My very last wedding for 2021 was an intimate elopement with Theresa, Zack and baby Ezra! It felt like we were on a tropical island out in Plimmerton, you wouldn’t know that it had been raining earlier in the day. I loved these relaxed elopement style ceremonies! This was a simple 40 minute photo session without any guests, I was one of their witnesses so it was really small and intimate for them.
Thank you Patricia Robbie for joining us as the celebrant for their ceremony!
Wellington photographer
Intimate wedding elopement in Breaker Bay, Wellington
Alison and Nicola planned an elopement ceremony looking over Breaker Bay. We knew that the forecast was for rain but we still risked it and managed to get 20 minutes of photos in the exact spot they originally wanted for their ceremony before it really started to rain on us! We jumped in the car afterwards, all windswept but full of adrenaline and made our way back to their accommodation where we met @celebratewithjill for the ceremony. I shared a glass of bubbles with them as we got the space ready for their vows and then we hit record on their phone while I took photos. It was just 5 of us and it was so special to be a witness for them on their special day.
I’m telling you their story as a reminder that getting married can look any way you want it to. It can rain and plans may change but you WILL have the best day ever if you focus on whats most important… and that’s love!
Best Photography Locations in Wellington for an outdoor family session
I’ll often get asked where the best spots in Wellington are for photos. We’re really lucky in Wellington as we can easily travel from the city to hills with a view or the coastline. I’ve put together a few of my favourite locations for photos. Keep in mind that the time of day that you go to these locations plays a huge factor in getting the best light. Read more to find a suitable location for your session!
WELLINGTON BEACH PHOTO LOCATIONS
Best time of day for photos: 1 hour before sunset
AT THE SEASIDE - PETONE BEACH
Petone Beach is an easy-access location with great views of Wellington City. In the summertime, this popular spot is covered in bunny tail grass and there are a few different backdrops within walking distance from the car park.
LONG GRASS - EASTBOURNE BEACH
Eastbourne has been a popular spot because of its long grass and beach setting. This is a beautiful spot at sunset. It can be a little windy though so bring a jacket and hair tie (like most areas in Wellington).
THE BEST AFTERNOON LIGHT - REDROCKS Owhiro Bay
A little off the track and it feels like you’re no longer in the city, the entrance to Redrocks a great location which is only a short drive away from central.
SUNSET AND VIEWS - WHITIREIA PARK
Whitireia park is one of those spots that make you feel extremely grateful for living in New Zealand. The view is incredible and it’s an easy spot to get to that gives you some height - great for sunset. It can get a little windy here because of how exposed it is so bring a jacket and a hair tie just incase!
BREAKER BAY - WAHINE MEMORIAL PARK
Looking out over the cook straight this South Wellington location is the perfect out-of-town beach spot. There is something a little wild and rugged that I love about this coastline! It’s great for children who want to run around and much safer than some of the higher lookouts with cliff edges. The car park is really close so there isn’t a hike to get to the best spots. Because of the location, it can be exposed to the weather, this is one of those locations that really need to be visited right before sunset and when it’s not too windy (bring a hair tie just in case).
INNER WELLINGTON CITY PHOTO LOCATIONS
Best time of day for photos: mid-morning or late afternoon if there is tree cover.
WELLINGTON STAPLE - PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS
Wanting a more urban city vibe? Wellington’s parliament buildings are a mix of historic and modern backdrops. This is a location that you require permission to use for professional photos but I can arrange this for you!
CITY LIFE - INNER CITY AND WELLINGTON WATERFRONT
Walking around Wellington there is almost a quirky backdrop in every direction! If you’re wanting some creative urban vibes in your photos let’s explore the city. A great place to start is near Cuba Street or near this shark wall before going across the road to the waterfront.
PARK OR GARDEN PHOTO LOCATIONS IN WELLINGTON
Best time of day for photos: we can get away with almost anytime if there is tree cover
BROOKLYN CENTRAL PARK
Central and shaded from bright sun, this location is perfect for mid day family sessions. Bright sunny days aren’t usually the best light for photos, the shade from the tree cover is a helpful way around this. The park is also dog friendly!
HISTORICAL AND STUNNING - TRUBY KING PARK
This historical site is the former home of Sir Truby King and Lady Isabella King, the founders of the Plunket Society. I love the old brick archways and paths. The garden sweeps around the building giving you a number of spots to pick from. In the late afternoon, you can hear the lions at the zoo roaring.
