For highschool sweethearts Joseph and Kellimay, the beach is their happy place. And so it made sense that when they decided to tie the knot (on their 15th anniversary no less!) in secret, that they’d do it with sand between their toes. Autumn at Belongil Beach set the scene, the pair inviting Bird and Boy Photography to make sure their wedding was captured in stunning detail. “We love vintage and boho style so we really tried our best to bring this together and make it work” says Kellimay. “We knew we wanted a relaxed, stress-free, happy atmosphere that what all about the two of us (and our minions).”

So how did they meet? It was at the fresh young age of fifteen! “I met Joseph at high school, we were 15 when we first met” explains Kellimay. “We dated for a couple of weeks, things ended. We remained friends and got together again when we were 19.”

Many years and two kids later, marriage was the natural next step. “It was on the cards for us a long time, having two kids delayed it a tad (four years to be exact lol) then we reached a point where we thought, stuff it lets just get it done.”

Coastal lovers, this is just the beginning!

Kellimay really wanted sunflowers to feature throughout the day in arrangements styled by Lola’s Wildflowers.  “They represent happiness to me” she says. “They remind me of my Nana & Mum (who live in NZ) and my best friend who lives in America. I couldn’t have been happier with my flowers.”

Wanting their day to be as easy and as fuss-free as possible, these two hired Hitched In Paradise to plan every detail – from the flowers to the celebrant, to the transport!

Joseph knew what he wanted to wear from the get-go tells the bride. “Joseph knows his style. He was very specific with the look he was going for, he got inspo from all sorts of looks on Instagram, and picked areas out of each one.”

As for Kellimay, she wore a simple dress from Asos. “I’m not one to spend hundreds of dollars on a dress I’ll wear once. I knew I wanted lace and a halter neck style if I could find it. I was lucky enough to find exactly what I wanted on ASOS for such a reasonable price.”

The couple’s daughter and Kellimay herself walked down the aisle to Brooke Fraser’s “Without You”.

Benjamin Carlyle made it official. “Our ceremony was very relaxed, our whole day was actually – it didn’t feel like we were getting married at all! It was calm, go with the flow vibe which was exactly what we wanted.”

One of the couple’s favourite parts of the day was being able to include their children. “It was exactly what we wanted and how we spoke about it in our planning the months leading up.”

Kellimay and Joseph adored their choice of photographers. “This husband and wife team are so professional and make you feel like you’ve known each other for years. Guides you on how to pose without making you feel stupid! The kindest most genuine couple. They also did our videography which was nothing short of spectacular. Can’t recommend this duo enough!”

“The wedding…make it your own!” advises Kellimay. “Don’t succumb to cultural or societal expectations because at the end of the day it’s about YOU and the love you have for each other that got you to where you are today. Don’t sweat the small stuff, have both parties involved and have fun! Keep love, understanding and consideration at the centre of your planning because after all, it’s a team event.”

And it was once the sun set, that one of Kellimay and Joseph’s favourite memories unfolded. “The end of our day; eating pizza with our babies on some crappy chair outside the shop. Trackies on, full face of make-up, Joe still in his attire with an added hoodie, kids buzzing from being up so late. It was just us. In that moment, happy as Larry – we finally did it and it was everything we wanted and more.”

The couple’s favourite shot? “There’s a photo of all four of us on the train tracks, we were just about to wrap up photos and then out popped this beautiful rainbow. The combi even made an appearance. It’s the best one by far.”

A big congratulations to your family Kellimay and Joseph! Thank you for taking the time to share the stories of your day with us. Thank you also to Bird and Boy Photography for sharing today’s beautiful story with us!