Epic Love Photography founder Rob Dight, who has spent more than a decade photographing couples escaping the pressures of traditional weddings, said the day was unlike anything he had encountered before.

With the deposit already paid for a photoshoot in 2024, Dight offered Bridget a two-year extension after learning that her fiance had been injured.

"Just me and a bunch of friends are coming over now", was how the project was later pitched, he said.

As the photoshoot progressed, he noted a deep sense of connection between the women and was "blown away" to learn, mid-shoot, that they had met just three days earlier.

"It was kind of a 'jaw-on-the-floor scenario'... It was just so wholesome," he said.

"Something clicked into place in my mind, like: 'Wow, this is really special'.

"I just did what I could on my end to encourage it, to let them have that time to shine and to celebrate being with each other."

"There was such a level of uplift, like I could turn anywhere and get a hug if I needed it," Bridget said, recalling the photoshoot.

"Everybody was there for everybody that day."

Later in the week, the women took part in a wellness session focused on new beginnings, an experience Bridget described as particularly meaningful for the group.

"There was not a dry eye in the room," she said.

Weeks after returning home, the group's messages continue to flow, with future trips in the pipeline.

Bridget, who described herself as someone who in the past often overthought things and struggled to connect with others, said she had learned that "you can choose to do it that way, but you never have to”, when it comes to facing challenges alone.

The experience reinforced her belief that "there is community if you want to find it".

"There are people… even if it requires getting a little uncomfortable and vulnerable and putting yourself out there," she said.

"It could take a long time, but it's out there. You just have to keep trying."