,

Adelaide’s Pilgrim Uniting Church Wedding – Jesse & Luke

I was very much looking forward to covering Jesse and Luke’s Pilgrim Uniting Church Wedding from the moment they asked me to be their wedding photographer, and my excitement was well founded – what a celebration it was!

So much so that I know it’s hard to show while reading this blog but I’ve been sitting here staring at my screen thinking about what next to write. Jesse and Luke were surrounded their entire day with loving family and friends who just made their day that much better – let alone the incredible celebration they had planned that night!

Preparation

Jesse and Luke were prepared in separate rooms at the Hilton Hotel, in sight of the Pilgrim Uniting church across Victoria Square in the center of the Adelaide CBD. This was great as I was able to flit inbetween their rooms while they were being prepared – if things weren’t progressing in one room, then I’d head over to the other, and visa versa until it was time to leave for the ceremony.

Both Jesse and Luke were prepared with their parents and their entourage which made the whole time kind of hectic, but also quite a bit of fun trying to get everything ready to go.

Wedding rings perched on men’s shoes
Bowtie Cologne and watch
Wedding Bands on shiny bench top
Wedding ring perched in between champaigne glasses
Lady helping man with tie
Groom adjusting tie in window
Bridesmaid helping groom get ready
Mother of groom helping get ready
Groom adjusting tie looking out window between curtains
Groomsman looking at camera during preparation
Smiling groomsman helping groom get ready
Bridesmaids kissing groom on cheek
Bridal party sitting together on couch
Groom adjusting sleeve on jacket
Groom looking at camera during preparation
Groom putting on shoes with window backlight
Groomsman looking close at grooms tie
groom flanked by bridesmaids
Groom sitting on shae lounge surounded by bridal party
Groom sitting looking out window

Pilgrim Uniting Church Wedding Ceremony

Jesse and Luke’s Adelaide Pilgrim Uniting Church wedding ceremony was quite an impressive sight with it’s albiet dark, but impressive architecture inside. Jesse and Luke also had a chior singing below the church’s impressive organ which made for a beautiful atmosphere!

Both Jesse and Luke were walked down the aisle separately with their mothers after their fathers had lit ornamental candles on the church’s altar which I thought really helped bring both families togetheras part of their ceremony involved Jesse and Luke sharing the flames into one candle.

readings were read, vows were shared and Jesse and Luke were married!

Inside Pilgrim Uniting church Adelaide
Groom arriving at Church
groom standing behind car
Page boy walking down aisle
Groom walking down aisle
Groom walking down aisle with Mother
groom walching his groom walk up aisle
Groom and groom holding hands during ceremony
Adelaide Pilgrim Uniting Church wedding ceremony
Two grooms holding hands
Grooms holding hands together at altar
Goom looking at his groom during ceremony
Goom smiling at his groom during ceremony
First kiss at Pilgrim Uniting church
Celebrating newly married couple at Pilgrim Uniting Church
Newly married grooms exiting Pilgrim Uniting Church

Glamour Photos

The weather wasn’t the best all day, so we were quite lucky to be able to have the entire congragation out on the church’s steps for a group photo before heading back inside for smaller group photos.

Once they were done, we used the stunning interior of the church for a few shots with their entourage, while also waling around the church a bit to use it’s wonderful architecture. As the weather wasn’t great I was delighted to see that the church had turned on it’s outside lighting earlier than usual, so we got an awesome glow coming out of the archways at the front – was fun to use.

We then sped over to the Adelaide Railway station for a few photos, while dodging all the Crows fans who were walking through to get to Adelaide Oval at the same time.

Finally during the reception, and in the rain we head out to Victoria square to use the pretty lighting thats set up!

