It was a gloriously sunny day for Susie and Ricky as they hosted their Civic park wedding ceremony up on the hill above the maid grassy area nearby the Sferas Convention Center. They had originally planned to hold their reception only to put that on hold for later in the year until the COVID threat had quietened a bit.
Despite their little postponement of their reception, this happy couple still made the most of their shorter day with gusto!
Preparation
Ricky and his best man was prepared at the family home nearby. I arrived as they were playing a few last video games – which is always a great start, and then we moved on to more usual things like cleaning mirrors while trying to tie ties 🙂
Video games playing groom
Groom getting help with his tie
Groom and groomsman squeezing into mirror
Bestman sorting out tie
Grinning groom
Groom getting lapel straightened
Simpsons cufflinks
Putting flower on lapel
Putting flower on lapel on best man
Groom leaning on doorframe
Susie and her bridal party were prepared at one of the suites at the Sfera’s Convention center in which they had a grand view over where their Civic Park wedding ceremony was being set up overlooking the little creek area at the center of the entire park.
I arrived just as the girl’s makeup was almost done, which is great as then I’m able to make the use of the time taking phtos of things like dresses and shoes, etc.
Susie spent some time in during her preparation on two special moments – the first being a first look with the handsome man who walked her down the aisle, and the other with her flower girl – to which Susie gifted a fluffy white cat toy, which the little girl wasn’;t overly keen on at first but came around to it 🙂
Engagement ring in purple flower
Makeup on bride
Sister hugs
Bride playing with veil
Bride sitting looking at wedding dress
Bridesmaids getting tangled in veil
Bridesmaids stretching out train
Smiling bride looking at camera
Bride standing in window light
Bride smiling looking up
Bride twisting back at bridesmaids
Bridesmaids reacting to engagement ring
Bride showing off train
Groom leaning on doorframe
Civic Park Wedding Ceremony
Susie and Ricky’s Civic Park wedding ceremony took place under the shade of the gum trees that line the dry creek area that adorns the top of the path way that wiggles it’s way through the center of the park – while lined with grass. The path connect’s the Tea Tree Plaza shopping center and Sferas.
Being set up here was wonderful as Susie and Ricky’s guests were therefore protected by the harsh sun, as opposed to the poor other wedding ceremony that took place on the main grass area just after theirs.
Their ceremony itself was a lovely simple affair, with private in jokes based on a variety of popculture references which made a different small portion of their congregation chuckle at different times throughout.
Checking the time together
Groom waiting at Civic Park wedding
Bride arriving looking at Dad
Grooms first look at bride
Civic Park wedding ceremony
Grinning bride during ceremony
Groom looking at his bride
Bride and groom looking back at congregation
Exchanging wedding bands at Civic Park wedding
Bride smiling at her groom at wedding
First kiss at Civic Park wedding
Bridal exit at Civic Park wedding
Glamour Photos
After coaxing everyone out on the grassy hill for a group photo using the drone – so as to socially distance – We made use of the rest of Civic park for a few glamour photos before heading across the road to the Solandra Wetlands for a few more.
As the sun was super bright, my main goal throughout was simply to use as much shade as possible to bring some sun flares coming through and making the scene super pretty. It was however fairly early in the day – so this was a little tricky, but the beautiful surrounds of the foliage available still made for some lovely shots.
Kisses under a tree at Civic park wedding
Groom kissing his bride’s head under a tree
Flying veil on bride
bridesmaid pointing
Smiles all round as headbutt
Smiling bride with groom and jacket
Bridal party reacting to kiss
Bride and groom under sun lit tree
Bride leading groom on merry jape
Bride and groom in long grass
Bride and groom in weeping willow
Bride and groom in weeping willow foliage
Thanks so much to Susie and Ricky for having me as your wedding photographer! I’m so sorry that wouldnt be able to cover your reception on your new date! But I hope you enjoy the photos taken on your wedding day!
Emma and Stephen wanted to show off their love for one another with a Belair Train Station Engagement Shoot before their big day at Mt Barker’s Auchendarroch House.
With Stephen travelling half away across the world from the US to see Emma after several long years apart due to the dastardly effects of the COVID pandemic, they were finally able to be together so they wanted to celebrate as soon as possible!
Emma was in two minds throughout the day about whether or not to head out that night for their engagement shoot due to the weather in the morning being less than spectacular. Thankfully the weather cleared up during the day and we all head out for what turned out to be a beautiful evening.
