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15 Essential Wedding Photos to Take During Your Celebration

Every spouse-to-be knows that wedding photos are one of the most crucial parts of the ceremony, as it captures the magic of the event and memorialises it forever.

To make sure you have a wedding album full of stunning shots and beautifully captured candid moments, it might help to have a list of must-have essential wedding photos in your mind to talk about with your wedding photographer.

To do this, look for a wedding photographer that is excited to discuss your ideas. You can then consult with them on the wedding shots that other couples ask them to do, giving you more concepts to consider. Together, you can put a list of your must-have wedding photos, ensuring they record each memorable minute and allow you to relive your special day several years later.

15 Essential Wedding Photos

Here are fifteen essential wedding photos to take during your celebration:

  • The Invitations

The first few wedding photos that many don’t think of are shots of your invitation suite. Most photographers will shoot them on the day of the wedding, think of this shot as something that won’t necessarily be hung on the wall, but more to remember something you agonised over for hours prior to your day.

It’s best to talk to your photographer about what you want out of this moment and if you want extra details, like flowers and other decorations, to be included in the photo.

Wedding invites based on uno
Wedding invite
Invite

  • The Getting Ready Montage

One of the most memorable wedding photos involves the getting ready moments, such as when the bride (and even groom) have their hair and makeup done. If you have an elaborate hairpiece, you’ll want to have a few photos of it. Include a shot of your maid of honour zipping you up in your dress, a picture of your wedding shoes, and other aspects you want to be immortalised in your wedding album.

Concentrating on makeup
Putting on makeup in front of window
Putting on Makeup in car at SC Pannell Winery
Putting makeup on

  • The Accessories

Traditional weddings involve the bride wearing something old, new, borrowed, and blue. It’s a great idea to take photos of these, given the careful consideration you put into choosing the perfect items for your special day.

Bridal affects laid out on tabletop
Bridal Affects
Bridal affects
Bridal affects

  • The Veil

Many brides place significant importance on the veil, especially if they’ve chosen one with a complex, intricate design. Don’t be afraid of showing off your veil and have your wedding photographer take pictures from multiple angles to capture its beauty in full!

Bride with veil
Bridal veil in front of camera
Helping with the veil
Bride and bridesmaids having fun under veil on bed

  • The Individual Portraits

Who can forget the individual portraits? Weddings are usually when brides shine the brightest, so it’s crucial to take a few styled pictures. Grooms can also pose for some stunning photos to show off their sleek suit. These are the essential wedding photos everyone expects from their wedding photographer.

Groom waiting for bride
Excited groom
Bride looking pretty in front of big window
Bride holding bouquet

  • The Bridal Bouquet

Wedding bouquets are often made of stunning arrangements of flowers that deserve to have their own photoshoot. Be sure to take some photos of yourself holding your beautiful bouquet and allow your photographer to stage the shoot by having it in different locations that highlight the breathtaking colours of your blooms.

Closeup of bouquets in hands
Engagement ring in red bouquet
Bridal bouquet
Close up of bouquet on ground

  • The Bridal Party

Your bridal party plays a vital role in the success of your wedding, so they deserve gorgeous photos, too! These photos are also some of the most natural, candid, and joyous since there are many laughs involved. You’ll hold these photos close to your heart since it commemorates a special moment between you and your best mates.

Bridal party talking to one another
Bridal party on Grange Jetty
Jumping bridal party

  • The First Look

Some couples prefer waiting until the actual ceremony for the first look, while others don’t mind having it before walking down the aisle. Whatever you choose, be sure to communicate this to your wedding photographer, so they know where and when to position themselves. Capturing your spouse’s reaction on film when they first see you in your wedding garb will be something to cherish forever. 

