Recently I was asked to head out for a family photoshoot, nearby Mt Compass in Nangkita – but I’m going to put this under Mt Compass Family Photography as I hadn’t heard of Nangkita before being asked to head out here!
The family was enjoying a get together for the Christmas and New Year period, that sounded like a rare occurance considering the last time they had a family photoshoot done was when the ‘kids’ were 6, and now in their mid thirties – and also that some are now living overseas and makes it hard to get together.
Their little family photoshoot took place on a family farm, which was lush with Australian bush and off the beaten track so much that they kept asking if I had any trouble finding the place! All I can say was thank goodness for GPS in cars!
We held most of the shoot under a gnarly old tree on the property which provided ample shade and a neat backdrop for group photos. After the majority of group shots, we then did individual portraits and also some coupley shots in amongst the pretty overgrowth of trees.
It was a wonderful experience covering Linda and Jonothan’s Sunnybrae wedding in early November. The day was filled with fun filled family and friends, with a delightful dash of tradition and a bit of fun dodging the weather!
The day began with a traditional tea ceremony, photos at Port Adelaide’s Crozier Street and reception back at one of the Sunnybrae wedding reception spaces.
Preparation
I started my day, quite early in the morning with Jonathon and his groomsmen getting ready with his groomsmen. The morning was quite relaxed with plenty of coffee and fun trying to attach those annoying flowers!
I then head over to where Linda was being preparaed for a quick shoot of her and her being preparaed with her red dress, and some group shots with family before Jonathon arrived to begin their tea ceremony.
Ring amongst flowers
Kissing Mum on head
Groomsman helping put on flower
Groom placing flower on groomsman
groom and groomsmen on road
Engagement ring between high heels
red wedding dress hanging in tree
Bride and bridemaids in gowns
Chinese Tea Ceremony
Linda and Jonathon had me with them from quite early in the morning in order to cover their tea ceremony conducted with their family.
The best part in my opinion of a traditional Chinese tea ceremony like this is the fun trials the groom and his entourage have to go through in order to enter the home where they can see the bride! In Jonathon’s case, Linda had her bridesmaids ask Jonathon and his groomsmen to drink odd things, transfer a piece of seaweed between each other using only their lips and of course sing and dance so Linda could hear them!
Linda and Jonathon held tea ceremonies at two houses – the first where Linda was being prepared with Linda’s side of the family, and another at their own home with Jonothan’s side of the family.
groom looking at groomsmen with gifts
groomsmen arriving with gifts
Trials
groomen piggyback
Kissing through seaweed
Groom having fun at trials
Singing groom
Groom made it through trials
Family together before tea ceremony
About to start tea ceremony
Smiling father of bride
Exchanging red envelopes
Family well wishers
Selfy in red dress
Bride and groom in back seat of car
Old car
Mother of groom tea ceremony
Bride recieving jewellery
Groom recieveing red envelope
White dress preparation
After the trea ceremonies, Linda had to change out of her red dress into her white bridal gown in preparation for the ceremony. So Jonathon left for Sunnybrae earlier while Linda and her brides maids prepared.
Smiling bride next to window
Groom preparing his suit
bride in red dress inspecting white dress
bridesmaids fluffing bridal gown
Bride looking back at camera
Bride holding bouquet
Bride standing in open room with bouquet
Bride and bridesmaids on footpath
Jumping bridal party
Closeup of bouquets in hands
Sunnybrae Wedding Ceremony
When we arrived for their Sunnybrae wedding ceremony, the weather had taken a turn for the worse with a bit of rain hampering the preparations. Jonathon was weighing up their options, on whether or not to move the ceremony inside or wait until the rain passed to have the ceremony outside as planned. With the help of my weather predicting apps, I suggested we wait 15 minutes after the scheduled beginning time as the weather radar looked as though the rain would pass – and it did and they held the ceremony outside.
The Sunnybrae wedding ceremony location Linda and Jonathon chose is a permanent set up out the back of the Sunnybrae complex, complete with concrete state and permenant large wooden armour under which the ceremony takes place. There is ample room for the largest of wedding congregations on the grassy area at the fore of the stage, while the bride makes a majestic entrance walking through a wooden pargola.
