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How to Make the Most of a Rainy Wedding Day

  • Under the jetty

 

How to Make the Most of a Rainy Wedding Day

 

If rolling clouds and light showers are to stay on your Big Day, there is still room to get creative. The best wedding photographers will know how to play with shadows and make the most of a rainy wedding day amd get the best out of raindrops and puddles. Chances are, your wedding album will make a statement rather than be tucked away in the attic. A little bit of rain shouldn’t dampen the festive air around the soon-to-be-newlyweds, in fact it’s tradition that rain on a wedding day is actually good luck!

Tips to Make the Most of a Rainy Wedding Day

Tip 1 – Think Ahead

When selecting a venue, always account for inclement weather by falling back on covered spaces and indoor ballrooms. If you’re tying the knot in an area home to unpredictable weather, don’t take your chances—study reports ahead of time.

Thorngrove Manor

Tip 2 – Say Yes to the Wet

Is the prospect of a little mud on your dress a no-go or something playful to think about? Most wedding photos occur before dinner time—no one is going to pay attention to spots on your gown while you’re seated. While a muddy dress doesn’t typically pique anyone’s interest, it can make for an interesting character on the dance floor.

Ekhidna wines wedding vineyards

Tip 3 – Arm Yourself with the Right Rain Gear

No, we aren’t talking about a waterproof bridal gown or tuxedo. In case of rain, you want to have an umbrella handy. Avoid brightly-coloured or black products, instead opting for a simple white or transparent to add a touch of chic to your photos. Carry a set of matching umbrellas for you and your partner—your wedding portraits will thank you later.

A neat shot that a wedding photographer can shoot on a wet wedding day is having some background smoke, or umbrellas light up with an off-camera flash. Looks awesome!

A spare set of wedding shoes can become costly. While hitching up your dress or pants from location to location will certainly do, a pair of wellies or sneakers won’t hurt—especially if they’re invisible under your gown.

Smokey greenhouse

Tip 4 – Allow Some Time to Tidy Up

Always allow ample time to dust off or wash up your wedding attire before photos. Keep a stain stick handy in case you get spots on your gown.

As I mentioned earlier, don’t worry too much about a bit of mud on the hem of your dress, particularly if you’ve spent the last few hours traipsing through vineyards! People simply wont notice during your reception.

Dog running in the Ekhidna WInes vineyards

Tip 5 – Know When to Call it a Day

Shooting in the rain is all good fun if you aren’t fussy about it—but it’s best to know your limits. Torrential downpours and gale-force winds aren’t very forgiving, so you won’t want to be out for more than a couple of shots. If you’re worried about your outfit or are shivering in the cold, it’ll come through in your photos.

Bride and groom through the window

Tip 6 – Take Photos on a Different Day

There’s no reason you have to take your wedding photos on your actual wedding day – take for example what Sarah and Ricardo did for their wedding day. Allow the flexibility to reschedule your shoot if the weather doesn’t support it. Consult with your wedding photographer regarding pre or post-wedding shoots.

The only issue with doing this is that you’ll have to get ready twice, which may mean booking makeup artsists and hair dressers twice – but it’s very doable if you wish.

Sharing a kiss under seagulls

A little bit of rain isn’t the end of how you envision your wedding photographs. By preparing ahead of time, coming up with a contingency plan, or simply embracing the weather, the joy in your photos will shine through. Hopefully these tips on how to make the most of a rainy wedding day helps you realise this.

Book your wedding photography with Sven Studios, where we fear no weather and are committed to showcasing you and your partner at your best. We’ve been known to wade out into the ocean or hang off cliffs to get the best shot! Love travel too, so we are certainly going to make the most fo the location! Our wedding packages are expansive, perfect for couples who love a little adventure.

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Tips for candid wedding photos

  • Leaning against a lamp post

Candid wedding photos

There are different reasons for having a photoshoot. Some may just be to capture a new profile picture for your social media accounts or to document a turning point in your life. However, wedding photography is special, because it is supposed to be one of the happiest moments of your life and you want your photographer to document this emotion.

A wedding represents a major milestone in your life where you are taking on responsibilities as a spouse and have found a signifant other in which you will spend the rest of your life with.

