Sophie and Jonathan in a Surry Hills laneway on their wedding day
SYDNEY CITY WEDDING

Sophie & JonathanPorteño Restaurant wedding, Surry Hills

An Argentinian-styled wedding in the beating heart of one of Sydney's oldest neighbourhoods — laneways, a speakeasy bar, and a long table under brick arches.

Sophie and Jonathan invited me to Sydney to shoot their wedding. It took place in Surry Hills, the ceremony and reception at Porteño Restaurant, an Argentinian-styled venue with old-world charm in the beating heart of one of Sydney's oldest neighbourhoods.

Sophie and Jono caught up before their nuptials and we went for a walk down some of Surry Hills' beautiful alleyways, before arriving at the venue. Following that I led them up to Casa's upstairs bar, a beautiful space reminiscent of a South American speakeasy-style canteen, with creaking timbers and rich colours and moody lighting. We took some photos and then it was time for them to get married, and to eat and drink and celebrate the start of their new life together.

The long table set under the brick arches and pendant lights at Porteño, Surry HillsA dark hotel room with the Sydney skyline through the window on the morning of the weddingThe view over Sydney rooftops from the hotel window, Surry HillsSophie having her hair pinned, in black and white, SydneySophie getting ready in the hotel room with her bridesmaid, SydneySophie by the curtain holding her rust-red and dried-flower bouquet, SydneyJonathan waiting in the low light of the hotel room, SydneySophie in the red doorway with Jonathan leaning against the wall, Surry HillsSophie and Jonathan sitting together in a leafy Surry Hills lanewayLooking down at the couple's feet on the footpath, Surry HillsSophie and Jonathan walking towards the camera down a green Surry Hills alleywayEncaustic tiles, the laneway, and bright orange window shutters, Surry HillsA ginger cat asleep on a stone step between terracotta pots, Surry HillsSophie sitting on a bench beneath orange shutters and potted plants, Surry HillsThe ginger cat wandering past Sophie on the bench, Surry HillsSophie and Jonathan under a vine-covered archway, Surry HillsDetails of the laneway — a no-parking sign, climbing greenery and old brickwork, Surry HillsHeld hands, and the two of them crouching down to the cat, Surry HillsSophie and Jonathan holding each other in loops of golden light, Porteño, Surry HillsSophie and Jonathan crouching to pet the ginger cat on the footpath, Surry HillsSophie and Jonathan in front of an ivy-covered wall, Surry HillsSophie with her arms flung wide, laughing with Jonathan in the laneway, Surry HillsSophie and Jonathan walking hand in hand down the lane, in black and white, Surry HillsThe two of them walking away over the cobbles, bouquet in hand, Surry HillsPlumbago, hydrangeas, and the couple laughing against the ivy, Surry HillsSophie in the doorway of an ivy-covered brick building, Surry HillsLooking up a narrow Surry Hills lane to a bright strip of skySophie and Jonathan passing a red door in a cream terrace wall, Surry HillsPower lines and old rooftops over a Surry Hills back laneA narrow stone alley thick with greenery, Surry HillsIvy, and the two of them kissing in a doorway, Surry HillsThe wedding party crowded into the car, laughing, SydneySophie crossing the road, and her feet on the line markings, SydneyThe street reflected in a car window with the couple inside, SydneyThe pale painted shopfronts of a Surry Hills terraceSophie and Jonathan walking down the street towards the Porteño sign, Surry HillsArriving at the door of Porteño, Surry HillsGuests waiting inside in the low light, Porteño, Surry HillsSophie and Jonathan holding each other in loops of golden light, Porteño, Surry HillsSophie and Jonathan standing together in the dark doorway, Porteño, Surry HillsThe red room upstairs at Casa with its framed portrait and leather chesterfield, Surry HillsSophie and Jonathan sitting close on the chesterfield, hands together, Casa, Surry HillsTheir hands, and the pleats of Sophie's dress, in black and white, Surry HillsThe couple on the chesterfield by the window in the red upstairs room, Casa, Surry HillsSophie at the window with her bouquet, Jonathan in silhouette, Casa, Surry HillsSophie in the window light, the rust and dried bouquet, and Jonathan in the dark, Casa, Surry HillsThe pressed gold ceiling and stacked bentwood chairs of the