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Surprise Backyard Wedding in Woodville – Natasha & Jono

February 21, 2020/0 Comments/in Wedding preview, Wedding /by Steven Duncan

Natasha & Jono
Surprise Backyard Wedding

Natasha and Jono held their wedding in their backyard on what turned out to be a lovely day surrounded by intimate family and friends who had mostly travelled to Adelaide for their engagement party. Natasha and Jono decided, considering everyone had travelled to attend their party, they’ll turn their engagement party into their Surprise Backyard wedding instead. An alternative was going to be holding their wedding on a beach in New Zealand, but they figured it’d be easier for everyone if they held it here, in their backyard. 🙂

Preparation

Natasha and her bridal party were geting ready with a small selection of family and friends in a house nearby. I took photos of the girls getting ready, and together in their custom kimonos, before heading over to the boys before Natasha had put on her dress – as I was going to get that shot ust before the ceremony when she changes again.

Doing the hair

Bridesmaids helping out

Hanging wedding dress

Gran looking on

Chatting in the garage

Wedding shoes on bed

Putting on makeup

Girls together

Laughing in mirror

Jono and his groomsmen were getting ready on site at the couple’s home in Woodville. In between putting on their shirts, and trying on their new fedoras, they were also running about putting some finishing touches on small parts of the wedding reception setup in the backyard.

Smiling groomsman

Groom wearing a hat

Groom’s flowers

Groom walking the hallways

Smiling groomsman

Smiles all round

Wedding rings with bowtie

Putting on groomsman tie

Groom finishing up

Putting on shirt

Glamour photos

As their engagement party ruse was set up as an evening affair, with a marquee set up on the back lawn and food and drink available for dinner; Natasha and Jono decided to have their glamour photos done prior to their wedding ceremony. We head down to the Semaphore Beach to make use of the pristine sand and dunes available there for family photos, before heading just up the road a bit for the more photo friendly Largs Bay jetty.

bride and groom with their dog

Bride and groom on the beach together

bride and groom walking along the beach

Bridal party on the beach

bride and groom on Semaphore beach

Bride and Groom next to Semaphore Jetty

Bridal party on top of Semaphore Jetty

Bride and groom celebrating their wedding on Semaphore Beach

Semaphore Beach wedding photo

Bride and groom under the Largs Bay Jetty

Largs Bay Jetty wedding photo

To add a little bit of variety to the photos, and also because the sky was looking a little grey, I suggested heading through Port Adelaide and using the famed Crozier Street for a bit of an industrial slant to Natasha and Jono’s photos.

Bride and groom having fun in a doorway

Bride and groom on crozier st

Bridal Party playing rugby on Crozier st

Crozier street wedding photo

Bridal party chilling in Port Adelaide

Bride and her bridesmaids together in a doorway

Bride standing in front of doorway

Black and White Crozier street

Surprise Backyard Wedding Ceremony

Many of Natasha and Jono’s guests had travelled from around Australia and New Zealand in order to attend their engagement party that was set up in their backyard, and they continued this ruse riught up until the beginning of the wedding ceremony where Jono’s groomsmen carried out the arbour that was hidden in their shed. Natasha snuck off during a time where guests were mingling and settling in for a fun night of celebration to change into her wedding dress again before reemerging.

Talking to guests

Bride out waiting for guests to arrive

Kids having fun the the marquee

Bride playing with kids

Waiting for the Surprise Backyard wedding to start

Welcome to country

Bride and groom listening to the Welcome to country

Bride peeking out window

Smiling bride

Many of their guests were quite surprised about attending their wedding there and then, whichwas great to see! It’s often the case that the surprise is ruined well before by something, but their surprise wedding was quite successful! The ceremony itself was a nice affair with Aboriginal and Maori traditions coming together, complete with a ‘Welcome to country‘, Maori songs, and even a didgeridoo procession. It was lovely to be a part of!

