Since Covid has put a stop to conferences and wedding photography workshops, I wanted to give a little back, and so have created a free wedding photography workshop in an online course format. This contains around 7 years of my workshop content (head over here for wedding photography podcasts), drawn from an award-winning background in design and photography, and I have separated the best bits into easy to consume, bite-sized chunks, and released them on Instagram as a 100 frame wedding photography workshop.

To see these for free, scroll further down.

Free wedding photography mentoring Australia: sign up for my free 12 month wedding photography online course

STRANGE ATLAS – anti-hustle wedding photography workshop: delivered to your inbox, every Monday morning. Sign up for free

Who this wedding photography online course is for:

• Photographers looking for wedding photography courses online
• Folks looking for wedding photography education that’s a little bit different
• Wedding photographers who want some simple education in a format that isn’t overwhelming

The free wedding photography workshop is divided into three main areas.

1. Creativity
2. Community
3. Business
4. Editing
5. light

Each of the 100 frames speaks to one of those. The current climate of workshops I found doesn’t appeal to my style of learning personally, and it made me wonder if other folks out there were the same, so I tried to create something to fill that gap!

I remember thumbing through MAD magazine, comics, and encyclopaedias, and found that a curiosity-driven approach to learning, where you can open a book up at any page and take something away without feeling like we have to complete a full course: the best way to learn for me, personally.

So that’s how i’ve crafted this.

I want this to be useful no matter what page it’s opened up at: rather than me dictating the learning from front to back (there’s plenty of brilliant other options for that out there), so this is something where I hope there’s a nifty surprise useful to wedding photography, and photography in general wherever it’s opened.

The workshop is available from frame 35 onwards on my instagram, and as new ones are uploaded, old ones will be removed, so follow along and catch them (save, screen grab) them while they’re available.

At the end, i’ll be releasing them all, along with a set of bonus annotations totalling 400+ pages. It’s the exact wedding photography workshop resource I would have liked starting out, and has been tailored for both new photographers and working professionals 5+ years in the game.

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To see the free wedding photography workshop:

Follow it on Instagram while it’s there.
Sign up for the School of Strange, 52 weeks of free wedding photography mentoring, for access to the full 400+ pages.

Some conferences i’ve had the brilliant honour of sharing this at:

Conferences and retreats this workshop content has previously been shared at:

Wedding photography conference: Way Up North, Rome, Italy

Wedding photography retreat: RURAL Workshop Barcelona, Spain

Wedding photography conference: BODAF Portugal

Wedding photography conference: Midwest Gathering Detroit USA

Wedding Photography Workshops Melbourne

Transplant workshop at Tanglewood Estate

It was such a treat sharing with photographers such as Briggsy, Ashleigh Haase Photography, Sarah Tee, and even inter-staters like Cassie Sullivan at the most beautiful wedding venue in Victoria. Here’s a mugshot of the last ones left standing after it was all done. Tanglewood Estate hosted “Transplant”, my one-day workshop on alternative-thinking strategies for wedding photographers, with a day full of hands-on techniques and follow-up mentoring for wedding photographers. This format is one I have delivered over a period of 5 years all over the world.

Structure of the wedding photography workshop

The day began with roundtables, building community through sharing everyones own current journeys, pain-points and joy-sparkers from the job. Many of the points were known ahead of time as the onboarding process ensured everyone felt heard as an individual and was able to share these things before the day. We then moved into a day of interactive content and thinking strategies and follow up strategies to action the content.

I’ve always had a “eyes at the back of the classroom” approach. I know what it’s like to be sitting at the edges, a little intimidated by the scale of a room and structured offering, and ending up feeling like you weren’t seen. For this reason these workshops have been anti-clique, and pro embracing new faces. So it’s been such a treat to advocate this way in my own courses, and then see students such as Ashleigh Haase (also an attendee of Story and Light in NZ, co-facilitated with Bayly & Moore – it’s incredibly flattering to see folks come along for the ride to more than one workshop) move on to take their learnings from Transplant into their own education offerings, sharing adaptations of Transplant into their own education community.

I don’t look at others work anymore, I’m finding inspiration from lots of things I learnt whilst at the workshop.

Ashleigh Haase Photography, who since Transplant has launched Ashleigh Haase Education!

Transplant wedding photography workshop itinerary

1 – Participant introduction and journey sharing
2 – Context-setting: creative thinking holistically rather than wedding industry specific
3 – Don’t do what you love: servitude and people mindset
4 – Challenging biases: fundamental mindset strategies 101
5 – Bias challenging: 3 specific techniques, and applying them to a small business
6 – Storytelling is dead (also the title of my Los Angeles Field Trip talk)
7 – Anti-storytelling techniques
8 – Separating yourself through community and branding
9 – Practical magic: separating yourself through the art of image-making
10 – An analogue primer: introduction to the world of analogue
11 – From the ad-agency, with love: simplified business and marketing techniques
12 – Actionable follow up strategies

Plus Image n’ Tech Athens, Greece, ABMS New Zealand.

Alex Perry Wedding Dresses challenge any ideas of convention around bridal couture. So much so that this one wasn’t even in their wedding category! This incredible Alex Perry Dress was seen in another part of the Alex Perry catalogue, and Liv immediately knew it would be the perfect wedding dress.

Liv and Adams beautiful Melbourne wedding was photographed by Briars Atlas and featured inside the pages of Together Journal and you can purchase it here in issue #19, and their incredible sense of style has also been picked up worldwide and seen on Yahoo and Popsugar.

Thanks to Liv and Adam for having us down for your brilliant day in the beautiful gritty centre of Melbourne, at Longsong.

Liv’s Wedding Dress is also featured in our post on the 5 best modern wedding dresses.

See more Alex Perry Wedding Dresses

Alex Perry wedding dresses offer a refreshing take on bridal fashion, steering away from the overly traditional and into something more refined and modern. His designs are sleek, with a focus on sharp tailoring and clean lines, appealing to brides who want a polished look without all the frills.

• Structured shoulders add a bold, fashion-forward touch.
• Plunging necklines give the gowns a bit of edge.
• Long, flowing sleeves introduce some drama while keeping things elegant.
• Minimalist designs keep the focus on form and silhouette rather than embellishments.
• Subtle detailing, like a well-placed brooch, adds just the right amount of interest.

These elements come together in a way that feels contemporary yet timeless, perfect for the bride who wants her wedding look to feel effortless and chic, but still a bit unexpected.

Alex Perry Wedding Dresses online: https://www.alexperry.com.au/

Seen on Vogue

Check out Ella and Macks wedding as featured on Vogue Australia, and also Elishas gown in this beautiful Zonzo Estate wedding. Also see what Kyha Studios, formerly One Day Bridal, are up to. For elegant wedding venues in Melbourne, check out the deck circa.

Hire us to photograph your wedding

Briars Atlas Wedding Photography: Enquire

I am thrilled to share the Hello May wedding of Pepe and Sam as their photographer, featured in the September issue of HELLO MAY MAGAZINE on news-stands now! Is this the most colourful wedding ever? Grab yourself a copy of Hello May to find out. Hello May Wedding photographers / Briars Atlas

I was thrilled to be the Hello May wedding photographer for these two marvels, and their wedding was put on at the gritty Melbourne warehouse venue, The Line, with an all-star cast of the most incredibly talented vendors which doubled as their cheer-squad.

Let’s just say, this was a wedding of firsts.

The first wedding where nearly all the vendors got actual tattoos at the reception.

The first wedding where the caterer and the bride ended up in (in) the freezer. It was a hot day.

The first wedding with an inverse neon-crucifix gracing the centre of the reception, and the first wedding where the dance-floor was opened up by the screeching of Slayer, and half the bridal party ended up on a bed in the middle of the reception in a pasta-fight.

