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: S+T <3 (Brisbane Registry Office)

Lovely Shannon and Todd. What a beautiful afternoon spent with S+T, as well as their support crew of Matthew and Christopher. I met up with Shannon before the elopement and we hit it off. It was an effortless meeting. Time flew and we chatted about most things (what happens when you discover someone else on the same pages as you), as well as a little about the upcoming elopement. ;)

The following gallery is another example of our work at the Brisbane Registry Office (more examples can be found here). The post-ceremony photography took place within a 10-minute stroll of the Brisbane Registry Office. We have lived in Brisbane for 10+ years and we are still finding hidden gems (like my new favourite spot that provided the backdrop for the first image below). Enjoy! We want to wish S+T the most beautiful & fulfilling life together!

An action shot:

One last one for good measure:

Wedding: M+D <3 (New Farm Park)

This was a lovely day with Marcus & Daphne, as well as their nearest and dearest. The afternoon turned out to be perfect. It was a week-day wedding and meant that the usually very busy gardens were easier to navigate (we try to minimise random people in the background of your wedding photography - can be a bit challenging, of course, at popular locations, such as New Farm Park). We want to wish Marcus & Daphne a lifetime of happiness and many, many more happy family memories.

One last sweet moment for good measure:

Actually, one more. There were a few that we could not decide between grayscale or colour and so we delivered both. We shared the colour version of this one above so here is the grayscale version and you can be the judge:

Wedding: K+D <3 (New Farm Park)

New Farm Park, full of blooming roses, is a stunning location for a Brisbane City elopement. Lovely Karolina & Darcy chose New Farm Park for an intimate elopement with family. The following images were taken from one hour of coverage on an overcast day (it had been drizzling just before they arrived but then cleared up). It was a pleasure to work alongside Jamie, one half of Jamie & Cara from Brisbane City Celebrants. Enjoy!

Wedding: M+B <3 (St Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church + Hillstone St Lucia)

Lovely Marita and Barnaby had their ceremony at St Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church, portraits at the University of Queensland and then the reception at Hillstone St Lucia. It was a perfect day full of wonderful memories. M+B were delightful to work with! We want to wish a lifetime of happiness for them. We have shared 250 of our favourite images from the day. Enjoy!

Florist: Gloriosa Florals

Transport: Tic Tac Tours

Makeup Artist: Ava Belle