Gold Coast Wedding | Tessa & Bruno

First wedding of the year, a brand new venue for me, and close to home. A pretty ideal start. The brief was simple. A relaxed get together that they happened to get married at. What they actually threw was an incredible party with the best energy and a seriously lovely group of family and friends.

From the very first message Tessa sent, it was clear this was not going to be your average wedding. I honestly thought it might be a low key afternoon with a small crowd, but they completely flipped that expectation. Big vibes, lots of personality, and everything came together so naturally.

The day kicked off at Emerald Lakes with Bruno making his entrance in a pink stretch Hummer. With Emerald Lakes looking more like a little pocket of France or Italy than the Gold Coast, the whole moment instantly felt special. Spirits were high, everyone was smiling, and I grabbed a bunch of candid moments as he arrived and soaked it all in.

Not long after, it was Tessa’s turn to arrive, pulling up in a pink Combi and looking incredible. Bruno had tucked himself away in a little alcove so he could not see her coming. Tessa made her way over and tapped him on the shoulder for their first look. When he turned around, the smiles said everything. Such a good moment, followed by plenty of hugs and excitement from everyone nearby.

We wandered across the road to a grand staircase for a big group photo, then grabbed some family shots before guests made their way to Hard Fizz Taproom. I stole Tessa, Bruno and their friends away for a few relaxed photos by the water, then took just the two of them for some portraits as we wandered back toward the Combi.

The ceremony followed and it was the perfect balance of heartfelt moments & laughs. One of the highlights was the ring bearers pulling off a perfectly timed prank by pretending they had lost the rings. A few tense seconds, then plenty of laughter once the joke was revealed. After signing everything and sealing it with a kiss, Tessa and Bruno walked back down the aisle straight into a wave of congratulations.

From there the afternoon just rolled along. Drinks flowing, people catching up, and that easy party energy building without anyone forcing it. Later on it was time for their first dance, with the song sung live by Tessa’s friends. Guests quickly joined them on the dance floor and the room filled fast. This crew knew how to celebrate and they absolutely went for it.

Before long it was time for me to head off, with plenty of signs that the night was only just getting started. Such a memorable day for a beautiful couple and the perfect way to start a new year of weddings.

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