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8 Picture Perfect Moments you need to shoot at a wedding

  • 9 Picture Perfect Moments You Have to Get on Camera

    Bride and groom amongst gum trees

As a wedding photographer, one of the foremost requirements is to have “the eye” for taking good photos, find ing the picture perfect moments in a day that just need to be taken. There are some moments in wedding photography that you know from experience will make for the best images. I’ve put together a list in the past for some of the most important wedding photos you need to capture, but this list is a little more direct, and more of a list of what most people tend to expect in their wedding photography without any fuss. More focussing on the wedding ceremony itself.

Whether you’re in the wedding photography business or just an avid fan of tear-jerking moments, here are nine of the most picture perfect moments in weddings that you simply have to capture on camera.

Picture Perfect Moments leading up to the Ceremony

The Details

The bride and groom spent copious amounts of time in picking out the details of the wedding—so capturing them on camera is a good way to show appreciation. The flowers, the layout, and the program are merely some of the things you can zoom in on.

Engagement ring in bouquet
Bridal affects
Wedding dress hanging in window

The Venue

Taking a panoramic shot of the wedding venue is always one of the best shots. The venue is one of the things that couples take so much time in choosing and reserving—a nice photo of the place makes for a perfect photo.

Sedan Lutheran Church 2
Inglewood Inn Wedding backdrop
Burbrook forest wedding ceremony

The Guests

A few shots of the guests milling about, finding their seats, and chatting joyously to each other makes for powerful photographs. Candid photos like these aren’t just picturesque, but they add colour and excitement to the wedding portfolio.

Guests
Having a good time
Hugs from guests

The Groom

More often than not, the groom will arrive first on the scene ahead of the bride. Some photos of his arrival and preparation, as well as zooming into his face for emotion are good picture perfect moments in the album. Make sure to watch out for him walking down the aisle, most of Groom’s emotions about the ceremony start showing there. Be on standby to capture his face when he sees the bride—these emotion-filled moments are the perfect time for photography.

Groom’s first lok of bride
Groom waiting patiently
groom waiting patiently

The Bride

The bride will definitely be the star of the show, so documenting her from start to end is a must. As soon as the bridal car arrives, try to capture her inside up to the moment she steps out. Some close-up photos of her face before her entrance is definitely a necessity—and taking a picture of her entrance is an absolute must.

Bridal entrance
Bridal arrival
bridal arrival

Picture Perfect Moments During the Ceremony

The Traditions

As the ceremony begins, ensure to capture the various traditions involved. Whether it’s lighting the unity candle, stomping on glass or hand fasting—these small gestures define the couple and the lives they live, making for a picture perfect moment and representation of themselves. If they write their own vows, it’s also the perfect time to zoom in and capture their emotions on camera.

Asatru hand fasting
Bride holding a wedding sword
Vows

The Reactions

While the guests may not have that big of a role in the ceremony, their reactions to various things happening is a key to capturing the story of a ceremony. This is where your photographer’s eye comes in, watching out for any sudden streaks of emotion which would make for picture perfect moments. More often than not, this will elicit some laughter and joy—further driving this joyous occasion.

Parents singing
little one in the aisle
Singing

The Kiss

Undoubtedly, capturing the kiss is basic for wedding photographers. No wedding is complete without this shot—as well as the couple’s reaction right after.

First kiss
First kiss under the trees
First kiss

 

Conclusion

 

Weddings are the perfect avenue for capturing beautiful moments on camera. With a couple of shots, you can be a part of something much greater than yourself—even if just for a few moments.

 

Are you looking for a wedding photographer in Adelaide to capture your perfect moments? Get in touch with us today and schedule a meeting to discuss what services best fit you.

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Things to do before your wedding you may not have thought of

  • bridal party in mirror

 

Things to do before your wedding

For both parties, weddings are often a blast. However, when you’re an almost-bride who is just months away from the big day, the entire time can be stressful, considering all you’ll need to get done.

To avoid panic, have a look at some of these things to do before your wedding and make sure you schedule to get them done ASAP.

