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Eligh and Maddy are both super shy with cameras around so there was a big emphasis on candid photography, capturing the vibe, scenery and minimal directed portraits. They wanted to be in amongst the party and enjoy time with their loved ones which was so cool. This was a fun gig, I love Solitaire Homestead weddings!!
Paul and Kira’s wedding at Pullman Bunker Bay Resort was on a beautiful warm sunny day in April. Bunker Bay is always amazing, I love the stunning turquoise water and sparkling sunlight striking the surface.
Kira
"Without Lauren, Jemilah, Donna & the fabulous team of vendors including our incredible photographer John, our wedding would not have ran as perfectly as it did. Organising a wedding from Sydney in the middle of a pandemic with the threat of borders opening and closing at the drop of a hat was so stressful, but with a team like this who were so flexible, attentive and fun to work with was the absolute dream. We loved every minute of the day, it was so chilled and flowed effortlessly from beginning to end, and the photos John captured really do tell that story. In the end all our plans went ahead as we had hoped, we were so lucky in that respect, but regardless of luck, this team would have made it happen".
Paul and Kira, thanks for inviting me along for the ride, I really enjoyed the fun and laughter!!
Wedding suppliers:
Wedding planner: Lauren Green Events
Venue coordinator: Pullman Bunker Bay Resort
Makeup: Andrea Hendroff
Hair stylist: Massena Hair Boutique
Celebrant: Jemilah Wright Civil Marriage Celebrant
Videographer: True Love Story
Florist: Mayflower Weddings & Events
Furniture & decor: Yallingup Event Hire
Linen hire: South West Event Studio
Cake: Sweet Stylin’
Favours: Three Foxes
Musician: ASKYA Music
DJ & MC: Retriever Sound
I love working with Lauren, her weddings are always meticulously planned and every detail considered which results in an extremely present and relaxed bride and groom. There’s not a stress in the world and they are focused on having an epic day. I love that!!
I love the spontaneous natural photos that are honest memories. They remind us of what it was like and how it felt. Those little laughs with your best mates and your family.
Not heaps of directed pics because Kira isn’t a fan, it’s nothing new for me, I find that a lot of my clients have chosen me cause they love how I am able to capture the moments that just happen without posing.
Pre ceremony is a fantastic time to photograph people in the height of excitement and anticipation. This is all stuff that Kira will not see on her wedding day, so I want her to be able to feel what the mood was like before she made her entrance.
The wedding ceremony is jam packed full of emotion and excitement that I want to capture, I move around in the background a lot to get as many different perspectives as I can.
The congratulations is one of my favourite moments at a wedding, I love the pure joy etched on peoples faces, I try to get as many exchanges between guests as I can.
Allowing a great bunch of mates to drink some bubbles and share some laughs has it photo rewards. When required I also have some funny games that I like to throw at the bridal party which again creates spontaneity for more natural photos and an awesome experience.
Paul is a bloody funny guy, he comes from Merseyside which is renowned for it’s fantastic sense of humour.
Time to switch into some Lacoste trainers as rock hopping in high heels is a tad scary heh.
We got to Sugar Loaf Rock to see in the sunset which is the best light for pics. I am a passionate landscape photographer and I love tapping into those skills on a wedding day.
Pullman Bunker Bay Resort has an awesome outside deck overlooking the Indian Ocean. The amazing Donna and her staff worked alongside Lauren Green to create an absolutely stunning space for the wedding reception.
I love to make sure that I have photographed all the beautiful details, the decor, colours and special finishing touches that Lauren, Kira and Paul would have planned together over many chats and emails.
Speeches are a time that I want to capture as many smiles, laughs and reactions as I possibly can.
When we progress into dancing, it’s time to get in amongst it.
I am in the thick of the action, photographing with a 35mm lens. It’s interesting how wedding guests accept me and my camera, they don’t avoid me or shape their actions but they are happy to be themselves and for me to capture it. I find this acceptance starts at the congratulations just after the ceremony.
What a day!! I show so many pics in my Blog’s because I want you to get the sense of “story” about my work.
Black Brewing Co is one of my favourite wedding venues in Margaret River. This blog will outline why Black Brewing Co is such a popular choice for engaged couples planning their wedding.
Suppliers:
Getting ready - Regency Beach Club
Location Black Brewing Co
Furniture – Yallingup Event Hire
Celebrant – Celebrant Dunsborough
Flowers – Zest Flowers
Dress – Oxford Bridal
Suits – Institchu
Cake - Cheese Louise
Hair – Diana Cheetham
Makeup - Diana Cheetham
Black Brewing Co is situated on the scenic Caves Road just sixteen minutes by car from Dunsborough and twenty five minutes from Margaret River town centre.
This makes it very convenient for your wedding guests to book accomodation locally.
Black Brewing Co has beautiful architectural features and landscaped gardens that make my life as a wedding photographer that much easier.
Built with locally sourced granite stonework Black Brewing Co has a unique contemporary architectural style that complements the surrounding landscape.