PERCY SCENIC RESERVE
A nature recreation area with walking tracks and a duck pond. This location is conveniently located Lower Hutt and is perfect for children to run around.
How to create a wedding timeline? Tips for couples getting married!
Planning a wedding is like putting together the biggest party of your life! You’ll want to create a timeline of events so you and your vendors know how the day will run. It’s likely that you’ve never had to plan a wedding before so I’ve put together some ideas to get you started.
LIST THE IMPORTANT PARTS OF THE DAY
Start with writing a list of all the important parts of the day and then put them into an order that you’d like to see things happen. Your list might look like this.
Hair and Makeup
Groom greets guests at the ceremony venue
Ceremony
Family Photos
Bridal photos
Reception entrance followed up opening speeches
Dinner
Cake Cutting
More speeches
Dessert
Sunset photos
First dance and party!
HAIR AND MAKEUP START TIME
Set a time that you need to be getting into your dress (usually 30 minutes before you need to leave) and then work backwards. Your hair and makeup artist will be able to suggest a start time based on how many people they need to do.
I’ll usually arrive 2 or 1.5 hours before the ceremony for preparation photos, this is always plenty of time for the bride and then 1 hour for the groom.
CEREMONY, BRIDAL PHOTOS & RECEPTION ENTRANCE
Your ceremony will likely only be 20-30 minutes long. Allow 10 minutes for guests to come up to you and congratulate you afterwards (I love this part for getting some candid photos of you and your guests). Then you can start your family photos, I usually allow 20-30 minutes for this.
You will want photos with your wedding party squad (bridesmaids, groomsmen, bridesmen, groomsgals, your besties etc!) This is when your photographer will want to set aside some time specifically for this part as it's when you'll get the best portraits, some call it a 'bridal shoot'. Often couples will ask to not be away from their guests for too long, I suggest 45 minutes to 1 hour for this part which is always plenty of time if we aren’t needing to travel far, keep in mind each photographer will have a different preference for this.
If you’re doing a reception entrance this is usually straight after bridal photos. Sometimes there is wiggle room here to add in a speech or two before dinner. You’ll need to set a time for dinner with your caterers but it’s usually around 6/6:30pm.
Following these guide lines your timeline might look like this
Ceremony 3pm
Family photos 3:30pm
Wedding party photos 4pm - 5pm (1 hour)
30 minutes wiggle room here incase family photos or the ceremony ran over etc
Reception Entrance 6pm
Speeches 6pm
Dinner 6:30pm
FIRST LOOK & LATER CEREMONY
If you want a later ceremony you could plan to do your bridal photos and a first look before the ceremony. This means you have more time to be with your guests after the ceremony. Your timeline might look like this
First look 2:30pm (if your photos are at a different location to the ceremony then you may want to start earlier at 2pm)
Wedding party photos 2:30pm
Ceremony 4pm
Family Photos 4:30pm
Reception entrance 5:30pm
Speeches 5:30pm
Dinner 6pm
RECEPTION
There are so many ways to run your reception. For our wedding we didn’t have an entrance, we started off with 3 speeches before dinner and then 2 more after dinner. We then started the party with our first dance. For dessert, we cut the cake and then had a buffet/help yourself to cake rather than a sit-down dessert setting. I wanted to keep the formalities as short as possible so I asked for speeches to be kept to 5 minutes. Splitting up the speeches was one of the best things we did, it kept it entertaining and everyone had a chance to grab another drink in between.
Entrance 6pm
Speeches 6pm
Dinner 6:30pm
Speeches 7:30pm
Cake cutting 8pm
Sunset photos?
First Dance 8:30pm
SUNSET PHOTOS
Google what time sunset will be on your wedding day and talk to your photographer about a 10-minute spot for sunset photos. You won’t regret it!
Why you should or shouldn't have a first look and bridal photos before your wedding ceremony?
Have you heard of doing a first look for your wedding? Rather than the traditional approach of seeing each other down the aisle before having bridal photos, you do all of your photos before the ceremony and have a reveal where you see each other all dressed up for the first time on the day.
There are some pros and cons to doing first looks. I love both options and will always go with whatever the individual couple wants to do. If you’re on the fence here are some really good points to consider before making a decision. All of the photos in this blog post are from weddings with first looks.
