I was delighted to have been asked to be Carly and Josh’s wedding photographer at their Ivybrook Farm wedding at the beginning of November!
Their day was one full of fun and family, and was certainly a relaxing day out with a lunch time reception and ample time to mingle with guests. The time mingling with their guests was foremost in Carly and Josh’s mind when planning their day with only a small portion dedicated to having glamour photos done, which I feel is a really nice way to look at your day.
Still, I was keen to make fulluse of the incredible scenery Ivybrook Farm has to offer!
Ivybrook Farm Wedding Ceremony
My coverage began with Carly and Josh’s Ivybrook Farm wedding ceremony under the large tree nearby the main building of the venue. Their guests were set up facing the tree on the grass, as Carly and Josh both approached the wedding arbour together from the on site bed and breakfast.
The highlight of their ceremony in my opinion was the delightful readings from a family member which detailed the love story of Carly and Josh coming together intermingled with inside jokes and fun stories that had everyone giggling.
IvyBrook Farm Wedding Ceremony
under the IvyBrook Farm Arbour
groom smiling at his bride at Ivybrook Farm
Smiling bridal couple under arbour
Bridal couple laughing during ceremony at Ivybrook farm
Bridal couple listening to reading during ceremony
Bride smiling during ceremony 2
bride and groom closeup of hands
Ivybrook farm wedding ceremony under tree
Bride and groom during wedding ceremony
Exchanging wedding rings during ceremony
First kiss at Ivybrook farm wedding
Bride laughing signing marriage documents
Wedding bands on hands closeup
bride and groom exiting under confetti
Kiss after exiting wedding ceremony
Ivybrook Farm Wedding Reception
Carly and Josh opted to hold a lunchtime reception so as to maximise the time they could spend with the firends and family. The settig at Ivybrook Farm was set up in a delightfully rustic way, complete with Australian fauna and a stunning semi-nude wedding cake set atop a barrel which just made the whole setting pop.
Guests were treated to lawn games, food platters and games for the kids while everyone enjoyed the warm weather before settling down for a pizza lunch.
Lunch was eaten, and speeches were told before we had some time to head out around the grounds to shoot some glamour photos of Carly and Josh. After which we returned for the first dance!
Wedding cake on display at Ivybrook Farm
Sloth wedding cake toppers
Ivybrook farm wedding cake display
Guests enjoying themselves at Ivybrook farm
Smiling guests at wedding
Guests talking at wedding reception
Eating the food
Talking to the bride
Simpsons pig wedding cufflinks
Boys group photo
Girls group photo
Bride and groom entrance to Ivybrook farm wedding reception
Cutting the cake
Ivybrook farm wedding reception
Carly and Josh
Wedding Pizzas
Having fun with the polaroid cameras
bride and groom speech 2
First dance at the reception
Ivybrook Farm wedding first dance
Smiles all round dancing
Glamour Photos
The great thing about hosting an Ivybrook farm wedding is the variety of spots you can head to have your photos done. The area boasts fields of long unkempt grass, or well kept grass depending on what you feel would work best. There are also lines of trees, vineyards and rustic buildings which I certainly made the most of!
Ivybrook Farm group photo
bride with groom in background
Bride and groom under gum trees
Bride and groom in the long grass
Bride and groom in the long grass together
bride and groom walking along the farm track
Bride and groom in the Ivybrook Farm vineyards
Wedding rings on fence post
Engagement ring in rose
Smiling bride through vines
Bride and groom in the Ivybrook Farm vines
Under a big tree together
Smiling for the camera
Bride and groom moody portrait
Ivybrook farm wedding photo
Ivybrook farm wedding photo 2
Sitting on a bench together
Wedding rings on hands close
Thanks so much to Carly and Josh for having me at their delightful wedding!
Leticha and Carrie held their Halloween themed wedding at the delightful St Francis winery on October 31st last year, and what a delightful day it was! Surrounded by supportive friends and family, they also included guests that could not attend due to COVID by using my livestream service which made it all the more inclusive.
