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How to Plan the Perfect Surprise Engagement

For many couples, the idea of planning and executing a surprise engagement may seem overwhelming, but it’s actually easier than you might think! In fact, if you follow these simple steps when planning your engagement, then your photographer can capture all the happy tears, hugs, and kisses without having to worry about how to pull off the surprise!

So, read on for some helpful tips on how to plan the perfect surprise engagement, and then get out there and start planning! From finding the perfect spot to pulling off the surprise, this guide should help you create the romantic and memorable experience you will cherish for years to come!

Engagements Are Beautiful. Surprises Are Fun. Captured Moments Are Priceless.

 

Here’s how to plan the perfect surprise engagement so that your photographer can capture it:

1) Choose The Location

Your journey towards a surprise engagement will start at your perfect location. Whether you’re deciding on an indoor or outdoor setting, you want to pick somewhere that has sentimental value as well as some privacy. Whether it’s visiting one of your favorite restaurants or going on a hiking adventure, you’ll want to choose something that is special to both of you and where you can go early before your photographer arrives. That way, your engagement day goes by like any other day; no one will suspect what is in store for them! Moreover, if you do opt for an indoor location, such as a restaurant, then make sure to arrive early enough so that you have plenty of time alone.

This extra planning ahead makes all the difference when trying to pull off a surprise wedding proposal! Overall, if you want your photographer to capture those precious tears and smiles in photos instead of missed opportunities on video, then always plan ahead and schedule plenty of time alone together with low lighting during their engagement session.

Belair National Park engagement photo

2) Choose The Time of Day

Timing is everything, and when planning for your surprise engagement, you want to choose an early time in order to avoid crowds. For example, if you choose a restaurant for your location, then ask about lunch or breakfast reservations. If you go on an outdoor adventure, then you’ll want to check sunrise and sunset times first. By doing your research ahead of time and making sure that no one else will be at your special location during these prime times, you’ll be able to achieve complete privacy during your photoshoot!

Plus, don’t forget to always plan plenty of extra time just in case things take longer than expected or any issues arise. That way, if there are any delays getting back home after your shoot, you won’t need to rush it and miss any opportunities along the way. When all is said and done, though, be realistic with how much time you actually have; rushing through certain aspects of your process could lead to interruptions or incomplete details – both of which could ruin what should be a perfect surprise!

Sunset proposal

3) Choose Who Will Be There

Choosing who you invite will be an important step towards your surprise engagement. While it’s usually best to keep it small, there may be times when you want extra witnesses around for your big moment. For example, if you’re planning on surprising your partner at a restaurant, then consider inviting one of his/her closest friends or family members for support.

On the other hand, if you want to keep it even more private and intimate, then plan ahead with only your photographer and perhaps one or two people who know about your plans. When planning for your perfect location, make sure not to inform anyone else about any details of your big day; otherwise, there is a chance that someone could accidentally spoil it before you are ready!

One Tree Hill Engagement shoot

4) Get A Professional Photographer

Hiring an experienced and professional photographer is one of the most important steps when planning for your surprise engagement. By hiring someone who knows what they’re doing, you can rest assured knowing that all of your precious memories will be captured perfectly. If you’re not sure where to find a qualified wedding photographer, then SvenStudios is your best bet! Our team prides itself on providing exceptional photojournalism at some of Australia’s best photo studios!

Moreover, we offer packages specifically designed for couples wanting beautiful engagements photos taken in unique locations around Australia; if you need any further information about these options or would like us to capture your perfect proposal, please reach out today!

Smoke backdrop for couple

Wrapping Up

It’s not hard to see why planning an engagement is so fun, but it can also be a lot of work! Remember to plan ahead as much as possible getting your photographer involved early on is one of your best tools for success when you plan the perfect surprise engagement. And remember that once you’ve set everything up with them, then it’s time to concentrate on having fun and making sure that you surprise your partner properly.

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Be Adventurous with your Wedding Photography!

Being adventurous with your wedding photography can lead to some of the most unique and beautiful shots that people will stare at in awe. Rather than relying on the tried-and-true locations, you can take advantage of your surroundings and try something new—or at least different. Being adventurous with your wedding photography can mean that your photos will capture your true emotion and personality so much better than ‘playing safe’ and relying on tired cliches.