You approach the cellar door along thick jarrah decked walkways that border large native garden beds and beautifully simplistic ponds. The mirrored reflection of the waters surface further continues the beautiful pattern of the buildings stonework. A feature that I really love about the place.
A large feature wall with fifteen oak wine barrels gives a very unique Margaret River styled wedding backdrop that is used a lot for wedding photos.
This venue has an abundance of spectacular scenes to photograph the bride and groom and their wedding party. The best part is that they are all super close to each other which cuts out walking too far in high heels.
Jedd gets ready at The Regency Beach Club in Dunsborough.
Using the natural window light and art pieces on the walls to highlight Jedd’s amazing blue eyes!
Primarily the boys getting ready shots are about capturing the various stages of transforming from regular guy to Bondesque dude haha. There can be some funny moments as people get their heads around winchesters and fixing button holes. I often lend a hand on that front.
Jedd looking super cool and relaxed with a beer. The simple tree background allows Jedd to be the main feature without the distractions of the other properties in the background.
The girls have it sussed as they pop a bottle of bubbly before getting dressed. A nice reward for all the hours of work already gone into their hair and make up preparations. Kelsie booked her accomodation at Regency Beach Club as well so it was super convenient for wedding suppliers and friends and family on the day.
“The decisive moment” captured right there, Henri Cartier-Bresson would have been proud of this one.
A component of documentary photography is to use sequences of photographs to tell stories. This is a beautiful moment shared between Kelsie, sister and close friends who are her bridesmaids on her wedding day. By taking more than one photo, you get a sense of the fun and relaxed time they had together.
Photographing the details is a big part of photographing at the brides house. It’s important to capture all the memory triggers like the stunning wedding dress from Oxford Bridal which Kelsie purchased in Perth.
The main bedroom at Regency Beach Club has some beautiful natural light which I love to work with.
Getting closer to Kelsies beautiful wedding dress concentrates on all the wonderful fine details created by the talented Oxford Bridal.
Allowing the moment to happen naturally gives people a chance to be themselves and have fun together. I picked this spot at the house because it has really nice flattering light and a clean simple background with no distractions. I just asked the girls to have a chat, they have so many fun and natural photos from this moment to look back on.
Photographing a variety of natural and directed photographs means everyone is happy and nothing is ever missed. Notice how relaxed and happy everyone looks.
Beautiful bouquet from Zest Flowers in Dunsborough. I love their fantastic creations.
Documentary wedding photography is about photographing hundreds of tiny moments like these. Later on when you see them all together, it’s what you have to transport you back to what it was like. Or, perhaps show you some things you did not get to see.
A little direction again here to pop Kelsie into some nice natural flattering light. After a quick tidy up, closing a few doors etc the girls could get ready without direction as I moved about getting some different angles.
I really love this photo of Kelsie and her bridesmaids enjoying fanning out her veil. I always keep an eye out for little moments like this.
I spotted this couch with the mid grey wall behind and had it earmarked for a portait of Kelsie once she was dressed. The dark grey wall and beautiful window light makes Kelsie’s skin tones pop. I always use natural lighting, it gives a natural retouched look. Shadows, wrinkles etc are removed naturally with light and exposures I use.
Regency Beach Club in Dunsborough is a great pick for a wedding, the lighting and decor of the properties is so easy to work with when photographing the bride and groom getting ready before their big day.
Everyone is excited as we arrive at Black Brewing Co
Black Brewing Co has acres of stunning vineyards that make beautiful backdrops for wedding photography.
A fantastic example of a beautiful Margaret River wedding backdrop. The mid greens of the grape vines makes your skin tones look beautiful.
Ceremonies on the large deck at Black Brewing Co. I love the background views overlooking the lake and surrounding trees.
Sneaky photo of Jedd awaiting his bride to walk down the aisle at Black Brewing Co. The gardens look stunning.
I had a message from Kelsie’s mum leading up the wedding to try and capture the surprised look on Kelsie’s face when she notices her beloved fur baby at the altar alongside Jedd.
Using sequences of photos rather than just taking one allows the narrative to unfold. I love Kelsie’s various expressions but I also love her fathers reactions. Fantastic memories to have I reckon.
Black Brewing Co has a wonderful decked area for their wedding ceremonies which is overlooking a spectacular tree lined lake. The backdrop for photography during the ceremony includes the brewery where they host their wedding receptions.
Jedd and Kelsie ceremony at Black Brewing Co next to their beautiful arbour from Yallingup Event Hire and stunning flower arrangement from Zest Flowers
I love emotional wedding photos like this and I am amped to photograph as much emotion at every wedding ceremony. Just look at the mans expression in the second row, a reaction to a joke during the ceremony. It’s really nice for families to have photographs to remember like this, everyone being themselves and so happy.
Natural wedding photo of guests laughing during the ceremony at Black Brewing Co.
The tree line surrounding the lake at Black Brewing Co frames the property nicely. You feel like you are in the middle of no where.
Exchanging of the wedding vowels can be funny one minute, nerve racking the next and of course there are the tear jerking moments too.
Natural wedding photographs like this are a big part off my photography style. Having memories of the emotions of the day will be incredibly valuable to my clients in years to come.
