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Walking Down the Aisle? Awesome Tips and Tricks!

Walking down the aisle

Walking Down the Aisle

As a wedding photographer who has captured the special moments of over 350 brides walking down the aisle, from so many different cultural backgrounds, I’d like to share some tips on how to make your walk down the aisle go smoothly.

It’s understandable to feel nervous, and your bridesmaids may also share your jitters. However, with these tips, we can help make your experience a little easier and ensure that we capture the perfect shots of your grand entrance.

Bride and Father walking down aisle
Bride walking down aisle at Bremer Farm wedding
Bride and father approaching groom

Walking Down the Aisle? Here are some Tips!

  • Don’t worry too much about what the kids are doing.

Firstly, don’t stress about the page boys and flower girls. No matter what they do, it will be awesome and fun for everyone. Kids at weddings are always ‘fun’ either completely out of control, or cute and adorable – either way they add some great charm to your day.

Let them walk together for more confidence, and if they make a mistake, go with it, as it will be a memorable moment.

Page boys approaching
Page boy handing over rings
Flower girl walking down aisle
Flower girls watching ceremony

  • Don’t Rush

Take your time walking down the aisle. Don’t rush it, walk at a normal pace and soak in the moment. The wedding ceremony is all about the bride and groom, so don’t look at the camera. Instead, concentrate on the important things like looking at your partner, family, and friends smiling at you.

Not looking at the camera is important, it just looks so forced if you do so during such an emotion time as walking down the aisle!

Bride arriving with Mum and Dad

  • Be sure there is space between bridesmaids

I highly recommend instructing your bridesmaids to take their time walking down the aisle and to leave a generous gap between each other. Despite being your closest friends, most bridesmaids tend to be nervous, and walking too close to each other can make it difficult for me to capture clear shots of them. So, encourage them to spread out and create enough space for each to shine on their own.

A great way to be sure everyone is on the same page here is to have a rehearsal – and you can make a bit of a day of it, take them out to lunch or something, or make use of your wonderful venue if they are open – like most wineries.

bridesmaids approaching ceremony

  • Consider going unplugged

Consider having an unplugged ceremony, where guests are present and watching the ceremony, instead of trying to film or photograph it through their phones.

This not only allows your guests to be more ‘connected’ to what is actually going on, but it also looks so much better in your wedding photos if nobody is holding their phone or ipads!

Mobile phone
Bride walking down aisle

  • Think about who is going to walk you down the aisle

Traditionally, the father walks the bride down the aisle, but there is no reason why both parents can’t walk their daughter down the aisle or other alternatives like the bride walking herself, the groom walking up to meet the bride halfway down the aisle, or a stepfather walking the bride halfway down and then passing her to the biological dad.

It would also be very cute to incorperate fur babies like dogs into the entrance if your venue allows it!

Walking down the aisle
Bride arriving with Dad

  • Think about suppliers

It is important to tell your videographer not to walk down with you. It may seem like a strange point, but some videographers follow the bride down the aisle from the front. This can be intrusive and take away from the experience of walking down the aisle.

It might look great in your video, but the moment will be lost and chances are the photos you get will feature your videographer!

Something that really gets people talking and can make things very memoriable is engaging in a transport supplier like a flashy car, or helicopter? Perhaps even arrive by parachute if you’re that way inclined! Whatever you do just make sure it speaks to your personality, and have fun with it!

Helicopter approaching Chateau Yaldara wedding
Bride and groom walking towards their wedding ceremony from the helicopter

  • Think about how your groom or bride is going to be standing at the end of your entrance

One of my favourite photos to capture at a wedding is the reaction of (usually) the groom at the end of the aisle seeing his bride approach for the first time.

It’s so much fun seeing how they react! Be if tears, laughter or simply not even able to be looking in the direction of the bride! Whatever they do it speaks to their personality and makes the photography that much more special.

Think about how they are going to be standing at the end. Will they be facing away from you like they do in some customs, or will they turn around as you’re half way down the aisle? Or simply just standing they watching you enter?

Grooms first look in St Pauls Church
Grooms first look at Beresford estate wedding
Grooms first look at the cedars
Grooms first look at Chapel Hill winery wedding
Grooms first look at bride at Ingle wood inn wedding

Lastly, remember that it is your wedding, and there are no rules. Walk down the aisle however you want, whether it’s dancing, laughing, hugging family members, blowing kisses, crying, spinning, or singing.

