Caitlin and Will were the first couple to marry at Winnifred's on Arthur in Fortitude Valley - Brisbane's remarkable new champagne house and French bistro - and it's hard to imagine a better pair to have that honour.
For the uninitiated: Winnifred's is unlike anything else in the city. Founder Megan Nunn and architect Tim Stewart transformed a former furniture warehouse at 34 Arthur Street into a Champagne maison - five distinct spaces named after the subregions of Champagne, over 15,000 bottles of grower Champagne in the cellar, bespoke artworks, velvet textures, and a recycled brick facade concealing 96 solar panels. It's considered, beautiful, and completely its own thing.
What made it even better for this shoot is that Caitlin and Will aren't just clients who booked a nice venue - they're regulars. They know the staff, they know the wine list, and they genuinely love this place. That familiarity is hard to fake and impossible to manufacture, and it comes through in the images.
Brisbane sent a bit of rain through mid-afternoon, which did nothing to the mood and quite a lot for the light. The soft, diffuse glow you get after a shower, filtered through Winnifred's warm interior, was quietly perfect.
Because they know every corner of the space, Caitlin and Will wanted to photograph all of it - the champagne garden at the entrance, the cellar bar, the bistro floor, the private upstairs rooms. We moved through the building without any real agenda, which is the best way. The gallery reflects that: relaxed, exploratory, unposed.
As a Brisbane wedding photographer, being present for a first - the first ceremony in a space that will go on to host many - is a good reminder of why this job is worth doing. Congratulations, Caitlin and Will.
