Jaime Lee Major is one of Australia’s brightest design stars. Her bridal collection has grown over the last 10 years making her one of the most sought after dressmakers to come out of Australia. Jaime Lee Major wedding gowns are meticulously crafted pieces of art.

A while back I photographed the Perth wedding of Sarah and Dave, which started in a majestic ceremony and ended in a (actual) rave. Throughout all that, this incredible Jaime Lee Major creation weathered all the wild glory.

We wanted to do a piece on her because we are inspired by her wild design talent and outer-space way of approaching bridal gowns for folks wanting something a little more on the edge (see also, Kyha Studios). Her designs are for the fashion-forward bride (the exact words that came out of David’s lips all day at their wedding).

Jaime Lee Major background

Born and raised in Fremantle (Perth), Jamie Lee Major rose to fame after she designed a gown for Kimbra at the Grammys in 2013. Her blue tulle and Swarovski encrusted dress was seen by 40 million people and she gained quite a mighty whack of international fame, and said in an interview for VOGUE that she hadn’t really thought about bridal couture but had so many enquiries that it ‘just sort of happened’.

Jaime Lee Major won WA Designer of the year, has been featured in VOGUE, dressed Katy Perry, Lady Gaga and Rita Ora (to name a few). Major has since left the red carpet behind her now to focus her creative genius on wedding dress designs.

Luxury wedding dresses like you’ve never seen before

Jaime Lee Major wedding gowns are priced from $5000 to $24,000, and like all things thoughtfully crafted, worth every cent. They are pieces of art that she carefully wraps around a human body, and have endless hours of labour put into every last little detail. There are hundreds of thousands of beads, crystals, pearls and stitches in her creations.

The bridal collection features a lot of tulle and exposed flesh, lavishly covered with luxurious embellishments. They’re a Pinterest board dream. You can forget the classic silhouette or cathedral length train.

Jaime Lee is talking frills, cuffs, ruffles, sparkles and bespoke demi-couture tailoring. The materials tend to stray away from classic whites and ivories and delve into lux golds and silvers. Something I’m excited to see more of in contemporary weddings.

If you’re a bride who wants to do things differently then Jaime Lee Major’s collection is awe-inspiring. See-through trouser suits and everything covered in Swarovski will certainly turn some heads and take your Grandmothers idea of the traditional wedding dress for a glorious golden ride. The way the light catches the sparkles and the overstated glamour is perfect for any bridal shoot. 

Jaime Lee Major wedding gowns: also a photographers dream

There is no end to this gifted woman’s creativity. She is such an exciting element in Australian wedding scene. One of her recent catwalk gowns used the most insane floristry to bring her ideas to life.

I love capturing everything that makes the day special, the bride’s dress is at the top of my list. Be over indulgent, be bountiful, be sumptuous. It’s a wedding, nothing can be too amplified! Your dress should make you feel like you’ve never felt before and there is no way in hell you can’t feel $1million dollars in a Jaime Lee Major wedding gown.

Find Jaime Lee Major wedding gowns online

Jaime Lee Major on instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jaimeleemajor

Fremantle and Perth Wedding Photography

Steph and Zacs Quarry Farm Wedding, and Fremantle wedding photo locations.

Enquire with me to photograph your wedding

Briars Atlas wedding photography – make an enquiry

We all go into this strange old gig for different reasons, but never on that list is “to win xx award” (i’m pretty sure my couples don’t really give a shit about that stuff and nor should they). Regardless, it’s nice to be recognised by your peers as international wedding photographer of the year, and winning awards does help for visibility and for sharing of educational content that I enjoy putting a tonne of energy into.

So at the risk of compromising my desire to be a recluse artiste gnawing on my own fermenting dreadlocks (it turns out that celebrating the wins and actually talking about them is a necessary part of the capitalist empire we all find ourselves in), I thought i’d share some images judged at the International wedding photographer of the year (IWPOTY) competition last year, the same competition that i’m also totally rapt to be judging this year. It’s a ripper competition and has been doing tonnes to rebrand an industry that thanks to being associated with cheese and all that jazz, is generally the first thing folks think of when they muse “I wonder where all photographers go to die”.

For me it’s meant the most stupidly wild quests all over the planet, making stuff that matters for real humans.

Winning the analogue category is particularly special to me as i’ve got a huge love for being a film wedding photographer, and as far as IWPOTY, have a tonne of respect for their judging panel and founder Luke, so it means a lot to be selected.

With this win I thought i’d share a selection of my entries across all the other categories, and I was fortunate to place as a finalist in nearly all categories.

Grandstand, grandstand, look at me me me, here we go.

