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Lakes Hotel Wedding – Paula & Andrew

  • Paula & Andrew

    Lakes Resort Hotel Wedding

    Sharing a kiss under seagulls

I head out to Paula and Andrew’s beautifully family-centric Lakes Hotel wedding in West Lakes at the beginning of October, and I had a ball of a time 🙂

The weather wasn’t always the best, showing a bit of cloud for much of the day, but we still managed to make use of the hotel and nearby park for some great shots!

Lakes Hotel Wedding Ceremony

I started my time with Paula and Andrew right at the start of their wedding ceremony, which was held in one of the function rooms on site at the Lakes Hotel. The function room they held their ceremony in overlooked the West Lakes river which made for a lovely backdrop while also being shielded from the slight drizzle of rain that was falling outside.

The ceremony itself was a lovely simple affair with some in-jokes about Paula and Andrews relationship interspersed by some lovely heart-felt vows and reading from a guest who diddnt seem to know they were doing a reading! Thosesorts of things at a wedding always makes everyone smile 🙂

Apparently Paula and Andrew had been engaged for a good 25 years! So of course some of the injokes throughout the ceremony and the speeches later in the night centered around that! Qudos for them to finally tying the knot though! Even if was doing a global pandemic.. :/

Groom patiently waiting near pole
Bride arriving near elevator
Bride and father photo
Bridal approach at the Lakes Hotel Wedding
Smiling bride during ceremony 2
Smiling groom during ceremony 2
Holding hands together 2
Standing at the altar together – Lakes Hotel wedding
Bride looking at her groom 2
Speech giver
The Lakes Hotel Wedding Ceremony
The Lakes Hotel Wedding Ceremony 2
The Lakes Hotel Wedding Ceremony 3
Exchanging wedding rings 4
First kiss under the arbour 2
Bridal exit in bubbles

Glamour Photos

After taking all the group photos both outside on the riverside, and then the rest inside as it had started to rain a little, I attempted to use the architecture of the Lakes Hotel for much of their photoshoot, hoping the rain dispersed enough for us to head outside a bit later – thankfully that’s exactly what happened!

We went for a walk along side the river and made use of the wonderful little beach nearby and dozens of seagulls flying overhead for some neat shots! I did get my shoes wet – but that’s just the life of a wedding photographer! Need to do what it takes for the best shot!

Bride gleefully looking at groom
Groom enjoying a beer
Wedding photo through poles
Lakes resort hotel wedding
Bride looking pretty at the Lakes Resort Hotel
Bride playing with bouquet in hallway
Groom being playful
Groom holding his bride 2
Bride and groom walking down hallway at the Lakes Hotel
Groom walking down hallway at the Lakes Resort Hotel
Bride and groom standing under seagulls
Sharing a kiss under seagulls
Standing on the beach together 2
bridal party standing on the beach near the Lakes Hotel
Close up of the engagement ring 2
Bride and groom sitting together
Bridal wings

Lakes Hotel Wedding Reception

Before starting for the day I arrived at the Lakes Hotel early to set up my photobooth for the evening. When I arrived the hall was very small, but I wasn’t to know that they actually extended the reception hall where I set the photobooth up in throughout the other function room where they held their ceremony! Turned out to be a huge area very suitable for a lovely wedding reception overlooking the water.

While I was attending the photobooth throughout the night I also stood up every now and again to take photos of the speeches and of course the first dance. Was a lovely night!

Wedding cake 3
Bride and groom entering reception 2
Guest having fun 5
Bride and groom standing under the stars
Guests having fun 3
Cutting the cake 2
Kiss from guest
Using the photobooth
Shoe game 2
Speech 3
First dance at the lakes resort hotel
First dance at the lakes resort hotel wedding

I’d like to thank Paula and Andrew for having me as their wedding photographer on their special day! I hope Paula and Andrew enjoy their photos as much as I enjoyed taking them throughout their big day!

