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Sinclairs Gully Wedding – Jessica & Adam

Sinclairs Gully winery is the type of venue you just have to jump at the opportunity to shoot a wedding at, which is exactly what happened when Jessica and Adam asked me to be their Adelaide Hills wedding photographer. In order to cater to their short wedding plans, they asked to use my engagement shoot rate to cover their wedding for only 90 minutes which was enough time to photograph their ceremony and a few glamour shots after.

They held their wedding a little later in the day so by the time their ceremony was scheduled, the sun was already fading, and the overcast skies weren’t helping either. However this kind of light is pretty much perfect for photography so I was having a blast 🙂

Before the wedding

As usual I was on site at Sinclairs Gully early, in fact only Adam and his groomsmen were there putting the finishing touches on the venue. So I wandered about taking photos of all their personal touches and the boys helping calm the nerves of Adam. Once the girls arrived I was able to take a few shots of them together with their adorable VW van.

Line of groomsmen
Groom’s flower
Wedding sign
Girls arriving
Blushing bride
Groom looking nervous
Girls looking pretty
Groom walking about

Sinclairs Gully wedding ceremony

Sinclairs Gully is a winery hidden away in Norton Summit, and when you’re there it feels as though you’d only even know about the place if you already knew it was there. The incredible privacy the venue provides due to the lush Australian bushland is perfect for an intimate wedding ceremony such as Jessica and Adam’s. The bushland provides for beautiful bokeh when used as a backdrop to wedding photos and it really is just beautiful. There’s even a Australian animal reserve on site too!

Jessica and Adam’s wedding ceremony took place in a small clearing situated at the foot of the Sinclairs Gully winery carpark, so the setting was completely surrounded by gum trees and scrubland. During their ceremony they held a time capsule ceremony where they placed a bottle of Sinclairs Gully wine into a home-made timecapsule, along with love letters to one another only to be opened on their 10th anniversary. It’s a lovely gesture and a fun thing to put on display in their home.

Smiling bride
First kiss
Grooms first look
Time capsule
Bride and Father
Wedding Ceremony
Saying their vows
Sinclairs Gully wedding ceremony
Smiling groom
Married!
Wedding ceremony

Sinclairs Gully Wedding Glamour Photos

After the ceremony and family photos, we had around 30 minutes for some glamour photos around the winery grounds. It was quite an easy task to create something epic and eye catching as the surrounds just simply lends itself well to the task. I was really looking forward to getting around to editing this wedding as I knew some of the shots I took were absolutely stunning!

Embracing within the trees
Hugs
Private kiss in undergrowth
Walking along the driveway
Looking through foliage
Sinclairs Gully winery wedding
Tree hugs
Bride and groom in front of the combi van

I had an amazing time capturing Jessica and Adam’s Sinclairs Gully wedding, despite the short coverage. The wedding was filled with love, happiness, and unforgettable moments that I was honored to witness and photograph. It was a pleasure to be a part of their special day and to create images that will serve as treasured memories for years to come.

I hope that when Jessica and Adam look back at the photos, they will be transported back to the joyous atmosphere of their wedding day and relive the love and happiness they shared. It was a privilege to document their love story and to provide them with visual keepsakes that will last a lifetime.

Once again, thank you to Jessica and Adam for choosing me to capture their special day. I am grateful for the opportunity and wish them a lifetime of love and happiness together.

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Peacock Farm Wedding – Kate & Callen

  • Kate & Callen

    Peacock Farm Wedding

    Kiss in the foliage

It was a wonderfully sunny March day in Willunga for Kate and Callen’s wedding at the wonderfully rustic Peacock Farm. Their day was full of people who loved them and they looked as though they enjoyed themselves immensely, just as I did visiting a new wedding venue and exploring some wonderful, new scenes to take photos in! 🙂 They had me as their wedding photographer all day so I started with Callen’s place of preparation in Woodcroft, before heading over to Kate’s just around the corner.