Wedding party in front of Pilgrim Uniting Church
Grooms together in front of Pilgrim Uniting Church
Grooms together in front of Pilgrim Uniting Church Adelaide
Two grooms cuddling
Newly wed couple smiling at one another
Together Singing in the rain
Protecting one another from the rain
Grooms together in front of church door
Groom and groom having fun in front of church
Lifting groom off church steps
Groom lift on church steps
Two grooms in front of church altar
Adelaide Pilgrim Uniting church wedding photo with organ
Wedded couple walking across wet road
Grooms together in Adelaide Railway Station
bridal party sitting together int eh Adelaide Railway Station
Newly wed grooms on bench in railway station
Bridal party in front of funky lit wall
Grooms standing together in black and white
Grooms headbut under city lights
Water bending groom
Two grooms in embrace under lights
Adelaide city lights wedding photo

Adelaide Hilton Wedding Reception

Jesse and Luke’s wedding reception at the Hilton was certainly one to remember! Huge chandeliers framed the gigantic cake they had set up in front of the head table, fireworks flamed into life during Jesse and Luke’s entrance and first dance, and to top it all off a 19 piece band was playing all night as entertainment! In their own words their wedding theme was ‘gaudy’!

What made me crack up was a quip from Jesse that even the cake wasn’t straight – and indeed it wasnt, as it was leaning offto one side due to it’s enormous size!

Their whole night was full of plenty of drinking, fun and dancing, culminating in the throwing of bears that held a likeness to Jesse and Luke in liew of any bouquet toss.

Wedding favour lollies
Wedding cake on display at Hilton Adelaide
Tall wedding cake
Grooms entrance kiss at the Hilton Adelaide
Grooms welcome drink
Grooms both giving speech
Groom giving speech in front of reception
MC doing his thing on dancefloor
Grooms hug
Groom excited to enter
Groom pointing at camera
Mother cheers
Grooms cutting cake together
Guests acting like paparazzi
grooms sharing drink in front of cake
First dance with fireworks at Adelaide Hilton Hotel
Grooms dancing on dancefloor
Dancing guest at Hilton
Dancing guest at Hilton Adelaide
Dancing guests at reception
grooms holding teddy bears
Bear toss

It had been a little while since covering a same sex wedding, so covering Jesse and Luke’s Pilgrim Uniting Church wedding was awesome to be a part of, particularly at the beginning of pride month! Thankyou for having me and I hope you enjoy your photos!

,

A list of the best 8 Adelaide Wedding Celebrants

Almost every weekend I’m out photographing a wedding as an Adelaide wedding photographer and I’m always meeting new lovely people that officiate the ceremony, but there are a couple out there that I either run into so often, or that I know by how they conducted themselves that they are worth recommendation.

Of course there are quite a few Adelaide wedding celebrants, so I simply cannot list all the great ones here – but these are the ones that come to mind immediately whenever people ask me for recommendations. I will be adding more to this list as more come to mind, as I know there are more that are just on the tip of my tounge and I can’t put a name to their face.

The Best Wedding Celebrants Adelaide

Wedding rings on rock

Maria & Richard – https://www.itmustbelovecelebrant.com/

Maria and Richard Rowland are a husband and wife team in Adelaide that conduct wedding ceremonies together. They offer a unique service where they can create seamless ceremonies with all the boxes ticked. Richard is bantering with the groom and queuing your music while Maria is off greeting the bride, fluffing her dress, and settling any last-minute nerves. They each bring their own personality and style to your ceremony. With their combined wealth of life experience, and their philosophy that life should be full of fun, along with their passion for meeting new people, they will take you by the hand and guide you along your wedding journey to create your dream ceremony.

Richard’s expert DJ/MC services are also included in the package, meaning your party can start at the ceremony and go through to midnight. They are proud supporters of marriage equality and welcome all couples with open arms. They are creative writers who will listen to your love story and retell it so that you and your guests will laugh and cry, making it a memorable experience. Maria and Richard believe in creating something unique and special for their clients, and they only charge a single celebrant fee.

 

Vicky Flanegan – https://www.vickyflanegan.com.au/

Vicky is one of those names that is synonymous with weddings in Adelaide, always keen to have a bit of fun at weddings, and likes things to be light hearted – her personality suits being a wedding celebrant perfectly.

She has a nice loud, crisp voice and very rarely makes any diction mistakes – very easy to understand! I also love her car’s number plate – which you’ll just have to chat with her to find out what it is 😉

Married!

Peter Champion – https://www.creativecelebrant.com.au/

Peter is a delightful chap, always keen to have a bit of a joke throughout his ceremonies, but also carries with him an air of prestige and formaility simply by his physical appearance as a tall, well dressed bloke.