Grooms first look at bride at Ingle wood inn wedding
grooms first look at beginning of ceremony
grooms first look at the National Wine Center
nervous groom waiting for first look

  • The Candid Moments

Nothing can beat the candid moments that are abundant in a wedding. Your photographer will always be on the lookout for these precious instances of unabashed laughter and broad smiles, but it will help to talk to them about it, as it’s easy to get lost in the beauty and magic of your wedding right at the moment.

Close up of bride and groom laughing 2
Laughing groom
Laughing bride as she’s carried
laughing groom during ceremony 2

  • The Dress

Don’t forget to take a photo of the dress before it gets put on! The dress is a symbol of the entire day and is bound to get a bit messy by the end of thit. It’s nice to get a shot of it in pristine condition.

Wedding dress hanging above bridal party
Bride walking towards her wedding dress
Hanging wedding dress in shed
Hanging Thorngrove Manor wedding dress

  • The Wedding Ceremony Site

Talk to your photographer about getting a few choice shots of the venue of your wedding. That way, you can capture the magic of the day and easily relive the moment you walked down the aisle to marry the most special person in the world to you. 

The Watershed Wedding Setup
Wedding setup
Wedding Ceremony setup

  • The Walk Down the Aisle

Another essential wedding photo to take is your actual walk down the aisle on the arm of your mother, father, both, or another person who played a massive role in raising you. This moment is another memory you’ll want to keep close to you forever.

Bride and parents approaching ceremony
Bride and father approaching ceremony
bride and father approaching the ceremony
bride approaches in front of Seagrass long Point

  • The First Kiss

What moment is more magical in your wedding than the first kiss? The vow exchange is when you officially become spouses, but nothing is as electric as when you first kiss each other. Be sure to talk to the officiant beforehand, so they know to step out of the shot for this unforgettable moment.

First kiss at ingle wood inn wedding
First kiss at Partridge House wedding ceremony
First kiss on Pennington Bay
First kiss

  • The First Dance

Your first dance with your newly minted life partner is easily one of the most common essential wedding photos you’d expect from your wedding, so it’s easy to feel nervous about your dance moves and how you look on camera. With your favourite song on, you’ll have an easier time relaxing, allowing the photographer to take pictures of all the fun you’re having with your spouse!

First dance at Ingle wood Inn wedding
First dance at JDF reception cernter
first dance in blue smoke
National Wine Center Wedding Photography

  • Exit

There’s no better opportunity to go out with a bang than by exiting the venue, especially when you have a creative setup, like confetti or sparklers. Make sure to talk to your photographer about capturing this to ensure they get amazing shots. You can also stage the moment if your reception will last well into the evening, making sure the photographer takes stunning photos before everyone starts retiring for the night.

National wine center wedding Exit under sparklers
Bride and groom exiting Sunnybrea wedding
Exit

 

Your wedding will be full of unforgettable moments that you’ll want to capture forever. However, in the flurry of activity, it can be easy to forget this when you’re overcome with the joy, support, and magic of your special day. By discussing these essential wedding photos with your wedding photographer, you can focus on enjoying your wedding without worrying about recording it!

SvenStudios is an award-winning wedding photographer in Adelaide who has captured the most beautiful wedding days since 2011. Whether you need cute engagement photos, a couple photoshoot, or an innovative cinematic wedding photographer, we can do it all for you. Contact us today to learn more about what we can do for you!

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Wedding History – Why Do We Throw Confetti at Weddings?

There are plenty of ways to welcome the bride and groom to their new life as a married couple. Besides standing up and giving them a round of applause, one of the most popular ways to recognize the union is by throwing confetti. However, how did this practice come about? and why do we thow confetti at weddings? Or failing that rose petals, or bubbles or even leaves?

Why Do We Throw Confetti at Weddings? – History

This practice was actually something that began in Italian weddings two centuries ago. Nobles used to throw candies and flowers during the parades while dames threw eggshells filled with essences and perfumes. In Italian “confetti” is actually not what you throw at celebrations; the term itself refers to candy-coated almonds that you hand to guests as party favours – Also known as dragée or comfit. The thing you throw is called “coriandoli.” The English language simply adapted the term despite being a misnomer. 

