.

.

Now some photographs of Corey and the guys. They got ready at a place called The Lodge, just outside of Daylesford. It was a hive of activity, with quite a few family and friends staying there as well.  I love this photograph of Corey. He looks strong and centered, calmly contemplating the fantastic day that lay ahead.


Corey with his Best Man and Groomsmen, all looking very handsome.


A quick game of pool was an ideal way to get some fun shots of the guys.



Alisha and the girls arrived at the Lake House in style in a stretch limousine.


That sensational smile is for Corey. Alisha had her eyes locked on her man as she walked down the aisle.


Exchanging vows, rings and a few laughs. The ceremony was really wonderful!

After the ceremony and formal family photographs we headed about 20 minutes out of Daylesford to a paddock that Corey and Alisha had found. They were both excited to include a rural Aussie setting in their photographs, and this location had it all. An old corrugated iron shed, a windmill, water tank and of course plenty of dry cow patties to dodge! It really was a great spot, but just as we arrived the weather turned rather bad. It was like a great big gray rain cloud settled on us, spraying fine mist in our faces and dropping the temperature drastically. So here I will heap praise on the wedding party. Not ONE single complaint from any of them. They were very cold (especially the ladies) and all getting wet, but they were absolute champions and smiled through it all!


After a few minutes photographing the wedding party I sent them back to the car to defrost themselves, but asked Corey and Alisha suffer for a little longer. Funny…. they don’t really look like they’re suffering. Warmed by love perhaps? They look so wonderful together.



These two images make it all worthwhile.  A beautiful husband and wife in breathtaking scenery, with the soft muted colours of the Australian lanscape. Oh… and a great big misty rain cloud for good measure!


After we left the paddock we moved on to a lovely old blue stone church that we’d passed on the way. Amazingly the weather cleared up all of a sudden, which was a good thing. Because Corey is quite a bit taller than Alisha, I leapt at the chance to stand Alisha on a step to even out their height a little.


Such a lovely image of a very beautiful couple.




Back to the Lake House for some more images, taken while strolling around the enormous lake. Alisha looks truly stunning. Just wow!



I haven’t included any images of the gorgeous reception room because… well this post has already turned into a bit of an epic! I just had to post one shot of the gorgeous cake though.

Corey and Alisha pulled some awesome moves in their bridal dance.

Well I could have gone on and on, and posted dozens more images from this day. Suffice to say it was an absolutely beautiful wedding, and Alisha and Corey, you were a dream to work with. Once again I want to mention how amazed I was that you, your friends and siblings had no hesitation to stand out in that paddock in the cold mist, and cheerfully have all of those photographs taken. I was thrilled to work at the Lake House, and loved all of the locations you had so carefully chosen. Thank you so much for allowing me to share in your day and photograph you in such inspirational settings.

.

I will begin with some images of Emma and her Maid of Honour. The girls got ready in a beautiful room at the Fountain View Suites in View St Bendigo. Emma’s gorgeous wedding gown took quite some time to lace up, but it was well worth the wait. I spent that time happily photographing all of her lovely details.



This is Emma and Tim’s son, George. He is the most beautiful baby boy and the youngest pageboy I’ve ever photographed. He looked absolutely adorable in his tiny waistcoat and bow tie, and totally stole my heart. What a little cutie pie!


This is Abby, George’s big sister. She is quiet and shy, and incredibly sweet. I have to say she did an absolutely amazing job of being Mummy and Daddy’s flowergirl, and even managed to walk down the aisle during the ceremony, holding a basket of lollipops. That’s quite a feat for a child twice her age I think. She certainly made a lot of ‘big’ people very proud. Bravo Abby!

Oh my… so beautiful. Examining Mummy’s bouquet.

Emma looked so beautiful in her wedding gown. The lobby and staircase outside her room made an ideal location for some gorgeous bridal portraits.




The natural light in the stairwell was beautiful. The two images below are particular favourites of mine. Emma looks utterly stunning.



.
I’ll now jump back to the beginning of the day, with photographs of Tim and his Best Man getting ready. I’ve been really enjoying taking lovely images of the brides details lately, so to add to that theme here is a layout of the Grooms details.