Belair Train Station Engagement Shoot
We began Emma and Stephen’s Belair Train Station Engagement shoot in amongst the station’s historic platform and waiting shelter where we made use of the beautiful ‘Belair’ writing on the wooden structure and the delightful parallel lines leading all over the place makeing for some lovely scenes.
As Emma had explained before heading out, she had not seen Stephen for several years prior to their engagement shoot, so these two were full of lovey-dovey hugs and kisses all evening, which made my job that much easier!
Smiles in amongst the train station
Walking in front of the Belair Train Station
Belair Train station engagement shoot
Belair Train station engagement photo
Hugs on the Belair Train station platform
As we set out during golden hour, we wanted to make the most of the golden hues of the sun streaming in through the majestic gum trees that make up the Belair National Park. We went for a little walk just behind the Belair Train Station to make use of this amazing setting!
Hugs under the sunlight
In amongst the belair national park gums
Look over there
Belair National Park engagement photo
Two standing together inbetween gum trees
Emma standing out front
Couple standing together under gum tree walkway
Dancing under the gum trees
Engagement shoot in Belair
Leaning on his shoulder
Sitting on fallen tree
Engagement ring with purple gemstone
Dancing in between the gums
Walking toegther in the Belair national park
Just as we were wrapping up, and having a chat with a group of joggers who had just finished their excersises, a freight train thundered past the Belair Train Station platform, so we quickly jumped in front of it for a bit of a photo! The train operator obviously had a bit of a ssense of humour and made sure to be seen throughout. 🙂
Belair Train Station engagement shoot with train
Belair Train Station engagement shoot kiss
Looking forward to being your wedding photographer in March Emma and Stephen! Hopefully these photos will tide you over until then!
Leanne and Evan’s Big Easy Radio wedding is the type of wedding you look forward to for weeks as a wedding photographer! Here was a couple who value entertainment, are not afraid to get a bit risky with photo locations and certainly had a flair for the dramatic!
Their wedding, just out of Aldinga at the delightfully rustic wedding venue, Big Easy Radio had it all! From cliff side photoshoot, to helicopter rides, even circus performers and a doughnut and milkshake stand! Absolutely brilliant!
Preparation
This amazing day started out at a bed and breakfast overlooking the Port Willunga Bay where Leanne and her entourage were being prepared. Leanne did not have any formal ‘bridal party’ but some friends and family were all there to see her through the morning.
Wedding dress hanging in room
Wedding rings on glossy table
bride looking into mirror for makeup
Bridal affects in flowers
Smiling bride as her hair is done
Bride standing alone in beach house
Bride smiling at the camera
First Look
One of my favourite modern wedding traditions is what’s known as the ‘first look‘ where wither the father of the bride, or the groom – or in this case both – sees the bride for the first time in all of her bridal finery. Some of the reactions you can apture is absolutely priceless!
Leanne’s fathe rwas first to see her walk out of the bed and breakfast, before hopping into their delightful bridal car to head over to Blanche Point for a first look with Evan.
bride walking towards father
Dad hugs bride for first look
Bride and Father in car together
Bride walking toward groom for first look
Bridal first look
Smiling bride looking at her groom
Beach Photoshoot
After Leanne and Evan’s first look, we made use of the stunning beach nearby whilst bathed with the incredible weather we were blessed with all throughout the day!
bride and groom walking on cliffs
Bride and groom overlooking the horizon
Bride and groom looking at the beach
Bride and groom in the beach grass
bride and groom walking along the sand
Bride and groom practicing their dance on the beach
bride standing alone with groom watching
Bride and groom with beach in background
Bride and groom waling along the cliff face
Bridal car
Bridal car from the air
bride and groom in photo window
Smiling bride looking at camera under tree
Before heading directly to their Big Easy Radio wedding ceremony, Leanne and Evan wanted to make a bit of an entrance where they decided to splash out on a bit of a helicopter ride with Helivista. No one but their closest family knew they were going to arrive via helicopter, so it was a fun surprise for their guests!
