Your proposal is a magical moment, one that you will likely tell all your family and friends about. Having photos of this once in a lifetime experience will make the story even better, and if you have any loved ones who live further away, it will allow you to show them the engagement ring in all its glory.
But how can you plan a picture-perfect proposal without raising your partner’s suspicions? Whilst they might have an inkling of what is going to happen, keeping it a surprise can make for the best photos, as you’ll capture the look of shock (and hopefully joy) on their face as you get down on one knee. Follow our tips and make sure your proposal is memorable for all the right reasons, so that you can cherish your photos forever.
How to plan a picture perfect proposal
Get the ring ready
The crucial element of any proposal is the engagement ring. After all, this is the traditional symbol of love that shows your partner just how much they mean to you, and that you want to spend the rest of your life with them. There’s no need to go flashy just because you’re having photos taken, though – the best ring is one that suits your partner well, and ultimately one that they’ll be happy with, whether that’s a huge diamond or a small band of gemstones.
Whatever style of ring you choose, making sure that it fits well can be crucial to a successful proposal. Nothing will ruin the ultimate shot of you sliding the ring onto your new fiancée’s finger than it getting stuck at the first knuckle, or twisting around because it’s too big. If you’re uncertain on your partner’s ring size, try measuring an existing ring at home, or asking their friends and family, providing you trust them to keep the secret. If you still don’t know, then you can usually ask the jeweller to opt for a standard ring size, but just check that they’ll be able to adjust it after purchase.
Bride and Bridesmaids looking at ring
Choose your outfits
Being able to do this will really depend on whether your partner will be happy for you to choose their outfit for them. If they are, then choose an outfit that is complementary to your own for the most cohesive shot. If they would find it odd if you suddenly developed a fashion sense, then you can try and match your clothes to theirs instead, or opt for neturals so that you don’t clash.
It’s likely that your outfits will fit in with whatever you’re doing the day of the proposal, so make sure to take this into consideration. Remember that you can always have an engagement photoshoot afterwards if you really want to have photos in more formal clothing.
Engagement
Think about location and timing
Working with a photographer does require a bit of preparation and setup, but it also means that you’ll get the best advice on the scenery and lighting for your proposal photos. Talk with your photographer when you plan a picture perfect proposal to come up with a plan of action, and check in with them again on the day to make sure that the weather hasn’t changed your plans.
The best spot for your ‘trash the dress’ wedding photos
After the big day, brides are presented with a dilemma – what to do with their wedding dress? It’s a tough question; after all, this is probably the most expensive item of clothing you will ever own, but the chances are you are only going to wear it once! Some brides like to hang on to their dresses for sentimental reasons, or to pass it on to younger members of their family. However, there is a third, more dramatic, theatrical, and photogenic option – a ‘Trash the Dress’ photoshoot!
If you’ve not heard of the concept, ‘trashing the dress’ does pretty much exactly what it says. ‘Trashing the Dress’ photos are when the bride (and often the groom) get together for one final shoot after the wedding, and quite literally trash the dress. Whether it’s playing together in the surf at a beach wedding, slinging paint bombs at each other, or even getting wet and wild under a waterfall, trashing the dress is enormous fun, and makes for some spectacular wedding snaps.
Bride and groom walking in waters of Lake Louise
Trashing the dress often goes hand to hand with beach or outdoor weddings, as there’s a certain romance and drama in getting up close and personal with nature directly after your nuptials. So if your destination wedding this year involves taking a western Caribbean cruise or hiking up a mountain, why not consider a ‘trash the dress’ wedding photoshoot! Take a look at the following ideas and get inspired!
The best spot for your ‘trash the dress’
Standing in the surf
An absolute classic beach wedding shot, a photo with the couple standing in the surf as the waves roll in (ideally at sunset) is absolutely stunning. If you are going full on in your trash the dress shoot, you can wade in a little further, away from the sure, for extra drama.
