Craig's Sneaky 50th
Who doesn’t love a good surprise? Especially when it involves turning a 50th birthday party into an undercover wedding mission packed with laughter and fun! As a Port Macquarie wedding photographer, I've witnessed some pretty unique 'I do's,' but this one absolutely took the (birthday) cake. When Shannon and Craig hit me up about their master plan for a 'not-really-Craig’s-50th-birthday-but-actually-a-surprise-wedding,' I was instantly onboard! This wedding had FUN written all over it in neon lights. The scheme was genius: guests thought they were showing up to celebrate Craig’s big 5-0, but little did they know, they were about to get front-row seats to a wedding!
The Big Sneaky Attack
Shannon, the bride, pulled off the ultimate car park quick-change. Yes, you read that right. There she was, transforming from party guest to bride in Lighthouse Beach Surf Club's car park! Not your average bridal suite! I met her there, it’s fair to say my nerves were shot. Shannon’s good friend Sarah Buckley was there, too, giving her the final undie adjustment (because, let’s face it, are you really even friends if you won't help a mate out of a tight wedgie situation on their wedding day). I was as jittery as a caffeine addict at a coffee convention, lucky Shannon was there to calm MY nerves! I don't usually get nervous before a wedding, but this time I was overthinking everything so much I was practically ready to fake my own kidnapping to avoid ruining the surprise—thankfully, Shannon was there to talk me off the ledge!
A big warm hug after the final adjustments. Who needs a mirror when you have a good mate to give you the final look over.
Shannon cool as a cucumber in her hiding spot. Me not so much I'm surprised this is in focus I was shaking that much!
And Then Came the Wedding…
With cameras dangling off me, I ascended the stairs, trying to look like the cool, collected professional wedding photographer I was pretending to be. Craig, meanwhile, was up on the balcony, belting out tunes with his band. When he spotted me, he knew his bride-to-be wasn’t far behind. Like me, he was a bundle of nerves, but Shannon? Still cool as a cucumber. Shannon made her entrance behind me as Craig somehow managed to continue serenading the guests, who were still blissfully unaware of what was about to go down. It wasn’t until Craig switched up the tune to “I’m Too Sexy” (yep, that happened) and started stripping into his wedding attire that the entire crowd caught on. Suddenly, what they thought was a 50th birthday party turned into a full-blown wedding! Craig even rocked some very impressive “Groom” undies.
I wish I could tell you I shot this on my 70-200mm zoom lens from afar...nope that would be my 35mm prime lens from about 35mm away!!!
Enter Wedding Ceremony
Their good mate, Matt Thompson, quickly changed from band member to wedding celebrant. Shannon brought the feels to the wedding ceremony with her serious side, while Craig kept everyone laughing with his outrageous antics. We then snuck down to the beach for some photos before heading back to the party.
Some fun at sunset on Lighthouse Beach. I love this part of the wedding day as its the first time the couple really gets to connect.
Everyone needs a mate like Matt, from band member, to wedding celebrant to MC. What a legend!
Shannon showing off her new ring.
Hello Party Time!
Now, let me tell you about that reception. Matt handed out sparklers—not just to a select few, but to the entire wedding. Talk about an epic entrance! Char Bar Catering delivered some seriously delicious food, and the speeches? Short, sweet, and straight from the heart. The only speech was written for Craig’s “50th birthday,” but when Craigs new brother in-law realised he was now delivering a wedding speech, he went off-script and spoke from the heart, tears and all.
And just when I thought this wedding couldn’t get any more fun, out came the choreographed dance routine and a conga line. I mean, seriously, bring me all the fun weddings!
I'm not sure what this move is but Craig sure seemed to enjoy it.
Stay Tuned...
If you think this wedding was wild, wait until you hear about my next one. Let’s just say it involved a bucking bull, Mr. Whippy, a jumping castle, Buzz Lightyear, Where’s Wally, several human sized chickens, The Adams Family and a man dressed as a tractor. Yep, you heard me right.
If you’re looking for a photographer who’s all about fun, candid wedding photography, then I’m your girl! Whether you’re planning a surprise wedding, an all-out party, or something in between, I’ll be there with my cameras ready, laughing along with you!
Book Your Fun Wedding with Kris from Kristen Shaw Photography
If you’re planning your own epic wedding, let’s chat! As a Port Macquarie wedding photographer, I love working with couples who are ready to have a blast on their big day. Contact me today, and let’s make some magic happen!
Fastly becoming my signature shot of the boys. This is the part where I say "Ok, now on the count of 3 we drop him, 1, 2 ...."