Location: Yuin land, Tathra Beach, NSW

We celebrated Sam + Ash’s love story on the land of the Yuin People captured by Zoe of, Weddings by Zoe.

Marry Us Sally – NSW wedding celebrant-intimate-beach-tathra-wedding-weddings-by-Zoe-photographer — Weddings by Zoe

Sam + Ash had guests who travelled from all over and it meant the world to them, to have so many of their people in Tathra for the occasion.

Not only were they stoked to have the beautiful Tathra beach and the old hall for their party…Tathra itself is very special to Ash + Sam, they are both drawn to the energy of the area. For Ash, her grandparents would bring their families to Tathra for holiday’s. Ash’s folks continued the tradition and their family pretty much spent every summer, Easter and long weekend on that beach!

Tathra is more of a recent discovery for Sam (he was more of a ‘Tuross kid’). Early on, it was the first place Ash took Sam and his daughters, Ava + Siena. They all fell in love with the place. Sam loves that Tathra feels right on the edge of where the ocean changes, there’s a sense rawness and abundance there. It will come as no surprise, their family unit go down whenever they can… and one day, they’d like to call this place home, not just their home away from home.

To Sam + Ash, marriage is choosing to journey together with an open heart and keeping faith in the union, through the all the seasons. Their Individual lives are enriched, nurtured and deepened when shared.

Marriage is the union, not just of Sam + Ash, but also Ava, Siena + India. Sam and Ash have chosen a life together and they are made that commitment to each other and their daughters.

As to when they met? Read on, this is a fun one.

Sam + Ash’s beginnings were a bit of a slow burn, they met through Sam’s Café (Barrio), there is a lot to the story but it feels more important to say that it wasn’t rushed. Chit chats were had whilst Ash waited for her flat white. She sensed that Sam had a unique view of the world and her eyes were being opened in a new way.

At some point, the stars aligned and a relationship was on the table, Sam was IN. He had strong clarity but was aware that Ash needed time after the end of a long relationship, so he had to play it cool and hope to God she felt the same.

Irrespective of the mutually strong feelings, after a few dates, Ash set off to Thailand for some soul searching. Sam thought, “…well there goes that” with a pretty sore heart. He pictured Ash having some ‘Eat Love Pray’ moment and meeting an exotic man at a Tantra retreat and never coming back…

Little did his heart know, that in solitude, Ash affirmed what she already felt, that she absolutely wanted a relationship with Sam. She was eager to return but also nervous that he might not feel the same. In keeping true to not rushing, when Ash returned, they spent a few weeks discussing what a conscious relationship would look like before they “formally” committed.

Over the years, they’ve realised that life is simply better when spent together, both through the good and more difficult times. Sam + Ash have faced considerable challenges over the years, be it family, financial, or health related. Ash often says, “…this is good to experience together, I am grateful to experience this with you”. It’s his outlook that has shown Sam that it’s not their relationship that takes away life’s difficulties, it’s shared experience of the difficult times that strengthens the foundations of their relationship.

For these two there’s many highlights, both big and small; morning coffees, nature walks, cooking together while sharing the day’s happenings, reading to one another, escaping to the coast, picnics + proposals on the loungeroom floor, making love (Ash had to mention this ha), swimming in the ocean in the middle of winter, but the biggest highlight would be the birth of India, at home in their loungeroom. During the birth, Sam + Ash shared a mutual gaze that words could not convey. The whole pregnancy and lead up to birth was a huge unfolding of their lives together. But the birth itself is where their trust and strength reached a new level.

Sam and Ash are excited to share many more moments of deep connection in their commitment to living with open hearts, side - by - side.

Following the conclusion of the ceremony, the weddings parties and guests made their way up to the hall.

I also wanted to make a very special mention of the business Canopy Dreams that took on the bar tending, styling (flowers, signage), coordinating and taste testers for @mr.salubrious (neighbourhood taco slangers).