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Wedding Services That You Should Invest In

Bride and groom sharing a kiss at night

Wedding Services That You Should Invest In

It’s a universally known fact that weddings can be quite expensive. Some people spend thousands upon thousands of dollars to experience their dream weddings, and you can’t really blame those people who only want the best for their special day. If that’s the way they want to celebrate their love, then everyone should let them be!

When planning for your wedding, you can do anything you want. However, if you want to save money while getting the best out of your wedding, you should be smart about how you spend your money. There are a few items that can be cut while not having much of an impact on your big day, but then there are wedding services that you should invest in.

Smiles in the vineyards

I feel as though these three wedding services that you should invest in are the most important when considering your budget and perhaps leave these three items aside from any cost cutting you may end up doing.

Wedding Services That You Should Invest In

  1. Professional Wedding Photography

As a wedding photographer, I may be a little biased here, but your wedding is one special moment in your life that you will hopefully cherish for the rest of your life.

There’s nothing wrong about getting someone from your friend group or getting one of your family members to take your wedding photos. However, getting a professional wedding photographer on your wedding day can bring more personality and professionalism to your photos.

Having a photographer that is not directly a part of your wedding day alone can justify your wedding photography costs, but they also bring a multitude of different benefits other than of course the wonderful photos they produce.

  • A professional photographer is tasked soley with taking photos of your day and wont be distracted by partying and catching up with guests.
  • The experience a professional brings will show in the final product they produce – far and away from Uncle Bob with a nice camera.
  • A professional will have better understanding of the flow of a wedding day as they will probably have atended hundreds before yours, and therefore able to capture more heartfelt moments.

Ten years after your wedding, you would want to see photographs of your wedding that bring back the same emotions that you felt on that very same day. It would be nice to have something truly beautiful that you and your partner can reminisce on.

Bride and groom on Maslins Beach
  1. Wedding Video Coverage

Aside from your wedding photos, making an investment in a wedding video is something that augments your memories in a way that a sinlge photo cannot do. Some people may think of it as unnecessary, but if you are the type of person who loves sharing your precious moments with your friends or who prefers visual keepsakes for re-watching in the future, then you should hire a videographer.

Aside from capturing the highlights of your wedding, it also allows you to relive moments that you may not rememeber from your wedding day due to it being such a whirlwind of emotion. Perhaps a clip of:

  • Your friends wishing you a happy marriage
  • Epic moments on your wedding that no one expected
  • Your maid of honour’s and best man’s wedding speech
  • You and your parent dancing from other people’s perspective
  • And more!

Another really cool wayu to relive your wedding day is via Virtual reality technology where you can wear a VR headset and rewatch your ceremony or first dance from the perspective of your guests. It just so happens I offer this as part of my usual photography packages.

If photos capture precious, intimate moments, a video captures incredibly fun and memorable moments on your wedding day.

  1. Wedding Coordinator

Personalizing your wedding can be pretty exciting, and hiring a wedding coordinator may not usually be on a list of wedding services you should invest in. But hiring a wedding coordinator that understands your needs and wants can significantly affect how you prepare for your wedding. When you hire a professional to do miscellaneous stuff for your wedding, you’re allowing yourself to savour each moment that passes by, and you get to focus on yourself and your partner.

DIY-ing your wedding can save you a lot of money, but the downside with that is that sometimes you don’t get to enjoy the excitement of your wedding because you were too stressed out planning everything on your own. It can be a lot of fun, but sometimes you need that little bit of help with someone who has done it all before.

Most importantly, you can better enjoy your wedding as you’ll be more grounded in the present during the wedding, instead of worrying about how the event is going. When you hire a wedding coordinator, you wouldn’t need to worry about little things that go wrong, allowing you to cherish the moment.

hugging bridal couple

Weddings can be more expensive than you can imagine. The average cost of a wedding in Australia in 2019 according to EasyWeddings was $32,940. If you want to save money, you should be smart about where to cut costs. Ask yourself what exactly it is you want to prioritize.

More than the material things, please do consider not ckimping out on these wedding services that you should invest in. They may make or break your big day and the nenories that you were looking forward to creating just wont be what you imagined they might be.

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8 Picture Perfect Moments you need to shoot at a wedding

  • 9 Picture Perfect Moments You Have to Get on Camera

    Bride and groom amongst gum trees

As a wedding photographer, one of the foremost requirements is to have “the eye” for taking good photos, find ing the picture perfect moments in a day that just need to be taken. There are some moments in wedding photography that you know from experience will make for the best images. I’ve put together a list in the past for some of the most important wedding photos you need to capture, but this list is a little more direct, and more of a list of what most people tend to expect in their wedding photography without any fuss. More focussing on the wedding ceremony itself.