In conclusion, walking down the aisle is an essential moment in a wedding ceremony. It’s essential to take the time to enjoy and embrace the experience. With these tips, it can be a much more comfortable and unforgettable experience.

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Announcing the 2023 Wedding Photo of the year contest!

Every year, I hold a contest for all the married couples whose weddings I covered in the previous year (2022). I request each couple to choose their favorite photo from the wedding photos I took on their big day and nominate it for the ‘SvenStudios 2022 wedding photo of the year’ title. The winning couple receives a $500 voucher to use in their personal cloud-based store to produce and print whatever products they want.

I maintain a hands-off approach with the selection of the images, leaving it entirely to the couples to choose their favorite pictures, even if they differ from my personal selection. I have created a slideshow video of my favorite images from each wedding I covered in 2022, in case anyone is interested.

To encourage more participation, I offer a cash prize of AU$100 to a randomly chosen voter after the voting period ends. To maintain fairness, I have an anti-duplicate detection system in place to deter any cheating or duplicate voting. This year, I am also adding an extra entry to the draw for anyone who shares their vote on social media.

Please note that sharing on social media is not mandatory to submit a vote, as not everyone has social media accounts. However, in past contests, the winning image has been the most voted and shared on social media. Therefore, every individual vote and share counts and goes into the draw to win the cash prize.

So, vote for your favorite photo and share it on Facebook to show your support. Remember, each vote and share is a chance to win the AU$100 cash prize.

Click here to vote and win $100!

Voting opens 25/2/2023

2023 Wedding Photo of the year contest entries

Jody + Simon
Emma + Nickolai
SuzanneKaren
Clare + Craig
Ritamaree + Sydney
Bianca + Josh
Dayna + Alex
Chami + Bryce
Haley + Jordan
Cassie + Danny
Lauren + Trent
Sandi + Daniel
Jesse + Luke
Sash + Dan
Sonya + Jeff
Emma + Stephen
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Wedding Sparkler Exit: A Guide to an Awesome Exit

The wedding sparkler exit is a popular and exciting way for the newlyweds to leave their reception.

As a photographer, adding light from sparklers to the dark is a sure-fire way to spice up your end of the night photos, so we really look forward to it whever a couple says they are planning on hosting a wedding sparkler exit!

However, things can sometimes go wrong. Here are some tips to make sure your exit is picture-perfect and unforgettable.

Wedding Sparkler Exit Tips

Check with Your Venue

It’s important to note that sparkler exits can (or should) only be done outdoors. This is due to fire regulations and smoke alarms. Before planning your exit, check with your venue to ensure it’s possible. Some wedding venues have banned sparkler exits because of safety concerns, so make sure you get the go-ahead before making any plans.

Beresford estate wedding exit

Display the Sparklers

Make sure to have the sparklers on display during the reception so guests can see what’s going to happen. Also, make sure to have a time written down somewhere so everyone knows when the exit is happening. This will prevent guests from leaving early and minimize the need for reassembling everyone.

What I’ve found to be best is to actually stage your exit earlier in the night so that everyone can be involved – not all of your guests are going to stay until you leave at 11:30pm (or later!) This allows for the elderly in your guestlist to join in, and everyone shouldnt be (too) drunk too!

First dance with sparklers

Have Enough Efficient Lighters

Sparklers burn quickly, so make sure to have plenty of lighters available. The more lighters, the faster everyone can be lit and the smoother the exit will be.

The best lighters aren’t just a smoker’s lighter, but rather butane torches that are readily available from Bunnings or any hardware store. These torches last forever, and emit a short, powerful flame that will light sparklers quickly and easily.

Use Long Sparklers

To ensure a successful exit, use long sparklers, not short ones. Long sparklers are sold specifically and marketed for a wedding sparkler exit,. and gives you enough time to get through the guests and make a statement. Short, regular sparklers you would buy from a supermarket burn too quickly and will be out before you’ve even made it past the first few guests.

Have Enough Sparklers for Each Guest

Even if some guests don’t participate, it’s still important to have enough sparklers for everyone – and I’m sure some of the more boisterous amongst your guets would be keen on having more than one! Younger guests may take a couple of sparklers and light them early, so having a full number of sparklers will ensure that everyone has one.