Knowing that this rite of passage into a new life is extra special, you’ll want photos that capture the pure essence of what it means to be in the moment on an important day. Candid photos capture the raw emotions of people, and this can give the photos on your wedding day that unique look that will be amazing to look back to.

I’ve put together some tips on how to looking amazing for your wedding photography in the past, but I thought I’d expand a bit with these new tips for more candid wedding photos.

Tips for candid wedding photos

Here are tips to ensure amazing candid photos on your wedding day:

Put Your Trust in Your Photographer

If you have any doubts in your mind about whether or not the photographer you hired will be able to deliver the photography you expect, this will cause problems as it adds worry on the day. Make sure you have a casual chat with your photographer, and make sure you have them walk throguh an entire wedding shoot they have done in the past so that you develop a sense of trust and chemistry with them.

Having  this confidence in your photographer will allow you to just enjoy each moment spent with your soon-to-be spouse.

Bride and groom between the trees

Don’t Mind the Cameras and Just SMILE!

This may be difficult for some, as they are simply just camera shy or do not enjoy photos being taken. However, once the day of the event comes, emotions just absolutely take over and people just forget about everything and focus on the beauty of their wedding.

The trick is to pretend that you are not being photographed, and just focus on the event itself and take in all the euphoria and love that weddings radiate. Let the photographer melt into the scenery and just focus on the more important aspects, like your family, friends, and your spouse.

There will be moments where wedding photographers will ask you to step into the light for a better shot, but while that is not being done, know that you are doing great and it is visible to everyone around you.

What I like to do when shooting a wedding is doing a bit of a warm up with photos that dont require too much in the way of posing – and then maybe if needed bring out the posed shots – but they often arent needed.

Walking through the trees

 

Live In and Savour the Moment

Weddings often go by in the blink of an eye due to all the emotions and fleeting moments that occur within the day.

Needing to focus on anything other than the moment you are in will be visible in your final photos which is the oposite to what candid wedding photos are all about! Sometimes it is advisable to get a wedding planner or someone who can organise things well to remove burdens of logistics off of your shoulders.

When the day is planned well, there is nothing much to worry about and it becomes easier to live in the moment. Of course, it goes without saying that timelines and plans may often derail to a certain degree, but the trick to moving on with it is just to trust that all will go well and you prepared well.

After the day is done, you will have amazing photos to look back to, so forget about the worries and go with the flow!

Inglewood Inn wedding photo at the cottage

Don’t Rush the Timeline

Wedding days can seem chaotic, but rushing timelines are what no wedding photographer wants to deal with. With less time for people to be themselves and savour the moment, there are limited opportunities for nice photographs.

Wedding photography is best done at a slow pace, as photographers try to look for the best possible shots and angles for amazing photos. Having a relaxed schedule will allow people to warm up to wedding photographers, and ultimately give a better experience.

Bride and groom walking about Burbrook forest

Weddings require your full attention and presence for you to truly have an amazing experience. This is why having professional photographers around is an invaluable asset because you will have high-quality photos to refer to in the future.

Wedding albums in particular can be super important as they are often handed down for generations to come as family hairlooms. Just imagine 40 years in the future with possible grandkids, reliving the emotion you were feeling in the candid wedding photos you’re looking through together. It really is an investment in the future.

Here at Sven Studios, we offer high-quality wedding photography in Adelaide and around Australia. Contact us and let us talk about your special day now!

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Lakes Hotel Wedding – Paula & Andrew

  • Paula & Andrew

    Lakes Resort Hotel Wedding

    Sharing a kiss under seagulls

I head out to Paula and Andrew’s beautifully family-centric Lakes Hotel wedding in West Lakes at the beginning of October, and I had a ball of a time 🙂

The weather wasn’t always the best, showing a bit of cloud for much of the day, but we still managed to make use of the hotel and nearby park for some great shots!

Lakes Hotel Wedding Ceremony

I started my time with Paula and Andrew right at the start of their wedding ceremony, which was held in one of the function rooms on site at the Lakes Hotel. The function room they held their ceremony in overlooked the West Lakes river which made for a lovely backdrop while also being shielded from the slight drizzle of rain that was falling outside.

