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Adelaide Hills Inglewood Inn Wedding – Belinda & Andrew

  • Belinda & Andrew

    Adelaide Hills Inglewood Inn Wedding

    Gallop bridge Wedding photo

The Adelaide Hills Inglewood Inn was the chosen backdrop to Belinda and Andrew’s wonderful wedding on a sunny day in late May. The Autumnal colours were fading on the surrounding elm trees which made for some stunning, subtle highlights to some of their wedding photos.

The setting was lovely, the weather was great and the people involved wanted to have a good time – was the setting for a memorable day!

Preparation

As I arrived at Andrew’s place of preparation, I was surprised to see that he and his groomsmen were already mostly dressed! I had to ask for some of the button fitting and jacket pulling to be saved for some photos, such was Andrew’s anticipation for his big day!

Andrew was being prepared in a relatives house not too far was from the Inglewood Inn, and the main cause of excitement throughout the house was not just the fact that Andrew was being married today, but also the arrival of the red Ford Mustang Belinda and Andrew had as their motorcade! It was a source of playful jibes all morning as Andrew’s best man was apparently a Holden guy. 🙂

Belinda was being prepared at another relative’s house along with many of her family. The front room of the house provided for plenty of wonderful light for the preparation so we stayed primarily in this room.

The highlight of the morning was the delightful way that Belinda’s Mother and Father were obviously overjoyed at the occasion and the touching ‘first look’ of Belinda in her dress.

Adelaide Hills Inglewood Inn Wedding Ceremony

When holding a wedding ceremony at the historic Inglewood Inn, you make use of the large green, grassy area lined by 100 year old elm trees at the foot of the estate. The area is surrounded by a lovely creek bed and makes for a super intimate space for any sized wedding, complete with a scenic driveway for the bridal motorcade to enter by.

Belinda and Andrew’s wedding was no different, making use of the sunny day to provide some beautiful dappled light streaming through the foliage while allowing for the Inglewood Inn itself to shine like a beacon atop of the hill.

Glamour Photos

I always think of the historic Gollop Bridge as the ‘must have’ money shot when holding a wedding at the Adelaide Hills’ Inglewood Inn. Gollop’s Bridge is the oldest bridge still in use in SA which is an interesting tidbit of information I’d just like to throw out there! So often after all the family photos and whatnot, I like to first use the dying light that filters through the trees in the background of the cermeony location, then head straight to the bridge.

It’s always interesting to see what we get from the bridge, as over the years the ivy surrounding the bridge gets pruned, the water under the bridge is low or high, and the next door neighbours like to place their boundry fence right where the photographer would like to stand for the best angle. In belinda and Andrew’s case, the ivy surrounding the bridge had been pruned quite heavily allowing the historic brick work to be on full display.

We also head up over the driveway to the old ruined cottage for some photos, although it seems as thought he owners of the land are looking to discourage the use of the space for photos anymore having cut down all the beautiful trees surrounding it.

Adelaide Hills Inglewood Inn Wedding Reception

Belinda and Andrew’s wedding reception was a boisterous one, with the drinks being knocked back at quite a rate – even before Belinda and Andrew had been announced! This meant that the entire night was full of jovial people, keen to make sure that everyone had a good time and doubly sure that everyone joined in on events like the bouquet and garter tosses!

Thanks so much to Belinda and Andrew for having me as their wedding photographer at their Adelaide Hills Inglewood Inn wedding!

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5 Simple Tips for Getting the Best Wedding Photos

  • bride and groom in the water

 

Some Tips for Getting the Best Wedding Photos

Your wedding is a once-in-a-lifetime event, which is why it’s important to capture every moment of your special day in the best possible way. Hiring skilled wedding photographers allows you to preserve those memorable moments and share them with future generations. 

Your photographers may have the necessary skills, knowledge, and experience to turn your vision into reality and tell your love story through high-quality images. However, you and your significant other may be unknowingly making mistakes that can ruin the quality of your wedding photos. Try these tips for getting the best wedding photos on your big day!

  5 Effective Tips for Getting the Best Wedding Photos

  • Hide cables, microphones, and speakers

A sound system is essential for your celebrant on your big day, especially during the exchange of wedding vows. Ask the team you hired to set it up discreetly and keep unsightly cables, cords, and speakers out of sight to ensure they are not in your shots. 

Additionally, keeping the sound system out of the way can get tricky at times. This is especially true if they are directly behind you during the ceremony. You can cover them up, so they don’t stand out in your wedding photos. The same tip is useful for things like garbage bins, signs, etc that cannot be moved.

  • Don’t be a director

Professional photographers have years of experience in the industry. You may tell them how you envision your photos, but don’t instruct them how to take them. They know what they are doing, so trust them and let them do what they do best. Just relax, be yourselves, and go with the flow. This way, you can have an enjoyable shooting experience and increase your chances of getting the perfect wedding shots that mirror your love story.

