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6 Things to Ask Before Committing to a Wedding Photographer

Things to Ask Before Committing to a Wedding Photographer

Posing for a camera for hours is already challenging enough. Finding a quality photographer that fits your budget is another hurdle. If you are afraid of not liking what you see after spending so much on your wedding photography, here is one truth you should remember:

Your wedding photos will turn out better than expected if you are comfortable with the wedding photographer you hire. The secret to ensuring that you and your photographer have good dynamics is that you understand how they work and have no doubts about their service.

Wellington Park Wedding Photo

This scenario may seem too good to be true, but it happens pretty much every weekend as there are some amazing wedding suppliers out there! To find the right photography provider for you, the first thing you need to do is ask the right questions to get the answers that will calm your nerves.

Here are some things to ask your wedding photographers so you will have nothing to worry about later.

6 Things to Ask Before Committing to a Wedding Photographer

#1: Ask What Is Included in Their Service

All weddings have a budget, so it is essential to know where your money is going. Before settling with a wedding photography service provider, they should have presented you with a breakdown of things you will get from their service. For example, knowing if you will get a printed photo, album or just digital copies is a crucial detail to know. From there, you can determine if you need to allocate more of your budget for printing your wedding album.

Digital Deluxe Album

#2: Ask for Client References

Every photographer should have a list of clients who can say good things about their service. Once your photographer shares this list of references, you get in touch with these people and ask for their opinion about them or verify what the photographer has said using a reputable source of reviews, such as ABIA. Reviews on Google and Facebook are also helpful as you need to be identity verified in order to post a review and is more difficult to fake. The best way to assess a team’s performance is by learning about other clients’ testimonials about their work.

Wedding photo with photobombing koala

#3: Check Their Lead Time for Post-Editing

Every couple is excited to see the photos of their memorable day. Before getting too giddy about it (and for less disappointment as well), make sure to ask your photographers when you can expect your final photos. Photographers do not have the time to do a quality check for every click they make during a wedding. Editing ensures that the pictures you get are of the best quality.

Couples can expect to wait up to 3-6 months for the busiest photographers, while that turn around time can be much shorter in the off peak periods of the year.

On a side note plety of photographers also opt to outsource their editing workload and can therefore have their photo collections done quicker. I prefer to have full control over all the creative processes so I personally tend to be a little slower, however still fairly quick usually taking no more than 2 months. COVID however has caused quite a bit of backlog so recently I’ve spread out to 3 months, but thats still a fairly decent timeframe!

bride and groom on hill over ocean

#4: Find Out Their Turnover Details

Aside from the timing, check the details for the turnover of the photos. Will they give you a flash drive, or will they require a hard drive from you? Will they send over a download link, provide you with access to their web gallery, or will they only hand over printed copies? All these details should be clear before you sign your contract.

SvenStudios USB

#5: Ask If They Accept Special Photo Requests

Every experienced wedding photographer already has a mental list of photos to take on a wedding day, but if you think you need a particular shot that they do not usually offer, make sure to request it. To make sure that the photographers will not forget, list it down and keep a copy for yourself. This is particularly important for group photos as chances are if you do not have a list of photos you’d like taken – they simply wont be taken!

A photographer does not know your family dynamics, nor who are the important people in attendance – they rely on you to sort out your group photos and a list is the best way to not miss any.

group photo at Ekhidna Winery

#6: Check the Payment Terms

Before deciding to work with a photographer, do not forget to ask for their payment terms. Photography services usually require a deposit, or retainer fee before the actual event. Make sure you know how much you need to pay and how youre able to pay so you will not be surprised later.

Bride bag

When your prospective wedding photographer asks if you have any questions, do not hesitate to ask and get the answers you need. A photographer that welcomes your questions and answers them to the best of their abilities can tell you how well they value their clients and the work they provide. If they know how to make you feel comfortable at this stage, that says a lot about their capabilities. Do your research until you are satisfied with the information you find. Hopefully this list of things to ask before committing to a wedding photographer will help!