The ceremony itself was a lovely simple affair with some in-jokes about Paula and Andrews relationship interspersed by some lovely heart-felt vows and reading from a guest who diddnt seem to know they were doing a reading! Thosesorts of things at a wedding always makes everyone smile 🙂

Apparently Paula and Andrew had been engaged for a good 25 years! So of course some of the injokes throughout the ceremony and the speeches later in the night centered around that! Qudos for them to finally tying the knot though! Even if was doing a global pandemic.. :/

Groom patiently waiting near pole
Bride arriving near elevator
Bride and father photo
Bridal approach at the Lakes Hotel Wedding
Smiling bride during ceremony 2
Smiling groom during ceremony 2
Holding hands together 2
Standing at the altar together – Lakes Hotel wedding
Bride looking at her groom 2
Speech giver
The Lakes Hotel Wedding Ceremony
The Lakes Hotel Wedding Ceremony 2
The Lakes Hotel Wedding Ceremony 3
Exchanging wedding rings 4
First kiss under the arbour 2
Bridal exit in bubbles

Glamour Photos

After taking all the group photos both outside on the riverside, and then the rest inside as it had started to rain a little, I attempted to use the architecture of the Lakes Hotel for much of their photoshoot, hoping the rain dispersed enough for us to head outside a bit later – thankfully that’s exactly what happened!

We went for a walk along side the river and made use of the wonderful little beach nearby and dozens of seagulls flying overhead for some neat shots! I did get my shoes wet – but that’s just the life of a wedding photographer! Need to do what it takes for the best shot!

Bride gleefully looking at groom
Groom enjoying a beer
Wedding photo through poles
Lakes resort hotel wedding
Bride looking pretty at the Lakes Resort Hotel
Bride playing with bouquet in hallway
Groom being playful
Groom holding his bride 2
Bride and groom walking down hallway at the Lakes Hotel
Groom walking down hallway at the Lakes Resort Hotel
Bride and groom standing under seagulls
Sharing a kiss under seagulls
Standing on the beach together 2
bridal party standing on the beach near the Lakes Hotel
Close up of the engagement ring 2
Bride and groom sitting together
Bridal wings

Lakes Hotel Wedding Reception

Before starting for the day I arrived at the Lakes Hotel early to set up my photobooth for the evening. When I arrived the hall was very small, but I wasn’t to know that they actually extended the reception hall where I set the photobooth up in throughout the other function room where they held their ceremony! Turned out to be a huge area very suitable for a lovely wedding reception overlooking the water.

While I was attending the photobooth throughout the night I also stood up every now and again to take photos of the speeches and of course the first dance. Was a lovely night!

Wedding cake 3
Bride and groom entering reception 2
Guest having fun 5
Bride and groom standing under the stars
Guests having fun 3
Cutting the cake 2
Kiss from guest
Using the photobooth
Shoe game 2
Speech 3
First dance at the lakes resort hotel
First dance at the lakes resort hotel wedding

I’d like to thank Paula and Andrew for having me as their wedding photographer on their special day! I hope Paula and Andrew enjoy their photos as much as I enjoyed taking them throughout their big day!

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5 Tips for Travelling with Your Wedding Gown

Santorini Wedding

Travelling with Your Wedding Gown to your Destination Wedding

A destination wedding is a fabulous way to start married life and is a great excuse to have a holiday. When you look back at your wedding photos, you will have a lovely time remembering how you spent time with the people closest to you and your fiancé in an amazing destination!

I realise that not many people are heading overseas at the moment due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but I do know that many of your are still planning on having a destination wedding, and it may well be at a location you can still travel to! Like within Australia! I’ve covered many weddings in Darwin, Hobart, Canberra and Rural South Australia that beat many international destinations easily!

Before you jet off, though, you have to figure out one important thing—how to get your wedding dress to your destination.

5 Tips for Travelling with Your Wedding Dress

Travelling with your wedding dress doesn’t have to be stressful. With a little planning and care, you can keep your gown in perfect condition throughout the journey. Whether you’re heading to a local venue or a destination celebration, here are five helpful tips to make sure your dress arrives safely and beautifully, just like you imagined.

