Kat & Darren

Port Stephens Wedding

This was a big, brash party. The kind of wedding that kicks on to the wee hours and ends with the two people at the centre of it all on top of everyone’s shoulders whilst a crowd of 100 strong people sing their hearts out. It was wild.

That isn’t to say, however, that it wasn’t without a whole lot of heart.

These are people to whom family and loyalty and friendships that have stood the test of time mean the world. The kind of people who have such close ties to their earliest friends that even the parents of a lot of them are invited to the wedding. I lost count of how many times I heard Darren throughout the day, completely sincerely, telling almost everyone that he loved them - and this was well before the party kicked off. It’s may seem like such a small thing, but it’s a reflection of how much people and relationships mean to him, and by extension to both of them. And Kat was one of the most openly emotional bride’s I’ve seen recently, fighting back tears pretty much every time I had her alone for a few photos before the ceremony.

As always, but particularly on days when I get to document people I know, I was reminded of how freaking lucky I am to call this a career, and to see all these beautifully intimate scenes play out. From Kat unashamedly breaking into tears when she opened a gift Darren bought her while getting ready in the morning, to watching the reactions of a whole lot of faces to Darren’s “I love you mate”s immediately followed by a big bear hug, this was one I won’t forget for a while.

Enjoy

Dane