Rob and Jordon got married under a giant old tree at Belair National Park in November 2026, in front of the people they love most and with their three cats, in the words of their celebrant, "here in traces of fur". The ceremony was led by my wife, Grace Moriarty of Gathering With Grace, and it was one of the warmest, funniest and most personal ceremonies I've photographed.
The rehearsal
A couple of Sundays before the wedding we all met at Belair for a rehearsal. Grace walked everyone through the ceremony on the lawn where the chairs would go, then we ran it again inside the hall. For me it's the best kind of prep: I get to work out the light, where everyone will stand and where I need to be, so on the day I can just focus on the moments.
Little details, big personalities
The day was full of Rob and Jordon. Personalised wine glasses in every colour of the rainbow, a bottle of whisky and a hip flask set on display, and two Poké Balls that would play a starring role later on. Front and centre was a chair kept for Rob's mum. Grace acknowledged her at the start of the ceremony: she got to meet Jordon, and she would have been incredibly proud.
From a cheeseburger bribe to husbands
Grace's story of how they met had the whole crowd laughing. In May 2017, Rob's sister lured him to a mutual friend's party with the promise of a cheeseburger. Jordon, meanwhile, had already done what any self-respecting single person would do and Facebook-stalked the "hot single brother". They locked eyes across the room, ended up sitting next to each other and bonded over Pokémon and gaming. As Grace put it, like any good Pokémon, their relationship evolved: from strangers to friends, to partners and finally, in its final form, husbands.
The proposal story was just as good. On 17 February 2021, Jordon had a scan that confirmed a full Achilles tear from netball. While he was at the scan, Rob claimed he was off to the dentist and instead stayed home to set up a scavenger hunt. He proposed in their decorated alfresco, Jordon said yes, and then they spent the next six hours in emergency getting a cast on Jordon's foot.
Vows with tight bed corners
Their promises were perfectly them. Jordon promised to put up with Rob making up new lyrics to songs and singing the same line over and over, to appreciate that the bed will always be made with the tightest of tucked-in corners, and to accept that Rob will always suggest better directions. Rob promised to let Jordon tickle him, to accept that Jordon's silent feet will forever scare the bejeebies out of him, and to turn a blind eye to Jordon's dishwasher stacking. Even their everyday goodbye made it into the ceremony: "Goodbye, love you, drive safe, don't do drugs, make good choices."
Watches, not rings
Instead of rings, Rob and Jordon exchanged watches, carried in by their watch bearers in a pair of Poké Balls. As Grace explained, a watch is a reminder to always be on time and never keep each other waiting (or perhaps to keep track of when Jordon is about to take the cookies out of the oven). Then came the words everyone was waiting for: husbands.
Hugs, portraits and cupcakes
After the signing came the hugs, plenty of them, then the wedding party, a few quiet portraits among the trees and the big group photo with everyone on the lawn. Rob's dad Malcolm doubled as DJ for the day, and there were cupcakes to finish.
Planning a wedding at Belair National Park?
- Do a rehearsal. A quick run-through a few weeks out means everyone knows where to stand, and the day runs smoothly.
- Make it yours. Poké Balls, watches instead of rings, a chair for someone who's missed: the personal touches are what people remember.
- Book your celebrant and photographer together. Grace and I work as a team, so you get one point of contact and a ceremony we've both planned for.
Celebrant: Grace Moriarty, Gathering With Grace. Photography: Dylan Sanders, Sanderism.
Planning your wedding?
I photograph weddings and elopements across Adelaide and the Adelaide Hills, and you can book Grace and me together as a celebrant + photographer package. Sneak peek within 48 hours, full gallery within 12 weeks.
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