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5 Tips for Travelling with Your Wedding Gown

Santorini Wedding

Travelling with Your Wedding Gown to your Destination Wedding

A destination wedding is a fabulous way to start married life and is a great excuse to have a holiday. When you look back at your wedding photos, you will have a lovely time remembering how you spent time with the people closest to you and your fiancé in an amazing destination!

I realise that not many people are heading overseas at the moment due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but I do know that many of your are still planning on having a destination wedding, and it may well be at a location you can still travel to! Like within Australia! I’ve covered many weddings in Darwin, Hobart, Canberra and Rural South Australia that beat many international destinations easily!

Before you jet off, though, you have to figure out one important thing—how to get your wedding dress to your destination.

5 Tips for Travelling with Your Wedding Gown

Avoid checking it in luggage

Whatever you do, avoid checking your wedding dress as luggage. It will get battered in transit, and there is always a risk of it getting lost. As much as possible, fly with your wedding dress as a carry-on item.

Check with your airline about their policies on carrying wedding dresses – as it may be an exempt item when it comes to the number of pieces of luggage you’re allowed. Also. label the bag containing it with your name, e-mail address, and the contact details of your destination.

Bride hanging her dress

Buy or recycle a garment bag

The bridal shop will likely use a garment bag when sending you your wedding dress. However, check if this is strong enough to stand up to travelling with your wedding gown. If you have your doubts, invest in a tougher garment bag. Ask your bridal shop to show you how to fold your wedding dress as well.

When you get to the gate, arrange for the attendant to hang your dress in a closet. Some airlines will preload your dress if you call ahead, so explore this option as well. Sometimes, though, there is no hanging space since surfboards and wheelchairs are the priority for closets.

In this case, you might lay your dress over bags in the overhead, but be considerate of the other passengers and ask permission. If you have the money to spare, you can resort to buying an extra seat just for your dress, or upgrade to business class – this allows you to have an additional carry-on bag!

Wedding dress

Invest in a vacuum bag

For brides with voluminous wedding gowns, a vacuum bag is almost mandatory when travelling with your wedding gown. Pack your dress while inside its garment bag into a similarly-sized vacuum bag and suck the air out, which will make the carry on much smaller – and if you’re lucky the checkin gate wont weigh it! Just dont try and fly with an airline known for being sticklers on weight.

You can then pack this into a tri-fold carry-on case, and store it in the luggage just like you would another bag. Remember to pack a garment steamer or request for one at your hotel or resort to iron out the creases. You do not want to memorialise the wrinkles in your wedding photos!

Putting on dress

Use a carry-on suitcase

A regulation-size carry-on suitcase is an excellent storage place for a wedding dress. For this to work, you need to pack your gown carefully. Use a hard shell suitcase; this protects your clothing from rain or other fluids. When packing, turn your dress inside out.

Turning your dress inside out will protect things like lace details, needlework, and other delicate embellishments. You can also put tissue paper in between the folds, to preserve the garment better.

Santorini destination wedding

Have your dress professionally packed

Your bridal shop can pack your dress to fit in your carry-on suitcase. You can specifically ask them to pack it for travel; this should be part of their services. You can also get a specially-designed box that meets carry-on size requirements for airlines or chartered planes. These boxes also have acid-free tissue paper which you can put in between folds.

Taking the wedding dress for a spin

 

You can pack a wedding dress for your destination wedding, but it will require a bit of planning from you. Travelling with your wedding gown can be tricky, but don’t let the hassles of travel prevent you from having a picture-perfect day!

Ensure that you have photos that will last a lifetime with Sven Studios. We are experienced destination wedding photographers super keen to travel and dedicated to perfectly capturing one of the most special days in a couple’s life. Browse our previous work or get in touch with us for more information!

 

 

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Baby Ellie & Ava’s Family Shoot

  • baby Ellie looking at camera

 

Baby Ellie & Ava’s Family shoot

I was excited to meet little baby Ellie and her big sister Ava at their family’s little photoshoot they had a few weeks ago! It’s always lovely to see families are eagre to capture this moment in their lives for future reminicing. It’s also a great parenting tool for little ones as they grow up!

