The Wedding of Renee and Tarek, 6th December 2008

The 6th of December has been eagerley anticipated by us as it wasn't just the last wedding for 2008, but also one of the more unique events. Renee and Tarek themed the wedding around having an old fashioned good time and this is exactly what they had!

We arrived at Conrad Jupiters to shoot Tarek and his groomsman up in their suite on the 20th floor. We entered the room to see some amazing views to the world outside and inside; a table covered in imported and expensive bottles of cognac, champagne and scotch. It was a lighthearted yet busy morning with the boys with the outgoing Tarek starting to feel the nerves as time moved along. We stayed with the boys a short time then headed to Renee's room for a while to leave the boys to relax without cameras around.

Renee and her bridesmaid, Mel, were in high spirits and full of laughs. Renee was having the finishing touches applied to her make-up and hair with Mel on-hand looking after her every need (just the way a great maid should.) Mel ducked into the bedroom to get the dress ready for Renee and returned with one of the most gorgeous 'bling' dresses we have seen in some time. The dress was from Darb Bridal Couture and it was like a dress you would imagine from a fairytale and so delicately adorned with crystals throughout. It was simply stunning and perfect for the day that Renee had planned.

Alex returned to the boys to get all their last minute photos and I drove on ahead to The Villa awaiting the arrival of the girls who were coming in by helicopter (and lucky Alex shared the ride with them.)

The groom arrived at the venue by limo and had a few moments to relax with friends and family before the arrival of his bride. Everyone kept watch in the distance for the approaching helicopter and when it came into view there was a little bit of excitement in the air. Renee and Mel emerged from the helicopter looking like stars and they were whisked away by golf buggy to make final preparations before walking down the aisle.

The ceremony was short and sweet but contained many laughs and light hearted moments one of which was supplied by an overeager groom who grabbed his beautiful bride and laid a kiss on her before the formalities were dealt with. When it came time for the real thing, practice obviously made for perfection and a cheer went up among family and friends.

Whilst guests mingled on the lawn, Tarek and Renee were whisked away for a quick series of photos before joining their guests in an amazingly 80's nightclub themed room to party the night away. Later in the evening, we presented a photo slide show of the day of which the photos below are only a small selection.

Tarek and Renee, we'd like to thank you both for allowing us to be a part of your day and we both had an absolute blast! It was a fantastic way to finish off a year of weddings. Congratulations to you both and we wish you all the best for the future.

The Wedding of Louise and Craig, 29th November.

Louise and Craig originally hail from England so their friends and family travelled from far and wide to be a part of their day... and what a day it was with some wild weather thrown in for good measure as a fitting introduction to Queensland's unpredictable summer.

Both the bride and groom took the opportunity to use the facilities that, The Villa, at Nerang has to offer and made use of the well outfitted dressing rooms to get ready for the day ahead. Louise had chosen a very elegant dress for the occasion and it was admired by many. Craig and the boys were in good spirits and we headed to the lounge to shoot some images around the pool table and then headed outside into the steamy afternoon heat for a few more shots in and around the golf course.

The weather itself posed a few issues. The day started out clear, hot and muggy but with just 15 minutes to go before the ceremony (that was planned outdoors) a storm rapidly blew in over the hinterland. The wonderful staff at The Villa worked fast to move all the furnishings inside for an indoor ceremony. The ceremony went ahead a short time later indoors and it may not have been what the bride and groom had planned for but it was still a lovely and intimate affair and the staff were brilliant in setting it up so fast.

By the time the ceremony was over, the weather had cleared enough to venture out and shoot some location photos outdoors dodging random raindrops. Even with the weather trying to wash out their plans, Louise and Craig made it through the day unscathed and with smiles on their faces.

Congratulations, Louise and Craig, on your marriage and may the future bring you much joy and happiness.

Big News here at Savvy Studios

Yesterday afternoon while I was cuddling one of our sons, Alex got down on bended knee and proposed to me. It took a while for the 'yes' to come out (due to shock) but I got there in the end and I am now very happy to announce that we are engaged to be married.

So naturally the first question that people asked us wasn't, "when's the wedding?", it was, "so who is taking the photos?". At the moment we have no idea as we have a few extremely talented friends whose images we love and we need to work out what the heck we are doing!

However for the girls that seem to read this blog religously, I'll keep you updated. Photographers are one of the few people that see wedding days through from the very beginning to the very end so we keep a few ideas up our sleeves from each wedding we go to. I guess this means you will actually get to see who our recommended suppliers are in reality!

At this point I can safely say that I already have my lovely maid of honour who is also the most incredible make-up artist in the freaking universe. Paula from Humankind who I was fortunate enough to befriend back in 2002 through the industry (I was blown away with the work that she did and ended up talking to her about it and then that turned into, 'let's catch up later' and now she is my best friend in the world.) Love you Paula and I was over the moon when you said yes to being by my side.

As to the question of, "when's the wedding?", we should have an answer for that very soon. I'll keep you posted.

