Darwin’s Dudley Point Wedding – Melanie & Kerry

It was so good to be up in Darwin again for a wedding, and I was super excited for Melanie and Kerry’s as it was the first time as a frequent Darwin wedding photographer to be in the Top End for Territory day!

I had heard stories of the fireworks and how crazy the streets of Darwin gets, but I finally was going to be in town to see it! Even better they head out to East Point for a spot of private fireworks the night before – awesome!

Melanie and Kerry’s big day’s weather turned out brilliantly – if not a bit chilly for Darwin, and it was an awesome day to be a part of!

Preparation

Melanie and Kerry had a pretty nifty set up for their preparation, having two separate properties connected via a shared backyard, where Kerry and his groomsmen got ready in one house, while Melanie and her bridal party got ready in the other!

I spent the time I was with them walking inbetween houses as things were happening and using the nifty surrounds which included pools, lush green trees and triple tiered interior of one of the houses!

The whole aesthetic of Melanie and Kerry’s day was very beachy, laid back and fun. The boys were dressed in Hawaiian shirts, while the girls were dressed in nice, short dresses with a blue theme for the beach.

Wedding rings in shell

Groomsman talking to groom

Blue engagement ring on yellow flowers

Bridal jewellery on rock

Wedding dress hanging in tree in Darwin

Flower girl watching bride get ready on balcony

Groomsman with socks on head

Groom and grooms men in middle of pool

Groom standing in middle of pool

Bride having her hair done

Flower girl makeup

Flower girl admriing herself in mirror

Bride decending down stairs

Bridesmaids in blue helping bride

Naked cat

bride putting on ear rings nearby window

Bride walking down stairs

bridal party on stairs

Bridal party next to pool

Dudley Point Wedding Ceremony

The East Point Reserve, just north of the Darwin city center was where Melanie and Kerry chose to hold their wedding. It would have to be one of my favourite spots in Darwin to take photos, so that was great!

Their Dudley Point wedding ceremony took place in the corner of the picnic area, with a view of the nearby cliffs. There was enough room for a large number of their guests, while also being intimate due to the fact the ceremony took place on top of the cliffs.

The ceremony itself was a lovely, simple affair with stories of how the two met, their vows were personally written and heartfelt – and everyone was all smiles at the end walking through bubbles!

Tesla Arriving at Dudley Point Wedding

Bride exiting Tesla

Posing in front of Tesla wedding car

Relaxed groom

Bride arriving at Dudley Point Wedding Ceremony

Grooms first look of bride at Dudley Point wedding ceremony

Bride andgroom talking at Dudley Point wedding ceremony

Dudley Point wedding Ceremony

Darwin’s Dudley Point wedding Ceremony

Bride smiling at her groom during ceremony at Dudley Point

Bridal vows

Bride and groom framed by square arbour

First kiss at Dudley Point wedding ceremony

Bride and groom exit from their Dudley Point wedding ceremony

Glamour Photos

Time was running short once we had sorted all the group photos, and I had managed to corral all members of the bridal party for a short walk along the cliff top to what I affectionately call ‘pride rock’ as it looks like the bride and groom are perched upon a thin sliver of sliff top, when it’s quite a wide chunk of rock – and it kind of looks like Pride Rock from the Lion King.

I wanted to head here first as I feared being the 2nd of July – it would be a super busy day in Darwin for weddings, and I presumed we would have to beat many other couples off this spot with a stick. Surprisingly no other weddings showed up! So we actually had the run of the place before driving out towards the Fannie Bay Foreshore for the sunset on the beach.

I also stuck in a firework photo I took the night before because I thought it was cool 🙂

Bride and groom out on clifftop

bride and groom nearby the tree on Pride Rock

Bride and groom with ocean in background

Bride and groom admiring sunset

Darwin East Point Pride Rock wedding photo

bridal party at East Point

Wedding socks

bride and groom with sunset in background

Groom elading bride through the undergrowth

Bride and groom share embrace surrounded by foliage

bride leads groom along beachfront

Bridal portrait of bride and groom

Bride and groom walking along Darwin beach

Bridal party with Darwin’s cliffs as a backdrop

Darwin’s Cracker night couples photo

Darwin Wedding Reception

After their Dudley Point wedding ceremony and their glamour photos, Melanie and Kerry held their reception at turned out to be a huge shed that they had spent untold hours setting up for their party!