It, was, and had, everything, all for this beautiful couple and their intimate community (right before Covid made it cool).

I won’t show the whole shebang just yet, you’ll have to pick up a copy of Hello May on newsstands now.

Hello May Wedding Vendors: Pepe and Sam

Wedding Celebrant and Concept creator: Nat Sproal Celebrant
Wedding Photographer: Briars Atlas
Wedding Venue: @the_line_melbourne
Wedding Creative direction + Styling: Good Day Club
Wedding Florals: Babiana Botanic
Wedding Video: Lunar Red Films
Wedding Hair and Makeup: Killer Queen Creative
Wedding Catering: @fatandskinnycatering
Wedding Cake: Torte By Mirjana
Wedding Rings: @midnightkissjewellery
Wedding Ceiling Installs: Bangin Hangins
Wedding Tableware/ table styling: @bettymayvintagehire
Wedding LED crosses and bad jokes: The Arbourists
Wedding DJ: @dj_hot_wheels
Wedding Music: @justme_plusone
Wedding Wine: @minimwine
Wedding Beer: @moondogbrewing 

More Featured Hello May Weddings

I’m a Melbourne wedding photographer, and I photograph weddings all over Australia, New Zealand, Europe and beyond. Check out this wedding I photographed featured on Hello May – Amy and Bronson. On the hunt for a small wedding venue in Melbourne? See this post on small wedding venues.

Putting “Covid wedding Melbourne” at the front of Adriana and Calebs wedding title seems to relegate the marriage part (the bit we’re actually all here for) to the back seat. Sooooo, let’s reword that: Adriana and Calebs awesome little elopement (which happened to occur in the middle of the Covid pandemic that they thumbed their noses at and got it done beautifully anyway while staying well within all of the rules and regulations currently in place including the wearing of masks, social distancing, and limitations on who can be present).

Better.

Adriana and Caleb had their first date at this park in Coburg, in Melbournes northern suburbs. So that was where they decided to say their vows, and lock it down, with the inimitable Melbourne wedding celebrant Zena Lythgo doing the honours via I Do Drive Thru. I joined up to photograph it and play one of the witnesses.

Since their dogs can’t hold a pen.

I Do Drive Thru is a brilliant, agile initiative out of Melbourne that has enabled couples wanting to get married to get it done in the middle of this coronavirus pandemic, while playing to all the necessary current restrictions around social distancing and the wearing of a mask.

These two marvels got the important bit done – the marriage thing – with themselves and Adrianas mother, and then enjoyed the rest of the day together. Beautiful.

It’s been especially interesting in Melbourne, as our state has been… not playing ball with the restrictions, which has meant the pandemic has had several new clusters of outbreaks, further locking things down.

So the fact that initiatives like I Do Drive Thru and other small wedding venues such as The Altar Electric exist, has been such a brilliant thing for couples putting love and marriage first, and opting to save the party for later.

If you’re looking at getting it done in the middle of the Covid pandemic in Melbourne, head over here for more information on Melbourne City Elopements, and read this article on how to get married quickly in Australia.

More Melbourne Covid weddings

The Altar Electric have been the other frontrunners in this Covid pandemic craziness, and their brilliantly unique wedding venue warehouse space in Collingwood has seen all sorts of celebration playing exactly to all of the rules and requirements in place in the middle of this pandemic.

Book a Melbourne City elopement

Head over and read more here: Melbourne city elopements.

Babiana Botanic makes incredible, unique floral designs, thanks to the fine-art background of it’s founder, Anna. We worked together on the wedding of Pepe and Sam at The Line (officiated by Nat Sproal), and we chat a little about her incredibly unique approach to Melbourne florals.

To see more of her impossibly innovative work, check out the wedding of Pepe and Sam featured here (Hello May Wedding Photographer), available on news stands today.

So who are you, what do your friends think you do, and what do you actually do?

I’m Anna of Babiana Botanic. Most people think working with flowers “must be so lovely and relaxing!”

And yeah, sure – I love what I do and it is at times, lovely and relaxing – but its also 3am wake-ups to get the best flowers at market, long days creating arrangements, carrying buckets up and down stairs of beautiful old venues that don’t have lift access, hands covered in cuts, 1am pack-downs – it can be a brutal job – which just shows you’ve got to really love it – and I do!

I have a Bachelor of Fine Art and have always loved flowers and nature.

My love of Art Nouveau inspired me into the floristry industry where I can create works of art with nature, for people on their wedding days or for other amazing events.

What excites you most about the culture of weddings in Melbourne?

I love doing weddings in Melbourne because it is such a melting pot of people. It means you get such a wide range of clients with a diverse set of needs. There are also so many creative people in Melbourne who want a wedding that stands out and is unique to them.

It means that I get to create amazing colourful weddings, weddings with nods to the couples cultures (Indian, Macedonian, etc), and contemporary weddings that are a little different.

What do you feel separates Babiana Botanic from those around you in your line of work?

What makes Babiana Botanic special is that we are not afraid to use colour and create something unique. We like to think about flowers as an art form and creating works of art specific to each couple.

How have you kept your business healthy during Covid, and how might couples now benefit from it?

We’ve been offering flower delivery to people’s homes during this time off so that we are still working with flowers and offering something to brighten people’s days. We’ve also been in contact and working with all of our couples who have had to postpone their weddings and events to ensure we can go ahead when all these restrictions ease.

How do you see the future of celebrations in our city and what mark do you want to leave on it?

I think post-covid, there will be a move towards more intimate weddings with just your closest family and friends, and a move away from feeling the need for a big wedding where you have to invite your third-cousin-twice-removed and that friend you haven’t seen since high-school.

I love colour and doing things differently – and that’s the mark I would like to leave. I want couples to come to me wanting beautiful, quirky, colourful and different designs.

Find Babiana Botanic

Babiana Botanic website: https://www.babianabotanic.com/

Head to this post for more incredible unique florists in Melbourne.

More unique Melbourne wedding flowers: 10 awesome florists

Unique Melbourne Wedding Photo Locations: or informally, a list of the best Melbourne wedding photo locations that aren’t already on every other list out there.

1. Melbourne Treasury building
2. Treasury Gardens
3. Collingwood back streets
4. Carlton Alleys
5. Thornbury
6. Northcote Town Hall
7. That Fonda wall
8. Portland Lane
9. South Melbourne
10. Abbotsford
11. Fitzroy Gardens
12. Carlton Gardens
13. Historic Prahran
14. Footscray
15. Best Melbourne Alleys

Here’s a rundown of some of our favourite Melbourne wedding photo locations, organised by the mood they give, to show you what brilliant variety we have in our own inner city for weddings: from gritty industrial, all the way over to the most incredible nature within a stones throw of the Melbourne CBD. Included in all locations are Google Maps pins.

These are our top 15 Melbourne wedding photo locations (I have plenty more hidden gems, but you’ll just have to head out on foot and go exploring yourself to find them, or book us as your Melbourne wedding photographer).

Be sure to tune in for the very last one – some of our favourite little slices of Melbourne alleys. If you’re getting hitched in the city or inner city or eloping in Melbourne, I know these like the back of our hand as well as a whole bunch of wonderful other little known spots.

These are somewhat more popular locations, but when looking at where to take photos in Melbourne i’ve found they’re ripe for putting a unique spin on each and every time, especially if you’re planning a Melbourne elopement.

1. Classic Melbourne Wedding photo location: Melbourne Treasury Building

The Melbourne Treasury building is the go-to photo location for registry weddings in Melbourne, and one of the most iconic spots for Melbourne wedding photos. With its incredible historic design and layout, it’s one of the best places to take photos in Melbourne. What people often miss though, is that the immediate surrounds of the building have the most brilliant wedding photo locations, perfect for rain-shielded photo sessions, sunset sessions, all of it. If you look closely, you can see some of these at this Fortyfive Downstairs wedding.

