Some families start to feel familiar after a while.
Others start to feel like home.

Jess and Sean’s wedding at Audley was the third time I’d been trusted to photograph a wedding in Jess’s family — and by the time this day arrived, there were hugs instead of handshakes, familiar faces everywhere I turned, and a deep sense of responsibility to do justice to yet another chapter in a family story I’ve been lucky enough to witness unfold.

Sean got ready at home with his groomsmen — and with Xavier, their 18-month-old son, firmly by his side. Xavier was having none of it. He clung to Sean all morning, wanting comfort, closeness, and reassurance — and honestly, it made everything more beautiful. Sean carried him through most of the day, including the ceremony, grounding the entire wedding in something quietly profound: this wasn’t just a marriage, it was a family.

Jess got ready in Bundeena at a seriously cool house filled with soft natural light. She’s completely at ease in front of the camera, with a background in dance that shows in the way she moves — relaxed, intuitive, confident. The morning felt calm and joyful, filled with laughter, family, and that unmistakable sense that something meaningful was about to happen.

The ceremony was planned for Fig Tree Flat, under Audley’s iconic old fig tree. Everything was set. Flowers in place. Guests seated. Jess waiting in the car.

And then the sky turned.

Thunder cracked. The light dropped. And suddenly, hail — loud, sharp, relentless — tore through the bush. Guests ran. Umbrellas failed. The ground turned white. I found myself loading soaked guests into my car and ferrying them back to shelter.

It was chaos — the kind you can’t plan for.

With the rain passed, the team reset inside the dance hall. But Sean made a call that changed everything.

“Let’s do it outside.”

No chairs. No flowers. Just people.

Everyone gathered on the lawn. Jess walked down the aisle. And as if on cue, the sun broke through the clouds, wrapping the moment in the most incredible, golden light. The kind of light you wait years to photograph.

Xavier held tight to Sean as Jess and Sean exchanged vows — emotional, raw, and utterly unguarded. There were tears everywhere. Including from behind my camera.

Afterwards, we explored the grounds together — across the lawn, over the bridge — letting the day breathe. Jess and Sean are deeply in love, and it shows not in big gestures, but in the quiet way they move toward each other.

The reception brought champagne towers, heartfelt speeches, and some truly impressive dance moves. Jess changed into a mini dress and Converse, and the night turned loose in the best possible way.

This wasn’t just another wedding for me.
It was the third time I’d been invited into this family’s story.

Their mum, Lorraine, later put it into words far better than I ever could — speaking about trust, calm under pressure, and capturing emotion across three very different wedding days. That kind of relationship is never taken lightly.

Jess and Sean — thank you for trusting me again.
For the hugs. For the chaos. For the calm after the storm.

And for letting me be part of something that feels bigger than just one day.

(This wedding also features on my Sydney Wedding Photographer hub, where I share more celebrations across the city and surrounds.)