the rustic charm of cooks park b&b

check out this stunning location for weddings...

just down the road from our humble home is this gorgeous b&b...cooks park, run by Peter and Maria. besides the scenic location that showcases awesome sunsets across the glass estuary filled with 1000's of balck swans, the stylish and comfortable accomodation, and the incredible hospitality of peter and maria...the grounds boast the historic cooks cottage...a 1862 homestead built by the original settlers...

maria invited us over to see the cottage (heads up also to mike and jen at australia's own fj holdens who called us soon after visiting themselves) and also to promote the grounds for wedding ceremonies for couples who are looking for somewhere a little different..

here are a few images of the homestead...we think its just perfect for many photo opportunities - and especially for a trash the dress session...stay tuned for more details...

check out the crumbling fireplace....ooohhh - i'm getting so excited...then theres the windows and the half restored walls and - oh, just everything!

heres Daisy - doing her best 'bride' pose...he he he - see the wall behind her? it has all old original wall paper, half-peeling etc - just soooooo perfect...

another images of the cottage...so tranquil in the late afternoon...

and heres a few of the b&b...it is surrounded by farmland that horses graze upon and the views are to die for...

15 minutes from bunbury, and 5 minutes from belvedere beach...

choose from a king size waterfront room or a queen size room with rural views...just beautiful...

both rooms share a large well-equipped kitchen and a comfortable sitting area, with water views...

so if you are looking for somewhere different for your ceremony, or if you would like to organise somewhere fantastic for your guests to stay, go ahead and phone maria on 97960505 or visit her web at www.cookspark.com .

and if you would like to contact us about a FREE trash the dress session, possibly with make-up thrown in, go ahead - make the call! its about creation not destruction...that is what is promoted through websites both here and in the states - check them out here and here and here...

count your blessings...

our baby daisy, who was born 3 months premature, has undergone nearly 3 years of specialist check-ups and assessments - through kemh and pmh - to ensure all is well and developing...an excellent and reassuring program...attending her last one on thursday where she was discharged from the program and received gold stars and 100% marks and lots of sad goodbyes from loving staff...woo-hoo!

a few images of daisy in her first few scary, overwhelming, and hugely emotional months...

and a few of our little, supercharged, happy little tot...who loves having her hair cut by her great aunty...

and especially loves somersaults...

but loves running more...

and also posing for the camera...go figure...

whose first loves are - in order - nemo, dora, pooh bear and strawberries...soon to be overtaken by her new dora rubber boots which have somehow become superglued to her feet...

but who also loves dancing to thirsty merc and end of fashion...

and certainly loves make-up and dressing-up and being a real little three year old girl - completely oblivious to the frightening months of uncertainty and worry that her family experienced in 2005...

count your blessings...

how excited...

mike - being a normal, typical, joe-blo, average aussie fellow who is obsessed with stats and figures and numbers and techno mumbo jumbo - has just raced in to inform me we have had over 3000 hits to the blog in just under 5 months! woo-hoo...great news! thanks, in most part, to the lovely brides who frequent lifting the veil after helen and leon's blog post. uber sweet kind words were passed back and forth on this informative wa wedding forum about mike and i - check out the thread here - and we thank you clare, lainy and helen and all the lovely ladies most humbly..

here is an image of mike before reading the stats...farting around with his camera instead of helping me with the 57 loads of laundry, 12 breakfast messes and 35 pairs of shoes to remove from the front door due to school holidays and 6 kids and lots of photo editing...


and here he is again after reading the stats...he he he

love your work babe...x

greg and leanne 22nd march 2008

the sweetest, kindest couple ever - greg and leanne - were married at the council gardens in front of very suprised family and friends...as they actually romantically and privately exchanged vows at sunset on the beach the night before...but more on that later...

normally the first image on a post is a pretty bouquet, or a gorgeous gown...but this wedding was a little unique so here is an image of greg and his mates first up...looking fairly casual and relaxed when mike arrived - as most men only style up for the occassion 13.7 seconds before they are about to leave, this is a usual occurence when mike visits the boys home...



