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Wedding Drone

Using a drone on your wedding day. Things to know beforehand.

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Wedding Drone

Technology has given us all a lot of things drones being one of them. It was only a matter of time before they became common place and photographers start using them to get great new perspectives that previously were impossible .

However, there are a few things to remember and to think about when you are planning to have a drone shoot footage or photographs at your wedding.

Drones are not suitable for every type of location or occasion.

For instance, the last thing you and your guests will want to hear is the buzzing of a drone overhead whilst you say your vowels.

Whilst the shot can look absolutely awesome, drones are very noisy and will be a massive distraction. Creating a situation where your guests look up into the sky when the focus should be only on you.

Secondly drones are only really suited for large open area’s. If you are getting married in a city, then in all likelihood it would be very difficult to be able to get permission to have a drone fly at your wedding.

There are many safety concerns that must be adhered to, flying in highly populated area’s or where there is obstructions such as buildings, roads and wires can cause damage and possibly injure someone.

And of course there is the situation when the weather is not suitable. Drones can not be flown in high wind or rain. Even the most powerful drone becomes unstable and unpredictable when faced with harsh elements. Unfortunately, we can’t plan what the weather will do, that costs extra!

So it has to be left to the judgement of the drone operator on the day.

Aerial Drone of wedding Couple
Open field of wedding couple

However, if you are planning to have a wedding at an open outdoor venue with a fair amount of space. Then having a drone capture part of your day can result in some magnificent shots.

Because of the noise and the availability of light, it is best to use the drone during the location shots, after the ceremony, but just before the reception. More often than not this will coincide with magic hour.

The hour in the day where the light is just magical for photography and video and would be perfect for getting wide sweeping shots of you both

just before the sun sets for the evening.

Love sign
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Why is wedding photography so expensive?

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wedding sunset couple

Weddings are expensive, there is just no way to break the news to you lightly. It also explains why more and more couples are choosing not to get married and it is understandable when you have the choice between a dream wedding day or a deposit for a house.

There are many reasons, why weddings including photography are expensive and it’s not because there is a so – called “wedding tax” on couples getting married. In fact, suppliers offer great value compared to what they would normally charge. The fact remains that weddings and the type of wedding you have is a choice. If it was simply a matter of saying your vowels and getting a piece of paper. Then a wedding at a marriage registry office will only set you back around five hundred dollars.

However, for the majority of couples, this is not what they want. Most couples are looking for a luxurious type wedding. A venue with great food, fantastic hair and makeup, dress, suits and the flowers to match. This type of affair does not come cheap. It of course goes without saying that a professional wedding photographer, who knows how to get the best images they will not be cheap either.

The truth of the matter is that after the wedding you’ll wash off the make-up, the flowers will wilt and the dress will be taken off and stored, never to be worn again. Apart of the marriage itself, the only enduring piece of the wedding day will be the photography and video.

The advancement of technology has meant that we all now have phones that do a pretty good job of capturing images and this has played a part in the perception that Photography is overpriced.

Sparkler Wedding Farewell

The perception that “Uncle Bob” can take my wedding photos because he has an expensive camera is like saying that a good knife set means you could cook like Jamie Oliver. It helps, but wedding photographers have honed in on their craft, they spent time and money to build up those skills.

If I delved into the costs of running a wedding photography business you would see that a wedding photographer performs their craft out of a passion of wedding photography and getting great images for their client.

How much you spend on a wedding photographer again comes down to choice. At the cheap end, you could always get uncle Bob with his new DSLR to get the pictures. But the saying is true that you get exactly what you pay for.

Wedding Photographers charge accordingly, and there is a difference between someone who charges at the lower end of the scale as opposed to a photographer at the higher end.

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5 of The best wedding venues on the Mornington Peninsula

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Having lived and worked on the peninsula and doing weddings for the past ten years, we have a few favourite venues that we like to shoot at that offer great service , great scenery and make for some fantastic wedding eye candy. Here are five of some of our most favourite.

5:/ Lindenderry at Red Hill.