Better light after your ceremony
I know some photographers prefer to do bridal photos after the ceremony. This is because the later in the day you do your photos the better the lighting is going to be. Say your ceremony is at 3 pm, which is pretty standard, that would mean your bridal photos would most likely be either 1-2 pm or 4-5 pm. The closer to sunset time the better but it doesn’t mean that doing photos earlier in the day is going to give you bad photos. Talk to your photographer about finding a location with some shade or tree cover, or do what we did and take most of your photos inside a building. If you’re still worried about the lighting in your photos, work into your timeline 15 minutes for sunset photos, this will give you another opportunity for great photos!
Take away the nerves
If you’re not really into old traditions and wanting a more relaxed approach then doing a first look will be perfect for you. Seeing each other sooner will ease any nerves and you’ll have more fun during the ceremony.
Photos first, party later
Personally, for our wedding we did a first look purely because we wanted to do photos for a shorter amount of time so that we could party and be with our guests (ironic that the photographer wants less photos for her own wedding day, right)! Even an hour away from your guests for bridal photos can feel like a long time and can leave couples feeling like they didn’t get to talk to everyone on their wedding day.
My favourite photo sessions with pet dogs!
We love our furry companions, so much that we treat them as if they are members of our families. Our two cats Maple and Fig will always be our ‘firstborn babies’ even after/if we have children.
When clients ask if they bring pets along to their sessions it’s a big YES from me. I’ll usually suggest bringing along an extra person to help lead your dog if you know they will get really excited during the photo shoot. Most of the locations I use are dog friendly or have a car park nearby so it makes it easier to bring them along even if it’s just for some of the photos. Here are some of my favourite shots from photoshoots (and weddings) with dogs! Take your pick and vote for the best-photographed doggo.
Tips for making your photoshoot with a toddler and newborn easier!
You’ve just welcomed your baby into the world and you’d love to document this special time with your growing family, but you’re not sure how to make this happen with a toddler or older children. The first few weeks are an adjusting period for everyone in your family, which is why I love and highly recommend doing your newborn photos at your home. Being at home takes the stress out of having to prepare a day bag of snacks, spare clothes, toys, nappies etc. Even the thought of trying to get everyone dressed and into the car on time is enough to put parents off leaving the house in those first few weeks.
LET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHER HELP OUT
The best thing about coming into your home is we can stop and start photos again at any time. If you need to change and feed your newborn halfway through the session your photographer and partner can entertain your toddler with fun photo ideas in the meantime. Some helpful hints I use with children are “let’s read a book with Dad” or “can you show me your favourite toy”? This gets them excited and gives you a 5-minute breather from photos.
MAKE IT FUN AND LIGHTHEARTED
The last thing young children want to do is be told to sit still and smile at the camera. It’s a rare moment when this happens! You’ll see at the beginning of this blog post I got a great photo of their toddler looking at the camera and smiling. This was at the start of our photoshoot which is often when I can grab their attention straight away for that key shot, the rest of the session you’ve got to go with the flow while making it fun and interesting. To mix things up try taking photos in a different room, this is often a good way to reset your toddler’s attention span. Also, give them a break while you have some photos separately with your newborn.
How to choose your perfect wedding venue?
You’re engaged, congratulations! Now you get to plan the biggest party of your life - your wedding day. It can be overwhelming all of the decision makings but there are loads of resources and tips out there for free to get you started. I’ve put together some tips on how to choose the best wedding venue as this is usually the first big decision to make.
Ohariu Farm wedding venue Wellington
Ohariu Farm wedding reception Wellington
KNOW YOUR STYLE AND VISION
What is your decor style and aesthetic for your wedding? Are you leaning towards elegant and modern, traditional or relaxed, rustic and retro, outdoors or indoors etc? Perhaps start looking for inspiration on Pinterest and get a feel for the overall look you like. When you start to visit venues or look online you’ll begin to build a picture of whether or not your vision fits with the space.
Foxglove Wellington wedding venue
Foxglove Wellington reception venue
BUDGET
First things first, let’s talk budget! For our wedding we originally wanted to make it happen with 20k, we quickly realised for what we wanted that wasn’t realistic and it ended up being 30k. Start with categorising the ‘must haves’ first and then work your way down the list. The most expensive things for our wedding were the venue, food, alcohol, photographer and wedding dress. They weren’t things we were willing to compromise on. When it comes to budgeting for your venue there may be extra costs like rubbish removal and waitress staff so make sure you do your research.
