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Ultimate Wedding Photography Timeline Guide

  • The Ultimate Wedding Photography Timeline Guide

    Holding each other under the winspy trees

A wedding photography timeline is a vital part of wedding planning. You spend a fortune to make sure your wedding is something that turely represents who you are as a couple, so it’s best to make sure you get every important part of your wedding documented by your wedding photographer. Having a well-planned schedule helps to do this immensely. That being said though, a wedding photogrpahy timeline does not have to be complex – you only need to make sure it’s clear as to where your photogrpaher needs to be and when throughout the day.

Although wedding photographers should be quick and ready to capture important moments at all times, they also need some time and proper flow to produce quality photos for the couples. I’m not saying you need to say that your photographer should be ‘along the right wall of the barn while Jakod does his speech’ – it’s more about what time your makeup will be finished by in the morning, or when you pan to do your first dance in the evening.

Here’s everything you need to know before putting togtehr a wedding photography timeline.

Wedding Photography Timeline Guide

  1. The Preparation

Prep time is the best time to capture candid moments between the bride or groom and their family and friends in modern wedding photography, it’s become some of the most important photos to take to tell a story.. It is nice to capture moments that show how the whole wedding began. Little snippets of the couple getting dressed or made up will surely be a good reminder of how the preparations went. That will also remind you of your wedding vendors and how you feel at the moment.

What photos are taken: Portraits of the bride and groom. Take photos of the wedding preparations, the wedding details, and conduct group photos for the bridesmaids and groomsmen.

Recommended shoot time: I usually budget around 1 hour with the groom and his groomsmen, and between 1.5-2 hours with the bride and her bridal party. Adjust accordingly considering travel time between locations and you may also wish to take into account the possiblity that you may wish to have a ‘first look’ before the ceremony.

 

  1. The Ceremony

It is the most awaited part of your wedding—where the exchanges of vows and the witnessing of the union happen. Make sure to take photos of important moments.

What to take: Photographers should capture as much as they can during the ceremony. Take photos of the crucial moments, such as the bride and groom’s reactions, the kiss, the confetti, and the congratulations and hugs afterwards. It is a nice touch if the photographers have candid shots of the guests’ reactions too.

Recommended shoot time: Allocate around one hour for the whole ceremony – even if the ceremony isnt planned to go that long. Things happen at weddings that cause timelines to change, and the ceremony is not a part of the day you should skimp on. Some religious ceremonies can also go much longer than an hour.

 

  1. The Family and Important Groups

It is the part of the wedding ceremony that should be done as fast as possible – however it hardly ever pans out that way, and if it doesnt, although you’d want to remember your day with the special people in your life, remember that you can always take more pictures later – probably at the reception.

What to take: Take photos of the bride and groom with their immediate family and close friends.

Recommended shoot time: Allot around 30 minutes to do this. Since it can take longer, try and make a list of photos you’d want taken before the day and give it to someone who has a loud voice and can organise people. This will help this process become much less painful for all those involved.. It can also serve as the photographer’s guide to capture photos of everyone important to the groom and bride. Sometimes family politics make photos of certain people together something to avoid – so this can also help avoid sticky situations.

 

  1. The Couple’s glamour photos

This is the period of time during a wedding day where you’re able to get the bride and groom alone to capture the ‘pretty shots’ that are usually printed and put on the wall.

What to take: Take romantic shots of the newlywed and photos showing off the new wedding ring.

Recommended shoot time: I usually allocate about 1 hour per locations you’d like to travel to for this. One hour is probably too long for it, but it makes for a much more cruisey experience. It is best to schedule this session at least before the sunset. This way, you’ll get the best light in your photos.

 

  1. The Reception and Party

This is when the party starts and scheduled formalities like speeches and the first dance happen.

What to take: Some of the event highlights to capture here are the cutting of the wedding cake, the first dance, and the dance of the bride and groom with their parents. You should also include here the venue shot, the food shot, the bride and groom’s photos with their guests, and other candid shots of guests.

Recommended shoot time: When making a wedding photography timeline, I usually just ask for when the reception starts, as if I’m asked to cover the whole day I’ll be staying until all the formalities have completed. If I was asked to cover a reception in an hourly package, an hour is usually enough to cover the cake cutting, first dance and possibly a speech or two. Consider the travel time to the wedding reception if your location is separated from your ceremony venue.

 

A successful wedding depends on successful teamwork and a well laid out wedding photography timeline helps with this so much!. Beautiful wedding photos come from a well-planned schedule and great quality photographers. To ensure less headache on your special day, make sure to prepare well, and work with professional photographers. Professional wedding photographers usually have a proposed schedule and shoot plans that they relay to the groom and bride. That should help ease the load for you.

