New Years Eve 2016 found me here, under the gum trees and paper lanterns at Matilda Bay, with little boats bobbing on the river, and the lights of our city twinkling in the background, providing the perfect backdrop for an awesome end of year party.
It was my little sisters wedding, and she was marrying her super groovy man Gerry. And I had the priviledge of attending as both guest and photographer, which always makes a wedding just a teeny bit more special for me. So, surrounded by our family and friends, I set about documenting it all as it unfolded (and chatting a lot in between shots!).
Opting for a laid back, summery beach feel for their special day, Gerry and Sarah enlisted the expertise of awesome vendors Matilda Bay Restaurant (ceremony & reception venue), Bride and Groom Events (outdoor furniture & styling), The Look By Us Perth (bridal hair & makeup), Theressa Designs Bridal (bridal gown), Poppys Flowers (flowers), Wild Strawberry Catering (cake), Jodi Bavin (celebrant) and The Print Fairy (invitations) who all helped create the perfect vibe for a summer celebration.
And Matilda Bay itself should get a special mention too, not only for providing such a stunning backdrop for a wedding, but because it's a little special to our family, as it was named after our ancestral grandmother Matilda Roe, the wife of Perths first Surveyor General, John Septimus Roe. So I always feel a sense of place as I arrive at this venue and then pass by the photographs of John and Matilda, and the fledgling Swan River Colony, hanging on the walls of the restaurant building. And I take a moment to picture the scene as they must have seen it when they gazed out over the river almost 200 years ago...
So congratulations Gerry and Sarah, it was a fabulous day, and an awesome way to see the new year in. And a week down the track, I can finally say I have nearly recovered!