The throwing of confetti relates somewhat to the act of throwing rice at a wedding. This is a tradition that is still being practised to this day for couples that want a family. It is a symbol of fertility and luck for the couple as parents. 

The first paper confetti was produced for the Carnivale di Milano with the intention of celebrating joyous occasions. The British then adapted this and introduced it to a wedding in 1875. 

Throwing confetti is laced in a rich history of taking inspiration from one culture and adapting it to a new one. Wedding traditions from various cultures around the world have overlapped and combined and intertwined to such a degree that it’s not unheard of to see confetti in weddings around the world. 

Why Do We Throw Confetti at Weddings?

It’s Fun!

Confetti was meant to bring life to celebrations and memorable festivities, so why can’t it be at a wedding? The bright colours of confetti celebrate joy and can make the ceremony more beautiful. 

Some of it will get on your hair, the veil, the dress, and the suit, but that is not really something to worry about. Seeing your spouse’s suit or dress covered in it can bring a big smile to your face, which is always a great thing when you leave the aisle together as newlyweds.

Bridal exit from their ceremony

It Makes Great Wedding Photographs

It’s okay to think about how the photos will turn out. Confetti brings a great visual element to your photos, bringing in bright specs of vibrant colours into the frame. Many liken the confetti to petals falling from the sky, especially when beautiful colours are chosen.

Getting good shots with confetti in the air will be tricky. It’s probably not something that your friend with no photography experience can capture on their phone. To make sure that these come out right and perhaps even more stunning than you would ever imagine, you need a professional photographer to do the job for you on the day of the ceremony.

Bridal exit

Confetti is however not great for the Earth as it’s often made of plastic, or coloured paper that will not biodegrade well – so many wedding venues will actually charge a cleanup fee in order to allow the use of confetti or not allow it at all! Some environmentally friendly alternatives include rose petals, gumleaves that have been hole punched, bubbles, or if at night time, sparklers!

National wine center wedding Exit under sparklers

Whatever reason you want to have confetti at your wedding is valid. It’s a fun idea that is laced in many great customs that anyone can adopt to make their wedding day special. It’s a celebration of love and great joy, so go ahead and incorporate it into the ceremony if you want to. The wedding photos after will be filled with amazing colours as you walk up the aisle as newlyweds.

Make your memories last with the best wedding photos to remember them by. For the best wedding photography services in Adelaide, get in touch with Sven Studios. We capture moments as they happen, bringing the joy of weddings through our photos. Contact us now!

We also have a whole heap of other wedding custom origin stories along with the answer to why do we throw confetti at weddings?, so feel free to get in touch for a bit of a chat! We love talking wedding!

 

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6 Important Things to Do Before Your Newborn Photoshoot

Things to Do Before Your Newborn Photoshoot

There’s nothing more perfect than seeing and holding your baby the first time. That moment is unbeatable, and it instantly fills your heart with such ecstatic emotion. Most parents say that babies grow insanely fast and that you should cherish those newborn moments so you better take their advice and capture every detail while they’re still a tiny little bundle!

Before you know it, they’ll soon become toddlers and teenagers that won’t fit in your arms anymore. Their tiny toes, wrinkly skin, heart-melting yawns and tiny little bodies will soon be just a memory. For this reason, you should make those memories vivid, and that’s where a photoshoot becomes essential for your newborn baby. 

Newborn Photography

Preparing for a Newborn Photography Session

Now, before heading out to the studio and meeting your photographer, you should ensure that you and your baby are ready. You wouldn’t want to go there without knowing the right things to prepare. This big occasion will be memorable for your whole family, so it involves proper planning and preparation, so heres a simple little list of things to do before your newborn photoshoot.

6 Important Things to Do Before Your Newborn Photoshoot

To help you prepare for the main event, here are some of the things to do before your newborn photoshoot.