Sparkler exit at Chateau yaladara wedding

Make an Announcement and be ready!

Your MC should take charge of organizing the exit and instructing guests. They should make an announcement reminding everyone to form two lines and wait until everyone is outside to light the sparklers. This will prevent half the guests from lighting the sparklers immediately and having them burn out before the exit line is formed.

Make sure the couple is ready to leave before lighting the sparklers. Say your goodbyes to your family first and then light the sparklers. Avoid getting stuck talking to relatives or friends as this will result in a tunnel of smoke. This is another reason why you might opt to mock exit earlier in the night.

MC doing his thing on dancefloor

Create a Wide Tunnel

Instruct guests to hold the sparklers up high and have a wide enough tunnel for the couple to walk down. Walking down a path of fire and sparks is dangerous, especially if the bride is wearing a flammable dress and has a lot of hair spray. A wide gap will ensure everyone’s safety.

Be Safe and don’t run!

Don’t light a bunch of sparklers together. Doing so can cause a mini explosion and embers can fly everywhere, potentially burning someone. Also, your time walking through the tunnel. It’s better to walk, stop for a kiss, say goodbye to friends, and look at each other. Running will make the moment feel over too quickly, and running around flames isn’t smart!

It’s also smart to organise multiple buckets of water, and have the venue spread them out where you’re plannig on doing your exit – that way no random sparks from otherise dead sparklers won’t get anyone into any trouble.

First dance with fireworks at Adelaide Hilton Hotel

Think about who’s at the end of the wedding sparkler exit

Some might have your parents at the end of the tunnel so they can be the last people you say goodbye to, or whomever really – could be your dog? That’d be cute! Give them a farewell hug and kiss, it’s just a nice way to end your night.

Have Fun

Enjoy the exit! Dance, jump, sing, and kiss. Be in the moment with your family and friends and do whatever you want. Don’t worry about the camera or posing, just have fun and soak it in!

Bride and groom kissing at end of sparkler run

These tips will help you plan an awesome wedding sparkler exit. With a little planning and preparation, you can make this moment unforgettable.

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Hahndorf’s St Pauls Church Wedding – Nicola & Tom

I had an absolute blast photographing Nicola and Tom’s St Pauls Church wedding in Hahndorf! So much so that I’ve delivered more than double my usual number of photos I generally deliver to couples! Their day was just that amazing!

From the personalities of the people involved to the locations they had chosen for their photos, the whole day was just a delight to be a part of!

Preparation

Tom and his groomsmen were being prepared on the family farm in Euchinga, which was such a great location to take photos later on in the day that Dad actually took me for a bit of the tour of the property beforehand to scout out locations – which was actually quite handy as it certainly gave me some ideas!

Tom and his groomsmen were all quite laid back and having a bit of fun in the morning, and we even got Tom on his dirt bike for a few laps!

Wedding rings on grooms shoe
Will you be my best man
Best man adjusting groom tie
Best man adjusting groom tie in library
Boys getting ready
Cufflink on
Hanging white jacket
groomsmen piling on to put on jacket
Groom pensive in window light
Groom leaning in doorframe
Father of groom
Groom with white dog
Groomsmen standing together
Groom on motorbike
Groom on motorbike in front of groomsmen
Groomsmen waling on dusty trail

Nicola and her bridal party were getting ready in a house back at the beginning of the Prince’s Highway – so a little way away. The atmosphere here was a little more chaotic with dozens of people pitching in, packing cars and sorting everything out. We managed to squeeze in a first look with Nicola’s Dad and a few shots under some nearby trees before we had to run out the door to head back to Hahndorf.

Engagement ring in earthy flowers
Dad getting ready
Mum adjusting Dad’s flower
Bride in mirror
Bridesmaids fussing over bride
Bride having veil put in
Bride putting in earrings
Smiling bride in light
Dad’s first look in hallway
Bride in doorway looking out
Bride in doorway looking in
Bridesmaids holding boquets
Bride in amongst boquets
Bridal party walking along street

St Pauls Church Wedding

The weather was absolutely perfect for Nicola and Tom’s St Pauls Church wedding! Nicola and her bridal aprty arrived in the nearby carpark but then made the (wonderful) choice to walk back down to the road and make an approach to the church. This allowed me to capture this pretty little Lutheran church in the background as they walked.

