Romina and Josh were married in mid September at the Sacred Heart Cathedral in Bendigo, with a reception that evening at the Boardwalk Restaurant. This was such a beautiful wedding, and really felt very family orientated. We began our photographic coverage at Josh’s parents home with Josh and his groomsmen getting ready. The guys all looked extremely suave, and I loved their slim-lined grey suits. The home has a great staircase with white balustrade, which I featured in some of the images. After leaving the guys we moved on to Romina’s parents’ home, where the ladies were getting ready. Romina and her mother were so well organised and had everything ready for us when we arrived. We spent some time photographing all of Romina’s gorgeous details, then it was finally time for her to get into her wedding gown. Romina looked absolutely amazing, and her parents were glowing with pride at the sight of their beautiful daughter all dressed up as the bride! Romina had her sister, Josh’s sister and a close friend attending her as bridesmaids, and they looked so elegant in their navy blue dresses. It was such a classy colour theme, set off with cream and green bouquets. One little extra SPLASH of colour was hidden underneath the hemline of Romina’s dress. Orange, suede shoes! How brilliant! I knew we would be showing those shoes off later in the day, but I didn’t realise just how perfect they would be. More about that in a minute….

After the ceremony we asked the wedding party, family and all of the guests to assemble on the steps in front of the cathedral for a group photograph. We also arranged some formal family photographs before moving on to doing creative and artistic shots of the newly weds and their bridal party. Romina and Josh wanted to feature the cathedral where they had just been married, so we stayed for a while longer to capture all that this magnificent building has to offer.

We then moved on to the Chinese precinct and gardens. This location was actually Josh’s request, to honour his family’s heritage, and long standing connection with the Bendigo Chinese Association. I absolutely loved taking photographs in among the brightly coloured and ornate Chinese decoration. It wasn’t until I lined the bridal party up underneath the elaborate entrance to the gardens and asked Romina to hitch up her dress a little to show off those shoes, that I realised the intense colours of the Chinese decorations actually matched the colours of the wedding party! Deep blue and bright orange. I still don’t know if this was coincidence, or by design. Did you plan this Romina? Either way the resulting images are amazing! I must say this is my favourite image from the day..

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Next we went to Lake Weeroona to capture the beauty of the sky and water at dusk, before rushing to our last location, the Bendigo Town Hall. I love taking photographs in the city when it’s lit up at night, and though we didn’t have the luxury of very much time, we still managed to get some stunning images. I thought I was going to be arrested by a policeman in a hilarious but heart stopping moment. My sister Sue and I were demonstrating how to do a dancing twirl in front of the Town Hall, possible obstructing the traffic just a tiny bit… when the police car pulled up beside us! I still can’t work out if the Police Officer was angry, confused or amused at what we were doing, but I babbled a mouthful of gracious apologies and basically ran away. Ha ha ha…. luckily he just drove off. Ooooh I am such a rebel, and I’d do it all again to get the amazing photographs that we ended up with!

So here is a collection of some of my favourite photographs from Romina & Josh’s brilliant wedding. I hope you enjoy them…..

YOU CAN SCROLL THROUGH THE IMAGES WITH THE ARROWS ON YOUR KEYBOARD  ◄   ►




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Romina & Josh, thank you for your faith and trust, and for allowing me to be part of your amazing wedding. I really enjoyed working with you and your wedding party. It’s such a joy when everyone is so nice, easy going, and having fun. One of your groomsmen (Sam) even called me an ‘extreme’ wedding photographer as I wobbled on the top of my step ladder at the lake…. a comment that still makes me laugh.  I’m not as extreme as I would wish to be, but I do love what I do, and a day like yours just re-affirms how lucky I am to have this job. It was a pleasure meeting your families and friends, and my honour to be your wedding photographer. I look forward to seeing you both again soon, and showing you the rest of your photographs.

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I’ve really enjoyed designing pretty layouts of my detail images lately, so once again I’ll begin my post with some of the bride’s beautiful details.

Tina’s two lovely sisters helping her to get ready.

Tina looked utterly breathtaking. Oh wow, I was in wedding photographer heaven taking these images. Sophisticated, elegant and very classy… she was such a beautiful bride.




For the next couple of images I closed the curtains to block out the ambient light and used a video light to create extra ambience and glamour.

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Now some photographs of  Josh and his groomsmen getting ready. I’ll start with a couple of shots of Josh taken in gorgeous window light.

This was without doubt the wildest part of the day. These guys were loud, raucous and full of fun, complete with ‘Hit the Road Jack’ blaring on the stereo. I had such a blast photographing them! I simply cannot imagine missing out on photographing the groomsmen. My day would not be complete!



A few nice quiet portraits of Josh. A very handsome groom!


Time for a quick game of Poker with Honey the Lab in her rightful place. I think if you’re going to play poker, you SHOULD have a Labrador under the table whenever possible.

FTW!

Oh MAN I love this shot. Just awesome!

Tina walked down the aisle with her father, and a smile that lit up the room.

An absolutely beautiful moment, and a mutual gaze that says so much about how this man and woman feel about one another.

Married!

After the ceremony and family photographs we went to a private property on the Murray River in Moama. With barely a cloud in the sky I must say the light was a little challenging, but by compensating with off camera flashes the end result is brilliant, vivid colour and a fantastic image of the group.

The party…. partying!

The same location taken from the opposite angle, with the Murray River in the background.


As luck would have it a guy with a Harley arrived just as we were about to leave. Tina leapt at his offer to be photographed on his bike. It couldn’t have been better even if we’d actually planned it!

At my suggestion Tina and Josh had scouted around the area before the wedding to find a nice shady location for some of their photographs. They had found this fantastic wall in Moama, and it really was a relief for everyone to get out of the hot sun for a while. A fab shot of the ladies laughing….

Cool….

Very hot….

Tina owns the ‘dress swish’.

On to a third location, underneath the Echuca Moama bridge. I love this part of the day, when the sun is getting lower and the light is much easier to manage.

I really loved this rusty concrete wall. Such amazing colours and texture. Wow… what a gorgeous husband and wife. They look amazing together!



Just for the record, Benji wins! What an awesome pose!!! Can you guess which one he is? Ha ha ha ha….

We finished up at the Moama Bowling Club for Tina and Josh’s reception. The speeches were fantastic, and at times very funny. The sun was very low, and streaming in through the window behind so that you can actually see tiny particles floating in the air. How beautiful.

Cheers!

The bridal dance was sensational. See for yourself!

Clearly this was just the start of a very serious PARTY.

Tina and Josh…. I can barely find the words to sufficiently describe how much I loved your wedding. Everything was so beautiful and classy, with attention paid to every detail. Your siblings and friends who made up your wedding party were so amazing, and their joy, exuberance and sense of occasion demonstrated very clearly how much they love and care about you both. I also want to mention how utterly taken I was with your parents. Just thinking about the joy and pride on their faces during the speeches brings a big lump to my throat. Seriously, both of your mothers lavished so much care and attention on Sue and I, and an abundance of tight, squeezy cuddles. (how I LOVE cuddles) I’m somewhat overwhelmed at how close I felt to these two amazing women that I’d only just met! Lastly, I think you two are an amazing couple, who truly deserved such a divine wedding to celebrate the love and commitment that you have for one another. I feel so privileged to have been part of your day, and to have witnessed the love and support that surrounded you. I hope you have a brilliant honeymoon guys. Drink one of those ridiculous big cocktails in a pinapple with an excessive amount of little paper umbrellas for me!
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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)

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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!

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