If you want a fun and relaxing way of capturing your precious wedding memories, we are at your service! We are Adelaide-based wedding photographers in South Australia, ready to capture beautiful photos that will transport yourself back to the happiest day of your life. Get in touch with us today!

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Star Wars Wedding Photography

Over the years I’ve been asked to photoshop in different Star Wars themed additions to create some Star Wars wedding photography. I’ve been asked to add different things to my photos in the past, including dinosaurs, zombies and even giant gummy bears, but scenes from Star Wars tends to be one of the most popular ‘additions’ to wedding photography. Star Wars wedding photography isnt just about the photoshop skill of the photographer, it also needs a bit of ‘action’ played out by the couple in their photographs 🙂

As it’s May the 4th today – a play on words pun from the famed ‘May the Force be with you’ line from the series, I figured it’d be a little bit of fun to go back over some of the Star Wars wedding photography I’ve put together over the years.

The first being what is still my absolute favourite Star Wars wedding photo Ive ever put together. Rebecca and Simon’s Auchendarroch house wedding took place way back in 2016 but people still ask to have me as their wedding photographer based soley on this single image I put together for them. It just works so well witht he towering AT-AT walkers moving away from the carnage they presumably laid down in their wake before coming to crush the house and the wedding party. Classic 🙂

The next is Chloe and Alex’s Edwardstown Baptist Church wedding where I was asked to photoshop in lightsabers for each of the bridal party as if they were attacking the bride and groom. Just a little bit of fun here, lightsabers are super easy to photoshop into a photograph but it’s the making the whole aesthetic darker than usual thats the tricky bit 🙂

You might recgnise the AT-AT walkers in this shot I put together for Michelle and Ryan’s Woodstock winery wedding. They are the same models I used in Rebecca and Simon’s. Maninly because they are a high resolution version of the walkers and easy to gain a stock license to use! As far as the pose go, if you ever do a search fro Star Wars wedding photography, you’ll notice that this is a popular pose in many of the results that come up. Michelle and Ryan had seen something like it in the past and asked for it to be replicated on their wedding day 🙂

Wedding couple dodging lasers in forest battle scene

Angela and Josh’s Star wars wedding photography shot at their wedding at St Francis winery was a bit of a silly one to do as Josh’s pride and joy car was on the grass there and I figured I’d have it blown up by the AT-AT walker in the background 🙂

Have some Star Wars Wedding Photography done at your wedding!

I’m pretty sure I’ve done more Star Wars wedding photogrpahy in the past, but it may have been older than this site! Putting together these shots in phtooshop is quite a bit of fun, so if you want something as cheesy as these photos from your wedding day, feel free to ask for something like it. Doesnt have to be a Star Wars themed shot, it could also be giant dinosaurs, or maybe a Kraken leaping out fo the water? I don’t know :). These sorts of photos, as cheesy as they are really make a smile creep onto your face years down the track when you’re looking over your wedding photography.

Happy May the 4th everyone, and stay safe out there!

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8 Unique Stay At Home Date Ideas to Spice up Your Relationship

  • One Tree Hill Engagement shoot

 

Stay At Home Date Ideas You Can Use to Spice up Your Relationship

 

All over the world, going out for a date night is increasingly becoming a challenge for many. This is not about having kids who may insist on going everywhere you go. It’s about staying safe inside your home. More so, if you live in a suburb, driving to the city for a date night can be tricky. Staying at home doesn’t mean you have to forfeit your relationship or allow it to suffer. There are a lot of things you can do to spice it up even during a pandemic like COVID-19, but also for when all this is over and you just feel like having a date night at home 🙂

Whatever your reasons for staying at home; we have researched lots of options for cute stay at home date ideas. All these date ideas are budget-friendly and don’t involve much technology! So you don’t have to run down your credit card to give your date a treat during this time. So below are 8 easy-to-plan, enjoyable, inexpensive  stay at home date ideas you can try at home with your significant other. Stay indoors and have some fun!

  1. Play a Board Game

Game nights are fantastic ways to have a date while staying indoors. You can start it with a glass of wine, then bring out some cards, or set up a cheese board and begin the challenge. The truth is that you will find yourself engrossed in gimmicks, deep conversations, and funny spanks with your date as you have more time playing such games indoors.

Let’s not forget the series of little arguments that may arise when one person decides to play smart on another as the game progresses. Such can trigger the feeling of togetherness and forgiveness.

  1. Pretend The Electricity Is Out

You might have tried this when you were a kid. It’s normal to find some kids switching off all lighting in the home and pretending as if the electricity is out. Then they begin to play hide and seek game or tell ghost stories. You can try this too with your date. Amidst the dark corners of your home, you can tell ghost stories, light candles, and play a guessing game.