Preparation

Callen and his best man had the run of the house for preparation, with a large amount of time realising that new shirts needed to be ironed before being worn lest there be huge crease marks running along them. Other than that we got dressed then went for a short walk to the nearby park. Callen was taking the whole occasion in his stride, with any nerves really only making an appearance later whilst waiting for Kate to arrive at Peacock Farm.

Putting on ties
Doing the ironing
Putting on ties
Walking out the door
Groom getting ready
Putting on ties
Wedding rings
Walking along the street
Groom getting ready

After documenting the boy’s preparation, I head over to Kate’s place of preparation, which happened to be the couple’s house just around the corner. As with the boys, the atmosphere was wonderfully laid back with minimal evidence of nerves. In fact most of the time was spent calming down the cats who were locked away in the laundry and didn’t seem to like each other’s company much 🙂

Generational Engagement rings
Smiling bride
Putting on wedding dress
Wedding dress
Putting on wedding dress
Engagement ring
Bride and Mum
Smiling bride
Dad

Peacock Farm Wedding Ceremony

The Peacock Farm in Willunga is nestled in the side streets of the sleepy little town and provides a wonderfully rustic backdrop to a wedding. Complete with a historic shearing shed and dozens of peacocks on site the site even boasts a large pond/lake which Kate and Callen’s ceremony looked over. Unfortunately it was dry at the time of their wedding. The entire farm is set up as a sustainable function venue where all aspects of your day are provided in a completely environmentally friendly manner. There is also a rustic cottage on site which serves as a convenient bed and breakfast for the bridal couple to retire to directly after their reception has ended.

Grinning groom
Groom showing some nerves
Wedding ceremony
First kiss
Peacock Farm wedding ceremony
Playing with the kids
Exchanging wedding rings
Groom seeing bride for first time
Bride and groom being loveydovey
Signing wedding registry
Smiling groom

Glamour Shots

Directly after their wedding ceremony, I busted out my drone for a few overhead whole group photos, then splintered off for some family photos. Then we made use of the beautifully picturesque gardens surrounding the venue to take some photos. The range of shots available at Peacock Farm is fantastic, ranging from a lush green backdrop, to rustic farmland-style cottage and barns. It really was a lovely venue to shoot a wedding at!

Wedding at Peacock Farm WIllunga
Bridal party
Drone group photo
Picnic under the tree
Bride and groom in an embrace
Looking into each other’s eyes
Walking along the bridge
Sitting on a log
Bride and groom walking around garden
Looking at him
Little girl
Wedding at Peacock Farm WIllunga

Peacock Farm Wedding Reception

The farm has a nice closed-in function area where Kate and Callen held their reception. The venue has ample room to host a small to large gathering of people in a both seated or cocktail-style party. Judging by the amount of promotional material on the walls around the bar the venue hosts quite a bit of indy and underground music gigs, and at a setting like this I’d imagine they’d be something that would be really fun to attend.

Peacock Farm wedding reception
Playing about
Best Man speech
Around the bar
Wedding cake toppers
Playing with kids
Wedding favours
MC
Guests
Cutting the wedding cake

I’d like to thank Kate and Callen for having me as their wedding photographer. I enjoyed myself immensely at their wedding, and I very much hope they enjoy their photos!

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Satellite wedding photography service

Satellite wedding photography

As many of you know, a driving force behind my work is continuously pushing the envelope when it comes to innovation in wedding photography. This past year I have incorporated many new pieces of technology into my photographer’s kit, including the use of drones and 360 virtual reality video – all as part of my normal service to my wedding photography clients. I’m also continually winning awards for my consistently high quality work, but I feel this announcement is going to rock the wedding photography world.

t’s all well and good producing high quality photographs and amazing imagery for my clients, but I feel it’s my duty as a professional photographer to continually investigate what is available – and bring it to my clients. As a result of this search, I’m pleased to announce a world first in cutting-edge wedding photography – Satellite wedding photography.

Satellite wedding photography

Satellite wedding photography – Available now!

Along with all the other incredible services already provided to my wedding couples, I will be offering the use of my personal SvenStudios satellite in order to take photos from the unique perspective only afforded by using an orbiting satellite!