Actually though, a special shoutout to all my bloody awesome couples who make this happen and (pre covid 19 anyhow) make me well aware i’ve stumbled onto one of the most bloody wonderful jobs on the planet.

I also love that I can look at all of these images and say they were made for them, and not for me, and that’s where it all starts and ends.

Thanks again to all the judges, and the IWPOTY founder Luke Simon who puts so much time and personal energy into making this happen, and sifting through the thousands of entries submitted from over 50 countries around the world.

Hire me for your wedding here.

One of the constant themes in my enquiry inbox is a reference to Wes Anderson styled wedding photography.

Ok. So. There’s something a little (wildly) gratuitous about drawing any connection between a prolific director (for the kids playing at home, that’s Wes Anderson) and the owner of a humble wedding photography business in suburban Melbourne (that’s me).

Wildly, of the level of wildness entertained by 18 year olds who put racing stripes on their Toyota Corollas back in the 90’s thinking it boosted their engines horsepower (I wasn’t one of those, but I *might* have lowered and tinted a 20 year old family sedan). But since I’ve started photographing humans around the world at their weddings, folks keep drawing a connection between the two, without my prompting.

Which is really humbling, as he has a massive body of work, and excellent hair.

So because of that bring raised, I wanted to open up a post about cinematic shooting, symmetry, and how I “find the feel” in seemingly simple situations, show a few images, and cut through to breaking that down: what DO people mean when they say “yeah, that’s got a real Wes Anderson vibe to it”?

In a nutshell, it’s overwhelmingly about, simply, symmetry. 

What Sony’s Walkman did to the CD-player back in the 90’s and what Apple’s iPod did to the “portable music player”, Wes Anderson has done with this one enormously broad, fundamental design element.

Symmetry.

It’s usually, (nearly) as simple as that, and it’s what I look for at every wedding. In fact it exists, whether we like it or not – we might just have to crank our neck a little.

If we extend it all a little further though, for me, the elements that give something a “Wes Anderson Vibe” in a broader sense, are:

1: Symmetry
2: A sense of calm/apathy
3: Unification via a thoughtful palette

And that’s without even touching on the intricate ways he weaves a story or creates a particular sense of theatre out of the characters. We could talk all day about the level of formula that his imagination uses, but we’ll just stay in the symmetry & composition saddle for the moment.

For me, I want to bring in a little bit of unique cinema into my Briars Atlas images, without getting too complex. Just a dash of… “I can’t put a finger on it, but when I look at this image, I feel like i’m peering inside a movie”/.

That means having an eye towards what it means to photograph with symmetry and finding calm in the chaos, so that within the set of images I deliver, there can me moments of calm and beauty in seemingly mundane situations.

Here’s a small selections, of my favourite “Wes Anderson” style wedding photos.

Melbourne Elopement Photography: what do less stress, more money left in the account, and rampant good times have in common?

They’re just three of the (many) glorious benefits to either having an elopement or small wedding. At Briars Atlas Elopement Photography Melbourne Services Pty Ltd (let’s run with that name for now) i’ve photographed so many beautiful small weddings and elopements in Melbourne and in greater Victoria including the Mornington Peninsula (check out these wedding venues on the Mornington Peninsula) and Yarra Valley.

I’m a Melbourne elopement and small weddings photographer, and one of the great joys of this job is working with smaller intimate weddings, with just you two, and maybe a tiny crew. It’s a chance to enjoy the meaningful part of the whole wedding thing (the marriage bit) with so much more calm and clarity.

The other great thing about a small wedding or elopement in Melbourne or greater Victoria is that there is usually more flexibility to have it all happen any day of the week. Generally though, they happen on a Wednesday through Saturday, but it can of course be any day you like.

If you’re considering a small wedding or eloping in Melbourne, you can see a list of my favourite wedding photo locations in Melbourne that i’ve put together, all with examples of couples i’ve worked with at each of them.

Pair one of our brilliant locations with one of Melbournes best wedding celebrants, and you’re off to a flying start. In my experience, elopements can be anywhere between 1 and 10 hours long, however the average length of elopement photography is probably somewhere around the 2-4 hour mark: enough to capture your beautiful ceremony, and then some portraits and gentle anarchy afterwards.

Take a look at the beautiful couples below, and if you feel like the way I see things could be the right fit for your small wedding or elopement, i’d love to have a chinwag (/shiraz, etc).

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

Looking for small wedding and elopement photography in Melbourne?

I’ve photographed nearly 200 beautiful weddings of all sizes across Melbourne, the Yarra Valley, Geelong, greater country Victoria, and beyond. I’ve got plenty of advice i’m happy to share.

