The day was pretty hot but Rebecca and Paul breezed through their wedding. A beautiful ceremony was followed by a fun photo shoot and then a glamorous wedding reception at the always beautiful Belvoir in the Swan Valley. http://www.belvoir.net.au/
Photography has been my full time profession since 1997. More than 600 weddings and many portrait sessions keep me very busy. Photography is also my passion and winter 2011 saw me enjoying an amazing (and cold) 3 weeks in the stunning South Island of New Zealand. I travelled with my lovely friend Dianne who is as passionate as I am when it comes to landscape photography. When I get the chance I am slowly editing my favourites and I shall share them in my BLOG. This is the first installment. I hope you enjoy them as much as I did taking them.
Leah and Dion chose a relaxed garden wedding to celebrate their marriage. Sandalford Winery http://www.sandalford.com/ was the perfect choice with drinks and nibblies enjoyed in the parkland setting. Their children played a very important part of the day. Leah’s son, Nathan joined her father in walking her down the aisle. Her daughter Jazmin joing Dion’s daughters Laila & Lily as flowergirls.
Kerryn and Aaron celebrated their marriage and reception at Bridgeleigh Reception Centre http://www.bridgeleigh.com.au/. A delightful couple and a fun bridal party made for a great day. Congratulations to you both.
Claire & Guttorm celebrated their ceremony and reception at Oakover Winery in the beautiful Swan Valley. http://www.oakoverwines.com.au/ The bride got ready at The Rose & Crown in Guildford http://www.rosecrown.com.au/ It would have been lovely to explore the hidden treasures of this historic hotel. But with time running out I was happy to act as chauffeur and transport the bride and her three bridesmaids to the location where she met up with her beautiful horse and carriage so that she arrived at the ceremony in style. I have to congratulate the girls as, during the photo shoot, they bravely ventured into the bush via a rough track. The backlit Aussie bush was the perfect fit for their rural wedding. And I do have to make special mention of the best man, Gjermund. Without doubt one of the best speeches I have witnessed in more than 600 weddings. Humour, a strip, the parents joining in on a singalong and then all the 100 guests serenading the couple – I do believe in Norwegian. It was a surprise for the delighted couple and amazing to witness.
I had the pleasure of photographing Ebony and Matt’s wedding two years ago. This time it was with their “family” Milko and Mo. Their “boys” are an energetic duo but were on their almost best behaviour for their first official photo shoot.
Bulgarian Petya was determined that she have a beach wedding and the threatening weather forecast was no obstacle. She and Ian shared their vowes as the strong winds gusted and rain fell on them and their family and friends who braved the elements with them. The rain eased a little and allowed for the planned beach photos before heading off to the relative shelter of a nearby bush park. Most couples would have headed indoors but Ian and Petya relished the wild weather and constantly shared laughter and their obvious love for one another.
The weather gods were kind to Bonnie and Justin. Rain had been forecast all week but the day couldn’t have been more perfect. They were able to make the most of the beautiful grounds at Bridgeleigh Reception Centre http://www.bridgeleigh.com.au/ Bonnie and Justin were such a fun couple to photograph and the love they share was so obvious. Congratulations and all the best for a wonderful future together.
I have been recently approached by Cosmo Bride http://www.cosmopolitan.com.au/cosmo-bride.htm to supply some images from a wedding I photographed in Karijini National Park in the stunning Pilbara region of Western Australia. Cosmo Bride will be running a feature on destination weddings and this issue will be out on October 31st 2011.
This got me to thinking that I should have a post on my BLOG to assist those who are having or considering having a destination wedding. I will add a few of my thoughts here (along with a selection of the Karijini images taken at Jen and Chris’ wedding). If you have any questions you are welcome to email me at info@caroldarby.com and I will add the replies to this post.
I will just be covering the photography aspect. Though it goes without saying that you will need to work with a company that specializes in weddings in the area you wish to have your ceremony and reception. As far as outback weddings go you can’t go past the Karijini Eco Retreat http://www.karijiniecoretreat.com.au where Chris and Jen had their reception. There were plenty of accommodation options for their guests and these ranged from budget camping to upmarket eco tents. Whether an outback wedding or one at the beach or on an island most of these hints can be adapted to suit.
First and foremost you will want a photographer who not only can photograph people well but also be a pretty decent landscape photographer. Beautiful wedding photos are obviously the priority but you will also want a collection of fantastic images that really show off your stunning location. You don’t want to be going to all the effort of arranging such a unique wedding and then having photographs that could have been taken anywhere. Start your search nice and early so that you have plenty of time to make the right choices.
You must be prepared to pay the photographers reasonable costs such as travel (including flights if need be), accommodation, meals etc. If this travel takes considerable time there may be an additional fee on top of their normal packages. It may be just one day of actually shooting your wedding but it could mean 2 days or more away from their studio and the photographer missing the chance of booking other work during that time. Remember, it is not a holiday for them. However do discuss your needs and a compromise can probably be reached – one that you are both happy with.
Once you have decided on a photographer communicate with them. Let them know your wishes and expectations. But also be guided by them. Some of your expectations may not be realistic and they can be an invaluable help as to logistics and timing. By working together you will achieve the images that truly reflect your special and unique wedding.
You may wish to consider booking the photographer for additional time at your destination. Prior to the wedding you can take them to the areas of the ceremony and location photography. They will be better prepared on the day and become familiarized with what will be happening. They can advise on positioning to make the most of the light and also the landscape. Most city based weddings involve locations that the photographer is already familiar with. However a destination wedding may be somewhere totally new to them and the opportunity to check out things in advance can really pay off.
You may also consider booking the photographer for the day after the wedding. The actual wedding day will go so fast, especially with the added travel time that is often involved. Jen and Chris enjoyed what is commonly known as a “Trash The Dress” session the day after the wedding. This doesn’t mean really trashing the dress but you aren’t going to worry so much if it gets a bit dirty. This gave us the opportunity to visit some special locations without the rushed timeline of the wedding day. It was a lovely relaxed time and made for some beautiful images.
Please enjoy these images and contact me if you have any questions or would like to discuss your “Destination Wedding”.
Jemma and Stuart were so much fun to photograph, as were their bridal party. Once again I was able to use the beautiful grounds of Belvoir in the Swan Valley http://www.belvoir.net.au/ Susan of SD photography http://www.sdphotos.com.au/ again supplied her camera skills as I recover from a broken wrist. And again we all had so much fun and laughter and these images reflect the love Jemma and Stuart share. It is great being the director of photography but I am itching to get back behind the camera – hopefully at the wedding of Bonnie and Justin next week.