Having your wedding photographs taken from an altitude of 35,000km really brings out the genuine emotion you’ll be feeling on your big day and allows for your photo to be taken with relatives that can’t attend your wedding, even if they are on the other side of the country! So much for live streaming your wedding using virtual reality technology as provided by our guest360 service!

This new service literally allows for the magnitude of the emotion you’ll be feeling on your big day shine right across the face of the Earth in a way not before possible!

The SvenStudios satellite wedding photography camera
Launch of the satellite

For those techno junkies out there, above are images of the launch of the SvenStudios satellite along with a photograph of it’s mounted camera. I have spared no expense in bringing this new service to my future wedding photography clients and have left no stone unturned in utilising all available technology. The satellite is in a customizable geo-synchronous orbit, generally residing over Adelaide as most of my clients are Adelaide-based, but can be adjusted as shown by a photograph I took of a wedding in Tasmania below.

The camera itself incorporates a 1033 megapixel sensor and is sensitive enough to pick out the general landmarks you’re getting married near! Check out from sample images I’ve taken at actual weddings while I’ve been testing it.

South Australian satellite wedding
Appila wedding photography
Tasmania satellite wedding

Can’t you just feel the love in these photos? Why settle for only overhead drone photography – which we also offer – when you can opt for these incredible scenes available through the SvenStudios Satellite wedding photography service?

This service will be provided for free for all future wedding clients who comment below, which is an exciting offer as I will need to start charging for these services or my wife will disown me.. (PLEASE don’t mention to her I purchased a satellite… It’s bad enough I keep buying camera equipment…)

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Doc Adams Winery Wedding – Lisa & Daniel

Doc Adams Winery Wedding – Lisa & Daniel

It was a stunningly sunny day for Lisa and Daniel’s wedding at the newly built Doc Adams Winery cellar door in Mclaren Vale. The weather was really lovely throughout the entire day, but just in case, Lisa and Daniel opted to erect a large Marquee just outside the cellar door to protect their guests from any weather. I was asked to be their wedding photographer for 3 hours seeing me on location for the duration of their ceremony, through to the very beginning of their reception.

Before the ceremony

As I usually do, I arrived a little early to find Daniel and his groomsmen on site running about sorting out odds and ends. Their celebrant and I actually persuaded them to move their ceremony to under the nearby trees allowing for a bit of shade to fall over the coming congregation, only to find that it was too windy for the arch which kept falling over. As a result the boys had to move all the seats back to the wind-protected grassy area next to the cellar door. Sorry about that! As the day was rather sunny we thought it would be beneficial for all involved to be under the shade a bit.

Chatting with guests
Doc Adams Winery cellar door
Wedding setup
Approaching bridal car
Groom
Celebrant organising things
Groom getting ready
Guests congregating

Doc Adams Winery Wedding Ceremony

The wedding ceremony took place in a small grassy area surrounded by hedges so as to shield the guests (and the arch) from the wind. This unfortunately meant that the bridal party was subject to the harsh sun, but other than that the wedding ceremony was wonderfully sweet, complete with a young man reading a poem and a beaming bride and groom.

Grinning groom
At the altar
Bride approaching
Bouquet
Wedding ceremony
Young man reading
Grinning bride
Holding hands
Placing ring on finger

Glamour Photos

After the ceremony we primarily stayed on the grounds of the Doc Adams Winery for photos, utilising the wonderful Australian bush lining the property. As Lisa and Daniel had picked out the venue for it’s vineyards they were looking forward to having some photos done within them, however unfortunately the winery had placed white bird netting over their vineyards so we had to travel down the road a little to get some shots.