Groom and groomsmen waiting
Bride and father walking towards ceremony
Groom seeing his bride
Father of bride looking at groom
Sunnybrae wedding ceremony
Smiling bride with flying veil
Smiling groom at Sunnybrae wedding
Exchanging wedding rings at Sunnybrae wedding ceremony
Closeup of hands with wedding rings
First kiss at Sunnybrae wedding
Celebrating bride and groom
bride and groom exiting their sunnybrae wedding ceremony
Wedding guests arranged in love heart
Sunnybrae Wedding Glamour Photos
After the usual group photos which we took on top fot the concrete stage, we head out for a walk around the Sunnybrae gardens for some glamour photos.
bride and groom nearby old cart
Bridal kiss in front of wedding car
Sunnybrae wedding photo
bridal party walking through Sunnybrae Gardens
Embrace in the Sunnybrae reception area
Bride and groom in the Sunnybrae wedding reception area
Crozier Street Glamour Photos
We then went for a short drive to Port Adelaide’s famed Crozier street for some industial styled wedding photos. I love heading here as the lines and run down industrial nature of this road just makes for some stunning scenes!
Bride hanging on groom shoulder
bridal party walking down crozier street
Kiss with flying bridal veil
Bridal veil flying in wind
bridal party with champagne
Bridal party in the middle of Crozier street
Bride and groom head butt
Port Adelaide wedding photography
Crozier street wedding photography
Groom with one foot on step
Sunnybrae Wedding Reception
Linda and Jonathon’s wedding reception look place at the SUnnybrae Coach House, withis is a huge, rustic space suited for large wedding parties with a delightful old-time flair that sets the mood nicely!
The evening was fun to be a part of, complete with mirror photobooth, and a gelati stand for guests everyone had a great time, and even coaxed the DJ to play a few more songs after closing time!
I managed to take Linda and Jonathon around the Sunnybrae grounds for some night time shots too which I thought turned out pretty spectacular! But not as spectacular as Jonothan serenading Linda on the dance floor a bit later in the night!
The whole day was perfectly ended by a delightful sparkler send off with all Linda and Jonathon’s guests lin=ing the walkway with sparklers in hand.
Wedding cake on display
Bridal entrance to Sunnybrae wedding reception
Bride and groom sharing champagne
Cheers
Photobooth mirror
Groom speech with bride
First dance in dry ice
First dance fun
Night time photo at Sunnybrae wedding
Bride and groom under tree at night
Sunnybrae wedding night time photo
bride and groom looking at lamp
Bride and groom sharing kiss at night
Bouquet catch
Dancing inside guest circle
Serenading his wife
Bride and groom in middle of dance floor
Dancing guest
Dancing groom
Bride and groom exiting Sunnybrea wedding
Bride and groom kissing at end of sparkler run
It was a super long day, but there is no better job in the world than being a wedding photographer! Loved every minute of it! So thankyou Linda and Jonathon for having me and I hope you enjoy your photos!
Weddings are one of the happiest moments in a couple’s life, and it’s a milestone worth remembering for years to come; that’s why having a professional photographer capture the intimate affair is essential.
But even the most picture-perfect shot won’t make an impact if it doesn’t speak to the personality and expectations of the bride and groom. It’s always important to let your photographer do their thing with heir own artistic eye to capture what they think are the best weddings shots – but it’s also helpful to communicate any ‘must have’ shots you expect from your day.
List of 5 Iconic Wedding Photographs
With that in mind, some of the essential shot-list every wedding album should have includes the following snippets:
Getting Ready for the Big Moment – Pre-Wedding Shoots (Candid Moments and Mementos)
Every wedding album needs a behind the scenes shot of the bride and groom getting ready for the biggest day of their lives. This is arguably the only time couples can feel glamorous while getting made and dressed up – it’s also the last morning that you will be referred to as ‘unmarried’ so it’s important to capture these moments.
Some examples of the iconic wedding photographs your wedding photographer would be looking to take would be the make-up process, a closer peek at the wedding dress / suit details, the couple’s accessories or mementos (like the rings, shoes, jewellery, bouquet, and even the wedding invitation), and candid moments in between glamming up.
Bride looking out window at Thorngrove Manor
Groom and Bridal Party – Go Traditional or Crazy with Friends and Family Before the Wedding
Weddings not only celebrate the love shared between the couple but also between family and friends! It’s a special day where everyone can reconnect and have fun together, so it only fits to capture it with your gals and guys. Couples can go with traditional shots and go crazy the next — the mood and personality of your shots are yours to make!
