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.

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 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 or Rupert on Rupert.

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

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.

I’m honestly at a loss for words trying to introduce this Blue Mountains wedding venue. The Hydro Majestic Hotel lives up to it’s name and is a turn-key wedding venue that really does offer everything you need to pull off the most extraordinary wedding. The hotel itself presents some phenomenal photo opportunities, with a refined art-deco style. The real magic though is in the view. It really does have to be seen to be believed. Luckily for you, I managed to snap a few wedding shots at this larger-than-life Blue Mountains wedding venue a little while ago and I’m more than happy to share. Enjoy!

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The Hydro Majestic Blue Mountains Wedding Venue

Ok, this is the part where I blab on and on about how incredible this venue is. It is definitely for good reason though, there really isn’t a single downside. So, if you’re not thinking of booking The Hydro for your upcoming nuptials, maybe turn away if you don’t want to know what you’re missing out on.

This wedding venue is an absolute BEAST. It is a towering ode to the dreams of businessman Mark Foy and his drive to install Australia’s very first Health Retreat. That’s what The Hydro is, first and foremost – a retreat. And a mighty enormous one at that.

In 1903, Mark oversaw the construction of the Hydro, pulling out all the stops. A generator imported from Germany, artworks from all across the globe, a dome shaped roof that was built in Chicago and shipped all the way to Australia, and a Swiss health professional to run the joint. He even renamed the township The Hydro was situated in to “Medlow Bath” to make it suit the overall vibe of the hotel. If that isn’t a baller move, I don’t know what is.

The venue has hosted a plethora of famous guests over the years including: Dame Nellie Melba the magnificent Aussie Opera singer, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle the creator of Sherlock Holmes, Australia’s first Prime Minister Sir Edmund Barton who actually died in the hotel in 1920. Sure, it’s a morbid claim to fame, but it’s a claim to fame nonetheless.

If the grandiose of this venue isn’t apparent in its history, then allow the photos below to show you just how remarkable this place truly is.

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The Ceremony

If you’ve been pining after a wedding ceremony with a view, there’s no better way to do it than right here in the Blue Mountains. The Hydro Majestic boasts a breathtaking lookout with a viewing platform that’s perfectly suited to hosting a wedding ceremony in the natural surrounds of the serene Australian bush.

Honestly, whilst capturing photos for this wedding I was constantly picking my jaw up off the floor. I couldn’t believe just how ridiculously gorgeous the entire place was.

The ceremony was backed by a tremendous valley that held an expanse of native bush lands. The Blue Mountains really is one of the most naturally beautiful places in Australia – it’s no wonder this spot was selected to host the grandeur of The Hydro Hotel.

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The Services

When you book your wedding venue through The Hydro Majestic, you’re basically covered for everything. And I mean, everything.

• A dedicated Wedding Coordinator
• On-site accommodation (overnight complimentary for the happy couple)
• Design guidance
• Welcome dinners
• Spa sessions
• Delectable meals and canapes
• 5+ reception sites to choose from

The list goes on, my friends. I truly cannot recommend this venue enough, not only for weddings but for other events, photography shoots, high teas – anything that requires a spacious site that oozes class and style.

I’m going to leave you with a few more photos from this gorgeous Blue Mountains wedding venue. Once you’re done browsing through them why not check out this post on the awesome I Do Drive Through?

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For more beautiful rural New South Wales weddings, check out this Kangaroo Valley wedding,

Depending on who you ask and what their personal experience has been, raising the question of kids at weddings might be akin to asking “should we invite the early-onset of armageddon or the vertically-challenged apocalypse to our wedding with open arms?”.

It’s a bit of a contentious and polarising one, and a conversation that’s well-documented already out there in internet-land as far as the pros, cons, and how to manage the decision either way: everyone’s had their own experiences, and everyones personal situation is wildly different.

With all that said, having seen my fair share of weddings with the glorious little scallywags where nobody ended up dying, i’m just going to step into the ring as a raving advocate of our dear little humans being present at your wedding, from a different point of view.

Let me explain my heavy bias, over a few key points.

1. Theory of Small-Human Close-Proximity Exponential-Collusion Effect

Due to the scientifically well-documented “Theory of Small-Human Close-Proximity Exponential-Collusion Effect”, If these small humans have access to other small humans within a close range, they simply won’t give a flying focaccia about you or your wedding: they’ll be too busy being dragons or worms.

Straight up – in front of a capable photographer, the magical theatre of vertically challenged humans is a sight to behold, and one of the greatest gifts you can get back in image-form when all is said and done.

Excuse my French, but kids, again, bless them – just don’t give a fuck (or they did, but then came across a certain bright book at the airport bestseller stand when their parents weren’t looking).

This wonderful quality that we systematically try to rid ourselves of as we enter adulthood is responsible for them colluding, doing their thing, and in turn, giving you the photographic gift of this wonderful little human theatre that you were too busy to notice happening.

That’s worth celebrating, and the irony here is that due to the Theory of Small-Human Close-Proximity Exponential-Collusion Effect (sorry, I made this up – if you google it you’ll find nothing – yet), the more kids there are present, the more they’ll be too busy being wrapped up in their own awesome world to cause any trouble.

2. Blackmail and leverage

Your wedding is an excellent place to generate prime blackmail-leverage for the duration of their teenage years, as well as embarrassing content for their 18th or 21st birthdays.

Stake your otherwise rapidly-diminishing claim as household power-holder before your spawn exercise their terrifying muscle of independant-thought by making sure that any moments of cacophony are properly captured and stored.

In this way, if there’s any delusions of grandeur in those teenage years, you’ve always got record of some of some of their not-so-fine moments, should those be displayed at your wedding, or in front of their friends at their 13th birthday party.

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3. Look inwards, dear padowan

This one is a little bit of a polarising one: look inwards, put a magnifying glass over what the main negatives seem to be, and ask yourself if you can instead flip it – and celebrate those negatives.

This is also a tool you can really apply to any areas of your wedding.

Worried about getting drenched in the rain? Flip it. Celebrate it. Make sure you have a spare outfit, head out with your photographer, get drenched, and enjoy the awesome images that come from it.

Worried about kids being underfoot? Celebrate it (and keep sharp objects away from the edges of tables).

Worried about them bellowing over the vows? Celebrate the quirk and discord that brings, and know that the little scallywag can almost always be gently taken away and cared for out of earshot.

And before that happens, you’ll have some wonderful images of the glorious little deathspawn in full-flight.

Ultimately, it’s your day: whether kids have a place or not is entirely your decision, and if you do invite them, simply go all the way and make sure there’s enough logistical things that let them fall into their own world. But consider this: where there’s a positive for every negative, there’s also another perspective: looking at that negative, and instead asking – is the day about being perfect, or being memorable in it’s imperfect glory?

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For a peek into the level of “baller” that can only come from a 5 year old while delivering the rings, check out this Fortyfive Downstairs wedding.

Head on my Melbourne wedding photographer instagram to see updates on weddings photographed all around the world, and in and around Melbourne. From Immerse Yarra Valley to Rupert on Rupert, Gather and Tailor and everything in between (if you haven’t picked a venue yet, maybe my post on the best melbourne wedding photo locations might help), I have the beautiful honour of documenting love and ceremony all over the planet (and Australia).

Head to my instagram to keep up to date with what i’ve been photographing and where, here: Briars Atlas Instagram.

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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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Tuggeranong Homestead Wedding Photos

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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!