upstairs room, Casa, Surry HillsSophie and Jonathan at the far window among the stacked chairs, Casa, Surry HillsA tangle of stacked bentwood chairs in the dark, Casa, Surry HillsThe two of them among the chairs, in black and white, Casa, Surry HillsSophie and Jonathan with their heads together in the warm light, Casa, Surry HillsThe couple among the bentwood chairs, in black and white, Casa, Surry HillsSophie smiling over Jonathan's shoulder as they hold each other, Casa, Surry HillsThe couple caught in a gilt mirror, and again at the window, Casa, Surry HillsSophie sitting in Jonathan's lap on the chesterfield in the red room, Casa, Surry HillsThe room and the two of them reflected in an ornate mirror, Casa, Surry HillsSophie and Jonathan on the banquette behind a round timber table, Casa, Surry HillsThe two of them holding each other on the banquette in the red room, Casa, Surry HillsSophie standing in the doorway in her tiered dress, in black and white, Surry HillsThe dark room, the chairs, and the couple far off by the window, Casa, Surry HillsSpritzes being poured, painted paddles on the brick wall, and wine on the shelf, Porteño, Surry HillsThe neon line drawing of two hands on the wall at Porteño, Surry HillsA guest wiping his eye during the ceremony, in black and white, Porteño, Surry HillsSophie hugging her father, both of them beaming, Porteño, Surry HillsSophie facing her father before the ceremony, in black and white, Porteño, Surry HillsSophie laughing in the red room, Porteño, Surry HillsSophie and Jonathan by the window with her bouquet, Porteño, Surry HillsThe two of them laughing together in the red room, Porteño, Surry HillsThe table from above — olives, candles, a menu card and dried flowers, Porteño, Surry HillsA small frame on the white wall, and guests reflected in the mirror on the brick, Porteño, Surry HillsA child's hands holding the order of service over the patterned tiles, Porteño, Surry HillsGuests standing with drinks in the doorway before the ceremony, Porteño, Surry HillsSophie and Jonathan on the patterned tiles with their guests around them, Porteño, Surry HillsSophie with her father, and Jonathan smiling on the stairs, Porteño, Surry HillsGuests with spritzes beside the dried arrangement, Porteño, Surry HillsSophie laughing with a guest under the brick arches, Porteño, Surry HillsSophie and Jonathan facing each other during their vows, Porteño, Surry HillsThe couple under the brick arch with the dried florals, Porteño, Surry HillsConfetti coming down over Sophie and Jonathan on the stairs, in black and white, Porteño, Surry HillsConfetti over the newlyweds on the stairs, Porteño, Surry HillsHands signing the marriage certificate on the marble, Porteño, Surry HillsHugs and congratulations after the ceremony, Porteño, Surry HillsThe confetti-strewn room full of guests celebrating, Porteño, Surry HillsOlives, a plated course, and a tray of spritzes, Porteño, Surry HillsHands on the keys and a drum kit — the band setting up, in black and white, Porteño, Surry HillsA speech at the long table under the brick arches, Porteño, Surry HillsSophie and Jonathan at the table over dinner and candlelight, in black and white, Porteño, Surry HillsA speech into the microphone, and Sophie laughing beside him, Porteño, Surry HillsThe whole room at dinner, in black and white, Porteño, Surry HillsGuests posing with their drinks and a red balloon, Porteño, Surry HillsA guest dancing with a dried palm frond held high, Porteño, Surry HillsThree guests with their wine against the brick wall, Porteño, Surry HillsA guest singing into the microphone with his glass raised, in black and white, Porteño, Surry HillsThe DJ behind the decks beneath the wire sign, in black and white, Porteño, Surry HillsLight trails across the dance floor, Porteño, Surry HillsFrames from the dance floor — light trails, drums and dancing, Porteño, Surry HillsMore frames from the dance floor, Porteño, Surry HillsDancing in the dark, Porteño, Surry HillsThe dance floor late in the night, Porteño, Surry Hills
THE TEAM
Ceremony & reception Porteño Restaurant, Surry Hills
Portraits at Casa upstairs bar, Surry Hills

More weddings

Wedding

Nicole & Ryan at Kooroomba Vineyard

Wedding

Breanna & Matt at Byron View Farm

Let's capture SOME MAGIC

I take a limited number of weddings each year. Get in touch to check your date and tell me a little about your day.

ENQUIRE →