The fun thing that I like to do when taking group shots like this is that I like to do the ‘crazy’ shots before anything else – that way the smiles of doing something crazy are still on your faces once I quickly call for a more ‘formal’ shot.
The fact of the matter is that nothing about being prepared in front of a camera is natural, so you really need to have a bit of fun with it all in order to capture anything that looks ‘natural’.
groom and groomsmen having fun on driveway
The Iconic First Meeting Between the Bride and Groom – Walking Down the Aisle
Every moment before then is leading to this one where the blushing bride makes her entrance and walks gracefully down the aisle with her parents tearfully by her side. At the opposite end is the proud and emotionally-packed groom, waiting for his bride-to-be to meet him. This is a critical, heartfelt moment the photographer shouldn’t miss!
More and more common are what’s known as the first look photoshoot, where this emotional moment is actually done in private – or sometimes surrounded by the bridal party before the ceremony begins. The benefit of this is that you get to remove any fears of being overly emotional in front of family and friends at the ceremony – and it can even help out with potential changes in scheduling due to unforeseen circumstances – like late cars, etc.
Grooms first look at bride at the Watershed Cafe
Father/Daughter and Mother/Son Dance
Another emotionally charged and profound moment is during the dance between the father and daughter or mother and son, both of which shows the genuine connection passing between generations. Next to the first meeting between the bride and groom, this scene will undoubtedly put anyone to tears.
Father daughter dance
Shared Happiness at the Reception
After the vows and the sombre moments, it’s time to capture the couple and their loved ones in their best elements — having fun and dancing to their favourite tunes. This should be colourful and let everyone’s personality shine through!
Let your photographer capture your iconic wedding photographs
As I stated before however – please make sure your photographer is aware of any ‘must have’ shots you’ve already pictured in your mind in having! Unfortunately we are not mind readers and if we miss something, just know that not everything can be captured on a day!
Brides having fun at their Adelaide Sailing Club wedding
Why Choose SvenStudios to Take Your Wedding Photos in Australia?
If you’re looking to capture the beautiful moments leading up to your lovely day, we’re the best wedding photographers in Australia to call. We strive to keep your precious memories and iconic wedding photographs alive with our high-quality photos you can treasure for years to come, so get in touch with us today at 0401403080 to see how we can share your love story in the way you would want to remember.
On your wedding day, not only will you be with your partner but also all the people you love and care about. This is why you’ll want to document the entire event, as you’ll cherish these memories for the rest of your life. It’s a given that you’ll need to take spectacular photos with your partner, but it’s important that you don’t forget your bridesmaids and bridal party as well. Remember that your bridesmaids represent the most important women/people in your life, so you’ll definitely want to do something special with them!
Getting a professional wedding photographer will go a long way when it comes to commemorating your wedding. However, no one says that things have to stop there. While having high-quality photos is important, you can take this even further by doing some research on some creative shots you like – which is why I assume you’re here now reading this blog! you can also check out places like pinterest or even past weddings at your chosen wedding venue for ideas.
Hopefully this short list of some wedding photo ideas to take with your Bridesmaids will help!
4 Wedding Photo Ideas to Take With Your Bridesmaids
A Selfie
Now, you’ve probably taken thousands of selfies with your best friends until many of them may feel rather forgettable. However, this selfie may be the most special of all the selfies you’ve ever taken. One day, you’ll look back at this photo quite fondly, as it’ll represent a special and unstaged moment that you shared with your bridesmaids on your big day.
Another fun photo idea would be a photo of you showing off the beautiful ring on your finger. This gives you a lot of room for quite a bit of wackiness, as the key here is to be as over-the-top as possible!
Engagement ring!
Walking Down the Aisle
On to something a little more serious: getting a photo before you walk down the aisle with your bridesmaids lined up next to you will make for a great photo. You can take this concept even further and have your wedding photographer take continuous shots as you walk past each of them as you make your way down the aisle. You’ll only have one shot at this, so be sure to hire the best photographer available. Luckily, we offer high-quality wedding photography that will capture every moment of your wedding as perfect as possible!
bridal party ready to go
While these photo ideas are important, it’s best to let the wedding photographer handle all the work. This is because they have years of experience and knowledge to capture top-quality images. Just remember to relax and live in the moment. The last thing you want to do is to stress over the photographs on your big day as ironically, that’s the exact thing that may cause your wedding photos to not come out as expected!