Groom waiting out the front

Groom waiting patiently

Bridal approach

Groom seeing bride at the wedding ceremony

Start of the wedding ceremony

Surprise Backyard wedding ceremony

Maori song

Groom looking at his bride

Holding hands during the ceremony

Bride looking at her groom

Backyard wedding ceremony

Exchanging wedding bands

Surprise wedding ceremony setup

First kiss under the arbour

Excited bride and groom

Digeridoo in the wedding ceremony

Smiles all round

Bride and groom exit

Surprise Backyard Wedding Reception

All the food was set up on a long table within their shed out the back, which guests were asked to serve themselves from, and drnks wer self served from a pretty neat rental bar with several different drinks on tap. During the night I took Natasha and Jono to a nearby spot to make use of the incredible sunset that had set in, and also made sure to get some of the spaklers within the photos during their first dance. It was a great night!

Speech

Having fun during the first dance

Cutting the cake together

MC doing her thing

Smiling bride during the first dance

First dance with sparklers

Bridal speech

The food

New Zealnad Themed wedding cake

Sunset on the oval

Lolly bar

Sunset

Surprise Backyard wedding under the marquee

First dance in the Surprise Backyard wedding

I’d like to thank Natasha and Jono for havingme be a part of their Surprise Backyard wedding, and I hope they enjoy their photos! 🙂

Woodstock Winery Wedding – Michelle & Ryan

January 25, 2020/1 Comment/in Wedding preview, Wedding /by Steven Duncan

Michelle & Ryan
Woodstock Winery Wedding

It was a stunningly sunny day for Michelle and Ryan’s Woodstock winery wedding, just out of Mclaren Vale. I was asked to be their wedding photographer from their ceremony through to their first dance at their reception, whith photos in between down at Maslin Beach and of course using the vineyards about Woodstock winery.

Woodstock Winery Wedding Ceremony

The main appeal of having a Woodstock winery wedding in my book would have to be the beautiful picturesque, but still private surrounds of the winery. There is a large, open grassy area out the back of the main restaurant, lined by gum trees, bushes and of course the Woodstock winery’s vineyards nearby. Michelle and Ryan chose to set up their wedding ceremony so that the vineyards were the backdrop to their arbour.

The sun was out in full force throughout their ceremony, causing some rather harsh light shining on poor Michelle’s face, but thankfully the ceremony wasnt overly long and it also wasn’t so hot that it got uncomfortable – but the guests quickly found some shade before and after the ceremony.

The highlight of the ceremony would have to have been the moment when the exchanging of the rings was held up by Ryan and his best man’s antics where they faked forgetting the rings, only to reveal that their little dog was waiting in the wings with the rings tied around it’s collar.

wedding sign

Groom waiting patiently

Bride hiding behind the wall

Waiting out the front

Bride walking towards ceremony

Grooms first look of bride

Dad giving away bride

Together under the arbour

Wedding ceremony at Woodstock winery

Woodstock winery wedding ceremony

smiling bride during ceremony

Groom reading vows

Dog ring bearer

Woodstock winery wedding ceremony under the gum trees

exchanging the wedding rings

first kiss under the arbour

Woodstock winery wedding ceremony exit

Glamour Photos

What was a little different to most other weddings, was that directly after the Woodstock winery wedding ceremony, we immediately jumped into a bus waiting to take us down to the beach for the glamour photos – forgoing the usual family group photos that usually follow a ceremony. Michelle and Ryan had purposefully planned it this way so as to have a more relaxed, leasurely time down at the beach and to make sure they got all the photos they wanted.

I was quite excited by the copious number of flying seagulls in the air during Michelle and Ryan’s photoshoot on the beach, that it made it that much easier to have them smiling in their photos as they were laughing at my own antics being excited about the birds. Thankfully they held their distance away from us, along with another nearby wedding ceremony that was taking place a top the cliffs – nothing worse than gate crashing another wedding, but the birds made for an awesome backdrop in many of their photos!

After having photos on the beach, and posing for a Starwars themed photo, we then head back to Woodstock winery and used some lovely trees they have in their car park before being announced at the reception. During the reception, we head out for the family photos and used the dying sun for some photos amongst the nearby vineyards.