Thousands of fairy lights adorned the ceiling over their huge u-shaped table seating all their guests – it actaully made for a pretty neat group photo spot!

The night was full of fun, speeches, great food and was great to be a part of!

Darwin reception setup in shed

wedding memorial table

group shot of all wedding guests

Grooms speech in front of white backdrop

Another angle of Darwin wedding reception

Bride’s speech

Triple wedding cake

Cutting their wedding cake

Bridal couple dancing

Groom having some fun

Bouquet toss result

Thanks so much to Melanie and Kerry for having me at your Dudley Point wedding!

July 29, 2022

Wedding preview, Wedding

Jervois Park Wedding – Darwin – Kate & Dylan

I have never before seen such impeccable timing than Kate and Dylan’s wedding where they timed their big day the day before a major COVID lockdown in Darwin. The day itself was a typical stunnly sunny Darwin day that made their Jervois Park wedding – just south of the Darwin CBD such a wonderful experience!

Kate and Dylan’s big day was full of family fueled fun, joy and beautiful moments I was so glad to capture with both photography and videography!

Preparation

Both Kate and Dylan were prepared nearby their Jervois Park wedding venue, with Dylan in a bed and breakfast I had shot in before, and Kate in a hotel room within the CBD.

As per usual on a wedding day, small things often go wrong that just cannont be helped – in the case of Dylan’s preparation, unfortunately one of his groomsmen got on the wrong end of a chainsaw only days before the wedding was to take place! Thankfully the injury wasn’t as bad as it could have been, and he was certainly a champ powering through the rest of his mate’s big day!

The morning was fun filled, and the guys had the usual trouble tieing their ties before Mr. Youtube came along to help! A troup of male strippers also made an appearance! – More of Dylan’s mates trying to create some silly photos 🙂

Wedding rings resting on white tie

Wedding stubbie holder

Engagement ring in between grooms shoes

Groom tieing tie surrounded by windows

Father helping tie tie

Groomsman tieing tie

Groomsman putting on socks

Groomsmen gathered around groom

Groom putting on jacket

Smiling groom looking at camera

Groom at the top of the stairway

Groomsmen at top of staircase

groomsmen in front of pool

Kate and her bridal party had a slightly more straightforward preparation, with plenty of makeup and hair to sort out before the ceremony. The ladies were all in good spirits and were obviously having a great time!

A highlight of the morning with the bridal party for me was the arrival of Kate’s father where we set up a bit of a first look for him seeing Kate in her dress for the first time. Always a crowd pleasing moment!

Wedding dress hanging from roof

Bridal shoes with bouquet

bridal makeup

bridesmaids reaching for dresses

bride and bridesmaids in doorway

Bride sitting in makeup chair

Bride and bridesmaids with gowns

Bride and bridesmaids having fun under veil on bed

bride looking back

Bride being preparaed

bride looking at bridesmaid while being prepared

Bride standing alone in living area

bridesmaids looking at bride

Fathers first look

Bride and Dad

Bride and bridal party

Bridal party on balcony

Jervois Park Wedding Ceremony

Kate and Dylan’s Jervois Park Wedding Ceremony took place inbetween a few trees, providing shade to the majority of their congregation while looking out over Darwin Harbour as a backdrop. It’s a pretty nice spot to hold a wedding ceremony – with quite a bit of parking space for guests, reasonably isolated from passers by, and still being in the center of the city!

Kate and her bridal party arrived in huge all terrain vehicles, which spoke to their affinity for the outdoors, and the ceremony itself was a simple affair with Kate and Dylan sharing personal vows, before breaking off to celebrate with guests and have family photos done.

Jervois Park wedding sign

Arriving parent

Groom standing around

Guests mingling

Bride getting out of car

bride arriving with Father

Groom smiling at bride in jarvois Park

Smiling groom during Jervois Park Wedding

Jervois Park Wedding Ceremony

Holding hands during Jervois Park Wedding Ceremony

Smiling bride during her wedding ceremony in Darwin

Groom listening to his bride’s vows

Exchanging wedding rings under arbour

Closeup of wedding rings exchange

First Kiss at Darwins Jervois Park

bride and groom holding one another after the ceremony

Glamour Photos

For glamour photos, one of the main spots Kate wanted to head to were the marvellous trees located in Garden’s Park, just in front of the Darwin Botanic Gardens. The area in there provides for some stunning shots – particularly later in the day with the sun lowering and gleaming through the foliage, or the trunks of the huge trees growing here.

