Nathan and Josh: A European Inspired Summer Garden Party
Nathan and Josh’s love story began with a swipe, but it was their instant connection that turned a chance encounter into something extraordinary. From their first meeting to building a life together in Sydney, their journey has been filled with laughter, adventure, and shared milestones—including a dreamy European-inspired wedding under the stars. Their celebration was a heartfelt reflection of their love, blending timeless traditions with modern touches, all while creating an unforgettable experience for their closest family and friends.
Photographer Hayley Rafton | Venue The Merribee
“…we matched. We liked what we saw! We started chatting and planned to meet up in person...”
How and when did you meet?*
Tinder! Back in November 2018, Nathan was living in Melbourne and visiting his brother in Sydney. He decided to see what the talent pool was like—and we matched. We liked what we saw! We started chatting and planned to meet up in person, but unfortunately, we couldn’t find the time as Nathan was only in town for a few days.
He flew back to Melbourne, but our online banter continued. Usually, when a failed Tinder hook-up fizzles out, that’s it—no more chatting. But to my surprise, the conversation didn’t stop. Nathan was planning to return to Sydney for New Year's Eve, and we both agreed to try again.
I was in Adelaide for Christmas with my family, but as soon as I landed back in Sydney, we met up for a drink. And by that, I mean—I landed, raced home, grabbed a bottle of wine, freshened up, and got ready to ‘host’ my date (aka, a Tinder hook-up).
Little did I know, I was about to meet my future husband.
Tell us a little about that first time you met…
Nathan arrived at my apartment in Sydney, and we finally met face to face. Most Tinder hook-ups start with awkward conversation, but we clicked instantly and realised we had so much in common.
I went into the kitchen to grab the bottle of wine, and when I came back, I topped up our glasses, set the bottle down on the coffee table—then went in for our first kiss.
What was the first thing you noticed about each other?
Nathan: I went to Josh’s apartment for our date night—it was the first time we were meeting in person. I remember Josh opening the front door and saying, “Heeey!” in a confident, happy, and charming voice. I was immediately drawn to his energy and confidence!
Josh: I remember opening the door and seeing a super cute boy with a cheeky smile and beautiful brown eyes.
Tell us about the standout moments in your relationship…
We've already shared some big milestones in our relationship. We moved in together at the very start of COVID—but we actually had so much fun, doing cocktail classes over Zoom and workouts in the living room.
In 2021, we bought our first apartment in Darlinghurst and took on a renovation. We became parents to a beautiful Spoodle, travelled to the US, and snowboarded in Japan.
We’re proud uncles to two nieces and two nephews, and we’re also godfathers to Nathan’s best friend’s son.
What does marriage mean to you?
It’s knowing that someone will always be there for you to celebrate the good times and be the strength you need in hard times. It's about finding that person who values and respects you for who you are inside and out. It's finding your partner in crime.
Who proposed, and how?
I used to be a producer on The Bachelor, and Nathan always joked about wanting his own bachelor date one day. So when I decided to propose, I knew I had to go all out. We had a long-overdue weekend planned in Port Stephens and Nathan had no idea it would turn into a proposal trip. The first morning, I dragged him out of bed, despite his protests, for a surprise helicopter ride along the coast. It was a stunning day, clear blue skies and water sparkling like diamonds. After we landed, I suggested we go to the beach for some fish and chips, but instead, we stumbled upon a dreamy picnic setup with blankets, cushions, flowers, cheese, wine, the works! Nathan, confused, asked, “Is this for us?” I said yes, and as we sat down, I handed him a “present.” When he opened the little box and saw the ring, he looked at me in shock. I asked him to marry me. He said yes!
When did you get married?
We got married on Saturday, the 9th of November 2024.
What was the main influence behind your wedding day?
We wanted our wedding to feel like a European summer garden party. We wanted to get out of the city, away from the hustle and bustle of Sydney and spend a weekend celebrating with our family and friends. We wanted a venue for 3 nights where we could host a welcome dinner, ceremony, reception and recovery party. We wanted the reception to feel intimate and romantic. The vision was a night under the stars!
What was the most important thing to you surrounding your wedding?
