We are wedding photographers, explorers, breeders (we have three incredible children), adventurers. Our favourite pastimes are family beach hangs, nature walks, eating great food and Netflix.
We met 10 years ago through mutual friends after completing a 2009 snow season (at different resorts). It was during a live band set at The Corner Hotel, Melbourne that we ‘locked faces’. Through extreme highs and lows, we have continually grown with each other (or patiently waited while the other caught up).
Keshia: I have found the perfect home in Steve (Toga). Toga grounds me. He has an incredible way of looking after me when he knows I am burnt out. Also, he is exceptionally good looking! Steve: The thing I love most about Keshia is she forces me to look after myself. She will tell me I need to go for a surf, or a rock climb, or a jog. I take inspiration from the way she is constantly learning and evolving, and the way she cares for Willow, Humphrey and Ruedy. And she is an absolute bombshell!
We have faced pretty serious challenges: money struggles, running a business, buying a house, renovating said house while pregnant, with a toddler, caring for a sick family member. Then free birthing our baby boy on the day we lost Keshia’s father. But it’s truly made us stronger. The proposal is still a joke among friends. We’d been together for six years, with one beautiful child. I have no idea why I was so nervous. I had all these plans for this grandiose proposal, then started second-guessing myself. So at one of our favourite places, the beach at Byron Bay, I got down on one knee and proposed. Keshia said yes, but being wedding photographers (and hearing many a proposal story) the bar was set high. The wedding made up for it, though.
We had organised our accommodation (where we held the reception), the castle ruins of Gallipoli for the ceremony, a traditional Pizzica band from Puglia, a menu, and the rest we did on the day. We chose historical sites that had seen many stories and wanted the incredible detail of these places to be the focal point. We wanted to let Italy and Puglia do most of the styling for us.
Keshia: I approached my sister to design my dress. We fell pregnant shortly after we organised the wedding and our six-week trip around Italy. She had to create a pattern (on my ever-changing body), find the material and a seamstress in just over eight weeks’ time. She totally pulled it off. I wore the shoes my mother wore when she married my father. It was really special. Toga’s vows blew my mind. He even translated a line into Italian. I melted. Steve: I’m so glad we only had immediate family there. It was amazing to be able to share these moments with our nearest and dearest. Keshia’s dress, and just the goddess Keshia is, was my highlight. Our daughter Willow presenting us with our rings was pretty damn special as well.
Photography: James Frost Photography | Groom’s outfit: Industrie | Bride’s dress: Designed by bride’s sister Shafaye Gesundheit , sewn by Cherry Collins | Videography: Wander and Follow | Celebrant: Apulian Weddings | Groom’s ring: David Neale | Bride’s rings: Suzi Zutic and Natalia Milosz-Piekarska both at Pieces of Eight Gallery | Venue: Castello Di Gallipoli | Entertainment: I Calanti Pizzica | Groom’s shoes: Vintage Wittners at Aquila | Planner: Frederica Musco at Thinking Traveller |