Some great shots of Tim during preparations.



Tim’s father lending an expert hand.

Tim and his Best Man looking very suave.

Some extremely cool images of Tim… playing with light and shadows. Tim looks amazing! There’s just not enough O’s in smooooth.




We had arranged for Emma & Tim to meet in Rosiland Park for their first glimpse of each other in their wedding finery. Then we simply crossed the road and worked our way up the shady side of View street. Being such an historical part of Bendigo, the opportunities for great photographs are endless. Emma and Tim are very fond of the vintage look, so we were definitely in the right place.


A very happy group! I love the colours in this natural slate wall. They seem to mirror the colours of the bridal party.

Ahhhhhh….. Beautiful.


One of the very quaint and eclectic shops in View Street. I could have happily played there all day, but of course we had a schedule to keep.

Oh these two people just look wonderful together. What a gorgeous couple.



After shooting in the city for a while, we then moved on to a second location. I think it’s nice to include some foliage and nature in the mix, to give the wedding day coverage some variety. Besides, it’s such a beautiful location, and quite romantic.




The ceremony in the beautiful Bendigo Art Gallery.

Exchanging rings and promises in the company of their nearest and dearest.


A tender moment between the newlyweds on the stairs at the Hotel Shamrock.

Seriously, the Shamrock is the most amazing building. I feel a little whimsical every time I go inside and look around me. There is such a rich history of Bendigo’s early days during the gold rush and this hotel. If only the walls could talk… as they say. I think it was the perfect location for Emma and Tim’s reception. It just suited them to a tee!


Ooooh… I just loved the cake.

Emma & Tim had custom made M&M’s with their names printed on them, which they had ordered from the USA. They then packaged them up themselves and hand labelled them for every guest. Very special, and very personalised.

What a fabulous day! Emma & Tim… you were so lovely to work with, and I just loved being amongst you, your family and friends on this very important occassion. I think all of your details, locations and the way you conducted your wedding was so true to you and your personalities. It just felt so genuine. You are obviously very committed to one another, and your beautiful children. Speaking of which, your little ones quite simply stole my heart away. Watching dear little Abby walking down the aisle with her little cousin was a truly special moment. She REALLY did you both proud, and I’m just elated that her and George will have such beautiful images to look back on… to see with their own eyes what a special day this was, and what a big part they both played. It is history in the making!
.

Jacinta & Brendan had a fantastic day, though we did have to deal with several really heavy downpours of rain. What is it with November and rain? We dodged and weaved the weather, and I captured some beautiful images for the newlyweds. I think dealing with wet weather on your wedding day is all about having the right attitude, and I must say that this couple definitely didn’t allow the rain to spoil their gorgeous day.

I’ll begin with some of the beautiful details… flowers, shoes, rings and things.




Jacinta looked stunning in her antique gold wedding gown. I just adore the bracelet she wore. Everything looked gold, shimmery and opulent… the dress, the jewellry, even her hair!

Jacinta with her Maid of Honour. Looking stunning ladies!

.

A  few photographs of Brendan and his Best Man while getting ready. As usual I actually photographed the guys first, but decided to begin with the ladies for this post. Brendan looks very cool, calm and collected. I’m not sure if he was… but he sure does look it.

After the ceremony we headed into Pall Mall in Bendigo for some photographs. The ground was still wet from the last downpour. No problem though…. I actually love the way the pavement looks when wet, and Jacinta was not at all worried about her dress. She just wanted to enjoy having photographs taken. 

Jacinta, you look like such a free spirit in this image! I just love it.

A very quick glimpse of beautiful blue sky. Honestly, it was POURING half an hour before I took this photograph.  November weather here is nothing short of bizarre! All four seasons in one day. Anyway, nevermind the weather… I think these two look gorgeous together. They’re glowing!