Leticha and Carrie’s Halloween themed wedding included pumpkins lining their aisle, suitibly coloured bouquets and bridal party, and even my greenscreen photo booth complete with a Halloween themed backdrop!
Preparation
I began the day with Carrie and her family being prepared at her parent’s place nearby. Her bouquet was orange in colour, to suit the Halloween theme, and everyone there was wearing a matching orange item. Her entourage were wearing orange vests, while Dad was wearing an orange tie. It was a really nifty detail to add!
Engagement ring in a rose
Bridal high heels
Helping out with bridal party
Putting on Dad’s flower
Mum helping put on wedding dress 2
Mum helping out with buttons
Bouquet closeup
Bride holding her bouquet
bride looking pensive in hallway
Leticha’s colour scheme was green, complete with an impressive green stoned engagement ring. Her entourage and bouquet was also green – contrasting the orange of Carrie, and also following the halloween theme.
One small detail I really enjoyed though was that Letich and Carrie also made sure their own personalities and interests was really put on display throughout the day. They obviously love boardgames and other ‘nerdy’ things by having their invites UNO themed, Harry Potter items were strewn about the place, and later on their wedding cake was based on Cluedo!
Emerald engagement ring
Wedding band in box
Wedding invites based on uno
reaching for the dress
Dad helping put on shoes
Hugs with Dad
bride looking pretty in bright room
bride walking towards doorway
Halloween Themed Wedding Ceremony at St Francis Winery
Leticha and Carrie’s Halloween Themed Wedding Ceremony took place on the grassy area in front of the St Francis winery pond. Their aisle betwenen guests were decorated with pumpkins and ivy, perfectly complementing the Orange and Green theme that the bridal couple had chosen.
As this was a same sex wedding, both leticha and Carrie were walked down the aisle together at the same time, flanked by their fathers which was a really nice touch.
Bride looking out car window
bride about to hop out of car
Flower girls approach
Brides entrance with fathers
St Francis Winery wedding ceremony
Holding hands during wedding ceremony 2
Smiling at her bride
bridal couple out the front of the wedding ceremony
bride smiling at her bride
Gathering the wedding rings
Waiting for the paperwork to be completed
First kiss at St Francis winery
St Francis winery wedding ceremony exit
Hugs after the ceremony
Heart group photo at St Francis winery
Glamour Photos
After the group photos, we made use of the St Francis Winery gardens and lovely weeping willows to take a few glamour shots, before heading off to a bike track with some rather spooky, dark trees which I thought would suit the Halloween theme nicely.
Along that same vein of thought, I also took Letchia and Carrie outside once it got dark with some smoke in a can to try and create a moody shoot under the lit weeping willows.
It was a little bit of fun thinking about how to create some moody, creepy wedding photos while still making them ‘weddingy’.
group photo with flower girls
Looking into each other eyes
Standing under the St Francis Winery weeping willows
Group photo with the bridal party
Kiss on the cheek
Walking together under the willows
Group shot on the old cart
Another kiss on the cheek
Looking at each under under the tree
Together amongst the foliage
brides under the willows
Togther under the weeping willows
Brides under creepy trees
Wedding photo under dark trees
bridal party photo under the dark trees
Brides sharing a moment
brides under a canopy of trees
brides in a tunnel of dark trees
night wedding photo at St Francis Winery
Wedding photo at St Francis winery
Halloween Themed Wedding Reception
The St Francis winery wedding reception area naturally has a neat, dark vibe to it due to it being an older building and built as a storage area for wine it’s aesthetic is rustically bare bones – making it quite a nice choice for a halloween themed wedding.
Their guests enjoyed making use of the green screen backdrop with a Halloween image superimposed behind them in each shot, while the dancefloor also got quite a workout by Letchia and Carrie’s guests. I was also in character whiole wearing my Jason hockey mask that I have as a photobooth prop while taking photos 😀
The personal touches that they had spent time in preparing really made the whole night come alive!