Your wedding will be a day filled with joy and happiness, and your photos should reflect that. But how can you go about making these decisions? What are you getting yourself into? And what does being adventurous even mean in the context of wedding photography? If you’re completely lost, don’t worry—we’re here to help.

Below I’ll go over what adventurous wedding photography can entail as both a photographer and the couples, as well as some tips and tricks to make sure you have the best experience possible. So, without any further ado, let’s get started!

Be Adventurous with your Wedding Photography for best results!

1) Think Outside the Box

If you’re looking to take your wedding photography up a notch, think outside of the box. Rather than cliche poses and plain backgrounds, experiment with various settings and find something interesting in your surroundings. You’ll want to be careful not to get too avant-garde or abstract; after all, you don’t want your photos to look like they were taken by M.C. Escher (though some may argue that would be pretty cool).

Keep it real and go with something authentic, but new and exciting at that. If you need inspiration, get out there are search for artistic landscape photographs from your wedding venue and surrounds that you like and simply put yourself in those scenes after discussing with your photographer.

Wedding photo on cliffs

2) A Necessary Conversation Between Bride and Groom

Expectations can often get in the way of enjoying yourself on your wedding day, and that’s completely normal. You’re expected to look a certain way, act a certain way, etc., and these pressures can take their toll over time. One good thing you can do is make sure to have a clear conversation about expectations with your partner before you head out for your big day.

Make sure you’re on board with each other’s ideas before anything else—this will ensure everyone gets what they want out of their photographs, which will ultimately result in more enjoyable pictures!

Out on pride rock

3) Spend Time in Your Location

While you’re getting used to being adventurous, try heading out of your comfort zone and spending some time in your potential wedding location before you take any photos. Doing so will make you feel more at ease during that special day—you’ll know where everything is and have a good idea of how to get around. You might even stumble upon a few photo opportunities along the way.

So don’t be afraid to head into uncharted territory—the worst thing that can happen is you won’t end up using it for anything. Be brave and find something new that works with your story!

Burbrook Kuitpo forest wedding photo

4) Keep An Open Mind to Suggestions

A big part of being adventurous with your wedding photography is keeping an open mind to suggestions from others as well as coming up with ideas on your own. If you don’t feel like you’re in a position to make decisions about how you want your wedding photography taken, that’s perfectly fine—your photographer has experience and can point you in a direction that will work best for both of you.

Don’t be afraid to ask questions or try something new! And just like before, if it turns out you don’t like it, it was all a learning experience. In fact, most photographers suggest trying many different looks during your session; what works for one shot might not work so well for another and vice versa.

Kuitpo Forest wedding

5) Stay Light on Your Feet

While you’re doing everything else on your list, don’t forget to have fun. Most photographers will tell you that good pictures come from having fun and feeling comfortable with one another (which is why it’s so important to have that conversation about expectations beforehand). So go ahead and dance a little, jump around if you want—it’s your wedding day, after all. And as long as you stay light on your feet, everything should work out just fine!

Remember, most of these suggestions are based on experience, but there are no strict rules when it comes to taking great photographs. Your best bet is going with what feels right for you and being excited about it; if nothing else, being adventurous will make your big day much more memorable.

The grooms men in rocks at Second Valley

6) Think About Storytelling Through Composition

When it comes to composition, there are so many different factors you have to think about. The first and most obvious one is framing—where do you want to place your subject within that photograph? Do you want them in front of a beautiful landscape or a famous landmark? What if they’re doing something interesting with their hands or body? How close should you be as a photographer when capturing an image?

In addition, consider depth of field (the way everything looks sharp and in focus or blurry), color schemes (everything from clothing to flowers), light exposure (for example, bright outdoor lighting versus more dim indoor lighting), shutter speed (how long your camera’s shutter will stay open), etc. All of these things can add up over time—so once again, be adventurous!

Beautiful light on the rocks

Have Fun, It’s Your Wedding Day!

And last but not least, don’t forget to have fun. Remember that whatever you decide to do, it doesn’t matter as long as you’re both happy with it. If your photographer suggests an idea that seems silly or uncomfortable at first—but gets you excited—give it a shot. Go ahead and plan something new and exciting—the best thing that can happen is you get great photos and memories from your special day; worst case scenario is nothing comes of it. Just try to be adventurous with your wedding photography and I promise it will all pay off!