Bride and groom on Maslins Beach
In a cloud of color
Smoke and paint bombs are an amazingly photogenic way to create a cloud of color, and shower your shots in joy and vibrancy. Normally used in the Hindu festival of Holi, paint bombs are non-toxic yet stunningly dramatic, surrounding bride and groom in a halo of gorgeous hues, and contrasting beautifully with the sheer white of your dress!
First dancing in smoke
Beneath the waves
If you are getting married by the sea, why not go one step further and get a few photos underneath the waves? Diving underwater and taking some careful, clever shots is an amazing way to create magical memories. The otherworldly vibe of the ocean floor creates an atmosphere that is hard to match, and once again the contrast between turquoise or deep marine blue of the water and the white of your dress makes for an amazing image.
pt willunga jetty wedding photo
Under a waterfall
If your wedding is outside in the great outdoors, in a forest, a National Park, or up a mountain, why not try and find the nearest cascade and create some truly memorable photos? It is hard to think of a more romantic image than a kiss between bride and groom under the raging torrent of a glittering waterfall, and you can really conjure up some passionate, poignant photos that will stay with you forever.
Waterfall wedding photographer Hobart
Covered in paint
While smoke and paint bombs are the fun, simple, and easy way to go, why not go full Jackson Pollock and cover each other with splashes of neon paint? For starters, it will give you an incredibly fun experience that might release some of the tension of the big day, plus it will create awesome, color-filled photos. What is a better canvas for your artistic skills than your bridal gown?
When you close your eyes and imagine what your wedding day looks like, what do you see? What is the general ambience? Where are you? What time of the year is it? These are only a few of the things you should think about. The visuals, sights, feelings, and sounds all carry weight into the overall experience, so you should carefully think about it before starting to plan your dream wedding.
Your selected wedding theme is pretty much the starting point and core of the plan, so you have to be decisive about it. It will set the mood of your wedding and reflect you and your partner’s personality and relationship. There are so many themes to choose from, so it can take a little thinking before you dive in and make a choice.
Keep on reading to learn more about picking out the best theme for your special day.
Themes & Ideas to Help You Plan Your Dream Wedding
Three Considerations When Choosing Wedding Themes
The Wedding Venue
If you happen to book a wedding venue before choosing a theme, you have to explore the venue first. Wedding locations and themes are not really one-size-fits-all, so it is better that you get a feel or idea of how the wedding hall or site will look like. You have to choose a theme that will look good inside the venue.
If you are fortunate enough to get a relatively roomy wedding venue, you can choose a luxury wedding theme with extravagant decorations. To start, explore Adelaide wedding venues and find the right-sized place for your theme.
Every season has its distinct vibe and colour palette that you can use to your advantage for example, an outdoor wedding during the winter or rainy season can be a recipe for disaster. However can be cheaper and provide some unique opportunities for fun and/or photography!
Coordinate your surroundings for a more beautiful wedding. For instance, if you fancy an indoor white-themed wedding, you can do it in winter might be best. Should you want a bright outdoor wedding, do it in the Autumn or Spring.
Lightning
Your Budget
Cost really should be one of your most significant considerations when planning a wedding. You should not go way past your budget, or else you will be in debt right after your wedding. Stick to your budget and plan a wedding that fits your financial situation. As much as the ceremony and reception are valuable, you shouldn’t forget the life that you will be starting together.
Remember, this is about you and your partner’s union, not about the grandiosity of the event. If you are on a tight budget, you are free to choose a theme, but maybe lean towards DIY solutions. If you have all the money to spare, you can pretty much go for anything.
Keep in mind though – the old adage of ‘you get what you pay for‘ very much comes into effect with many vendors on your big day, so when you plan your dream wedding try not to cheap out on people that you know can have a wide spectrum of quality – like your wedding photographer.
Drone group shot at Seagrass Long Point Hobart
8 Wedding Themes You Should Consider when you plan your dream wedding
We are here to help you decide the best wedding theme for you and your partner’s much-awaited event. Here is a list of some wedding themes that you might like.
Classic
Traditional wedding themes have remained popular for decades, so if you and your partner are more conventional, when you plan your dream wedding – go for a classic theme and have a textbook wedding.