Old Saint Pauls Wellington
GUEST LIST/NUMBERS CAPACITY
Before you start looking at venues you’ll need to write a draft guest list so you have a rough idea of how many people will attend. When we started writing our guest list for our own wedding we aimed for 60 people, this quickly escalated to 80 people and unfortunately our booked venue usually only catered for 60-70 max (it was a tight squeeze during the reception, whoops). I definitely recommend sticking to the guideline that your venue provides otherwise it makes it really hard for waitress staff and guests to move around during the reception.
Sudbury wedding ceremony
Sudbury wedding venue Kapiti Coast
AVAILABILITY
What time of year do you want to get married, do you want a summer wedding or do you prefer cooler months? We decided on May for our wedding because we wanted our ceremony to be as close to sunset time as possible for the nice light in our photos. It was nice not standing outside on a hot summer’s day (being a photographer and working in the sun for hours on end is really challenging and also those wearing suits find it way too hot in jackets and pants).
Give yourself lots of time and pick a date that is 12-18 months away so you can ensure all of your favourite vendors are available.
Ohariu Farm wedding reception
Ohariu Farm wedding Wellington
ACCOMMODATION
Do you need to provide on-site accommodation or make this available for your VIP guests? Some couples like to make it easier for their guests traveling from afar to have accommodation included at the venue. This means that guests don’t need to worry about transport and can party without planning a sober driver.
Brackenridge wedding reception Martinborough
Brackenridge Martinborough
TRANSPORT
Is your venue easy to get to and order taxi’s from, or do you need to pre-book a bus to make sure guests get home safely. If there is alcohol at your wedding this is an important thing to factor in. For our wedding, we prebooked a large bus which did one trip from the accommodation our guests booked and then one trip back in the evening for about $900 NZD. Make sure you add this into your budget so it’s not a surprise when you start to look at booking transport. We also booked some earlier taxis in the night for children and grandparents.
Brackenridge wedding ceremony
Brackenridge Wairarapa
WEEKEND HIRE
Find out when you have access to the venue. Some questions to ask before you book are: can you set up your decorations the day beforehand, or do you only have access the morning of the wedding (which means hiring a team to make this happen since you’ll be getting ready)? And when do you need to have the venue cleaned and cleared by the next day?
Poppies wedding venue Martinborough
Poppies wedding ceremony Martinborough
CATERING AND BYO ALCOHOL
Some venues will have specific caterers that they work with or allow into their kitchen only. Find out what the catering options are and if the kitchen is fully equipped for an offsite company to use. You’ll need to choose between plated meals or a buffet-style, we picked a buffet style because we wanted larger portions and simple options.
Not all venues allow BYO alcohol due to licensing reasons so you may need to budget more for your venue’s drink prices. Find out if you can purchase wine by the bottle for your tables which will help slow down the bar tab. Don’t be afraid to be specific about what spirits your guests can drink to keep costs down (some weddings will even do spirits for bridal parties only for example).
Martinborough Tree Church wedding venue
The Vue at Martinborough Tree Church
SOUND LIMIT AND LIVE MUSIC
Check with your venue if there are any restrictions on noise for your reception party. Live music is great but it can be louder. Most venues will have a bar cut-off time which is often when the music gets turned down.
Peppers Parehua Martinborough wedding ceremony
Peppers Parehua Martinborough Vineyard
COVID19 POLICY
It’s a strange time we are living in so make sure you find out what your venue’s policies are around covid19 and if you have the flexibility to reschedule without penalty fees if needed. There is always the possibility of an outbreak, talk about the options and have a backup plan.
How to take maternity photos at home while isolating
Lockdown has unfortunately meant postponing a bunch of photo shoots. Some of these shoots are maternity sessions which are obviously more time sensitive and when we come out of lockdown may not be able to be rescheduled depending on due dates. I’ve put together some tips on how to take maternity photos at home just in case clients miss out on their session with a photographer. Hope this helps!
1. Pick a tidy spot in your home, I picked this corner of our living room. You don’t need a blank wall, there can be furniture that makes it feel more homely and authentic, just remove any clutter so it looks tidy (tv remotes, cellphones, too many pillows etc). Make sure its not directly in front of a window. You want a bright area with no direct sun. Turn off any lights to avoid a yellow tint in your photos.
2. Step off the background, you don’t want to be directly against a wall. The person taking your photo will want to raise the camera up (get taller than the person being photographed) and angle downwards, see the image above for an example.