I think I’ve photographed around a dozen weddings with Peter at the helm, and each one has gone off without a hitch – a true professional at what he does!

Celebrant talking

Jacqui Leopardi – https://www.jacquileopardi.com/

When it comes to Adelaide wedding celebrants, Jacqui is a super popular choice, often being booked out years in advance, she brings an air of adventure and fun to her ceremonies. In fact as of writitng this, shes currently on a several month tour of Australia, adventuring about witrh her family!

Always with a smile on her face, Jacqui is one of those celebrants who you know just loves her job!

Laughing

Jen Attard – https://www.bymysidecelebrant.com.au/

Jen is one of those Adelaide wedding celebrants who always has an idea on how to make your ceremony more special in ways you might not have thought of. Very approachable and easy to talk to, she knows what makes a ceremony work and makes planning a wedding super easy, regardless on what type of personality she is presented with.

Celebrant talking during ceremony

Deborah Lilley – https://lilley-cmc.com/

Deborah is one of those celebrants in Adelaide that just doesnt say no to any request you might have. I’ve seen her dress up in medieval garb, put on voices, manage music playlists and even stay all day as an MC on a wedding day. Whenever I arrive at a wedding and see Deborah at the helm, I know that this ceremony is going to be memoriable!

The Manor Basket range wedding Ceremony

Bob McGilchrist – http://www.bobmcgilchrist.com.au/

Bob is always nioce to have around, keen to chat and have a bit of fun with his wedding ceremonies. As of writing this, last time I was photographing him he was quoting lines from the Princess Bride with full voice acting and all!

A very experienced Adelaide marriage celebrant, he is able to facilitate all kinds of wedding ceremonies from the simple, to complex and everything inbetween!

Holding hands smiling

Penelope – https://www.celebrationsbypenelope.com.au/

As with all wedding celebrants on my list, Penelope is another very experienced wedding celebrant, officiating at over 500 weddings in the last 10 years, alse even being rated in the top 5 marriage celebrants in all of Australia according to the 2022 National ABIA awards.

Always with a bubbly personality, Penelope is keen to make everyone at ease throughout their ceremonies and loves a bit of humour throughout!

Celebrant
I’m sure I’ve missed some Adelaide Wedding Celebrants that should be on this list!

Hopefully this little list of wedding celebrants Adelaide helps you find the perfect celebrant for your big day – again I hate to miss out on any of the other hundreds of celebrants I’ve worked with other the years!

, ,

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!

,

How to Cope with Post-Wedding Blues

The day after your wedding will be a time of reflection. It is easy to fall into the trap of post-wedding blues. The reality is that this on-top-of-the-world feeling you had on your wedding day will not last forever.

You’ve spent days, weeks, months of your time and thoughts with your now husband or wife planning your wedding, and now it’s all over! You may even start to believe that part of your relationship is over! However, this feeling is normal after a major event.

What is Post-Wedding Blues?

What exactly is post-wedding blues, you may be wondering? Simply expressed, post-wedding blues refer to a feeling of melancholy following days after your big day. It’s the realization that the wedding is finished and that marriage has begun. It’s more common than one might believe.

For many couples, planning a wedding is surrounded by great feelings of anticipation, great excitement, and buildup—to the point that the convergence of emotions can lead to loss and emptiness once the wedding day has finally passed.

bride and groom at night in the gardens of Al-Ru Farm

Coping with Post-Wedding Blues

The first step in coping with the post-wedding blues is to acknowledge your feelings and work through them. Trying to pretend that you’re not sad or depressed will only make the situation worse. Taking time to care for yourself is the best antidote for post-wedding blues. You may also want to consider seeking therapy. Whether you are alone or with a partner, self-care is always essential!

Thankfully, the majority of couples are resilient. It isn’t uncommon to feel the post-wedding blues just days after the big day. If you or your partner is suffering from post-wedding depression, it is important to remember that you are not alone. There are many ways to overcome this feeling. In fact, many brides and grooms have friends and relatives who have a similar experience. It may help to share your post-wedding blues with your spouse, as this helps to identify and deal with the common feelings that arise.