  1. Schedule the Photo Session in Advance

Keep in mind that most photographers prefer to do newborn photography sessions when infants are between 5 and 14 days. During this time the little one is easier to move about with getting too upset about new surroundings, and would be easier to time a period while they are asleep.

Even if your baby is not born yet, you should already schedule their photoshoot. This appointment will give you and the photographer ample time to arrange everything you need before the shoot. In addition, you wouldn’t be worried that there will be no photographer available during the first 14 days of your baby because you have already booked ahead of time. 

It is advisable to source out or advise your preferred photographer while you’re in your second trimester. Let them know of your due date so they can block off their calendar for your baby’s photography session.

Newborn Photography
  1. Keep Your Baby Awake Before the Photoshoot Starts

While it may be good to capture photos of your baby while they are awake, you may have a hard time if their mood is not so great. A great tip to make the photo session as calm and easy as possible is to keep your baby awake before it starts. This way, they’ll doze off during the shoot. It’s better for a photographer to capture your baby’s peaceful, adorable state instead of their enraged, red-faced, just-finished-crying face. When they’re asleep during the shoot, you’ll have photos of a peaceful and charming baby in cute poses.

Baby in a basket on wooden floor
  1. Ensure Your Baby Is Full 20-30 Minutes Before the Session

Again, a baby crying out loud during the shoot is a bad idea because the pictures may not turn out the way you want. Keeping them full before the shoot will help avoid this kind of situation, and it will also help them sleep while the photoshoot is happening. You must feed and burp them right before the session so they’ll cry less, sleep better and create a calm studio environment for everyone involved during the shoot. Feeding your baby 20-30 minutes before will also help them last a two-hour shoot.

baby feet
  1. Dress Them in Easy-to-Take-Off Clothes

Most photographers prefer a naked baby while doing the photoshoot to allow them to get every angle of their tiny body. As a parent, you must choose easy-to-take-off clothes before you head to the venue so it’ll be less of a hassle when it’s time for their session. Easy-to-take-off garments will also help to not disrupt their sleep cycle and avoid crying. Aside from that, you can change your baby’s nappy into a loose type, so when the photographer undresses them, they won’t have diaper marks on their skin in the picture. 

Baby Turtle
  1. Advise Your Photographer Regarding the Location of the Shoot

Usually, photoshoots are held in a studio, but some photographers conduct newborn photography sessions wherever you feel most comfortable as a parent. Perhaps, you want to hold the shoot in your own home for convenience or have a preferred location out of town. 

Whatever the case, you must tell your photographer in advance so they can prepare proper lighting and setup according to the location. When you decide to choose an outdoor location, elements will be less controlled since the weather can be unpredictable. There are only specific times when they can utilise natural light. By informing them of your location preferences ahead of time, they can give you high-quality rendered photos of your baby. 

baby mirella
  1. Trust the Photographer 

It’s normal to feel nervous and anxious while your baby is doing the photo session. However, you don’t need to worry because a professional photographer knows what they’re doing and is good at doing their job. Let them take care of your baby while on the shoot, and trust them to handle your baby well during the session.

If you cannot ease your mind, it’s better to reach out to the photographer and let them know your worries. If you still feel uncomfortable at any point during the shoot, let your photographer know right away because, after all, it’s still your baby, and it’s crucial that you both feel comfortable. 

baby ellie on shoudler

When it comes to photoshoots for newborn babies, timing is everything, and safety always comes first. In order to have a successful session, ensure your baby is safe and comfortable so you’ll also feel relaxed during the shoot. In addition, having incredible newborn photographs is all about having the best photographer behind the lens. Your photographer will significantly influence how you can make the memories of your newborn fresh in your mind even after a long time. They will be the ones to tell the story of your precious newborn through their photography skills. 