We then head to one of my favourite spots in Darwin for wedding photos – the East Point cliffs. Us along with 2 other wedding parties who also had the same idea! Thankfully we arrived just as one party was finishing up, so we managed to get the prime spot out on the ‘pride rock’ rock formation in time for the sunset. Unfortunately for the couple arriving after us they kind of missed out! Very popular spot!

Bride and groom in front of wedding 4WD

Bride and groom in green foliage

Bride and groom amongst the green trees

Bride and groom framed by the green foliage

bridal party in the large trees

bride and groom walking between the trees of Darwin’s Botanic Park

Wedding Photo in front of Darwin’s Botanic Gardens

Gardens Park wedding Photo

Gardens Park wedding party Photo

Bridal party at East Point

Bridal party at East Point together

bride and groom out on pride rock

East Point Wedding Photo

Darwins East Point Wedding Photo

East Point in Darwin wedding photography

East Point Bride and groom

Bride and groom Darwin sunset

bride and groom looking out at the sunset

wedding couple looking out at the sunset

Private Property Wedding Reception

Kate and Dylan then had a bit of a drive out to their wedding reception which was held on a pricate property out by Howard Springs. The front yard of a house was decorated with a beautiful display of fairy lights covering all the tables for guests which had also been set up.

What I found most striking from their reception setup was the beautiful tiki torches lining the entrance to the reception – really made the whole setting quite intimate and glamourous, despite the bobcat holding the drinks in it’s digger!

bride and groom arriving at reception

Bobcat holding drinks

Guests selecting drinks

Maid of honour speech

Hugs after speech

Wedding cake on display in circle

Cutting the wedding cake as husband and wife

Dad and daughter dance

Happy bride in first dance

Smiling groom during first dance

Bride sitting on grooms knee

Dancing guests at the reception

Guests on swing

Table setting

Shoe game under the lights

Bride and groom kissing on the dance floor

Dance floor

bride and groom between the tiki torches

Cooling off in the pool

Bride dancing on the dancefloor

Dancing guests

Kate and Dylan, I’m so glad you guys got to celebrate your big day before COVID decided to ruin anything! Thanks so much for having me as your wedding photographer at your Jervois Park wedding!

August 18, 2021

Wedding, ideas, Travel

The Best Wedding Photo Locations in Darwin

From the weather, the people, and the incredible sunsets, shooting a wedding in Darwin has always been an incredible experience for me and I’d like to share some of my favourite wedding photo locations in Darwin.

My goal here is to provide a simple list of locations in and around the Darwin general area, without having to force bridal couples to travel too far. I’ve also restricted this list to free to enter locations – that is photo locations that do not require a permit in order to be allowed ot have photos taken there or even an out-and-out Darwin Wedding Venue. An example of an otherwise obvious addition to this list would be the Darwin Botanic Gardens which do require a permit.

A list of my favourite Wedding Photo Locations in Darwin

Nightcliff Jetty and Surrounds

The Nightcliff Jetty and surrounding parks is a popular spot for locals and tourists a like to bask in the glow of the famous Darwin sunsets that light up the sky in a glorious orange glow during the Darwin wedding season. It’s not uncommon to see multiple weddings having their sunset photos done here in the evening.

It’s the uninterrupted view of the sunset and the wonderful rocks that emerge from the ocean that draw people here to have their photography done!

Darwin wedding sunset

East Point Reserve

Similar to the Nightcliff rocks, the East Point reserve has some incredible rock formations you can have an adventurous bridal couple climb over for some epic scenes – particularly at sunset. Also if you’re able to time it right, at low tide you can walk down from nearby Pee Wees on the Point to the beach with some incredible rocks, mango trees and coloured cliffs that make for some great backdrops! Just takes a bit of planning from the bridal couple to get down there. You can also use some of the World War 2 historical buildings nearby.

