Richard & Shaun’s Circa 1876 wedding was just one part of an incredible three-day experience I shared with them at the end of 2019. They’ve been living in Hong Kong for several years and wanted to make the most of their time here. We started out with a portrait shoot on the Stockton sand dunes, which is always an other-worldly location to photograph. The next day, they held a dinner at the fantastic Kawul restaurant. Many of their guests hadn’t met before, so Richard & Shaun wanted to provide an opportunity for everyone to break the ice before the big day. It was actually the first time I’d shot an event like this and it was so much fun. Then came the wedding day itself.

Bushfires in the area had given the entire week a warm glow, even in the middle of the day. Their treasured feline friends, Pebbles & Bam Bam, were unable to make the trip. Fortunately, they were still there in spirit as the boys were gifted life-size pillow clones of their cats to keep them company. Most of their guests were staying on-site with them at The Convent, which gave everything a super relaxed vibe. The ceremony was one of the more tear-filled ones I’ve seen. Whenever I’m shooting a same-sex ceremony, it’s not lost on me that this was not legally possible such a short time ago. The few that I have attended always seem to have that little extra weight behind the words.

Richard & Shaun had hinted in advance that their guests were ready to party, and the evening definitely delivered on that front. The tranquil grounds of the vineyard transformed into an awesome outdoor dancefloor – I don’t think anyone was left inside by the end. Days like this stay in your memory forever and I’m really happy to be sharing their images here with you 🙂

Venue : Circa 1876
Celebrant : Kate Muller

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