People wearing colorful and eccentric costumes dancing and celebrating outdoors on a sandy surface.
Two women dressed in elaborate, colorful costumes laughing and sharing a joyful moment outdoors. One is holding a microphone and a paper, the other is dressed in a red feathered headpiece and matching accessories.

A Modern
ancient love.

Hi my sweethearts, I’m Carly, a Sydney-based Wedding Photographer and here we believe in diversity, creativity and FUN. Here we believe the celebration of Love belongs to everyone…

Whilst the patriarchy has done some weird things to weddings in the last few centuries, if you go back far enough, they were always ancient pagan spells. Loaded with ritual, community and dress up. You see human beings have been ritualising and celebrating love with ceremony and intention since …well since language and fire. 

A person with a shaved head and beard, dressed in a red corset and black skirt, dancing outdoors with eyes closed and a smile, wearing elaborate headgear with colorful decorations and long sticks, in a park on a sunny day.

It’s who we are.

It’s what we do.

Let’s Reclaim and Reimagine.

I think we’re living in fascinating times. Amidst the rise of fascist and patriarchal forces, we‘ve also been living through a renaissance of reclaiming and reimagining spaces.

To repopulate them with the full colour, diversity and magic that reflects all of us; as they once used to. And I bloody love this. Because whilst we must understand our ‘No’s’ and raise our voices to protect ourselves and the more vulnerable, the real revolution is the Yeses we choose to ‘reimagine and create in their place’, (adrienne maree brown).

I see us bringing Yeses to lots of places in our lives: our Art, music, festivals, how we show up in our communities and personal relationships . Yet when it comes to weddings, I find these are one of the last spaces we are yet to fully reclaim from patriarchal handling. I think this is because many see weddings as owned or created by the patriarchy; therefore tend toward subscribing to their traditions or boycotting them entirely. 

  • Two women share a kiss in a brightly lit arcade with pink lighting and pink claw machine prizes.
  • Two women smiling and touching foreheads in a pink-walled room with checkered black and white tiles, pink fencing, and a bouquet of roses on the counter.
  • Two people, one bald woman with dreadlocks and another man with dark skin and an afro, are smiling and relaxing outdoors near a brick wall. They are dressed in vibrant pink clothing and jewelry, enjoying a joyful moment together.
  • Close-up of a woman wearing a black sheer dress with sequined cutouts in pink, purple, orange, and silver. She has multiple rings on her fingers and long, decorated nails, with her hands placed on her stomach.
  • A man and woman sitting in red theater seats, smiling and talking to each other.
  • Man looking at himself in a mirror with lipstick shaped like a lipstick tube in the foreground
  • A man in colorful, patterned clothing is holding a woman wearing a bright yellow dress and pink high-heeled boots. They are outdoors with trees and pavement in the background, smiling and enjoying each other's company.
  • A person holding a yellow lotus flower-shaped arrangement with a small round yellow object in the center, dressed in a yellow and orange patterned garment.
  • Two people dressed in colorful, vintage-style costumes standing in front of a brick building with a large emblem that reads "Blood and Fire Salvation Army." One person has dark hair styled in buns and is wearing a puffy, light blue dress with ruffled details, while the other has curly hair and is dressed in a white shirt with a blue patterned vest and pants.
  • A man and woman dressed in wedding attire, sitting in a colorful vintage shop, drinking from white cups, with pink tulle skirts under their suits, surrounded by shelves of ceramics and decorative items.
  • Two men in colorful, flamboyant outfits, one standing and one sitting, in a decorated room with framed art and warm lighting, enjoying a conversation with drinks.
  • Two men smiling and close together, holding decorated glasses, in a lively, colorful setting.

Which is why I am so passionate about reminding you

(my sweet darlings), that binaries tend to be an illusion everywhere; and we exist to explore and live in the nuance between them.

Your wedding belongs to you and is held in a collective consciousness far greater, wiser and more ancient than the fragility of recent patriarchal times.

Your wedding is actually an ancient spell. And spells are most powerful, more transformative for everyone, when they creatively express who you authentically are… just the way you want to. 

A man and woman embrace on a colorful outdoor backdrop with yellow fabric and red rocks, showing an intimate moment.
An older man with gray hair and a beard, dressed in black, is crouched outdoors near some bushes. He is holding a smoldering smudge stick close to his face and appears to be blowing smoke. In his other hand, he holds a lighter or small blowtorch. There is a rusted tray on the ground in front of him with some objects on it.
A black and white photo of a couple embracing outdoors, with the woman wearing a dress covered in large sequins and the man holding her close with their faces touching.
Two women in traditional Japanese kimonos sharing a kiss outdoors during daytime, with green trees and a building in the background.
A man wearing a white shirt with a paper hat on his head, smiling and outdoors with others in the background.
A woman in a pink dress and flowing pink cape standing at a door, with pink and purple neon lighting illuminating the interior, which contains pink tables and stools.
A man and woman in period costumes standing on a staircase looking up at the camera, taken from above.

So this is your permission, your invitation, your reminder, to deeply explore your Yeses.

From where, to who, to how. From honouring Country, to script, poems, theme, dress, decor and ritual. This is your spell, and every ingredient you throw in the cauldron, it matters.

The gatekeeping is over my darlings! We are repopulating these spaces with the colour of our hearts, and bringing your people along for the ride.

And I am here to help you! With tips, hacks, love, support, giggles, hand-holding and parent-whispering to not only cheer-lead your creating it… but to photograph all the exquisite magic so you can keep it forever. So rummage through this website. Go take a peek at the gallery, see if the photos and the feels resonate. Check out the FAQs to get a sense of what it’s like to work with me.

Group of people holding hands, dressed in colorful and elegant clothing, during an outdoor ceremony.
woman in colourful cuddle puddle party on beach at platonic wedding

if you need any more permission to do things your way.

Go take a peek at my wedding; where I married 40 of my dearest friends on a magical island, in an Ode to Platonic Love, and a permission spell for all.