Bridal party walking to beach

Bride and groom walking down to the beach

Being all lovey

Bridal party walking the dog along the beach

Bridal party on the beach

Wedding couple walking along the beach

Wedding couple walking along the beach with their dog

Bridal couple kissing on the beach

Flowing veil on the beach

Bride and Groom on Maslin beach

Star Wars Wedding Photo

Minimal wedding photo of bride and groom on beach

Bride and groom on Maslins Beach

Beach shot

Bride and groom amongst the sanddunes

Bride and bridesmaids

Groomsmen

Kisses on the Beach boardwalk

Bride and groom amongst the Woodstock winery trees

Bride and groom amongst gum trees

Sitting together in the vineyards

Holding hands

Walking around the Woodstock winery

Walking through the woodstock winery vineyards

woodstock winery vineyards

Woodstock winery wedding at night

Woodstock Winery Wedding Reception

The wedding reception took place in the Woodstock winery’s beautiful two-tiered restaurant, with the head table in the center of the arc, and family tables lined up either side. There was no indoor dancefloor, so the first dance took place outside, and there was no shortage of people out there enjoying the wonderful, warm weather. Emotions were running high during the daddy daughter and monther, son dances with family members all joining in, and was lovely to see 🙂

Michelle and Ryan opted to have a cool, modern take on a wedding cake, having doughnuts piled up with a starwars themed topper, adding a little bit of quirkyness to the whole day.

Guestbook sign

Woodstock winery wine bottles

bridal entrace at Woodstock winery wedding reception

Helping with the veil

bride sharing a drink

Woodstock winery at dusk

Doughnut wedding cake

Inspecting rings

Engagement ring amongst bouquet

first dance

hugs on the dance floor

Daddy daughter dance

Singing

I’d like to thank Michelle and Ryan for having me photograph their special day, and I hope they enjoy their photos!

Cruising Yacht Club of SA Wedding – Emily & Angel

December 28, 2019/1 Comment/in Wedding preview, Wedding /by Steven Duncan

Emily & Angel
Cruising Yacht Club of SA Wedding

Emily and Angel held their lovely intimate wedding ceremony at the the Cruising Yacht Club of SA. The prestige of this venue is apparent as soon as you arrive as you’re surrounded by multi million dollar yachts in a stunning location! I was asked to be their wedding photographer for a few hours, seeing me with them for their preparation, through to the first parts of their early reception dinner.

Preparation

Emily and Angel chose to be prepared on the same location, together at a property not far from the Cruising Yacht Club. The atmosphere was reasonably laid back with family and freinds also on site fussing about, preparing lunch, or getting ready while watching a Chinese action movie on the TV in the background. I was treated to some scrumptous home made food while there, and it was very much appreciated!

As Emily and Angel were being prepared at the same lcoation they could share makeup artists and hairdressers, without having them travel to multiple locations in the morning – this made everything run much smoother than what I have experienced in the past, and everyone was ready to leave, and head to the ceremony quite early.

Playing with veil

putting on makeup

Putting on necklace

Looking pretty

Wedding ring box

Putting on earrings

Emily and Angel before their ceremony

Smiling brides

Close up of wedding shoes

Looking out window

Standing next to painting

Both brides sitting in makeup chairs

bride looking out windows

Girls looking on

Holding hands

Smiling

Cruising Yacht Club of SA Wedding Ceremony

The Cruising Yacht club of SA is a well kept secret of Adelaide wedding venues, nestled along the shores of the north-western Adelaide beaches, the marina and club rooms are hard to spot unless you are looking out for the venue as you drive past. The main draw of the venue for weddings would be the views of the marina and exclusivity of the space provided – including gated car parking and a hidden wedding ceremony spot.

The wedding ceremony location set up at the Cruising Yacht Club of SA is a small, dedicated area set off to the side of the marina, shaded by cloth sails and headlined by an impressive concrete circular station where the bridal couple stands during the ceremony. Emily and Angel’s wedding ceremony was held bilingually in both English and Chinese for the benefit of all those in attendance and made everyone smile with it’s innate sweetness and beauty.

Wedding sign

Brides arriving

Brides approaching altar

Under the Cruising yacht club of SA’s wedding circle

Cruising Tacht Club of SA wedding

Standing together in front of family and friends

Wedding ceremony at Cruising Yacht Club of SA

Smiling brides

Ring bearer

Exchanging wedding bands

First kiss at Cruising Yacht CLub of SA

Wedding ceremony ending

Bridal exit

Glamour Photos

After the ceremony and family photos which we held just behind where the wedding ceremony took place, we first used the Cruising Yacht Club of SA’s lovely marina lined with huge yachts to take some glamour photos. Emily and Angel had even arranged to use the bow of one of the yachts to have photos done, which was wonderfully unique. We then went on a short drive to Grange beach where we used the lovely sand dunes and jetty for more shots, while also making use of the large kites that were being flown that day as a backdrop.

