Waitarere Beach Intimate Wedding

Over here reminiscing on the past few weeks and can’t believe that the summer wedding season is finished! So far this summer I’ve had 9 incredible couples who weddings I photographed, some intimate occasions and others were full day weddings. All different and unique in their own ways ♥️

Here are some of the highlights from Kaitlin and Jacob’s Waitarere beach wedding from a few weeks ago. We were all introduced a few years back at another wedding so it was really special seeing them again! I loved the relaxed and cosy atmosphere of this wedding, it was all about celebrating their day at a place that was special to their family.

Silverstream Retreat Intimate Wedding Ceremony Wellington

Georgia and Joshua tied the knot on the 2.2.22 at Silverstream Retreat in Upper Hutt Wellington. It’s a special date to remember, one I won’t be able to forget no doubt! They asked me for a custom package to suit their smaller wedding, due to covid-19 some of their guests weren’t able to make it. Instead of a full 10 hour day, we were able to do preparations, their ceremony, bridal photos and an afternoon tea with a cake cutting in the space of 4 hours. These custom packages and smaller weddings are an absolute favourite of mine and I love that I can be so flexible with the services I offer!

Wellington family photography at home!

Photos at home but lets make the most of your own back yard! These are the images that your little ones will look back on and think ‘remember our garden, the playhouse, that stream and the bridge’, this is a part of their childhood memories. You can capture great family photos in your own space, it doesn’t need to be at a location!
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Here are some of these moments I’m talking about! This is my third photo session with Ellie and her family. I’m so grateful to have captured their family over the past couple of years.

Intimate wedding elopement at Yvette Edwards Plant Studio Wellington

Should you elope? If you're considering it then the answer is already YES. The number one reason couples choose to elope instead of having a wedding is so they can have that "just us" experience. Some couples want to have the freedom to spend the day together without all of the traditional rules and distractions that come with hosting a wedding. Plus saving money is a huge benefit and you're valuing memories rather than the materialistic side of having a traditional wedding.

I love that Rochelle and Tom had their elopement at Yvette Edwards Studio! Surrounded by plants and florals made the perfect backdrop.

Dress by @layplan
Makeup/hair by @alana__muha
Celebrant - @marriedbyashleigh
Venue/flowers - @florist.stylist

Anam Cara Gardens Wedding in Otaki - Photography and Videography

Jana and Tim’s wedding day at Anam Cara Gardens was a treat! They were so cruisy and completely trusted us to do our thing!

We did their first look before the ceremony which gave them more time to catch up with their guests before the reception. Their family photo list was super short and sweet (something we are always grateful for, this is always the hardest part of the day for everyone), but we were able to get lots of candid moments and photos with their guests during the cocktail hour.

After a few speeches and a yummy dinner made by Nosh Catering, we made our way to Otaki beach for some sunset photos with the bridal crew, while their guests treated themselves to some delicious cake and expresso martinis (how good having a signature cocktail on the menu). Overall a stunner of a day and a perfect match these two!

Public Trust Hall Wedding - Inner City Wedding Wellington

Wellington’s Public Trust Hall was refurbished in 2019 and this is my first wedding at the new wedding venue! Rachel and Tim had their ceremony and reception here all in the same room, it’s the perfect space for an all-in-one wedding venue (ideal if you want an indoor ceremony).

We actually had rain all morning and thought there was zero chance of doing any waterfront photos as we planned, but thankfully during their ceremony it started to clear up! We took a few family photos before heading outside with their bridal party. We ended up having a very special guest called Oscar (their pet dog) meet us on the waterfront for photos!

Rachel and Tim picked my middle package which is currently 6 hours total and they managed to fit their first dance into this amount of time. If you’re clever about how you do your timeline there is a lot you can fit into 6 hours!

How to choose the right wedding package for your day?

When it comes to booking a photography package everyone’s wedding day will look slightly different, so it’s important that your photographer can customise to your needs.

POPULAR WEDDING PACKAGES

For weddings with over 60 guests I start with providing a PDF that has my 3 most popular package options: 3 hours, 6 hours and 10 hours. This is a good starting point for clients to figure out if they want the full day or half day covered. I also give a guideline for the parts of the day that would fit within those hours, which looks like this.