Avoid checking it in luggage

Whatever you do, avoid checking your wedding dress as luggage. It will get battered in transit, and there is always a risk of it getting lost. As much as possible, fly with your wedding dress as a carry-on item.

Check with your airline about their policies on carrying wedding dresses – as it may be an exempt item when it comes to the number of pieces of luggage you’re allowed. Also. label the bag containing it with your name, e-mail address, and the contact details of your destination.

Bride hanging her dress

Buy or recycle a garment bag

The bridal shop will likely use a garment bag when sending you your wedding dress. However, check if this is strong enough to stand up to travelling with your wedding gown. If you have your doubts, invest in a tougher garment bag. Ask your bridal shop to show you how to fold your wedding dress as well.

When you get to the gate, arrange for the attendant to hang your dress in a closet. Some airlines will preload your dress if you call ahead, so explore this option as well. Sometimes, though, there is no hanging space since surfboards and wheelchairs are the priority for closets.

In this case, you might lay your dress over bags in the overhead, but be considerate of the other passengers and ask permission. If you have the money to spare, you can resort to buying an extra seat just for your dress, or upgrade to business class – this allows you to have an additional carry-on bag!

Wedding dress

Invest in a vacuum bag

For brides with voluminous wedding gowns, a vacuum bag is almost mandatory when travelling with your wedding gown. Pack your dress while inside its garment bag into a similarly-sized vacuum bag and suck the air out, which will make the carry on much smaller – and if you’re lucky the checkin gate wont weigh it! Just dont try and fly with an airline known for being sticklers on weight.

You can then pack this into a tri-fold carry-on case, and store it in the luggage just like you would another bag. Remember to pack a garment steamer or request for one at your hotel or resort to iron out the creases. You do not want to memorialise the wrinkles in your wedding photos!

Putting on dress

Use a carry-on suitcase

A regulation-size carry-on suitcase is an excellent storage place for a wedding dress. For this to work, you need to pack your gown carefully. Use a hard shell suitcase; this protects your clothing from rain or other fluids. When packing, turn your dress inside out.

Turning your dress inside out will protect things like lace details, needlework, and other delicate embellishments. You can also put tissue paper in between the folds, to preserve the garment better.

Santorini destination wedding

Have your dress professionally packed

Your bridal shop can pack your dress to fit in your carry-on suitcase. You can specifically ask them to pack it for travel; this should be part of their services. You can also get a specially-designed box that meets carry-on size requirements for airlines or chartered planes. These boxes also have acid-free tissue paper which you can put in between folds.

Taking the wedding dress for a spin

 

You can pack a wedding dress for your destination wedding, but it will require a bit of planning from you. Travelling with your wedding gown can be tricky, but don’t let the hassles of travel prevent you from having a picture-perfect day!

Ensure that you have photos that will last a lifetime with Sven Studios. We are experienced destination wedding photographers super keen to travel and dedicated to perfectly capturing one of the most special days in a couple’s life. Browse our previous work or get in touch with us for more information!

How to Fold Your Wedding Dress for Travel

If you’re planning a destination wedding or flying to a special venue, knowing how to travel with your wedding dress is key to keeping it safe and photo ready. One of the most important steps is folding your gown properly, especially if you won’t be carrying it in a full-length garment bag.

Here are a few tips to help you fold your dress with care:

Start with clean hands and a large surface

Lay a clean sheet or towel on a flat surface like a bed or table. Make sure your hands are washed to avoid transferring any oils or dirt onto the fabric.

Use tissue paper between folds

To protect delicate fabrics and prevent creasing, place sheets of white, acid-free tissue paper between each fold. This adds structure and protects beadwork or lace details.

Fold from the bottom up

Gently fold the train or skirt upward, tucking it under layer by layer. Avoid sharp creases and keep the folds soft. If your dress has multiple layers, start with the underlayers first and work your way out.

Protect the bodice

Once the skirt is folded, lay the bodice flat on top. If the bodice has structure or embellishments, cushion it with more tissue paper to prevent damage during travel.