Heading towards the yachts

In the Cruising Yacht club of SA’s marinia

Hugging brides

brides on yacht

Cruising yacht club of SA marina

Bouquet in sand

brides on the beach together

Brides standing together in sand dunes

Together under Grange Jetty

Walking together under Grange jetty

Celebrating under Grange Jetty

Married couple

Cruising Yacht Club of SA Wedding Reception

The Cruising Yacht club of SA has a number of different function rooms to choose from when holding a wedding ceremony. As Emily and Angel’s wedding party wasn’t on the large side, they opted to make use of the smaller of the available areas for their wedding reception. It was a nice space that boasted sweeping views of the marina and all the boats. The highlight of their party I feel was their duel bouquet toss, where they both threw their bouquet at the same time. it’s always fun when everyone joins in for that! WHile I wasn’t there for their entire reception, the atmosphere was friendly, laid back and felt very family friendly, with evertyone enjoying themselves and listening to speeches.

Wedding decor

One of the Cruising Yacht Club of SA’s function rooms

Table center piece

Wedding cake

Wedding favours

Cutting the cake together

Before the double bouquet toss

Bouquet toss

Flower girl

Emily and Angel together

Bridal party at the head table

Thanks go out ot Emily and Angel for having me as their wedding photographer!

Santorini Wedding – Greece – Kerri & Tony

July 10, 2019/0 Comments/in Wedding preview, Travel, Wedding /by Steven Duncan

Kerri & Tony
Santorini Wedding – Greece

Heading over to the Greek islands to cover Kerri and Tony’s Santorini wedding has got to be one of the highlights in my wedding photography career so far! The picturesque sights available in the town of Thera, nestled high amongst the cliffs surrounding the caldera of Santorini is an absolute dream to photograph, and it makes it so much easier when I have and amazing couple as Kerri and Tony as subjects! Both Kerri and Tony live in Adelaide, South Australia, but chose to hold a destination Santorini wedding in order to head around Europe on honeymoon. Another reason was that Kerri and Tony met in Canada, where Tony lived, so in order to make the wedding fair to both families they held it somewhere in between the two countries!

Preparation

While shooting a Santorini wedding is an absolute blast and pretty much a wedding photographer’s dream location to shoot at, walking inbetween locations in the height of the Greek summer was no easy task! Thera is a town located right at the top of the cliffs, so walking anywhere really takes it’s toll on your thighs! I mention this as Tony and Kerri were both prepared at different locations a good walk away form one another – good thing I’m fit! 😛

I started the day with Tony and his family, with his groomsmen who all travelled out from Canada for the big day. After getting in a bit of trouble splashing a bit of water out from the pool in order to get a shot of the boys jumping in, I took photos of them all getting ready. It was a fairly laid back affair with Tony showing little to no signs of nerves, and more keen on having a good time with his mates.

Jumping int he pool

Swimming

Bow Tie

Wedding Shoes

Putting on shirt

Doing up tie

Groom and his groomsmen

Walking down the road

Kerri and her bridal party were the same, laughing and joking about whilst occasionally doing little dances all around the rooms and making funny faces in front of the camera. Perhaps the only difference was that everyone got ready inside so as to avoid the beating heat of the lovely sunny day. Kerri’s paresnts and flower girl dropped in for a visit just as she was about to leave which was nice as we got to have some family photos done before walking up to the ceremony at Dana Villas.

Wedding dress

Looking in mirror

Getting dressed

Putting on bracelet

Engagement ring

Laughing in mirror

Standing in doorway

Getting ready

Dancing about

Dad looking on

Flower girl

Walking up stairs

Playing with flowers

Bridal crew

Dana Villas, Santorini Wedding Ceremony

The Dana Villas wedding ceremony location is a wonderul vantage point, overlooking the entirety of the Santorini caldera – caused by an ancient volcanic eruption. There is a purpose built wooden arbour that covers where the bride and groom stand while having a stunning viewpoint to the waters below. It’s conveniently located amongst some of the more upper scale hotel accomodations available on the island, and also withing short walking distance to the center of the town of Thera.