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Personalise Your Wedding Day With Engagement Photos

Are you gearing up to get married in the near future? If so, congratulations! Along with all of the other big decisions that need to be made, like finding a wedding venue and registering for gifts, you’ll also want to consider how to incorporate engagement photos into your wedding day. Engagement photos, also known as fiancé or fiancée photos or couple photos, are meant to preserve and commemorate the love you have for each other before the formalities of a wedding are in place.

As I’m about to outline, you can personalise your wedding day with engagement photos in a number of different ways! They aren’t just to sit there on your USB collecting dust!

6 Awesome Ways to Personalise Your Wedding Day With Engagement Photos

1) Place Photo Collages On Each Table

If your wedding venue has glass tops on their tables, make sure to incorporate them into your engagement photos. Nothing sets a stage like a few scenic props under each table. Randomly place pictures of you and your fiancé’s favorite things or of trips you took together so that guests can see how much you both love each other and all that you have in common! To further incorporate the idea of a collage, play around with shapes and sizes of pictures to specifically fit your wedding venue glass tops. This gives the impression that each table is its own mini, personal version of your collage and helps establish a theme that can easily be carried throughout your entire wedding!

Maybe incorperate your engagement photos into the table numbers – or maybe make a coaster with a photo on it? All these little things really make people smile on a wedding day!

Intercontinental Hotel wedding table

2) Create a Photo Wall with Your Engagement Photos

Not only do engagement photos serve as a great way to share your story with family and friends, but they also serve as an excellent piece of decor for your wedding venue. If you are worried about how your engagement photos will look displayed at your wedding, don’t be afraid to use them in a less-than-traditional manner. Another great way to display these photos is to create a photo wall full of your favorite images. This is a fun way to personalize the space while giving guests yet another space to celebrate you and your fiance’s relationship. You will be surprised by how much attention this display garners and how many compliments you receive on it!

Wedding Photos

3) Use Engagement Photos as a Wedding Guest Book

Wedding guest books are a great way to remember who was able to attend your special day, but they can also be a bit boring. If you have engagement photos, why not use them as a unique and personalized guest book? You can display your favorite photo at the entrance of your venue or get creative and ask your photographer to create a collage of photos for you to use instead. Allow guests to sign around the photos with their favorite wishes for the future. This can be framed and used as another piece of decor in your home after the wedding is over.

4) Use Engagement Photos for Wedding Ceremony Programs

Another fun way that you can personalize your wedding day with engagement photos is by using them in various ways throughout the day. If you choose to create printed programs for the ceremony, consider including an engagement photo on the program’s cover or back page.

This is a great opportunity to share one of your favorite photos from the shoot and give guests something interesting to look at as they wait for the ceremony to begin. You can also use social media outlets like Facebook and Instagram to share engagement photos and give guests a sneak peek into the romance that led up to this special occasion.

Belair Train Station engagement shoot with train

5) Use Your Engagement Photos as Save The Dates

Your wedding day will be all the more memorable and fun if you incorporate your engagement photos into save the dates. If you are planning a destination wedding, consider using one of your engagement photos as part of the save the date card. This will give guests an idea of what to expect from your wedding day before they board flights or make other travel arrangements!

Alternatively, you can create a collage for each guest to include in their own set of save the date cards. This is another great way that you can use engagement photos throughout your wedding experience!

Invite

6) Use Engagement Photos as Wedding Invitations

If creating invitations is something that you want to do yourself, why not use some of your favorite engagement photos? Your photographer may have taken many different shots over time, so it won’t be hard at all to find some that are just right for this purpose. You could even take multiple sets from different angles and combine them together to create a unique invitation set with several variations on one theme.

Remember that even though these invitations will only be opened during the ceremony and reception, everyone who attends will still see them – so choose carefully based on how important certain images are to you!

Bridesmaids going crazy over engagement ring

There are infinite ways to personalise your wedding day with engagement photos, but hopefully this little list sparks some sort of idea in your mind on how best to use yours! Love to get in touch to shoot some engagement photos for you!

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5 Ways to Always Look Fantastic in Wedding Photos

Your wedding day is likely one of the most important and memorable days of your life, and it’s almost guaranteed that you’ll want to cherish every moment of it! As one of the most photographed events, you can be sure that you’ll have plenty of opportunities to pose for pictures, from getting ready in your hotel room to cutting the cake at the reception.