The Wedding of Renee and Nick - 22nd of November, 2008

I was back out shooting with Alex again for Renee and Nick's wedding day and I was excited to get to experiment with my new lens at a wedding. First stop was with the boys who were getting ready at Renee and Nick's cute little townhouse in Auchenflower. We arrived to find three very relaxed boys lounging around watching Billy Connelly and that quickly set the tone for the hour ahead. The lame (and somewhat naughty) jokes were flying thick and fast and the boys soon opened up about various nicknames and traditions. Apparently an 'upside down' photo is a must and we were more than willing to shoot it.

We bid the boys farewell and made our way to the girls who were getting ready in Renee's parent's lovely apartment with views up the river toward the city. It was a light hearted and jovial mood that the girls all shared when applying finishing touches and getting into the nitty gritty of having photos taken. Renee surprised her father with a pair of cufflinks and I think the moment caused most of us there to tear up a little. When we all collected ourselves, the girls proved that they are all fantastic models and played up to the camera and Kirsty the junior bridesmaid almost managed to steal the show. Renee however, looked radiant and kept everything simply elegant and it came together perfectly.

The wild weather that has been hitting Brisbane made a small dent on Renee and Nick's day with strong winds causing a few last minute changes in plans. The ceremony was going to be held outdoors at the Riverside Hotel however there were wild winds whipping through quite frequently so it was decided to move the ceremony indoors. This made little difference to the day as Nick and Renee were focused only on each other. There was a great personal touch added when Renee's close friend Morgan serenaded the couple after the registry signing.

We headed to nearby photo locations in Newstead and then to the Powerhouse in New Farm where the obviously in love couple, along with the bridal party, worked the cameras. It is great when we get couples who love to ham it up and this time we had an entire bridal party!

Soon enough it was back to the reception and Renee and Nick had chosen the yummiest looking deserts for their 'cake' and the room was kept simple yet elegant in style. The 'secret squirrels' were added to the main table and looked very dapper in their wedding attire. After a few more photos we were soon ready to leave, but not before the bride and groom presented us with a little 'cake' each. We have to admit, not only did it look great, but it tasted great!

Congratulations Renee and Nick! We had a great time sharing your day with you and we can't wait to catch up soon.

Ellie and Colin, 14th November 2008

Occasionally, it is nice to be able to shoot weddings that are a little bit different and this wedding was different in it's simplicity and warmth. It was a double celebration as it was Colin's 5oth birthday and Ellie, after waiting patiently for ten years, finally got her man. This was a small and very intimate gathering of around 20 family and close friends held in Colin and Ellie's absolutley stunning Balinese inspired backyard paradise.

The day was made all the more special by the surprise arrival of one of Colin's dearest friends, Marco, who had originally said that he wouldn't be able to attend. He flew in from Perth on the morning of the wedding and when he entered the front door with his partner, Colin and Marco greeted each other with a big bear hug and Colin shed a couple of tears... although the tears may have been due to Marco's loud shirt.

The relaxed and friendly ceremony was held under the Balinese hut with their guests gathered close around. A huge smile came across Ellie's face as the ring was slipped onto her finger and a very happy and gushing bride couldn't stop showing it off to her girlfriends after the ceremony.

All of Colin and Ellie's photos were taken in and around their beautiful home located in The Gap in Brisbane. Very sadly, the storms hit Brisbane just two days later and while the home survived, the garden no longer exists. Colin and Ellie were caught out under the Balinese hut together and had to take shelter under the daybed as the storm took hold and whipped the garden away around them. Luckily, Colin and Ellie are safe apart from bruising from heavy hail but it was very sad to hear of the devastation at such a beautiful location.

Our thoughts are with you both Colin and Ellie and we hope your home and garden will be magnificent again very soon. Alex thanks you for allowing him to share your warmth and friendliness on the day of your wedding and we wish you congratulations on your wedding day and birthday celebrations.

The Wedding of Ingrid and Dale, 2nd November, 2008

The wedding of Ingrid and Dale was an intimate Sunday morning ceremony at Latrobe Chapel, shared by a great group of family and friends. Ingrid and Dale were beaming the entire time and light up the photos with their easy smiles.

We had a great time shooting around their reception venue, Restaurant II and in the lobby of The Stamford Hotel then into the Botanical Gardens.

Ingrid worked particularly hard on the floral arrangements including her own bouquet and the table settings. They were simple and elegant and perfect for the occasion and lots of lovely comments were made about them by the guests. Dale has a keen interest in photography and was enthusiastic about sharing his ideas that we happily included along the way.

Congratulations Ingrid and Dale.

We are using a new system for displaying photos on the blog. Please press play then sit back and enjoy the slideshow.

The Wedding of Kate and John, October 25th.

Kate and John live near Dalby just out past Toowoomba but decided on a Brisbane wedding catering to their international guests.