We began with a short walk in the nearby park to make use of the lovely light that was filtering in through the trees for some cute family shots! After a bit of bribery of Ava with some bikkies, she was co-erced to be a part of some of the photos we tried to get, while their parents also managed to get into some of them too!

We tried not to stay out in the open for too long, as little baby Ellie was getting a little chilly so we head back up the road to my little newborn photography studio setup.

Family photo in the evening sun
Sisters together
Family walking through woods
Family photo next to tree
Family photo in the trees
Family walking along the pond
Mum and Bub 2
Little one looking back
Sisters
Baby Ellie in a basket

While back home we used the studio lighting for some newborn shots of baby Ellie and her parents. She was very well behaved!

baby ellie lying down
baby Ellie looking at camera
baby in a basket 2
baby in a basket 3
baby in a basket 4
baby looking over shoudler
Mum kissing baby

Was a lot of fun meeting these two little ones and their family for their shoot!

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4 Things Parents Must Know about Newborn Photography

  • smiling baby mirella

 

What do you know about newborn photography?

Welcoming a baby into the family is an amazing and touching experience. As parents, you may find yourself just staring at your little bundle of joy, holding their small fists, and caressing their tiny, rosy feet. After all, it’s a magical moment that you’ve waited for so many months for!

As your tiny human grows each day, they start to do things they never did before, melting your heart with their little smiles and occasional silly faces. That said, it’s a wonderful idea to work with professional newborn photographers to capture these milestones and precious memories!  They have the skills, experience, and techniques to take photographs of your child that you’ll surely treasure forever.

4 Things you should know about newborn photography

If you’re about to have a photo session for your three-month-old baby, however, there are things you should know to ensure that the shoot goes smoothly—and that you get great pictures in the end!

  1. The Poses will Depend on Your Child’s Capability

At 12 weeks, your baby can already kick their legs about, but they’re still not strong enough to push themselves up. Considering this, please know that we can use as many bean bags or blankets as we have to support them, but we are still limited by what your child can do. After all, we want to make sure that they are comfortable and safe throughout the shoot.

Having photographs of your child carrying their own body weight completely may still be impossible at this point. However, there are other shots we can explore, such as baby on tummy and baby on back shots!

Happy bub
  1. We Need Your Help to Make Them Smile

Capturing your baby’s smile is always the highlight of any photography session. Unfortunately, it can be tricky to achieve this, as they usually hold their smiles for less than a second.

We will have you come as close as an arms’ length for your child to recognize you. Babies around this age often smile and laugh at hearing their parents’ voice or seeing their faces, so your presence can help us get that precious shot!

Smiles
  1. The Fewer Changes, the Better

We don’t want to tire your baby out throughout the session, so it’s best to limit the poses or setups to a small number. They can get easily exhausted after being moved around so much. Considering this, we’ll take into considering your child’s capabilities and mood during the actual shoot and make the necessary adjustments.

Moreover, we also suggest limiting passing the baby around for family photos. Instead, we can arrange for you more intimate cuddling poses—just the parents nestling the baby in their arms or lap. In this way, your baby can relax, and we can capture these special moments without a hitch!

Mummy cuddles
  1. Don’t Forget the Milk

While we will do our best to finish the photoshoot as quickly as possible, the whole process will still take time, especially if you have a few more setups you want to achieve. That said, it’s best to keep your baby happy and satisfied by keeping them well fed. Take advantage of the break time to feed them so that they can continue flashing those adorable expressions once the shoot resumes.

Baby Bub

Three months is an exciting age, as this is when they start moving around and amazing you with their capabilities. Sadly, they won’t stay this small and adorable for long, so you have to make every moment count!

This is where a professional photography session is very helpful. It helps you capture these milestones and, ultimately, immortalise the experience of being able to hold your tiny human in your arms. Hopefully this short list of things parents must know about newborn photography gives you a little insight on what the whole process is like.

