WELCOME TO THE LOVE IS LIGHT WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHY BLOG
Wedding ideas, advice and inspiration for your wedding day.
Love Wearing Your Wedding Dress all Day on Your Special Day
This post is not about fashion or labels. I just want to offer some advice on the practical side of wearing your wedding dress and so you’ll really enjoy the experience.
Angela’s bridesmaid lacing up her dress. They’d practiced and it showed!
Over the course of photographing hundreds of Sydney weddings I’ve seen every type and style of wedding dress. This post is not about fashion or labels. I just want to offer some advice on the practical side of wearing your wedding dress and so you’ll really enjoy the experience.
Your choice of dress is important as it’s such an essential element to your wedding photos.
It’s also a very practical matter, as your style of wedding dress will influence how easily you can move around so choose a dress that you’ll feel comfortable in all day.
There are no wrong choices when it comes to choosing a wedding dress. Every style, from the frothiest Ultimate Princess number to a simple short cocktail style dress will work.
Go with what you love is always my advice. This is your special day and it’s a chance to express yourself with your dress and live out your dream day.
Tip No. 1: If your wedding dress is heavy, consider a lighter dress for the evening.
If your heart is set on rocking a big dress with lots of layers, consider having a lighter dress to change into before hitting the dance floor. A big dress can be exhausting to wear for a full twelve-hour day and if you have a long train and veil you’re going to need the help of your bridesmaids and your brand new husband to get around.
Often grooms don’t realise how much of an encumbrance a big dress can be and indeed brides don’t either. It’s a learning curve for you as a bride, as this is the first time you’ve really worn the dress for an extended period. You need to get used to the confines of how your dress might limit your movement.
Tip No.2: Spend some time in your dress before your big day.
I recommend spending a couple of hours at least wearing you dress at home, so you can get to know the feel of it.
If your wedding dress has a complicated lace-up bodice or button arrangement, it’s important to practice with the person who’s going to lace you in ahead of of your wedding day. I’ve seen brides and bridesmaids (and mums) getting stressed out as the clock ticks by and they are trying to work out the complications of securing your dress comfortably.
Being able to keep on schedule and not getting into a time-crunch will make your wedding so much more relaxing and enjoyable. In may ways a wedding ceremony is a little like a stage production and no one wants to go on stage without a rehearsal.
Julia and her girls adjusting the fine lace of her dress.
Tip No. 3: Pay particular attention to the front hem of your dress.
Sometimes if a dress has been fitted without your shoes, the dress may be slightly too long. A hem that’s even an extra inch too long can cause you to trip and make walking in your dress needlessly complicated. Make sure to wear your wedding shoes during your final fitting, especially if you are planning to wear heels, so your dressmaker can judge your height correctly and tailor the hem accordingly. With this attention to detail in advance of your wedding day, you will enjoy rocking your dress so much more.
Sophie & Michael flew down the aisle after their ceremony. Sophie could move confidently as the hem of her dress was the perfect length.
Tip No.4: Your secret weapon for walking on grass.
While on the subject of shoes, and high heels in particular, an absolute must-have is a pair of heel stoppers (also known as stiletto stoppers). These are small clear discs that attach to the heel of your shoe. These make such a difference if we are shooting portraits on grass or sand. Heel stoppers will spread the weight of sharp heels and stop you sinking into the ground, making it so much easier to move around.
Tip No.5: Your veil and the weather forecast.
Now a note regarding one of the trickiest guests attending your wedding: The Veil. Sydney couples love to get married close to the harbour or the beach. A ceremony location near the water is likely to have at least a fair coastal breeze and often it can actually be very windy close to shore. I’ve seen veils turn into cartoon characters in the course of a ceremony, whirling around and being a real nuisance and distraction if the wind is strong. If it’s windy, I recommend leaving the veil off for your ceremony. We can then reattach it for your portraits when we get into a more sheltered area.
I hope these ideas are of help. Over fifteen years of photographing weddings I’ve learned a lot about how to make your wedding day as fun and enjoyable as possible. I’m always available if you would like to talk about your plans for your Sydney wedding.
-Brendan
Staging the Perfect Outdoor Wedding Ceremony
In this post I’d like to offer some tips and advice on the staging of an outdoor wedding ceremony so everything looks it’s best in photos and videos. This is not about the content of your ceremony, such as wedding vows and so forth. I want to talk about how the scene is set up and how elements can be positioned thoughtfully, so we can maximise the number of camera angles to tell the best version of your story..
Elaine & Toby held their wedding ceremony at Centennial Park in Sydney. Here the sunlight is coming from the side but the trees are providing lovely open shade so everyone will be in soft and flattering light.
