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10 Honeymoon Tips For An Amazing Trip

You deserve an eventful trip to beautiful places for your honeymoon. Planning a great wedding is crucial, but you also need a perfect honeymoon to complete your experience. Your wedding requires you to be conscious of your guests, friends, and family as you make memories. However, your honeymoon is the real introduction to married life where you and your spouse would get to know each other intimately. This is why you must take note of some essential honeymoon tips to guide you through your trip.

10 Honeymoon Tips For An Amazing Trip

1.   Plan it Together

Marriage is a partnership. You can start living the reality of that fact even while planning for your honeymoon. Make sure that you and your spouse are actively involved in the planning process to ensure that it is not one-sided. Consider your partner’s interests when choosing the right destination, the duration, and the convenient time to travel. Considering these factors would require a lot of compromises and selfless thinking so you can meet each other’s needs.

Santorini Couple Shoot

2.   Plan Early

Planning a wedding is tiring; however, combining it with plans for your honeymoon can be nerve-wracking. This is why you must ensure that everything goes smoothly. Check out for events you both might want to attend and see if you could schedule your honeymoon around that period. Also, take the necessary breaks off work to ensure you can enjoy your honeymoon to the fullest. You can book your flight tickets ahead of time to cut down on costs and even get hotels that offer special services to new couples.

3.   Set A Realistic Budget

To enjoy an eventful trip, you need a reasonable budget that can cater to both of your needs. There’s nothing cheap about a memorable trip for your honeymoon, and it’s best if you set money aside to cater for it. You need to consider the cost of flight tickets, accommodation, food, and other experiences you would love to have during the trip. If you want a worry-free experience, you should settle the financial aspect.

4.   Create The Perfect Itinerary

It’s normal for you to get excited about your honeymoon. However, you can plan hectic activities, touring, and sightseeing that will wear you out easily. Avoid the temptation to do many things within a short time; it would only leave you to steal the perfect moment from yourself. Create a plan with lazy walks across the beach or intimate talks on the balcony. These activities would help you regain energy and make you spend quality time with your spouse. Take out time to relax your nerves; you can even schedule a spa session that would help you achieve that.

couples photography small

5.   Get Some Help

You can always find ways to lessen the workload when planning an eventful trip. Instead of handling it, you can get a travel agent to book a package for you both. Choose the one that covers hotel bookings, tours, and feeding. Also, some agencies offer discounts for new couples that can help them save costs while having the best time of their lives. Perform thorough research to find the best agencies that provide premium service for new couples.

6.   Choose The Right Timing

Most couples assume they have to leave for their honeymoon immediately after getting married. However, that’s only a myth that happens in fairy tales. Planning your wedding can be exhausting and it’s only fair that you get some rest before you go on a trip.

One of the great Honeymoon tips I can give you is take some time to blow off steam from the heavy dancing and singing you’ve done at your wedding reception. Afterwards, you can go on your honeymoon, that way; you’d be refreshed to enjoy the pleasant experience. Timing is key which is why you must carefully consider it when planning your honeymoon to avoid unexpected situations.

7.   Plan Surprises

Since you would be spending the rest of your life with someone you love deeply, it’s only proper for you to make them feel special during the honeymoon. You can spice up the entire trip by paying for an event that you both didn’t plan for initially. Make sure you choose something that would delight your spouse; if your husband loves games, you can find the nearest game centre to get him excited. On the other hand, you can take your wife shopping for new clothing items. Whatever you decide, make sure it suits their needs.

8.   Capture Your Moments

Although you would go on multiple trips as a couple, your honeymoon only happens once. This is why you need to capture every moment to help you remember this lovely event even after you’ve gone home. Imagine showing your children cute pictures from your honeymoon after decades of marriage. You can take a camera along or use a smartphone that captures vivid images. Don’t forget to make videos also because they always have a way of putting a smile on your face when things get difficult.

What would be even better though would be to enlist the help of a local professional photographer for a bit of a photoshoot – similar to an engagement shoot!

Belair National Park engagement photo

9.   Pack Smart

If you plan to visit multiple destinations, it can be burdensome to pack too much stuff. New brides, don’t try to take all of your new shoes and clothes. It’s good that you’re excited but you need to reduce what you pack. Try to study the weather of your destination to determine the perfect clothes to take along. Also, take out materials that would take too much room in your bag.

