We started the day by the Swan River, with the city skyline sitting across the water and the cyclists rolling past, because a good wedding story always opens with where you are. Then it was off to George, getting ready south of the river, where it was jacaranda season and the whole street had turned purple. We found him and two of his groomsmen already in white shirts and bow ties and, naturally, plugged in: drums, bass and a blue electric guitar for one last jam before the biggest gig of his life.
George then stepped outside, hopped on his electric skateboard in a full tuxedo and rolled down the middle of the road grinning. His six groomsmen fell in behind him under the jacarandas, and we walked backwards in front of them, shooting wide so the purple canopy framed every one of them. Our tip for the groom’s side: give us a little street or garden near home. Ten minutes outside is worth an hour in the lounge room.
Across the river, Claire was getting ready high up in Crown Towers Perth, with the pools, the palms and the river laid out below the window. Claire is Canadian, and her parents and bridesmaids had flown in from Canada and America for the wedding, so the suite had the buzz of a reunion. Her five bridesmaids in blush satin robes raised coupes of bubbly around her while her gown hung in the floor-to-ceiling glass, waiting its turn.
It was worth the wait: a strapless ballgown traced with swirls of silver beading, sheer pearl-dotted sleeves and a veil with a wide, floaty hem. When the dress went on, Claire threw both arms in the air while her mum fluffed out the tulle, which tells you everything about the mood in that room. Hotel prep tip: ask for a high floor and keep the curtains open. Big windows give soft, even light and a view that says exactly where you are.
St Joseph’s Church in Subiaco set the tone for the afternoon. Built in the 1930s in the Interwar Gothic style, it is all pointed arches, tall lancet windows and a bright, domed sanctuary, and Claire and George said their vows there with their bridal party lined up on either side of the altar.
Church ceremonies ask a photographer to be quiet and patient, so we worked without flash from the aisle and the side walls, a long lens for faces and a wide one for the whole sanctuary. The first kiss got a cheer, Claire thrust her bouquet into the air on the way back down the aisle, and outside she lifted George’s hand high like they had just won a title fight.
Then it was west to the coast. Cottesloe Civic Centre sits above Cottesloe Beach, a white Spanish Mission house wrapped in Norfolk Island pines, wide lawns and long stone balustrades, and it is made for a bridal party. The bridesmaids mobbed Claire and George for a kiss on the lawn, then the whole crew sprawled across the terrace stairs while we stood back and let the happy chaos run. Perth’s afternoon sun is fierce, so we kept it behind the group and borrowed the pines for shade. Down on the sand, the sea breeze caught Claire’s veil and George leaned in cheek to cheek.
Back in the city, the Supreme Court Gardens gave us a leafy pocket of the Perth CBD between Barrack Street and the river: big old trees, palms and the columns of the Supreme Court peeking through. The canopy throws open shade even in strong sun, which is gold for portraits and the reason we love a garden wedding stop right in the middle of the city.
George dipped Claire for a kiss and the veil spilled down to the path, and Claire twirled her skirt with her bouquet up like she was conducting the whole garden. In between, the girls took a breather on a bench, Claire crouched in the grass to catch up with them, and George just stood there beaming. Then the champagne came out and the bridal party strolled through the palms like they owned the place.
Perth Town Hall is a short walk away, so walk we did: up the steps and through the old iron gates, a quick kiss on some sandstone steps, then the whole crowd crossing the road together, dresses swishing and jackets flapping. Built between 1867 and 1870, it is the only town hall in Australia built by convicts, and its red brick clock tower still holds its own against the glass towers around it.
Inside, the Main Hall was set for 65 guests: long tables on polished jarrah, timber roof trusses overhead, festoon lights strung end to end and a swagged blue curtain across the stage. Claire and George walked in hand in hand through the arched doorway to cheers.
Speeches came in two rounds, with Claire’s mum and dad and George first, then George’s dad, the maid of honour and the best man later in the night, and by the time the first dance came around the room was well and truly warmed up. Claire and George rested their foreheads together under the stage lights, the bridal party circled the floor, and then the music lifted, Claire grabbed a glass of champagne and George spun her straight into the party.
We filmed the day too, so watch Claire and George’s wedding film. These Perth Town Hall wedding photos are why we love an urban city wedding: a heritage church, a beach detour, a garden stroll and a Perth CBD wedding reception in a hall that has hosted more than 150 years of parties, all in one day. See more of our heritage wedding photography, our garden wedding photos or our Perth wedding photos.
