Bethany & Paul

I remember meeting Bethany in January this year and immediately knowing that I wanted to photograph her wedding. She was such a warm person and glowed enthusiasm about everything to do with her wedding day – and, most importantly – her marriage to fiance Paul.

Bethany and Paul met in October last year and were engaged by December. Bethany told me that after meeting, both she and Paul knew beyond a doubt that they had each found ‘the one.’ Both with a shared, incredibly strong faith, Paul chose a religiously significant and special day to propose to Bethany – which also happened to be the date of my own one-year wedding anniversary! I asked Bethany more about the background of the date, and she explained in an email:

“It is the feast of one of Italy’s most celebrated saints, Saint Lucy/Santa Lucia (the name that means light). In Rome alone over 20 churches are dedicated to her! She resolved to belong entirely to Christ and sacrificed all her possessions and even her life to remain true to this vow. She was martyred during the Christian persecutians in the early 300s. She had incredible purity and strength of soul. She is often pictured holding eyes on a plate so that the illiterate, or anyone else for that matter, would know it was her, Lucia, meaning light. Last year December 13th was especially special because it happened to be the 3rd Sunday of Advent (the four weeks leading up to Christmas) in the Catholic calendar. This 3rd Sunday is known to traditional Catholics as Guadete Sunday, the Latin for Rejoice. It is the Sunday where we have a sneak/preview celebration before Christmas where the entire liturgy resounds with joy; Guadete polyphonic motets, chant and hymns and pink vestments are worn instead of purple. The other Sundays before Christmas are all about serious preparation before the glorious feast.”

Bethany and Paul’s wedding day was really magical – Bethany’s family felt like family. I hadn’t met Paul prior to the day, but as soon as I introduced myself at the church (St Laurence’s in North Adelaide) I could see just how perfect a match they were for each other! Their ceremony was a really unique and special one – it began with prayer time, continued with the wedding ceremony, and followed by a full Nuptial Mass. It was a really amazing tradition to witness and I had a great time photographing it and capturing all the details!

The weather was really kind to us, even with the light rain we experienced here and there. We ventured around the city for some photos, where Bethany and Paul just became completely immersed in their happiness – all I had to do was capture it! It was such a relaxed, fun afternoon, which included a stop at Cafe Bravo in the Food Court for some wedges and pizza, before heading off to the reception at the Marche Club at Paradise.

I feel really honoured to have been there to celebrate Bethany & Paul’s marriage, and to experience a little slice of their lives! Thank you so much, Bethany, Paul and your wonderful friends and family, who made the day a complete joy for me.