On the front steps of Bendigo’s iconic Hotel Shamrock. I had suggested to Jacinta and Brendan in our interviews that they might like to consider staying somewhere REALLY nice for their wedding night, and they chose the Shamrock. NICE choice guys. My husband and I stayed there on our wedding night over 10 years ago, and it’s still vivid in my memory…. twirling around in our room at Midnight in my dress and veil, while we laughed at the realisation that we really were MARRIED! Anyway, slightly off topic while I tiptoe down memory lane. My point is, because Jacinta and Brendan were staying there, I had made a phone call to the Shamrock the day before and respectfully asked permission to take some photos inside if the weather turned bad on us. Shortly after I took this image on the front steps it started raining heavily again, and didn’t stop for quite some time. So we utilised the rest of our available time inside the Shamrock, being very careful not to interrupt other events.


I cannot even imagine a more beautiful location for photographs. I could serioulsy spend hours shooting in every room and nook of this place! Alas, we had to be quick, as time was running out. Wow, we sure did capture some beautiful images though, including a few of Jacinta on her own. Oh my Lord just LOOK at her! She looks regal, like a princess!

 

Jacinta and Brendan, your wedding was absolutely beautiful and it was my pleasure to photograph your day. You are such a great couple, so relaxed and comfortable together. It’s apparent that no amount of water could even begin to dampen your happy and easy going spirits. You know what…. I think you got it exactly right!

Fiona got ready at her parent’s house, with 3 lovely bridesmaids to help with her preparations. The house had such a happy vibe, and everyone was buzzing with excitement. I’ll begin with some photographs of Fiona’s accessories, including a gorgeous old marcasite watch that had belonged to her Grandmother, and chocolates with custom designed wrappers to give to their guests.

Time to get Fiona into her exquisite Elizabeth de Varga wedding gown.



This divine antique mirror had also belonged to Fiona’s Grandmother. How very special!


Fiona looked absolutely amazing! Such a beautiful bride. Sigh….


I love all the brilliant colour combinations that I see at the weddings I photograph, and this one was particularly striking. Charcoal satin bridesmaids dresses and orange orchids in the bouquets. Really fantastic colours girls, and you all looked stunning.

Fiona had a feature wall in her bedroom that I loved, and was very keen to use as a background. The paint was metallic, with mottled brushstrokes of different colours. I just love the way it looks in this gorgeous image of Fiona.

.

Now some images of Steward and his groomsmen, taken at the All Seasons Hotel. I had no problem at all getting this group to smile or laugh. In fact the trouble was trying not to laugh! These guys were really fun!



A couple of very cool shots of the guys in the corridor.


One more photograph of Steward, looking extremely handsome. Almost time to get married!

After the ceremony and family photographs inside the Town Hall we spent some time outside this gorgeous historical building, and took some great photographs of the couple and their wedding party. I just love Bendigo’s beautiful old buildings.




A peaceful, intimate photograph of Fiona & Steward, married at last.

Just behind Fiona’s parent’s house, the home that she grew up in, there’s an amazing little empty cottage, which is very old. Fiona had told me all about it when we met before the wedding, and said it was such a nostalgic part of her childhood, playing around the cottage with her brother and friends when they were all kids. I really love old historical buildings, and leap at the opportunity to include personal and sentimental items or locations in a couple’s wedding photographs. I decided to drive over there the day before to go and have a look at it with her and Steward. I was thrilled with it, but disappointed that it was all locked up. If only we could get inside! It turned out that Fiona’s parents managed to get in touch with the owner, who gave us his permission to go inside on the wedding day, and left us a key.



Fiona & Steward were very keen for some fun shots, so when I saw the old teacups and saucers on the mantlepiece, I knew just what to do.


Here’s ya dinner love! Ha ha ha… awesome!

I had a fantastic time photographing your beautiful wedding day Fiona & Steward. You were such a pleasure to work with, and your wedding party were so much fun. You do both realise that I cried in your ceremony don’t you? Like REAL tears streaming down my cheeks. Need I say more. Thank you so much for allowing me to be a part of your very special day, and trusting me to capture your memories.