10.  Try Out New Meals

What’s an amazing trip with great food? One fun part you must explore during your honeymoon trip is the food, especially the ones specific to the culture of the people. This way, you can spice up your adventure and include something new in your archives. No need to stick with boring meals when you can explore new ones.

Santorini Food

 

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Top Secrets For a Fun Wedding Reception

The best way to make your wedding reception stand out is to personalise every aspect of the night event with thrilling moments that keep your guests entertained and wanting more – think of it like a concert, or any other entertainment event – it’s not justb a trip to a restaurant!

For a start, you can take out some of your time to ponder (with your spouse) what both of you represent. Shared interests, travel experiences, and childhood memories are also great sources of inspiration when planning out fun-filled wedding reception.

As much as your wedding is all about celebrating your union with your spouse, it’s also vital that you put your guest’s enjoyment to heart. Here are a few top secrets that will create that spark of excitement during your wedding reception.

NB: If you’re short on time and still want to cop some amazing reception ideas, below are a few areas to put into consideration.

  • Where you both met
  • Your first dinner
  • Mutual interest
  • Your favorite sport
  • Your first travel or holiday trip
Ivybrook Farm wedding first dance

Top 8 Secrets To a Fun Wedding Reception

This list of fun wedding reception secrets is in no defined order as every suggestion is unique in its way to bring some spark of fun to your event.

1.   Strategic Seating Arrangement

As obvious as this idea may sound for a wedding reception, do not make the mistake of discounting the Importance of having a rock-solid seating arrangement. Ensure you strategically place your guests right beside people that you’re sure will easily get along with. This might appear like a matchmaking idea, but you intend to create a more engaging night for your guests.

To make it a little more interesting, you should make your college mates seat beside each other or force your guests to seat with strangers. This will lead to sharing interesting discussions and ultimately an amazing dance party.

Guests cheers

2.   Hire a DJ to Spruce Up The Place

Alright, this appears to be the norm at every wedding reception but there’s the need to make mention of it. This is primarily because music happens to be a crucial part of any enjoyable event. Talk to your DJ about songs that should be played as you don’t want to witness an empty dance floor when an obscure song is being played.

Serafino wines wedding dancefloor

3.   Request For a Song

Do you want your guests to enjoy every moment of your wedding reception? Then proceed to get a request for their favorite song. You can ask all of your invitees to write down what song they would like you to perform on their RSVP card. Another way to go about this is to allow your guests to send their song requests to your email.

If you have a wonderful voice, you can surprise them by performing alongside a live band or take it up a notch by making a duo performance with your spouse. If on the other hand, your voice is not that great, compile the list of song requests and hand it over to your DJ for an entertaining jam all through the event.

Guests having fun on the dance floor

4.   A Short and Sweet Toast Will Do

What other way can you lighten up the atmosphere of a wedding reception other than to make an exciting toast with your guests? When you’re in to give everyone a treat, never undermine the power of a timely toast. Take note of the time when the party enjoyment is building up and pause to make a quick toast that climaxes the reception fun. You can toast to memorable moments shared with friends and family, to carry everyone along with the event

Groom Speech under awning

5.   Step onto The Dance Floor

The perfect opportunity you get to wow your guests is to show them what great dance moves you’ve got. Hit the dance floor with your spouse and start with a slow dance before carefully transitioning into something more energetic like a Latin not break dance song from Bruno Mars.

To leave an indelible mark on the heart of your guests, you can have a few of them join you on the dance floor or challenge a random invitee to a dance battle.

Dancing guest jumping

6.   Prepare The Kid’s Quarter

Remember to keep the kids entertained while their parents have fun on the dance floor. Prepare a designated area for the kids, in a different room and make proper arrangements for a babysitter that will oversee their affairs like organizing crafts, games, and kid-centric parties. A fun wedding reception should be fun for everyone – especially the kids as it keeps them out of the way!

children dancing

7.   Go Neon

There’s no doubt about the charming look of an elegant mirror or wooden sign at your wedding reception. The problem however with these is that everyone makes use of them at their reception. To host your guests in an outstanding way that sends shivers down their spine, opt for a creative sign that communicates your theme. Having a love-centric neon sign as the backdrop of your photo booth will turn the event around for the best.