Introduction
In this post I’d like to offer some tips and advice about staging an outdoor wedding ceremony for Sydney’s strong sunlight, so you guys and your family and friends will look your best in your photos and videos. This post is not about the content of your ceremony, such as wedding vows and so forth. I just want to offer some tips and advice about how to best arrange the scene. If the elements are positioned thoughtfully we can maximise the number of camera angles available to us and tell the very best version of your wedding day story.
Sometimes on arrival at an outdoor ceremony I find it helpful to suggest some small adjustments, so that we get great shots and also make your guests more comfortable. It’s often the case that the event hire company will have placed the arbour and chairs out in the sunshine. That is never optimal for the camera, so as a wedding photographer it’s essential to bring an expert eye to how these elements are placed.
Xue & Erico held their lovely wedding ceremony at Mc Kell Park in Sydney’s Darling Point. The trees are too far away to provide shade, but the sun is behind where the couple will stand. This will give us a nice romantic backlight.
Tip No. 1: Considering the Light
The first and most common mistake is that the chairs and arbour have been placed out in the glaring Sydney sun, while a few meters away there’s shade available in the form of some lovely big trees.
So my first recommendation is to stage your outdoor ceremony in open shade if possible.
The next thing to consider is where the sunlight is coming from. Most outdoor Sydney wedding ceremonies happen around 3.00PM in winter and maybe around 4.00PM in summer. The sun will have passed it’s high point and will be starting to descend.
The best light for wedding photography and video is backlight, so for your ceremony ideally we would like to have the sun behind you, the couple. That creates the most romantic atmosphere and combined with open shade, we get beautiful skin tones and a bright background.
Rebecca & Ian were married at Carrs Park in Kogarah. This shot of Rebecca’s entrance with her dad is a perfect example of backlight. The sun is behind Rebecca and there is nice soft light on her face.
Tip No. 2: Arranging the Chairs
I love to capture a variety of angles in the course of your ceremony, from a wide shot of the whole scene to close ups of your Mum and Dad as they react to your vows.
Ask your vendor to make an aisle down the centre when placing the chairs, rather than a solid block. With an aisle you can proceed into the ceremony with your guests on each side. Petal tossing at the end of a ceremony is always an awesome moment and you definitely need an aisle to make that work.
Sean & Amy held their ceremony in the grounds of Gledswood Winery. Having an aisle arrangement allowed me to shoot from behind the guests with a telephoto lens, so I wasn’t a distraction. Then of course the aisle allows for awesome shots of the confetti flying!
Tip No. 3: Making Space for the Cameras
A common problem I come across is that the front row seats are placed too close to the arbour. This means there’s very little space between you and your parents, so there’s no room to move the camera back and capture a nice shot of them watching you get married, a moment for every parent to treasure.
When I see this situation I’ll see if it’s possible to move just the front row of chairs to the back. Creating that extra meter of space makes a huge difference, opening up lots of camera angles and making for a much more interesting set of photos and a video which is more engaging to watch. The extra space means we photographers are not too close to your guests. They will feel much more comfortable in the presence of the cameras, be more relaxed, and more in the moment with you guys.
Tara & AJ held their ceremony next to The Superintendents Residence in Centennial Park. Having space to move around the edges of the ceremony allowed me to capture lots of great moments.
Tip No. 4: We are Drawn to Look Towards the Person Speaking
When it’s not possible to get behind the arbour, as a photographer I lose a lot of very important angles. How is this a problem? In the course of a wedding ceremony the celebrant is the person who does most of the speaking. Naturally we are drawn to turn our gaze towards the speaker.
So as a couple, for a lot of the ceremony your faces will be turned away from your guests, as you look towards your celebrant. If I can move behind and to the side of the arbour, I can frame your faces and capture you listening to your celebrant and also capture your reactions to each other’s vows. These are lovely moments. Another great shot to get from this angle is a wide shot, with you guys in the foreground and all your guests visible behind you.
Hannah & Peter had an intimate garden ceremony at home. This is a great example of a shot taken from behind the arbour. The couple are turned to listen to the celebrant but their facial expressions are clear, while all their guests are with them in a single frame. This is what great storytelling is all about.
Tip No. 5: Opening Up Camera Angles
Another common problem is that the arbour is sometimes placed up against a fence or wall. Sometimes this is because the arbour has to be attached to something for support. Check with your vendor supplying the arbour that it is strong enough to be freestanding in a breeze and ensure they will provide some weights to anchor it. Often the arbour is placed with the intention of making as much room for the guests as possible. In an outdoor setting that’s rarely necessary and from a visual point of view, counterproductive.
Lewis & Penelope had their ceremony at Sydney’s iconic Clark Park in Kirribilli. in these photos you can see keeping everyone in the open shade of the trees produced a beautiful and flattering result.
