Justin & Elaina’s wedding was one of my favourites of the year, just a perfect combination of what I feel are the most special places to photograph if you’re getting married in WA. We started at the Rendezvous Hotel in Scarborough with a magnificent view of the ocean (in fact the last time I shot in this room we were looking out onto a thunderstorm!). We moved from the coast up to the Wanneroo Botanical Gardens for the ceremony, then out to some fields next to Lake Joondalup and then back to Hillarys for the reception at AQWA…

Justin & Elaina’s wedding was one of my favourites of the year, just a perfect combination of what I feel are the most special places to photograph if you’re getting married in WA. We started at the Rendezvous Hotel in Scarborough with a magnificent view of the ocean (in fact the last time I shot in this room we were looking out onto a thunderstorm!). We moved from the coast up to the Wanneroo Botanical Gardens for the ceremony, then out to some fields next to Lake Joondalup and then back to Hillarys for the reception at AQWA.

Elaina looked like she’d jumped out of a fairytale. My daughter would say she was a princess… a Disney princess even (I’m sure you can guess who). That incredible artistry is the handiwork of two creatives and friends whom I’ve had the pleasure of working with in the past. Lesley from Lush Hair & Makeup (hair) and Lisa Chester (makeup). Usually brides are shown previews of themselves as the hair and makeup is being applied so the end result doesn’t come as much of a surprise but with Elaina, she was blissfully looking out into the ocean as Lisa & Lesley worked their magic. When complete, Lisa held up a mirror for the reveal and I think of all the weddings I’ve been to, this was the first time I’ve seen a bride at the brink of tears, overwhelmed with happiness at the result. I just happened to be standing right in front of Elaina and the expression on her face (you can see below) is the feeling I hope all brides get to experience on their wedding day. If you’re a bride to be reading this post then there’s definitely something I can give you to take away here. It’s ABSOLUTELY worthwhile to get the right hair and makeup artists as well as the dress you want. I never rush hair and makeup artists on the day because I know that whilst we can take photos later, you can’t really fix the hair and makeup with editing. With dresses, I’ve also noticed that brides always end up buying the dress they wanted in the first place so you may as well go out and get the one your heart wants (that you can afford).

Justin on the otherhand was nervous… you could feel it as he waited for his bride but once she arrived you could definitely see the mix of emotions all over his face. The ceremony was beautifully run by Shannon Britten and after the formalities, Justin’s heart rate returned to normal and the rest of the day was filled with relaxed fun and laughter.

Here are my favourite images from the day and a list of vendors involved. Thanks to Adrian Tan for joining me behind the cameras again.

Ceremony Venue: Wanneroo Botanical Gardens
Reception Venue: AQWA Function Centre
Celebrant: Shannon Britten
Hair: Lesley – Lush Hair & Makeup
Makeup: Lisa Chester
Ceremony Styling and Hire: Wedding Day Flair
Reception Styling and Hire: Scarlet Events