What a beautiful day Saturday day was! A sunshine filled day worthy of the amazing celebration put on by Mel and Craig. Under the guise of Mel’s 30th birthday combined with an engagement party, Mel and Craig effortlessly pulled off an amazing surprise wedding to top it all off! That’s three amazing things all celebrated on the same day, talk about a big and special party!

I arrived a couple of hours before the party kicked off, to take some portraits of Mel and Craig at a couple of places close to their heart. The memorial bench for their very close friend Brenton David Norman at Henley Beach, and near the River Torrens where Mel had spent her days playing as a child. Both locations were beautiful, made even more so by the meaning that they held for the gorgeous couple.

Back at Mel’s mum’s house, they had done an amazing job turning the yard into a gorgeous party space. Full of fresh flowers, lanterns, dream catchers and little touches of detail. The night went on as guests arrived and jovially celebrated the engagement and birthday. Whilst secretly, Mel snuck away for a quick dress change before the guests were all called to gather around for speeches. A hush gathered, before a quiet murmur of excitement as people realised what was happening. As Mel and her dad approached and Kate announced that she was in fact a marriage celebrant a huge roaring cheer broke out. The ceremony was beautiful, friends and family closely surrounded the couple with huge smiles and tears on their faces. And as they were announced for the first kiss a huge bang rang out from some flower canons, tripping the lights into darkness and showering Mel and Craig in petals as the crowd cheered loudly again.

Congratulation, congratulations, congratulations Mel & Craig!! xx