cat and dave

porteño wedding 

Words are powerful.

Bit of a weird admission, but when I first started shooting weddings I actually never thought I’d get married myself for a bunch of reasons. Going to so many weddings now has definitely changed my mind, one of the key reasons being that whilst, yes, a wedding is principally about celebrating the two of you - it’s also an excuse and reason to celebrate ALL the love in your life. To critically think about and thank all the people that have gotten you to where you are, shaped the way you view the world, or have just been there for the highs and the lows. I firmly believe even just the act of thinking and putting words to the gratitude you have and reasons you love someone can bring you closer and add to your relationships, wether with your partner or anyone else in your life (which is part of why I always suggest people wrote their own vows - even if they only say them to each other in private at some point during the day). 

Cat and Dave here had the same idea. They weren’t even sure they wanted a traditional wedding until they realised they wanted to honour and celebrate and thank all the people in their lives, both through having them be a part of this big, stupendous day, and through their words - with Cat even going through her speech and making changes at the last minute to make sure the got the words just right.

And so, they got married at a beautiful little lookout just around the corner from Cat’s parents place - only a few hundred metres from suburbia but somewhere you felt almost swallowed up in a private national park - to reflect their love of the outdoors and hiking, and then took the party down to Porteno in Surry Hills, to celebrate their love of eating and drinking - because what compliments a day in the rugged outdoors more than fine dining and Argentinian wine.

They forewent some of the usual traditions that didn’t hold much meaning to them - a bridal party, not seeing each other before the ceremony - to create some moments that did - walking each other down the aisle, their rescue dog Bonnie playing part in the formalities.

Fun fact - their first kiss was outdoors in the rain after some work drinks, with Dave wearing a moonboot and Cat awkwardly holding an umbrella above them. It doesn’t get much better than that.

Enjoy

Dane