Their ceremony was presided over by a priest, but also a member of Tom and Nicola’s family, and also included family members on instruments – which made the entire thing that much more intimate and heartfelt!

After the ceremony, all of their wedding guests lined the path way that Nicola and her bridemaids had taken to approach the church to throw petals over the exiting couple – again allowing for some stunning scenery – particularly when using the drone!

Saint Paul’s Lutheran Church Hahndorf
Bridal party walking towards St Pauls Church wedding
Bride turning around in front of church
Bride and Father walking down aisle
Grooms first look in St Pauls Church
St Pauls Church wedding ceremony
Flowers on church pews
Brother leading service
On balcony of St Pauls Church
St Pauls Church wedding
Wedding program
Bride and groom hand holding
Bride and groom holding hands in church
Insdie St Pauls Church Hahndorf
Wedding musicians
First kiss at St Pauls Church wedding
Bride and groom exiting St Pauls Church
Kiss in front of St Pauls Church Hahndorf
Wedding at St Pauls Church Hahndorf

Glamour Photos

After a bit of a break under the shade of a nearby tree, along with some lovely iced tea – we took the family photos, used the church a little longer for some shots, then drove to Kuitpo forest for some glamour photos in their getaway ute which had been decorated by the groomsmen  with tape and cans on strings.

I always love heading to Kuitpo for wedding photos! The sun streaming through the straight pine trees I feel always works really well and makes for an incredible backdrop!

Kiss in the church
Wedding getaway car
Walking through Kuitpo forest
Kuitpo forest wedding photo
Kuitpo forest wedding photography
Bride and groom walking together in forest
Bride and groom inbetween pine trees
Smiling bride in the forest
bride and groom in pine forest together
Champaigne with bridal party
Bridal party cheers
Birdal party picking up groom
Groomsmen milling about
Bridal party having fun with bride
Bride squad
Bride and groom leaning on pine tree
Bride and groom leaning on pine tree sunlight
Bridal party walking together under sun
Bride and groom under veil together
Groom lifting his bride int he forest

But Nicola and Tom weren’t done at Kuitpo! We head back to the family farm in Euchnga where the boys had been prepared to make use of the farming backdrop – with a heavy importance put on getting s ahot with the cows!

The farm provided some wonderful scenes from bth high and low, with a ruined homestead to make use of, and also rolling hills full of dried grass. Was a beautful place!

Bride and groom sitting on back of ute
bride on swing
bride and groom on swing
Bridal party on ruin wall
Bride and groom framed by ruined doorway
Bride and groom trhough ruins window
Bridal aprty sneaking a look through ruins door
Bride and groom on horizon
Bride and groom with cows
Groom leading bride up hill
Groom leading bride down hill
Bride and groom under gum tree
Bride looking stunning
Groom lifting bride in front of vista
Bride and groom in field
Bride and groom under tree
Kiss in the field
Sitting in ruin window

Sidewood Wedding Reception

This was my first visit to the wonderful Sidewood Estate – and I was very impressed! Nicola and Tom’s wedding reception included field games set up in such a professional manner that it all felt part of the day, rather than an afterthought! Everyone got involved in the jovial nature of the day and it was just stunning!

During the sunset we went off site a little to use the nearby orchard for some glamour shots – and despite the lack of any real sunset, it’s always nice to shoot in places like that.

The DJ and I convinced the staff to set up their first dance out the front of the usual dancefloor, allowing all their guests to view the first dance from the patio, and then the party just took off fueled of course by the Sidewood Estates incredible ciders!

Sidewood reception area
Doughnut wedding cake
Men playing Bocce
bridal entrance at Sidewood
Sidewood Estate wedding reception
Table set up at Sidewood Estate
Ladies playing Bocce
Kiss under cheers
MC Starting the night
Groom taking photo
Laughing groomsman
Hug for the MC
bride and groom under sunlight
Wedding dip in Sidewood estate orchard
Bridal embrace in sidewood estate orchard
bride and groom in Orchard
Shoe game at Sidewood wedding reception
Speech giver at reception
First dance at Sidewood Estate wedding reception
Guests having some fun on dance floor
Bride and groom surrounded on dance floor
Girls enjoying the night
Dude enjoying the disposable camera
Bride and groom
Bride and groom with light

Major thanks goes out to Nicola and Tom for having me photograph their St Pauls Church wedding! Absolutely amazing day!

