Kenny and Mason: The Sweetest Love Story

Kenny and Mason’s is the sweetest of love stories that actually began long before the ‘first date’. Kenny was Mason's best-friends older brother, so the two had known each other for quite some time before exploring their romantic feelings for each other. As Kenny says, “I didn't realise he was into me or even into men until he cornered me at a pub one night and confessed that he had feelings for me.”

And that's how it all began for Kenny and Mason.

Photographer Jason Corroto | Location Sydney, Aus

“Our family and friends are so important to us that we really wanted to make them feel part of the day. We wanted to say thank you to everyone for all the love they had given us all these years. That was probably at the forefront of our minds when planning the wedding.”

How and when did you meet?

Kenny: Mason is my brother’s high school best friend, so we knew each other for a long time before we started dating. I always thought Mace was a nice and fun guy but didn’t realise he was into me or even into men until he cornered me at a pub one night and confessed that he had feelings for me. I was surprised but also excited when he asked me out on a date and knew I wanted to explore things further.

Mason: I had liked Kenny for a long time; however, he was my best mate’s older brother, and none of my friends knew I was gay at that stage, so it took me a really long time to get the confidence to ask Kenny out. I had to have some liquid courage to approach him that night, but I couldn’t hide my feelings for him any longer, so when we had a moment alone told him how I felt.

Tell us a little about your first date?

Kenny: I knew that Mason had not come out to anyone, that I was actually the very first person he had told, so I realised what a big deal this was for him. Having gone through the experience many years earlier and knowing Mason as a friend and the good person he was, I wanted to support him. I didn’t expect that I would fall in love with him, but after this date I just knew something was different from other dates I’d been on, we really connected, and I quickly started to grow romantic feelings for him.

Mason: This was the first time I had ever taken a guy on a date, and I was extremely nervous. I had also not come out to my family or friends, so I decided to keep the date a secret. Given how much I already liked Kenny, I really wanted to wow him, so we went to The Winery, In Surry Hills and had a great night. It became clear during this date that Kenny was also into me, and I could sense this was going to be more than a quick romance.

What was the first thing you noticed about each other?

Kenny: I was always drawn to Mason’s vibrant personality. He walks in and lights up a room with his fun nature; he is always the life of the party. I knew Mason to be a caring and good person, and they are qualities I value in a partner. Then as we started dating, I realised how sensitive and kind he was too. It did also help that he is easy on the eye as well.

Mason: As I grew up and began to know more about myself, that’s when I started to see Kenny differently than just James’ older brother. Kenny was always lots of fun, very friendly to everyone, and really kind, but then I started to notice how attractive he was and, over time, began to like everything about him. He is a genuine and authentic person, and they are the qualities I wanted in a partner.

Any standout moments in your relationship?

Kenny: There really have been so many, but I would have to say supporting Mason in his journey of coming out was one of the most significant. That was a difficult time for him, as it is for anyone, and it was a slow process of opening up to people. I had to be really patient, which was hard at times as I wanted to shout from the rooftops how much I loved him, but I knew that he had to do it his way and in his own time.

Mason: I’ll always appreciate how patient Kenny was with me coming out. He did not pressure me and was so understanding, even when it meant he had to make sacrifices. We kept our relationship a secret for close to a year; that’s a really long time. The fact that he did that for me meant more than I can ever put into words. It definitely made me realise that Kenny was going to be my forever partner. That kind of trust in a person is difficult to find, and I didn’t want to let it go.

What does marriage mean to you?

Mason and Kenny: For us, marriage is about the commitment we make to each other. Yes, it’s a legal union, and it’s amazing to have that recognised in the LGBTIQ+ community now in Australia; however, at the core, it’s about finding your person and telling them you’ll be there, that you’ll show up for them, that you will walk alongside them and support each other through life. Relationships aren’t always easy, so marriage is our personal contract to say we’ll work through the hard stuff together and enjoy the fun times together.

Who proposed and how?

Mason: I proposed. It was always going to be me that proposed. Over the 9 years we dated, we had talked about marriage a lot, and I just knew I wanted to propose and that Kenny wanted to be proposed to. I had planned to pop the question in Bali in early 2020 among all of Kenny’s family and friends for his 40th birthday, however, in came Covid and disrupted those plans. I wanted to make the moment special but didn’t want to wait any longer, so I decided I’d still propose on Kenny’s birthday in Sydney.

