Coriole Winery Wedding – Georgia & Ben

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  • GEORGIA & BEN

    Coriole Winery Wedding

    in the Coriole vineyards

Georgia and Ben travelled all the way from Tasmania to hold their wedding ceremony at the beautiful Coriole Winery in Mclaren Vale. And despite the weather being slightly overcast, the weather stayed fine and was a wonderful afternoon for all involved! Georgia and Ben opted to have me as their wedding photographer for 3 hours, capturing their ‘first look’ photos, through to the end of their ceremony. As it turned out this was a smart way of doing things as their ceremony happened to be quite late in the day, and by the time the ceremony had ended there was hardly any natural light left to use!

First look

A ‘first look’ is a trend at weddings where by the bride presents herself to her groom before the wedding ceremony in order to capture the emotion from the meeting in a more intimate place rather than at the altar. The idea also being usually that their glamour photos are to be taken before the wedding even takes place. In this regard it’s not the most traditional of wedding activities, but if you’re planning a later wedding ceremony, it may be your only option.

Grooms flower
Groomsmen standing around
Smiling bride
Groomsmen getting ready
Smiling groom
Smiling bride
Sneaking up on the groom

After seeing each other for the first time, we had around an hour to walk around the Coriole Winery and use it’s incredible scenery as the backdrop to their wedding photography. I myself originally wanted to use Coriole Winery as the wedding venue at my own wedding, such is my love for the place. The Winery boasts rolling hills of vineyards, and and old house, complete with a pretty little garden surrounding.

Smiles
Walking about together
Sneaking up on the bride
Holding one another in the vineyards
Dancing in the Coriole vineyards
Drone photo in the vineyards
Smiling ladies
Bride, groom and flowergirl
Engagement ring
in the Coriole vineyards
Holding one another at Coriole Winery
Holding one another in the vineyards
Holding one another in the Coriole vineyards
Smiling bride
Coriole Winery Wedding
Smiling groom
Walking through the garden

After walking about the winery taking these photos, we had a bit of a rest period before the wedding ceremony took place. The girls hid themselves within the house to hide themselves from their guests that were arriving slowly, and the men sat outside.

Flowergirl holding engagement ring
Groomsmen having a rest
Groomsmen at the bar

Coriole Winery Wedding Ceremony

Wedding ceremonies that take place on location at the Coriole Winery usually take place in one of two locations if it isn’t raining, either within the courtyard area of the house, or in Georgia and Ben’;s case, overlooking the incredible valley that is Mclaren Vale on the grassy area to the side of the house. As the light was fading quite quickly during the ceremony, by the end the sun had well and truly left.

Wedding
Smiling bride
Bride looking anxious
First kiss
Signing paperwork
Exchanging wedding rings
Groom and groomsmen
Bride and groom getting married
Coriole Wedding ceremony
Groom seeing bride walking down aisle

After the ceremony, I quickly launched the drone to take an aerial photo of all the guests together, with the Coriole Winery in the background. As I said however the light was fading very fast, so it was pretty tricky! I hung around for a bit after to capture their entrance to the reception, and also to have the groomsmen smoke their celebratory cigars!

Bride is hungry!
Coriole Winery Wedding
Groomsmen smoking
Food
Entrance

Thanks so much to Georgia and Ben for having me as their wedding photographer. I hope you like your photos! 😀

South Terrace Engagement – Chloe & Alex

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  • Sunset proposal
  • Smiling at one another
  • Veal Gardens Engagement
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Chloe & Alex

South Terrace Engagement

It was a lovely sunny afternoon when Chloe, Alex and I headed out to South Terrace for a little engagement shoot before their wedding in July. I really wanted to make use of the wonderful winter sun shining through some foliage, so I suggested heading to South Terrace to make use of the stunning Himeji gardens, and Veal gardens. Chloe and Alex also wanted to head to a beach for some sunset shots, so towards the end of the engagement shoot we headed down to Brighton beach.

I offer my wedding couples the option of having an engagement shoot before their wedding day for a few different reasons. In Chloe and Alex’s case they wanted some nice photos to use on their thank you cards directly after their wedding so they didn’t have to wait too long before they were sent out. But other reasons would be to use on your ‘save the date’ cards or your invitations, they could also even be used on your wedding’s website if you choose to have one made. They also look fantastic printed and put on display at your wedding reception.