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Transform Your Wedding Photos Into Fun Family DIY Crafts 

Photographs are visual representations of various vital memories in your life. That’s why many households frame and display them where guests can also view those moments. But there are other ways to turn them into arts and crafts that you and your family can create. For instance, you can transform your wedding photos into more eye-catching and dramatic ones. Here are craft ideas you can have fun making with your loved ones. 

Some ideas to transform your wedding photos!

  • Diamond Painting 

If you’re unfamiliar with diamond painting, it’s an excellent time to get introduced to a fun and easy crafting experience that even older kids and teens can enjoy. Diamond painting is much like painting by numbers, where colors have corresponding numbers. With diamond painting, patterns come with symbols matched with colored resin rhinestones. It’s similar to cross-stitching but with different materials.  

You can turn any of your wedding photos into a personalised diamond painting set. Websites that offer this service allows you to upload your favorite wedding photo, choose the shape and size you want and place an order for the pattern along with the tools. Once you have everything, you can start diamond painting and allow your family members to try it. It’s a fun and engaging hobby that anyone in your family can do. You can also frame the finished product and hang it on display.  

custom_diamond_canvas_kit_img_2

  • Glowing Photo Luminaries 

If you like to light scented candles at home, you can create a luminary using some of your wedding photos. Luminaries are decorations made of paper that have candles inside. An example is a white paper bag containing a candle that makes a simple but elegant visual. It invokes a feeling of peace and serenity, which is likely why homes have it. 

To create this project, you must print your favorite wedding photos from a barn-themed or winery wedding on vellum paper. You’ll need four different pictures to create a box-like luminary. Trim vellum photos to smaller sizes.  

Source four picture frames and ensure they are the same size and design. Remove the frame backing because you won’t need them. Add the trimmed printed vellum paper onto the back of the frame, and then add the glass cover. Do all four frames. You can choose three frames instead of four to create a triangular-shaped luminary.  

Use industrial glue or a glue gun and attach all the corners of the frames, ensuring that the sides with the glass will be facing inwards. The glass protects the vellum paper from the candle flame. You can also substitute a battery-powered flameless candle as a safer option.  

Photo Luminaries

Image source

  • Bottlecap Fridge Magnets 

The fridge door is one area you and your family see daily, making it the perfect place even for your wedding photos. You can create fridge magnets that your kids can do in as short as 30 minutes. You’ll need wedding photos, bottle caps, strong glue, and small circular magnets.  

First, print your wedding photos. You’ll need to print them smaller since you’ll put them on bottle caps. Trace the bottle cap around the areas you want to fit into and cut them. Get some glue and attach the pictures inside the bottle caps. Then get the magnets and glue them at the back of the bottle caps.  

You can use these magnets to hold receipts and notes while your wedding photos are in perfect view.  

  • DIY Photo Tree 

A photo tree is a unique way of using natural materials to display your wedding photos. You can source small dried branches. However, if you can’t find one, gather twigs and sticks, and make your own. Get a vase and place them inside. Doing this can also double as an outdoor activity for your kids as it creates a good excuse to get them walking around in nature.   

You can glue loose ribbons at the back of the photos and tie them to the branches. Make sure to spread them around to make them more aesthetically pleasing. You can place this inside your living room with the rest of the family photos.   

white wall with photos of the family in various photo frames

  • Modge Podge Photo Coasters 

Transform your wedding photos into beverage coasters. You can ask your kids or other family members to apply the mod podge glue. It’s easy to do, and it doesn’t take long before you can use them immediately.  

You’ll need 4 x 6 inches of printed photos, unfinished coasters with grips, Modge Podge glue in the finish you like (matte or glossy), scissors, and a sponge or paintbrush.  

Trace the coasters around the area of the photos and cut them. Using a brush or sponge, apply the glue onto the coaster and stick the picture. Then apply the glue onto the surface of the photo and let it dry.  

Printed wedding photos with the bride and groom, a vintage black camera and woman hands with photo. Cropped image

Wedding photos don’t have to be kept inside a photo album. You can print out copies and transform your wedding photos use them to make crafts with your family. You can turn them into a diamond painting kit, luminaries, fridge magnets, or a photo tree. There are many more DIY craft ideas that you can find online to make with the rest of the family. Proudly display your wedding photos in different forms that your whole family can see as a reminder of your union.