The boys were spending the morning near Park Road at Milton, so we all went for a stroll to the cafe precinct for a few photos. Everyone was in high spirits and looking forward to the day ahead. Very soon it was off to the girls at the Astor Hotel.

Kate was a beautiful bride who finished off her look with a tartan gartar heralding her Scottish heritage. Her parents had flown in for the wedding and it was a lovely family group to mix with.

BBC chapel was the obvious choice for a wedding with John being an ex BBC student. Upon arriving at the chapel guests were greeted by pipers from the school. It was a great way to start off a ceremony acknowledging the Scottish blood in the family.

The location photos were taken at the Mt Cootha botanical gardens where we headed to the Japanese Gardens to shoot. The setting was just right and we had some nice light for shooting however nobody was keeping a close eye on the time and we managed to get locked inside! After a bit of scouting, an exit was found and it was off to The Summit Restaurant for the reception.

The Summit looked great as usual and after a few more photos and some mixing with (and shooting) the guests, it was time to depart.

Congratulations Kate and John, enjoy your honeymoon relaxing in the sun.

Wedding of Naomi and Mark, 4th October, Brisbane.

The 4th of October was the perfect day for a wedding. The weather was glorious and it was neither hot nor cold. What more could a bride and groom ask for?

This is my first wedding working alongside Alex since last December and we were soon back to our usual banter and competitiveness. It was as though I had never been away. We both went and shot the boys first and they were wonderfully cool, calm and collected enjoying shooting pool on a wonky table. They were a great group of guys who were happy to joke around and have some fun. Shooting them was a breeze and very soon we were headed over to the girls.

The girls were a little behind schedule but they did a great job of pulling it all together (in the midst of getting their photos taken). We love it when we get emotional brides and Naomi didn't disappoint us. When she was dressed and ready and standing in front of her mum and dad, she shed a few tears and still looked simply beautiful. There was an obvious closeness with her family and her attendants and it was so nice to see everyone work together harmoniously to get it all happening.

Naomi and Mark opted for a mass along with their wedding service and it was such a powerful experience hearing nearly a nearly full church lift their voices in song to celebrate their union. It's not often we see a mass with the service so we felt very honoured to be a part of it all.

Soon after the service we were off to Mt Cootha Botanical Gardens for photos. Naomi and Mark were now completely at ease and everyone enjoyed a drink while we strolled around. The girls were quite entertaining and eerily accurate with their Tyra Banks impressions.

The photos were finished off atop Mt Cootha at sunset before heading into The Summit restaurant for their reception. It was a wonderfully happy day with few hiccups and a very loving couple.

Naomi and Mark had their pre-wedding shoot with us just a couple of weeks earlier and this made them both so at ease in front of the camera on their wedding day. We thoroughly recommend that couples take advantage of engagement/pre wedding shoots as the results really do speak for themselves.

Congratulations Naomi and Mark.

Portrait Session at Cleveland - October 2008

The day of this portrait shoot rolled around and the morning was gray and miserable after a night of heavy rain. We were thinking of postponing the shoot but the rain held off and by midday the clouds started to clear. By the time we arrived at Cleveland for the shoot and met up with Carmen, Josh and their two gorgeous boys, we knew we were heading for a spectacular sunset.

We wanted the kids to feel at ease in front of the camera so we let them loose on the play equipment while we walked around and took a few shots. Tyson was loving it and very soon he was stopping every now and then to throw us some big smiles. We took our cue from the boys and decided to capture them all while the boys were enjoying themselves.

As the sun started to set, we went to the boat ramp on the western side of the point and started taking some photos there. The sky was like an artist's canvas and was lit up with rich golden tones and the wind was blowing us all around giving a dramatic atmosphere to the images.

The last couple of photos were captured when the sun finally dipped below the horizon leaving the sky with an array of warm pink and purple tones.

It was a very enjoyable afternoon of shooting at one of our favourite locations and we are sure the boys must have slept well that night after all the activity during the shoot. They were fantastic even when it started to get a bit chilly from the onshore winds.

Savvy Studios: McLean Family Portraits

A couple of Sundays ago, Alex and I had the pleasure of photographing portraits for the McLean family made up of Anthony, Rhiannon, Boston and Jordana. I was thrilled to go out on this shoot as this was a return client. The last time I saw them I photographed Boston when he was just two months old. Wow the time has gone so fast! He is now a cheeky and active five year old about to start prep in the new year.

We all headed to New Farm park so the kids could play and have a good time. I felt like a bit of a stalker (trailing the kids with my camera while Alex went off and photographed Rhiannon and Anthony), but the kids thought it was great and every so often they would turn around and give me a smile and throw me a random pose. Rhiannon and Anthony soon joined in and we got some great shots of the whole family. Jordana was also happy to play fairy just for me. She was a great little model and played up to the camera perfectly.

The day ended on a happy note with the kids being treated to ice cream by their mum and dad. It was great to see that the kids enjoyed themselves and had such a great time playing in front of the camera.