Bride and groom kiss under neon wedding signs

8.   Map Out a Food Station

Nothing else makes for an exciting celebration other than good food. However, offering great dishes that each guest can customize to their taste makes it even better. Here’s where having an interactive food station comes into play. By considering a sushi rolling setup as well as a mac-and-cheese bar where guests can have suitable bites, you will leave an impression on their hearts that makes them anticipate more fun.

Food platter on display

Here you have it! The 8 top-secrets that promise to crack open the shell of excitement at any fun wedding reception. Although there are a dozen ways to achieve the goal of entertaining your guests, our list has been carefully curated to meet the basic needs of any reception theme.

Have Some Fun!

Enjoy every aspect of your wedding reception to the fullest. Dance with the love of your life and save yourself from worries. Make sure that you keep yourself in a good mood throughout the day. Once you’ve assigned the various aspects to the planners, your job is to show up looking great. Ditch the formalities and make the most of the time to have a fun wedding reception!

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Common Wedding Cake trends of 2021-2022

It’s always a bit of fun to look back at some of the wedding trends that take place over the past 30-odd weddings I’ve covered as a wedding photographer – in this case lets have a look at some of the wedding cake trends from 2021 – 2022 I’ve had the privilege of photographing!

A wedding cake is traditionally made to bring good luck to guests and the couple, and in modern weddings it serves as a centre piece of interest at a reception party. As such a wedding cake is a towering tribute to the personality of the couple being married.

3 tiered cakes

As far as wedding cake trends go, it seems to me that the 3 tiered cakes are the way to go over the last couple of years. What does surprise me however is that lack of what was known as the ‘nude’ cake were fondant or icing was used sparingly allowing for the texture of the cake inside to show through to the surface. There werw a few weddings which had this, but not realy as many as there had been in the past.

What was common with these cakes – actuall all cakes in the last few years – is the ample use of floral decorations, creeping up the tiers of the cake, often culminating on top, combining with the cake topper. The use of colour was also quite obvious – with white being the usual traditional choice, accented by pops of colour from eith the colour of the fondant/icing or the flowers themselves.

3 tier white wedding cake on barrel
3 tiered wedding cake
3 tiered white wedding cake
Wedding cake under circle
Wedding cake on display
Wedding cake in front of head table
Wedding cake
Wedding cake on display
Wedding Cheese wheel cake
Wedding cake on barrel
Colourful wedding cake
Wedding cake on display at Ivybrook Farm
Cluedo themed wedding cake

2 tiered cakes

Carrying on with the theme of a heavy use of floral arrangements, the 2 tiered cakes I shot all seemed to use flowers to add a bit of colour to the cake with only a few opting to use the fondant or icing as the colour – but those that did really made a splash!

Wedding cake topped with pink flowers
Wedding cake lined with candles
Wedding cake on display during lunch reception
Wedding cake on display
Flowery wedding cake
White Wedding cake
Green wedding cake
Wedding cake on display in circle
Wedding cake on display 2
Wedding cake at brighton and seacliff yacht club wedding

Single tiered cakes

Many of these single tiered cakes I came across were actually made by either the bride and groom themselves, or a member of their guests – that isn’t to say that they all were but it just seemed to be that way. I actually think it’s a lovely way to involve someone who wouldnt otherwise be this intimately involved with your wedding.

Square wedding cake
mr and mrs wedding cake
Green wedding cake
Wedding cake set up at Krystal Function centre
Wedding cake on barrel
The Robinsons Wedding cake
Wedding Cake on display with Certificate
Wedding cake in front of brick wall
Wedding cake on display at the Manor Basket Range Wedding Reception

Cup Cake Cakes

Instead of going through the fhassle of having to cut up your wedding cake – everyone gets a cupcake! This sort of wedding cake is often topped by a small cake, perfectly suited for just the bride and groom, or their bridal party to share – or even keep in the freezer as a wedding momento. I know I still have a bit of my wedding cake in the freezer 6 years on!

This is another of those wedding cake trends I have mentioned that has seems to lose favour in the last few years – at least at the weddings I have photographed. I know it’s still quite popular though as it tends to be cheaper and easier to personalise, or even produce without the need of a wedding cake designer..