While post-wedding blues are a normal part of married life, they should never get in the way of enjoying your marriage. Instead, seek help if needed. It’s normal to feel emotional and anxious after a wedding, so try to stay positive. Below are a few tricks to manage and cope with your post-wedding blues.

Learn a New Hobby

One of the best ways to combat post-wedding blues is to find a new hobby or start a new goal. This could be as simple as learning to dance again or redecorating your current home.

Having a hobby can be quite advantageous to our physical and mental well-being. Hobbies have been proven to reduce stress, improve health, increase social relationships, and even promote joy and happiness.

Try a hobby you and your spouse can do together. Hobbies for couples can include:

  • Hiking
  • Baking
  • Axe Throwing
  • Rocking climbing
  • Running
  • Nature watching
  • Gardening

It may be both entertaining and thrilling to come up with new hobbies that you can undertake as a couple. Sharing a common passion or hobby is a terrific way to reconnect and strengthen your relationship while also making memories that will last a lifetime.

Hugs under the maple leaves

Take a Trip

Another simple and fun way to get over your post-wedding blues is to go on a weekend trip or honeymoon. Having something to look forward to, whether it’s something major like your honeymoon or something small like fun day outings, can make a great impact on post-wedding blues.

You might want to do something completely different from your usual routine, such as going to the beach or spending a day at the zoo together.

This is an excellent time for you and your partner to start forming good marriage habits, such as having regular date nights, to help create a strong foundation. Once you have reestablished some normality, the blues will gradually disappear.

House Boat Holiday

Look at Wedding Day Photos / Create a Wedding Album

Another way to cure post-wedding blues is to look at photos from your wedding day. Wedding photography is a great way to relive those special moments from your special day.

A good photographer can help you relive your wedding day for years to come. A wedding photographer can capture all of the most special moments, including those that most people will never notice. And wedding photographers don’t just capture the happy couple – they capture the entire day, including the moments between the bride and groom, the flowers, the wedding cake, and all of the guests.

The photographs will tell the story of your wedding day, as well as the emotions you shared with your loved ones. Once the photos are developed, they can be shared with family and friends for years to come. One of the best ways to preserve your wedding photos is through a wedding album. Choosing a photo album can be a time-consuming process, but it’s a wonderful way to enjoy your photographs in your home. But even if you don’t want to spend the time to create an album, there are sites that can help you. These websites will help you choose the best photo album for your wedding.

Your wedding photography is an investment in emotion, as well as future moments so you may relive the happiest day of your life. Wall prints and albums, for example, can improve your life and your house in ways that nothing else can, and in ways, you may not even realize!

Wedding photos in album

There are a variety of reasons why people may feel blue after their wedding, and yours may be different from someone else’s. But, when it comes down to it, science shows that sadness following a major event is normal.

Bringing joy and laughter into your daily routine will help you stay connected throughout your marriage. Concentrating on the little things in life that give you stability, peace, love, and comfort on a regular basis. That is what marriage is truly all about.

Eventually, your post-wedding blues will disappear and before you know it, you’ll be looking forward to the real reason for your wedding: the start of your new life together.

 

,

15 Conservative Ideas for Bachelorette Parties

While the strip club or having strippers at your party has become synonymous with having a bachelorette party, there are numerous fun things to do besides that. As fun as the more ‘red light’ bachelorette party may be, understand that not everyone likes that kind of party; plus, having strippers at your bachelorette party can be pretty expensive.

Whether you are a bride-to-be or a maid of honour brainstorming ideas for bachelorette parties reading this, here are a few ideas for a kick-ass bachelorette party ideas that will help you celebrate the upcoming nuptials with friends – and none of these plans includes strippers!

15 More Conservative Ideas for Bachelorette Parties

  • Plan a Staycation

With the stress of wedding planning and all, having a relaxing weekend with your best girls is the way to go. It can be a yummy takeout, watching chick flicks, and a board game night. This is an adult slumber party. Have sweets, snacks, nail polish, and a manicurist at your party.
This is a relaxing, low-cost party idea that is sure to provide a lot of laughs and bonding time.

  • Have a weekend getaway

Don’t want a staycation? Don’t want a single day to spend with your girls? How about a weekend gateway. If you would like to do the opposite of the first idea, you can decide to plan a road trip with friends to the beach or the mountains.

