The opening image in the slideshow brilliantly describes the journey that Rebekah & Damon have had together. I first met them in June 2019 when they did an engagement shoot, at that point having already been together 12 years and while I know they would never want their wedding day to be defined by COVID, that has been pretty hard to avoid for me!
They were to marry in April 2020 which of course turned out to be right smack bang in the middle of the first lockdown in Melbourne. What an awful thing to have happen to a wedding day, all the anticipation, the emotion, the effort, all squashed. Rebekah & Damon were unwilling to wait to be husband and wife so went ahead with the legal bit in the presence of immediate family in June 2020 though were still not prepared to give up on having the celebration they wanted so postponed that until 13th February 2021. It was a nasty shock when it was announced on the 12th February (yes, the day before!) that Victoria was going into a 5 day, stage-4 restrictions lockdown that very night. I was devastated for Rebekah & Damon, it seemed inconceivable that this could have happened to them again. But their resilient natures won the battle and I was super impressed when Rebekah got in touch saying ‘3rd time lucky, here we come!’ And so it was! A perfect summer day in the Yarra Valley, with all their favourite people in attendance, celebrating their union. At last.
Classic high-school sweethearts, Rebekah & Damon have a gorgeous story. When a couple first book me, I want to learn all I can about their love story, I want to know what makes them tick, one of the first things I do is send them a questionnaire encouraging them to share about each other and their story. Some share more than others, Rebekah & Damon’s responses are just so amazing, I will leave it to to them to tell you….
How did you two meet and what were your first impressions?
R: We met in high school. I was so drawn to him. All of my closest friends now I met because of this silly ‘class clown’. I used to sit with some of my friends across from these boys in a courtyard every recess and lunch and I would always be so distracted by them. He was always misbehaving and making them all laugh and I just remember how much I wanted to be over there. So one day, I went over and have been in love with him every day since.
D: My first impression of Rebekah was in gym class in high school. I didn’t know her then and she was making her friends laugh so much. Posing and pretending to be buff. It made me smile and I never imagined I would be lucky enough to get to know this person let alone spending the rest of our lives together.
How did he/she propose?
R: We were on a trip to Kangaroo Island and i mentioned that I wanted to practice some photography. He suggested that we get up to see the Remarkable Rocks, (a natural rock formation on the edge of a cliff, overlooking the ocean, very romantic!) at sunrise so I can try to get some of those beautiful orange sand, warm sunrise sort of photos.. which is very out of character! in the 15 years I’ve begged him to get up and see the sunrise and he’s never done it! So we had an alarm set for 5am or so, and I woke up to him cuddling me at around 4am! I asked him why he was awake and he said he was just excited about the sunrise. We got to the rocks and it was so overcast and grey, you couldn’t see a thing! he was so disappointed but it was perfect. What a cutie.
What do you love most about each other?
R: I love his kindness and patience. He doesn’t ever judge or expect anything at all. He greets every person he meets with kindness and thought. He is a gentle kind of strong, steady. He will always put me first, and move mountains to make me smile. Yet he will never make a spectacle of it. He does nothing for recognition. I love an appreciate him for thinking of me 10 times in a day, and I’m sure there is 100 more that I don’t even see. He is my complete opposite, and he helps keep me calm, self-confident and full of love for myself. I am incredibly lucky to have someone like him in my life.
D: She make me laugh all the time and accepts me for who I am. She is supportive and loyal not only to me but friends and family. She inspires me to be better person and achieve my goals.
I'd love to hear one special memory of your courtship...what moment/day/event stands out for you?
R: I think of a time in late high school. We were dating, but it was all new and we were still figuring each other out. He was out with some friends in Warrandyte and I called him, from my home in Eltham. He was talking to me, but I could hear his friends talking and giggling in the background, and I understood that they were making fun, or that there was some joke that I was missing. I basically hung up on him, didn’t give him a chance to explain himself (pretty classic me). An hour or so later, Mum mentioned to me that there was a strange boy loitering on our driveway…it was probably about 9pm at this point! We didn’t drive yet. Public transport between Eltham and Warrandyte was minimal, there was a bus that covered maybe half the distance, you then needed a car ride. Him being at my house was impossible. I went outside to speak to him and he explained that he had caught the last bus to Eltham and walked the rest of the way. it had taken him forever, and he had done that because I was not happy with him. This stands out to me, as an example of just how much he will do to make me happy. He did WAY MORE than he even should have! He’s a cute little hopeless romantic. Whenever we are trying to make a decision, choosing between option A or option B, his response is always ‘whatever you want/i just want you to be happy’. I had many years of worrying that he felt that he ‘had’ to agree or that I was being ‘difficult’ and I have on just started to see (how dense am I?!) that he genuinely only cares about what will make me happy. That is how he shows love. Perfect am I right?
D: It was early on in our relationship and she mimicked saying I love you to me by mouthing “colourful”. I responded by actually mouthing “I love you” but she didn’t know. I fell in love with Rebekah fast and hard.
Post Wedding.....
What Does Marriage Mean To You?
A celebration and promise of our love and commitment to each other.
What was the main inspiration behind your wedding day?
Celebrating with our friends and family! If we can get through a global pandemic, no issue was going to dampen our spirits!
How would you describe your day? How did you feel?
Perfect. Quite a few little issues that didn’t take away how happy we felt. It was such a long time coming, and geez did it go fast. Filled with joy, love and smiles.
What was your favourite part of the wedding day?
Finally reading our vows to each other. A very special memory that we will cherish. Having all our loved ones together after so much separation.
Were there any surprises or honourable mentions you’d like to talk about?
Wonderful, kind and hilarious speeches. Amazing bridal party.
How does it feel to be Mr & Mrs?!
Getting to celebrate our marriage with everyone was really special. It feels right. Our hearts are full.
Bride’s dress: Bridal Tailors
Groom’s outfit: Ferrari Formalwear & Bridal
Bridesmaids: Model Chic
Groomsmen: Ferrari Formalwear & bridal
Hair: Confidante Salon
Shoes: Windsor Smith Shoes Wild Rhino Shoes
Rings & Jewellery: Windfall Jewellery Uniform Black
Flowers: Elysia Helena
Cake: 3 Little Sparrows Custom Cakes
Celebrant: Amber The Celebrant
DJ/music & Photo Booth: Fedora Productions
Videographer: Edward Visuals
2nd Shooter Photographer, my wonderful daughter: Whitney Teluk
Venue: Vines Of The Yarra Valley