3 hours:
Ceremony
Candid photos of guests
Family photos
Bridal shoot

6 hours:
Preparations
Ceremony
Candid photos of guests & Family photos
Bridal shoot 
Entrance to the reception
Reception details
(Couples can pick preparations or 2 hours of the reception instead)

10 hours (max):
Preparations
Ceremony
Candid photos of guests & Family photos
Bridal shoot 
Full reception coverage & First dance

FULL DAY VS. HALF DAY

Most couples will book the full day/10 hour package but I won’t ever try and sell you this package if it’s not what you need. If you’re really clever with your timeline you can actually fit a lot into the 6 hour option. If preparations aren’t as important to you then you could have only 1 hour of getting ready photos, or even opt out of these all together, that way you can have more of your reception covered. A great way to get your first dance into your 6 hour package is to have your reception entrance which leads straight into the first dance, this is a really unique way to get your guests excited for the evening.

The 10 hour option is really good if you don’t want to be following a strict timeline on the day and if there is travel to multiple locations. I cap this package a 10 hours because it starts to be a long day for everyone.

CUSTOMISE YOUR PACKAGE

If the options you’ve been given don’t quite fit your timeline then find out if a custom package is an option! 6 hours might not be enough, 10 hours could be too much, maybe 8 hours would be perfect!

ELOPE INSTEAD!

If the idea of a full-day wedding sounds like too much and you’ve started considering what it would feel like to just elope instead, then it’s probably a perfect option for you! Elopements always end up being just as special as a full wedding day, they bring so many good memories and I absolutely love photographing them!

GETTING STARTED WITH YOUR TIMELINE

Knowing what package to go for does require having a draft timeline of the day which can feel really daunting if you don’t know where to start. Have a read of my blog post which runs you through some ideas here! I’ll give clients plenty of time to make the decision on which package, you can always book me in by paying the deposit and we can decide on the amount of coverage at a later date.

Something Blue - A wedding at The Boat Shed Wellington

Something old, something new, something borrowed and lots of Blue - shoes, hair and even blue boat sheds. It was a treat photographing Erin and Peter’s wedding at The Boat Shed in Wellington.

Wellington put on its best windy weather for us and we still headed outside for bridal photos after their ceremony. There’s something special about a city wedding and being all dressed up right in the middle of it all! Where is your preferred wedding location - mountains or city vibes?

Wellington wedding elopement - Plimmerton Beach

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!

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.

Wedding Live-streaming Q&A

Covid19 has caused many disruptions in our world and going to events in person is one of them. The good news is we have the technology to connect with people digitally almost anywhere in the world, so if they can’t be there in person they can at least watch in real-time from afar.

My husband Karl now offers live-streaming as an additional service to our wedding photography and videography. This service has become so popular that during the busy season (Spring-Summer) Karl is fully booked on weekends with weddings. This means if you’ve been thinking about getting someone to live-stream your wedding ceremony it’s best to book months in advance!

If you’d want to know more about this service here is an FAQ written by Karl. You can also contact him here.

WHAT IS LIVE-STREAMING? 

When I live-stream I send live video and audio directly to a streaming service (such as Youtube or Vimeo), so that family and friends who can’t make it can still be a part of your day! With Covid-19 it can be pretty hard not being able to see people from overseas or those who are stuck in lockdown, so live-streaming is a great way to have them still be a part of the day.

WHAT IS THE COST?

The cost of this service starts at $800, this price is set for the 2022 season and is subject to change. Get in touch for the latest pricing.

DO I NEED TO PROVIDE YOU WITH INTERNET?

I bring my own 4G router which gets a good connection in most areas, so you don’t need to worry about organising any of that! If there is wired internet available at the venue I may use that for reliability if it’s faster, but I organise this myself on the day. If I’m not sure about the internet connection, I sometimes do a site visit to confirm that streaming is possible.

DO YOU NEED TO COME TO THE WEDDING REHEARSAL?

It can be a good way for us to meet if we haven’t already, and for me to confirm where I will be and what the 4G connection is like, but it’s not at all necessary. 

WHAT STREAMING SERVICE DO YOU USE?

I usually use Youtube but I have experience with Zoom, Skype, Vimeo etc so I can be flexible if you have a preference. 

WILL THE AUDIO QUALITY BE GOOD?

Absolutely! Audio is my one of my top priorities. I have a variety of options to get good audio depending on the situation. If you are already using microphones then I will usually get a feed from that system. Otherwise, I also have options for small microphones on either the celebrant or groom. I always carry a backup microphone incase something goes wrong. 

