If you’ve never been to a wedding that makes you question your own fitness levels, try attending one with Vanessa and David. These two legends brought the full cultural joy of Ghana and Cameroon to their epic two-day celebration, and as a wedding photographer who was shooting his first African wedding in Sydney, I was in heaven. Honestly, I hadn’t danced this much since that one time I tripped on a power cord during a shoot in Lagos.
The festivities began with a traditional ceremony that instantly flung me back to my backpacking days in Malawi. Back then, I stumbled into a wedding, thinking it was a market. This time, I was invited—growth. Vanessa made her entrance like a queen with her army of aunties and cousins, each more fabulously dressed than the last. The vibe? Electric. The dancing? Unapologetically non-stop. The aunties? Champions of the rhythm and beat.
Moreover, the warmth of their family and friends was unreal. Every smile, hug, and plate of food screamed hospitality. It reminded me so much of South Asian weddings that I half expected a Bollywood number to break out. Honestly, I wouldn’t have been surprised if someone pulled out a dhol. But then we had the Djambe drums that kept us company.
The next day, they dialed up the elegance. The church wedding in North Sydney was heartwarming. The vows? Rip roaring, sweet and heart warming. Afterward, we pranced around Lavender Bay with the bridal crew, living our best lives. Then came the reception. Picture this: candlelit romance at Ecco Ristorante, a band battling the DJ, and a dance floor that needed no encouragement. At 10:30 pm, I left with sore feet and FOMO. I can only assume the party continued well into next week.
So glad this was my first time being a wedding photographer at an African in Sydney. This gig had everything—love, culture, music, and enough auntie energy to power a small village.
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Reception Venue: Ecco Ristorante