If you decide to go with this idea, it is essential to consider your friends’ budgets and schedules. You can go for an inexpensive cabin and plan to cook and drink at home as much as possible.

While not all your friends may not be able to go on this trip, enjoy your time with the friends that will be there.

  • Have a Bachelorette Photo Shoot

Hire your wedding photographer to take pictures of you and your girlfriends during your bachelorette party weekend. This can be very fun and a beautiful way of creating memories

Bridesmaids laughing it up

  • Pre-Wedding Feast

Don’t just think of pumping you and your friends with champagne and vodka; you can gorge on absolutely tasty meals as well. Book with a restaurant that offers degustation menus, and depending on your appetite, you can get to sample four to nine dishes in one sitting.

Food platter on display

  • Sip and Paint

You can decide to plan a night where you can drink wine, eat appetizers, and paint. This plan will relax you and allow you to have fun while talking with your friends.

  • Go Shopping and brunching

You can go shopping – even on a budget that doesn’t accommodate Chanel stores. You can visit antique stores with your girls and look for gift items for each other or the bride, and you would be surprised at how much fun you would have while shopping.

You could also have your friends pick up some outfits for you to wear on your honeymoon.
But before you start shopping, you could start the day with brunch and then after shopping have lunch.

Bridal affects together

  • Take a Class

Taking a new but fun class is the perfect party plan. You could decide to learn a new skill with your girls. From testing your artistic abilities to learning how to cook, pick a fun subject that will allow you and your girls to bond while having fun.

  • Get Spa Treatments

Take the day off to pamper yourselves. Go to the Spa, get that relaxing 60 mins massage and feel the stress of the past few weeks disappear. Don’t forget to relish every minute of it.

  • Book A Luxury Hotel

Luxury accommodations, tasty, beautiful food, wine pairing courses, and physical group activities can happen when you book a luxury hotel.

  • Attend a Dance Class with Your Girls

This idea will be particularly appealing to the fitness-loving bride. You can plan a physical activity such as yoga, a barre or spin class, or a dance class for the group.

After this, you can decide to get a little pampering or spa treatment.

Bride dancing on the dancefloor

  • A Boat/Yacht cruise

If you decide to have your bachelorette party by the ocean, or a lake, having a yacht party or a boat cruise around the waters with a dance floor and open bar is a great idea.
You get to enjoy the incredible city views and the evening breeze in your hair and dance with your friends.

Sitting on the yacht together

  • Yoga & Meditation Retreat

This idea is a must-do for those who want to unwind and stretch on the mat. Go on a yoga retreat with your girls for ultimate zen and pre-wedding bliss. Take all the time you’ll need to combat wedding stress and find your inner peace.

A fantastic side of this plan is that most yoga retreats come complete with meditation classes, nature hikes, and healthy, organic foods. I mean, what better way to prep for your big day!?

  • Go to Disneyland!

This might sound crazy but think about it. Who wouldn’t want to have their bachelorette party in Disneyland?! I’m talking good food, junk, fireworks and lots of fun – who wouldn’t want that? Might be expensive though from Australia – but there are cheaper options closer to home like on the Gold Coast.

  • Attend a Stand Up Comedy Night

You with your girls, laughing and having fun all night – that sounds like a great night.
You can even let the club know you are a bachelorette party, and this will most likely get you the attention of the comedian,

  • Rent a House Boat

If you’re outdoorsy, consider renting a houseboat and having both the bachelor and bachelorette parties together.
From this idea, you get a week, or weekend of fun, laughter and swimming with your friends, and everyone meets each other before the wedding day.

A houseboat holiday may seem expensive but when you get 8-10 people together on a boat is fast becomes quite affordable, and it’s super intimate ebing the only people around for miles!

House Boat Holiday

Here are a couple of ideas for bachelorette parties and you can now begin planning. While you may decide to plan your bachelorette party, I recommend delegating the party planning to someone you trust, say- your maid of honour.

Leaving the planning to another person gives you free tme to rest, enjoy all the fun, laugh with old friends, and soak up all the amazing memories you are sure to make.