A list of things to do before your wedding you may not have thought of

Get your paperwork in order

Remember, you can’t actually get married without signing an intent to marry with your celebrant. If you and your partner haven’t yet applied for one, now is the best time to do so.

Depending on your area, you can easily find the required documents online, which you should research and prepare before heading down to your registry office, or your celebrant.

Exit from wedding ceremony at Al-Ru Farm

Schedule your final fitting

If you’ve been exercising daily to achieve your ideal wedding bod, you’ll want to be sure your dress fits you perfectly. Schedule a final fitting in advance in case you have any alterations to undergo.

Bridal party helping bride get ready

Reiterate final details with wedding vendors

Review all the details of your wedding day with each of your vendors, whether in person or over the phone. That way, you can make any revisions to your menu or venue decor should you spot anything that isn’t quite up to par. Anyway, it can’t hurt to be too careful.

Engagement ring

Follow up with guests who haven’t RSVPd

If some of your guests are just a “maybe” you’ll want to make sure they give you a concrete yes or no. This task can be tedious, so you can ask your maid of honour to help finalise your headcount.

guests

Practice your final hair and makeup look

Whether you’re doing your own makeup or hiring a make-up artist, it’s important to get the look just the way you want it well before your wedding day to avoid any mistakes. After all, you’ll want to look perfect in all those glamorous close-up wedding photos. If possible, take your veil to try out along with your final look.

Putting on the makeup

Get your bridesmaids fitted

One of the most difficult aspects of a wedding to coordinate is customising each bridesmaid’s outfit. Make sure they’ve made arrangements for their own final fittings and that they’re scheduled to pick up their dresses on time. If not, you could be subject to several time-consuming alterations and last-minute bills.

Bridesmaids dresses

Treat yourself to a facial or a massage

There’s no denying the stress that comes with the month leading up to your wedding, so you’ll want to make sure you’re finding pockets of time to relax. If you’re getting a facial, do so at least a few weeks before your big day as you won’t want to risk having a reaction too close to your actual wedding.

Smiling bride

Send out your rehearsal dinner invites

A rehearsal dinner is an important part of making sure everything about your wedding is going according to plan. It’ll also give you an opportunity to practice walking down the aisle and exchanging wedding gifts if you aren’t planning on doing so on your actual wedding day.

Send your invites out in advance, especially if you’re inviting anyone from out of town.

Serafinos Wedding Reception

Come up with a wedding day timeline

If anyone needs to be kept in the loop, hand out a schedule to your bridal party, family members, and vendors. You never know who might need to make last-minute changes.

bridal entrace at Woodstock winery wedding reception

 

While your big day may come with a lot of responsibilities, it’s important that it’s one that is memorable to you and your groom, so to make sure your day runs as smoothly as possible, think about this short list of some of the things to do before your wedding and make sure there is time set aside to make sure they happen!

If you haven’t hired a wedding photographer yet, we like to think we are the best in Adelaide and make capturing unmissable moments a priority on your wedding day – contact us today!

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7 Activities for the Night before Your Wedding

  • Nightime wedding photo

 

The Night before Your Wedding

The night before your wedding is one of the most nerve-wracking times on a wedding timeline – particularly for the bride. To make sure you are well-rested and glowing on your wedding photos, try to relax and ease your mind the night before. If you feel clueless about how to achieve this recommended ‘state of calm’ and need help finding things to do other than dream up all the horrible things that can possibly go wrong on your big day, here are our recommendations of seven things to do on the night before your wedding:

7 Activities for the Night before Your Wedding

  1. Remain hydrated

If you’re thinking of drinking your favourite glass of wine before your wedding, you might want to think again. Maybe drinking wine will help you feel sleepy and less nervous, but remember the consequences that might come from it. You’ll wake up feeling bloated, get anxiety attacks, look puffy, and might not feel the best. Try to drink a glass of water instead, and drink loads of it – maybe even throw in some vitamin drinks also. Your skin will thank you in the morning, and you’ll feel more refreshed than how you’d feel from alcoholic drinks.

