I’m pleased to present the wedding of Jess and Jake which took place in the Port Elliot Memorial Gardens during a very busy weekend during October! I say very busy as SvenStudios managed to cover 3 weddings this weekend, with the wedding of Jess and Jake here photographed by Ross Daly, and editing done by yours truly.
Preparation
Jess and Jake were being prepared at McCracken Country club which boasts a magnificent view overlooking the golf fairway and a lovely intimate reception center. Ross was caught up with preparations on the day so saw himself walking in between rooms, taking photos of both Jess and Jake in turn.
Bride
Makeup
Back of wedding dress
Smiling bride
Wedding shoes
Engagement ring
Wedding dress
Bride and maid of honour
Groom
Best Man
Watch
Best Man
Groom and Best Man
Port Elliot Memorial Gardens wedding ceremony
During World War 1, Port Elliot was a place of recreation for soldiers on leave. The gardens were originally established as a community project for soldiers, and then officially dedicated as a Soldier’s memorial after the planting of the memorial trees lining the park. The trees were planted in a tribute to the local soldier’s contribution and includes a tree planted to fallen New Zealand soldiers. The Park also now includes trees planted in commemoration of Australian soldiers involved in other conflicts as well, with 24 bronze plaques dedicated in May 2012.
Holding wedding ring
Port Elliot Memorial Gardens wedding
Blushing Bride
Maid of Honour
Holding Hands
Groom looking nervous
Wedding Certificate kiss
Glamour Photos
After the wedding ceremony, Ross, along with Jess and Jake’s videographers led the couple around the Port Elliot Memorial Gardens for some glamour shots. The gardens provide for a wide range of different backdrops, including weaving paths through flowerbeds, huge lining trees and even a beach scene.
Sitting on a bench
Walking in the garden
Looking out the trees
All smiles
Walking in the garden
Sitting on a bench
Kissing amongst the roses
Going for a walk
McCracken Country Club wedding reception
The McCracken Country Club always puts on a good fare at a wedding. Their function room overlooks the country club’s fairway and is spacious enough to host a decent sized wedding party without feeling too cavernous. I hadn’t been back to McCracken since I was the wedding photographer at a wedding last new year’s eve, so I was a little envious of Ross!
Vanessa and Justin’s wedding took place at the historic St Andrew’s Church in Walkerville, north east of the city. The church provided some beautiful surrounds to what was obviously a love filled ceremony to celebrate two wonderful families coming together. I started the day at St Andrew’s Church for the ceremony, and saw us venture into Port Adelaide for some industrial-themed glamour shots and then to the Royal Australian Yacht Squadron for Vanessa & Justin’s reception. vanessa and Justin opted to take advantage of my flexible hourly package for 4 hours. The weather on the day was absolutely stunning which enabled some amazing photos to be taken. Enjoy!
St Andrew’s Church Wedding Ceremony
I arrived around an hour early to the wedding which enabled me to float about capturing Justin and his entourage putting the final touches on their suits and adjusting their hair. Justin was all smiles which just a touch of nervousness sneaking in, but he hid it well 🙂
Groom smiling
Groom smiling
St Andrew’s Church is a historic church being built in 1848 on land enthusiastically donated by a local brewer. It’s claim to fame are its magnificently preserved stained glass windows, the majority of which are from the British Company of James Powell and Sons of Whitefriars. The insides of the church provide a wonderfully dimly-lit atmosphere perfect for a sacred ceremony such as marriage, plus it’s cavernous ceilings give great opportunities for epic photographs.
St Andrew’s Church
Inside the church
Bride walking down aisle
Priest
Lighting candle together
signing registry
Bride and Groom at altar
First kiss
Bride and groom
Inside the church
Groom smiling at bride
Bride and Groom at altar
Glamour photos
Wedding rings
In front of the church
In front of the church
In front of the church
After the ceremony and group photos out the front of the church, we headed down to a very popular wedding photography spot in Port Adelaide. So popular in fact that we had no less than 3 different weddings there at one point! While we waited for the other weddings to leave at the Port Adelaide Wool Sheds, I suggested we head around the corner to a more quiet location with wonderfully industrial walls to use as a backdrop.
Port Adelaide Wool Sheds wedding
Brick walls
Bridal party with wedding car
Wedding car
Port Adelaide Wool Sheds wedding
Wedding car
After the other weddings had left, we had the roads in front of the famous Port Adelaide Wool Sheds all to ourselves, and the sun was fantastic! I used the sun’s flares to great effect behind Vanessa and Justin to create a beautifully lit, dreamy backdrop. I had loads of fun 🙂
Flower girl eating berries
Bridal party
Port Adelaide wool sheds wedding
Groomsmen
Wedding shadows
Port Adelaide wool sheds wedding
Sun backdrop
Bridal party on brick wall
Before the reception started at the Royal Yacht Squadron, we had a few minutes to utilise the stunning backdrop of the marina for a few more photos. This was mainly due to having tried Semaphore beach for some shots with the jetty, but not finding a park.