3. Turn your body at a 45° angle, shift your weight onto your back leg and pop that front foot.
4. Stand up straight. Place your back hand on top of your bump and your front hand closest to the photographer scoop it underneath.
5. Play around with expressions, look down (towards your toes) and back at the camera.
Thanks to my flatmate Latasha for pretending to be pregnant for me today! Watch our video below to see these tips in action.
What to wear for your family photo session
Booking a family photoshoot is an important milestone for your family and I understand why you want to plan your outfits in advance. I’ve put together some easy tips and ideas to help plan what your family is going to wear.
START WITH YOUR LOCATION and ask yourself these questions:
Will your photo session be indoors or outdoors?
What time of year are you having photos taken, do you need to dress warm and comfortably? I photograph all year round, which means some families will need to dress appropriately for the season.
Do you want your outfits to look natural and cohesive with the environment? For example, if we’re going to a beach, it makes more sense to wear shorts or a dress and flat shoes, rather than dressing in a formal suit or heels.
MUM PICK YOUR OUTFIT FIRST
Mums you might find it easier to start with your outfit first! I know how hard it can be to find clothes or an outfit that you love. Is this a reason to buy the dress you’ve been eyeing up? You want to feel confident and beautiful for this shoot. You can then style your children’s and partner’s outfits around what you’re going to wear. You deserve this moment to shine!
WHAT COLOURS WILL BE IN THE BACKGROUND
Think about what the colours will be in the background, from here you can start to think about clothing and how these will blend or contrast. If your photos are in a garden setting with lots of green, you might want to avoid wearing all green but you could add in one element of the same colour. Try to pick colours from the same palette or similar in tones (bright and bold vs. earthy and neutral).
If your photos will be at home, grab inspiration from your decor and the colour of paint on the walls. You might like to grab some options from your wardrobes and lay them out on the furniture to see how they look in the environment.
ADD IN TEXTURES AND A POP OF COLOUR (AVOID TOO MUCH BLACK AND TEXT/LOGOS)
If you can, try to avoid black. While black can make us feel confident, it doesn’t always photograph the best if there’s too much of it. If your only option is to wear black pants, pair them with a coloured or textured shirt to break it up. This is important for maternity sessions, black (or even dark navy) coloured dresses can make it hard to see baby bumps.
Add in some textures if you are going for a matched look (everyone wearing the same colour). You can break this up with either a different type of fabric or a small pattern. Avoid big and bold patterns (like logos or large text). Small and delicate patterns are ok, the reason being you don’t want your clothing to distract your attention away from your expressions.
Don’t be afraid to add a pop of colour somewhere if that is more your style! No matter what style you pick, go for a look that suits your family. If your vibe is more relaxed and comfortable, then keep it authentic.
IF IN DOUBT, WEAR WHITE
White, beige, creams, and any light-coloured dresses or shirts always photograph incredibly well during sunset. White can sometimes be misunderstood to look too bridal or too bold. Lighter colours are perfect for engagement sessions, maternity photos and family sessions (maybe not as suitable for younger children who might want to run around and play).
DRESS LIKE YOURSELF
Dress like yourself most importantly! If you don't like wearing dresses, then definitely don't wear something that doesn't feel like you. Pull out your best pair of trousers and a t-shirt if you need to.
There are no rules for what is and isn't acceptable. It may be a professional photo session but don't let that intimidate you or make you feel like you have to dress a certain way. You want to recognise yourself in the future.
If you're having a tricky task convincing your little ones to wear a particular item, give them a few options that suit and then let them decide, it will get them more involved with the process.
RECAP
For a more natural look, think of your location and what clothing would make sense to wear there in the current season.
Try to pick colours from a similar colour palette or similar in tones (bright and bold vs. earthy and neutral)
Mums, pick your outfit first!
If you can try to pick outfits that aren’t all black (especially avoiding black or dark-coloured dresses for maternity bump photos)
Avoid big and bold patterns (like logos or large text)
Add in some textures if you are going for matching coloured clothing
Dress like yourself
If in doubt, white will always be a colour that suits everyone and will be forever timeless
STILL NOT SURE? BRING OPTIONS!
Still not sure, bring plenty of options or send me some pics beforehand for some ideas! Sometimes picking an outfit can be a last-minute decision. It really can come down to the weather on the day. Don't overthink or overcomplicate it. Wear what feels good and is practical enough to help you feel comfortable during your photos.