Tahlia and Alex’s Seppeltsfield Winery Wedding was an absolute blast to be a part of! Beautiful people, amazing venue and the weather was just sublime to take wedding photos!
Even though Tahlia and Alex has originally planned on holding their wedding in Fiji but due to COVID could not – which I was very much looking forward to as a destination wedding photographer – Their Seppeltsfield Winery Wedding turned out to be absolutely brilliant and I’m so pleased for this couple to have had such a fun filled day!
Preparation
The day started out by me heading to Alex’s place of preparation at a bed and breakfast in Tanunda. The mood was jovial, with the boys all having a little bit of fun at Alex’s expense, followed up by a delightful drop of liquid courage which they all shared before heading out to meet Tahlia for their first look.
Grooms wedding shoes
Wedding rings on tie
Groom about to get ready
Groom buttoning up shirt in front of window
Groom looking out window pensively
Best man Helping tie tie on groom
Helping tie tie on groom
Groom socks
Close up of groom affects
Groom and grooms men walking away down road
Groom and grooms men walking down road
Groom looking great
Tahlia and her bridal party were also having a bit of fun with laughter and smiles all over the place. The bed and breakfast that tahlia had chosen for her preparation venue looked to be purpose built for having bridal party photos done, being decorated with rustic affects and painted white throughout, it was a delightful spot to get ready in!
Wedding dress hanging on white stairs
Bride sitting about getting ready
Engagement ring in flowers 5
Engagement ring in flowers 6
Bridal wedding shoes on bed
Bride having her makeup done
Bride having her makeup done 2
Bride and her bridesmaids sitting together
Bride putting on her wedding gown
Smiling bride as she gets ready
Bridal party having fun on white stairs
Bride playing with her bouquet on stairs
Bride playing with her bouquet in front of window
Bride with her wedding gown on
Bride bathed in light
Seppeltsfield Winery Wedding First Look
Tahlia and Alex opted to have what’s known as a ‘first look’ where they actually get together before their wedding ceremony in order to see each other outside the prying eyes of friends and family at their ceremony.
This allows for any nerves that Tahlia and Alex may have been feeling to be dispelled defore their ceremony and can produce some lovely intimate moments that otherwise would not have happened if they were to do the traditional ‘first look’ as Tahlia walks down the aisle.
We also made use of the time just after the first look to have bridal party photos done with the bridal cars around the Seppeltsfield Winery grounds using the delightful trees they have hiding at the back of the grounds.
Groom waiitng patiently for his bride
bride approaching her groom for their first look
Bridal first look
Groom turning around to see bride
Wedding first look
Bride and groom together at Seppeltsfield Winery
Smiling bride and groom at Seppeltsfield winery
Bride and groom laughing together
Bridal party walking amongst the trees
Bridal party at Seppeltsfield Winery
Passionate kiss in between wedding cars
Seppeltsfield winery wedding photo
Seppeltsfield winery wedding photography
bridal party together on the grounds of Seppeltsfield winery
Seppeltsfield Winery Wedding Ceremony
Tahlia and Alex’s Seppeltsfield Winery Wedding ceremony took place on what’s known as the ‘winemaker’s lawn’ which is an open grassy area surrounded by delightful old buildings with a backdrop of amazing glory vine that covers the majority of the wall behind the bridal party. During the Summer this wall is a vivid bottle green which makes for an amazing backdrop for a wedding ceremony.
What would have to be the star of the show during Tahlia and Alex’s ceremony was their little page boy who would be as cute as a button beaming at everyone as he approached the ceremony holding the wedding bands for Alex!