Whether you’re in the wedding photography business or just an avid fan of tear-jerking moments, here are nine of the most picture perfect moments in weddings that you simply have to capture on camera.

Picture Perfect Moments leading up to the Ceremony

The Details

The bride and groom spent copious amounts of time in picking out the details of the wedding—so capturing them on camera is a good way to show appreciation. The flowers, the layout, and the program are merely some of the things you can zoom in on.

Engagement ring in bouquet
Bridal affects
Wedding dress hanging in window

The Venue

Taking a panoramic shot of the wedding venue is always one of the best shots. The venue is one of the things that couples take so much time in choosing and reserving—a nice photo of the place makes for a perfect photo.

Sedan Lutheran Church 2
Inglewood Inn Wedding backdrop
Burbrook forest wedding ceremony

The Guests

A few shots of the guests milling about, finding their seats, and chatting joyously to each other makes for powerful photographs. Candid photos like these aren’t just picturesque, but they add colour and excitement to the wedding portfolio.

Guests
Having a good time
Hugs from guests

The Groom

More often than not, the groom will arrive first on the scene ahead of the bride. Some photos of his arrival and preparation, as well as zooming into his face for emotion are good picture perfect moments in the album. Make sure to watch out for him walking down the aisle, most of Groom’s emotions about the ceremony start showing there. Be on standby to capture his face when he sees the bride—these emotion-filled moments are the perfect time for photography.

Groom’s first lok of bride
Groom waiting patiently
groom waiting patiently

The Bride

The bride will definitely be the star of the show, so documenting her from start to end is a must. As soon as the bridal car arrives, try to capture her inside up to the moment she steps out. Some close-up photos of her face before her entrance is definitely a necessity—and taking a picture of her entrance is an absolute must.

Bridal entrance
Bridal arrival
bridal arrival

Picture Perfect Moments During the Ceremony

The Traditions

As the ceremony begins, ensure to capture the various traditions involved. Whether it’s lighting the unity candle, stomping on glass or hand fasting—these small gestures define the couple and the lives they live, making for a picture perfect moment and representation of themselves. If they write their own vows, it’s also the perfect time to zoom in and capture their emotions on camera.

Asatru hand fasting
Bride holding a wedding sword
Vows

The Reactions

While the guests may not have that big of a role in the ceremony, their reactions to various things happening is a key to capturing the story of a ceremony. This is where your photographer’s eye comes in, watching out for any sudden streaks of emotion which would make for picture perfect moments. More often than not, this will elicit some laughter and joy—further driving this joyous occasion.

Parents singing
little one in the aisle
Singing

The Kiss

Undoubtedly, capturing the kiss is basic for wedding photographers. No wedding is complete without this shot—as well as the couple’s reaction right after.

First kiss
First kiss under the trees
First kiss

 

Conclusion

 

Weddings are the perfect avenue for capturing beautiful moments on camera. With a couple of shots, you can be a part of something much greater than yourself—even if just for a few moments.

 

Are you looking for a wedding photographer in Adelaide to capture your perfect moments? Get in touch with us today and schedule a meeting to discuss what services best fit you.

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Things to do before your wedding you may not have thought of

  • bridal party in mirror

 

Things to do before your wedding

For both parties, weddings are often a blast. However, when you’re an almost-bride who is just months away from the big day, the entire time can be stressful, considering all you’ll need to get done.

To avoid panic, have a look at some of these things to do before your wedding and make sure you schedule to get them done ASAP.

A list of things to do before your wedding you may not have thought of

Get your paperwork in order

Remember, you can’t actually get married without signing an intent to marry with your celebrant. If you and your partner haven’t yet applied for one, now is the best time to do so.

Depending on your area, you can easily find the required documents online, which you should research and prepare before heading down to your registry office, or your celebrant.

Exit from wedding ceremony at Al-Ru Farm

Schedule your final fitting

If you’ve been exercising daily to achieve your ideal wedding bod, you’ll want to be sure your dress fits you perfectly. Schedule a final fitting in advance in case you have any alterations to undergo.

Bridal party helping bride get ready

Reiterate final details with wedding vendors

Review all the details of your wedding day with each of your vendors, whether in person or over the phone. That way, you can make any revisions to your menu or venue decor should you spot anything that isn’t quite up to par. Anyway, it can’t hurt to be too careful.

