Catherine & Jason Venice, Italy

I honestly don’t know where to begin to explain to you all just what you’re about to see meant to me. I have said in the past there are many, many times I’ve had to pinch myself and take stock of where I’m standing and what I’m seeing. To take in the moment and be thankful for the experience. Sometimes it can be something as simple as standing in a kitchen in a small terraced house in the country as a bride and her father wait for the wedding car. That’s a situation not a lot of people find themselves in and it’s an honour to be allowed to share in that moment. Then there experiences which blow you away for entirely different reasons.

It’s early morning and I’m walking through the streets of Venice, a place I’ve never been to. In just over and hour, I’ll be photographing two people I’ve not yet met, get married with just their immediate families in attendance. I’ll then go on to spend two full days with these people. Eat and drink with them. Watch as they hug each other, laugh with each other and cry with sheer joy together. Walk through the streets with them, offering them my spritzer like it’s manna from heaven. Have big long chats with their parents and daydream about what it would be like to be part of their family. I ride so many water taxi’s with them that I’m almost qualified to drive one by osmosis. Best of all, I photograph them saying their vows to each other in a second ceremony as their friend officiates the marriage, there’s more happy tears before whoops, cheers, clapping and so much hugging and kissing that the room is filled with so much love it’s palpable.

And on. And on. And on… Two days of amazing highs with two of the nicest folk I could have wished to have photographed.
Catherine and Jason, your wedding and the entire time I spent with you and your families was definitely one of those experiences I had to pinch myself, pause for a moment or two and just take it all in. You gave me two days I’ll never forget and I hope that these images along with the many more waiting for you go some way toward thanking you for the amazing opportunity.