Whiskey
  1. Eat something healthy

This is the night you might want to stop yourself from eating that greasy pizza or your favourite bag of chips. You wouldn’t want to wake up feeling bloated, so do your best to avoid it. Your body needs proper nutrition to stay healthy and to function well, so eat your fresh fruits and whole grains instead. Just be mindful of any past instances where you haven’t felt the best the night after a certain meal and simply stay away from it.

Wedding pizza
  1. Put extra love on your skin

You might have a glam team to make you feel and look beautiful for your wedding, but makeup on good skin will look so much more appealing. it may not be bthe most appropriate saying when talking about faces – but ‘you can’t polish a turd’ :). Make sure to free your face from any makeup and apply your skincare products the night before. Don’t even consider trying new skin products. You wouldn’t want to have breakouts or skin rashes, right? This goes for fake tans also! Often if you’re not the type of person to get a fake tan, it just looks horrible and sometimes stains your dress.

Makeup
  1. Destress

During the past months or years, you’ve been stressing out about your wedding, maybe take the night before your wedding and realise it’s all done and what happens will happen. Consider having a digital detox to help you relax. Staying away from gadgets can help you sleep earlier and better, and it will prevent you from suddenly sending out a last-minute direction-change to your suppliers. Instead of watching online videos or your favourite series, try a more relaxing activity, such as reading a book or a magazine because it can help stop you from overthinking.

Ring Books
  1. Write a love note

As a wedding photographer and vidographer, I love this one! Capturing the emotions of your loved one reading your note makes for a lovely scene. Instead of spending the night worrying or imagining the worst things that can happen, why not take the moment to relive how you and your future partner met? Remind yourself of how much you two have grown, and then, create a short and sweet message to make your partner smile the next morning. This will get your mind off of things that aren’t important, and it will let you focus on what truly matters – your other half.

Reading letter
  1. Pamper yourself

Another thing you can do is to treat yourself. What activities do you like doing? If you like meditating, listening to music, or having a relaxing bath, give yourself some time to do it. You can also invite your bridesmaids and have a relaxed gathering together. Just make sure to not overdo it so that you won’t tire yourselves.

Bridal party on bed
  1. Get a good sleep

Do everything you can to get a good night’s sleep – it’s going to be hard, not many people sleep well before their wedding day, but do your best. Set your alarm, drink a calming tea, make your bed, and put a book by your bedside table. To make you feel even more relaxed, set an appointment and get a body massage. Remember that you need enough rest so that you can fully enjoy the long day ahead.

romantic bed

The night before your wedding is traditionally the last night you have for yourself, so try to make the most of your time. On the following days, you’ll have a life partner to join you in enjoying every moment!

If you are looking for a professional wedding photographer in Adelaide to capture your wedding, get in touch with us today to see how we can help!

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3 Logistical Reasons Why Smaller Weddings Are Better

  • Out on pride rock

Why Smaller Weddings Are Better

Most people are enamoured by the idea that weddings need to be grand and expensive events, seeing that it’s a once-in-a-lifetime occasion. EasyWeddings research has pout the average cost of an Australian wedding at $32,940!

This notion, however, is often the cause of stress for the bride and the groom, both financially and logistically. The advantages of a small wedding, on the other hand, are many, even if people who are accustomed to traditional weddings would tell you otherwise. Also due to the COVID-19 pandemic, people are being forced into having smaller weddings.

So I’m here to say, Less is more, even at weddings and why smaller weddings are better!

It’s not your fault to want to dream big about walking up to the altar with your soon-to-be spouse because a momentous occasion deserves a certain level of extravagance. However, there’s more than one way to dream big besides going all out with larger venues and crowds.

Ekhidna Winery Wedding Ceremony

Let’s explore three convincing reasons you should aim for less in planning your wedding and why smaller weddings are better!

3 Logistical Reasons Why Smaller Weddings Are Better

  1. No more complicated invites

The best part about choosing to go small for your wedding is that you’ll have fewer issues with attendance. Since you won’t have to deal with distant friends and relatives, you don’t have to prepare for extra seats for surprise plus ones on the day itself.

Having a smaller event keeps your guest list compact to your closest friends and family. On the other hand, this might make some of your distant friends and family bitter about not getting an invite. You should remember to let them know that you’re cutting back on going for a grand occasion so that you can have a more intimate event so that they’ll understand your wishes.