If you’re looking for a professional newborn photographer in Adelaide to capture your baby’s beautiful moments, get in touch with us at SvenStudios! We conduct our sessions where you feel most comfortable. On top of this, we draw on our many years of experience in working with children to produce incredible photographs that you and your family will cherish forevermore.

 

 

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How to Get the Most Out Your Newborn Photoshoot

  • Baby foot

 

How to Get the Most Out Your Newborn Photoshoot

What many new parents don’t realise is that the newborn phase is just that–a phase. They power through the haze of sleepless nights and endless diaper changes, their days marked by delirious happiness or extreme exhaustion. Then in a blink of an eye, its over, and your helpless little angel is now a rambunctious toddler turning your house upside down.

When you are in the thick of the newborn stage, you don’t think much beyond the next week. You are in deep survival mode, only capable of processing what you need to do today and the next day. If you ask a new parent what their first few months of life were like for them and the new baby, they probably won’t be able to answer except to tell you that they survived it.

A great way to capture those precious first moments of your baby’s life is to hire a newborn photographer. They are better than a relative taking a blurry snapshot on a camera phone. You can have professional lit, styled, and photographed keepsakes that you will want to look back on for many years to come.

Get the Most Out Your Newborn Photoshoot tips

If you are considering newborn photography, here are a few tips you can follow to get the most out of your newborn photoshoot:

Look for a photographer in your third trimester

When it comes to professional photographers, the best ones book out fast! Since you can’t move your due date around, planning advance can ensure you get to work with the newborn photographer that you want. A capable photographer knows how to work with delicate babies safely, and they have the patience to get the shots just right. If you don’t book one in advance, chances are the one you won’t be available on short notice.

Belair Maternity Shoot

Schedule it during the first two weeks

The first couple of weeks are when your newborn is mostly asleep. It makes it easier for you to get them to hold still for photos. Older babies will not stay still and may easily be distracted or agitated by strange noises and bright lights. You won’t want to have an album full of crying or grumpy photos of your newborn.

Newborn Photography

Pick a time during your baby’s longest daytime nap

While your baby will be mostly asleep, they can tend to be fussy during their awake times. Choose a schedule during your child’s longest stretch of daytime sleep, if it is at least one hour or more. You may need more time than one hour, but at least the first one gets you enough time to get some good photos before you need to take a break for feeding and nappy changes.

An experienced newborn photographer will give you ample time to get the most out of your newborn photoshoot no matter how long you get in front of the camera!

In a basket

Skip the costumes, use heirloom clothes

While it may look cute to dress up your child in costumes, you can make the photos more meaningful and memorable by using unique clothes that have been passed down or gifted to you. Perhaps your parents kept your baby clothes which can be tailored to fit your new baby. You can also have an outfit fashioned from a wedding dress or dress shirt. There are many ways to dress up your baby for the occasion, but personal pieces will make it unique and give you a beautiful story to tell your child someday.

Fast asleep

Do it at home

If you have space, have your photos taken at home. You will have more flexibility, you won’t have to bring your entire arsenal of baby gear, and you will be more comfortable as a family. Photographers can bring equipment like lighting and backdrops, that will be a much easier feat than transporting an entire nursery. This is probably the easiest way to get the most out of your newborn photography.

Baby in Basket

When you emerge from the stupor of the newborn stage with beautiful, professionally-taken photographs, you will be grateful that you had the foresight to plan for it. Scheduling a photo shoot might seem like the last thing you want to do when you are covered in milk and surrounded by diapers. However, you will come to realise that the season is fleeting and you will only have a small window to capture those precious first days with your child.

 

Are you looking for a newborn photographer in Adelaide? We can help you immortalise the most important milestones of your life. We specialise in wedding, family, and newborn photography services. Don’t let the opportunity to create beautiful memories slip by. Call us to schedule an appointment.