Use elegant stationery, a soft colour theme, and traditional garb for the bridal party. Think about timeless floral arrangements, silverware, accent chairs, rhinestones, and candles. Plus, get a cinematic wedding videographer for a more classic approach.
Coriole wines wedding photography
Spring
Spring symbolises a new beginning—a perfect metaphor for weddings. You can decorate the venue with many flowers and use pastel colours for all of your decorations. Natural and floral accents are a good fit for this theme, and you can also use earthy colour palettes for the growth vibes given off by a Spring theme.
bride and groom in the sunlight
Modern
A lot of people like a modern, simple look. May it be inside their homes or events, people prefer minimalist designs. If you pick this wedding theme, you can decorate with white or neutral colours to emphasise simplicity. The dress code for the bridal party and the guests may be minimalist, too.
You can opt for geometric props and metallic accents. You can experiment by pairing classic and modern furniture to make your venue look more creative. Usually, modern designs lean toward using mirrors, modern candelabras, contrasting designs, and unique linens.
Crozier Street Wedding Photo
Beach
Beach themes have been one of the most prominent themes simply because they are fun and fresh. A view of the beach is excellent no matter what, especially when your wedding is scheduled at sunset. It is advisable to use blue or silver colours for the colour palette to fully embrace the sea, the sand, and the sky.
Also, you should use coastal ornaments to decorate the venue, such as tables and chairs. The food should also be seafood and crustacean dishes!
Just be aware that you are very much at the mercy of the weather at a beach wedding – so have a plan B ready!
Interested in getting more help planning your exotic and beachy wedding? Paradise Weddings is a destination wedding company that has already planned more than 100 unique wedding ceremonies, each of which was unique and unforgettable. Thus, if you are looking for a professional wedding planners team, don’t hesitate to contact them.
Penneshaw beach Wedding
Rustic
This wedding theme evokes a relaxed, carefree vibe. Mostly held at gardens and farms, this theme looks pretty, calm, and serene. You really do not need many decorations because you can rely on the natural beauty of the surroundings. But to take it to the next level, you can add additional wooden decor, mason jars, natural textures, dried flowers, or burlap for a unified theme.
Paxton wines
Pink
If you want your wedding to look lovely and elegant, you can utilise the many different shades of pink during your wedding day. Blush pink is a favourite wedding colour that symbolises romance and elegance. Make sure to decorate the place with sophisticated details to make it even fancier.
Engagement ring in pink flower
Bohemian
Embrace the countryside breeze and create a quaint bohemian wedding. Enjoy the combination of comfort, warmth, and magic with inviting items like flower crowns, airy dresses, dream catchers, vintage rugs, cascading bouquets, and driftwood. Get something romantic yet playful, perhaps, just like your relationship with your life partner.
Bridal shoot under the sun
Coral
If you want your wedding venue to look refreshing yet fun, you can opt for a coral wedding theme. It enhances your wedding atmosphere by filling it with reds and oranges of various shades. You can decorate the place with floral garlands such as peonies, roses, and dahlias.
bride and groom looking out at the sunset
No matter what kind of wedding theme you choose when you plan your dream wedding, always remember to go with what you and your partner will enjoy. Think about what would reflect your love story the most and perfectly fit your relationship.
Elyssa and Ziad held their AuchendarrochHouse wedding ceremony on the pristine lawns nearby the heritage listed mansion in Mt Barker. The day’s weather was amazing, and the people involved even more so!
Their day was delightful to be a part of, beginning with Elyssa’s preparation in the city before a first look at the Auchenarroch House’s lawns before their Bahai wedding ceremony!
Preparation
Elyssa and a few friends were being prepared in a hotel room in the city. It was a fairly cramped space so I was tip toeing around the makeup and hairdressers that were also making use of the small space – but it all turned out great!
The atmosphere was very laid back with Elyssa showing great excitiement for the day to come!