I have soul searched for a worthwhile New Year’s Resolution for this year. It doesn’t need to be anything too profound, and even though I really should quit all of my bad personal habits, keep my house perfectly organised and tidy….. oh and lose weight, I thought of something even better. I’m desperate to catch up on posting my weddings in this journal. I’ve been trying to catch up for so long, but because I’ve been flat out with shooting and editing weddings it just seem like an impossible task. When I started this Journal early in 2009 I began by back dating the first few entries because I wanted to post about the weddings I had shot in the previous 6 months. Since then I have fallen further and further behind, with little hope of ever catching up. So my resolution is to jump forward to the very last wedding I shot, and keep it that way. From now on I will post about each wedding the week after I photograph it. Phew. THAT feels good.

The only problem with this plan is I have photographed so many wonderful couples and magnificent weddings in the last 6 months that I desperately want to post about those as well. So I’m going to attempt to intersperse some of last year’s weddings with the current ones. I doubt I’ll be able to catch up enough to post about every single one, so I’ll just be choosing them randomly. They’ll be my ‘turn back the clock’ posts!

I feel good about this decision, and I’m determined to keep my New Year’s resolution. So my very next post will be the last wedding I photographed, then I will go backwards until I photograph my next wedding in mid January. Confusing? Yeah, I’m a little confused myself, but maybe that’s because the ‘Naughties’ are finished, and I have no idea what ridiculous cute nick name they’re going to give this decade. The Tenties? Oh Lord, I hope not!

.

Brianna and Scott were married in Rosiland Park on Saturday the 14th of March with a reception later that evening at Quills Restaurant. They had rain to contend with that morning, right up until an hour before the ceremony, with the sky threatening more rain. Even though they had a back up venue organised, they made a gutsy decision to go ahead with their planned service in the great outdoors…. a decision that really paid off. It never did rain again, and their ceremony was so beautiful in the surroundings of Bendigo’s most magnificent park.

We started the day taking photographs of Scott and his groomsmen getting ready. I absolutely love these images of Scott…. he looks so incredibly suave.

We then moved on to Scott and Brianna’s house where the girls were getting ready. Here’s a gorgeous shot of Brianna’s engagement ring, laying on the beaded detail of her wedding gown, Delicious!

Brianna with her three lovely bridesmaids.

Brianna looks absolutely stunning, surrounded by pure white.

The classy, simple boquet, created by The Eternal Vase of Bendigo.


.

The ceremony in Rosiland Park was so lovely. Thank heavens the rain stayed away!
The bridal party taking a stroll through the park.
Some very romantic and occassional steamy portraits of the newlyweds. These two were so affectionate, it seemed thay were always kissing! It made my job SO easy…. and some of these images nearly stop my heart. Ooooh… I just LOVE romance.




For some reason trees with tall bare branches bring out my gothic-ness. I just love a bit of drama and moodiness.The bridal party were a fantastic, fun loving group. They look brilliant all in black among the vibrant green leaves.
The look on Brianna’s face really says it all.

I have already made a post about this pussy cat (check it out here) but I wanted to include a couple of images in this post as well. This is one awesome cat!
Ha ha ha ha! I simply NEVER get tired of looking at this image. It’s like it surprises me every time. SO funny!
Oh.so.cool.
About 2 seconds before actually standing on me, and cracking up laughing!
The wedding cake was AMAZING. I just love clean simple lines. I think this cake is so fantastic, it doesn’t even need colour.
A great shot of the reception room at Quills Restaurant during the speeches. It’s a fantastic, contemporary venue, right accross the road from lake Weeroona.
I love Scott and Brianna’s reactions to the speeches. Plenty of heartfelt emotion, and lots of laughs… just how great speeches should be.

 Brianna and Scott… I had such a great time being with you on your wedding day. Everything was so classy and beautiful, and you were both so happy, relaxed and a joy to work with. I loved your wedding, I really loved your friends, but most of all I truly LOVED the way the two of you gaze at each other. Your mutual adoration is so plain to see, and such a beautiful thing to observe. Thank you for trusting me to capture the memories of your special day!

