Courtney + Callum - The Olive Estate Swan Valley Wedding

A Wedding Amongst The Olive Trees

High school sweethearts Courtney and Callum made it official on 9 April 2022 when they tied the knot and said their vows in front of loved ones at a beautiful outdoor wedding.

Whilst Callum, his groomsmen and his family got ready at his home, Courtney took herself to prepare at the Olive Estate in Henley Brook with her side of the bridal party. For Callum, it was an opportunity to capture some intimate – and fun – moments with mates and loved ones (as well as his dog!), and for Courtney, it was a time for the day to be all about her and celebrating a relationship with the man she loved.

With champagne flowing, make-up complete and hair in place, it wasn’t long before time called for Courtney to put on her wedding gown and have her bridal party and mum place all the finishing touches on her. Before we all knew it, I indicated to Courtney to grab her floral bouquet so we could begin portraits as I’d taken notice of some sheer curtains in one of the rooms and was keen to use it as a backdrop. After family photos though, I could see Courtney was eager to get going for her First Look shoot with Callum (a First Look is an intimate moment between bride and groom before the wedding ceremony so that they have some quiet time together to calm the nerves and take in the day that lies ahead of them). Personally, I absolutely love doing First Look sessions because they’re the one moment within the excitement of an entire celebration where the bride and groom can take a deep breath in the quiet of their own company with no other soul around. Courtney and Callum embraced their First Look immediately and relaxed into one another as we took advantage of the extra time to get some pre-ceremony photos on the verandah of Olive Estate. We took some cheeky bridal party pics too!

The ceremony was outside, with an arbour placed underneath a galley of olive trees. With autumn already in full swing, there was a lot of fallen foliage to carpet the ground, leaving the entire venue feeling more rustic than usual. I took plenty of photos of the guests and groomsmen as they waited for Courtney to arrive, and before long, everyone took their seats and watched in awe as the bride was led down the white ‘aisle’ towards her husband-to-be. It was even the most beautiful surprise when Callum had arranged for the couple’s dog to make an appearance as ring bearer!

It was smiles and cheers all around as Courtney and Callum said their vows to one another, and it was incredibly easy for me to get into as many positions as possible at this ceremony because of the outdoor venue. There’s so much freedom here, and I love it when the bride and groom are more than happy for me to get anywhere at any time to get all the shots I need.

After the newlyweds signed their official documents and made their way back up the aisle, we quickly took some family pictures before moving the bridal party onto different parts of the property and getting started with the celebratory shoot.

Let me just say, that Courtney looked like the absolute Queen standing amongst the olive trees; she looked the picture perfect image. And it wasn’t long before the real fun(ny) side of the bridal party took over, so we had a ball during this particular shoot – I’ll let the photos speak for themselves!

The reception was also held at Olive Estate, but the newlyweds opted to party outdoors rather than in. The lush lawn, fairy lights and wooden décor made for a casual affair where everyone could relax and simply celebrate Courtney and Callum; games of Jenga began to get competitive, polaroids were taken at every spare minute, and the bridal party’s entrance was second-to-none! After sentimental speeches (and a couple more games of Jenga) the father-daughter dance was a very touching moment, with all eyes on the two as they took to the dance floor. The rest of the evening went by beautifully, the happy couple mingling with their guests, cutting the wedding cake, and inviting everyone to kick off their shoes to get the party started.

Congratulations Courtney and Callum on a stunning wedding day and I thank you from the bottom of my heart for letting me be a part of it to capture all your special moments. I wish you both a lifetime of happiness and an eternity of Jenga!