Page Boy smiling
bride being walked down aisle
bride being walked down aisle with father
Groom seeing his bride during weddign ceremony
Seppeltsfield winery wedding ceremony
Laughing groom during ceremony 2
Wide shot of wedding ceremony
Smiling bride during wedding ceremony 3
Bride and groom holding hands during wedding ceremony
Bride looking at her groom smiling
Groom looking at his bride smiling
Seppeltsfield Wedding Ceremony
Closeup of exchanging wedding bands
First kiss at Seppelsfield winery wedding
Seppeltsfield winery wedding ceremony photo
Hugs with page boy
Signing wedding documents
Bride and groom exiting wedding cermeony at Seppeltsfield winery
Glamour Photos
Soon after the ceremony and group phtoos, we then had a little time before heading out to Harvest Kitchen for their wedding reception.
We began by driving out and up the road a little bit to make use of the famed palm trees that line the roads in this part of Seppeltsfield while also ducking in to the vines for a few intimate portraits there.
We then split up with most of the bridal party heading towards the wedding reception while we drove back to Seppeltsfield winery to make more use of the wonderful trees on site for some more glamour photos.
bridal party in front of bridal cars on Seppeltsfield rd
Groom surprising bride in vineyards
Bride and groom sharing a moment in the vineyards
Wedding Photo in Seppeltsfield winery vineyards
Bride and grom holding one another in vineyards 5
Bride and groom standing with each other in trees
Bride and groom standing with each other in trees at Seppeltsfield winery
In amongst the pepper trees
In amongst the pepper trees smiling
Seppeltsfield winery wedding photo in forest
Seppeltsfield winery wedding photo in trees
Seppeltsfield winery wedding photography in trees
Traditional Wedding photo
Traditional Wedding photo on log
Harvest Kitchen Wedding Reception
The Calabria Family Winery hosted tahlia and Alex’s wedding reception at what they call their Harvest Kitchen restaurant. The reception area boasts an open grassy area suitable for entertaining guests who arrived early, while the restaurant area had penty of room to host a medium sized wedding reception. The tables were moved throughout the night to make room for the dance floor which was put to good use!
The food was absolutely sensational, with share platters and personable chefs to explain exactly what’s been put in front of us and the atmosphere was one which made the entire night super enjoyable!
Wedding cake on display at Harvest Kitchen
Calabria Family Wines
Bride and groom entrance at Harvest Kitchen
Walking towards wedding cake
Cutting the wedding cake at Harvest Kitchen
Wedding shoe game at Harvest Kitchen
Wedding shoe game at Harvest Kitchen Reception
Best man speech during reception
groom speech during reception at harvest Kitchen
Daddy Daugher Dance at Harvest Kitchen
Having fun with the first dance
intimate First Dance Photo
Bride smiling during first dance
Dance floor opens up
Bride dancing with guests
Exciting Garter toss
Bride about to throw Bouquet at Harvest Kitchen
Active Bouquet Toss
Thanks so much Tahlia and Alex for having me photograph your big day! Hopefully this amazing Seppeltsfield winery wedding was ample sustitute for your plans in Fiji! It was an absolutely incredible day and I just adored how your photos turned out!
Sometimes the best parts of a wedding aren’t the bride’s entrance or the fun reception. It’s the moments leading up to the actual event when all the preparations are still taking place. These make for great photographs because they give a behind-the-scenes look at what it took for the couple, their loved ones, and guests to prepare for the big day.
If you consider your wedding album as a story, then the preparation photos are all about the personalities of the two main characters of your story, and the lead up to the big moment of your wedding ceremony – then the lovely dovey ‘living happily after’ bits at the end 🙂
How to get stunning wedding preparation photos
If you’re planning on having preparation photos with your wedding photographer, there are some aspects of your photography session that you will want to get just right. Here are some tips on how to get stunning wedding preparation photos –
Lighting
The most important component of photography is lighting as it will determine how well your photographer can capture the moment. Locations with good lighting sources will make it easier for both you and your photographer to get a good shot. While a photographer can make the best out of a bad situation, having difficult lighting conditions will definitely take more time and effort to work with.