Red wedding dress hanging in window
Engagement ring in pink flower
Red gem in necklace
Photo of bridesmaid getting ready
bride looking in mirror after makeup is done
Lacing up back of red bridal dress
Smiling bride in red wedding dress
Bride standing alone in red wedding dress
Bride looking smiling out window
First Look Photoshoot
Elyssa and Ziad opted for a first look prior to their AuchendarrochHouse wedding ceremony within the nearby gardens and the house itself. In order to do so, both Elyssa and Ziad arrived well before their guests started arriving so we had the run of the delightful gardens and of course unique architecture of the house itself to take some lovely, intimate photos of just the two of them.
Bride in red dress approaching groom
First look at Auchendarrochhouse wedding
Bride placing flower on groom
Bride placing flower on groom under trees
bride and groom headbutting under tree in garden
Sharing a moment under a tree together
Smiles all round at Auchendarrochhouse wedding
Bridal portrait next to tree
bride and groom through the foliage at Auchendarrochhouse wedding
bride and groom on bench together
Groom looking at his bride on the patio
AuchendarrochHouse Wedding Photo
AuchendarrochHouse Wedding Photography
Photo at AuchendarrochHouse Wedding
Bride in window sill
Groom sitting in chair next to window
Close up of groom’s watch
Smiling hugs
bride and groom under the sun at Auchendarrochhouse wedding
AuchendarrochHouse Wedding Ceremony
Elyssa and Ziad’s wedding ceremony took place under the beautiful huge, green tree on the grassy area next to the main building of Auchendorrach house. Their congragation made use of it’s shade to avoid the harsh sun throughout the ceremony which incorporated a small chior, and speeches from a number of different family members and friends.
Elyssa and Ziad made use of my livestream service to include gusts that could not attend the ceremony itself – and according to the number of people watching in, it was a huge hit!
Directly after the ceremony, we made use of the open grassy area to take a drone photo of all the guests in attendance before rushing back into the shade for smaller family photos.
bride and groom approaching wedding ceremony together
bride and groom from behind
bride and groom sitting together during ceremony
Bahai chior
Holding hands closeup
bride and groom listening to ceremony
Bride and groom with congregation behind
Closeup of rings exchanging
Hugs after first kiss
bride and groom leaving Auchendarrochhouse wedding ceremony
AuchendarrochHouse Wedding Reception
Elyssa and Ziad’s AuchendarrochHouse wedding reception was an early dinner that took place in the lovely private function section of the establishment. The space draws on the aesthetic of the elegant 19th-century house that’s attached, which quite different to the modern tavern thats right next door. SImply walking through the entire place takes you through quite a few time zones!
The highlight of Elyssa and Ziad’s reception were the heartfelt speeches made by a number of different important people in their life, while they also had a fun little guest-driven game going throughout where a quiz on Elyssa and Ziad’s relationship were given to all their guests.
Wedding cake on display during lunch reception
Speech givers at auchendarrochhouse wedding
Speech givers at lunch time reception
Groom hugging speech giver
Speech giver giving speech
Reception wedding tree
Bride and groom cutting their wedding cake
I’d like to thank Elyssa and Ziad for having me as their wedding phtoographer as their wimple, but delightful wedding!
Some people say that if a picture is worth a thousand words, then a video is worth a million. Wedding videography has allowed today’s brides and grooms to relive all the smiles and tears that happened on their special day.
In the age of social media, wedding videography has become a priority as it helps to retain the memory of the wedding celebration, and it can be shared with as many people as possible. But not in the way it once was! Back in the day, wedding videography would produce quite a boring video of everything that happened – today’s couples are looking for something a little more entertaining.
If you are close to tying the knot, here are some things you need to know about hiring a wedding videographer.
A Complete Guide to Hiring a Wedding Videographer
Your wedding is fast approaching, and you can’t wait to meet the person who will immortalise this special day. However, you may not know where to begin.
Ask Your Friends and Colleagues
Your married friends are your best resource when it comes to finding a professional wedding videographer. They have been through this process, so you get a bit of assurance that they had a good experience with whoever they will refer to you.
Aside from your friends, your work colleagues might also help you. failing all of this, be sure to browse reputable review sites such as that available at ABIA or Google reviews.
