Hay Bales & Wedding Vows
Just over a year ago, an old friend of mine called me to tell me the news of her recent engagement. Much to my surprise, Madi asked me to be her photographer for the intimate, farm wedding she and her fiancé had in mind. A photographer for an interstate wedding, in the middle of a farm amongst cows and plenty of rolling hills. To say that I was gobsmacked is an understatement. I was shocked, honoured and entirely grateful. Not only to be able to capture an old friend’s wedding, but to have the opportunity to capture such an intimate, family event in the place where Madi grew up.
Alongside many other guests doing the same, I trekked along the east coast of Australia and started my way inland heading to the destination which was little, old Armidale. From the time I spent living with Madi in London I had heard many stories of her home town and her family that made that home town so special. The rain along the drive couldn’t even dampen my excitement to experience quaint, not-so-little Eltville. In fact, many many acres, a couple of swamps and a whole cattle of cows made her childhood home considerably LARGE. I settled in for the evening at a local hotel and woke bright and early on the morning of Madelene and Willis’s wedding day. The grey clouds were passing through the sky at an alarming rate but I knew that not even a drop of rain could stop the pure joy that the soon to be Casey’s would be experiencing.
Willis and his groomsmen started the day with fireball and funky socks while Madi and her bridesmaids started the day with Aperol Spritzes and steaming dresses! There was an air of calm surrounding both of them before the ceremony begun. The guests were seated on bales of hay while Madi’s good friend stood front and centre ready to marry two best friends. The floral arrangements, all organised by Madi’s now step-mother-in-law, were the perfect touch to the rustic wedding look they had in the backyard of Eltville. The moment Madi stepped out onto the paddock for Willis to see, it was that typical split second that you want captured at a wedding. Tears fell silently, Willis was entirely emotional and, well, so was Madi. The ceremony was everything a photographer could ask for. Laughs, tears, hugs and a beautiful landscape in the distance. Once the kiss sealed the marriage and the confetti was thrown high up in the air, the party came alive.
The reception was out of this world FUN. I got to experience a double parked, hip bumping, belt stealing, eagle rocking, shoulder surfing, wedgie pulling, bunch of guests! Not to mention, every single person that attended was immediately handed a Yeti cup and told to get drinking ASAP. I’m overly surprised that Madi’s knee didn’t pop out due to the hardcore boogieing that was going on. Even the rain that started up late in the evening didn’t stop everyone from getting down on the paddock floor!