For wedding preparation photos, it’s best to prepare the location beforehand. Most wedding preparations take place in a hotel or house, so scout for a good room that offers plenty of natural light and some nice ambient lighting as well. It’s important to visit the rooms themselves when checking wedding photo locations around Adelaide as they tend to look much larger in photos featured on the hotel’s websites. You’ll want to make sure your bridesmaids, groomsmen, and the photography crew will fit comfortably in the space you choose.
Bride looking out window at Thorngrove Manor
Tidy Spaces
Photographers can work with almost any environment they’re in, but most photos look best with plenty of open space and a minimal amount of clutter. Preparations tend to be quite a flurry of activity with make-up and clothes all over the place. Cleaning up the room where the photographs will be taken will have them looking much cleaner, more professional, and more worthy of keeping in your collection of wedding photos.
Wedding dress hung in window
Less is More
When getting ready for your wedding, try to limit the number of family members who help you get ready, at least for the duration of the photoshoot. Although it’s nice to have everybody involved, photographers will sometimes have to contend with multiple requests for photos with the bride and groom when the focus should be on the couple getting ready for their big day.
It will likely become a process that will stress you out, especially with getting ready being as hectic as it is—and adding extended family to distract you can be extra trying for your patience too! For preparations to go smoothly, it’s best to have just the bridal party and groomsmen, parents, and siblings to help the couple.
Taking the wedding dress for a spin
Hair & Makeup
Great preparation photos will also depend on the quality of hair and make-up. While it’s fun to have a few photos with rollers in your hair, it’s best to have variety in your shots to show the progression of your getting ready. Most photographers will recommend that you have most of your make-up and hair done before the shoot begins so that there’s not as much waiting to do.
Hiring a professional make-up artist is strongly recommended to get the best results since they’ll know how to make it flattering for both the camera flash and in-person. It cannot be understaated the importance of this to get stunning wedding preparation photos! It would also be worth doing a trial make-up run before the actual day to make sure that it is exactly the look you’re going for to avoid being late and having the photoshoot take longer than usual.
Saving time on hair and makeup will allow the photographer to get more pictures of you getting ready. Fixing up your dress, talking to your bridal party and family, and perhaps even enjoying a glass of champagne before the walk down the aisle are all important moments to capture!
Bride having makeup done
Having wedding preparation photos is all about capturing the moments leading up to the one monent everybody has been waiting for: when the bride and groom are finally married. Finding a photographer that you can trust to capture your most intimate and precious times with your soon-to-be spouse is crucial to make those memories in between the big event last a lifetime.
Having photos taken while you’re getting dressed, isn’t the most natural thing in the world, so it’s important you ‘click’ with your photographer so that you feel that much more comfortable and get stunning wedding preparation photos.
Some wedding photography packages in Adelaide will include wedding preparation photos. Here at Sven Studios, we offer professional wedding photographer solutions that will capture the best moments of your wedding day in a natural, fun, and relaxed way. To book us for your wedding, feels free to look through our website and browse our packages.
Every step of the wedding planning process can be a daunting one. From saying yes to the dress to building your bouquet, selecting a wedding photographer is yet another task you’ll want to get perfect. You only get one shot at capturing a gone-too-soon flurry of memories, and you won’t want to regret the outcome. As a wedding photographer, I may be a bit biased but selecting a wedding photographer is possibly the most important selection you make besides your wedding venue.
Tips on Selecting a Wedding Photographer
Shopping for a wedding photographer who suits your budget, aesthetic, and schedule is challenging. After narrowing down your shortlist of contenders, don’t forget to ask yourself the following questions.
Question 1 – How Much Weight Does Photography Hold Over My Wedding Day?
Sometimes, professional wedding photography is a must. Other times, it’s merely another box to tick. The answer to this question will likely dictate your decision to compromise your budget to accommodate a pricey wedding photographer or vice versa.
Have a think about how you are going to use all these amazing photos you’ve had taken of the two of you. Are you going to be seeing them every time you open your front door, or will they stay stuck on the USB you’ll be given?
Perhaps also weigh up how much appreances mean to you in your social circles, maybe you want to pay for for a photographer who you know will make you look amazing, despite your lack of experience in front of a camera?
