Jasmine and Mervyl were in Adelaide for a short while and while here they figured they’d use the time to have a bit of an Adelaide glamour shoot before their wedding next year back in Singapore. They are also planning on having photos taken in Canberra also a few days later, so they’ll have quite a bit of diversity to show on a big screen at the forefront of their wedding reception.
Himeji Hardens
We began our short shoot in the Himeji Gardens, on South Terrace. We were very lucky at this time of day as the weather surrounding the shoot, both before and after was pretty atrocious, with wind and heavy rainfall – so i was happy to make use of any sun we had! Unfortunately the hem of Jasmine’s white dress started to get muddy towards the end, but lucky she had a change in dress! 🙂
Holding one another
Smiles
Holding one another
Sitting about
Walking about Himeji Gardens
Veale Gardens
After about 30 minutes walking about the Himeji Gardens, we head over to the nearby Veale Gardens – a popular wedding venue in it’s own right the gardens boast beautifully manicured grassy areas, with a splash of unkempt Australiana just in the rear which we made use of.
Walking together
Suave
Amongst the trees
Holding hands in veal Gardens
Under a tree
Engagement ring
North Terrace
After a bit of a dress change and makeup touch-up, we continued our Adelaide glamour shoot around the lovely North Terrace buildings, including the Adelaide University and Bonython Hall. It’s at this time when the heavens started opening on us and it looked as though our luck with the weather was running out.
Cathedral
Holidn one another
Walking alone
Holidn one another
On the footbridge
North Terrace
Grange Jetty
We ended the shoot at the historic Grange Jetty, when fortunately the sun peeped out from the clouds for just a minute allowing us to run about in the bitter cold to take a few shots 🙂
Under the jetty
On the jetty
Under the jetty
I hope Jasmine and Mervyl enjoy the photos from their Adelaide Glamour Shoot and hope their wedding in Singapore goes fantastically!
One of my favourite times of day on a wedding day is the preparation time, the time of day when the bride and groom are getting ready for their big moment in front of family and friends, which allows for some incredible moments of emotion and nerves to show through, painting a story of the personalities of the couple through Preparation Wedding Photography. Capturing the individual moments of personality of the bride and groom before they become an ‘item’ so to speak is a primary goal of taking photos during this time of day. This is the last moments of their lives where they aren’t sharing a family with a significant other. I feel it’s important to make use of this time to paint a portrait with my photography of the lives and personality traits the bride and groom exhibit as an individual. The lovey dovey moments when they are together come later.
If you consider a wedding album as a photographic story, then the preparation photos are the beginning of the story, the coming together of these two individuals would be the ceremony, and the happily ever after the glamour photos and reception.
Groom preparation wedding photography
When photographing the preparation of the groom and his groomsmen, it’s important to recognise the atmosphere of the situation, by gauging the nerves, and/or playful (or lack of)Â nature of the party getting ready. One is able as a photographer to guide the party through a series of unposed photos while getting dressed, while also focussing on small things like wedding rings and shoes. When having as many weddings as I do under my belt, I’m able to read when would be appropriate to also transition into a more traditional, formal shoot after the more photojournalistic scenes.
Smiling groom
Groom and his groomsmen
Ring Box
All together
Groomsmen being monkeys
Getting ready
Smiling groom
Boys walking together
Bridal preparation wedding photography
When heading over to the girls and the bridal party, the approach to preparation photos is largely similar. There are still nerves, emotions and drama occurring all around, with the difference being that there’s an additional process (usually) considering makeup and putting on much more complicated clothing (bridal dresses). Once again it’s important to capture the small things, like jewellery and shoes while also being photojournalistic leading up to the point where the ladies are putting on their dresses. Preparation wedding photography also tends to become highly traditional in parts with the bridal party, with shots of the bridal party fussing around the bride, and other scenes such as putting on the garter which are very traditional scenes.
Having fun in the veil
Looking in mirror
Smiling Mum
Flower Girl in Window
Putting on the dress
Engagement ring
Lacing up
Smiles all round
Wedding Dress
Dress
Overcoming Challenges in Preparation Wedding Photography
Here are common challenges in groom photography preparation, along with simple ways to handle them:
Cluttered rooms: We suggest decluttering early or using one tidy corner for key shots.
Poor lighting: Our team identifies naturally lit spots or uses discreet lighting tools to maintain ambience.
Tight schedules: We add buffer time to ensure no moments feel rushed, allowing you to enjoy every part of your day without stress.
Camera shyness: A calm, friendly approach helps everyone relax and act naturally.
Distractions and movement: We guide the couple and bridal party gently to ensure focus without interrupting real moments.
These steps help us capture genuine, stress-free memories during your preparation. They also apply to bridal photography preparation.