Kenny: Mason arranged a beautiful picnic for my birthday overlooking the ocean in South Cronulla. He was quite nervous on the way there, and I was wondering what was going on with him. He took along some Vodka & Soda’s to the picnic, which I thought was a little strange as Mason drank two cans quickly, then he got down on one knee and asked me to marry him. I honestly was so surprised and overwhelmed with love. It was special and I actually appreciated it being just the two of us sharing that moment together.

When did you get married?

Mason and Kenny: We got so lucky with the wedding date. It was in between the first and second lockdown. We obviously didn’t know there was going to be a second lockdown but were so nervous we would have to cancel the wedding at the last minute. However, we decided to stick with our guns and go ahead with the wedding, which was on 23 April 2021 at Zest Waterfront Venues at The Spit in Mosman. Would you believe only weeks later, the second lockdown happened in Sydney? We felt blessed to have been able to have the wedding, especially as we knew so many people had to cancel theirs. I can’t imagine how hard that would have been for people.

Kenny and Mason’s story continues below ↓

What was the main influence behind your wedding day?

Mason: I wanted to ensure we had a waterfront venue, great music, nice suits, and some good cars to take us there. Everything else was Kenny. He has an interior design background and had a vision for the day. I trusted him to make it really special.

Kenny: I was so excited to plan the wedding. My vision was to have a sophisticated event that also had that flair that our community brings to parties – classy but very fun. We decided to have photos in advance of the ceremony so that we could all swing straight into the reception, which worked out really well. We also wanted a vibrant Celebrant and MC to set the tone for the evening and thought Zoe Sabados did an amazing job at creating an upbeat and positive energy that flowed through the entire wedding. Everyone that came was so excited to be there, and we had a fantastic night.

What was the most important thing to you surrounding your wedding?

Mason: Our family and friends are so important to us that we really wanted to make them feel part of the day. We wanted to say thank you to everyone for all the love they had given us all these years. That was probably at the forefront of our minds when planning the wedding.

Kenny: I also really wanted Mason and I to have a special moment that was just ours and knew this would be difficult after the ceremony because we were having the photos beforehand. So, we asked the photographer to create that experience for us when we saw each other for the first time that day, and it’s something we both remember as a highlight.

Where did you find the bulk of your inspiration?

Kenny: It started with the flowers and our venue; I wanted to create this wow response when people walked into the venue and knew that started with gorgeous flowers, so we splurged. I also wanted the bridesmaids to shine, so we chose rose gold sequined gowns and then decorated the bouquets and venue with white orchids, soft pink, and blush open roses. Everything just flowed from there.

Mason: My inspiration came from the dancefloor. I wanted people to have the best time and to go home with sore feet from dancing the night away, so I was very picky about the DJ and knew we made the right choice. I also wanted to fuel the dancing by adding in a champagne and whiskey bar to keep the party going.

How did you choose your suppliers?

Mason and Kenny: We found a lot of our suppliers either through wedding magazines like “Theodore” or through social media “Instagram”

We both chose to walk down the aisle together, which we both loved as neither one of us wanted the other waiting for them at the end for each other. It was so very special as guests went crazy when we walked down the aisle. Both Mason and I, plus our guests, could feel the love and energy all around us.

What was the most difficult thing about planning your wedding?

Mason: We loved planning our wedding and didn’t find it too difficult as Kenny was lucky to have the time as he was on stand down from his employer “Virgin Airlines” due to the pandemic. We did, however notice that a lot of our weekends were taken over by wedding prep or visiting different venues and or our suppliers.

Where did you spend your honeymoon?

Mason and Kenny: We spent our honeymoon in Port Douglas and then onto Cairns, visiting the Great Barrier Reef. This was also during Covid times, so unfortunately, Europe would have to be postponed for a later date.

And finally , anything else that you want to share?

Mason and Kenny: We had our first look before we arrived at the venue to make our way down the aisle. This was with our immediate family and wedding party. It was where we would first see each other as we had spent the night and day apart before the wedding day. For both of us, it was really special as we got to share the moment privately, and we could get many photos beforehand. We also wanted to spend as much time with our guests rather than be taken away for photos.