What I personally like to do when meeting with a prospective new engaged couple is that I like to walk them through an entire wedding – hopefully similar to what they have in mind and hopefully while walking through what that other couple did would give this new couple ideas on how I work, what they can do and most importatly, what they would look like in their own photos!

Are you looking for wedding photographers? Let SvenStudios capture your wedding memories in photographs that you will cherish forever. We are your professional wedding photography solution in Adelaide, and we cater to wedding services no matter the location. Contact us today to inquire about our services.

 

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Kangaroo Island Elopement – Claire & Jacob

  • Claire & Jacob

    Kanagroo Island Elopement

    Bride and groom in front of Cape Willoughby Lighthouse

Claire and Jacob held a super secret Kangaroo Island Elopement unbeknownst to all their family and friends except for their witnesses! From the moment I met with Claire and Jacob I knew their elopement was going to be a special one, and it certainly turned out to be a fantastic day starting from sunrise on pennashw’s beach, up to Cape Willoughby Lighthouse before finally heading to Pennington bay for their elopement ceremony.

Morning Photoshoot

We began the day at the crack of dawn – hoping for a stunning sunrise to illuminate the sky behind the lovely rocks at Frenchman’s rock. Unfortunately that wasn’t to be with a rather overcast beginning to the morning, we made use of the rock formations anyway, before finally slivers of the sunrise revealed itself towards the end of our time there.

As a result Claire and Jacob’s Kangaroo Island elopement photoshoot began by getting our feet wet a bit, which in my books is the best way to start a day of photo taking! Next stop was scaling cliffs near the Cape Willoughby Lighthouse!

Frenchmans rock wedding photo
Frenchmans rock wedding photography
Holding one another on the beach
Out amongst the Frenchmans rocks
Penneshaw beach sunrise
Kangraoo Island Elopement photoshoot
Penneshaw beach Wedding

Before heading out to the lighthouse however, we made use of the nearby Sculpture trail on Penneshaw beach to take some shots within some of the sculputes and on the lovely suspension bridge cutting across the gully.

The last time I was on Kangaroo Island before Claire and Jacob’s kangaroo island elopement was about 10 years prior, and I had just got into photography then. I ventured out this way myself hoping to capture some stunning landscapes and of course I did so – but that trip allowed me to remember some amazing spots bewteen Penneshaw and Cape Willoughby – including tree lines dirt roads and grass along the sides of some roads! made sure we made use of them.

Kangaroo Island Sculpture trail
Kangaroo Island Sculpture trail Photo
Bride and groom inbetween sculpture
On the side of the road in Kangaroo Island
On the roads in Kangaroo Island
under the trees on Kangaroo Island
Kangaroo Island road wedding photo

Our time at the Cape Willoughby Lighthouse was the moment I was most looking forward to before heading out for Claire and Jacob’s elopement. I remembered there was an amazing winding road leading to the lighthouse itself, and also some stunningly tall cliffs whcih I was keen to ask Claire and Jacob to scale for photos! I was lucky they were keen to do so! Not since Georgia in Hobart had I seen a bride so willing to run around on rocks in her wedding dress before the ceremony!

It was absolutely marvellous despite viewing the footage my wife took after the fact and realising how high the cliffs under us really were!

 

Walking to Cape Willoughby Lighthouse
Walking up the road together
Together on the hill near the lighthouse
On the cliffs near Cape Willoughby Lighthouse
Wedding photo on cliffs
Together nearby Cape Willoughby Lighthouse
Bride and groom in front of Cape Willoughby Lighthouse
Wedding photo at Cape Willoughby Lighthouse

Kangaroo Island Elopement Ceremony

Claire and Jacob’s Kangaroo Island Elopement ceremony took place on a little secluded beach, surrounded by cliffs nearby the beautiful Pennington Bay. This secluded location allowed for minimal wind to interrupt the ceremony and it made for a lovely, intimate ceremony.