Engagement ring

Follow up with guests who haven’t RSVPd

If some of your guests are just a “maybe” you’ll want to make sure they give you a concrete yes or no. This task can be tedious, so you can ask your maid of honour to help finalise your headcount.

guests

Practice your final hair and makeup look

Whether you’re doing your own makeup or hiring a make-up artist, it’s important to get the look just the way you want it well before your wedding day to avoid any mistakes. After all, you’ll want to look perfect in all those glamorous close-up wedding photos. If possible, take your veil to try out along with your final look.

Putting on the makeup

Get your bridesmaids fitted

One of the most difficult aspects of a wedding to coordinate is customising each bridesmaid’s outfit. Make sure they’ve made arrangements for their own final fittings and that they’re scheduled to pick up their dresses on time. If not, you could be subject to several time-consuming alterations and last-minute bills.

Bridesmaids dresses

Treat yourself to a facial or a massage

There’s no denying the stress that comes with the month leading up to your wedding, so you’ll want to make sure you’re finding pockets of time to relax. If you’re getting a facial, do so at least a few weeks before your big day as you won’t want to risk having a reaction too close to your actual wedding.

Smiling bride

Send out your rehearsal dinner invites

A rehearsal dinner is an important part of making sure everything about your wedding is going according to plan. It’ll also give you an opportunity to practice walking down the aisle and exchanging wedding gifts if you aren’t planning on doing so on your actual wedding day.

Send your invites out in advance, especially if you’re inviting anyone from out of town.

Serafinos Wedding Reception

Come up with a wedding day timeline

If anyone needs to be kept in the loop, hand out a schedule to your bridal party, family members, and vendors. You never know who might need to make last-minute changes.

bridal entrace at Woodstock winery wedding reception

 

While your big day may come with a lot of responsibilities, it’s important that it’s one that is memorable to you and your groom, so to make sure your day runs as smoothly as possible, think about this short list of some of the things to do before your wedding and make sure there is time set aside to make sure they happen!

If you haven’t hired a wedding photographer yet, we like to think we are the best in Adelaide and make capturing unmissable moments a priority on your wedding day – contact us today!

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7 Activities for the Night before Your Wedding

  • Nightime wedding photo

 

The Night before Your Wedding

The night before your wedding is one of the most nerve-wracking times on a wedding timeline – particularly for the bride. To make sure you are well-rested and glowing on your wedding photos, try to relax and ease your mind the night before. If you feel clueless about how to achieve this recommended ‘state of calm’ and need help finding things to do other than dream up all the horrible things that can possibly go wrong on your big day, here are our recommendations of seven things to do on the night before your wedding:

7 Activities for the Night before Your Wedding

  1. Remain hydrated

If you’re thinking of drinking your favourite glass of wine before your wedding, you might want to think again. Maybe drinking wine will help you feel sleepy and less nervous, but remember the consequences that might come from it. You’ll wake up feeling bloated, get anxiety attacks, look puffy, and might not feel the best. Try to drink a glass of water instead, and drink loads of it – maybe even throw in some vitamin drinks also. Your skin will thank you in the morning, and you’ll feel more refreshed than how you’d feel from alcoholic drinks.

Whiskey
  1. Eat something healthy

This is the night you might want to stop yourself from eating that greasy pizza or your favourite bag of chips. You wouldn’t want to wake up feeling bloated, so do your best to avoid it. Your body needs proper nutrition to stay healthy and to function well, so eat your fresh fruits and whole grains instead. Just be mindful of any past instances where you haven’t felt the best the night after a certain meal and simply stay away from it.

Wedding pizza
  1. Put extra love on your skin

You might have a glam team to make you feel and look beautiful for your wedding, but makeup on good skin will look so much more appealing. it may not be bthe most appropriate saying when talking about faces – but ‘you can’t polish a turd’ :). Make sure to free your face from any makeup and apply your skincare products the night before. Don’t even consider trying new skin products. You wouldn’t want to have breakouts or skin rashes, right? This goes for fake tans also! Often if you’re not the type of person to get a fake tan, it just looks horrible and sometimes stains your dress.

Makeup
  1. Destress

During the past months or years, you’ve been stressing out about your wedding, maybe take the night before your wedding and realise it’s all done and what happens will happen. Consider having a digital detox to help you relax. Staying away from gadgets can help you sleep earlier and better, and it will prevent you from suddenly sending out a last-minute direction-change to your suppliers. Instead of watching online videos or your favourite series, try a more relaxing activity, such as reading a book or a magazine because it can help stop you from overthinking.