South Terrace Engagement shoot

Himeji Gardens

We started out at the picturesque Himeji Gardens, and despite the chilly weather, the gardens were quite busy so we had to be careful on which direction we were shooting. The beautiful foliage in the gardens combined with the setting sun made for some wonderful scenery.

Embrace
Laughing together
Sunset in Himeji gardens
Sitting in Himeji Gardens
Holding one another
Smiling at one another

Veal Gardens

Just down the road, on South Terrace is Veal gardens, a popular wedding venue close to the city that boasts a lovely meandering man-made stream and small ponds, dotted along the walking path. The well manicured gardens always provides for a lovely backdrop for a photoshoot!

Walking through Veal Gardens
Veal gardens bridge
South Terrace Engagement
Veal Gardens Engagement
Under a tree

Brighton Beach

As the sun was setting at an alarming rate, we jetted off to Brighton beach where Alex and Chloe staged a bit of an engagement scene. It was quite entertaining as many passing onlookers congratulated them thinking he had just proposed, despite them already being engaged 🙂

Walking along Brighton beach
Brighton Jetty
Sunset proposal
Sunset

The entire shoot was over in around 90 minutes and was a tonne of fun! I’m looking forward to their wedding even more now!

Adelaide Botanic Gardens Wedding – Ciara & Max

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  • CIARA & MAX

    Adelaide Botanic Gardens Wedding

    Adelaide Botanic Gardens Wedding

It was a beautifully sunny day for Ciara and Max’s Adelaide Botanic Gardens wedding in April, which was great considering the kind of unpredictable weather we had been having leading up to the big day. With Ciara’s Irish heritage and Max’s Korean heritage, their wedding was a wonderful example of the coming together of two very separate cultures within one of the most multicultural of cities, Adelaide. I was asked to be their wedding photographer for the entire day, and we made good use of the time, covering a lot of ground to get the most diverse portfolio of wedding photography as possible in and around the Adelaide CBD and botanic gardens.

Preparation

I was to cover the preparation of just Ciara and her bridal party, who were getting ready nearby in the Mayfair hotel, as Max was spending the morning running about putting final finishing touches on things before the wedding ceremony. The girls were fairly laid back and had a lovely morning being pampered and getting pretty. Unfortunately the plan was to have a few photos taken in the upstairs Hennessy rooftop bar, only to find out it required a prior booking. This didn’t dampen spirits however while we took a few photos in and around the hotel room instead.

Wedding Shoes
Walking across King William st
Smiling bridesmaid
Putting on wedding dress
Mum helping
hair spray
Engagement ring
Wedding dress
Putting on veil
Bridal party dresses
Smiling bride
Smiling bride
Bride in mirror

Adelaide Botanic Gardens Wedding Ceremony

Ciara and Max’s Adelaide Botanic Gardens Wedding Ceremony took place on the far side of the gardens, nearby the ‘Friends Gates’ on Plane Tree drive. The location boasts a beautiful grassy area, bordered by a small stream and a picturesque footbridge in the background of the whole setting. Despite the Adelaide Botanic Gardens being a public place, the venue can easily host around 3-4 weddings on the same day in different locations around the gardens without having too much of a hassle with members of the public wandering in the way of any photos or guests attending a wedding. The area also provides for some top notch vantage points for some incredible wedding photography, so I always enjoy visiting the gardens!

The ceremony was a lovely affair, complete with a traditional giving away of the bride by the father, and a rather beautiful hand binding ceremony that brought together the customs of the celtic together with Korean culture by using a traditionally woven sash brought from Korea specially for the occasion. The sun was out, and provided for a stunning backdrop filtering in through the giant gum tree Ciara and Max were wed under.

Whole congregation
Bride and Groom
Holding hands
Adelaide Botanic Gardens Wedding Ceremony
Walking back down the aisle
Speech
Smiles
Bride arriving
Best man and the rings
Hugs
Father taking arm
Speeches
Groom’s first look
Smiling groom
Bride saying vows
Wedding Ceremony
Bride under her veil
Exchanging wedding rings
Picking something out of his hair
Sun lit wedding ceremony
Hand binding ceremony

Adelaide Botanic Gardens Wedding Photos

After taking the family photos, Ciara and Max, flanked by their bridal party went for a walk around the gardens for their glamour photos. As I said before, I love covering Adelaide Botanic Gardens Weddings as the area in and around the vicinity of the gardens provides for an incredibly diverse pool of scenery I can call upon as a wedding photographer.