However, with so many photos being taken throughout the day, it can be difficult to ensure that you always look fantastic in wedding photos! This list will give you five simple tips to help ensure that you always look your best in wedding photos.

5 Ways to Always Look Fantastic in Wedding Photos

1) Go Easy on Orange-Y Makeup

Bridal makeup is all about bringing out the natural beauty of the bride. Makeup is meant to help you, not take over your face. And when it comes to wedding photos, it’s important to look like yourself so that you can look back on these photos in ten years and still feel beautiful.

The first (and most important) step to achieving this look is to go easy on orange-y makeup. Too much orange will make your skin look sallow, and the last thing you want is to match the color of the bridesmaids’ dresses.

The keyword is “sheer.” The best way to wear orange-y makeup is by choosing a sheer wash of peach or coral blush on the apples of your cheeks. This will give you a healthy flush without going overboard. If this isn’t enough for you, add some light shimmer with a cream eyeshadow that matches or complements your skin tone. Be sure to blend thoroughly so that there aren’t any harsh lines or bright spots anywhere on your face.

You can also try adding some subtle shimmer in the form of a highlighter along your cheekbones, brow bones, and down the bridge of your nose for an extra pop of radiance in front of the camera’s flash. Once again, be sure to blend thoroughly!

All this is great – but the most important tip I can make about all of this is to simply talk to your makeup artist – and be sure not to skimp on the cost – the best out there of course cost a bit more.

Concentrating on makeup

2) Never Underestimate the Beauty of Laughing

If you want to look amazing in your wedding photos, always remember that smiling is the key. Not only does a good smile show off your pearly whites, but it also instantly brightens up your whole face and makes you look radiant.

Speaking of smiles, if you really want to make sure that your wedding photos are ones that you will cherish for a lifetime, then make sure to smile in an authentic way. A fake smile will not have the same effect as a genuine smile and can actually be painful to look at once you see the photo.

To get the most organic-looking smiles out of yourself and others in your wedding photos, try making people laugh instead of saying “cheese.” It is almost impossible not to laugh when someone tells a joke and when people laugh, they cannot help but smile. This will give you genuine smiles every time and a perfect picture.

Close up of bride and groom laughing 2

3) Try Body Grooming on the Day Before (Or earlier!)

If you want to look your best in your wedding photos, you’ll want to make sure that you’re well-groomed. While it may not be feasible to go for a full waxing on the day of your wedding, try doing any necessary body grooming the day before your wedding instead.

You’ll also want to avoid taking a long hot shower right before your wedding as this can cause puffy eyes and redness. Instead, take a short, lukewarm shower and use an alcohol-free toner on your face.

Don’t forget to moisturize with an oil-free moisturizer or aloe vera gel afterward. After all, the last thing you want is a case of chicken skin on your big day!

Bremer Farm wedding photo

4) Shoulders Make All the Difference

Want to present yourself in a flattering way? Then always be sure to stand up straight and keep your shoulders back. This will help you appear more confident, making you look slimmer in wedding photos. And since no one is born with perfect posture, do a few yoga poses on a regular basis—or even try standing against a wall and pulling your shoulders back while holding it for 20 seconds at a time. Practice makes perfect!

It’s a bit of a sterotype for the feminine form to have beautiful, curving lines leading up the beauty that is your face, the best way to be sure this occurs naturally is to be as relaxed as possible – dont try to force poses you’ve seen in magazines as chances are they were paid actors – and you are not. Want to look fantastic in wedding photos? Just be you, as fantastic as you are!

Bride and groom boarding aircraft

5) Be Goofy, Candid, Fun

When all else fails, and you’re worried that your wedding photos will come out stiff or awkward looking, think back to times when you’ve had fun with other people and try to bring that feeling into your photos. If you try too hard to smile for a picture, it can come across as fake, but if you just go with it and smile on your own, then it will look much more natural. You might feel silly at first, but it’s a small price to pay for great pictures! And always remember: laughter is contagious!

Laughing bride as she’s carried

As always, trust in your wedding photographer to take the most amazing photos of you – if you do that, and youve done your research into selecting the best wedding photographer for you, then you’re bound to look fantastic in wedding photos!

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5 Tips for Stunning Outdoor Wedding Photography

Your wedding is a really big deal. For the rest of your life, you will remember the day you got married as one of the most joyful and memorable moments of your life—and we’re not just saying that because we’re photographers, we’ve also been married ourselves!

