some truly amazing images. Once we found ourselves standing in almost complete darkness we finally gave in, and moved on to the reception at The Platinum Room. I think I actually gasped out loud when we first walked in! The room was decorated so beautifully, and was a culmination of Lisa and James’ creative ideas and the amazing and talented Miranda from The Eternal Vase. The only thing more amazing than the room itself was the awesome dance moves the bride and groom pulled out during the bridal waltz. Woweee… yes they’re in love, but can they dance? Ummm… YES they can. That’s a great big “yes”! I hope you enjoy the slideshow of this amazing day. James and Lisa’s wedding….
YOU CAN SCROLL THROUGH THE IMAGES WITH THE ARROWS ON YOUR KEYBOARD ◄ ►
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Lisa and James… I want to thank you so much for giving me the honour of being part of your special day. I think you’re an amazing couple, and it’s perhaps your strength and immeasurable support for one another through such a difficult time leading up to the wedding that I am most taken with. I loved your wedding, and I absolutely loved spending time with you, your wonderful bridal party and families. I also really appreciate your true love for photography, and how much importance and emphasis you placed on the photographic part of your day. As a photographer I just could not have asked for more! As a person, I am simply grateful to know you and call you my friends. I am sorry you have waited so long for this Journal post, and I thank you for your patience. I just hope you love your photographs as much as I do!
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