Darwin’s Pride rock

Out on pride rock

Darwin wedding photo

SunSet Beach / Fannie Bay Foreshore

Just down the road from the East Point reserve is SunSet Beach which is one of my favourite wedding photo locations in Darwin largely due to it’s so easy to get to. Both Nightcliff and East Point rocks require your bridal couple to be ok with traipsing over rocks – where as its the same with Sunset beach, but it’s a lot easier to get to, and less dangerous.

Out on the water

Lake Alexander

Right across the road from SunSet Beach is Lake Alexander. If you’re looking for a little more greenery in your Darwin wedding photography, then heading to the Lake Alexander park would be your best bet. With curated lawns and green trees bordering the lake itself, it makes for a nice change in pace from the dark greens, and yellows you would get from shooting in front of cliffs, beaches and rocks all day.

Walking together

Holding one another

Gardens Park Trees

When covering a wedding in Darwin I always try to visit the incredible trees located on Gardens rd, just outside the entrance to the Darwin Botanic Gardens. The unique trees that are growing in Gardens Park make for an incredible backdrop for wedding photography. And it’s not just one or two of thetrees here, it’s pretty much all of them! They are climbable, huge, always green and would not look out of place in any Harry Potter movie.

Under a tree

Bridal Party under a tree

Darwin wedding trees

Vestey’s Beach Rocks

If you’re looking for a relatively quiet sandy beach, and a few rocks, then Vestey’s beach is a good bet. It’s a beach that’s closed off from the famous Mindil beach next door, but usually without the crowds that usually go along with Mindil beach during the dry season due to the Mindil beach markets. The rocks a short walk from the boat ramp make a nice frame to any shot too.

Vesteys beach rocks

Darwin Waterfront Precinct

If you’re after a more industrial feel to your wedding photography, the Darwin waterfront precinct would be one of my favourite wedding photo locations in Darwin. Away from the restaurants and tourists, there are some fun walkways and industrial looking walls lining walkways with the bay in the background.

There is also the Bicentennial park nearby, which I have not made one of my favourite wedding photo locations due to the fact that it’s nearly impossible to go there without getting others in the background which is usually the aim win wedding photography.

Bride and Groom walking together near Wharf One

Bridal Party

Rock formations on Casurina drive

It’s really hard to get a bridal couple to head out here for photos, but when they do it always pays off. The famed ‘fingers’ rock formation is difficult to get to, due to the long walk, or jumping over a fence to get to, it’s also a fair way away from any other photo spots – so to get here it can eat up a bit of time which is usually at a premium on a wedding day. But just look at this place!

Darwin Fingers Rock Formation

Darwin Surf Club Beach

It’s not so much the Darwin Surf club, but rather the beach out the front of the wedding venue. The beach not only goes on for miles in both directions, but also boasts hundreds of meters of sand between the land and the water at low tide. The reflections you can get in water pools at sunset are absolutely awesome.

Darwin Surf Club

There are so many other gems of wedding photo locations around Darwin, but these are a few of my favourite wedding photo locations in Darwin to get you started exploring the wonderful photo opportunities that this city offers.

June 6, 2020

Wedding preview, Wedding

Wharf One Wedding – Darwin – Amanda & Brian

Amanda and Brian’s wedding was held right on the foreshore of Darwin under the verandah of the Wharf One restaurant with the picturesque backdrop of Darwin’s Kitchener Bay. The day’s weather was absolutely magnificent, as can be expected from Darwin at this time of year! I love heading up to the Northern Territory for this exact reason! Amanda and Brian had quite a few of their family and friends travel up to Darwin for their wedding day which included two separate tea ceremonies and a lovely laid back ceremony and reception at Wharf One.[/av_one_half]

Morning Tea Ceremonies

Amanda and Brian hosted two separate traditional tea ceremonies for their two travelling families. The first in a rather nice, large bed and breakfast propertry overlooking the Darwin shoreline. It’s also where Amanda and her bridal party had their makeup and hair done before greeting Brian who arrived brandishing flowers.

I rather like the idea of giving thanks to family members and seeking approval of the wedding through the exchanging of tea in the morning before wedding ceremonies as it brings together and includes family members who would otherwise not have as much to do on a wedding day. It formalises the idea of the coming together of two separate families in a lovely traditional way.

