I have captured quite a few weddings over the years, but this was in fact, my very first ‘surprise’ wedding. Chad & Emily planned a beautiful intimate ceremony to share with just their family and then surprised the guests of their “engagement” party with the happy news later in the day. As I scanned the marquee – after the big announcement – I noticed nothing, but wide eyes and massive grins on all of the guests faces…it was perfect!

I know the couple will be keen to see for themselves and to share with all of their friends these images…I hope they demonstrate just how relaxed and at ease these two are in each other’s company. Clearly, they were made for each other and I couldn’t be happier to see such a lovely young woman (who once sat in my classroom as my student) & her new husband, enjoy their special day.

Thanks for trusting me to capture your memories, Chad & Emily! I wish you both every happiness in your new lives together.

When I first met Shane and Astrid to discuss their wedding photography they expressed their desire to have a fairly equal balance of candid/fun images and romantic images. I explained that so long as they were having fun & enjoying the company of their friends + family as well as taking a few moments throughout the day to just breathe-in how lucky they are to have each other…that the photos would take care of themselves. It really is the most amazing part of what I do. Seeing couples realise their own photographic dreams without a whole lot of effort on my part. The couples I capture without exception, always inspire ME…not the other way around. These images really are a credit to Astrid and Shane for doing just as I asked them to – enjoying their day and each other.

Ceremony and reception: @ The Barn
Hair: by Red Ivie
Make-up: by Andrea Rout
Flowers: by Floral Edge

Congratulations Mr and Mrs O’Brien! And thank you for such a beautiful day. You and your entire bridal party were an absolute joy to work with and I’ll always remember yours as my very last Mt Gambier-based wedding. Enjoy the honeymoon.

I love the Coonawarra. It is one of those places that seems to dissolve anything that might make you feel anything less than completely happy. For a wedding it certainly makes it one of my favourite locations. Combine that with the fact that it has significance for this couple in so many ways and you have the makings of a truly memorable wedding.

The bride and her bridesmaids stayed at the beautifully serene Menzies Retreat at Yalumba & the groom and the boys at Chardonnay Lodge. The ceremony and the reception were held on the family’s own property and vineyard – Flints of Coonawarra. I really loved the family connection to the locations chosen and couldn’t have asked for a better spot to capture their images. It was all so perfect!

Congratulations Amanda & Daniel! It really was an exceptional day and such an honour for me to be apart of. The entire bridal party and all the sweet kids (including the gorgeous Miss Poppy) were so easy to work with and I had a genuinely great time. I sincerely wish you and your beautiful little girl every conceivable happiness in your new lives together.

There were so many things to love about this wedding. But…MOST of all…I loved the warm, friend-and-family-loving vibe of the entire day. There were children laughing, grandparents that couldn’t wipe the smiles off their faces and teary-eyed friends who were all just so thrilled for the happy couple. It was genuinely…beautiful! I felt very privileged to be a part of this day and can’t thank the happy couple enough for having me. I hope these images mark the beginning of an amazing new chapter in your new life together.

Again, thank you Brooke & Mark! It was a stunning day and you both handled every moment with grace and elegance. Also…thanks to the great bridal party. I had a fantastic time hanging out with you all.

I am thrilled to share with you my first wedding of the season…the stunning wedding of Cindy + Adam. It was a great day to kick off the season, full of so much warmth and fun. I have to give a special shout out to the bridal party – they were fabulous and entirely helpful. Thanks guys. I also need to thank my lovely assistant Jessica Tucker who helps in so many ways and just makes the day even more enjoyable.

So without further ado…here’s a bumper sneak peek of the happy couple.

Thanks so much Cindy + Adam for having Jess and me along for the ride. It really was a gorgeous day and our privilege to be apart of.

I’ve never covered debs before, mostly because they occur at night and my time at home is precious when so many weekends are spent covering weddings. I made an exception in this one case and was pleased I did. This gorgeous young lady is absolutely stunning and her whole family were just so lovely. It was really a pleasure!

You may all remember this lovely couple whose wedding I captured earlier this year in Robe. Well…this clever little bride has entered Bride to Be magazine’s Bride of the Year competition and guess what? She is one of this month’s lucky finalists. Being a local couple and knowing that the Limestone Coast is an amazing backdrop for a wedding, please get behind this couple and vote, vote, vote!

You can vote for the entire month of June and every hour by clicking on the below image or this link: Bride of the Year – Cindy Jennings

Your support means a lot to me and I know also to Cindy + Marcus who could end up with a second honeymoon if she makes it through this round of entries to the grand final.

Happy voting!

If ever there was a little girl that typifies cute and would make the perfect Pumpkin Patch model…this is her! This little angel melted my heart – the way she smiled, giggled, cuddled and occasionally even pouted. She clearly brings so much joy to her parents and my camera just couldn’t get enough. So here is a bumper post of one amazing tiny person with more personality and charm than you can even imagine.

I had such a great time hanging out with this family and it definitely made me acutely aware of how wonderful the families of Mount Gambier are. I have never had a family client that didn’t open up and allow me a brief glimpse into their lives and relationships and I am completely grateful for that. Looking at these photos warmed my heart…so thank you!

I recently made the very difficult decision to focus my attention primarily on my wedding clients. It was a tough choice to make simply because I do love photographing families and children…especially when they’re as cute as this! It was however the right decision for me and my family, so I hope you’ll forgive my teasing you with these last two family portrait sessions (at least until the temptation becomes too much and I just HAVE to capture another gorgeous family).

Thank you so much for a lovely session guys…the weather really was a bit of a let down, but your gorgeous little girl still managed to shine!

Where to begin? This was my last wedding of the season and it was such a perfect way to end what has been an amazing few months. I am both excited at the prospect of gaining my weekends back, but also a little sad that I won’t get to ‘play’ until later in the year.

Megan & Andy were absolutely fantastic to work with. Their relationship is clearly built on good humour and bucket loads of love and respect! The wedding itself was held at St Paul’s with photos at Leg of Mutton Lake, Port MacDonnell and the ceremony at The International. The bride’s hair was taken care of by Red Ivie and the flowers were lovingly created by Michelle, formerly of Floral Edge, but now enjoying the sunshine of Port Douglas!

And because it’s my last of the season, I’ve got a bumper post for you. Practically nothing is left out. So grab a coffee and take a look at the gorgeous wedding of one fabulous couple…

Thank you so much Megan and Andy for having me along for the ride. It was a sensational day and I truly had such a great time spending the day with you both and your terrific wedding party. I hope you guys have a sensational honeymoon and enjoy every minute of your time as newly weds. Thanks again! xo