Kerri and Tony’s wedding ceremony was officiated by a friend of theirs using some personal injokes and personalised vows that made sure their congregation were chuckling throughout. They even went as far as incororate their mutal love of board games by having the rule book of ‘Settlers of Catan‘ as their marriage registry book. As everyopne had travelled, both from Canada and Australia the congregation was a rather intimate affair with no more than 40-50 people in attandance.

Groom looking for bride

Bridal arrival

Smiling bride

Dana Villas Wedding Ceremony Location

Santorini Wedding Ceremony

Standing together

Reading vows

Smiling bride

Exchaning vows

Laughing

Smiling groom

Santorini wedding ceremony

Exchaning rings

First kiss

Smiles

Exit

Thera, Santorini Wedding Glamour Photos

As Kerri and Tony werent overly keen on the idea of spending too long having glamour photos taken, I had spent the previous few days I had in the island scouting out spots on the walk in between Dana Villas and the Apelos cafe – where their reception was taking place. The aim being that I could utilise the wonderous views of Thera on Santorini, without taking up too much time before entering their reception and starting the party 🙂 A goal of mine before heading out to Santorini was to find a spot to capture the iconic blue domed church and three bell arch that’s symbolic of the Greek isles – luckily I found a spot in Thera for just that purpose and it wasn’t too crowded with tourists for us to use. For other shots I simply used the stairways and wonderful vistas the island naturally provides.

Just a tip for anyone out there planning a Santorini Wedding – try to book your day during a period where there are few cruise ships in port, as the island tends to fill up with tourists in no time when there are 3-5 cruise ships in town and some of the best spots for photo taking just get swamped!

Looking over the caldera of Santorini

Walking through the streets of Thera

Putting on jacket

Skipping down the steps

Kisses

Sitting together

Bride and her girls

Kiss on the cheek

Bridal party

Santorini Wedding

Under a lamp post

Silly faces

Lovey dovey

Bridal party walking together in Thera, Santorini

Bride and her bridal aprty

Bride and groom in front of blue domed church

Santorini wedding photography

infront of flowers

Walk ways of Thera, Santorini

Thera, Santorini Wedding

Apelos Wedding Reception

The Ampelos cafe in the middle of the city of Thera is a wonderful little cafe situated on the rooftop overlooking the caldera of Santorini. It’s located right on the main pedestrian strip of the city where at sunset it gets super crowded with tourists, so being above everyone in the rooftop space was great for uninterrupted views of the world-reknowned sunset.

On one side of the reception space theres a magnificent white domed church which made for a beautiful backdrop for Kerri and Tony’s head table, while the guests tables were situated under the roofing, surrounding the dance floor. It was a beautiful spot to end what was an absolutely stunning day!

Entry to Reception

Guests

Laughing groom

The last supper

Bride looking out over Santorini’s Caldera

Laughing bride

Speeches

Santorini Sunset

Speech

Wedding cake

First dance

Flower girl cuddles

Bouquet toss

Adelaide Sailing Club Wedding – Helen & Simon

April 10, 2019/0 Comments/in Wedding preview, Wedding /by Steven Duncan

Helen & Simon
Adelaide Sailing Club Wedding

There was no better place to be than the beach for Helen and Simon’s stunning wedding ceremony out the front of the Adelaide Sailing Club House. The weather was absolutely stunning, not too hot or cold, and the wind was just enough to make you feel like you were beach side! Helen and Simon’s family had travelled long distances in some cases in order to celebrate their union together and a more happy family is very hard to come by. 🙂 I was asked to be their wedding photographer from their ceremony through to the sunset, and we got some great shots in front of the sun that’s for sure!

Adelaide Sailing Club Wedding Ceremony

Helen and Simon’s ceremony took place on the large grassy area out the front of the Adelaide Sailing Club house. The grassy area meets the body of water and small beach held within the artificial rocks that make up the boat ramp catchment area of the sailing club. Quite fortuitously on the same day as their wedding, there was a sailing regatta on in the background, so there was a lovely display of small sailing boats cruising about on the waters just behind where Helen and Simon’s ceremony took place. It was a lovely sight to behold.

Smiling groom

Adelaide Sailing Club

Smiling bride

First kiss

Just married

Walking together

Standing together

Speech

Getting married

Speech

Arbor

Exchanging wedding rings