Van Morrison: Beautiful vision

As far as I am concerned, one of life's most precious of gifts is being invited to witness when two people declare their love and committment for one another.

I love weddings.

The bride walking into a space filled with family and friends.
The proud parents.
The dress. The dressing up.
The groom's face when the bride enters the room.
The readings. The promises made.
The flowers. The laughter.

All of life's good bits, in one day.

I've known Alison since we were babies.

Here we are 5 months old, that's her on the left, me on the right - propped up by our dad's.

On this last weekend gone by my oldest friend Alison married her long time love - Wayne.

And they gave me the gift of being there at their happy union, getting all my forementioned favourite wedding moments and my heels stuck in the mud.

Van Morrison had rest time  in Adelaide while we flew to the mid-north coast of NSW.
Most people have heard of Coffs Harbour, but the magic happens at the sleepy beachside town of Woolgoolga - about a half hour further north.

It's Woolgoolga where we grew up and this is where we returned for the celebration.

Since the nappy times, Alison has been quietly keeping me in order as i've gone about my life. A fellow virgo, this is one lady that while I am a blubbering mess, knows how to tidy up my rough edges.

It was Alison, who on my first day of kindergarten, approached me as I was whaling my face off about my mother leaving me at the school grounds with a bunch of strange kids in a horribly uncomfortable uniform.
She quickly informed me that there was no use in crying, the teacher doesn't care and then proceeded to put her school bag with mine, grab my hand and take me into the classroom.
And that was that.

It was Alison who came to find me in the playground having run away from my teacher in year two because I was being dropped down a class for the math lessons.
She gave me a hug and promptly informed me that is was much better being in her class for maths anyway, because her teacher Mrs Cheers gave you fairy lollies for getting anwers right.
And that was that.

And it was Alison who got on a plane with me to London, where I was somewhat nervous about going to meet a man I had known for 6 months to see if we might love each other. She informed me that we should drink gin and tonic to help us settle in for the flight and tapped my arm with excitement. I ended up marrying that man.
And that was that.

So I find myself back in my childhood town for Alison getting married, surrounded by a selection of friends from the school years feeling more than a little sentimental.

It rained all week leading up to the wedding - making for soggy ground and and lapsed schedules.
But I am sure that Alison promptly informed the weather that is was her wedding day, because the sun came right on out to blast us with light and heat.

I got very snap happy, finally having some beautiful subject matter to photograph aside from birds.

Here are just a few of the pics - starting with our bride walking down her aisle, again propped up by her dad...

Sincere congratulations to Alison and Wayne.

I think I can speak for all of my school friends who were at the wedding when I say that there was certainly something extra special about being back in the old hood for this beautiful marriage.

And as Alison's sister eloquently through her tears said in her speech 

"not only have you always been the perfect big sister, today you're also the perfect bride".

Awwww.
Princess moment complete.

I sign off on this Tuesday very happy.