We wanted to make sure all of our family and friends had a the most amazing time. We are both originally from interstate. Nathan from Melbourne and Josh from Adelaide. So we had a lot of our guests travelling. Even the ones from Sydney had a 2 hour drive! So we wanted it to be the most memorable weekend away for everyone. And we wanted to share our love with everyone who came.
What was the main influence behind your wedding day?
We wanted our wedding to feel like a European summer garden party. We wanted to get out of the city, away from the hustle and bustle of Sydney and spend a weekend celebrating with our family and friends. We wanted a venue for 3 nights where we could host a welcome dinner, ceremony, reception and recovery party. We wanted the reception to feel intimate and romantic. The vision was a night under the stars!
What was the most important thing to you surrounding your wedding?
We wanted to make sure all of our family and friends had a the most amazing time. We are both originally from interstate. Nathan from Melbourne and Josh from Adelaide. So we had a lot of our guests travelling. Even the ones from Sydney had a 2 hour drive! So we wanted it to be the most memorable weekend away for everyone. And we wanted to share our love with everyone who came.
Did you incorporate any family sentiments or traditions?
We picked traditional elements that resonated with us and then did things that were new and uniquely us. Neither of us had ever been to a same-sex wedding so there was no rule book to follow or first-hand inspiration. We walked down the aisle together hand in hand (it was a reverse aisle so we walked towards our guests and took in all the happy smiles). Lead by our wedding party of parents and close friends and family. Our nephews handed us our wedding watches during the ceremony (as we exchanged rings for our engagement) and we wrote our own vows.
Where did you find the bulk of your inspiration?
We did LOTS of research. We trawled through Theodore. Spent lots of time on TikTok and instagram. And luckily, Josh's sister, Libby, is a wedding stylist (Libby Styles) so she helped set the vision for the day.
How did you choose your suppliers?
It was a combination of Theodore, social media and Libby (Josh's sister). We wanted to make sure that our vendors were LGBTQIA+ inclusive. Everyone was amazing and super supportive.
What was the most difficult thing about planning your wedding?
The gigantic, ever-growing spreadsheet! The big decisions were all pretty easy, it was all the smaller things in the lead-up to the wedding. Apart from Theodore (of course), there wasn't a lot of information about how to organise a male same-sex wedding. We had to constantly remind people that we had a wedding party and not a bridal party as there was no bride. Not a lot of wedding collateral from suppliers included any imagery of same-sex couples. This is why we wanted to make sure our vendor list was very inclusive. Luckily we found a great bunch!
Where did you spend your honeymoon?
We went to the Whitsundays (Hayman Island & Hamilton Island) straight after the wedding to drink cocktails and decompress by the pool. We called this our mini-moon as we're off to Europe in August 2025 for the major-moon!
Any advice for other couples planning their day and finding it difficult to navigate the journey?
Set up a very thorough spreadsheet to compare quotes, track expenses and plan timelines. Start planning early, set small achievable goals and just keep chipping away! Also, don't overthink every decision. There are so many things to plan and it will all come together in the end. Be confident and if something feels right, go for it! The number one piece of advice we got was to be selfish. This day is for you. You can't please everyone and you won't. Make sure you're happy. After all, it's your day!
Nathan and Josh’s Team
Photographer Hayley Rafton
Videographer Timothy Blacketer Films (THEODORE Partner)
Venue The Merribee (THEODORE Partner)
Wedding Coordinator Opal Events (Emma Brown-Thorn)
Wedding Stylist Libby Styles (Libby Fosdike)
Flowers Bohemian Blooms (Jerin-Lei Malacrida)
Celebrant Marry Me Sarah B (THEODORE Partner)
Stationery Veasna Chea Design
DJ Ultimate Entertainment (Dan Searle)
Suits P.Johnson
Watches Rolex
Rings Cartier
Beverage Service Your PS (Amelia Birch)
Catering Rabbit & Co
HMU Amanda La Monica
Furniture Hire The Wedding & Event Creators
Bar Staff Henry Clive
Bus Service Kennedys
Recovery Day Photographer One Day Together Photography
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