The BBQ Beginning: As a wedding photographer, Hunter Valley NSW is nothing less than a dream location to shoot. The rolling green hills spotted with homesteads and vineyards practically beg to be photographed year round. The following couple may have met at a friend’s BBQ in sunny Queensland, but this Newcastle girl came home to wed the man of her dreams and I had the pleasure of being their wedding photographer in the Hunter Valley. This is their story…
Picture these two on a first date playing putt putt golf and you’ll find yourself swooning mid-blog post. These guys are the poster children for genetically blessed young lovers in love. But that’s not to say their entire relationship has been easy. In the early days, Jonathan lived hours from Laura and there were many late-night commutes between his and hers which only got worse when Jonathan moved to Newcastle. The two practically spent their life’s savings on airport parking and plane tickets flying between Queensland and Newcastle every 3 weeks to keep the love alive. But they did. For 7 months.
The Pinterest Proposal: Now, before a man can propose he must do one thing: find the perfect ring. This can be a formidable task for a Fiancé-to-be, especially if his lady friend is particular about her accessories. Undaunted by the task, Jonathan refused to let Laura in on the hunt and set about ring finding without her.
In true sneaky ring-picking style, Jonathan managed to keep the design a secret while still giving Laura the ring she wanted. Thanks to 1 friend, Laura’s pinterest account and a custom jeweler, Jonathan commissioned the custom engagement ring of his bride-to-be’s dreams. With the ring sorted, he set about popping the question.
“I love you because…” – Laura had been receiving these messages for a couple days prior to Jonathan’s arrival in Queensland. The pair were spending the weekend at Rainbow Beach with Laura’s family and Jonathan was the last to arrive.
Under the guise of a beer run, Jonathan drove Laura to a forest where he simply told her he wanted to show her something. The sun was setting and it was starting to rain, but she went along willingly as he led her through the woods.
“I love you because you go on adventures with me” – another message, another reason why he loved her. They finally came to a clearing and stood there on the sand dunes looking out over the cliffs at Rainbow Beach Cove. As she was busy reading another “I love you because…” text message, he made his move. She looked up to see it written there in the sand… “Will you marry me?”
Having just undergone knee reconstruction surgery, Jonathan hadn’t able to kneel for weeks. But there he was, on bended knee, looking up at her awaiting her answer. But it didn’t come… Laura couldn’t take her eyes off the ring…. THE ring! The one she’d pinned to that digital dream board ages ago. All she could manage was “How did you know?!?”, “How did you know?!?” over and over in total bliss-filled-surprise.
The Hunter Valley Wedding:
To be a wedding photographer Hunter Valley style, means letting the location do the talking… so that’s exactly what I’m gonna do. As a couple, Laura and Jonathan couldn’t have done it better. From the ring to the dress and every fairy light in between, it was picture perfect in every way. There’s nothing I can say that their wedding photos won’t say 1000 times better, so I’ll sign off and leave to you to it. Enjoy this truly beautiful Hunter Valley wedding cause I certainly enjoyed photographing it 🙂