In Conclusion
I hope I’m not leaving you with the impression that we have to turn your wedding ceremony into a photoshoot. That’s never my intention. Love is Light is all about natural and candid moments. Just a little attention to detail allows us to make it all look effortless.
By creating a little extra space around you during your ceremony the cameras will become much less obtrusive. You and your guests will be less aware of the cameras and be more relaxed and able to enjoy these precious moments together.
Ultimately, paying attention to these details allows us as photographers and videographers to create a more beautiful document of your wedding ceremony. By paying attention to the direction of the sun we can capture everything in beautiful romantic light. By having more camera angles to work with we can tell your wedding day story in much greater depth.
-Brendan
The Morning Of Your Wedding Day - Getting Ready
I always encourage couples to dedicate some photography time to the morning, when they are getting ready. On the morning of your wedding you are surrounded by those closest to you and it’s a wonderful opportunity to capture beautiful candid moments between friends and family. It’s also a chance to get used to being photographed and to lose any self consciousness. By the time we are ready to leave for your wedding ceremony you’ll be very comfortable being photographed.
Julia set the scene with this lovely hallway table arrangement.
I always encourage couples to dedicate some photography time to the morning, when they are getting ready. On the morning of your wedding you are surrounded by those closest to you and it’s a wonderful opportunity to capture beautiful candid moments between friends and family. It’s also a chance to get used to being photographed and to lose any self consciousness. By the time we are ready to leave for your wedding ceremony you’ll be very comfortable being photographed.
As an experienced Sydney wedding photographer I hope I can offer some tips and suggestions that will help this busy part of the day go smoothly.
I recommend starting with the boys and the grooms preparations for 30 to 45 minutes. For the bride and bridesmaids I suggest allowing 60 to 90 minutes maximum.
Beau and his brother Tristan with their Mum. I admit I set this up, but I think the expression on Mum’s face is priceless!
Tip No.1: Tidy up the room where you are having your hair and makeup done.
Often friends and family members will have travelled to celebrate your wedding day. That means there’s going to be lots of bags and suitcases everywhere. It’s best to have these in another room, but one that’s easy to access.
When I arrive I like to first start with your wedding dress. I’ll often hang your dress in front of a window or doorway or even outside, to create a beautiful background. I keep a variety of hooks and hangers with me so your dress is safely secured. Have a look around the space where you are getting ready and keep a spot tidy where the dress can go.
At this time I’ll also capture meaningful details such as your jewellery, shoes and heirlooms, such as a piece of jewellery worn by your grandma. These shots add texture and context to your wedding photography and capture your personal taste and style.
Tip No. 2: Natural light is the most flattering light.
If possible I recommend setting up the make up chair facing a window. Once your wedding dress is photographed everyone’s hair and makeup should be fairly advanced and it’s great to capture your look while you are in the chair and everything is perfect. Sydney weddings, especially along the harbour, can be windy, so it’s great to capture your hair and makeup in a perfect state.
Julia’s wedding dress placed before a window. The soft light ensures the exquisite embroidery is captured beautifully.
Tip No.3: Allow enough time to relax and take it all in.
Enjoy a glass of champagne with your besties. Soon it’s going to get hectic and it’s going to be emotional (though it’s usually the guys who lose it). Your wedding day is going to be a busy day and there’s always that final scramble before leaving to gather the flowers and phones and get to the limo.
Petrisha checking out her look.
A quiet moment between Chloe and her daughter Gabbie before leaving for the ceremony.
Tip No 5: Make sure your bridesmaid’s dresses are clearly labelled!
I remember one time four bridesmaids grabbed their dresses and went to their own hotel rooms to change. Two had taken the wrong dress without knowing and couldn’t understand why their dresses didn’t fit. As eveyone was separated it took about 30 minutes to sort out the problem. That’s a lot of time to lose on a wedding day.
Karen had all her bridesmaid’s dresses on personalised hangers
The final shot before I leave for the ceremony (and give you guys a break from the camera) is what I like to call the ‘Princess Shot’. This one is always fun. When we are setting it up it’s going to feel contrived and a bit cringe, but’s part of the magic.
Everyone gets all shy and nervous but it’s always a great image. This is where all our tidying up pays off. Close to the biggest window, we stage you in the centre of the room in your full wedding attire with your Maid of Honour and bridesmaids (Mum sometimes joins in too). Your girls then just make a play of adjusting your wedding dress and veil and so forth. Everyone is always cracking up by the end of it.
Lauren and her bridesmaids adjusting her wedding dress to go marry Jayden!
Hannah doing the Princess with just her Maid of Honour Alice
I hope some of the ideas here are of help. Taking care of the details ahead of your wedding day makes it more fun, more relaxed and just more romantic.
Okay, let’s go get you guys married!
-Brendan
Megan: “Let’s do this!”