Caz and Brad were married in November 2008 here in Bendigo, with a touching ceremony held in their own back yard. They are the sweetest couple, and despite some pretty extreme November weather, they had an absolutely fantastic day with their wedding party, family and friends. They had worked very hard to get their back yard looking fantastic for their big day at home, and it really paid off. It looked so beautiful, and I love the idea that every time they step out their own back door they will have a reminder of the promises and heartfelt words they exchanged that day. Maybe they can even do an occasional re-enactment on the weekend! I suspect they would just jump straight forward to the kissing part though! Ha ha ha.

Brad is a also real car enthusiast, and worked very hard on his baby, an early model Celica, to have her ready in time for the wedding. The car was indeed ready in time, and looked amazing… along with 3 other friends cars which made up the ‘fleet’ for the day. So it was always going to be a priority to get some great images of the cars. I scouted around and found an ideal location here in Bendigo, and made sure to schedule some time there. I wouldn’t normally classify myself as a ‘car person’ but I thought the cars look so COOL, and really appreciate the amount of work, pride and love that goes into making cars look like this. Here is my favorite shot. Of course there are more like this one later in the post.

Going back to the start of the day, with Caz and her bridesmaid’s preparations. I loved all of Caz’s accessories, and was lucky enough to have a glass topped table to photograph them on. Even her shoes sparkled, and you just can’t beat the magnificent rose bouquets.

Time to get Caz into her beautiful wedding gown. Lacing up the dress always makes a lovely photograph.


Caz with her gorgeous bridesmaids.The same shot from a different perspective, taken by my assistant, Sue.

Caz looked absolutely amazing! Once again I used video light mixed with ambient light and lamps to create some dreamy, glamorous bridal portraits.


Wow. What a beautiful bride. Those dreamy eyes are divine.

.
Brad getting ready with his best man & groomsmen.

A very handsome line up! The guys looked fantastic. 



The ceremony in Caz and Brad’s own backyard was so personal, and very emotional. (Tissues on standby…)

Just as the ceremony ended, the big black rain clouds rolled in overhead. We managed to photograph the signing of their register, and a big group shot of everyone before the heavens opened up. If it absolutely HAD to rain, at least the timing was perfect. Nothing could remove the smile from the newlywed’s faces from that point on. Not even the November rain!

After the ceremony we went to some nearby bush land with the bridal party. I love this gorgeous image of the entire group in among the gumtrees. The blueish green colouring of the Autralian bush when it’s actually had some rain is simply amazing.


A tender moment between Caz and Brad. Even though they had me in their immediate vicinity with my camera, you can see that Brad is deeply lost in this kiss. It’s SO romantic I decided to give this image a soft and vintage feel with added texture and faded colours.

More rain! Another downpour actually… this time complete with hail. Thankfully it only lasted a short while though, and Caz and Brad were completely unfazed. In fact they never even stopped smiling. 

After leaving the bush, we moved into the city, staying close to shelter just in case it rained again. This bridal party sure did know how to have fun. They shared lots of laughs, and even occassional kisses! I actually said “can you kiss please,” meaning the bride and groom. But they ALL kissed! What a gorgeous group. FEEL the love baby!

Brad clings tightly to the greatest love of his life, standing in front of his pride and joy. Now that’s one happy man!


A great image of all the guys in the bridal party and the owners (and drivers) of the cars to the left of Brad’s Celica. This was just after our third downpour and second hailstorm of the day. Then it just stopped. THEN the sun came out! Crazy November weather!

Some playful fun and awesome shadows!




Caz and Brad had a reception at Quills in Bendigo, which is just accross the road from Lake Weeroona. We actually snuck out just after the first course of their meal, and raced accross the road to take these images in front of the lake at sunset. I was very quick, and had them back to their guests within 15 minutes, probably before they were even missed. Of course I had discussed this plan with Caz & Brad before the wedding, and they had decided if that’s what was required to get some images of sunset over the water, they were prepared to do it. I’m very pleased that they did. The view was gorgeous!


Is that the bluebird of happiness? Well maybe not. More likely to be the seagull of greediness…. ha ha ha. I think it’s a very beautiful image, and it makes me feel peaceful.