At Sven Studios, we ensure that our years of experience translate in the way we do each baby photoshoot. We offer a professional newborn photography service that allows parents to remember their baby’s infant stage through perfectly captured images. hopefully this little list of things to do before your newborn photoshoot was helpful, and we invite you to schedule your newborn photo sessions in Adelaide with us today! 

 

5 Tips for Photographing Your Newborn At The Hospital

  • baby ellie on shoudler

 

Photographing Your Newborn At The Hospital

The birth of a newborn is one of life’s most wondrous moments. Perhaps nothing can compare to the feeling of watching a beautiful smile stretched on a newborn’s face, or the little movements they make. Such special moments bring a sense of love and affection among partners. Therefore, capturing such momentous time becomes imperative.

Looking at the first photo of your newborn can be overwhelming yet exciting. You and your partner would love to share a glimpse of your little one with the world. However, most photographs captured in the hospital end up blurry or not suited for printing and putting on display.

If you want to capture the best baby photographs, consider following our tips for photographing your newborn at the hospital. This article will help you understand how to capture beautiful photographs of a new baby at the hospital.

5 Tips for Photographing Your Newborn At The Hospital

  1. Think about the lighting

When photographing your newborn at the hospital, it’s often the case that lighting in your room isn’t the best. Open all the blinds in the room to let in the natural light. Most photographers understand the importance of natural lightning during a baby shoot because it helps capture some of the best shots. Apart from natural lighting, turn off all the other lights in the room. The combination of natural lighting and artificial lighting can be quite ugly – however this does not mean you can’t experiment. Make the most of this combination to capture the best first newborn photograph.

baby mirella
  1. Plan The Shoot After a Feeding

As much as you want to take out your camera and start capturing every possible moment of a newborn, we recommend you don’t. Birth is tiring for both mom and newborn; giving enough space and time to both can help you capture the best newborn photos with mum. One of the best ways to do this is by planning your shoot after a feeding session. A well-fed baby will be calm, content, and happy. Most newborns are calm right after a feeding session, and they tend to sleep right throughout the photoshoot. Besides, you will be able to capture some adorable shots of newborns dreaming the day away.

Baby Smiles
  1. Basic Clothing

A newborn photoshoot should be comfortable for both the little one and partners. Therefore, we recommend new parents bring an extra pair of basic clothing. You can choose to wear something plain and simple – preferably earth tones or whites – during the shoot. Avoid wearing bold patterns or clothing with big logos as it may cause unnecessary distractions in the photo. The same tip could be applied to the newborn. Choose plain onesies for your baby to let their outfit blend in with the hospital setting.

Daddy hugs for baby Max
baby mirella and parents

 

  1. Choose The Right Angle

Newborn photography is all about angles. Clicking the photograph from the right angle will ensure you achieve the best shot of the newborn and mom. Make sure you position the camera slightly higher so that your angle is not showing up the baby’s nostrils. By doing so, newborns’ nostrils will barely show up, allowing you to achieve beautiful images. If you want to add an extra element to the photograph, consider trying different angles and welcoming new parents in the shoot. Simply keep the right angles in mind.

Newborn Photography
  1. Focus on Details

For newborn photography, always focus on small details. Consider focusing on capturing their tiny hands, feet, fingers, ears, and cheeks. You can also choose to capture a shot from the top of their head showing small baby hair. New parents love watching through such tiny details of their newborn.

baby feet

Also consider memorialising the moment with models of your little one’s feet and hands – it can be a lot of fun getting them made and they look amazing on the wall!

Hand and feet moulds

If you are looking for the best newborn hospital photography in Adelaide to capture the first-ever smile of your little one, call us on 0401403080 today.

 

 

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6 Things Your Wedding Photographer Might Not Say, But Should

  • Exchanging wedding bands in front of Hobart Harbour

 

Things Your Wedding Photographer Might Not Say, But Should

When it comes to photography, it’s not easy to be a wedding photographer – there are plenty of astonishing photographers out there that simply won’t touch weddings simply because of the stress that comes along with it. In fact this was precisely how I began as a wedding photographer – a friend of mine didn’t want to do one and palmed it off to me!

