Raymond and Alexander: A Look Inside Their Country Wedding
"Marriage is something we both take very seriously. The fact we can get married when so many before us couldn't is something we don't take for granted. It means commitment, perseverance, selflessness. It strengthens and informs our decision-making every day." - Raymond & Alexander.
Photography Tempo Weddings | Venue Cooks Co Op
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How and when did you meet?
Alexander: We first met 16 years ago through work. Neither of us can remember the exact date and place but there was most likely a bar involved!
Tell us a little about the first time you met?
Raymond: As Alex said we met many years ago, but it wasn’t until 12 or so years later that we went from great mates to something more!
What was the first thing you noticed about each other?
Alexander: His smile, and his love of a good time.
Raymond: His sense of humour!
Tell us about the standout moments in your relationship?
Alexander: There have been quite a few. Telling all our mutual friends we were a couple got some priceless reactions. Buying an apartment, getting engaged and most of all our wedding day. It was everything we had hoped for and more.
What does marriage mean to you?
Alexander: Marriage is something we both take very seriously. The fact we can get married when so many before us couldn’t is something we don’t take for granted. It means commitment, perseverance, selflessness. It strengthens and informs our decision-making every day.
Who proposed and how?
Alexander: We both did. On the couch, at home over a steak and a bottle of red wine.
Raymond: It just happened spontaneously. Luckily we both said yes!
When did you get married?
October 12th, 2019.
Raymond & Alexander’s story continues below the gallery. ↓
What was the main influence behind your wedding day?
Raymond: We both love nature and have big families so we set about creating a day that could be both intimate, outdoors and full of spontaneity.
What was the most important thing to you surrounding your wedding?
Alexander: That we enjoyed it! You spend so long planning the day (so long) that we really wanted to give everything time to breathe so we could enjoy it.
We’re both producers so we took a lot of lessons from our work and applied them here. Less is definitely more!
Where did you find the bulk of your inspiration?
Raymond: We were inspired by our venue, knowing that we wanted to wear black tie and our love of music!
How did you choose your suppliers?
Alexander: We’re lucky enough to know a lot of amazingly talented people through our work which meant we knew a lot of people already. Those we didn’t know we were introduced by mutual friends or colleagues.
Any standout suppliers?
Raymond: All of them! Our photographer Karina Lee from Tempo Weddings was outstanding as was our celebrant Cathy Murray. Oscar Hunt did a great job of dealing with all of Alex’s pre-wedding suit anxiety ☺ and we honestly couldn’t have had better food and venue than Cooks Co-Op and our stylist/floral designer Sally King.
Did you find it difficult to translate more common traditions into a ‘same-sex’ wedding?
Alexander: This was the fun part!
We threw the rule book out and did whatever we wanted.
The wedding party comprised of 4 girls, 4 guys. We all got ready together and they stood behind us in pairs. The most special part was when our mothers walked us down the aisle. Mums rarely get to do that - and there wasn’t a dry eye in the house!
Any surprises on your wedding day? Or anything that didn’t go to plan?
Raymond: Rain! Luckily the venue had an amazing barn so we got married surrounded by bales of hay! Even though it wasn’t what we planned it made the ceremony even more intimate and special. It’s a cliché but it all turned out perfectly.
Alexander: Also one of our groomsmen Tom and one of our best friends Paula burst into spontaneous song in the middle of the ceremony singing Never Tear Us Apart by INXS. The whole crowd joined in. They had pre-planned it but we had no idea!! It was amazing.
What was the most difficult thing about planning your wedding?
Alexander: Staying sane and keeping the guest list under control. I kept inviting people and Raymond had to keep reminding me we had a limit !
Any advice for other couples planning their day and finding it difficult to navigate the journey?
Alexander: Take your time and do it your way.
Raymond: You can’t please everyone so make the decisions you are both happy with and the rest will follow.
Suppliers
Photography Tempo Weddings
Film Ben Fogarty
Venue and Catering Cooks Co Op
Celebrant Cathy Murray
Tailors Oscar Hunt Tailors
Florals Moon Flower Artistry
Rings Uniform Black
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