  • Ask your guests to refrain from using their own equipment to shoot

Did you know that your friends and family members can easily ruin your wedding photos? This dilemma usually happens when their selfie sticks, cameras, phones, and other gadgets hinder your professional photographers from capturing your best photos. 

As a preventive measure, ask your guests to refrain from using their own equipment to shoot during the ceremony. It may disappoint them, but assure them that they can have their photos taken by the professional photographers you hired. This is what’s recently come to be known as an ‘unplugged’ wedding ceremony.

  • Empty your pockets

Your wedding day is when you supposedly look and feel your best. Don’t let your photos get ruined by a pocket bulge by placing your keys, phone, wallet, and other valuables in a safe area or entrusting them to your trusted friend or family member. This tip is also applicable to your guests, so make sure to ask those with pocket bulges to empty their pockets.

  • Opt for easy-to-eat meals

Tasty dishes make any celebration more special, but food stains can easily ruin your photos and mood during the wedding. When selecting the meals and refreshments for your big day, go for options that are easy to eat, especially if you are having an outdoor wedding instead of a formal sit-down meal. This way, you can prevent stained outfits and help everyone look pleasant and confident in photos.

Moments may be fleeting, but you can capture all the sights and sounds during one of the most unforgettable days of your life by immortalising them through photos. Once you have booked your photographers and feel like you are all set for your wedding, make sure to follow the tips for getting the best wedding photos listed above to enjoy having wedding photos you will cherish for years to come.

Enjoy having wedding photos you can treasure forever by hiring SvenStudios. Our experienced wedding photographers help you record your love story and capture your most precious moments through photography. Contact us to book a package today!

 

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AlRu Farm Wedding – Emma & Brad

  • Emma & Brad

    AlRu Farm Wedding

    Alru farm wedding photo

I was priviledged anough to have been asked to be Emma and Brad’s Wedding photographer at their stunning AlRu Farm wedding towards the end of May!

The setting, the atmosphere, the weather and just about everything came together to form the most perfect day for these two newly weds, and it was an absolute joy to be a part of!

Preparation

I began the day with Brad and his groomsmen getting prepared in the on-site International Suite accomodation which boasts a large living area lots of beautiful natural light streaming in throught he rustic windows that line the rooms. The setting is delightful for preparation photos with such a lovely, rustic backdrop.

We also made a point of walking about the grounds a little but – without sneaking a peek of Emma as she was also being prepared on site in a different area.

Emma was being prepared also on-site in the Garden Pavillion, which is in my experience the best place for the bridal party to get ready due to it’s wonderfully huge windows lining the entire length of the cottage making for a stunning backdrop for bridal portraits and shots of the dress. AlRu Farm has such a wonderful set up in regards to accomodation, providing 3 separate, wonderful spots for preparation photos on a wedding day – which makes it one of my favourite wedding venues in Adelaide.

Emma and her bridesmaids were really relaxed all morning leadning up to the moment where we head out for Emma and Brad’s ‘first look’ amongst the gardens of Alru Farm. We even had a bit of fun tryign to get the cork to fly off a champaign bottle! Lucky we had 2 to get it right!

First Look

Emma and Brad opted to have a first look done before the ceremony, having the nerves and pent up energy of the day shared with their bridal party rather than the entirety of their guests at the ceremony itself.

We also made use of the time before the ceremony to walk around the grounds a bit to take some glamour phtoos with the bridal party with the idea that they will have more time after the ceremony to spend with their guests rather than taking phtoos all day.

Glamour Photos

We walked around the grounds of Alru Farm making use of the overcast day to really allow the yellows for the dying autumnal leaves to come through as much as possible in their photos. We also made friends with the local wildlife while walking about!

AlRu Farm Wedding Ceremony

Emma and Brad’s AlRu Farm wedding ceremony took place in the shaded grassy area nearby the on-site pond, allowing the bridal procession to walk through the famous romanesque pillars as they approached the wedding ceremony.

The area allows for the bridal party to be elevated in front of their guests on the stairs, while having the pond and parts of the pillars as a backdrop.

The weather was just perfect for their ceremony, with the sun making an appearance right towards the end, allowing for some awesome group photos at the end!

More Glamour Photos

After the group shots – which Emma specifially requested we do while moving, allowing for different backdrops in a majority of their group photos. I was keen to make use fo the dying sunlight that was making a beautiful specticle of itself shining through the foliage at AlRu Farm.

This is the best thing about having an AlRu Farm wedding – the whole place seems to be geared towards precisely this time of day, with the sun dropping down over the horizon, and it’s beams shining through the trees like it does – just makes for an amazing time as a wedding photographer!

