Nikkah/Wedding: A+L <3 (Holland Park Mosque)

Lovely Aliyah & Leo.

We received an email from a couple asking if we were available to capture their nikkah (wedding) at Holland Park Mosque. We responded that we were available and I (Em) offered to meet in person to chat about the specifics/nuances of the day as it would be our first Muslim ceremony. I met up with Aliyah and we chatted and chatted and I think we ended up chatting for well over an hour - possibly up to 2 hours? - from memory.

I learned that we shared much in common. We both held similar values as we navigated challenging topics, such as genocide. It was a wonderful, memorable meeting, as Aliyah radiated kindness and thoughtfulness as she walked me through their priorities for the day. I felt grateful to have crossed paths! We locked in the date and counted down to A+L’s nikkah.

As our calendar reminds us of upcoming events, I usually find my anxiety builds due to how much I care about ensuring that the day is captured perfectly, etc. However, I felt an incredible sense of calm in the lead-up to A+L’s day - including on the day. Of course I wanted to give the day everything we had, but I felt so aligned with A+L that I knew it would all work out.

A+L’s nikkah was beautiful and heartfelt. In line with their spirit of inclusivity, A+L invited Chloe, our daughter, too. In the process, they unintentionally ended up with a third photographer, so we credit Chloe McDonald with some of the images below. I had asked Aliyah if it was okay to share their special occasion. Aliyah provided an enthusiastic yes; in fact, A+L were keen to share their day and values with as many people as were interested. Therefore, with that as the context, please enjoy A+L’s love-filled day with family and friends.

For more information related to the Holland Park Mosque, refer to the ABC’s ‘You Can’t Ask That – Muslims’ (S01E07) and/or SBS Australia’s ‘The Mosque Next Door’ to learn more.

Thank you, Aliyah & Leo, for sharing some of your life with us! May you both enjoy a blessed and meaningful life together. <3

Everything was curated so carefully. We were curious to learn about Zam Zam water, and noted the reference to the children in Gaza:

One final one - a cheeky mid-ceremony glance from Leo to Aliyah:

<3

Wedding: H&A <3 (Kholo Gardens)

Lovely Hayley and Aaron.

This wedding was the intersection of our love for weddings and advocacy. H+A found us through a post concerning Palestine on Instagram. Hayley was busy balancing wedding planning with support for the Global Sumud Flotilla that had been seized by IsraHell around the same time. Both the bride, Hayley, and her close friend had ACAB tattoos (I have a story about one of the tattoos that I will share below*). And the song that accompanied the signing component of the ceremony was ‘Two Strong Hearts’ by John Farnham, featuring the following lyrics: “Like a river to the sea”.

*I can quantify that we pay attention to details. I had seen a post shared by paperboats4gaza on Instagram in early May 2026. It featured a hand that I instantly recognised as belonging to Hayley’s close friend. It is certainly safe to say that we found our people at this wedding.

We want to wish H+A a lifetime of happiness together - as well as a word free of oppression (is there anything more wonderful that you can wish for anyone?!). Free Palestine & end all oppression everywhere. Thank you for trusting us with your beautiful day, H+A. <3

From EVERY River to EVERY Sea

The subject line pretty much states all that this post is about: people gathering together to call for freeing the world of ALL oppression, including Palestine, from EVERY river to EVERY sea.

Justice for Palestine.

King George Square.

14th June 2026.

Barrambin // Victoria Park // Olympic Stadium

Let the record reflect, as demonstrated through some degree of photojournalism below, that Barrambin (Victoria Park) was never ceded by the First Nations peoples to the ‘powers that be’ - those powers determining use of the land for the purposes of an Olympic Stadium.

We stand with Goori Camp Embassy.

May 2026.

Wedding: C+D <3 (Brisbane Registry Office)

Carolyn & Denzel were a delight to work alongside.

Their wedding day was a beautiful tribute to the love that they share.

Carolyn enjoys a close relationship with her dad, which was lovely to immortalise through photography.

Scroll to the end to see who gate-crashed the post-ceremony portraits.

We want to wish C+D a wonderful life together - full of all the good & kind things, such as companionship, joy, solidarity, and inside jokes. Thank you for trusting us with your sweet day, C+D! <3