Sure, it is often fun and exciting to witness the clients’ happiest day, but it’s not all happy and magical every time. The pressure is on to produce the most fantastic wedding photos because they are going to be lifelong mementos of that very special event.

But some unforeseen circumstances can get in the way of what’s supposed to be a perfect shoot. And sometimes, there are things your wedding photographer might not say.

6 Things Your Wedding Photographer Might Not Say, But Should

Here are some of the things your wedding photographer might not say, but probably won’t.

  1. “If you want the most beautiful and most dramatic shots, have the wedding outdoors.”

Do you want those gorgeous wedding photos posted on social media with dramatic lighting? They’re mostly shot outdoors. Natural lighting is flattering to all skin tones, and elements like the bright blue skies or the glowing sunset make for an amazing backdrop. However, you can’t always get that indoors with artificial light.

The epic wedding photos taken inside that you might love from social media are usually taken at venues that may be out of your budget, and in Australia they tend to be few and far between. That said though if you have the budget, so for it – they can be some very unique shots.

Out on pride rock

  1. “Please do not look at me or the camera.”

For some studio shots and yearbook photos, the subject is always asked to look straight at the camera and people are trained to do so from a young age. But for engagement and wedding photos, the more candid the images are, the better!

Don’t look at your photographer unless instructed to do so for those traditional portraits, and just interact with your new spouse and all the guests as natural as possible and let the photographer capture those special moments.

Gallop bridge Wedding photo

  1. “If you want to get the best shots, trust the photographer.”

Couples who get those out-of-this-world wedding shots are the ones who tell their photographers, “We’re down with anything you have in mind.” Granted, that gorgeous wedding dress is probably going to get dirty, but they’ll result in photos you’ll be proud of. They’ll even make the funniest behind the scene stories that you can tell the kids in the future!

Kangraoo Island Elopement photoshoot

  1. “If you see me resting for a bit, it doesn’t mean I’m not doing my job.”

As much as photographers love capturing every moment in a wedding, standing for hours and lugging heavy equipment can drain anyone’s energy. A wedding day is often 10-14 hours long for a wedding photographer which not much of a break, or even food in between.

So, if in between the major parts of the wedding you see the photographer sitting down, know that it’s just a quick break, and rest assured that no heart warming moments will be missed!

intimate First Dance Photo

  1. “I don’t have the superpower to control the weather.”

If the couple and the entire family are hoping for nice weather on that special day, trust that the photographer does, too. No one wants to have a rainy wedding day, but if that happens, know that photographers are professionals who will still be able to take gorgeous pictures, especially if you’re willing to be more playful and use the rain to your advantage. 

Lightning

  1. “I do encourage honest feedback.”

For many months, you and your photographer have been exchanging ideas about how the wedding coverage should be done. Every photo is thoughtfully captured to ensure that it reflects how special those moments are in your life. So, from the time of the delivery of the wedding photos, know that your photographer is waiting for honest feedback.

Do share your thoughts, whether you are ecstatic about them or have some constructive criticisms. As a client, know that your opinion is always valued! It’s a big reason why I run my annual wedding photo of the year contest!

Bride and groom amongst the trees in Hobart

The photographer plays a big role in your wedding, being the person responsible for the highlights of the ceremony and the reception and those sweet and funny, candid moments. And while there are some things your wedding photographer might not say, these are things that should already be known.

Wedding photography is not as simple as you might think; it takes creativity, an innate instinct, and an eye for detail through experience. If you give the photographer the freedom to be as creative as they can, they can surprise their beloved clients with wedding photos that reflect the true beauty of that wonderful day!

If you are looking for wedding photographers you don’t need to look elsewhere. Sven Studios can capture all the best things about your wedding––your special moments, the joy that your loved ones share, and yes, even the emotion that fills the air on your big day. Contact us today to know more about our photography services!