I take so many couples around here, and it can’t be overstated how beautifully soft and moody the light is around the structures themselves. Head down Treasury place and explore, it’s all an easy and quick whip around, especially if you’re then heading south to somewhere like The Deck at Circa.

Melbourne Treasury Building photo location on Google Maps.

2. Heritage Melbourne wedding location: Treasury Gardens

Just west of the Melbourne Treasury building, is the Treasury gardens. While the gardens themselves are beautiful and lush, what I personally prefer from this photo location is to use them as context against the treasury buildings behind it.

Walk about halfway up Treasury Place, head down the paths inserting themselves into the gardens, turn around, and you’ve got beautiful lush greenery depending on the time of year, with the incredible heritage buildings right behind you as the backdrop.

Treasury Gardens Photo Location Google Maps pin.

3. Urban wedding photo location: Collingwood back streets

The Collingwood and Fitzroy back streets contain some of our earliest historic houses, since they were the first suburbs inhabited when Melbourne did, well, what we did back then, clear everything and everyone in sight and build lots of stuff.

As a result some of the architecture in the surrounding streets is particularly cute and interesting in equal measure, and make for some of the best Melbourne wedding photo locations.

As a general area, this is a personal favourite and one of the best places to take photos in Melbourne and a go-to for all the best wedding photographers doing their thing.

4. Historical wedding photo location: University Lane Carlton

Something more of a sleeper wedding photo location (ie: more classic, and not immediately striking), Carlton has some understated alleys that are beautiful soft backdrops without fighting the rest of the frame, and an ideal subtle place for Melbourne wedding photos.

Enormous stonework, subtle signage and fittings, the laneways here are worth exploring and just a small dash out of the Melbourne CBD.

One of the best lanes. Find this photo location on Google Maps here.

5. Urban wedding photo location in Melbourne: Thornbury

One of our favourite general areas in Melbourne, and a brilliant wedding photo location to explore. Further north we hit Thornbury, which has an endless amount of textures, historic structures, and all sorts of weird and wonderful signage and exteriors – oh, and Kenny Lover.

30 minutes here will be spent pretty quickly heading up, down and around High St, with art-deco design left right and centre.

See more of Sam and Pauls wedding on Instagram.

6. Art Deco wedding photo location in Melbourne: Northcote Town Hall

Find Northcote Town Hall wedding photo location here on Google Maps.

Northcote Town Hall is a must visit for simple Melbourne heritage vibes, beautiful columns and light. If Fitzroy Town Hall isn’t accessible, then this isn’t a compromise as a wedding photo location, and it provides the same kind of feel, shelter from rain, and beautiful soft light, with no chance of being disturbed, and super close proximity to bars, cafes, and all of the standard Northcote glory.

There’s also plenty of beautiful textures and walls to find on Eastment st and Westbourne Grove, down the side of the town hall.

7. Colourful Melbourne wedding photo location: Fonda Collingwood

This one gets a header all of it’s own. The incredible artwork on the side of the Fonda building is a joy to walk past and pop off some frames in front of, and one of the most distinct wedding photo locations around. Punchy, colourful, geometrically satisfying, this is located just off Smith st, with spades of bars and other historic streets right near it.

A great little stopover if you’re getting hitched at Panama Dining Room wedding a Rupert on Rupert wedding.

Find this Collingwood photo location here on google maps.

8. Quirky Melborne wedding photo location: Portland Lane

I’ve had so many couples stay at the QT Hotel on Russel St, and turning just around to the right of it’s entrance, down Portland Lane, is a no-brainer for some quick portraits when exiting the building to head to the ceremony.

The wall of the Portland Hotel is painted a rich black, and feeds down into deep bluestones below, creating something of an impossible infinity-wall, where it feels like the bluestone is a shelf at the edge of the universe. One of the more unique wedding photo locations in Melbourne.

As if we’re about to lean into the ether, or into Gandalf’s embrace, etc.

9. Green Melbourne wedding photo location: South Melbourne

Until fairly recently, sweeping sections of South Melbourne have somehow managed to mostly avoid being exploited by our general lack of regulation around architectural design for a suburb so close to the city, and so unlike other heritage suburbs, still has plenty of great things to explore without yet looking like a second-year students first foray into geometric design elements.

As a result, as well as easily feeling like it’s a jaunt into the old world, the entire area around the Town Hall, Clarendon St, and industrial back areas have plenty of textures to explore, and is an ideal wedding photo location just 5 minutes out of the Melbourne CBD.

10. Urban Melbourne wedding photo location: Abbotsford

Abbotsford may just be our closest answer to anything resembling the back streets of New York or Brooklyn (see these Melbourne wedding venues). Abbotsford has it all: incredibly close proximity to Yarra Bend Park (which doesn’t seem like it should or could sit so close to the city), old heritage streets, imposing industrial buildings, and everything in between. Abbotsford is a brilliantly diverse wedding photo location.

A 30 minute session in Abbotsford can get chewed up very quickly, and that’s without stopping off at any of the beautiful little cafes littered around the place. One of the best photo locations in Melbourne, at just a short jump outside of the Melbourne CBD itself.

11. Jungle wedding photo location in Melbourne: Fitzroy Gardens

Looking at the map, Fitzroy Gardens almost sounds ripped out of a Tolkien book. The Faeries tree, Tudor Village, Temple of the Winds. These are all great, but the best parts of these gardens aren’t etched on the map.

Enter from the midwestern paths along Lansdowne St, and some of the more incredible tree-tunnels are visible, then head further in to a couple of “secret” little jungle areas with tight greenery, stone stairs and more. Gorgeous wedding photo location resembling a jungle.

One of our favourite places for Melbourne wedding photos.

12. Classic wedding photo location in Melbourne: Carlton Gardens

Carlton Gardens join the Royal Exhibition building. Carlton Gardens are more known for the aisle of trees leading up to said building (and a water foutain) but the best parts of these gardens are actually around the northwestern edge of the exhibition building.

Architecturally there’s a bunch of textural options around there, but what I like most is the setting sun against some of the smaller characterful pieces of garden around there.

Find this Carlton photo location on Google Maps here.

13. Unique Melbourne Wedding Photo Location: Prahran

Prahran isn’t necessarily the first place you’d think of when looking for the best Melbourne wedding photo locations, but when I lived there, I made a point of taking any couples eloping here from overseas there, for two reasons.

Firstly there’s more than it’s fair share of architecturally stunning historical charm, and secondly, while there’s the allure of taking portraits in the CBD, in our opinion Prahran punches above it’s weight, and saves all of the regular hassles associated with parking in the city itself, while allowing folks spending a little bit of time here to explore a neighbourhood they might have otherwise missed.

Also, don’t miss this moody art-deco gem. Add Prahran to the list if you’re planning a Melbourne City elopement.

14. Gritty Melbourne wedding photo location: Footscray

First stop from the Melbourne CBD as we head west, Footscray is a gritty gem, and enormously misunderstood suburb (especially from our dear friends of the east). All the right ingredients for a subversive photo location.

Footscray has buckets of charm in it’s back streets, and as you head over to Seddon (i’d never heard of it either until I moved there), you’re hit with some of the most incredible cottage-style residences you’ll see in Melbourne.

15. Alley Wedding photo location: Melbourne Alleys

The pièce de résistance. Melbourne has bucketloads of beautiful alleys, and the main choices become things like how much heritage do you want, vs graffiti, vs tourists, vs calm.

All of the major alleys have their own character as a wedding photo location, and at any quarter of the CBD there’s a good handful within walking distance, and are usually crowned as the best Melbourne wedding photo locations.