bride groom and celebrant at pennington bay
bride groom and celebrant
Bride smiling at her groom on the beach
Kangaroo Island elopement ceremony
Pennington Bay wedding ceremony
Pennington Bay wedding
Laughing bride on beach
Exchanging wedding bands at Pennington Bay
First kiss on Pennington Bay
Celebrating marriage at pennington Bay
Family photo on Pennington Bay

Pennington Bay Glamour Shoot

The waters around Pennington bay is beatifully clear and shallow enough so that Claire and Jacob could wade out a bit for some photos, so of course I made them do so! The scenery just called for another round of wading so we certainly made use of it all!

bride and groom in the water
Pennington Bay Kangaroo Island
Bride and groom walking along Pennington Bay
bride groom and dog
bride and groom walking with dog along beach
bride and groom amongst the pennington bay rocks
bride and groom on a rock

Thanks so much to Claire and Jacob for having me as your wedding/elopement photographer I know some of the things I asked you do do for the shot wasnt easy, but I am so grateful you gavClaire and Jacob held a super secret Kangaroo Island Elopement on the pristine sands of Pennington Bay after scaling cliffs and getting wet!e me the opportunity to take some amazing shots!

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3 Tips to Prepare Your Wedding Day for Possible Rain

  • Under the jetty

 

Prepare Your Wedding Day for Possible Rain

When planning a wedding, especially outdoors, the one thing you hope will never happen is for it to start raining. Unfortunately, no one can control the weather, and even the world’s best forecasters are not 100% right. So what happens if it does rain on your wedding day? Well, that will entirely depend on how well you prepared for it! The keyword here is “prepare,” something we will help you to do in this article!

Just before we start though, it might interest you to know that the tradition of it being good luck for it to rain on your wedding day dates back hundreds of years and has it’s roots in biblical gospel! So theres that going for you 😀

3 Tips to Prepare Your Wedding Day for Possible Rain

Here are some tips on you can prepare your wedding day for possible rain –

  1. Plan with your vendors

You will have vendors helping you out on your wedding day, from photographers to designers, even candlestick makers 😛 . Whoever it is you are working with, communicate to them thoroughly about your concerns. For example, during your wedding photo-taking session, you will want to talk to your wedding photographers about what to do if the weather changes.

We recommend talking about bringing umbrellas for light rain and picking a new location for heavier downpours. That said, your vendors will likely have plenty of experience for such situations, so it does not hurt to ask them what they think you should do. Work together, and you will be able to come up with a solid plan.

Wedding photographs in the rain can make for some magical shots! Particularly in Adelaide as it doesnt tend to rain too often here – but heading out for some monsoonal weather during Darwin’s wet season will get everyone pretty wet but can make for some great shots!

Lightning
  1. Have a solid backup plan

Speaking of a solid plan, you will need to be quite thorough with how you organise the event. Merely telling your organizers to “bring umbrellas” is not going to cut it. Umbrellas can be useful in light rain, but they are not going to do anything if it starts to rain hard. An umbrella is not going to stop the ground from pooling up with water, nor protect everyone from getting drenched.

Once again, remember to thoroughly plan with your vendors to create a solid backup plan. Make sure you include details on what to do in case the weather does not cooperate. Have a list of backup locations or venues, and account for tents and other types of protection to keep your guests and equipment dry.

A big plus on any wedding venue you might be looking out for would be a built-in inclement weather plan. For example the Mt Lofty House wedding venue usually holds their ceremonies out on the lawns overlooking the velley, but can be held in the reception area at short notice.

Surprise Backyard wedding under the marquee
  1. Be flexible and adaptable

No one can control the weather, so make sure that you take it into account when planning your wedding. You have to be flexible and adaptable, as there is no point in trying to work against it.

We understand that you have probably meticulously planned your wedding day down to the tiniest details, but always be sure to keep an open mind. Do not let the rain ruin your day, and do not let it ruin your wedding. By being adaptable, you can ensure your wedding day runs smoothly despite any weather.