Bride looking back as she enteres helicopter
Bride and groom entering helicopter
Bride looking out window of helicopter
Helicopter arriving at Big Easy Radio wedding
Bride and groom getting out of helicopter
Bride and groom walking towards their wedding ceremony from the helicopter
Big Easy Radio Wedding Ceremony
After flying low over their guests, waiting for the bride and groom to arrive, Leanne and Evan’s Big Easy Radio wedding ceremony took palce on the small grassy area surrounded by the homestead. Their ceremony was a nice simple affair, with short speeches made by friends and family before signing the certificate.
it was slightly unfortunate that the weather had really heated up by the time their ceremony had fninished meaning that Leanne and Evan, along with their guests had been sitting in the sun for quite a bit. Unfortunately my livestream that I had set up for them malfunctioned due to the heat – sorry about that guests that couldn’t attend!
Big Easy Radio Wedding Ceremony
Bride and groom listening to their celebrant
Happy speech giver
Bride looking at her guests
Bride sharing vows
bride and groom exiting their Big Easy Radio wedding
bride and groom exiting their Big Easy Radio wedding ceremony
Lunchtime Reception
In between the ceremony and their Big Easy Radio wedding reception, Leanne and Evan’s guests were kept entertained with lawn games, live music, astonishing food platters with doughnuts and milkshakes(!) galore – and even silk dancers!
The silk dancers had set up their performance platform on the open grassy area nearby where thehelicopter had landed – this made for quite a unique wedding experience!
Food platter on display
Bride and groom walking their dogs
bride and groom with their dogs
Silk performers setup
Silk performer
Slik dancing
Bride on silks
Pizza
Big Easy radio Wedding Venue
Big Easy radio Wedding
Bridal selfy with guests
Golden Hour Photoshoot
As the weather was hot and dry all day, the golden hour period of the day emitted some spectacular orange light which I was keen to make use of in the grounds surrounding Big Easy Radio. First we head over to the old wagon ruin, then went off road a bit to use the long grass bearby, then finally making use of the vine yards on site.
Once we arrived back for the reception, I noticed that the full moon was quite low in the sky and after having Leanne and Evan stand on top of a small raised garden bed, I was able to make full use of it!
Bridal shoot under the sun
Bride and groom under the golden sun
Bride and groom under the golden sun headbutting
bride leaning into her groom
Golden hour wedding photo
Bride and groom in amngst the Big Easy Radio vineyards
Bride and groom in amngst the Big Easy Radio vineyard
Sun shining through vines on bride and groom
Bridal hugs in the vineyard
Bride and groom hugs under pink sky
Bridal photo under full moon
Groom lifting his bride under full moon
Bride lifting groom under full moon
Big Easy Radio Wedding Reception
Finally, as a cherry on the top of such a spectacular day, Leanne and Evan’s reception was full of fun dancing, drinking and making merry with some absolutely wonderful people in attendance!
The whole point of having a professional photographer at your wedding day is so that you don;t have to worry about not remembering all the little details that you may otherwise be overly stressed or too emotional to really sit back and have a think about all the beautiful things around you.
Take for example your wedding dress hanging there, it’s a representation of your life before being married, before putting it on and seeing your future spouse for the first time on your big day.
As a symbol of a modern wedding, the white dress has become the staple and point of interest in much of the wedding photography I take, so here are some wedding dress photography tips I’ve thought of and hopefully it can help!
Wedding Dress Photography Tips
Wedding Dress On a Hanger
One of the classic wedding dress photos is getting a shot of the dress in its full glory before you put it on. It’s a perfect summary of all the preparations you had to go through for so many months!
You can set up this shot in many different ways. You can use an elaborate wood cabinet for your background, or you can set the dress on a mannequin up against natural light. You can have a special hanger engraved or personalised with your name for a gorgeous personal touch. Consult with your wedding photographers for creative ideas that fit your theme and your personality.
My personal favourite is having it hung in the center of an elaborate window in a place like Al-Ru Farm where it’s pretty much set up for wedding photography!
Wedding dress hanging at Alru Farm
Wedding Dress From All Sides
Fire on all cylinders! Do not hesitate to get as many shots as you want during the wedding dress shoot, and make sure that all angles are showcased. The front, back, and all sides should be captured for posterity! You also need shots that include the train, if you have one. And, of course, your hair and other accessories will complete the look.
Maximise your wedding location and find a beautiful background for full-length shots, and you’ll surely love the photos that come out of the shoot!
Bride walking out doorway
Wedding Dress with Your Bouquet
Your list of shots should definitely include photos of you in your wedding dress with your beautiful bouquet, be it full length or close-up. The bouquet serves as an important symbol of the occasion, together with your rings and veil. The wedding bouquet takes your overall look to another level, with a natural touch coupled with the bride’s smile!