By photographing the emotions for my clients they can look back through their day and get a feeling of what it was like to be their. Your day will go so quickly. There are so many people to catch up with and spend time with it can get full on for you. My job is to photograph hundreds of memories for you, as many different aspects, moments and details as I possibly can. This will give you a visual story to refer back to.
Wedding guest spontaneously laughs during the wedding ceremony at Black Brewing Co.
I love this portrait of Jedd and Kelsie just after their first kiss at Black Brewing Co. The excitement on their faces is beautiful to see. All that planning, conquering those nerves of being the centre of attention. Well done guys!
Walking back down the aisle and heaps of happy expressions, all off the cuff, wonderful spontaneous photographs that show all of the emotion of the day.
Jedd was literally getting pelters here as guests took aim with petals, pretty funny tradition I reckon. Love it!
I am hyper with my camera at this stage of a wedding, the wedding guests are always experiencing a spike in emotions right now and it’s my mission to photograph as many exchanges and interactions as possible. The bride and groom will just not get to see everything so it’s my job to get it all for them.
Brides sister banters best man as groom watches on. Theses are the type of exchanges which add to the directed photographs to complete the story of their day. Personality, character make awesome memories. I am naturally drawn towards characters in life and I have a knack of seeing theses moments before they happen.
Aww so cute!! Reunited. This was a fantastic idea to surprise Kelsie with her gorgeous boy!
These photographs were taken whilst photographing the family groups. I literally have eyes in the back of my head haha.
Love this photograph.
Dad playing with his son alongside me as I photograph the family groups. I took six awesome shots of this fun time as Dad thew his boy in the air.
Something new I am photographing more and more is the part between family groups. Whilst Jedd on the left is interacting with family, Kelsie is distracted with the cute baby boy while his Mum fixes up his shoes.
The gardens at Black Brewing Co are stunning. Lots of pretty scenes and all very close to one another which basically means you get to enjoy your experience of having photos taken without having to walk long distances and take so much time away from all of your wonderful guests.
This row of trees frame portraits really well and the lovely green background allows skin tones to stand out. The lighting is perfect, very natural and flattering.
How good is this! So happy so excited! Beautiful.
I am a sucker for a tree tunnel, natural framing, lovely light. This one is traditional and I also do some more natural ones in a nice spot like this to give my clients variety. Whilst the older generations might like the traditional portrait the bride and groom might want a more natural image.
This photo was taken with minimal direction. I wanted to wait and see what happened to not kill the moment. This is my reward.
Then I could add a “have a look this way” and because they are having a fantastic time their expressions are just that. People look beautiful when they are happy and relaxed.
I love these mixed level group shots.
A short walk from the ceremony area we are at the front of Black Brewing Co and there is a different feel to the photographs, more about architecture, the beautiful ponds, straight lines and sculptures. It is very funky and every way you turn there is a fantastic backdrop for a wedding photo.
This is my favourite out of a bunch of shots taken of the bridal party and the barrels. It looks fun!
Between the ponds at Black Brewing Co are decked boardwalks. I directed the bride and groom into a position to get a mirrored reflection of them in the water. The light off white colours of the stone walls reflects into the water, giving a lovely soft warm look.
Handy when one of your mates owns a Ferrari.
My clients choose me because they love how I photograph people being themselves. You might call me sneaky and I take that as a compliment haha.
The pre dinner drinks shots are wonderful at getting a sense of how much fun it was at your wedding. Some of my clients prefer more time allocated to these photos than bridal party ones. I help my clients get a realistic idea of how many bridal party photos I can supply in a certain time frame and we work from there. Planning is essential so we are all on the same page. It also means that on your wedding day you know I am the timekeeper keeping everything flowing as per your wishes and it allows you to be far more relaxed and present on your wedding day.
I was literally blown away when I walked into the wedding reception space at Black Brewing Co. The views overlooking the property are stunning. I love the lighting hanging from the ceiling, the wood panelling on the roof, those beautiful long dining tables and chairs supplied by Yallingup Event Hire and gorgeous flower displays from the talented crew at Zest Flowers
All the thought, time and talent that goes into creating this is why I photograph the hell out of the reception styling. Lots of different angles, close up and extreme wides all come together to help you remember when your dreams all slotted into place.
I love photographing speeches, I love the “banter” element that can cut close to the mark but they are delivered with that twinkle in the eye and love that makes it ok. The reactions I photograph are just priceless. Scroll through and you can sense the fun and joy it was to experience this special moment, I am really very privileged to share this special moment with families and loved ones.
Jedd and Kelsie go all in on the cutting of the cake. This was no ordinary cake though, this was a Cheese Louise stunning creation by Natalie, I photographed her wedding back in 2013 in Margaret River.
The incredibly talented Emily Joy Music can get any wedding pumping and soon as the first dance was over, wedding guests piled onto the dance floor to have a bit of fun.
Dancing with a near full pint takes skill, especially in a light coloured suit.
Letting rip with vocals while dancing at wedding at Black Brewing Co.