Bridal party
Bride and groom in the long grass
Bridal party
Bride and groom amongst the bush
Walking along the Doc Adams winery shed
Bride and groom amongst the bush
Bride and groom looking over McLaren Vale
Bride and groom walking amongst the bush
Walking amongst the vineyards
New family together
Kiss amongst the vineyards
Wedding rings
Bride and groom in the sunlight
Walking along the Doc Adams winery shed

Doc Adams Winery Wedding Reception

As I said before, there had been a large Marquee set up in front of the cellar door to house the reception party. Within the marquee a dance area along with tables and chairs for the whole congregation to sit and be protected from the elements. Just before I left I flew my drone over the area to capture the entire sight from the air.

Doc Adams Winery from the air
Wedding Cake
Cutting the cake
Smiling bride adn groom

I’d like to thank Lisa and Daniel for having me as their wedding photographer and I hope they enjoy their wedding photos as much as I enjoyed creating them! 🙂

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Engagement ring etiquette – How do you wear your rings?

As with many things at a wedding, there are details people don’t think about until a decision is suddenly due. In this case, it’s engagement ring etiquette. When should you take it off? Which hand should you wear it on for the ceremony? Do you switch hands once you’re married? Whether your ring features a lab created or natural diamond, there are a few simple etiquette guidelines worth knowing.

There are long-standing traditions about where to place your engagement ring and wedding band before the wedding, on the day itself, and after you’ve said “I do.” As a wedding photographer I’m asked about this all the time, so here’s a clear, modern guide you can follow—or tweak to fit your style.

A couples hands lovingly intertwined, showcasing her sparkling engagement ring against a romantic beach sunset.

Engagement ring etiquette

During your wedding ceremony

On your wedding day, tradition says to wear your engagement ring on the third finger of your right hand (your right-hand ring finger). This keeps your left-hand ring finger free so your partner can place your wedding band there during the vows. By the end of the ceremony, you’ll usually have a ring on each hand—your engagement ring on the right and your brand-new wedding band on the left. Many people then slide the engagement ring back so both rings sit neatly together on the left hand.

The practice of using the left-hand ring finger is often attributed to ancient beliefs about a vein that ran from that finger straight to the heart—a romantic idea that helped cement the symbolism of the wedding band. If you like adding meaning to your day, you might enjoy a special moment like a ring-warming before the vows—here are some ring warming ceremony ideas—so your bands carry blessings the second they’re exchanged. At the end of your ceremony you should have a ring on both hands, ready to stack.

Womans hand adorned with engagement ring resting on mans shoulder, symbolizing their joyful bond.

After your wedding ceremony

Once you’re married, the classic order is simple: wear both rings on the left-hand ring finger, with the wedding band closest to your heart (at the base of the finger) and the engagement ring stacked above it. This arrangement is comfortable, secure and instantly signals your status at a glance.

If you prefer a particular style or setting—say a low-profile band for everyday wear—you can still mix things up. Many couples choose practical options for daily life and keep heirloom or statement pieces for special occasions. If you’re currently shopping, browsing engagement ring designs can help you imagine how the two rings will stack.

An elegant engagement ring nestled between beige block-heeled sandals on a wooden surface.

You could also ignore tradition

Etiquette is a guide, not a rule book. Plenty of people keep wearing their engagement ring on the right hand permanently, skip it day-to-day for comfort, or fuse the engagement ring and wedding band into one piece by soldering. Do what feels authentic and practical for you.

Trends change, too. For instance, the “traditional” white wedding gown only became popular in the 1800s—before that, the common hue was actually blue. So if you prefer a different stacking order, a minimalist single band, or an evolving stack with anniversary rings, you’re in great company.

A diamond ring nestled in a blooming pink rose, surrounded by a lush bouquet of vibrant flowers.

Quick tips to make it easy

  • Before the ceremony: Move your engagement ring to your right-hand ring finger.
  • During the ceremony: Wedding band goes on the left-hand ring finger.
  • After the ceremony: Stack both on the left, band first, engagement ring above.
  • Personal preference wins: Comfort and meaning matter more than strict rules.

Final thoughts

Following engagement ring etiquette can add a touch of tradition to your day, but your love story is yours to style. Whether you keep it classic, modernise the stack, or design something entirely unique, the best choice is the one you’ll enjoy wearing every day.