Makeup

Family on couch

Engagement ring

Tea set

Wedding rings

Wedding dress

Grooms arrival

Smiling bride

Hugs

Tea ceramony

Jewellery gift

Little girl

Smiling guests

Entrance

Mobile photos

Drinking tea

Offering tea

Tea cup

Tea ceremony

Preparation Photos

As is often the case after hosting a tea ceremony on a wedding day, it’s not uncommon for the bridal party to change clothing into their wedding ceremony attire. After heading back from the Darwin city center and back to the bed and breakfast for lunch, Amanda changed out of her red dress into her white bridal gown, while Brian suited up. They managed to hide the dress entirely from Brian despite being prepared at the same location by hiding it in an upstairs bedroom which Brian was forbidden to enter. That way the tradition of seeing the bride for the first time on the day was saved for when she walked down the aisle in her white dress, which Brian hadnt seen yet! 🙂

Shoes

Cufflinks

Crossing fingers

Putting on shirt

Sorting out ties

Pose

Putting on jacket

Helping out

Closeup of flower

Walking out door

Bridesmaid helping out

Putting on dress

Walking down the stairs

Bridesmaid putting in veil

Looking pretty

Bridesmaids

Wharf One Wedding Ceremony

The decking just outside the Wharf One restaurant was the setting for their wedding ceremony, with the entire congregation shaded from the hot sun, and yet still enjoying the beautiful weather while surrounded by the calm waters found in the Darwin artificial beach precinct. The ceremony itself was a lovely simple affair with a couple of friends and family sharing readings and laughter as their celebrant highlighted some of the funnier parts of their relationship.

Wedding sign

Groom waiting patiently

Bride getting ready to go

Bridal approach

Out the front together

Smiles

Wedding ceremony

Smiling bride

Wharf One Wedding ceremony

Exchanging wedding rings

Holding hands

First kiss

Bridal exit

Glamour Photos

After the family photos, the rest of the congregation enjoyed the precinct surrounding the Wharf One restaurant while Amanda, Brian, their bridal party and I went for a little drive to make use of some of the more picturesque spots scattered around Darwin. Our first stop was of course the decking surrounding Wharf One where we took a few bridal party shots. We then head over to the wonderful trees out the front of the Darwin Botanic Gardens. The trees here are wonderful to have photos done at that time of day as the sun peeks through the foliage in such a delightful manner! We then head around to the parklands surrounding Lake Alexander before heading up to Dudley point to make use of the delightful hanging cliffs for the sunset.

Bride and Groom walking together near Wharf One

Pushing the groom into the drink

Bridal Party

Bridal Party under a tree

Bridal Party under the trees

Bride and groom walking together

Under a tree

Amongst the scrub

Romantic

Hugs

Walking together

Holding one another

Out on pride rock

Beautiful light on the rocks

Sunset

Wharf One Wedding Reception

Amanda and Brian’s wedding reception was held back at the Wharf One restaurant a little late as we stayed out at Dudley Point for the sunset, but noone seemed to mind much. The atmosphere was jovial and everyone had a delightful meal backdropped by live music and the odd foray into the photobooth – who’s attendant happened to be the very same attendant at my first wedding in Darwin over 2 years ago! Very small world.

Bridal entrance

Speech

Schedule

Best Man speech

Bride

Maids of honour speech

Laughing bride

Hugs

Wedding cake

Speech

Cutting the cake

Inside Wharf One Restaurant

Boys hanging out

Thanks so much for Amand and Brian for having me as your wedding photographer! If anyone is looking for a photographer in Darwin, I’d be super keen to travel back up for your wedding! Check out my darwin website at https://svenstudios.com/darwin-wedding-photography/ for more details!

August 28, 2019

Wedding preview, Wedding

St Mary’s Cathedral Wedding – Darwin – Jane & David

There’s nothing better than travelling up to Darwin for a wedding during the winter months, getting away from the cold weather in Adelaide during this time of year! these past few months have been full of travel for me, having covered a wedding in Santorini, Greece just a few weeks prior to Jane and David’s wedding at the St Mary’s Cathedral in Darwin! It was so awesome to be a part of as I knew Jane and David were wonderful people last time I met up with them on the remote Tiwi Islands, north of Darwin for an engagement shoot.

