Bob and I sprang out of bed (!?) at 2am on Saturday morning ready and rearing to go for Jason and Nanami’s wedding! Jason works with Bob at Hot Air and met Nanami at Hot Air. So, having known Jason for a couple of years, this was a special wedding for us to be attending and photographing.
Bob did the rounds of Cairns picking up the wedding guests in the bus while I picked up Nanami and her parents for the transfer to Mareeba in the car.
You may be asking why on earth we were out of bed at 2am? Nanami was out of bed at 1am having her hair and make-up professionally done by Shae from Tropical Beauty!
Jason and Nanami were married in a Hot Air balloon 1 kilometre above the earth just after sunrise on Saturday morning. 20 people from Japan, New Zealand and Australia climbed into the balloon basket to witness Jason and Nanami exchange their vows. Leisel from Our Ceremony performed a lovely ceremony in English and Japanese, which included a wonderful poem about flying.
The balloon landed a short time later and we all piled into the bus for the drive to breakfast. Breakfast was devoured at Ringer Rest only 5 minutes from where we landed. I took some family and friends photos in the lush paddocks surrounding the breakfast location before everyone boarded the bus for the trip back to Cairns.
We dropped everyone at the botanic Gardens for Coffee and Cake while Bob and I headed back to the shed to wash the bus and car.
All the drivers headed back to the shed shortly after us, where there was a mad rush to get all buses washed inside and out, get changed and head off to the to join Jason and Nanami for their lunch reception at Cherry Blossom Japanese Restaurant.
A banquette of wonderful Japanese food followed! There were speeches and the cake cutting as well as a very efficient Japanese chef cooking ice cream on a BBQ grill!
Thank you for having us at your wedding Jason and Nanami, it was a great day! Bob and I wish you both the very best for a long and happy life together.
Below are some shots from the morning. You can also go to Jason and Namami’s on-line album to see the images from their day.
After the ceremony photo courtesy of Hot Air
Photo courtesy of Hot Air