At night time too! An Alru Farm wedding would not be complete if I diddnt fill the on-site greenhouse with a bit of smoke and create some amazing silhouettes!

AlRu Farm Wedding Reception

Emma and Brad’s Alru Farm wedding reception took place in the old barn house that’s on site. It’s a rustic space, lined with floor to ceiling mirrors that accomodates more guests than you would expect!

Emma and Brad’s love for animals was on display all night, with multiple references among the speeches which sometimes made for some fun listening hearing about the exploits they get up to in regards to adopting too many furry friends!

The night was full of fun, dancing and interesting customs, including shuffling along the dance floor duing one’s head like a broom. It was a really fun night that I was super glad to have been a part of!

Thankyou Emma and Brad for having me capture your AlRu Farm wedding day!

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Guide on How to Take the Best Wedding Family Photos

Take the Best Wedding Family Photos

Wedding photography is not as cut-and-dry as people think. Besides being excellent at using lighting and thinking about composition, wedding photographers must also deal with your family dynamics & politics, understanding your wedding day timeline, and scouting the locations of your programme. Here are five tips to ensure that things run smoothly during your big day.

How to Take the Best Wedding Family Photos

Clarify the Schedule of the Family Photos

Traditionally, photographers shoot wedding family photos directly after the ceremony. Sometimes, brides would like family portraits before the reception starts. If you want to organise this activity at other times, you have to tell your photographer and your guests. In some cultures, the couples invite their extended family to the preparations on the day of the ceremony – well before the ceremony. This provides your wedding photographer with more material and allows them to take candid shots of your family.

Inform Your Family of the Photoshoot Venue

Bringing your guests and family outdoors will help utilise the natural light, which can create better images depending on the day. Before the ceremony day, you should agree with your photographer on the venue of the family photos. If you would like the ceremony hall, the temple, or the church as the backdrop, your suppliers may have to bring in special lighting to make the photos brighter for the best wedding family photos.

Also, don’t stray too far from the ceremony venue for the photos. If there is a gorgeous lagoon or a garden on the grounds, but it’s a bit of a walk away, you could probably arrange for a photoshoot with you and your spouse only. Your wedding party might have seniors; even a short trek to a different spot might tire them out quickly.

I usually opt to have a photo done of your entire congregation done first – usually using a drone from the air before breaking up nearby for family photos.

Do Not Keep the Photoshoot Going Forever

Typically, family photoshoots last anywhere from 20 to 40 minutes . An extravagant wedding with many guests from other regions or countries might take longer; family photos for parties with upwards of 500 guests might take an hour! Whether you have an intimate or a grand celebration, though, it is best to keep the photoshoot as short as possible.

It’s a good idea to figure out what groups need to be done in a formal manner, while selecting certain groups which may be better done informally at the reception.

Know What to Expect During the Photo Sessions

Unless you specify something with your wedding photographer, I always try to run family photo sessions in a predictable way. First, the wedding photographer will adjust to the light and take test shots of you mingling with relatives and friends. Then, they will ask people to approach you and your spouse in batches. Typically elderly and kids go first followed by siblings and extended family – try to have your parents go last as they are helpful in rounding up family members.

It’s really important to make a list of family photos you want taken on the day. This does not mean a list of individuals – but a list of groups. For example ‘I want a photo with Bob, Jane and Trent’ is not a list. This is a list –

  1. Bride, Groom, Bob, Trent
  2. Bride, Jane
  3. Bride, Groom, Jane
  4. etc

Notice that Bob, Trent and Jane did not have a photo together? This is because Bob and Trent are estranged from Jane for some reason due to family politics that I simply don’t know as a photographer, so I have to rely on the list you’ve given me. I don’t know what combination of family members you need from your family photos – so to have the best family wedding photos possible, a list is essential.

There is no set combination for wedding photos. Since each event is different, the bride and groom will have various configurations of close friends and family on their special day. What’s important is coordinating with your supplier and telling them who you expect to see in each picture. When you coordinate with your photographer beforehand, you’ll have an easier time on the day and receive the best wedding family photos possible.

Most people would love to reminisce about their wedding through photos and videos of the day. It is nice to see candid, natural shots of preparations and everyone having a great time, but formal shots are still expected at weddings as they are perfect as souvenirs in photo albums. Whether your style is classic and traditional or offbeat and quirky, you’d want a record of one of your happiest days as a couple with the best wedding family photos as possible.

Immortalise one of the most memorable days in your life with photography from SvenStudios. We provide wedding photography and videography in Adelaide; our complete package includes a 360-degree virtual video of your ceremony, professional editing of high-resolution photos, and more. Download our pricelist or contact us today for enquiries!