Go Beyond “Near Me” Options
It is ideal to employ local florists and caterers for your wedding, for practicality’s sake. When it comes to your wedding videographer, though, don’t be limited by geography and don’t be afraid to employ someone from another city or state. Videographers can easily carry their equipment on a plane or in a car and may even jump at the opportunity. My own personal favourite experience was covering a wedding in Santorini, Greece!
Every filmmaker has different travel policies and fees, but if you discover someone you admire who isn’t from your region, you should still reach out to them and talk about your options.
Thera, Santorini Wedding
Look for Options Online
The internet is where most couples find their wedding videographers. A quick search on Google or social media will show you many options. The best thing about searching for a videographer online is that their portfolios are often readily available, and you can immediately reach out to them. Send them an email or call the phone number on their website, and you can easily set an appointment with them to discuss the details of your wedding.
Ask Your Wedding Venue
The wedding business is a tight-knit network of industry experts. As a result, coordinators for your wedding venue will probably have a preferred videographer with whom they exclusively collaborate. Depending on the package, some venues may have in-house videographers who may work at a reduced fee.
They’re a great option to start your search, especially if you’re looking for a very specific service like wedding videography but don’t feel as though you have to use who they recommend, when hiring a wedding videographer it really depends on who you like, rather than anyone else’s opinion!
Top Things to Consider When Hiring a Wedding Videographer
There are seemingly endless wedding videography options to be found online or through personal or industry recommendations. Just a quick scroll on social media will present you with hundreds of possible videographers. Because of so many choices, it can be a bit overwhelming to pick the best one.
To help you break it down, here are a few key things that you have to consider when looking for the perfect videographer.
Price
It’s no surprise that weddings can be expensive. People spend thousands of dollars for this one-day event. Because of this, the price of a videographer’s services should be considered. However, since your wedding video will live on forever, when hiring a wedding videographer try not to settle for the cheapest option. Go for someone whose pricing justifiably reflects the quality of their work and their experience.
Style
Wedding videography entails telling a love story, and every videographer has a different way of executing it. To see if your option’s style fits your preference, you can watch some of their previous works online. While viewing them, ask yourself if that is how you would like your wedding day to be remembered. Can you imagine yourself in that frame? At that moment? Did their work have an emotional connection with you? Did you like how they highlighted the main features of the event? Through these questions and more, you can decide which videographer will deliver a great product!
Personality
This is one of the most important things to consider when choosing a videographer, but some people take it for granted. The level of trust you and your partner have with your videographer will determine the quality of your film.
For one, not everyone is comfortable being in front of the camera. But if your videographer is someone you are comfortable with, they can easily make the experience fun and not awkward at all. Also, your wedding videographer will be around all day, maybe even for several days. So make sure that you get along, someone who can keep up with all your family and friends’ celebratory mood throughout the event.
Equipment
Of course, the quality of the final video(s) depends on the skill of your videographer, but it will also be significantly affected by the cameras and other equipment your videographers will use.
When hiring a wedding videographer, you can ask them what type of video camera they prefer. If you are familiar with video equipment, this information might be helpful. However, it’s probably unnecessary since it will all boil down to the videographer’s style and skills. You can also ask how many cameras they use since this can affect the pricing and how thoroughly your event will be captured.
Remember, once the wedding celebration is over, the wedding flowers will begin to wither, the decorations will get taken down, and your wedding guests will consume the food you have served. However, the only ones you can keep forever are the memories that your wedding photographs and videos captured on your behalf.
This is why wedding videography is essential. It will live on for years and constantly remind you of that one special day in your life. Because of this, do not rush when choosing a wedding videographer. You do not have to settle for the cheapest, nearest, or most convenient option.
The best way to find a reliable videographer who works in the style you want is to ask around and do your research. It will take a lot of work, but you will realise that all the effort is worth it when you look back on your wedding video years from now!
If you are searching for wedding photography and videography in Adelaide, SvenStudios crafts precious memories in a fun and relaxed way that you’ll be proud to look at forever! We specialise in wedding photography and videography, destination wedding documentations, and photo booth hire, among others. Talk to our team today!