Brooke first inquired with me about a year and a half before her wedding. At the time, I had maybe two weddings under my belt, and I remember being completely transparent with her about where I was at. I was still figuring things out, still finding my feet, and still growing into the photographer I wanted to become. But Brooke saw something in my work. She saw where I was heading, trusted me wholeheartedly, and decided to come along for the ride. We immediately became Instagram friends and bonded over relatable memes, beginner dj struggles and the fact that that we were both 98’ babies. And just like that my client became my friend.
Brooke is one of those people who is effortlessly easy to love. She’s down to earth, ridiculously easygoing, and just genuinely cool. By the time her wedding day finally arrived, it felt less like I was showing up to photograph a client and more like I was turning up to celebrate one of my friends.
Everyone showed up with their most badass energy. The kind of wedding where every single person looked like they belonged in a chandelier-lit ballroom, even though we were surrounded by the beautiful, earthy landscape of Turanga Creek everyone was dressed to the nines, completely themselves, and so comfortable in front of the camera that capturing those cool, effortless moments came naturally.
The night was full of laughter, dancing, and an incredible coming together of cultures. One of the moments that stayed with me most was the haka.
It was powerful, emotional, and incredibly moving. You could feel the weight of the moment as everyone watched, and it wasn't long before we were all tearing up. A huge shoutout to Roxette from Awe Development, who was both the celebrant and MC for the day. She brought so much warmth, personality, and energy to the wedding and did such an incredible job guiding everyone through the day. She was the perfect person to photograph a wedding with.
Looking back, I think what makes Brooke & T’s wedding so special to me is that it feels like the beginning and the end of a little chapter. Brooke trusted me when I was still at the very beginning of mine. A year and a half later, I was standing there with a camera in my hands, photographing her marrying the love of her life. And soon i will be attending her birthday party :')
Here’s a glimpse into Brooke & T’s beautiful day.