Cupcake wedding cake
bride and groom cutting their wedding cake
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Debunked: 7 Wedding Photography Myths

In the digital age, it’s easy to assume that everything has been done before and there’s nothing new under the sun, but wedding photography myths suggest otherwise. Many of these old-school beliefs simply aren’t true anymore, but brides still believe them, which can result in an awkward and disappointing experience if you subscribe to those wedding photography myths yourself.

Let’s discuss some common wedding photography myths and why they’re no longer valid in today’s society.

Debunked: 7 Wedding Photography Myths

1) All You Need Is a Good Camera

The number one myth is having a good camera will take great pictures. You see it all the time on wedding forums and Facebook groups. “I just bought a new camera; what lens should I buy?” There are so many things wrong with that question. For starters, buying a new camera does not make you a photographer. Just because you own a drill doesn’t mean you can build a house.

So, if you’re getting into wedding photography without any previous experience, then you better have some serious natural talent and know how to use your camera inside and out. But even if you are an experienced photographer shooting with the most expensive gear, it still doesn’t guarantee you will get amazing images on someone else’s special day. A good camera is important, but it doesn’t make amazing images. Great images come from experience and skill!

In essence, it’s prudent that you hire a professional who has years of experience photographing weddings. It takes years to gain expertise in anything, especially when it comes to capturing unique moments at people’s most precious life events.

The SvenStudios satellite wedding photography camera

2) All Wedding Photographers Are the Same Quality

Perhaps the most widely believed myth about hiring a wedding photographer is that it doesn’t matter who you hire because all of them are the same. While there may be some truth to this when comparing different photographers at the same price point, there is a big difference between an amateur and a professional photographer. Wedding photos are one of the few things that you can take away from your special day and cherish for years to come. If you want great images in the future, then hire a professional. This will require spending more money than what your cousin down the street charges, but in the end, you will be much happier with your decision.

Drawing off decades of experience, a professional photographer knows how to work under pressure, keep calm during unexpected events (like rain on your wedding day), deliver exactly what he or she promises, and handle stressful situations without becoming flustered. These are just some of the many reasons why choosing a skilled wedding photographer over a relative bargain shopper can make or break how happy you will be with your pictures. Not every person makes a good photographer!

Bride and groom standing in amongst the sunlight

3) All Expensive Photographers Are Good

There is a wide range of prices out there for wedding photographers. Some photographers charge several hundred dollars for their services, while others can charge thousands upon thousands of dollars for their expertise. Just because someone charges more than another person does not make them better or worse automatically.

The best way to find out if someone is a good photographer is through their portfolio or by asking around to friends who have used them before. It’s just like buying a car; you can pay $20,000 for one car or $50,000 for another car that has the same features and options. The only difference between cars is the brand name and how it looks on the outside. Make sure you do your research before hiring someone for your big day!

A lot of the time an expensive photographer are only expensive as they have a constant inflow of clients and therefore can justify higher prices – this can mean they are extremely talented – or simply really good at marketing, it’s up to you to decide which it is.

bride and groom in Mclaren Vale Ekhidna Wines Wedding vineyard

4) Mishaps Can Be Fixed in Photoshop

Though true, there’s a limit. Many people think that if a photographer makes a mistake, they can fix it later in Photoshop. While this is true to some extent, it’s still better to get it right the first time and avoid any mistakes. If a photograph is out of focus, the photographer will have to recreate the entire image, and this can take hours upon hours. Rather than getting an amateur or even an inexperienced photographer, make sure you do your research and find someone who is experienced and knows exactly what they’re doing.

Groom leading his bride on a walk

5) Professional Wedding Photography Is Too Expensive

When you’re planning a wedding, you need to be able to stick to your budget. And if you’re like most couples, you want the best wedding photography you can afford. But perhaps you think that hiring a professional photographer is too expensive. Don’t fall into this trap! In reality, the average cost of a wedding photographer in Australia is around $2-4,000. This may seem steep at first glance but consider how many hours of hard work go into capturing your special day on camera and editing the images to perfection.

High-quality wedding photography isn’t just a luxury; it’s an investment in preserving your memories for years (and even generations) to come. Plus, these days, there are many ways that you can save money on professional wedding photography. For example, many photographers offer customizable packages so that you can choose what services will best fit your needs and budget.

