The clouds had blown over, the rain had started... it was time to make some decisions about our wedding photographs. The loose plan was to head to a fairly close location that had nice scenic views of Sydney in the background and then head to our venue afterwards for a few formal portraits. The weather was very unpredictable though - rain showers, followed by grey skies, followed by more drizzle. We decided to risk a few outdoor shots, and see how the weather held up.
Besides, I had a secret weapon up my sleeve that I couldn't wait to test out!
Yep, those are the most obnoxiously bright and cheerful gumboots I could find the day before the wedding. And, I have to say, they were SO comfortable. After a quick change of footwear and a little dress drama (the bustle button snapped off.. more on this later) we hoofed it across the park to take some pictures.
Being a mermaid style dress, I tended to hoist it from the waist up to make sure the bottom ruffles didn't touch the ground. I was so precious about my dress back then (ah, such a bride) but by the end of the day? That dress was all kinds of wet and miserable! You call it dirty; I call it well-loved.
Our photographers snapped a few shots of Jase and I walking along the foreshore, with some beautiful Sydney views in the background. If you squint, you can just see the city skyline... and the Harbour Bridge!
You can't really see it in those pictures, but the rain had really started to come down at that point, and the wind had whipped up too. Our bridal party had been patiently waiting while we took those quick couple shots, as one of our groomsmen had gotten lost on the way to the photo location. The next few pictures are missing him, but are some of my favourites of the day - our guys and girls were real troupers, despite the rain pouring down!
It was at this point that we realised that things were just going to get wetter and that the rain had well and truly set in, so we decided to call it a day and head back to the car. I was really disappointed, since the winter daylight hours and overcast skies were eating up our best photo time, but what can you do? Sometimes you've just got to go with the flow.
The next few pictures were snapped walking back across the field to the carpark, and sum up that portrait session beautifully. We were wet, cold windswept... and married.
Ah, how much do I love the close up of this shot?
We made our way back to the car and the rain stopped... for about a minute. I ditched the brolly and had a good old frolic in my gumboots.
Not for long, though. I think this about sums up my feelings towards the weather on our wedding day. Grrr, rain. Grrr.
All photographs by the team at Follan Photography unless otherwise noted.
Let's start at the very beginning - it's a very good place to start.
As we exited the church, I couldn't stop myself from looking at Jase - constantly. We were married! He was my husband. And I had suddenly been turned into a wife.
As our bridal party and our parents followed us down the aisle, we took a few shots in the entry way and then made a hasty (and sneaky!) run up the side of the church to the alternate entrance.
If you're wondering why we disappeared so quickly, it was to give our guests time to prepare for our ribbon wand exit! Our bridal party handed out wands to guests as they left the church and gathered around to see us again.
In the meantime, we waited around the corner for the church to clear. I could hear our second processional song being played by the string trio, which made me all warm and fuzzy - 'All You Need Is Love' by the Beatles. I started singing along and then we realised that Jason's videography microphone was still hooked up - aaah!
Not too many people get to walk down the aisle of their church as husband and wife twice, but we did! We got a signal from our bridal party... and off we went, again!
We were greeted by yet another aisle to walk down and with all of our guests brandishing the ribbon wands I'd made all those months earlier. And they looked absolutely gorgeous!
Guest Photographs
The clouds were rolling in at this point and our photographers very quickly (and wisely) gathered everyone together for a few groups shots.
Our guests came over to start congratulating us, there were lots of hugs and well wishes - and that is when the heavens decided to open.
Our photographers whipped out their cute bridal brolly and we decided we'd better leave for our photographs then and there, in case the rain got really bad. As you can imagine, I wasn't particularly happy about that... but what's a girl to do? (Other than pull some more tragic faces, of course.) We jumped in the cars and headed off to our chosen photo location.
All photographs by the team at Follan Photography unless otherwise noted.
Let's start at the very beginning - it's a very good place to start.
We always knew we would have a traditional Catholic ceremony. We opted to have ours without a full mass/Eucharist and focused on keeping the wedding as much about love and about 'us' as we could, all the while remembering that in the eyes of the church, marriage is a holy sacrament.
I'll admit, there was many a time over the course of our wedding planning where I longed for the freedom of writing our own vows or expressing our love in a less scripted way. On the day though, I was so filled with love and warm fuzzies that it wouldn't have mattered what reading was shared or what psalms were sang - we were getting married.
Father Christopher began with an introduction and welcome, as well as an opening prayer over us as a couple.
This was followed by our chosen readings.
We opted to have our bridal party also act as our readers, which worked out beautifully. If you're curious, we chose a reading from the Songs of Songs for our first reading and the ever-popular letter from St Paul to the Corinthians for our second reading. Our psalm was 'The Lord is compassionate to all his creatures.'
We opted to have our bridal party also act as our readers, which worked out beautifully. If you're curious, we chose a reading from the Songs of Songs for our first reading and the ever-popular letter from St Paul to the Corinthians for our second reading. Our psalm was 'The Lord is compassionate to all his creatures.'
Jason and I were seated on the opposite side of the altar as our readings were shared with our guests. I remember trying my hardest to stare straight ahead and not ogle Jase during the ceremony, though this shot seems to capture him doing the same thing to me! Also note the awkwardly bunched veil: I was too scared to sit down normally in case it fell out, so tucked it over my shoulder for the majority of the time.
I believe this was about the time that my super awesome Maid of Honour got nervous and fumbled her lines in her reading. Instead of saying 'love is patient, love is kind, it is not pompous...' poor Miss K read out 'love is never patient...' - oops! (Though it's kind of fitting: I am the least patient person I know.)
Father Christopher then read from the Gospel before beginning his Homily. It was a lovely one, too - focusing on the commitment we'd made to each other, and about staying strong as a couple through the summers and winters of our lives. He made it very personal and appropriate for us - I suppose that's the perk of having a cousin for a priest!
Our priest made a comment about us being really nervous, something neither of us usually are!
After this, we began the Rite of Marriage.
Aly & Jason, the promises you make to each other today are serious, because they will bind you together for life. You take each other through the best and worst of what lies ahead, and commit yourselves to each other forever.
I, Jason, take you, Aly, to be my wife. I promise to be true to you in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health. I will love you and honour you all the days of my life.
I, Aly, take you, Jason, to be my husband. I promise to be true to you in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health. I will love you and honour you all the days of my life.
Rings were exchanged and we were pronounced as husband and wife.
And oh, THE KISS!
I remember wondering how we were going to do it - should we practice? Who would lean in to who? Which way would my head tilt/your head tilt? Would there be lovey-dovey head grabbing in a fit of passion?
Well, there was just a blur - and we instinctively clutched at each other and smooch/laughed our way through our first kiss as a married couple!
Guest Photograph
After the clapping died down, we stood squeezing each other's hands as the Prayers of the Faithful were read by two of our groomsmen and as our Priest gave our final solemn blessing.
Just like that, in what felt like a blink of an eye, we were married!
Our string trio started playing more beautiful music as we made our way up behind the altar to sign our marriage certificate.
Our string trio started playing more beautiful music as we made our way up behind the altar to sign our marriage certificate.
The final details were completed. The announcements had been made. We were given a last message from our priest, and then it was time to leave! Our strings began playing our recessional music - an instrumental of 'Bittersweet Symphony' - and we made our way out of the church.
Guest photograph
Married.
All photographs by the team at Follan Photography unless otherwise noted.
Let's start at the very beginning - it's a very good place to start.
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