Remember that the most important thing about your wedding day is that you get to marry the love of your life, and that’s all that matters!

Walking on the disused train line

You can always just hope for the best and pray that it does not rain on your big day, but this is not the only thing you can do. Instead, follow the tips we have shared above. Being prepared, even by just a little, is better than not being prepared at all. Prepare your wedding day for possible rain as best you can and it can be the difference between a spectacular wedding day and one that leaves you and your guests disappointed.

SvenStudios is a professional wedding photography service provider that captures stunning moments that lovers can treasure forever. If you are looking for professional wedding photography, contact us today!

 

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Old Oval Estate Wedding – Suzie & Jay

  • Suzie & Jay

    Old Oval Estate Wedding

    Bride and groom up the hill a bit in Bone Gully

It was a stunning, sunny day for Suzie and Jay’s Old Oval Estate wedding in Mclaren Vale! The mood was laid back and jovial all day, with all involved just keen on making sure Suzie and Jay have a beautiful celebration of the coming together of their two families.

Suzie and Jay opted to host a ‘first look‘ within the beautiful Bone Gully section of Kuitpo Forest before heading to the Old Oval Estate and Fork in the Road Winery for their ceremony before heading all the way to Macclesfield’s delightful little Three Brothers Arms Pub for their family – oriented reception.

Preparation

I began my day with Jay and his groomsmen being prepared at their family house nearby Meadows. The weather was actually quite grim and foggy up there in the morning, but the weather certainly came out nicely for the rest of their day!

Jay and his groomsmen had a grand old time ripping on one another as they helped each other get dressed, while also making sure Jay’s cigar was lit and hip flask was full.

The great thing about where Jay and his entourage got prepared was the ability to wander off into some neat forested areas behind the house which we made use of for many of their photos.

Young ones clothes lined out
Helping young one get ready
groomsmen hip flasks
groom putting on tie in front hallway
Groom putting on suit jacket in hallway
helping tie tie
Groom and Groomsmen on street
Groom leanng against big gum tree
Groom walking out hallway door

Suzie and her bridesmaids were being prepared at a bed and breakfast, not far from the Bone Gully forested area where Suzie and Jay held their ‘first look’. The delightful little cottage boasted sweeping views of a nearby pond and a beautiful driveway flanked by tall gum trees which we most certainly made use of for their photos!

Suzie and her bridesmaids shared the jovial mood the boys displayed by making sure Suzie and the little one running about was having a great time – even to the point of having the little one treat a bed like a trampoline!

Opal necklace
Bride hanging wedding dress
Hanging wedding dress on cupboard door
Closeup of family photos on bouquet
Bridesmaid helping put dress on through doorframe
All the bridesmaids helping out
Smiling bridesmaid looking on at bride getting ready
All the bridesmaids together in front of pond
bride standing under arch of tree
bride standing by herself infront of gum trees
bridesmaids all standing together in front of gum trees
Silly bridal party photo

Bone Gully, Kuitpo Forest First Look

I just love heading to Bone Gully – a part of Kuipto Forest for wedding photos – I’ve taken a couple of bridal couples here – but it’s always a bit of a hrd sale to most due to the difficult terrain that a couple would have to traverse in  order to make the most of the location – and wedding attire really isnt best suited for hiking.

That said though, when I finally do get the opportunity to shoot a wedding in Bone Gully, the tall trees and amazing scenery really makes it such a special place! So I was super exicited to learn that Suzie and Jay were keen to head there for their first look!

We made use of the well used BMX tracks, just inside the gates of the forest for the actual moment where suzie approached Jay for their first look, which when surrounded by the dappled light of the harsh sun beating through the trees made for an intimate moment shared by the two of them.