If you’d like to make an enquiry to me, you can reach me here:

https://briarsatlas.com/enquire

I get a lot of the most beautiful enquiries for weddings, from all sorts of humans and all types of celebrations. But every now and then one stands out as something of a… unique first. An enquiry asking if i’d shoot their Albanian Rock n Roll Warehouse Rave Wedding stands out as one such enquiry. I teamed up with the brilliant Nat Sproal (also headlining my piece on the best Melbourne wedding celebrants here), for this incredible Fortyfive Downstairs wedding in Melbourne, which began with gentle calm and after the rave stuff, ended with Saranda putting a fire-hose on Brendan enthusiastically trying to corral some last portraits at the local Maccas.

Legends.

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

Book a Fortyfive Downstairs wedding

Fortyfive Downstairs website: https://www.fortyfivedownstairs.com/wp2016/private-events/

Two artists and art-lovers brought their community together for their glorious Quat Quatta Wedding in Ripponlea, Melbourne. Nadisha and Tendai brought on the skills of the inimitable Yo Mafia, who came to tear up their reception dance-floor (in between doing RNB gigs in literal stadiums around the world).

A Mariachi band set the tone as guests walked into the beautiful Quat Quatta grounds, leading into their soft and brilliant ceremony.

Quat Quatta have also been featured on a list of the most unique venues in Melbourne, and is one of my most favourite venues in Melbourne to photograph a wedding at. Incredible heritage surrounds, lush greenery, and an interior and exterior that can be transformed into any direction you can imagine. Check out the incredible Quat Quatta wedding of Nadisha and Tendai to see how they celebrated there.

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

Book Quat Quatta for your wedding

Quat Quatta website: https://www.quatquatta.com.au/

Quat Quatta has an enormous spread of spaces ranging from a festooned outdoor area for ceremonies, incredible heritage rooms, and every sort of texture imaginable in and around those. I usually avoid taking couples away from the grounds for their portraits – just because there are so many brilliant options on-site, which means no battling inner-city traffic, as well as getting back to your crew to knock down wines and continue the celebrations sooner rather than later. Looking for something smaller? Check out these incredible Small Wedding Venues Melbourne has to offer.

When it comes to a phenomenal wedding package, the team at Tuggeranong Homestead are not here to mess about. They’ve got some amazing inclusions, an awesome venue that’s perfect for capturing wedding photography and videography and an air of serenity that Darryl Kerrigan would be entirely unable to resist. Let’s take a look at some Tuggeranong Homestead wedding photos and learn a little more about the services they offer to couples about to tie the knot.

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

Tuggeranong Homestead Location

As far as the ACT goes, Tuggeranong is a delightfully natural area directly south of Canberra. It’s full of Nature Reserves and borders multiple National Parks. The various scenic drives and lookouts are all sights you must see if you visit Canberra at any point.

Tuggeranong Homestead is located in the very heart of Tuggeranong Valley, not even half an hour out of Canberra CBD and airport.

The Tuggeranong Creek runs but a stone’s throw away, adding to the already naturally peaceful setting.

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

Tuggeranong Homestead Wedding Venue

The venue itself is a gorgeous rustic homestead on 70 acres of the vast, secluded Aussie outdoors. The Homestead and its surrounding features exude an old-timey flavour that radiates “home”, “love” and “welcome”.

With your wedding package you get exclusive access to all the on-site areas listed below. These are perfect for hosting events, accommodation and of course, capturing some epic wedding photos and videos.

• A sandstone paved cafe garden, perfect for the ceremony and reception.
• A large homestead with several rooms available to host functions including the Drawing Room with two gorgeous open fireplaces and the Sunroom contained entirely within large windows.
• A machinery shed that screams, “capture amazing rustic photos here”.
• Garden marquees to provide some cover to guests.
• A bandstand to host a dancefloor and/or live band.

• 

• 

Inclusions

There are so many bits and pieces included in a Tuggeranong Homestead wedding package that I simply cannot fit them all in one short blog post. Here are a few though, that should help you figure out whether this venue is the one for you and your partner…

• A commercial kitchen and fully licensed bar to cater for everything you need food and drinks wise.
• Reception chairs and tables, chairs for guests for the ceremony and some super chic antique furniture for the signing.
• Free overnight parking in a well-lit space.
• Fairy lights in the machinery shed to add to the magical charm of the venue.
• A fire pit with seating surrounding it for a chilled, late-night fireside chat.
• Pet-friendly grounds.

And much, much more! Just head to their website to see all the other amazing inclusions on offer.

• 

• 

• 

• 

Tuggeranong Homestead Wedding Photos

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

For a charming, serene, rustic wedding, Tuggeranong Homestead has everything you need and more!

For some delightfully rustic Castlemaine wedding venues, check out this blog in the Briar’s Atlas Notes!