Perth College Anglican Girls School Chapel

Bridgeleigh Reception Centre

The following are a couple of tips that help to make your ceremony photos special.

During the ceremony it is nice to occasionally look at the minister or celebrant. But it is really nice if you mostly look at each other. You want to share this special moment with each other. It is very important to look at each other or towards the hands during the ring exchange.

During the exchange of vows look at each other. It shares the love you have with each other with the congregation and looks beautiful in the photographs.

When you exchange rings (if you think of it during the excitement) place them on slowly and tilt your hands a little towards the congregation so everyone can see. This allows your photographer and videographer (if you have one) to capture this moment is close up detail. This image always looks great in the album.

And the kiss. Oh the kiss. Couples are so excited when they get to this bit. I have seen them so fleeting. I have seen them so passionate that faces disappear amidst  hair and veil. And I have seen them as the beautiful declaration of love as you are pronounced husband and wife. One (or more) slow and sexy kisses will be that perfect moment of knowing you are one and looks so beautiful.

Ceremony – Araluen Botanic Park

Reception – Bridgeleigh 

Ceremony – Heathcote in Applecross

Reception – Bluewater Grill – Heathcote

Church – St. Johns Lutheran Church – Aberdeen St North Perth

Location for photography shoot – University of Western Australia

Reception – The Plaza Ballroom at the Hyatt, Perth

Occasionally I have a bride and her bridesmaids opt to do their own make-up. A good make up artist is worth the expense. You spend a small fortune on the gown and the accessories. This is the one day you want to look absolutely fantastic. Quality make-up applied by a professional will have you looking like a super star. You want to shine on your wedding day but that doesn’t mean a bright shiny face which is the result of not using a great make-up artist. Your photographer should be able to give you the names of those she knows will do a great job. It helps make her job easier and she can capture many images of you at your glowing best.

It may be tempting for you to have your make-up done last so that you are fresh when you depart for the ceremony. This is fine if you are not having photographs at this time. However if you do have the photographer coming to photograph the preparations and to do bridal and family images before the ceremony then it is wise to discuss times with her. In this instance it is best that you are made up first (and also your hair is done) so that you are in the gown by the time the photographer arrives. The bride is usually in most of the images so valuable time is wasted if there is a considerable wait for her to be ready. If you are having lingerie shots you won’t need to be in the gown but you will still need to have your hair and make-up finished. Whilst on the subject of lingerie shots. If you are doing this then wear a robe prior to this shoot. You don’t want unsightly underwear marks on your skin.

Another make-up tip is to avoid glitter. Some girls like to have it on their face, on their decollage or in their hair. Glitter will sparkle in sunlight or flash light. You will look as if you have dandruff , as will anyone you hug – especially the groom in his black suit.

And please don’t tan in the days leading up to the wedding. Unsightly bather marks are hard to hide with make-up and it is a difficult task for the photographer to edit in the photographs and will probably result in additional editing costs. If you decide on a fake tan have it done professionally a few days before the wedding.  I have had instances where the tan was done the day before the wedding and resulted in tan solution staining the dress. Iwould advise a trial as that bright orange look is not very pretty. Unless you are naturally olive or dark skinned a lighter skin tone is a better choice than an overly tanned one.

Flowers are a very important part of a wedding. They really do add a beautiful finishing touch to any image. A few useful hints are as follows. Do your research well. Ask florists how soon before the wedding will the flowers be prepared. If you have a Sunday wedding you won’t be wanting flowers that were prepared on Friday morning. It does happen. Ask your photographer for recommendations. They see many great bouquets and many that don’t last the day.

If the weather is going to be very hot opt for flowers that are known to be robust. If in doubt native flowers or silk can be a great alternative. In my experience the most fragile flowers are of the lily family – especially white ones. Unless you have an exceptional florist you will have them wilting and going brown on the edges. If you must have lilies then ask the florist to remove the stamen tips as they stain badly.

Don’t go for the biggest bouquet you can get. By the end of the day they will feel as if they weigh a ton.

If your ceremony or a big part of your day is to be in the sun, then all white flowers are not the best choice. In full sun they will look like a white blob with no detail.

If the photographer is coming to your home before the ceremony make sure that the flowers are delivered just prior to her arrival. You will want lovely detail shots such as the bouquet on it’s own and with other accessories. Plus you will want the bouquet when capturing those beautiful bridal portraits.

 This image is of a great bouquet for the bride. The roses lasted well and they photographed beautifully. The bridesmaid’s bouquet also lasted well. Note, though, that they don’t show as clearly as the bride’s flowers. If this image had been taken in the sun they would more than likely have had no detail at all.

This bouquet is definitely the worst I have ever encountered. I had suggested to the bride that these flowers were not the best for her hot summer wedding. She did mention this to the florist who informed her that her photographer didn’t know what she was talking about. This not very nice image was requested by the bride so that she could send it to the florist. The bride was not happy – to say the least.

Soft hairstyles with long fringes and loose tendrils to frame the face look  lovely at home or in the church. Perth is known for being windy. You will spend all day brushing the hair out of your eyes and away from your face. It is even worse during an outdoor ceremony. Gardens can be bad and the beach is even worse.

An example of a hairstyle perfectly suited to Perth conditions

Ceremony – St Mary’s Catholic Church Leederville

Make up by Terry Larder

Reception at Belvoir in the Swan Valley – http://www.belvoir.net.au/

A common dilemma I come across is the timing for the day. If the ceremony and reception are to be held at the same venue couples don’t want a huge gap between them. They worry that the guests will have too big a gap and be at a loss as to what to do.  A few suggestions are:

1  Have your bridal party photographs taken before the ceremony. This is becoming more popular. Sure you will see each other before the ceremony but traditions are changing quickly. You could spend a couple of hours having beautiful images taken and then travel relaxed to the ceremony. After the ceremony and congratulations you can mingle with your guests and have family and guest photographs taken before the reception starts. You may still like to allow 30 minutes or so for photographs at the reception venue.

 2  If seeing your wife or husband to-be-before the ceremony is a no no then you will need to allow enough time after the ceremony. You can arrange to have very brief congratulations or just have the parents congratulate you. This will allow for enough time to have photographs with your bridal party.

 And of course some lovely romantic moments together.

 3  Allow for a big gap between ceremony and reception. This gives guests time to return home and relax before the evening festivities begin. It allows you to mingle with the guests after the ceremony and maybe have a group photograph is the location is suitable.

4  You can send a list of sightseeing options with the invitations. For example, if the wedding is in the Swan Valley you could include a list of some of the many places they could visit. Maybe organize a bus to take them on a tour.

5  If the budget and time allows you could consider a photographic shoot on another day. On the actual wedding day the time between ceremony and reception can be used for family photographs plus with your bridal party. The next day you can have your own special wedding portrait shoot without the pressure of limited time. You will be relaxed and you won’t be worrying that the dress may get dirty. The following image was taken the day after the wedding and the fact that the gown was quite red by the end of the shoot didn’t matter quite as much.