Whether your wedding is indoors or outdoors, there’s something special about being able to capture those memories in photographs so that you can look back at them years later and remember how it felt to be standing there, looking into your partner’s eyes.

Taking outdoor wedding photography presents its own challenges. From wind to bright sunlight and harsh shadows, there are a lot of variables that can affect your shots (and we mean a lot). And so today, we’re going to share with you our tips for making beautiful photography work even in those extreme situations—or just on any sunny day!

5 Tips for Stunning Outdoor Wedding Photography

1) Discuss With the Bride and Groom on the Best Times of Day to Capture Every Precious Moment of Their Wedding

One of the most important things that you can do as a wedding photographer is to connect with your clients and ask them if they have any preferences or restrictions. For instance, when planning their wedding, many couples decide to get married during the “golden hour,” which is when the sun is low in the sky and casts a soft glow on everything. This is also one of the best times for taking pictures!

If you know that your couple want to get married during this time, then you can plan ahead and make sure that you’re able to use natural light for all of those beautiful sunset shots! Of course, it’s important not to limit yourself to one particular time because there are lots of great outdoor weddings taking place throughout the day—but having this information beforehand will certainly help make scheduling easier.

Semaphore Beach Sunset

2) Use Fill Flash to Compensate for Bad Lighting

No matter how hard you try, sometimes the lighting isn’t going to be the best. Maybe it’s a bright and sunny day, or maybe it’s cloudy and overcast. Maybe it’s just a little too dark for your liking, so it seems like there’s no easy fix. Well, whether you’re dealing with poor lighting conditions or just want to add some extra flair to your pictures, fill flash is a great option.

Fill flash is when you use a flash on your camera that is set at lower power than the ambient light. It will help illuminate the parts of your subject that are in shadow from the main light source.

This helps create a natural look, which you can see in a lot of outdoor photography. For instance, if you’re photographing a couple on a beach during sunset, but it’s still very bright outside, and there are shadows covering their faces—and you want to brighten them up—just pop on your flash. It’s a quick fix that doesn’t take too much time.

Penneshaw beach Wedding

3) Use a Polarizing Filter to Make the Sky Pop

We could go on for hours about using polarizing filters, but here’s the simple version: if you’re trying to take a picture of a scene that includes the sky, or lots of reflections – a polarizer helps.

Why? Because without one, you can get a washed-out white sky. Not always the most flattering background for your wedding photos!

A polarizer works by cutting out any light that is not polarized and absorbing it into the filter. This leaves behind only polarized light, which is what gives color to your image.

For example, when you look at a cloudless blue sky on a sunny day, that beautiful blue color is what’s being left behind by the polarizing filter—if you were looking through one!

This isn’t to say that you must have a filter to get this effect – only that it does help – and if you have time on a wedding day to make use of one, it does give an effect that is very pleasing.

Wedding photo at Pt Willunga Beach wedding

4) Showcase The Wedding Venue with Wide Shots

The wide shot is a powerful tool that can add dramatic impact to your photos. They help establish context, scale, and scope while also building excitement and anticipation. You see them in all kinds of movies and television shows—but you’ll also find them in wedding photography! So, if you’re looking to wow your audience with beautiful pictures from your outdoor wedding photography, be sure to take some time capturing wide shots before settling into medium or close-up shots!

This is one aspect of wedding photography I am super passionate about – my background is in landscape and science photography, so telling a story with the landscape, and tying it together with wedding photography I feel is very important – doubly so when talking about outdoor wedding photography!

Groom leading bride through forest

5) Use Foregrounds to Give Wedding Photos Context

The magic of wedding photography lies in capturing the fleeting moments between people, and if you can do that without making it obvious that you’re taking their photos, then so much the better. But one thing that will help your images is to make sure they have a context. You want to make sure they are not just a portrait of two people but actually show how they fit into the world around them.

How do you do this? Simple: Use foregrounds. Not only does this give your photos a sense of scale, but it also helps to draw people into your images. And by playing around with different foreground elements, you can add an extra element of interest to your shots. Also, don’t forget to use the bride and groom as additional foreground elements. You can also use them as focal points by placing them in front of something interesting and then using a shallow depth of field to blur out the background.

Bride and groom under a fallen tree

feel free to get in contact to have a bit of a chat for your vision of your outdoor wedding photography – it’s something I really enjoy doing and love to talk about!