I wish all the happiness that life can possibly bring you Caz and Brad. You struck me as such calm and caring people, and truly a perfect match. It was a joy witnessing the adoration and tenderness that you share with one another, and an honour to photograph your wedding day. Oh…. and those cars really were very cool!!!

Marissa & Josh were married at the magnificent Sacred Heart Cathedral in Bendigo, with a reception held that evening at Quills. Everything about this wedding was lavish and classy, but the thing I remember most about their day is ‘fun’. When this couple explode into spontaneous laughter, everyone in their vicinity has no choice but to join in. At the same time they are deeply in love. Spending a small amount of time in their company leaves you with no ounce of doubt about that.

Just to break with tradition, I’m going to begin with 2 photographs of Marissa that were featured in I Do I Do Creations Magazine. These were both taken after the ceremony, so I’m jumping forward in the timeline of their day here. This first image was shot in View Street in Bendigo, in front of my favourite pink cafe. It’s rather considerate of them to have a mirror hanging there for me…. don’t you think?

This photograph was taken in the stairwell of a gorgeous apartment that Marissa & Josh were staying in on their wedding night. A little more about that later in the post. Anyway, who cares about the stairwell? Just look at this glorious bride! She’s like an angel.

Rewind to the start of the day, with Marissa and her bridesmaids getting ready. The wedding gown by Elizabeth de Varga was stunning, in soft oyster pink. Even before I saw Marissa wearing the gown, I knew I was in for something truly special.

Marissa with her sister and two dear friends. I just love the bridesmaids different coloured dresses.

A few lovely portraits of Marissa, taking advantage of the diffused light coming in through the bedroom window.

I then closed all the curtains to block out the ambient light, and lit Marissa with a video light for some glamour and drama.

Josh with his best man and groomsmen, looking very dapper in their 40’s styled, pinstriped suits.

My favourite portrait of Josh. It’s ALL about those eyes…..

Marissa dashing up the stairs of the Cathedral, arm in arm with her father, eager to marry her childhood sweetheart.

A very special moment between Marissa and her father, moments before walking down the ailse together.

The ceremony was very emotional. Just the way these two people look at each other brings a lump to my throat. It’s a little embarassing when I cry during my client’s ceremony. Wherever possible I hide my reactions behind my camera.

I didn’t actually notice Josh’s brother ‘praising the Lord’ when I took this photograph. When I saw it later on my computer, I nearly fell off my chair laughing. This was just the start of an all day party…. as you can see!

I took Marissa & Josh back inside the Cathedral for some portraits. The light is absolutely heavenly. (no pun intended)

At this point in the proceedings, it started to rain, and showed no signs of stopping for quite some time. As I mentioned at the start of the post, Marissa & Josh had booked a beautiful old apartment up the road from the Cathedral, aptly named Cathedral Heights. Marissa and the girls had got ready there that morning, and it was also booked for the wedding night. Given the dreadful weather, I suggested we all go back there until the rain stopped, or at least slowed down. Having this great location as a back-up was a life saver. The wedding party all had some time to relax, have some drinks and snacks and utilise the bathroom facilities. Meanwhile I had a beautiful warm, dry location to make the most of our time, and take some amazing photographs of the newlyweds. If you’re planning a wedding I think it’s worth keeping this in mind. When choosing accommodation for your wedding night, don’t just think of it as a room to sleep in. Think of it as a potential photography location, especially in the event of rain.

I just love these images of Marissa & Josh. I can’t help thinking the rain was a stroke of luck, because we almost certainly would not have gone back to the apartment if it weren’t for the bad weather! Thank you Huey (the official God of rain… ha ha ha)

These were taken in the lobby of the four block apartment building. A beautiful old timber staircase, timber panelling and a big high window streaming in natural light. I was jumping up and down with excitement. Marissa and Josh were laughing at me! Once again, thank heavens for that downpour.

Aaaahhh. True love. It’s enough to make me giddy!