These aren’t necessarily the “main events” here (sorry), i’m instead sharing some of our favourite Melbourne wedding photo locations containing simple light, and simple texture.

For more of our secret ones, keep an eye on our melbourne wedding photography workshops.

Love these Melbourne wedding photo locations? Hire us to photograph your Melbourne wedding

Briars Atlas – Wedding Photographer Melbourne – enquire

Tess and Sam had their Kangaroo Valley wedding in the beautiful rolling hills of the Southern Highlands, New South Wales. While the wedding venues Kangaroo Valley holds are plentiful, that this was held on Tess’s parents homestead made for a private setting (further south, see these private property wedding venues in Victoria) and beautifully intimate and personal backdrop, with all hands on deck from their community putting their day together.

The most special moments in this gig are often less about the kiss/dance/standard stuff, and more about doing justice to the little bits of quirk on the day… family quirk, friend quirk, subtle things that mean a lot.

We bought along a 1980s 3d camera for the ride. See why we continue to use Kodak as a film wedding photographer.

Tess’s close friend was assumed as not being able to make it to their wedding from overseas, so naturally, given that he was in fact making it there, he hid himself in a tractor trailer underneath a tarp, and then sprung out in front of Tess in a gloriously divine moment of reveal.

Beautiful!

Enjoy their little story below.

Kangaroo Valley Wedding: Tess and Sam

Book me as your Kangaroo Valley wedding photographer

Enquire: https://briarsatlas.com/enquire

More information on the Kangaroo Valley for your wedding

Visit New South Wales: https://www.visitnsw.com/destinations/south-coast/jervis-bay-and-shoalhaven/kangaroo-valley

In Sydney? Check out this Beta Bar Wedding, and this Kittyhawk wedding. In Victoria? Find a radical wedding venue here.

Will and Jac are the agile Melbourne wedding planner duo made up of Catherine and Clare, who as well as being event planners of all sizes and styles, are portable transportation units for infectious smiles. We’ve worked together with brilliant couples in venues from historic Melbourne stables over to bluestone homesteads in northern Victoria.

As two of the best wedding planners in Melbourne, they have a wealth of knowledge to share on how to plan your Melbourne wedding, as well as sharing some reasons on why you might want to hire a wedding planner.

How early in the piece do people engage you as a Melbourne wedding planner? I always imagine that planning is, like a lot of the elements of a big celebration, something that folks think they might be able to take care of, until it’s revealed how complex the task is. 

Clients approach us at all stages of their planning journey – some 2 years out, others with only a month or weeks to go (when things might have turned a little more ‘tense’ – we are counselors too!).

Typically with private property Weddings, couples and their families realise from the outset that it’s a bigger ball game and that professionals are needed to ensure the process is well executed – not only on the day, but in the days leading up when suppliers commencing setting up, as well as when the celebrations are over and you need to return the space as it was originally.

With venues it can be early or late in the piece, with some locations offering more hands-on planning via their onsite coordinators, while others leave it completely to the client to make the space and Day exactly as they wish.

Life has curveballs and with this, there are numerous scenarios when people realise they need help – perhaps work hours have increased, the couple don’t know where to start (this is absolutely normal), the client want to start enjoying the days prior to the Wedding and move from “planner” to “getting married” and like all of us, sometimes there’s just not enough hours in the day! 

Do you get a mix of folks who engage a Melbourne wedding planner from the start and others that engage you partway through? 

Absolutely! And we prefer to approach the planning with our couples by having them make and decide who they wish to engage – we do all the leg work to provide them with options and our industry experience, but at the end of the day it’s their celebration, we just make it all reality.  

I like asking these as an outsider, as I am literally naive when it comes to the planning side of things. All I know is that when working with you the day is a well oiled machine and you always seems as calm excited as if you’ve just had the most satisfying fairy floss ever. What are a few of the main myths you find are out there around wedding planning and the role it plays on and around the day, and how do Will and Jac show their true colors and tackle them?

We believe that generally people still foresee Wedding Planners as those referenced in movies like The Wedding Planner and Father of the Bride – but this couldn’t be further from the truth.

We get our hands dirty and have completed all manner of duties to get our Weddings in tip-top condition – our role includes horticulturist duties (repotting plants for styling), seamstresses (being underneath a Brides dress and re-hemming gowns on the day), Sous Chefs (plating up in the kitchen when extra hands are needed), Accountants (budget management) and everything in-between.

We are also both meticulously painful in terms of attention to detail, and will create multiple scenarios for our Weddings so that no stone is left unturned that we can’t then manage on the day.

We are Chief Fire Fighters too and on the day we effectively ensure we have a calm and positive disposition and manage numerous underlying curveballs that pop up – such is life! – while ensuring no-one (except us) are any the wiser.  

Melbourne has no shortage of warehouses, restaurants, galleries, factories and everything in between to host celebration. What are some of your favourite wedding venues in Melbourne to host a wedding and what’s unique about our general landscape for hosting celebrations?

We can’t go past Private Property wedding venues – they are all unique and we love the experience of a blank space going from ‘nothing’ to ‘something’.

These occasions are a logistical beast, the time that we spend curating a working event order and communicating between all parties can’t be imagined, but at the end of the day when we see magic form in-front of our eyes, it’s worth every minute.

Venue wise yes, Melbourne has unlimited options for every celebration, but a few we love are Polperro Estate in Red Hill, The Royal Mail Hotel in Dunkeld, Tanglewood Estate and Alfred Place by Rockpool Events. 

I’d love to pick your brains about some of the “lesser known” things you come across. I feel that for example when a couple engages a photographer, that they might imagine that they need the group shots, some candids, and some of the general play-by-play: where the real joy is in giving back and making sure we get special portraits of grandparents, and are attentive to all the more strange and theatrical things that happen when there’s 100 people in a confined space: things that they end up loving. From your experience and memory, what are some of the more offbeat reasons folks have benefitted from having you along for the ride in the past, as a surprise to them, or even you?

We’ve received many a phone call from concerned parents who have noticed that the somewhat ‘simple Wedding’ picture that their child had wished for has been hijacked by concerns, so they call us to find out how we could elevate these doubts, and then we meet directly with the couple to showcase our services and story.

We generally then join their planning and they are able to start re-enjoying their engagement journey. We’ve been brought on-board to manage family dynamics and play the role of mediator. It’s one scenario where we are “good cop” and “bad cop” (guess who is who?!) and take any unwanted strain off the couple.

But mostly couples realise after the fact what our services are worth.

It’s the ‘big picture’ stuff that we specialise in – we are all about making the day not only seamless for the couple and their guests, but also for their contracted suppliers, as together, the day is all the more memorable! 

Every couple is so different. How do you scale your offering and match your approach to the couples broader plans for the day?

We can do as little or as much to assist with a Wedding Day. But to be honest we’re both control freaks, so Full Planning is our preferred option. 

I don’t wanna throw you in the hot sauce, but I’ve taken a look at your reviews and it seems like you’re jetting around the state on site-visits with couples, multiple meetings over a 6 month period, and generally doing things that results in couples leaving reviews of “like angels on your shoulders”, “Easily reachable” (a criteria folks should pay more heed to), and “we thought we were perfectionists until we met Cath and Clare” (from our dear Hannah and Ben) — how important to you is the personal aspect of the job and how does it change the experience for the couple?

Personalised service is paramount. We are all about ensuring their peace of mind, bringing their story to the Day, and exceeding expectations at every turn.

These were also concepts that we had as individual planners therefore when brought together as Will&Jac, this has doubled and is exactly why we do what we do! 

Broader top three reasons to engage a Melbourne wedding planner? 

