berry hill wedding

Gabi and Tom

Last weekend I attended a funeral in the morning and shot a wedding in the afternoon. Two of the last remaining rituals we have in our increasingly secular world. In some ways at polar opposite ends of the spectrum. But also, in some ways, both about hope and recognition.

Hope that this wonderful thing we have found will continue to be a rock in our lives, that the lessons someone taught us won’t be forgotten. Recognition of the impact someone has had on our lives, on our sense of self. Hope that this feeling will pass, hope that this feeling won’t pass, but will deepen and change and evolve. Recognition that it’s important to mark big transitions and that the very act of doing so can give them meaning.

It made me think. About ritual. About our genetic legacy. About meaning. About what makes a good life (…I have no answers here). About how big life can sometimes seem. About the importance of recognising and celebrating and holding onto the good things when they come around. About how there are many seasons to a life - some painful and some joyful and some hard and some beautiful that seem to flit by in but a second, but the importance of being intentional throughout it all. About how big events, both uplifting and sorrowful, have a funny way of forcing perspective. About how rare it is to find someone that makes your soul fucking 𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘨, and that when you do it can be worth moving heaven and earth to keep them. 

These two moved across earth to keep it. To keep each other. They met on the street amongst throngs of people half a world away from each of their homes, and had but a few hours together. The next day she returned home while he stayed on the road - for many more months. Texts turned to phonecalls which turned to Skype calls that lasted so long that trains were missed.

And so a few months later she finds herself on a plane to a country half a globe away, to meet this man she has known for but a few hours in the flesh and maybe a few dozen more over Skype. That was over a decade ago.

On this day they very intentionally made the rituals their own. Toyed with convention and dress and experience to make it theirs.

Gabi and Tom, in hope and recognition.

Enjoy

Dane