Usually omitted guests are cool with this, especially as though many people understand the huge costs weddings can be. They’d be even more so considerign the current travel bans due to the pandemic!

Invite
  1. Fewer people means less planning

A smaller event means a smaller guest list, which leads to fewer seats to fill, and less food to prepare. One of the most painful parts of planning a wedding is making sure that everyone is covered for seating, food, drink and even bonbonerie.

Since there’ll be fewer people attending, you’ll be able to focus on just the important people in your life. Instead of shaking hands from one table to the next with acquaintances that you barely even know, you’ll be able to keep the engagement short and compact without worrying about overcrowding or overtime.

You’ll even be able to personalise your tables a bit more with a menu that people you know will enjoy, provide inside jokes and even give out personalised gifts if youre doing that.

Gifts
  1. You can upgrade your wedding for other luxuries

With a smaller event, you’ll be able to cut down on your expenses drastically. This flexibility in the budget will allow you to purchase other luxury options that you wouldn’t be able to purchase with a large crowd in mind.

Furthermore, you’ll be able to hire more experienced photographers and videographers who can make the most out of the small venue you’ll use. You can also buy more expensive food options since you’ll be serving a smaller crowd. Reallocating your budget from logistical necessities to luxury options will give you a variety of ways to make your wedding more memorable.

wedding dress hanging in tree

A wedding shouldn’t be a stressful situation to plan, prepare, and execute – rather it should be a bunch of fun! Remember that your marriage is not a contest in one-upping your relatives’, your friends’, or even your parents’ own matrimonial ceremonies. It’s an event that you want to share with your special person in the best way possible.

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Paxton Winery Wedding – Jayne & Pete

  • Jayne & Pete

    Paxton Winery Wedding

    Paxton winery wedding 2

Jayne and Pete were super lucky to be able to host their Paxton Winery wedding towards the end of March as it was right at the beginning of the Coronavirus restrictions being in place for weddings. As Jayne and Pete had a number of guests and relatives from overseas in attendance it was a very tight situation! Despite all that, their day turned out to be absolutely awesome!

Preparation

When I arrvied at the bed and breakfast in Port Noarlunga, I was under the impression that no one was home! I had wandered over to the wrong door and was knocking on it for a good 10 minutes before I started to investigate whether there was another way in – turns out there was a large windowed area where Pete’s entourage were milling about in. However there was no Pete! Apparently he had forgotten about having his preparation photos done, and was still in the city!

So after having rushed back to Port Noarlunga, and worrying poor Jayne thinking Pete was going to miss out on his photos, we had a good 30 minutes of photos done where Pete and his groomsmen all got ready overlooking the lovely Port Noarlunga Jetty.

Groomsmen huddle
Groomsman helping put on grooms tie
Groom putting on shirt
Grooms shoes
Wedding rings on tie
Looking on with tie
Groom in tshirt
Hazing the new guy
In case of cold feet socks

After having done Petes photos, I head off up the road a little to Jayne’s bed and breakfast where she was getting ready alongside 3 little flower girls. The atmosphere was a lot more laid back that Pete’s whirlwind photoshoot as we had much more time to get ready!

In fact we had so much time I had a lovely chat with Jaynes relatives and a bit of morning tea before they were starting to move on to Paxton Winery in a mini bus.

Jayne’s Mum wasn’t overly keen on being in front of the camera but I hope she likes the photos I took of her! it was also lovely to see the reaction of Jayne’s father as he saw her in her dress for the first time.

Hanging wedding dress
E pin on flowers
Hanging flower girl dresses
Bride looking in mirror smiling
Flower girl in the makeup chair
Bride having fun putting on makeup
Looking on
Mum helping bride put on dress
Mum helping bride prepare
Bride looking pretty looking out window
Father of the Brides first look
bride and flower girls
Bride hugging daughter
Bride walking down hallway
Bride at front door

Paxton Winery Wedding Ceremony

Jayne and Pete’s Paxton winery wedding ceremony took place on the large grassy area right next to the main building of Paxton winery. The set up overlooks the wonderful rolling hills, topped with vineyards that the Mclaren Vale wine district is famous for.