1. Ensure your Melbourne Wedding Planner quotes are reflective of your needs. White Top Venues are known as one of the most premium planners in town and can take care of everything

2. Utilise what’s at your location as much as possible – repurpose furniture, ensure event conclusion times/noise limits are in line with your wishes

3. Planning a Wedding is a full time job, so allow a professional to manage your process and keep your ticking towards your date in the right manner. A ‘relaxed’ Wedding Day comes from months and months of planning, it doesn’t just happen! 

Top three things for a couple to think about more generally when they begin planning their wedding and who and what might be involved?

1. Consider public holidays/special events (surcharges etc)

2. Always have a Plan B for your Ceremony and Reception – you just never know!

3. Ensure you ‘click’ with your supplier tribe. You need lots of positivity and stressless spirits with you towards and

More questions answered

Book your Melbourne wedding planner

Will and Jac / Melbourne Wedding Planner website: http://willandjac.com/

Book me to photograph your Melbourne wedding

Melbourne wedding photographer – Briars Atlas: Enquire

While you’re on the planning train, check this post out for how to plan your wedding music, and this piece on the best Melbourne wedding photo locations.

Melbourne is known for its eccentric and eclectic foodie scene. Of all the Aussie states, its probably the most innovative and experimental when it comes to its hospitality industry. Bacon gelato? Yup. Lamington Jafles. Um, hells yeah. You name it, Melbourne is comfortable going gourmet, or going gonzo. In the spirit of amazing, innovative wedding catering, I’ve created a rundown of the best wedding catering Melbourne has to offer. Grab a knife and fork and settle in. Let’s do this.

Melbournes best wedding catering for 2024 onward

1. Firecracker Event
2. Fat and Skinny Catering
3. Torte by Mirjana
4. Miss Ladybird Cakes
5. Food and Desire

1. Melbourne Wedding Catering: Firecracker Event

Much like an actual firecracker, the spreads created by this awesome team absolutely GO OFF! Firecracker Event are pretty much a turnkey operator for all your event needs. They combine styling, service and, of course, food to turn your event into a guaranteed winner. Be sure to check out this feature on Firecracker Event where they chat all things grazing tables)

“Firecracker is built on the concept of Enlightened Hospitality—a term coined by New York restaurateur Danny Meyer. It means that every person you engage feels safe, welcome and at home with you. It’s about going the extra mile and prioritizing relationships over transactions.“

– Firecracker Event

Firecracker Event can cover everything from platters to full service dining. Some of the glorious foods included in their packages are:

• Porcini & Truffle Arancini (GF. V)
• Lemon Curd Tarts With Fresh Raspberries
• Heidi Farm Gruyere
• Organic Dried Fruit & Nuts
• Vegan Gnocchi With Green Pesto & Seasonal Greens
• Slow Cooked Pork Belly With Chargrilled Orange & Fennel

Does that not sound entirely, mouthwateringly delicious to you? It’s a big fat ooft here from me.

Find Firecracker Event online

Firecracker Event website: https://www.firecrackerevent.com/

2. Wedding Catering Melbourne: Fat and Skinny Catering

The bloody wonderful ladies at Fat and Skinny catering are a team of hardworking, hospitality driven human beings who love a good laugh. They’re all for a song and a dance and they can always be counted on to match (if not exceed) the excitement you have about your event, and are some of the best caterers Melbourne has at hand.

They’re fun, they’re friendly and they’re focused on giving you the best food they can possibly muster. I’ve personally seen their head honcho, Naomi, go to excruciatingly loving means to make a surprise dish for a bride that used a unique ingredient that her late father used to produce. Absolutely magic stuff to see.

“Come for the love. Stay for the party.”

– Fat and Skinny Catering

The sheer range of foods available at Fat and Skinny Catering make them one of the best wedding caterers Melbourne has to offer. It’s just a bonus that every single dish they serve up is *chef’s kiss* noice.

Their wedding catering range includes, but is certainly not limited to:

• Chicken Char Siu Dumplings with Black Vinegar & Caramel Dipping Sauce
• Buttermilk Popcorn Chicken, Creamy Mash and Roast Chicken Gravy (vo, gf
• Oregano, Feta & Lamb Burger with Greek Salad and Minty Tzatziki
• Beef Brisket Slow Cooked for 10 hours with Roasted Parmesan Crumble
• Roasted Beetroot, Rocket & Dukkah Crusted Labne (v,gf)
• Nutella and Hazelnut Crunch Cheesecake

Lordy! I simply cannot.

Find Fat and Skinny Catering online

Fat and Skinny Catering website: https://www.fatandskinny.com.au/

3. Melbourne Wedding Cake Maker: Torte by Mirjana

If you want the best wedding cake Melbourne has to offer, this taste-queen is coming at you with some of the best wedding cakes this side of the northernmost tip of the north pole. The finesse and artistry that goes into each and every cake Mirjana creates is out of this world. It seems obvious that wedding cakes should taste great, but Mirjana is time and again the benchmark for giving the same amount of love to their interior as their exterior.

With a Croatian and Serbian heritage, she grew up watching her Baka (grandmother) work as cake decorator and the apple does not fall far from the generational tree.

She’s also a designer by trade which really shows in her delectable dessert creations.

Check out the cake design gallery on her website and you’ll see why she has sealed her place as one of Melbourne’s best wedding cake makers.

To find out a little more about the maestro herself, check out the feature on Torte by Mirjana.

Find Torte by Mirjana online

Torte by Mirjana website: https://www.tortebymirjana.com/

4. Melbourne Wedding Cake Maker: Miss Ladybird Cakes

Another crafty wedding cake maker, Miss Ladybird Cakes is here to kick ass and bake cakes, and she’s all out of asses to kick. Gina makes the best wedding cakes in Melbourne.

Having been in the business for 12+ years Gina, Miss Ladybird herself, is the creative mind behind this amazing cake baking venture, and it’s no small feat being around for that amount of time – which translates to a hell of a lot of happy faces catered for at weddings. She’s always been super creative and is actually a qualified chef.

Miss Ladybird has brought two of her greatest passions together, food and design, to build a beaut business and we get to reap the benefits.

“Our main aim is not to be the best, but to make a product we are proud of, and one which interprets the love we have for an industry we have spent our lives immersed in.”

– Miss Ladybird Cakes

Check out her online gallery here.

Find Miss Ladybird Cakes online

Miss Ladybird Cakes website: http://www.missladybirdcakes.com/

5. Wedding Catering Melbourne: Food And Desire

Now, last but 1000% not least, we’ve got Food And Desire who fully customise the menus for every single event they cater. Like, who has the time or the energy to do that? These maestros are insane.

Their food is sourced from local suppliers and they incorporate only the best seasonal produce into their bespoke menus.“Collaborating with some of Melbourne’s most influential event experts, producers and suppliers, we cater different. We do it awesome, and we love it.”

You can see the kind of menus they’ve created for wedding parties up in lights on their website. Food and desire also helm the inimitable Melbourne Warehouse Wedding venue Half Acre, featured in image below.

Find Food And Desire online

Food and Desire website: http://www.foodanddesire.com.au/

Check out my top 15 Melbourne wedding photo locations for some nuptialistic (is that a word?) inspo, or head to this post for some great ideas on the best small wedding venues Melbourne has going.

Nab one of the incredible caterers up above (unless you’re at Zonzo Estate and enjoying their wizard pizza makers onsite), and link them up with this incredible Melbourne wedding planner.

Also for some incredible catering outside of Melbourne, check out the wood fired wedding pizzas at the Cosmo Hotel near Castlemaine.