If you still think that hiring a professional photographer is too expensive for your budget, think again! Professional wedding photography isn’t as costly as most people believe and still provides plenty of benefits. When compared to other costs involved in planning a wedding, such as catering or floral arrangements, it’s more than worth its weight in gold. This is one of those wedding photography myths that really needs to die!

bride and grrom under Bremer Farm arbour at night
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How to Plan the Perfect Surprise Engagement

For many couples, the idea of planning and executing a surprise engagement may seem overwhelming, but it’s actually easier than you might think! In fact, if you follow these simple steps when planning your engagement, then your photographer can capture all the happy tears, hugs, and kisses without having to worry about how to pull off the surprise!

So, read on for some helpful tips on how to plan the perfect surprise engagement, and then get out there and start planning! From finding the perfect spot to pulling off the surprise, this guide should help you create the romantic and memorable experience you will cherish for years to come!

Engagements Are Beautiful. Surprises Are Fun. Captured Moments Are Priceless.

 

Here’s how to plan the perfect surprise engagement so that your photographer can capture it:

1) Choose The Location

Your journey towards a surprise engagement will start at your perfect location. Whether you’re deciding on an indoor or outdoor setting, you want to pick somewhere that has sentimental value as well as some privacy. Whether it’s visiting one of your favorite restaurants or going on a hiking adventure, you’ll want to choose something that is special to both of you and where you can go early before your photographer arrives. That way, your engagement day goes by like any other day; no one will suspect what is in store for them! Moreover, if you do opt for an indoor location, such as a restaurant, then make sure to arrive early enough so that you have plenty of time alone.

This extra planning ahead makes all the difference when trying to pull off a surprise wedding proposal! Overall, if you want your photographer to capture those precious tears and smiles in photos instead of missed opportunities on video, then always plan ahead and schedule plenty of time alone together with low lighting during their engagement session.

Belair National Park engagement photo

2) Choose The Time of Day

Timing is everything, and when planning for your surprise engagement, you want to choose an early time in order to avoid crowds. For example, if you choose a restaurant for your location, then ask about lunch or breakfast reservations. If you go on an outdoor adventure, then you’ll want to check sunrise and sunset times first. By doing your research ahead of time and making sure that no one else will be at your special location during these prime times, you’ll be able to achieve complete privacy during your photoshoot!

Plus, don’t forget to always plan plenty of extra time just in case things take longer than expected or any issues arise. That way, if there are any delays getting back home after your shoot, you won’t need to rush it and miss any opportunities along the way. When all is said and done, though, be realistic with how much time you actually have; rushing through certain aspects of your process could lead to interruptions or incomplete details – both of which could ruin what should be a perfect surprise!

Sunset proposal

3) Choose Who Will Be There

Choosing who you invite will be an important step towards your surprise engagement. While it’s usually best to keep it small, there may be times when you want extra witnesses around for your big moment. For example, if you’re planning on surprising your partner at a restaurant, then consider inviting one of his/her closest friends or family members for support.

On the other hand, if you want to keep it even more private and intimate, then plan ahead with only your photographer and perhaps one or two people who know about your plans. When planning for your perfect location, make sure not to inform anyone else about any details of your big day; otherwise, there is a chance that someone could accidentally spoil it before you are ready!

One Tree Hill Engagement shoot

4) Get A Professional Photographer

Hiring an experienced and professional photographer is one of the most important steps when planning for your surprise engagement. By hiring someone who knows what they’re doing, you can rest assured knowing that all of your precious memories will be captured perfectly. If you’re not sure where to find a qualified wedding photographer, then SvenStudios is your best bet! Our team prides itself on providing exceptional photojournalism at some of Australia’s best photo studios!

Moreover, we offer packages specifically designed for couples wanting beautiful engagements photos taken in unique locations around Australia; if you need any further information about these options or would like us to capture your perfect proposal, please reach out today!

Smoke backdrop for couple

Wrapping Up

It’s not hard to see why planning an engagement is so fun, but it can also be a lot of work! Remember to plan ahead as much as possible getting your photographer involved early on is one of your best tools for success when you plan the perfect surprise engagement. And remember that once you’ve set everything up with them, then it’s time to concentrate on having fun and making sure that you surprise your partner properly.