Place it in a carry-on or garment bag

Whenever possible, avoid checking your dress with luggage. Whether you’re driving or flying with your wedding dress, keeping it close ensures you can monitor how it’s handled. Choose a carry-on suitcase or a travel-friendly garment bag designed for delicate items.

By planning ahead and folding carefully, travelling with your wedding dress can be much smoother and less stressful on your special day.

Storing Your Dress Safely During Flight

Flying with your wedding dress can feel nerve-wracking, especially when you’ve spent so much time choosing the perfect gown. The good news is that many brides successfully travel with their dress by taking a few simple precautions to ensure it stays safe, clean, and wrinkle-free during the flight.

Here’s how to store it properly while in the air:

Avoid placing anything on top

If your dress ends up in the overhead bin, make sure nothing is placed on top of it. Consider asking your seatmate for a bit of space and keep the bag flat and undisturbed during the flight.

Pack a travel steamer

Even with the best care, some creases may still appear. Packing a small, handheld steamer can help refresh your dress once you arrive, so it’s photo-ready before the big moment.

By preparing in advance and handling your gown with care, flying with your wedding dress becomes much more manageable, giving you peace of mind before your celebration begins.

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The Manor Basket Range Wedding – Kate & John

It was such a joy to head back out for a big wedding after having South Australian COVID restrictions ease for weddings! I saw myself at The Manor Basket Range, a majestic wedding venue for Kate and Josh’s wedding on a stunningly sunny day; despite it still being winter!

 

it was a super fun day to be a part of, and I even met some long lost relatives as it turned out I was actually related to half of the guests somehow! Adelaide is such a small city, and it’s so much fun to meet people and head to weddings because of it!

Preparation

The day turned out to be a fairly long one for me, with Kate and her girls requesting I first meet them in Hahndorf while they were having their hair and makeup done early in the morning! Which was fine, it just emant I had to get up ealier 😛

I then head on over tot he bed and breakfast that John and his groomsmen were getting ready. I Unfortuately put my foot in it in the mornign and called John ‘Josh’ so much in the mornign that the boys just ran with it for the rest of the day as they found it pretty funny 😛 Sorry John!

The boys were all pretty laid back, having had a bit of a board game night the night before, and leasurely got ready – until it was time to put on their ties that is. Only one of them knew how to properly tie a tie so that took up most of the time I was there 🙂

The bed and breakfast boardered a farm with some llamas and featured a cubby house which we very much took advantage of.

Grooms watch on ties
Wedding rings on table
Grooms suit jacket
Belt and ties
Groom smiling while putting on cufflinks
Helping out with the ties
Smiling groomsman 3
Groom looking happy
Groom adjusting tie in window 2
Groomsmen joking about 2
Groom putting finishing touches on
Groom and groomsmen in cubby house 2

Once the girls had had their hair and makeup done in Hahndorf, they made their way to the Manor to put on their dresses and take a few shots helping Kate get into her wedding dress.

I made sure to make use of the amazing huge chandelier in the entrance lobby to the Manor to really put a bit of medieval flair to their preparation photos, as after all they were getting ready in a castle! Fun tidbit, the last time I was at a The Manor Basket range wedding was back when it was called Camelot castle.

The girsl got ready without much fuss, and made a point of having Kate’s Dad come in for a bit of a father daughter ‘first look’ as he had not seen his daugher in her wedding dress prior to the day. It’s always a lovely moment to share!

 

Wedding dress hanging illuminated by window
bride through doorway 2
Lacing up the wedding dress
Laughing bride in mirror
Medieval bride getting ready
bride overlooking chandelier
Bride standing in dark room
Close up of bride under veil 2
Bride being silly on shae lounge
Bride at The Manor Basket Range
Dad’s first look 3
Dad’s first look 4

The Manor Basket Range Wedding Ceremony

As a mentioned earlier, The Manor was once called ‘Camelot Castle’ due to the fact that it’s built in the image of a medieval castle, complete with a small stone chaple, snuggled amongst a garden and tall battlements along the top of the manor. In front of the chapel is usually where wedding ceremonies are held, and Kate and John’s was no exception.

