Jess and Jim

Royal National Park Wedding

Jess and Jim met an age ago, on the Greek island of Ios and quickly became fast friends - although they remained just that for a long time. Both being perennial galavanters (Jim in particular), they met up in a few other countries the world over, and despite their relationship being completely platonic at this stage (spoiler alert - things changed), they found they always gravitated towards each other and most nights out ended up with the two of them off having their own adventures - drunken snow angels in Canada being the most common.

Things stayed much the same until one day Jim, in a nervous tone that belied the joke he was making it out to be, told Jess that if they were both still not married by 40 they should get hitched to each other. 40 quickly became 38, then 37, then 35, and Jess realised that maybe there was more to their relationship than she thought.

Jess is a almost chronically successful, and in the last few years has gone back to study and won the university medal, made the Australian touch football team, and, partly, through her own success, inspired a guy who until only a few years ago lived out of his van and wanted nothing more than to keep travelling to start his own, now very successful, building company. I say this not to discredit Jim’s own achievements whatsoever, but to simply recognise that these are two people who inherently bring out the best in each other. Only a few months before the wedding they bought their first house together too.

It goes without saying that the wedding was killer. Set on the water at Port Hacking in the Royal National Park, this was one of the most openly joyous I’ve had the pleasure of being a part of lately.

Things to look out for

• Jess’ large group of friends collectively losing it when they see her dressed for the first time

• On that note - Jess’ outrageously beautiful dress which was completely designed and made by her Aunt - who continued to work on it even after being hospitalised.

• A whole heap of emotive embraces on the dance floor.

• Both Jess and Jim shedding a tear or two when we ducked off for 15 minutes as the sun was going down over the gumtrees. This also marked the first time Jess had ever seen Jim cry, the only other time he admits to it being when he watched the Lion King as a kid.

• The Beige DJ’s getting really into things.

• Jim rocking his three piece suit.

There’s a whole lot more I could say, but for the sake of brevity I’ll let the images tell the rest of the story.

Enjoy, darlings

Dane