Having a rest
Adelaide Botanic Gardens wedding
Holding hands with wedding rings
Walking through the foliage
Autumnal colours
Holding the bouquet together
Walking through the foliage
Groomsmen jumping
Crest of a hill
Adelaide Botanic Gardens Wedding
Lounging about
Walking together
Under a tree
Walking to the footbridge together
In the bamboo forest
Big oak tree

Once we exhausted the areas we wanted to visit within the gardens, we said farewell to the majority of the bridal party to expand out around the Torrens and North Terrace where we made use of Government House, and the buildings in and around Adelaide University. Ciara and Max had one of their first dates near the Torrens so it was important for them to revisit on their wedding day.

Adelaide University Wedding Photo
Adelaide University Wedding
Adelaide University
Bride and Groom in Adelaide University
Bride and Groom together
On the steps of Government house
Adelaide University Wedding
On the steps of Government house
Adelaide Museum
Adelaide Museum
Adelaide Museum
Near the Torrens

Adelaide Botanic Gardens Wedding Reception

What was absolutely glorious about Ciara and Max’s wedding as opposed to any other wedding I had covered at the Botanic Gardens was that they chose to have their reception at the cafe located at the very center of the entire place which meant that I had the very rare opportunity to make use of the Gardens after dark! The Botanic Gardens Restaurant is a lovely intimate venue that can cater for a smaller wedding guest list. The food was wonderful, and staff more than friendly which all combined for a wonderful evening.

Cutting the cake
Guests talking
Smiling groom
Dancing guests
Dancing guests
Girls together
Gangnam style!
Wedding Cake
First dance
First dance
Hugs
Cheers!

During the night I took Ciara and Max out into the night to make use of the magnificent arch way of trees at night, which is a rare opportunity as member of the public aren’t allowed to enter the gardens at night.

Light Painting wedding photo
Light Painting wedding photo
Light Painting wedding photo

Thanks so much to Ciara and Max who had me as their wedding photographer and I hope they enjoy their photos as much as I enjoyed taking them! 😀

Thorngrove Manor engagement shoot – Rya & Evan

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  • Rya & Evan

    Thorngrove Manor engagement shoot

    Castle awning

It was quite an exciting time when Rya contacted me from Indonesia asking me to shoot her engagement shoot as she was coming out to Adelaide specifically to use the Autumn colours around the Thorngrove Manor for her engagement shoot. I had never shot there before, but I had seen it’s beauty in the past through other wedding photographer colleagues in the AIPP. Rya was quite keen on having a castle-style photo shoot and chose the Thorngrove Manor as her ideal location. She also originally planned to go on a whirlwind tour of Adelaide, shooting at the Manor, Mt Lofty Botanic Park, then head up to Cleland nature preserve to hug a kangaroo, and also head into the city to use Veal Gardens and North Terrace, all within 3 hours. We ended up only going to two of these locations, but I think they turned out great!

Thorngrove Manor Shoot

The Thorngrove Manor is a small luxury hotel located amongst the side streets of Crafers. Despite it’s medieval looks, the hotel was actually built relatively recently, only around 32 years ago. The hotel is billed as one of the most romantic and intimate places to hold a wedding, or photoshoot as the surrounds are something out of a fairytale. It really is quite an incredible place to shoot at.

On the balcony
Playing the harp
Engaged couple at the door of Thorngrove Manor
Wedding dress
Thorngrove Manor
Holding hands
Smiles
Hugs on the balcony
Kisses
Castle awning
Looking at each other
Playing the harp
Couple next to the fire
Castle awning
Smiling bride
Engagement ring
Thorngrove Manor engagement shoot
Bride and groom standing in front of their hotel door
At the gate of Thorngrove Manor
Couple next to the fire
Bride framed in the castle fixtures

Mt Lofty Botanic Park Shoot

After the shoot around the Thorngrove Manor, we head down the road to the Mt Lofty Botanic Park to make use of the waning autumnal colours still present around the gardens. With the sun popping over the hills, the colours came to life quite quickly however and created some lovely bright  scenes – much to the delight of Rya. 🙂

Autumn colours at the Mt Lofty Botanic Park
Bride and Groom on bench
Bride and Groom holding one another
Autumn colours
Bride and Groom in autumn
Bride and Groom on bridge
Bride and Groom at Mt Lofty Botanic Park
Bride and Groom walking
Autumn colours at the Mt Lofty Botanic Park
Bride and Groom walking

It was a lot of fun shooting at the Thorngrove Manor and I hope Rya and Evan enjoy their photos! 🙂