Eventually we decided to brave the weather and head into town. I love this image of the wedding party. It’s a study in body langauge… an insight into the individual personalities of each member of the group. I also really love the look of the wet pavers in the foreground. After looking at this I’ve honestly considered taking a big vessel of water with me on fine days, to tip on the ground! The only thing that’s stopped me is the fear of being carted away in a stiff white coat!

I wanted to show this image as a great example of the benefits of having a second photographer. My assistant Sue took this beautiful photograph of the girls, while I was shooting them from the front. Because all of their attention is focused on me, the image really has the feeling of being more candid. Many people actually prefer photographs of themselves not looking at the camera, so this is a great way to work, producing great images with the best of both worlds.

I can still hear Marissa’s infectious laughter echoing down the alley. This image makes me smile!

I added some lovely dirty texture to enhance the mood of this image. We are so blessed to have all these gorgeous old buildings in Bendigo.

A couple more images at the pinkest of pink cafes in View Street. I seriously think this cafe was painted like this purely for my benefit. Thank you!

A few more images taken in front of the columns at the Capital Theatre. Once again I count my blessings for the magnificent architecture in Bendigo. As a wedding photographer, Bendigo is a bit like being a kid in a candy store. I desperately NEED my sister Sue to drag me away when we’re out of time. She can be very tough on me as I continually insist… “just a few more! I JUST want to do this, that and the other!” ha ha ha.  Someone has to stop me. Thankfully I have my gorgeous assitant Susie to do so.

So there you go. The magnificent day that was Marissa & Josh’s wedding. It was a long time ago, but is still so fresh in my memory. They are the kind of couple I could never forget! Sweet, funny, down to earth and very much in love. I bumped into them not so long ago, as I was coming out of the theatre after seeing Billy Elliot in Melbourne. We were truly overjoyed to see each other, even though it was a very brief encounter. They were both SO excited with the anticipation of their wedding being featured in the next issue of I Do I Do. I haven’t actually spoken to them since the magazine was released. I think I’ll give them a call soon…. to see how their fabulous modeling careers are going! (joking)

.

Right… back to the announcement. Issue 6 of I Do I Do Creations Magazine is out, and it’s absolutely stunning! If you live in Central Victoria and are planning a wedding, or just love beautiful magazines, you simply must get yourself a copy. It is full to the brim with beautiful images from the very best of Central Victoria’s photographers, stories about real weddings, divine gowns, flowers, accessories, suits, bonboniere, invitations, reception venues, hints and advice. If you’re getting married in the next 12 months, this mag will be your best friend. There is no doubt that the magazine has improved with every issue, but the team have really outdone themselves this year. Looking through the pages, I can hardly believe that this magazine is produced locally. It’s definitely something for the people of Bendigo to be very proud of… a credit to our city! I personally want to congratulate everyone involved in producing the magazine. You should all be so proud of what you have achieved!

I am extremely honoured that a wedding I photographed in 2008 is a featured wedding in the magazine. The lovely bride and groom, Marissa & Josh, are one of my favourite couples. They’re both gorgeous, in the truest sense of the word! Their wedding was beautiful, emotional and so much fun, I was thrilled for them when they were selected to feature in I Do I Do Creations. They have advised me that they both intend on quitting their day jobs to launch their modeling careers any day now, and that they won’t forget the ‘little people’ when they’re fabulously rich and successful! Ha ha ha…. did I already mention that I ADORE Marissa and Josh?

Here are a couple of photographs of the magazine, and my featured wedding. The beautiful photograph on the cover was taken by Mel Plambeck of Rubii Design.

I have decided to follow this post up with a full post about Marissa & Josh’s wedding, which was back in March 2008. Even though their wedding took place nearly a year before I started this Photo Journal, I was always keen to display their images. Now they are featured in I Do I Do Creations Magazine, I feel I have the perfect excuse to turn the clock back a little, and re-live their wedding day!

.

Abbey and Glenn were married in a tiny town called Prairie, about an hour north of Bendigo, at the historical property of Prairie Park. Their ceremony took place in the garden of the original old home, which is currently under extensive rennovation. The reception was held in a massive white marquee, set up on the property.