Must-Have Equipment for Preparation Wedding Photography
Capturing the quiet excitement before the ceremony takes both skill and the right tools. For groom preparation photography, a fast prime lens and off-camera flash help capture sharp, candid moments in low light. For bridal preparation photography, reflectors and macro lenses highlight accessories, while a silent shutter preserves the mood.
At SvenStudios, we carefully select our equipment to suit each setting—whether it’s a bustling groom’s room or a serene bridal suite. Our approach ensures every glance, laugh, and heartfelt moment is preserved beautifully, setting the tone for timeless wedding memories right from the start.
I strongly believe however, particularly with preparation wedding photography that it’s far better to be as invisible as possible when being a wedding photographer as I feel that there would be nothing worse than having someone with a huge camera taking shots of you while you’re getting dresses on the most emotionally charged day of your life. As a result, I tend to stay primarily photojournalistic in having the bridal parties get ready as usual and take photos of that,m and then once they’re used to me being there, join in a little for more constructed photos. I tend to hate turning people into mannequins 😀
After having been their wedding photographer at their wedding in Renmark back in October, 2017 – I was privileged to recently head to the Belair National Park to conduct a bit of a maternity shoot for them before their new bundle of joy comes along later this year. I was looking forward to using the sun shining through the trees of the National Park as I had so often done before for wedding shoots, however the day turned out to be rather miserable in the afternoon, but this turned out to be pretty advantageous, allowing for some soft, dreamy scenes throughout the forest.
Libby and Simon returned form their home in Texas, USA to celebrate their wedding day at the Chateau Tanunda with friends and family living in South Australia. Both their families were spread out around the globe, so it was wonderful to witness the coming together of these two lovely families 🙂 I was asked to be their wedding photographer for the majority of their day, seeing me at Libby’s place of preparation, through to the first dance at their reception.
Preparation
I was asked to start the day with Libby and her bridal party preparation at a nearby bed and breakfast in Tanunda. All morning there was the bustle of activity as each bridesmaid, flower girl and a few other family members all used the large, old cottage as a base of operations 🙂 The house featured a large, open lounge room, complete with a wonderful bay window, perfect for bridal preparation photos.
An interesting side not for the day was that I was contacted by Raw Cotton Collection, a clutch bag manufacturer based in Perth, through Instagram to give Libby and her flowergirls a free clutch and bags in exchange for some photos with the girls, was a fun little side note 🙂
Engagement ring
Flower Girl
Having fun in the veil
Lacing up
Bride and flower girl
Getting Ready
Flower Girl in Window
Lacing up
Wedding Dress
Bride at front door
Flower Girl helping out
Chateau Tanunda Wedding Ceremony
The Chateau Tanunda has been a feature of the Barossa Valley since the 1880s, being built near vineyards that were planted in 1840s, it’s a historic place that makes for a wonderful backdrop for a wedding! Libby and Simon’s wedding ceremony took place in a long, thin function hall/chapel on the far left of the Chateau which featured some wonderful wooden slat ceilings and large windows overlooking a grassy croquet field.
Bored flower girl
Holding hands together
Chateau Tanunda Wedding
Hugs
Holding hands together
First Kiss
Wedding Ceremony
Bride walking down aisle
Chateau Tanunda
Flower girls
Bride in Mirror
Holding hands together
At the altar
Groom’s First look
Glamour Photos
Directly after the ceremony, Libby, Simon and I escaped in their MG getaway car and used the surrounding beauty that is the Chateau Tanunda grounds. First making use of the picturesque driveway through the vineyards towards the Chateau, then behind the building in a small park situated beyond a disused train line. The sun was setting beautifully for some nice sun flare coming through the trees. We were also lucky enough to utilise the wine barrels in the large tasting room for the winery.
Getaway car
Walking together
Together in the trees
Together in the wine barrels
Doorway
Laughing couple
Bride and Groom together in front of Chateau Tanunda
Together in the wine barrels
Walking on the disused train line
Together in the sunset
Flower girls running about
Wedding rings on railway
Together in the trees
Ivy
Chateau Tanunda
Kiss in the vines
Happy groom
Driving toward Chateau Tanunda
Running through the vines
Walking through the trees
Chateau Tanunda Wedding Reception
The venue boasts a huge reception hall, big enough for Libby and Simon’s wedding reception guests twice over, which made the dance floor quite large! As it was a chilly night, being the beginning of May, their were plenty of gas-fired heaters throughout the room to keep guests warm.
Wedding Cake
Chateau Tanunda Wedding Reception
Speech
First Dance
First Dance
Mingling
Cutting the cake
Speech
Thank you so much Libby and Simon for having me be your wedding photographer, I hope you enjoy your photos! 😀
 