Tanya and Ryan are Jiu-Jitsu diehards, who train together, and Mario-Kart together. These legends had their Two Ton Max wedding in Melbourne right at the 11th hour before Melbourne’s first Covid lockdown. In one of Melbournes most brilliant warehouse wedding venues, these two got it done in style with a crew of the best. I was lucky to be along for the ride with my dear old mate Michelle Grace Hunder, photographing this together for the first time in years (we started out as a wedding duo before going solo).

Enjoy this little peek into Tanya and Ryans Two Ton Max wedding, featuring Melbourne wedding celebrant Shannon Jeans running the show. For more beautiful warehouse, rustic, or alternative wedding venues in Melbourne, check out this post on unique Melbourne wedding venues, featuring a Rupert on Rupert wedding and Gather and Tailor.

Two Ton Max are also featured in this post on small wedding venues.

Book Two Ton Max for your wedding

Two Ton Max website: http://twotonmax.com.au/

Visit the wedding venue

Planning a wedding at Metropolis Events? Metropolis Events is one of the most prestige venues in Melbourne to host weddings, dinners, galas, conferences and more. Fortunately though, we also have plenty of other venues that have all of the character of Metropolis and more. Have you considered our other options both in and around the city?

Check out these incredible images from nearby Melbourne rooftop wedding venue, Luminare, The Prince Deck and a few secret ones that may not have draped themselves across your radar yet.

If you’re considering a wedding at Metropolis Events, these alternative wedding venues also have incredible views and a similar design sensibilty, and most importantly – all of these wedding venues have brilliant planning teams that care about you, care about and your team of vendors, and are known for creating the most brilliant wedding experience for you and your guests in Melbourne.

I photograph a small number of weddings each year, capping out at around 20 so that each couple receives an extraordinary level of care and attention.

Your friendly neighbourhood wedding photographer, Briars Atlas

Below is a selection of weddings in some of the most stunning locations in Melbourne. If you’re looking for a Melbourne wedding photographer for your Metropolis Events wedding or want more advice on alternative wedding venues that have the same type of feel and are supported by a professional team, drop me a line at the bottom.

Metropolis Melbourne: similar stylish, modern wedding venues

Metropolis events wedding venue (see their website) has a cavernous, New-York warehouse style feel to it. Luckily for us, there are plenty of other incredible wedding venues in Melbourne that also have a similar feel, that are helmed by a crew of legends that will make sure your wedding runs incredibly smoothly, with buckets of care put into your day being trouble free.

Here are a list of my favourite wedding venues in Melbourne that you will also love, if you are considering Metropolis Events.

1. Luminare South Melbourne
2. The Prince Deck
3. Rupert on Rupert wedding
4. Wedding Venues Melbourne
5. Vogue Ballroom

Wedding venue comparison chart

Here’s a comparison chart of venues similar to Metropolis Events, so you can compare some key features of the venues.

Venue Name	Venue Style	Freedom of vendor choice	Venue Capacity	Example gallery
Metropolis Events	Modern	No	N/A
The Deck	Classy modern	Yes	300	The Deck at Circa
Luminare	Rooftop	Yes	400	Luminare
Rupert on Rupert	Stylish warehouse	Yes	200	Rupert on Rupert
Vogue Ballroom	Stylish	Yes	370	Vogue Ballroom
State Library	Heritage Stylish	Yes	500	Wedding venues
Half Acre	Modern Warehouse	Yes	400	Half Acre

More Melbourne wedding venue inspiration just like Metropolis Events

Looking for even more brilliant modern wedding venues in Melbourne just like Metropolis? Check out this incredible list of the most unique wedding venues in Melbourne.
See also: in the heart of Melbourne, this Higher Ground wedding.

Book me to photograph your Melbourne wedding

Make an enquiry: https://briarsatlas.com/enquire

Check out these beautiful Melbourne wedding venues that if you like Metropolis Melbourne, you might also like: Luminare, and The Deck at Circa.

Wedding portaits: you’re getting married, you’re organising your vendors, and you’re at the point where you’re facing the classic conundrum that is working out whether you do or don’t want your day turned into a Hollywood film-set, and whether you are or aren’t going to be dragged away from your guests for 3 hours for a portrait session.

Originally published on Polka Dot Bride

There’s no right or wrong way of going about your wedding portraits: the main thing is to look at a lot of images from a variety of photographers, and build up a vocabulary of photos that you connect with (Pinterest being one of the great ways of storing that vocabulary), and understand how and when the portrait session (or sessions) fit into your wedding day.

Here’s a few helpful little home truths and things to keep in mind about your wedding portraits that I’ve found useful in navigating all this:

1: Ask yourself how important portraits are to you

First up, someones gotta say it: while being totally necessary, your wedding portraits are still, simply not the most important part of your day. Not by a long, long stretch! I say this as a photographer who adores that part of the day and invests a hell of a lot of personal energy into them, both on the day and at 1am in my editing cave in the weeks after. Your photographer should be able to advise on the ideal amount of time for them to get images up to the standard that you’ve fallen in love with on their website.

At the same time, they should be able to confidently make you great images, in a small window of available time. I’ve been in situations where 45 minutes have been allocated, and then rain has erupted, and that reduced to just 5 minutes because they wanted to get into the warmth of their packed barn and on to the beers.

I think that’s fair enough.

And a photographer should be able to confidently deliver you some glorious wondrous images, in that 5 minutes. While I personally recommend 30-50 minutes total to my couples, split across two parts of the day, I was able to work out what was important to do in that 5 minutes, work like a crazy-person and get them a beautiful set in just 5 minutes.

So, step back and ask your wedding photographer how long they recommend for the wedding portraits. Work out how long you’re prepared to spend and have a mutual understanding that on one hand its a beautiful window of calm where you get to be with just each other and on the other hand, it’s also precious time away from your guests.

2. From the USA, with love: the first look, and what it means

The first-look is still a little bit of an unknown out here in Australia. It doesn’t help that it’s name has this kind of scary grandeur attached to it. Let’s dispel a few myths, and look at a few of the positives.

The first look is, simply, a moment where you get to meet each other before the ceremony, and inhale a little bit of calm together. It doesn’t take off the magic of seeing each other in the aisle (if anything, it amplifies it).

It does give you the chance to make some portraits immediately after and reduce how much time is spent away from guests later on. Most folks often miss out on the canapés hour, of course there’s no right or wrong approach here, but personally, I’d want to be hanging around my crew for canapés! Remember you can still head out at sunset together, and get the best of all worlds.

3: Whatever the weather: wedding portraits and rain/apocalypse

This is about having an all-in attitude. This is the test. How far are you willing to go for your portraits, in the moment? This is worth thinking about briefly ahead of time, as it can help you slip into the right state of mind on the day if the weather goes south.

There’s no right or wrong answer: but from a photographic point of view, the more risks you’re prepared to take (within reason), the more wild the photographs you’ll receive will be, and fitting to that particular moment.

Maria and Ingo leapt out into rain and rainbows for their wedding in Tuscany, and I think it was worth every second of that 1-2 minute sprint. Us photographers are a weird bunch, and you can probably always consider us up for running out in a hail storm to get the best shot, so this is really just for yourselves to consider.

The worst thing that can often happen is a bit of dirt on your dress and water in your hair. So get out into the rain, make some wild photos, then load up on some whiskey. That’ll get you warm again.

4: How to see and use available light

It’s taking every ounce of strength for me to say this, but, when it comes down to it, there’s no such thing as bad light, only bad photography. Us photographers – we might moan and groan about overhead sunlight (I certainly do!), or about harsh green fluorescent light, and there’s some truth in there being something extra special about sunset, twilight, and all that jazz.

But, this is really important: your photographer should be, first and foremost, a problem solver.

There’s no such thing as bad light – only light that might make them uncomfortable. And if they’re good at their job, they’ll be able to work through that discomfort, solve the challenge of whatever the lighting situation is, and still be able to deliver you magnificent images, and be comfortable in solving problems caused by un-ideal lighting.