These wedding photo ideas to take with your bridesmaids that I’ve listed were all things that have come up as a bit of fun at various weddings I have covered – while you can request certain shots, it’s really best to keep things flowing as they usually would!
We here at Sven Studios are here to help you commemorate your wedding day. Our team of experienced photographers will capture the best and most beautiful photos during your big day. If you’re looking for wedding photographers in Adelaide, Darwin or Hobart be sure to get in touch with us today to learn more about our services!
The Adelaide Botanic Gardens was the setting for Annabelle and Tom’s beautiful wedding which they had travelled from WA for! Their Northern Palm Garden Wedding showcased the closeness of Annabelle and Tom’s family and friends while also having me livestream their ceremony to guests who could not attend due to the COVID pandemic.
Preparation
I began the day with Annabelle and her family being prepared at a house nearby. The atmosphere was laid back and fun filled with the ladies making sure everyone was having some fun with the preparations and dad helping me move their furniture around to get the best angles for shots 🙂
Wedding dress hanging in doorway
bridal party in pajamas
Blue engagement ring in flowers
Bride holding dog
Bride looking through shutters
Bride and bridemaids getting ready
Bride getting ready with bridesmaids
Bride between her veil
Bride in hallway
Northern Palm Garden Wedding Ceremony
Annabelle and Tom’s wedding ceremony took place at my favourite of the 9 Botanic Gardens wedding spots available under the large gum tree in what’s called the Northern Palm Garden, which is right by the northern friendship gates with in the northern section of the gardens.
I love this spot due to the huge gum tree that acts as a backdrop to the wedding ceremony where the light of the sun shines through to make for a very nice scene! Unfortunately the weather wasn’t overly sunny for for this Northern Palm Garden wedding ceremony which meant they had to have standby umbrellas for their guests during the ceremony – but thankfully it diddnt rain.
The ceremony itself was a lovely simple affair, full of smiles and family well wishes which was beautiful.
Excited groom
Bride arriving at Ceremony
bridesmaids approaching ceremony
Bride and parents approaching ceremony
Northern palm Garden Wedding ceremony
bride and groom under umbrellas
Northern palm Garden Wedding ceremony under tree
wedding ceremony under umbrella
smiling bride listening to celebrant
Smiling groom listening to vows
Closeup of exchanging wedding bands
First kiss under umbrella
Wedding exit
Adelaide Botanic Gardens Photoshoot
After the family photos which we took around the rear of where their Northen Palm Garden wedding ceremony took place we made the most of the wonderfully overcast day to take some glamour photos around the Botanic Gardens. We began at the bridge located behind the Northern Palm Garden, then head down the elm boulevard, avoiding the other weddings that were taking place on the same day, and ending up at Araucarla Avenue where one of the groom’s men – Nick was married and I shot his wedding!
It’s always fun to see couples that I had photographed in the past at other weddings!
Northern palm Garden Wedding party
Bridal party on the Northern palm garden bridge
Bridal couple on the Northern Palm Garden bridge
Northern Palm Garden wedding photo
bride and groom at the Adelaide Botanic Gardens
Bride and groom smiling at one another under tree
bride and groom under the foliage
Holding one another nearby the friendship gates
bride and groom sitting on tree roots
Bridal party in the Adelaide Botanic Gardens
Married couple in the Adelaide Botanic Gardens
Adelaide Botanic Gardens wedding photo in the elms
Bride looking pretty with sunlight behind
Bride and groom nearby big tree
South Australian Museum Wedding Reception
Annabelle and Tom held their wedding reception in the grassy area in the old mounted police barracks behind the South Australian Museum. A large marquee was erected to keep everyone warm and out of any weather – which never eventuated. I always find it fun to show people who diddnt know it was there as I feel as though it’s one of the best kept secrets of Adelaide – despite it being completely public space!
The night was fun, with plenty of heartfelt speeches about Annabelle and Tom’s relationship and their life in WA. It was such a great night to be a part of and I’m super pleased I got to make use of the archway towards the wedding ceremony for a biut of a night shot before I left for the night as it turned out to be one of my favourite shots from the day.
White Wedding cake
Adelaide Museum wedding setup
bride and groom entering wedding reception at Adelaide Museum
First dance closeup
First dance at Adelaide Museum wedding
Dancing groomsmen
Bridesmaids listening
Bridal kiss through table guests
Marquee set up at Adelaide Museum wedding
Adelaide Museum wedding photo
Cutting the ake toegtehr in front of white curtain