One exceptional thing about Kate and John’s The Manor Basket Range wedding ceremony though was Kate’s surprise entrance flanked by 5 medieval knights in full battle armour! Apparently there were supposed to be 6, but one could not make it. They took up position behind the bridal party during the ceremony and formed a guard of hnour as it ended.

Another highlight of Kate and John’s ceremony was their hand fasting, which culminated quite cleverly in a ceremonial ‘tying of the knot‘ to mark their union.

bridal approach at The Manor Basket Range
Father and Bride walking together
bride during wedding ceremony 2
The Manor Basket range wedding Ceremony
Groom looking at his bride during the wedding ceremony
Hand Fasting ceremony 2
Best man with the rings
Exchanging wedding rings 5
The Manor Basket Range wedding ceremony in front of the chapel
Tieing the knot 2
The Manor Basket Range wedding ceremony 2
First kiss 5
Wedding ceremony in front of the chapel
bridal exit at The Manor Basket range

Medieval Tournament

Directly after the ceremony, the knights that formed an honour guard around Kate and John headed towards the grassy area in front of the Manor Basket range’s accomodation area to conduct a short tournament.

Kate was asked to select her ‘champion’ knight and attach her colours in the form of a handkerchief around the arm of her selected knight as what would have happened back in medieval times had a noble woman been watching. In this case it was the bride – the most important lady on the day!

It was a really neat spectical to witness, with the knights from Ironclad Academy really going at it and hitting each other wish some force! They were also really neat sporta about having photos with the bridal party and guests, and I even managed to get in for a shot!

As Kate and John had a bit of a Harry Potter theme going on in their reception, I also phtooshopped a bit of a cheesy Harry Potter photo where they were fending off the knights with magic. Bit silly 😛

Fighting Knights
Knight Fight
Knight tournament
Knight ready for a fight
Knight in front of bridal party
Fighting knights at The Manor Basket Range
Medieval Tournament at a wedding
Groomsmen with swords
Good looking guest
Grandma with sword
Grandma victorious
Bride and Groom standing over dead bodies
Harry Potter Wedding Photo

Glamour Photos

We then had some time to meander around the grounds and used the grounds to take some wonderful glamour phtoos of Kate, John and their bridal party.

The best time to take The Manor Bastket range wedding photos I found was certainly towards the end of the day, particularly as it was such a sunny day! The sun hides behind the nearby hills nicely to create quite a magical aura around the grounds to make some beautiful photos!

I also coerced Kate and John outside during their reception to make use fo the unique architecture the Manor offers!

Bridal party in the gardens
Kiss in front of the Manor Basket Range
In amongst the trees 2
Bridal party together in the trees
Having a bit of fun on their wedding day
Bride and groom in the castle gardens
Bride and groom in the castle gardens 2
Bride and groom in front of the manor basket range’s chapel
The Manor Basket range Wedding Photo
Birdal party acting out Charlies Angels
bride and groom in amongst the lights
Kiss under the lights
Bridal party on the foot bridge
Traditional wedding photo
Close up of engagement ring 2
The Manor Basket Range doorway photo
bride and Groom under the castle doorway
The Manor Basket Range Wedding Photo at night

The Manor Basket Range Wedding Reception

As the the COVID restirctions had eased before Kate and John’s wedding in South Australia, there were still plenty of rules to follow so that we minimised the risk of potentially spreading an infection. This included the banning of dancing on the dance floor, and drinking while standing throughout the night.

That being said though, I felt as though all of the guests respected these restrictions and really had a blast of a time anyway! The night really was a lot of fun, and I enjoyed my first large wedding back immensely!

Table setup
Nametag 2
Harry Potter wedding cake
Stein
Look its a camera!
Mobile phone photo 2
Kiss through the crowd
Cutting the Harry Potter wedding cake
Crossing arms
Having fun 3
Kiss during first dance 2
Hugs from relative
First dance at The Manor Basket Range wedding
Shoe game 2

Thanks so much to Kate and John for having me photograph your The Manor Basket Range wedding! Hope you enjoy your photos as much as I enjoyed taking them!