Ring Books
  1. Write a love note

As a wedding photographer and vidographer, I love this one! Capturing the emotions of your loved one reading your note makes for a lovely scene. Instead of spending the night worrying or imagining the worst things that can happen, why not take the moment to relive how you and your future partner met? Remind yourself of how much you two have grown, and then, create a short and sweet message to make your partner smile the next morning. This will get your mind off of things that aren’t important, and it will let you focus on what truly matters – your other half.

Reading letter
  1. Pamper yourself

Another thing you can do is to treat yourself. What activities do you like doing? If you like meditating, listening to music, or having a relaxing bath, give yourself some time to do it. You can also invite your bridesmaids and have a relaxed gathering together. Just make sure to not overdo it so that you won’t tire yourselves.

Bridal party on bed
  1. Get a good sleep

Do everything you can to get a good night’s sleep – it’s going to be hard, not many people sleep well before their wedding day, but do your best. Set your alarm, drink a calming tea, make your bed, and put a book by your bedside table. To make you feel even more relaxed, set an appointment and get a body massage. Remember that you need enough rest so that you can fully enjoy the long day ahead.

romantic bed

The night before your wedding is traditionally the last night you have for yourself, so try to make the most of your time. On the following days, you’ll have a life partner to join you in enjoying every moment!

If you are looking for a professional wedding photographer in Adelaide to capture your wedding, get in touch with us today to see how we can help!

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3 Logistical Reasons Why Smaller Weddings Are Better

  • Out on pride rock

Why Smaller Weddings Are Better

Most people are enamoured by the idea that weddings need to be grand and expensive events, seeing that it’s a once-in-a-lifetime occasion. EasyWeddings research has pout the average cost of an Australian wedding at $32,940!

This notion, however, is often the cause of stress for the bride and the groom, both financially and logistically. The advantages of a small wedding, on the other hand, are many, even if people who are accustomed to traditional weddings would tell you otherwise. Also due to the COVID-19 pandemic, people are being forced into having smaller weddings.

So I’m here to say, Less is more, even at weddings and why smaller weddings are better!

It’s not your fault to want to dream big about walking up to the altar with your soon-to-be spouse because a momentous occasion deserves a certain level of extravagance. However, there’s more than one way to dream big besides going all out with larger venues and crowds.

Ekhidna Winery Wedding Ceremony

Let’s explore three convincing reasons you should aim for less in planning your wedding and why smaller weddings are better!

3 Logistical Reasons Why Smaller Weddings Are Better

  1. No more complicated invites

The best part about choosing to go small for your wedding is that you’ll have fewer issues with attendance. Since you won’t have to deal with distant friends and relatives, you don’t have to prepare for extra seats for surprise plus ones on the day itself.

Having a smaller event keeps your guest list compact to your closest friends and family. On the other hand, this might make some of your distant friends and family bitter about not getting an invite. You should remember to let them know that you’re cutting back on going for a grand occasion so that you can have a more intimate event so that they’ll understand your wishes.

Usually omitted guests are cool with this, especially as though many people understand the huge costs weddings can be. They’d be even more so considerign the current travel bans due to the pandemic!

Invite
  1. Fewer people means less planning

A smaller event means a smaller guest list, which leads to fewer seats to fill, and less food to prepare. One of the most painful parts of planning a wedding is making sure that everyone is covered for seating, food, drink and even bonbonerie.

Since there’ll be fewer people attending, you’ll be able to focus on just the important people in your life. Instead of shaking hands from one table to the next with acquaintances that you barely even know, you’ll be able to keep the engagement short and compact without worrying about overcrowding or overtime.

You’ll even be able to personalise your tables a bit more with a menu that people you know will enjoy, provide inside jokes and even give out personalised gifts if youre doing that.

Gifts
  1. You can upgrade your wedding for other luxuries

With a smaller event, you’ll be able to cut down on your expenses drastically. This flexibility in the budget will allow you to purchase other luxury options that you wouldn’t be able to purchase with a large crowd in mind.

Furthermore, you’ll be able to hire more experienced photographers and videographers who can make the most out of the small venue you’ll use. You can also buy more expensive food options since you’ll be serving a smaller crowd. Reallocating your budget from logistical necessities to luxury options will give you a variety of ways to make your wedding more memorable.

wedding dress hanging in tree

A wedding shouldn’t be a stressful situation to plan, prepare, and execute – rather it should be a bunch of fun! Remember that your marriage is not a contest in one-upping your relatives’, your friends’, or even your parents’ own matrimonial ceremonies. It’s an event that you want to share with your special person in the best way possible.