We then went for a bit of a walk up the hill a bit to take a few more shots of the bridal aprty as a whole and also made sure to make the best use fot eh sun shining through the trees.

groom patiently waiting for the first look
first look in Kuitpo Forest
First look in bone gully
Family together on wedding day
Bride and groom amongst the trees in Kuitpo Forest
Bride and groom amongst the trees in Bone Gully
bride and groom amongst the tall pine trees
Bridal party on the path in Bone Gully
bride and groom away from the bridal party
Bride and groom up the hill a bit in Bone Gully
Bride and groom up the hill a bit in Kuitpo Forest

Old Oval Estate Wedding Ceremony

Holding an Old Oval estate wedding ceremony usually means setting up on a grassy area, under a large gum tree, flanked on either side by vineyards. It’s a delightful spot to host an outdoor wedding ceremony – particularly when you also organise shade for your guests on such a sunny day as this was!

Suzie and Jay had one oof their friends act as an officient throughout their ceremony, who continually made jokes about swishing his mullet around and made in-jokes about Suzie and Jay’s relationship. This is always a nice way to include close friends, and also make the whole ceremony a lot more intimate for all involved.

After the ceremony, we took family photos under the large gum tree, before spending a little time having some leisurely drinks at the cellar door.

bride and groom arriving at their Old Oval Estate Wedding
Officiant
Smiling bride during her wedding ceremony
Smiling groom during his wedding ceremony
Under the tree at Old Oval estate wedding ceremony
Old Oval Estate Wedding Ceremony
Holding hands at Old Oval Estate Wedding Ceremony
First kiss at Old Oval Estate wedding ceremony
Exit from Old Oval Estate wedding ceremony 2

Three Brothers Arms Wedding Reception

Suzie and Jay’s wedding reception took place a fair drive away in Macclesfield’s Three Brothers Arms Hotel – a historic building in the town which Suzie  and Jay were keen to make use of for some gritty, not quite so lovey-dovey wedding photos – which I had the most fun setting up and shooting!

We made use of the rustic front bar for some shots of the two of them reading their favourite books, and even finished the day with laying down in the gutter out the front for a ‘drunken’ photo anyone whould be keen on printing and hanging on a wall 😛

Three Brothers Arms grassy area
Wedding Cheese wheel cake
bride and groom inside Three Brothers Arm Pum
Three Brothers Arms Wedding Photo
Closeup of hands with wedding bands
Bride and groom entering their Three Brothers Arms wedding reception
Guests greeting the bridal couple at the reception
Guests greeting the bridal couple at reception
Cutting the cake together
Photo at Three Brothers arms pub
Bride and grrom enjoying the sunlight at the back of the Three Brothers arms pub
bride and groom under the gree foliage
Three Brothers Arms Wedding Photography

Suzie and Jay’s day was a blast to be a part of and I thank them for having myself and my wife be a part of their Old Oval Estate wedding day!

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How to Capture Memorable Beach Wedding Photos – 5 Tips

Joyful beach jump by a happy couple against a serene ocean backdrop.

Beach Wedding Photos That Capture Perfect Moments

Having a wedding by the beach is a dream for most couples, and as an Australian-based wedding photographer I’ve been to my fair share! Particularly at this time of year – it’s warming up and everyone wants to head to the beach!

When you think about a romantic setting, the beach is often on top of the list. Imagine the blue and calm ocean as your ceremony’s background, with the light beaming off the waves, and a cool, delightful sea breeze that embraces you and your guests. That is a special welcome ceremony for starting a new, happy life together.

Top 5 Beach Wedding Photos Tips for Unforgettable Memories

With this heavenly setting, you can take beautifully captured wedding photos. If you want breathtaking beach wedding photos to display at home, here are some beach wedding photos tips to enhance an already captivating ceremony and make the most of your stunning setting!

 

Bride and Groom on Maslin beach

 

#1 Find a beach you can own for the day

While tourist beaches probably come to mind first, you might want to find a place that is not too crowded. You will likely find a location that is as good but also peaceful and pristine. Aim for a beach with clear waters, fine sand, and surrounded by hundreds of trees. There are quite a surprising number of these types of beaches available here in Adelaide, Darwin, and Hobart!