  1. Have a Tasting Party

This could turn out to be one of your favorite stay at home date ideas. Just create fun tasting stations. You could organise any kind of tasting. From smoothie to wine tastings, the sky is the limit. Pick any theme of your choice, and it could be cookies, ice cream, whiskey, and even chocolate. Just ensure there are a lot of options available for you and your date.

  1. Make Dessert or Dinner Together

Making dinner after a stressful day can be tiring. But not with the stay at home order. Ensure you both have activities cleared up for the day. And fix a time to cook your favorite meal together. It’s an excellent way to reconnect, especially if you haven’t seen each other for quite some time. The meal or dessert should be something you both haven’t tried before. Take pictures as you cook to make it fun and memorable.

  1. Organise a Romantic Quiz Competition

When was the last time you both laughed over a topic or the inability of one person to answer a question correctly? This is one fun way to spice up your date life. There are lots of “questions for couples” articles and books online. If you feel you and your date haven’t sat down and laughed for a long time, or you have trouble discussing anything that doesn’t end in an argument, then this tip could help. Make a list of interesting questions to answer over some glasses of wine or coffee. In the end, you will discover new things about each other.

  1. Turn Your Bedroom Into a Romantic Hotel Room

Staying in a fancy hotel room could make your date night as romantic as it gets. But this is not always within the budget. More so, you can transform your bedroom into a romantic scene for the sexiest date night at home drama.  Here are some ideas to help you:

  • Place a bottle of champagne or other drink in a bucket of ice close to the bed.
  • Turn on soft music and light some sweet-scented candles in different corners of the bedroom.
  • Sprinkle flower petals on the bed and make some chocolate covered strawberries.
  • Make your favorite dish, and serve your date in bed.
  • Watch romantic movies together in bed till when you both doze off.
  1. Paint With each other

When was the last time you both tried your hands-on painting? Perhaps, you can remember how romantic and fun it was for your relationship. But what if you haven’t done so yet, no worries! You can still make it a vital aspect of your staying safe at home date ideas.

Get some watercolor sets and a large paper. Then sit together and paint your favorite masterpieces and make a mess! It can be more fun when you both try to guess what the other party has painted. You don’t have to be an artistic genius to do it correctly. Watch some tutorials on YouTube and practice it together before setting the table for the real game.

As far as stay at home date ideas go, this is the one that will likely stay with you. Even if you’re no good at painting, just the reminder of this activity would be worth framing and putting on your wall forever!

  1. Play The Role of an Interior Designer

This is a perfect date night idea you can organise in a budget-friendly manner. Research some DIY home design ideas together. Take notes of the tips and materials needed. You could redesign the living room, kitchen, or bedroom. Whatever you feel comfortable with, just make sure it suits your style and budget.

Hint: This at-home date idea will make you discover lots of fascinating things about your partner, such as favorite color, taste, and design style.

Stay At Home Date Ideas are fantastic for many reasons. It helps you and your partner to discover things about yourselves that wouldn’t have been possible on a regular date. Staying safe during a pandemic doesn’t mean you should put your relationship on hold. Try these tips and take your love life to greater heights! When we are all aloud outside again I’d love to go out and have a photoshoot together! 😀

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Adelaide Sailing Club Wedding – Andrea & Gerry

Adelaide Sailing Club Wedding – Andrea & Gerry

The sun was hot and bright for Andrea and Gerry’s beautifully intimate Adelaide Sailing Club Wedding at the end of February! Gerry had scouted me out as she was an AUSLAN interpreter at another wedding I had done a few months earlier, and thought I did a good job  there so asked me to be her photographer too! It’s always nice to know that people are impressed by what you love doing!

 

Adelaide Sailing Club Wedding Ceremony

I was Andrea and Gerry’s wedding photographer for a short while on their day, seeing me cover their ceremony on the Adelaide Sailing Club’s lawn with the beach in the background through to the speeches at their reception. The Sailing club is set off to the side of the West Beach Boat ramp and looks out over a small ‘private’ beach made by the boat ramp’s water break. I was a little worried about a surf life saving event happening right nearby with a hovercraft making a bunch of noise – but diddn’t make much of a noise during the ceremony thankfully.

It was a marvellous coincidence that both Andrea and Gerry arrived wearing almost identical clothing, neither opting for a white gown as brides; but rather white formal attire. It was lovely to see their reactions as they both arrived together and remarked at what each other was wearing.

Andrea and Gerry’s approach to the arbour was preceeded by a group of young children acting as flower girls and ring bearers, while also being flanked by family members before the two brides approached together.