I went up there for a few days camping and exploring the remote island where Jane and David live amongst the local Tiwi islander community. It also happens to be the location of the wedding featured in the recent blockbuster ‘Top end wedding‘, which was pretty neat!

Preparation

David was being prepared with his groomsmen in an apartment overlooking the Darwin waterfront precinct. The atmosphere was laid back and easygoing and it all went pretty smoothly until I apparently interrupted a crossfit competition when we were waling about for photos on the beachfront.. sorry about that! Diddn’t seem to interrupt much as I diddnt even notice until after when someone mentiuoned it to me.. haha.

Walking along the beach

Getting ready

Wedding rings

Getting ready

Socks

Getting ready

Close up of flower

Getting ready

Jane and her bridesmaids were being prepared in a rather lavish bed and breakfast overlooking the Darwin skyline. The house featured a 3 story long single stairway which I was super keen on utilising for photos! 🙂 Similar to the guys, the girls were super laid back and if there were any nerves, Jane was hiding it well 🙂

Wedding dress

Everybody helping

Girls together

Putting in earrings

Engagement ring in shoes

Wedding dress

Champaigne

Engagement ring

Jane and Mum

Smiles

Sitting around

Ready to leave

Buttoning up dress

Putting on dress

St Mary’s Cathedral Wedding Ceremony

St Mary’s Cathedral, or ‘Star of the Sea’ Cathedral is located fairly central to the darwin CBD and features a rather unique arch design right throughout it’s main chamber. The Cathedral is lined with local indigenous artwork which was quite important to Jane and David having strong connections with the local Tiwi islander community where they live and work. In the days leading up to the wedding day, jane was keen to point them out to me and tell me the meaning behind it all. It was facinating to learn about!

The Cathedral was built after the war in 1962, with it’s first tone taken from the first uranium mine built in the Northern Territory. As a result, it’s arather modern cathedral with ample natural lighting and wide open spaces in order to move about without getting in anyone’s way while taking photos 🙂

Jane and David’s wedding ceremony was a traditional Catholic affair, complete with readings and full mass service, and even the ex-bishop of Darwin was in attendance which was quite the surpise to Jane and David! The main thng that really made Jane and David’s service stand out though was the wonderful performance from the local Tiwi islanders who had made the trip out to Darwin to celebrate Jane and David’s wedding with them.

Wedding sign

Bridal entrance

Grooms first look

Smiling bride

Holding hands

Everyone out the front

Smiles

Groom

Inside St Mary’s Cathedral

Standing together

Holding hands

priest

Sitting together

under the arch

Ring bearer

First kiss

Celebrations!

Mass

Sitting together

Signing the registry

Smiling at one another

Dancers

Dancing bride and groom

Guitar player

Dancing back down the aisle

Glamour Photos

After family photos and more Tiwi islander dancing out the front of St Mary’s Cathedral, we head out for the glamour photos. We first made use of the wonderful trees out the front of the Darwin Botanical park, before heading over towards Lake Alexander and East Point for photos amongst the wonderful red rocks and cliffs along the beach. jane and david were keen on having photos done similar to what they would have had done in the Tiwi Islands so I suggested heading around here. We also made use of a small park nearby the Darwin Surf Club before heading in for their reception.

Amongst the trees

Pride rock

Under the veil

Pride rock

bridal party

Walking along the beach

Pride rock

Out on the water

Under the sun

Walking along the beach

We head into the Darwin Surf Club for the beginning of their wedding reception only to leave about 20 minutes later to drive to the Nightcliff area for some sunset photos. I’m glad we did too as it was a spectacular sunset and I was about to angle myself in order to make the sun look larger than it actually is. It’s great when that’s possible with a sunset like this!

Sunset photo

Nightcliff wedding sunset

Watching the sunset

yay!

Sillouette

Darwin wedding sunset

Darwin Surf Club Wedding Reception

As is usally the case in Darwin during the dry season, the temperature during the night was absolutely perfect for a night time reception out on the lawn, and the great thing about the Darwin Surf Club is that the sun sets right over the beautiful beach lining the venue. The entire guest list were certainly there to have a good time and I was so pleased to see so many people up on the dance floor! Even David serenaded jane during the night with his newly gained guitar skills! It was such a fun night to be a part of which even featured a gelato bar!