While these points might seem like a given for most people, sometimes the beaches that some people want to goto can be quite dreadful. Take for example the Hallett Cove Conservation Park here locally, south of Adelaide – stunning surrounds but the entire beach is covered in pebbles – or try setting up a Darwin wedding ceremony on one of their beaches where the sand quickly turns into quicksand and swallows your feet!

Make sure it is also easy to reach for your guests but miles away from civilisation. A private resort or a remote island will be a perfect getaway for all to have a romantic barefoot ceremony and make for some stunning beach wedding photos.

Middleton beach Wedding

#2 Check the weather and tide forecast

A photo taken during high tide will look different from one taken during low tide. Some beaches will look dry during low tide, which is a crucial detail to know, especially for your photographer. With this information, your photographer should be able to come up with plans to make the setting even more magical than it looks. The team should be able to make informed decisions using tide charts and weather forecasts.

One of my favourite spots to shoot in Darwin is especially succeptible to this! Sometimes there is a beautiful rocky beach to frolick around, while other timese it’s covered in meters of water. Check the tides, a!nd the timing of the sunsets too

Semaphore Beach Sunset

#3 Make a beautiful ceremony arbour

A wedding by the beach is beautiful on its own, but add a gorgeous arbour, and you will have a centrepiece that can also serve as a nice backdrop for beach wedding photos. You should carefully choose where to position this arbour, as you want the lighting to be just right for your photos. It;s best for your photographer to position youselves so that the sun is shinging on you from behind, and not to any one side.

Ideally, the ocean should be the view behind the couple. However, if the scene is not camera-friendly, and if the sun is in the wrong direction, you can always create a stunning nature backdrop instead. You can either go big and create an extravagant centrepiece covered with flowers or opt for a minimalistic bamboo arbour.

Glenelg beach wedding

#4 Make sure you bring appropriate clothing

Wedding attire isn’t what most people would often wear to the beach, and generally can be a bit of a bother when trying to scramble over rocks, or wade through sand – but if you prepare correctly the beach wedding photos you capture can be well worth the effort!

First up are the shoes – bridal heels need to be swapped out for either flats or no shoes at all, while your groom’s hushpuppies are going to be fairly annoying getting filled with sand also. Either dress as though you were going to the beach, or be prepared to have a bunch of people helping you walk about.

A long dress train is bound to get sandy and dirty before your reception – be prepared for this! If you don’t mind a bit of dirt on your special dress, then go to the beach! If not, perhaps stay on the grass or jetties – or not head to the beach all.

You’d usually think about heading to the beach on a hot day too – so if your wedding day turns out this way, perhaps plan for a short shoot in places you’d like to go and limit the amount of time you spend in the sun. A 3 piece suit and heavy dresses are not the best outfits in this kind of weather and can actually be dengerous to your health. Make sure you bring plenty of water.

Darwin’s Pride rock

#5 Guests attire can also be thematic

What you wear will affect how your photos will look, and the same goes for your bridesmaids and guests. Choose outfits that are stylish and weatherproof, and remind your guests to do the same as well. Avoid feautres like facinators that will easily be blown by the wind so you can be comfortable throughout the ceremony.

Since your wedding is not a traditional church wedding, you can be more creative with your approach. Instead of the traditional veil, try using a floral crown. You can also choose bohemian gowns that are perfect for beach celebrations. If you choose to do so, do not forget to pick a groom’s suit that matches your dress. More importantly, add accessories and statement pieces to make the wedding photos stand out.

Bride and groom on Maslins Beach

A beach wedding is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity you should not take for granted. Even if your chosen setting is already a beautiful sight, following the beach wedding photos tips mentioned in this article can help you elevate the experience and ensure that all your beach wedding photos will be as magical as you imagined.

 

Do you need Adelaide-based wedding photography services for your beach wedding? SvenStudios is a trusted wedding photography studio that will give you memorable photos to treasure and look back on. Contact us today to learn more about how we can help you.