Close up of bridal bouquet in hand
Wedding Dress with the Veil
Wedding photographers love highlighting the white veil. If you have fantastic weather on your wedding day, ask for some help to stretch the veil fully by laying it on the ground or lifting the ends. This is one of the best photos you’ll love!
When it comes to wedding dress photogrpahy, this can be some of the most fun you have during your day with your bridal aprty running about, getting stuck in your veil!
Wedding Dress with Shoes
Brides love taking their time choosing the best shoes that will match their wedding gowns. While most brides would prefer high heels, there would also be others who’d go for flat shoes. Whichever is yours, make sure to flaunt it during your creative shoot.
Putting on bridal shoes
Family Moments
As you get ready to get married, it’s important to capture memories of enjoying special moments with your loved ones. Have a good time as they help you with your dress and with your look for the day. Of course, enjoy being the focus of everyone’s attention, including the camera!
Bridal crew
Candid Shots
Won’t you smile when you see a photo of a bride laughing her heart out? Candid photos look so natural and touching. Your wedding is one of the happiest days of your life, and you’ll surely overflow with genuine smiles throughout the day. Professional photographers know to be in the right place and the right time to capture your joy. You can also be a little bit playful during this creative shoot. Bottom line: be true to yourself, and everything else will follow.
Jumping bridal party
Bride-turned-Model
In contrast to natural and candid shots, this wedding dress photography style is your time to look elegant, regal, and sexy. You can also opt for a fairytale theme or create a mysterious look with different props like ancient candlesticks and other decorations. Add them up, and your dress will surely give off a magical vibe as you model for your shoot.
Alru Farm wedding bride
You’ll never have dull photos as you try these wedding dress photography ideas, alongside working with the best wedding photographers.
Choosing a Wedding Dress that Looks Good in Photographs
Found that wedding dress yet? Perhaps you are spending so much time choosing your wedding dress as you consider several factors such as price, wedding theme, preferred style, design, and many others. But be sure to think about how the dress will look while taking pictures to have an instant glow in your wedding photos.
For the best photos on your big day, the best thing you can possibly do is feel great while wearing it, so the best wedding dress photography tip i can possibly give is to choose a wedding dress that you feell most comfortable in!
Here are some of the things you can consider when looking for a photogenic wedding dress.
Design
For sure, this is your primary consideration when you choose your dress. Of course, you should be very particular with the beading, lace, and embroidery. These details on your gown make you shine and look lovely. Photographers highlight these details during close-up shots to show off the intricate design of the dress.
Look for any detail that will give more life to your dress, like ribbons, buttons, or nice curves. They make for good photos, too! Consider the neckline and sleeves, where you can opt to add more details to make it look even better. Let your photographer know which detail on your dress is your favourite to highlight during the shoot so you won’t miss a classic photo.
Buttoning up wedding dress back
Fabric
Yes, some fabrics look better in photographs. Flowy and light fabrics can do you extra wonders as they can be utilised to capture beautiful photos. You can also look for wedding dresses with long trains or airy sleeves and match them with lightweight veils.
They also provide an additional benefit during shoots as you can play with the dress, twirl around and hold them comfortably to pose for a feel-good photo.
Unfortunately, as with many things in life, you kind of get what you pay for when it comes to fabric – which is something I often mention when advising brides on wedding dress photography. A common example I give is the difference in veil fabric – the cheaper it is, the more like fly screen it becomes!
Hanging Thorngrove Manor wedding dress
Fit
Having a tailor-fit wedding dress gives you an instant charm. It effortlessly shows your curves and highlights your body shape. During your fitting, address what you don’t like, especially when you don’t like its fit. You wouldn’t want to spend your wedding day adjusting your dress to achieve a specific fit. Leave that stress behind and make all necessary adjustments during your fitting.
After all, when you wear something that fits you well, you will ooze with confidence which will help you become even more photogenic. Your photographers will also have a field day capturing your wedding dress in style. That’s why you should invest your time and effort in choosing a wedding gown that will bring out the best in you.
Wedding dress
Along with someone to make the most of all the work you put into selecting your dream wedding dress, wear your most beautiful smile as they capture the most beautiful moments that you will treasure for a lifetime and your wedding photography is guaranteed to turn out amazing.
Your big day should be relished forever. With quality photos, you’ll surely remember your wedding day memories all too well for the rest of time! From Wedding Dress Photography to your first dance later in the day.