beautiful leanne and her uber sweet girlfriends were staying at grittleton lodge, which was truly spectacular and lush and soooo perfect for romantic images...this image was one of the first of the morning...

so many spots to hang the stunning gown...

leanne and the girls carried elegant fans - handmade by leannes mum...

while leanne was being pampered by naomi and renae from naes hair and beauty studio (love your work girls!) i stole the two best bridesmaids - these ladies know how to treat and spoil and look after a bride! - for a few portraits...

then it was 'lace up time' and a few laughs..

ta-dahh! one incredibly gorgeous bride...

leannes dad, snowy, is quite an emotional fellow (just between us, ok?) and dealing with the wedding of his only daughter was - at times - a bit too much. hey snowy...real men cry all the time...trust us, we know...here is snowy seeing his girl all frocked up...

looooovvve these bridesmaids - they were even great photog assistants!

see what i mean about grittleton lodge? ...

then it was off the ceremony (with a select few knowing what was about to occur)...about 2 minutes into the introductions, the lovely sarsha wetherall announced to the guests that the ceremony actually took place last night at sunset...here is leannes parents upon hearing the news...

and here are gregs parents...like most of the crowd - a little suprised...

this sweet delightful boy is dean, greg and leannes dear little boy...

with s super quick ceremony over, we travelled off in the luxury fjs from australias own to a few choice locations mike and i had sourced around the cbd of bunbury...this lovely archway belongs to the new premised of relationships australia - the cause of much amusement for all who arrived...

michael and the boys with the fjs are always willing to accomodate mikes weird requests (just drive up over that hill, reverse on a 45 degree angle, with headlights on, and wheels turned at exactly 56.3 degree angle...please) thanks fellas...

a little pink texture for a different mood...

thought the guys were laughing at my corny jokes..but no...

they were cracking up at the antics of my husband and the boys from holden...i just dont want to know...

as soon as we spotted this door we both had the exact image in mind...

i must say leanne perfected the mood and feel of what we had planned...

then these two (after quite a few wild turkeys) completely blew it clear out of the water...

form the back of the kia (thanks babe, i love how you always carry this on your head from location to location - nothing beats public acknowledgement of true devotion) comes the tub chair for a few portraits...

we normally capture the groom looking serious (mums love these) but depsite our best efforts, greg found it extremely difficult to look pensive...

no idea why he found it so difficult...

here is michael, from australias most wanted...oh, i mean australias own fj holdens...looking gorgeous...

a few more portraits before we lost light...

one of my favourites...

love this one too...

off to the rowing club, where all the tables had easter eggs!...yum...

a few sweet images for this beautiful young family...

but i couldnt tear myself away from this beautiful little child...

a relaxed image...

during the speeches...

this image of mikes, after snowys emotional speech, would have to be my fav of the day...moments like these are why we like to stay well into the night...

yummy, yummy cake...

i wonder if greg is thinking 1. what are you doing 2. do they actually take photos of this or 3. hubba hubba

heres gregs sister, the mc for the evening, and the fine sassy ladies she organised to run a smooth and flowing bar all evening...

every bar manager has to have one coyote ugly dance on the bar (or the esky anyway)...

tearing greg and leanne away from the guests on the balcony, we managed to sneak in a few moody night shots on the banks of the leschenault inlet...

greg and leanne, and all your fab, crazy, amazing friends and family....thank you ever so much for allowing us to share in an incredible day...we were so honoured to be included in the thank yous during your speech...i'm glad you three enjoyed a well earned, relaxing break on daydream island...mike and i sincerely wish you many blessings for your future...looking forward to the next time we meet for the burnout photo shoot!

snowy...many many thanks for the very kind words...and the wine!!

kick ass total - mike 73, kylie 4...but hey, my portrait images of the lovely ladies were damn fine...but that fellow of mine definately rocked the red door...