It’s also a wonderful setup for weddings, as the bridal motorcade can be seen as it drives down the long driveway towards the Paxton Wines cellar door, and then it’s a straight walk over grass for the bridal party to the ceremony location.

The ceremony itself was a lovely laid back affair, with Jayne’s Father giving her away with a little procession at the beginning, and her little flower girls throwing flowers at the couple at the end.

The sun came out during the ceremony and everything was perfect! I only wish the PA system they had wasn’t so tinny – it was tought o edit it out for their highlight video!

Groom waiting patiently
Bridal car arriving at Paxton Winery
Arriving Bridal car
Bride getting out of car
Flower girls ready to go
Groom and groomsmen at altar
Bridal approach at Paxton wines
Bride and Father
Groom’s first look of bride
Father nad bride standing together
Paxton winery wedding backdrop
Paxton Winery wedding ceremony
Smiling at her groom
Holding hands during the ceremony
Close up of holding hands
Smiling at his bride
Bored flowergirls
Celebrant doing her thing
Best man and the rings
Exchanging wedding bands
First kiss at Paxton winery wedding
Flower girls throwing flowers
Celebrate
Bride and groom walking back down aisle

Glamour Photos

After the appropriately socially distanced group photos, and drone shot of the entire winery we set out for our glamour phtoos around the Paxton Winery estate.

A wonderful part of hosting a Paxton Winery wedding is the variety of wedding photography you can capture on site. As it’s a winery there the usual rolling vineyards that are always a treat to photograph, but there is also something unique to this location that I was quite excited about.

Right near some beautiful pepper trees and grassy meadows, there is an old heritage homestead on site that made for a lovely backdrop to Jayne and Pete’s wedding photos!

We also managed to sneak out once it got dark to take some nighttime photos of the large lit up ‘LOVE’ sign Jayne and Pete had hired, while i also got out my ‘smoke in can’ to create some atmosphere within the vineyards at night.

Bride and groom in the vineyards
Brothers
Night time LOVE
Bride and groom with the wedding car
bride and groom through the vines
bride and groom in ruins at Paxton Winery
Bride and groom holding one another in the trees
walking together
Bride stepping on groomsmen
Paxton winery wedding from the air
Bride and groom through the window at Paxton Winery
Paxton Winery wedding at night
Paxton winery wedding 2
Bride and groom holding one another
Social Distancing group photo
Bride and groom in wedding car
Groom looking at bride
Bride and groom through the window
Paxton Winery wedding night shot

Paxton Winery Wedding Reception

The highlight of Jayne and Pete’s wedding reception for me was the incredible bongo drum player they had to augment the DJ’s music! He was slamming and rocking out with the energy of 1000 suns all night! If I were to do what he was doing, I’d be sure to have very sore hands for the rest of the month!

The reception took place on the smaller of the two grassy areas nearby the Paxton winery cellar door, with the original plan being to hold it inside – however due to Coronavirus restrictions it had to be moved outside – which I actually think was the better choice as it was a lovely night and the lighting was beautiful!

The guests had lawn games to entertain themselves, and we were treated to some very good speeches that made everyone laugh over and over. It was a great night!

Wedding tissues
Coronavirus Wedding sign
Paxton wines
Wedding favours
Cupcake wedding cake
Annoucning the bride and groom
Cutting the wedding cake as a family
Laughing near wedding cake
MC doing his thing
bride and groom laughing at speeches
bride and groom listening
Speeches
Dad giving his speech
groom giving his speech
Bride listening to speech
Flower girls listening to speeches
Wedding disposable camera
Dancing guests
First dance at Paxton winery wedding
Bride holding her groom
Groom giving hugs
Bride hugging
Daddy daughter dance
Wedding jenga
Paxton winery wedding reception
Dancing about

Thanks so much to Jayne and Pete for having me as your wedding phtoography at yoru paxton winery wedding! I had a blast and I look forward to getting out to wedding again very soon, once this virus shenanigans has past!