Bring options for children, especially if you need to have snacks on hand in the car ride on your way, you may want to change into outfits when you arrive. But also, a little mess on clothing isn't ever really a big deal and usually won't show up in photos anyway.
Bring coats and jackets, plus a hair tie in case the weather turns it on for us. Wellington can be highly unpredictable, which always keeps me on my toes!
Winter Family Photo Session - Eastbourne Wellington
Eastbourne is a popular Wellington spot for its long grass, beach setting and harbour views. Here are some of my favourite photos taken at this location from a recent session with Hannah, Josh and Archer, who had the best smile! This session was to celebrate Archer’s 1st birthday.
Wellington Newborn and Family Photography at Home!
My at-home newborn sessions are perfect for parents who have recently welcomed their newborn into the world. The reason I offer this type of photography and not studio photography is that being at home feels truly authentic and natural, while also making it so much easier for parents to get professional photos!
You may still be figuring out your baby’s routine while possibly feeling like you haven’t quite had enough sleep. I’ll be able to take away the pressure of having to be somewhere and the logistics of planning an outing with a newborn. If you have a toddler or younger children, they may feel most comfortable and settled being at home for these photos. We can also include any pets, which is a nice bonus!
I also really love that these sessions are taken in a space that is personal to your family, so in years to come your little one can see the home they grew up in (I know I feel nostalgic looking at my old family photos). Your space doesn’t need to be stylised or overly tidy. I’ll use 1-3 spaces that have minimal clutter and can help clear away anything that isn’t suitable when I arrive. I can make any home work for photos if there is enough natural light.
I like to capture moments of your family interacting in your everyday life setting while keeping things relaxed and easy-going. When your little one needs a feed or if your toddler wants a snack we can pause photos and since you’re at home you’ll have everything you need right there. We can also use any props or special blankets in the photos so you’ll get a lot of variety (Grandparents and Aunties love seeing their knitted gifts being put to good use).
At this point in time, I don’t offer studio portraits for newborn photography but if you're wanting natural and less posed photos taken in your home, this kind of session might be what you're looking for! These sessions are available all year round, so you can pick any time to update your family photos (weekends are limited during summer so do get in touch to find out more about my availability).
Here are some reviews and testimonials from families I’ve photographed! You can also check out my Google reviews for more up-to-date feedback.
“Jaymee took some family photos of us with our 4 month old. We are so happy with how they turned out and will treasure them for many years to come. Thank you Jaymee for your prompt communication and turnaround, as well as your fun and easygoing nature during our shoot.”
“We are so happy with our photos and would 100% recommend Jaymee and go back to her again. The shoot was super relaxed and we were really impressed with Jaymee’s quick turnaround, great communication and professionalism.”
“Jaymee took some incredible photos for us. But not just that, she was friendly, calm and created a great atmosphere, which really helped make the session in our home with two young kids a success!”
Using two different locations for your family photo session!
Celebrating turning one year old with baby Teo and his proud parents Daisy and Diego. To remember this time in their lives they booked a family session with two locations, starting with their new home!
If you can’t choose between having photos at a location or in your own home, my 1-hour sessions often allow enough time for an indoor and outdoor setting within the same area. Look for a park or a reserve close by to your home, or even your own backyard might be suitable. Here are some of my favourite moments from the first half of our shoot together (before we braved the freezing cold winter weather at the park.
This was our second location, I often drive past this reserve which was only a 5 minute drive from their home so it worked out perfectly for a second location.
Wellington Family Photographer - Newborn Session at Home
Having your photo taken isn’t something we do every day which is why my family and newborn sessions are easy-going, less about industry trends and more about the experience I can provide.
REASONS TO HAVE YOUR NEWBORN SESSION AT HOME
You're probably still figuring out your baby’s routine so being at home will make it that little bit easier for you. All you need is one or two spots that are tidy enough with minimal decorations and distractions (you don’t need all rooms to be perfect or clean before I arrive).
The best thing about being at home is your little one will feel more settled, having a stranger pointing a camera at you is one thing, so it’s good to keep it as comfortable as possible. If you need to feed or change an outfit then we can also make that happen with no stress!
Old Saint Paul's Ceremony and Foxglove Reception - Mia and Phuong
Mia and Phuong originally had me booked for their wedding in 2020 but going into lockdown, unfortunately, meant rescheduling. I’m so grateful to have been a part of their planning and seeing it all come to life after the anticipation of waiting patiently for their new date. It really was an incredible day and the best way to end my busy season.