A lot of what makes this image work was about carefully bringing it to life in post-production, but a photographer should be able to see great opportunity and know what to do with it. Mix up the indoors, with the outdoors.

With all of that said, I’m still a big believer in crafting the optimum scenario where possible: your photographer will be able to work with you on your timeline and styling to offer any advice to make things that little bit more magic for both your guests and your images.

I’m no stranger to being asked about festoon arrangements, or timings for portraits. Put your faith in your photographer and ask if they have any suggestions. Chances are, we’ve got a brain full of ideas that we’re willing to share, all in the name of getting you the best wedding photography.

Try and prioritise at least some of your portrait shoot later in the day, around sunset and into twilight. This is when the dance of light does some especially magic things.

5: Do the planning and hard work on the back-end, not on the front end.

Like every area of your wedding, you want to do the hard work on the back end, not the front end. What this means is connecting with caterers, stylists, and photographers you feel you can trust, so that on the day you’re not having to intervene. This is especially important with photography and specifically, wedding portraits. A shot list can hinder your photographer, and take them away from doing what we do best: which is being responsive to unfolding moments.

Don’t meet a million vendors for each category, meet a few and spend time with them. Make sure you get those little bells of trust ringing that tell you they’re the one. And then let them do what they do.

Because the best wedding portraits – the ones you’ll print and find yourself sending to everyone – fundamentally come out of ignoring nearly everything I’ve written above, and enjoying a couple of carefree windows with a photographer you feel entirely comfortable with, wherever they end up being taken.

These are a fun couple of portraits to close this article up – because this should all be, well, fun!

It’s such a thrill to work with the most discerning couples week in week out, and it brings me enormous pleasure to offer a style of work and personal investment that isn’t available anywhere else, and so on this page are some of my melbourne wedding photographer reviews.

Here’s what some of them have had to say in response to receiving their images.

Lexy and Sean

WOW Oli we just watched the clip. And again. And another time, ha! Absolutely floored by them all. We bow down to the master! So incredible.

Thank you so much.

Also, I absolutely love how much these photos show how much fun we were having that day. It seems like a dream, did it really happen? Can’t wait to see the entire set, absolutely no stress or rush on any of it.

So thankful to have received what you’ve pulled together for us so far. We’re absolutely blown away with them all.

Like seriously, absolutely overwhelmed with how amazing they all are. Thank you so so so much from the bottom of our hearts!

Lachy and Sarah

Where can we start? Sarah and I have just sat down to revisit your marvellous work and we’re stoked that you were there on the day capturing the magic of the land, the people and the joyous moments that flowed. 

Thank you so much for giving yourself and your creativity to our party on the hill. It kinda feels like a world ago now, these very photos taken moments before a pandemic was ever on our minds. So many humans in close proximity(!). So thank you, really dig it man. 

I’m going to pass it over to Sarah and she is going to share a few words 😉 

Oli it was such a pleasure to hangout with you on the first of March 2020!! Thanks for being so down for the barefoot walks and the early morning in Sth Gippsland. Sooo appreciate your Very Generous extra time on the day, too. Adore your work and CAN’T WAIT to get some things printed!!

Bless you and bless your life-giving skillz x x x

Sam and Paul

You Sir are a genius!!! Our world’s aligned for a reason.

You have us two captivated, as you captured every emotion and moment – obviously we’re blubbering messes at the moment! What a marvellous showcase.

The preview was exciting and the main event has blown us away.

You captured us and each and every moment of our Wedding day spectacularly. You are quite the story teller!

Tess and Sam

Oli, we are crying. I think I’ve already ‘previewed’ it 5 times this morning. Thank you for helping us relive it. 

We really can’t thank you enough. 

Sarah and Andrew (featured on Together)

We are over the bloody moon mate. So many incredible memories and they all came flooding back. Both very emotional. Has absolutely made both of our days.

You did such and amazing job capturing our friends, the architecture, the property and nature, the moments and the feeling. Seriously mate. Cannot wait to see anything else you have. 

We particularly love our posed shots. The moody black and whites are amazing. Your colour grading is so beautiful. The way you frame. Just all of it mate!

It was one hell of a day for you starting at 6am till about midnight. I can’t thank you enough for everything you did for us.

You blew all of our expectations and still are. You have given us another shot of wedding love and vibe. Let’s see how long we can stay on this high!

Zoe and Adam

Oli… wow… I knew you were incredible, but that blew me/us away.

Many many tears. 

They’re beyond beautiful and we couldn’t have pictured them anymore perfectly. THANK YOU SO MUCH, you fucking maestro. And those film ones, I’m drooling.  

These capture everything I love about photos, moments being encapsulated in time and feeling like you’re right there. They’re all beautiful.

And I’m so glad you took film for us because there truly ain’t anything like it! 

(I do love shooting film at weddings – read this post on film wedding photography to see why)

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For more Melbourne wedding photographer reviews, head to my Google reviews.

Best Grampians Wedding Venue: Royal Mail Hotel. Through the wedding of Hannah and Ben we’ll take a look at this bloody majestic gem of way northern Victoria.

The Grampians is renowned throughout Australia for it’s stunning scenery, numerous hiking trails, perfectly preserved National Parks and gleaming lakes. It’s also home to a diverse range of native Australian flora and fauna, and one of the most beautiful untouched utopias in all Australia. The last time I ventured there was to photograph an absolutely phenomenal wedding for a couple of gems under the gentle guidance of legendary Melbourne wedding planners Will and Jac. Take a squiz here at the very best Grampians wedding venue, the Royal Mail Hotel in Dunkeld.

Why the Grampians?

Anyone who has visited the Grampians knows why it’s such a hot-spot for loved-up couples planning their nuptials. For those of us who are yet to visit, the Grampians is a gorgeous area just 3 hours north-west of Melbourne. It is full of rolling hills, gleaming lakes and some truly breathtaking scenic views. The natural countryside exudes a rustic cheer that seems to welcome visitors at any time of the year.

If you’re keen to stay on in the Grampians after the wedding is all said and done, there are plenty of interesting activities to sink your teeth into. You can check out the Halls Gap Zoo for a chance to make some furry friends. Or go to the Grampians Grape Escape wine, food and music festival if you’re there around the beginning of May. A simple hike through the Grampians National Park is enough to have you feeling at one with nature and about as relaxed as you can get. See, there’s plenty to do once the “I dos” have been exchanged. It’s the perfect place to spend a few days away from it all.

Why the Royal Mail Hotel?

The Royal Mail Hotel and its sister property, Mount Sturgeon, make for one hell of a wedding. There’s this Pioneer-esque vintage feel about the place that just makes for such a timeless setting and atmosphere. The hotel has plenty of accommodation options for guests (as hotels are wont to do) and the Homestead at the Mount Sturgeon property conveniently sleeps 12. On offer are some super affordable wedding packages that include:

• Use of the elegant Mount Sturgeon Homestead and it’s sprawling lawns
• Set up of chairs, tables, dance floor, table ware, wedding menus, etc.
• 10 native flower posies
• Five hours of food and beverages
• An unforgettable backdrop of the towering Grampians

For more options, you can check out their 2020 Brochure or browse their blog posts that provide inspo for both Winter Weddings & Summer Weddings at their magnificent venue.

On that note, I’m going to love you and leave you with a few of the country vintage inspired snaps I managed to capture at this sweeeet Grampians wedding venue. To see more, head to Hannah and Bens wedding here, and for something rustic in New South wales (book us as your Byron Bay wedding photographer, we travel, m8), check out Deux Belettes.

