Chic & Stylish Backyard Micro-Wedding : Damien + Georgina

I don’t know about you, but to me, there’s something really special about backyard weddings. I feel like it’s the couple telling the world they know who they are and what is most important to them. It’s the perfect combo of relaxed and intimate whilst also allowing them a big enough canvas to style it in line with their personalities.

When I met Damien and Georgina, they had a driven, refined and stylish vibe – so it’s no surprise that their wedding day was exactly that. And here’s a little serendipity for you—we actually met in our shared co-working space, even though they first found me through a Google search! At the time, they were building their new business My Childe and flying backwards and forwards to LA, with the bold goal to radically reduce a child’s environmental footprint by creating products that eliminate plastic.

They made choices for their wedding outfit that really showed off their innate style and background in the fashion industries, with brands like Abelard, Nina and Karen Willis Holmes.

Pearl Beach Cottage Micro Wedding

Nestled in Pearl Beach on the Central Coast of NSW, they rented a charming beach cottage to serve as the backdrop for their wedding. Whilst Georgina’s sisters hung lanterns from the trees, she was able to get ready separately, as the property has a little sleep-out cabin, which served as the ‘Bridal Suite’ for hair and makeup, and Damien organised everything in the house.

I went about capturing some of the behind-the-scenes preparations, which I think really help to tell the story of the day, capturing the excitement and a little bit of natural stress with kids around, as the house quickly filled with their closest friends and family. Their guests began to mingle, chatting over glasses of bubbly and waiting for the ceremony to begin.

Damien, dapper as always, was dressed in a sleek black-tie suit jacket with cream pants and black suede loafers, while Georgina wore a beaded Karen Willis Holmes dress. To me, they both looked like they had just stepped off a page of a Vogue magazine!

One of my highlights of the day was to see their kids’ faces light up as Georgina made her entrance from her cabin! During the ceremony, their youngest daughter was weaving her way back and forth through Damien’s legs and having them swing her between them whilst Chris, their celebrant, was trying not to get too distracted from what he was doing 😂

A Special Wedding Moment

And, in a moment that felt like it was straight out of the movies, as their son went to pass over the wedding rings, one of them dropped and fell straight through the cracks in the deck! As they say, the show must go on, and so they continued with the ceremony, but these little moments make for such a good story in terms of the photos. It certainly added some entertainment too, as they were totally unsure what to do at the time.

After the ceremony, their friends grabbed an Allen key and unscrewed one of the decking planks, then, using a pair of kitchen tongs, managed to retrieve the ring, to plenty of applause and celebration. Then they finally got to put a ring on it!

These real moments are what excite me the most as a Photographer, the little things that could otherwise get forgotten but, when captured well, really add to the story! It’s these sorts of moments that their friends and family will be talking about for years to come, and honestly, I think it’s one of my favourite moments I’ve ever captured.

Relaxed Photos & Chilled Vibe

After some relaxed drinks and mingling with their guests at the cottage, we grabbed some photos in the garden and around the pool before the party moved to The Boathouse at Patonga. This is a cracking little pub that’s right on the water’s edge. Plates of fresh rock oysters, seafood and pizza were passed around as people sipped on cold beers and bubbles.

From stylish attire to heartwarming unplanned moments, Damien and Georgina’s wedding was a pitch-perfect blend of elegance and relaxed celebration. Just a gorgeous, chilled, wholesome vibe!

Pearl Beach Stylish Wedding Vendors

Celebrant: Chris Pinto

Photographer: Underatreehouse

Hair & Makeup: Prep Hair and Makeup

Cottage: The Greenhouse Retreat

Pub: The Boathouse Hotel Patonga

Bride’s Dress: Karen Willis Holmes

If you would like to know more about my approach to storytelling documentary photography, you can learn more here.