Willow Farm Berry Wedding

Alex & Clare

In only their early 30s, Alex & Clare have already been together for over 13 years. A decade and change. Over a third of their lives. They were practically kids when they met - still bushy tailed and finding themselves and their way in the world. When they first stumbles across one another in the halls of ANU, Alex in his touch footy gear with a backwards visor and playing the piano, Clare thought he was a bit of a brooding bad boy (turns out he wasn’t any of these things). Alex thought Clare was warm and kind and gorgeous (turns out she was all of these things).

In the preceeding almost decade and a half they have, together, moved from Canberra to Sydney to New York and back to Canberra. Had monumentally successful career pivots. Have friends they have collected from all walks of life (I couldn’t tell you how many countries were represented in their guest list). Both clearly have ambition and drive and purpose in their lives outside of one another, but also put silly amounts of intention and thought into maintaining and building their relationship. These are two people who are about as self actualised as you get, and have clearly helped and guided one another to get there, and indelibly changed one another in the process.

And so it all lead to this. A somehow dry day in a sea of La Nina drizzle at the stupidly picturesque Willow Farm in Berry. Promises made in front of all they care about and a ceremony absolutely nailed by the always incredibly Married by Adam. Kind words and gentle (and not so gentle ribbings) shared by some friends and family, and a raucous party kicked off by the one and only The Vintage Stylus.

When we went off for a wander to take some photos, I mentioned how overwhelmingly clear it was to me , on top of everything else, how simply good a mates they were (sidebar - when Alex asked Clare to marry him her response was “Mate! Of course”). They both said that after 13 years that this constant and irrevocable deepening was kind of inevitable. I don’t think it is, but that only makes it all the more glorious and prescial.

This is about as sure a thing as they come. What a gift.

Enjoy

Dane