I’ll begin with some images of Abbey and her attendants getting ready in one of the beautifully rennovated bedrooms at Prairie Park.

Some final adjustments to Abbey’s dress. The girls electric blue satin dresses looked fabulous, especially with the window light skimming accross them.

Abbey with her beautiful bridesmaids.

Abbey’s darling little neices were just thrilled to be her flowergirls. Oh my, they are SO adorable.

I sensed such a special bond between Abbey and these two sweet little girls. This image just makes me gasp. I decided to give it a very aged, old world look with texture and frame overlays and a low contrast, faded black and white colour treatment. I think it really adds to the mood of the photograph.

Two little blue fairies, jumping for joy. I can’t think of a better reason to jump….

.

Now some images of Glenn and his groomsmen, who also got ready inside the amazing old home at Prairie Park.

Oh man… these guys were funny. Who would have thought putting on ties could be such an event? As is often the way, the guys had Sue and I in stitches during their preparations.


All dressed, suberbly composed, and looking fantastic.

The handsome groom, very keen to see his bride and get married.

O.K. I lied about the wedding cars! But if I’d said wedding tractors, I would have revealed the surprise! Glen had told me during our interviews that they would be arriving on tractors, and I thought that sounded very cool. But nothing could have prepared me for the sight of these four monsters coming down the driveway! I wish I had a photo of the look on my face when I first saw them… ha ha ha. Absolutely fantastic.

A great shot of everybody…. a VERY happy group. Looking at this I can almost hear them cheering.

The newly married couple, travelling in absolute style. A bit slow, but not too slow for a running, 40 year old photographer.

Love is…. BIG green John Deer tractors. Yeeee haaaa.

We then moved on to the train line and wheat silos at the neighbouring town of Mitiamo. Once again I used a very vintage colour and texture treatment, adding to the character and mood of these two images. Of course this sort of processing is optional, and any image can be treated this way, or left in it’s original, bright colours. I guessed that Abbey and Glenn would love this look… and I was right.

It was just a bit windy standing by the silos! I feared the little ones would take off!  

The entire wedding party, looking fabulous. I had told the little girls more than an hour earlier they could be excused if they wished, but they would have none of it. Very dedicated flowergirls. 

Some lovely portraits of Abbey and Glenn around the old homestead. 

I originally planned to take some shots of Abbey and Glenn looking out of this magnificent window. By the time I’d organised my camera settings, they’d climbed up and STOOD in the window… something I would never have dared to ask for. What a pair of legends!

Time for some beautiful shots back in the room that Abbey got dressed in, with my favourite lighting, the video light. So very elegant.

We had always intended on getting some images at dusk in the wheat fields, but because the wedding was in late November that meant the ideal time was about 8.30pm, when obviously the reception would be well underway. I suggested to Abby and Glenn that we sneak out for 10 minutes immediately after their main meal, which would work quite well because many of the guests would still be eating. They really wanted the shots, and readilly agreed to this plan. Oh wow, I think it was worth it. I have never even stood in a wheat field before, and was completely thrilled with this opportunity. I was initially dissappointed that the big fluffy clouds we’d had all day had blown away, but the intense pinks and aquas of the dusk sky more than made up for that, and there’s something so appealing about the wide open space of the crop and an uninterupted sky. 

From my point of view this wedding was a thrilling experience. A beautiful couple, so in sync and committed to one another, the most down to earth, wild and fun loving group of friends and family that made up the wedding party and a location that was drenched in the character and history of rural Victoria. Everybody involved, including the owners of this amazing propery, treated Sue and I like we were just part of the gang, and made us so relaxed and welcome. Australian rural people are truly unique and amazing.

The other aspect of this wedding that struck me was just how lucky I am to enjoy such diversity in what I do. The wedding I photographed the week before was Melanie and Ben’s Melbourne wedding at Quat Quatta in Ripponlea, with location photography in St Kilda. As I stood in that Prairie wheat field I was thinking that the St Kilda Pier seemed to be a world away, but how equally thrilling and inspiring both locations were. Whether they travel in vintage Rolls Royces or John Deer tractors, I just love photographing people who love one another!