In amongst the trees 2
Question 2 – How Much Extra Cash Am I Prepared to Shell Out?
As a rule of thumb, you’ll want to select your wedding photographer amongst the first 3 suppliers as soon as possible. The other two being your venue and celebrant – and perhaps your videographer. The best wedding photographers book out at least a year in advance and if you love their work it’;s best to lock them in as soon as you have made your choice.
An average wedding photographer in Australia according to the annual Easy Weddings survey of bridal couples is just shy of $3000, so pricing of photographers should be around, or just above that figure for someone who truely knows what they are doing and who you can trust.
Thera, Santorini Wedding
Question 3 – How Long Do I Need My Photographer to be Around?
Some photographers offer whole-day packages or more affordable hourly services. Consider events you need to have documented. Is it the wedding itself? The reception? Both?
I’d personally suggest having a photographer with you all day, as if you consider your wedding album as a storyline – then the preparation photos are the beginning of the story, the ceremony the middle then the photoshoot and reception the glorous happy ending 🙂
The longer your photographer is with you the more they can gel with your personalities and create work that truely speaks to who you are. A similar option to better cater to this is to have an engagement shoot done before your day.
Bridal exit under bubbles
Question 4 – How Comfortable Are My Partner and I With Being Photographed?
Some couples will hire a wedding photographer simply because it’s custom to do so. If you’re camera-shy, having a photographer hover around you all day might take away from the overall experience of becoming a newlywed even though a good candid and natural wedding photographer will do their best to become invisible during the day.
On the other end of the spectrum, some couples love being photographed and might even consider an engagement shoot. Which category do you and your loved one fall under?
This all being said however, If I had a dollar every time I heard that a couple is not good in front of a camera I’d probably be on a yacht in the bahamas somewhere.. The trick to taking nice candid photographs is simply having the couple do something while you’re taking your photos.
Bride and groom on Maslins Beach
Question 5 – What Other Products Do I Want from My Photographer?
Nowadays, wedding photographers offer more than just their service. They’ll also print your photos in an album, provide a photo booth for guests, produce wall art, or even offer hybrid shooting where they also produce a short highlight video so you save money on a separate videographer.
Think about what products you must have versus those that are merely nice to have. Alternatively, you might be entirely satisfied to receive a digital copy of your photos—nothing extra. Selecting a wedding photographer that offers exactly what you want is important. You don’t want to be stuck with albums or prints you’d never use, but it’s also important to select a wedding phtoographer that do offer such things as an option.
Digital Deluxe Album
Question 6 – Have I Received Any Recommendations?
If a married friend is suggesting their previous photographer, it’ll likely be for a good reason. Look into their portfolio and give them a call—you might even get a discount thanks to the friend referral.
Make sure they suit your own personal style though. Plenty of people opt to have a photographer that shoots in a current ‘trendy’ way that may age or rub you the wrong way to look at. You have to remember that these photos you’re having taken need to speak to your own personal style and allow them to store your memories in a way you’d want to look at them
Out on pride rock
Question 7 – What is My Style?
Every wedding photographer is unique in their methods and aesthetic. Are you a fan of candid photos, or are you looking for something more editorial? Maybe you love the vintage look of sepia-toned photographs, and have an entirely posed wedding? Up to you.
Typically, you’ll find the answers you’re looking for in a photographer’s portfolio or website. Whatever the case, your photographer will adjust their techniques according to your preferences.
bride looking out windows
While reliving your Big Day in your head might bring about nostalgic feelings, being able to reminisce over a collection of photos provides a different experience. Don’t rush your decision when it comes to selecting your wedding photographer, the memories will last you a lifetime and the process of selecting a wedding photographer will allow you to hold onto those memories in exactly the way you want.
At SvenStudios, we capture every moment of your Big Day with passion, romance, and joy. We are consistantly rated as some of the top wedding photographers in Australia and our packages come full of value. Keen to travel anywhere too!
