Kim and Monica were married under a hundred-year-old fig at Tocal Homestead in Paterson, a year later than they'd first planned, in front of eighty-something people who'd been waiting just as long.
The day started at a BnB in Bolwarra with everyone in the one house, both of them, their bridal party, parents. They gave each other gifts before anyone left for the venue.
I'd photographed Kim's sister's wedding the year before, so they'd already seen how I work from the guest side, which is probably the best way to see it. On the questionnaire I send couples there's a section for photo requests, and most people fill it with lists, every combination of grandparents, the school friends, the cousins flying in. Kim and Monica wrote one line. You know us, we trust you.
It was a hot day, a really hot one. October in the Hunter does that, you plan for spring and get a preview of January. Eighty people sat out under that fig in the full sun and stayed there for the whole thing. Kim's grandfather really felt it and the ceremony stopped for a few minutes while he was looked after. Kim is a nurse, and so are a lot of her friends, so half the guests were already on their feet before anyone thought to ask. He was in about the best hands you could be in. Then everyone sat back down and they carried on.
Afterwards we did the family photos, took the two of them out across the property for a bit, and got back in time for the reception.
By evening we were in the hay shed out in the middle of the paddock, lit up. The bridal party came in, then the two of them, then speeches and cake. We stole them out for a few minutes at sunset and came back for the first dance, and after that the floor never emptied. Two women who'd waited an extra year for this were not going to sit down.

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Vendors:

Venue: Tocal Homestead, Paterson
Celebrant: Zoe Sabados, MarryMeZoe
Florals: BowerBird Bloom
Video: Erive Films
Hair: M Flair Hair Artistry
Make-up: Gemma Nichols
Band: Tequila Mockingbird
Stationery: Quill Fine Art Creations
Favours: Harvest Party
Photography: Anetta Kirk