DO YOU JUST LIVE-STREAM THE CEREMONY?

My standard service is just for the ceremony but I can do the reception/speeches if you would like for an additional cost.

WHAT HAPPENS IF SOMETHING GOES WRONG?

I carry a lot of extra equipment with me just in case something doesn’t work or goes wrong! In the event that something out of my control goes wrong (such as 4G coverage not working, or issues with the streaming service) then you are only charged for the actual recording price.

CAN I WATCH IT AFTERWARDS?

Yes the YouTube link will be instantly repayable. I will also send you a high-quality and touched up version via the cloud after the wedding.

WHEN WILL THE YOUTUBE LINK BE SET UP?

I usually set this up a week or two beforehand but I can do it anytime if you’d prefer it sooner!

How to design an engagement ring - By Karl Mooyman (my Husband)!

I asked Karl to feature on my blog and talk about some of the things he learnt when designing my engagement ring. For anyone wanting to propose - take note, there are some great ideas here!

One of the hardest things when you’re planning to propose is the ring!

When I first started planning to propose I knew the ring was going to be very important; my wife Jaymee doesn’t tend to wear jewellery, but she had talked about an engagement ring/wedding ring being the only jewellery she would wear, so I wanted it to reflect her style and remind her of our relationship.

I did a lot of research into rings, diamonds etc and whether to buy one off the shelf, or get one designed. I ended up getting one designed and made by The Village Goldsmiths, who were incredible through the whole process! Here are a few of the things I learned during that process.

Why did I go for custom made?

In most cases it’s not more expensive to design your own engagement ring. Since you’re starting from scratch you can set your budget and you’ll know exactly what you can get for the cost. It also meant I could create something really specific that would represent Jaymee and I, and have control over all of the elements.

Speaking of cost

There’s an old rule that you should spend three months salary on the ring, don’t buy into that and definitely don’t go into debt for it. You don’t even need to buy a ring if your partner isn’t into that. My best friend Dave’s partner got a tattoo to symbolise their engagement. No matter what you get only spend whatever you’re comfortable with - the cost was the first thing I decided on.

Research

First figure out what kind of jewellery your partner likes. Jaymee literally only owned one ring at the time and she never wore it. Luckily she did have a Pinterest board with wedding rings she liked (talk about a hint). I noticed that most of them used rose gold, all but one had diamonds, and the diamonds were mostly round or pear shape.

Design

For me the overall design of the ring was the fun part. I really liked the idea of incorporating the infinity symbol in it (so cheesy) and just created a few different design options. I sent those through to the designer and she came back with some similar rings they had done in the past, for inspiration. One of them had one larger diamond, and a smaller diamond to each side of that, which I thought looked great so we expanded on that idea.

As it happens, this design was actually very similar to both our grandmothers engagement rings, which was a nice surprise after the fact!

The other main design element was the metal colour. I knew rose gold needed to be the main metal, but one of the design ideas was two-tone, with white gold in addition to the rose gold. I liked this idea but eventually decided that the full rose gold is what Jaymee would prefer, and had a more classic look.

Diamonds (or other jewels)

A girls best friend. Also quite expensive! This actually takes up most of the cost of the ring, so your goldsmith can change the size and quality to match your budget. There are lots of other options if you can’t afford the size that you’re wanting. While researching I came across Moissanite which I was originally going to go for, however, you would need to find a specific jeweller that works with this as not all of them do. There are also white sapphires, which Village Goldsmith recommended if I wanted something larger for my budget.

You don’t have to go for the standard, a different coloured jewel could really make your ring stand out, if that’s what you and your partner like. I knew Jaymee liked diamonds since it was all over her Pinterest board, so I went with that. I think she might be addicted to them now though!

Designing our wedding bands

We wanted our wedding rings to fit in with the engagement ring, especially Jaymee’s, since it would sit right next to it. For her wedding band, we stuck with rose gold, but wanted something a bit more delicate and understated, since the engagement ring was the main piece. We love the band of small diamonds, as it makes the diamonds on the engagement ring look bigger!

For my wedding band, I needed something durable since I do a lot of heavy work so I went for titanium. To keep it within the look, we had a band of rose gold through the middle of the ring in to match Jaymee’s rings.

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!