Located just 50km north-east of Melbourne, the Yarra Valley is the perfect road trip destination. With over 70 wineries (see Zonzo Estate, and this Mitchelton winery wedding), a huge range of tours, and some of the most quaint little hamlets this side of the moon, the Yarra Valley is a true hidden gem. Nestled amongst the hills and valleys of this spectacular region is the incredible venue Stones of the Yarra Valley, one of the best wedding venues the Yarra Valley has to offer, and a place where i’ve been fortunate to photograph weddings at year in year out.

So, here is a Stones of the Yarra Valley wedding guide (as much as we can cover in just a few page scrolls anyhow).

Pre-Wedding Prep

Planning a wedding can sometimes feel orchestrating a symphony after necking a keg of port. You’ve got everything from accommodation, venue, food and guests to consider – plus the addition of all the little things that seem to skyscraper into the clouds and out of sight. When all the little things seem to become too much, allow Stones of the Yarra to kindly step in and offer a helping hand, thanks to their well-oiled team of wizards helmed by venue owner, Vonnie.

Here are just a few of the convenient pre-wedding services they offer:

• Event staff on hand to provide professional advice.
• Suggested offsite accommodation and transport, if required.
• Five exquisite dining rooms to host pre-wedding celebrations.

The entire Yarra Valley region consists of amazing wineries and beautifully scenic attractions that everyone can enjoy. If you don’t find yourself too entangled in the wedding prep itself (ie. if you have an awesome wedding planner), you can check out tours, trails and townships in the surrounding areas.

We were blown away with how perfect everything was and our family and friends are still talking about it.

Stones of the Yarra Wedding Clients – Phoebe & Rob, April 2017

Stones of the Yarra Valley Wedding Day Vibes

When it comes to creating the perfect wedding atmosphere, Stones of the Yarra Valley run a super slick operation due to the services they offer. You are in consistently good hands when you choose to exchange vows and carry on celebrations at Stones itself or at one of their two gorgeous sister properties, No7 Healesville or The Warehouse at Meletos.

The lengths that this venue goes to in ensuring their happy couples are pretty wild, which everyone finds out after just one meeting with their planning team.

Depending on the Yarra Valley wedding package you choose, you could be basking in the following inclusions:

• Seasonal decorative foliage.
• Use of the exquisite grand piano in the chapel.
• Private (on that note, take a look at these private property wedding venues) bridal room.
• Tables, chairs, menus, microphones, lecterns, iPod facilities – plus all of the other bits and bobs that go into designing a stunning venue for a stunning reception.
• Coordination with your external wedding planner and/or services booked to ensure a smooth wedding experience.
• Friendly staff who are just as excited about your wedding as you are.

All this is just the beginning, which is pretty par for the course when the Stones ring leader Vonnie is driving things.

Yarra Valley Post-Wedding Shenanigans

Now, I’m likely talking more to the wedding guests than the stars of the show here, because they’re likely being whisked off on an amazing honeymoon. So, what can you do at Stones of the Yarra once the vows have been exchanged, the food has been consumed and the bar tab has been exceeded?

Plenty.

As mentioned above, Stones of the Yarra Valley have five ridiculously charming dining rooms to book into for a celebratory meal. You can wander the property and take in the most amazing views. Your Instagram followers will be drooling, believe me.

Outside of the Stones of the Yarra Valley venue, you’ve got the entire Yarra Valley at your disposal! My top 3 suggestions for the adventurous at heart would have to be:

• Take a hot air balloon ride over the Yarra Valley
• Visit the De Bortoli Yarra Valley Cellar Door
• Book yourself in for a high tea, a sweet (and I mean that in the most literal sense of the word) tasting session or a pastry making class

If you’ve made it this far and still have juice in the tank, be sure to check out this post on these Yarra Valley wedding venues for more wedding planning inspiration.

Check out a few of my all time favourite black and white photos. These beauties are magical monochrome majesty. For more Yarra Valley Wedding venues, also be sure to check out Immerse, Yering Station, and the brilliantly art-deco Burnham Beeches. For a country victoria wedding venue further north, check out this Sault Daylesford wedding.

Holding a Tanglewood Estate wedding is like holding a wedding at something straight out of the head of Tim Burton. True to it’s name, Tanglewood Estate is a layered landscape of brilliantly twisted and tangled trees with a whole bunch of options both indoors and out for hosting your Mornington Peninsula wedding.

On it’s 100+ acres, Tanglewood Estate rustic spaces include The Chapel, The Grounds, the Studio (a former artists studio constructed entirely of mud brick), and the Winery (while we’re on wineries, see this Mitchelton winery wedding). There’s a few little pieces about Tanglewood Estate’s story that are best left to them telling, but the one about their Chapel being purchased on Gumtree is a pearler.

I love shooting at Tanglewood Estate – apart from the enormous variety of spaces there, that sunset that drops behind the lake is out of this world and on our peninsula (check out these other Mornington Peninsula wedding venues).

I ran another series of wedding photography workshops at this beautiful slice of Mornington Peninsula wilderness – at it’s space called the Studio, and was joined by such a brilliant crew of Victorian creatives to spend the day together, such as the utterly inimitable Briggsy, Ashlee Hase photography, my dear mate Cass Sullivan over from Tas and so many more, and had the incredible skills of Humdrum Films (head here for more Melbourne wedding videographers) putting together a video of the day.

Here’s a little peek into the day. Huge love to Humdrum Films for capturing it.

For something more intimate on the Mornington Peninsula, view this Graceburn Tedesca Osteria wedding.

Hire me for your Tanglewood Estate wedding photography

Growing up in the Yarra Valley and later towards the Mornington Peninsula, i’ve got a special love for those areas of Victoria, and it’s always a treat to photograph weddings out that way. Usually close to half of my photography year is spent across those two regions, and having spent so much time out there it makes perfect sense to host a wedding at Tanglewood Estate.

If you’re looking for a wedding photographer at Tanglewood Estate or the Mornington Peninsula, reach out and I can advise on how to go about it and how to make the best of your time out there.

Make an enquiry: https://briarsatlas.com/enquire
Tanglewood Estate website: https://tanglewoodestate.com.au/

Mornington Peninsula wedding photographer

Karishma and Ro’s incredible Indian wedding took place all across Melbourne, with their Mandap ceremony taking place in the suburbs before their evening reception at the shed in the Docklands. Looking for an indian wedding photographer? Take a look at their incredible wedding.

So many incredible colours, rituals, and precious moments between family and community happen at an Indian wedding, it’s like nothing else, and familiar and different every time I’m lucky to be photographing one.

After Ro’s incredible energetic Baraat, I leapt back to capture the Jai Mala to the Talumbralu and onwards, and it was an incredible, love filled day with these two legends.

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Book your Indian wedding photographer

To book me to photograph your Indian wedding and consult on how your coverage will work, reach out to me at my contact form.

Sault Daylesford isn’t just the most instagrammable lavender field in the state, it’s one of the regions best restaurants and slices of country in Victoria. Jo and Mike decided on a Sault Daylesford wedding, and I hitched a ride and took some proof that somewhere in amongst the glorious food and lavender field jaunts, they also did the marriage thing.

Enquire about a Sault Daylesford wedding

Reach out to Jodi and Damien, the husband and wife powerhouse who run Sault Daylesford. After getting married there themselves, they fell in love with the place and bought it! As you do. This means the most wildly invested team deeply in love with the surrounds but hosting an incredible time for your wedding.

Sault Daylesford website: https://www.sault.com.au/

For more country Victoria wedding venues, check out Immerse Yarra Valley, Stones of the Yarra Valley, Yering Station, or for more industrial vibes, have a look at these unique Melbourne wedding venues. There’s something about the structure of Sault that reminds me of an incredible venue in Byron Bay: so check out Deux Belettes, and hire us as your Byron Bay wedding photographer.