It seems almost unbelievable; that a couple of years ago same-sex marriage was illegal in Melbourne. That we were all subjected to a horrific vote to see if our love was valid enough to get married; a right that all heterosexual couples had from the very start. As a member of the queer community myself; I’ll always remember nervously waiting to hear the results of that plebiscite. When we finally got the “Yes” I was so ecstatic that I immediately burst into tears. Not only because it finally meant that I personally could marry who I wanted when the time comes; but also because it meant that so many wonderful couples who have been oh so in love for many years could as well.

It was one more step towards acceptance and legitimacy, something that so, so many members of the LGBTQIA+ have fought incredibly hard for over hundreds of years. But it was even more than that; the previous words of the marriage act, defining it as the union between a man and women to the exclusion of all others. For me and many others it always felt like a bit of a punch in the guts.

There were ways around it; I’ve seen celebrants and couples instruct audience members to block their ears, speak about how they didn’t agree with that and many other things; but legally those words had to be said. It’s so lovely now that nobody's wedding has to include exclusionary words. That a marriage is simply the union of two people in love; as it always should have been. 

Hearing that at the first wedding post ‘yes’ vote was pretty special. I was far from the only person who felt that way, and the couple was thrilled that the celebration of their love would no longer have to include the exclusion of anyone else. 

I’m so excited to hear more “I dos” from couples that have waited a lifetime for their moment. That’s why I’m incredibly passionate about celebrating and doccumenting queer love with queer wedding photography in Melbourne and across Australia.