They had their ceremony at Old Saint Paul’s Wellington followed by bridal photos at Moa Point on the windy coastline. We then made our way to their second location for bridal photos along the waterfront which was the perfect way to go into their reception at Foxglove.
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Thanks so much Mia and Phuong! Here are a couple of my favourite moments from the day.
Ohariu Farm Wedding Ceremony and Reception - Leah and David
Beautiful people and a beautiful wedding! Leah and David’s wedding had us all in happy tears. The love they have for one another is truly something special and I feel so lucky to have captured it alongside Karl who did their videography. Thank you to Ohariu Farm for having us two weekends in a row!
Ohariu Farm Wellington Wedding - Bryleigh and Ruben
Ohariu Farm is a wedding venue located 20 minutes North of Wellington city, it’s perfect if you’re wanting a farm or barn type of wedding setting without the hassle of traveling too far from home. Bryleigh and Ruben asked me to photograph their full wedding day from preparations through to the beginning of the dancing. Karl also made a highlight film for them documenting the most important parts from their first look through to their first dance, he captured it so perfectly!
They both had airbnb’s/accomodation for their prep photos which were stunning! A tidy space for getting ready makes a huge difference in the quality of your photos. A lot of thought went into the smaller details of their whole wedding... like designing and crafting their own arch, wedding invites, signage and rings, just to name a few. I loved the personal touches! Bryleigh works in the wedding industry so she has a good eye for detail.
It has been a pleasure getting to know Bryleigh over the past year. She actually played an important part in helping Karl design my engagement ring when she was working with the team at The Village Gold Smith.
Bryleigh and Ruben thank you so much for asking us to document your special day!
Wellington wedding anniversary photo shoot
Suné and Mark celebrated their 5th wedding anniversary with a portrait session! I'm so grateful to have documented this special time for them. We met at Truby King Park in Melrose for a 45 minute portrait session as the sun was setting. This is such a beautiful location for photos and sometimes you can hear the lions at the zoo roaring, just an added bonus.
Summer Romance Styled Shoot at Anam Cara Gardens Kapiti Coast
This styled shoot gives me that summer romance feeling! Britt from The Wedding Coach NZ did an incredible job of bringing these elements together. Our wonderful models Caitlin and David who are married (in real life) made the vision come to life and honestly made my job of photographing so easy.
Thank you to my partner Karl from Traveller Audio and Visual for this incredible highlight film! We now offer videos like this with our wedding packages too! Full list of all of the other talented vendors below.
venue: Anam Cara Gardens
planner and stylist: The Wedding Coach NZ
florals: Love Stomp Floral
signage: Day Dream NZ
mua: The Makeup Artist
hair: Wedding hair by Rachel
props and furniture: Made Lovely Hire
cake: Cake It Forward
dresses: Astra Bridal Wellington
suit: Mandatory NZ
video: Traveller Audio and Visual
Wellington family photography and styling tips for your photo shoot
Woooowie, how beautiful is this family! I had so much fun with Sam, Stefan and their two boys. They also gave me the best testimonial which seriously made my week! I freaking love my job.
"Jaymee did an amazing job with our family photos, I am so glad to have found her. She felt like a part of our family and was a true hero in making the whole experience a calming and sentimental time for us. Jaymee was so good with our two boys, she is a natural with children!"
I wanted to use this session as an example of different ways you can style your outfits. Booking a family photoshoot can be an important milestone for your growing family. It’s an important event and I understand why you would want it to be perfect because it’s not often you get professional photos taken.
Planning what your family is going to wear is going to add an element of styling to your photos. To form a cohesive look start with your location. Where will you have your family photo shoot? What kind of vibe are you wanting - do you want the environment to be outdoors like this session here, or do you prefer an in-home session?
Next think about what will the colours be in the background, from here you can start to think about clothing and how these will blend or contrast with the background. The colours might be seasonal but most importantly, try to pick colours from the same pallet or similar in tones (bright vs. earthy).
Mums you might find it easier to start with your outfit and then style your children around what colour you’re wearing. I know how hard it can be to find clothes or an outfit that you love so do a little research and spend an afternoon trying on some options (might be a good excuse to buy a new dress). You want to feel confident and beautiful for this shoot. No matter what style you pick, go for a look that suits your family. If your vibe is more relaxed and comfortable then keep it authentic.