Royal South Australian Yacht Club wedding
Lovey Dovey
Royal South Australian Yacht Club wedding
Royal South Australian Yacht Club wedding
Groom and his Groomsmen
Royal South Australian Yacht Squadron Wedding Reception
I’ve been down to the Yacht Squadron quite a few times now for different weddings and receptions. It’s become quite a popular venue due to its neat backdrop of million dollar yachts and close proximity to beaches like Semaphore. The clubhouses have been upgraded to have a modern, clean feel overlooking the marina and the staff couldn’t be nicer.
Bride and Groom laughing with guests
Gifts
Cutting the wedding cake
Bride and Groom laughing with guests
Kids being kids
Wedding cake
Bridal entrance
I’d like to thank Vanessa and Justin for having me be their wedding photographer on their wedding day, and I hope they enjoy their photos!
I was lucky enough to be chosen as the wedding photographer at Dolores and Mauro’s Adelaide Botanic Gardens wedding in October this year. The weather was absolutely sublime considering the lead up was less than fine. In fact at a meeting with Dolores on the Tuesday prior to the wedding, it was raining the entire time! Despite a minor setback in the morning with Dolores running back to her hotel before the ceremony for some forgotten items, the day went beautifully, culminating with their reception at the Adelaide Wine Center.
Preparation photos
I started the day, as I often do at the place of preparation of the groom and his family. The magnificent house Mauro was being prepared in was in Wattle Park, East of the city. He was joined by his best man, and relatives including a trio of sharp looking kids, one of which was apparently not feeling very well. Mauro was quite calm and collected, despite breaking the stem of one of his flowers and had the attitude of ‘what happens happens’. The house provided some wonderful vantage points for some stunning preparation shots so I made good use if it.
Wedding Rings
Kids
Putting on Flowers
Flower Girl in mirror
Adjusting flowers
Nerve calming shots
Groom preparation
Flower Girl twirl
Dolores was being prepared in a less roomy hotel room at the Majestic Roof Garden Hotel. She was joined by quite a few people causing the small room to feel quite cramped. Her little boy was a bit of a camera hog, so many of the photos I took there had him in it!
Boy under table
Bridal shoes
Wedding shoes
Cheeky
Engagement ring
Putting on makeup
Boy looking suave
Bridal hugs
Adelaide Botanic Gardens Wedding Ceremony
It had been a while since I covered a wedding at the Adelaide botanic gardens. The last being in April, 2014. But the Adelaide Botanic Gardens are such a wonderful place to shoot a wedding, the time just flew by as we wandered about using the amazing scenery the area provides.
From the very first sketches for the plan of Adelaide city, colonel light always intended for Adelaide to have a ‘botanical gardens‘ and are therefore some of the best planned and laid out versions of the concept anywhere. However, it wasn’t until 1854, after a public appeal to the Governor, Sir Henry Young that gardens were established at the current location. They were officially opened in 1857. Amongst many scientific and educational displays of various fauna, the gardens hold one of the earliest propagated specimens of the Wollemi Pine tree, which was discovered as recently as 1994.
As a wedding venue, the Adelaide Botanic Gardens provides room for at least 3 weddings to be held simultaneously and boasts some of the most stereotypically stunning Adelaide wedding photography locations.
Page boy with sign
After first kiss
Groom looking happy
Adelaide botanic gardens wedding
Adelaide botanic gardens wedding
Vows
Exchanging wedding rings
Wedding congregation
Signing of regisrty
Bride looking happy
bride meeting Groom
Glamour photography
We are so lucky to live in a city like Adelaide with sprawling botanic gardens such as these, as a wedding photographer, one cannot ask for a more diverse location for natural scenery than what’s provided right in the heart of the city. From hundred year old elm trees, toi weeping willows, and even wetlands and ultramodern architecture. The timing of our lap around the gardens was well timed too, as the sun was just going down for a marvellous finale to the day.
Walking through the gardens
Sun silhouette
Kids running after a duck
In the wetlands
Under the weeping willow
Close up of Wedding rings
The Elm walk
Adelaide botanic gardens wedding
The epic surrounds of the gardens
Sitting on a bench
National Wine Center Wedding Reception
The National wine center is a stunning modern function center built right next door to the Adelaide Botanic Gardens so it provided the most convenient of locations for Dolores and Mauro’s reception.
Opened in 2001, the Wine center contains an exhibition of winemaking, introducing visitors to the technology, varieties and styles of wine. It also has a wine tasting area, giving visitors the opportunity to taste and compare wines from different areas of Australia.
Dolores and Mauro’s reception took place in the Wine function hall, suitable for up to 120 guests. The room overlooked the wine center’s courtyard and had easy access to the end of the Botanic Gardens. A beautiful setting to round off a beautiful day.