The ceremony itself was quite moving with their celebrant talking about Andrea and Gerry’s family while also their story of coming together as a couple. The sounds of the waves crashing on the nearby beach added perfectly to the ambiance as the ceremony unfolded, coupled with the loving gestures made by both Andrea, Gerry and their guests.

Glamour Photos

Often I would bust out the drone to have the group shots done, but the Adelaide Sailing Club is right in the flight path of the Adelaide Airport which means it would be quite illegal to fly there. So the group shots were done by having me run up to the top floor and shooting down at the group from the conveneint balcony. It was fun shouting down instructions while the AUSLAN interpreter was also trying to direct everyone down stairs 🙂

Andrea and Gerry weren’t overly keen on spending too much time having glamour shots done and were more concerned with spending their time with family and friends at the reception. As a result we went for a short walk down to a nearby beach and walked back again.

Adelaide Sailing Club Wedding Reception

I really like the reception area available at the Adelaide Sailing Club – it’s a nice big, closed off area with a huge bar and giant balcony perfectly suited to watch the always amazing Adelaide Sunset as it drops below the horizon. Andrea and Gerry had decorated the area with lanterns and lighting which made the whole space come alive with a bit of festivity.

There were also no less than 3 wedding cakes on display, one usual cake and two cheese cakes (as I understood) – that is two rolls of cheese that are made up to look like cakes – not ‘cheesecakes’. It’s something that has become quite a common sight at weddings as it caters to those who arent too keen on cakes, or have allergies, etc

Thanks so much to Andrea and Gerry for having me as your wedding phtoographer! I enjoyed myself immensely and I hope you enjoy your photos! 🙂

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Sedan Lutheran Church Wedding – Kirsty & Andrew

Groom picking up bride through window

Sedan Lutheran Church Wedding – Kirsty & Andrew

It was a stunningly sunny day for Kirsty and Andrew’s Sedan Lutheran Church Wedding. The small town of Sedan, near Renmark in the South Australian Riverland was the setting for this fun wedding where everyone just seemed to want to have a good time! I was asked to be their wedding photographer for their preparation through to the beginning of their reception, so lets jump straight into it shall we?

 

 

Preparation

I began the day at Kirsty and Andrew’s new house nearby the town of Sedan. I was quite excited to see some awesome gum trees on the horizon and rolling golden hills that I was hoping to use later in the day for their wedding photos.

Kirsty and her bridal party were being prepared here, and the atmosphere was quite laid back, with Kirsty more worried about where her boots were than any nerves she might have been feeling due to her being married a bit later.

As they had just moved into their new home, it was quite a neat thing to have the entire front room quite free in order to use while putting on the wedding dress – made taking photos that much easier! 🙂

Andrew and his groomsmen were getting ready in another farm house nearby, but this spot had some very nifty old ruins, which of course I made use of in the short amount of time I had with the boys. One thing I found very co-incidental is that Andrew and his boys were enjoying some clay shooting prior to me arriving for their photos, which I had only ever seen for the first time at the wedding I covered just the week prior! Is this a new trend? 😀

Sedan Lutheran Church Wedding

You simply cannot miss the Sedan Lutheran Church as it towers over the rest of the small town with it’s huge steeple and traditional small town church styling. It’s also located right on the intersection of 4 roads that lead into the center of town. The church itself is a bit on the small side, with only a single aisle leading through the middle of the church. As it was a reasonably hot day, it was a struggle for some guests to stay cool – but it wasn’t overly stifling. One neat feature of the inside of the church is the ability for some guests to venture to the upper level – I got some neat shots from up there.

Kirsty and Andrew’s Sedan Lutheran Church Wedding was presided over a priest who was friend of the couple and began with the tolling of the church’s bells, which I dont see very often! It was a reasonably simple ceremony with a number of readings from guests and blessings from their priest.

One great thing about church weddings like this is when the bride and groom exits out the front, and if the guests are keen to help – I can tee up a fun shot of everyone throwing the rose petals over the couple – which of course I did!

Glamour Photos

After the required group photos out the front of the church, we head back inside of the church in order to take a few glamour photos using the pews and interior a little before heading out to the Renmark foreshore to make use of the greenery there. My favourite glamour photos from Kirsty and Andrew’s Sedan Lutheran Church Wedding though were taken on a portion of Kirsty and Andrew’s family land.

We drove to a spot where there was a ruin of an old cottage and barn which we made use of for some great shots, before moving to the nearby hills which I had a lot of fun flying over with my drone! We finished off in amongst the lovely gum trees growing out of a dry creek bed nearby.

I was with Kirsty and Andrew for the very beginning of their reception at a hall in Sedan before heading off! I’d like to thank Kirsty and Andrew for having me take their riverland wedding photography and I hope they enjoy their photos! 😀