If you are in need of wedding photography in Adelaide, Darwin, or Hobart we can cover you all the way, all day long! SvenStudios offers professional wedding photographer solutions that capture your moments in a fun and relaxed way. Contact us for photography packages for your big day!
Nadia and Joy held their duel ceremony wedding on a Tuesday at the beginning of December – which might seem out of the ordinary but it worked out beautifully for holding a GlenEwin Estate Gatehouse Wedding!
Being a Tuesday meant that the lower Pulpshed wedding venue wasn’t being used by another wedding so we got to use both spots for as many photos as we wanted. Also being a lunch time wedding, Nadia and Joy got to make the most of everything the Glen Ewin Estate has to offer!
Baha’i Wedding Ceremony
At the beginning of the day, Nadia and Joy held a religious Baha’i wedding ceremony from the comfort of their own home while making use of my livestream service which allowed a multitude of guests from around the world to tune in all day.
As is traditional with Baha’i wedding ceremonies, the service was a simple affair, with readings from family and friends and a signing of marriage documents over the household’s dining table after which I whisked myself off to GlenEwin Estate to set up the photobooth for their lunchtime reception and video equipment to record their GlenEwin Estate Gatehouse Wedding Ceremony.
Religious symbol
nicely dressed girl
Bridal approach through hallway in house
Bride and groom sitting at table
Bahai Home ceremony
Speech during Bahai ceremony
Bahai wedding ceremony at home
Bride smiling at groom
Bride signing papers
MCs
GlenEwin Estate Gatehouse Wedding Ceremony
GlenEwin Estate Gatehouse Wedding ceremonies usually take place on a grassy area overlooking a man made pond in front of the main reception area just to the left of the entrance to the Estate. The space is surrounded on all sides by earth, greenery and makes for an intimate space for any wedding ceremony.
Nadia and Joy’s legal ceremony had already taken place during their Baha’i ceremony, so they had no need to sign any documents after this ceremony, but they still made the most of the moment by reciting heartfelt vows to one another and had a bit of fun with inserting fun little caveats to each other’s ‘i do’s’.
GlenEwin Estate gatehouse wedding arbour
Groom arriving at Glenewin estate gatehouse wedding
bride arriving at Glenewin estate gatehouse wedding
bride and bridesmaids in front of greenery
Dad and bride walking towards wedding ceremony
Holding hands in black and white
Ceremony speech givers
GlenEwin Estate Gatehouse Wedding Ceremony
Bride and groom under hexagonal arbour
Smiling groom during the ceremony
Smiling bride during the ceremony
Bahai priest
Exchanging wedding rings under arbour
Celebrating being married
Walking back down the aisle under petals
GlenEwin Estate Gatehouse Wedding Reception
Directly after their second ceremony, we took a few family group shots and made use of some of the greenery around for some glamour shots before heading in for their lunchtime GlenEwin Estate Gatehouse wedding reception.
Again, the reception was a lovely, intimate, simple affair with family and friends, while guests who could not attend recording video messages for the bride and groom which was played on the large screen. During the rest of the reception the whole day was played back using the footage I had taken via my livestream!
Wedding cake on display
bride and groom entrance at GlenEwin Estate Gatehouse wedding
bride and groom cutting the cake together
Guests enjoying the photobooth
Livestream viewers
groom chatting to guests
Speech giver
Bride and groom giving speech
Bride and groom during their first dance
Glamour Photos
As Nadia and Joy’s reception wrapped up after lunch, there was still ample time for us to run about the entirety of the Glen Ewin Estate to make use of some of the amazing spots scattered about for some more glamour photos – which was exactly what we did!
It was so liberating to have a wedding on a Tuesday as there were absolutely nobody else about dictating when and where we could go!
Closeup of bridesmaids bouquets
Bride with groom sneaking behind
Bride and groom headbutting through foliage
Smiling bride and groom through foliage
bridal party together on driveway
Together under the greenery
Bride and groom leaning against tree
Walking along the water
GlenEwin Estate Gatehouse wedding photo
bride and groom sitting on Bench at Glen Ewin Estate
Glen Ewin Estate wedding photography
Glen Ewin Estate wedding photo
Bride and groom under green trees
Bride and groom under green
Bride and groom above some water
Thanks goes out to Nadia and Joy for having me as your wedding photographer and videographer, photobooth guy and livestreamer! I was certainly busy all day, but it’s always well worth it as I love what i do and I thank you for allowing me to do what i do best!