Lindenderry at Red Hill wedding

Lindenderry at Red Hill wedding

Situated in the Hinterland of the Mornington Peninsula. Lindenderry is an all in one venue in the midst of vine yards and gardens that make for some really gorgeous wedding images.
It has some wide open spaces and at the end of a path flanked by tall hedges makes for a great focus point to say “I Do”.
But what makes this space such an inspiring place for wedding imagery is the beautifully manicured gardens, the vine yards and framed paths that weave through the estate.
A big point of interest is the reflective lily pond which is located down a little path framed by foliage.
The venue is ample enough and has enough room for all your guests, a band and a view overlooking the Red Hill Hinterland.
It’s a perfect all in one venue where you and your guests can celebrate you getting married, and stay the night or weekend.

4:/ The Baths at Sorrento

The Bathes Wedding at Sorrento

The Bathes Wedding at Sorrento

Situated right on the foreshore of Sorrento. The Baths is a great place to hold your reception, if you want to get your toes wet and say your vowels right on the beach this is the place to do it.
Most couples who choose The Baths book the ceremony right on the sand next to the reception venue.
The building is modern and has a pier that juts out of the foreshore which makes for some great wedding images. It’s also great if you want to arrive in style on a boat.

 

3:/ Baxter Barn

Baxter Barn wedding at Baxter

Baxter Barn wedding at Baxter

Looking to create the perfect rustic feel for your wedding, then the Baxter Barn is the venue for you.
Situated on a large heritage listed estate. Baxter Barn has a myriad of scenic treasures for your wedding snaps.
From the rustic cottage where the majority of ceremonies take place, to the colourful gardens, open spaces and the barn itself that is lit by fairy lights after dusk.
We love doing weddings here, for the simple reason that there is so many photo opportunities in a local vicinity.
The food and service are brilliant and couples enjoy the open, roaming feeling that accompanies the essence of a rustic wedding.

2:// All Smiles – Sorrento

All Smiles at Sorrento

All Smiles at Sorrento Wedding

All smiles in Sorrento is located at the back beach of Sorento. The venue itself sits on the clifftop that overlooks the entire beach and offers 180 degree panoramic views of the ocean.
And cocktail weddings is what they do best.
Out the back of the venue is an open space specifically made to offer ceremonies that have the ocean as a backdrop to saying your vowels. They even have steps for the photographer to climb further up the cliff side to enable getting that group shot where everyone of your guests is included in the shot.
You can tell that All Smiles have thought a lot about how to cater for a great cocktail wedding overlooking the beach and ocean.
But the drawcard for taking incredible wedding images is the beach and rocky outcrops at the far end of the beach that serves as a platform for the bridal couple with the beach and waves in the background. The scenery is magical, especially at sunset

1:/ Stillwater at Critenden

Wedding at Stillwater at Critenden

Wedding at Stillwater at Critenden

Stillwater at Critenden is an all in one venue where you can have the ceremony photography / videography and reception. You can also stay in lakeside cabins that sit right on the lake, all in one place.
Although it’s a winery, it offers so much more. If you choose, you can have the ceremony take place in front of the tall weeping willows in front of the lake. which is a fantastic backdrop.
After the ceremony you don’t have to walk far at all to get some serious wedding eye candy. The lake is right behind the weeping willows with a landing that is made perfect for reflective shots from the water as well as sunset shots overlooking the expansive lake.
If that’s not enough, you have vine yards and treelined roads that make for some great wedding shots.
As for the reception area their is a large outdoor area in front and walking up the steps going inside is a great room that is perfect for having that once in a lifetime party.

We absolutely love working at Stillwater at Critenden as it offers so much in the one place that there is no need to go anywhere else for your photographic or video needs which makes my job all the much easier.

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Rhys & Suzie – Mills Beach – Mornington

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Rhys and Suzie opted to have a small wedding with just close friends and family. They thought what better way to get married than to have an intimate ceremony right on the beach. After looking around most of the beaches around the Mornington Peninsula, they found and fell in love with Mills Beach in Mornington. After some inquiries they found that they could have a ceremony right on the beach and a celebrant to officiate the proceedings in  Jessica Edwards – celebrant

Jessica did an absolute fantastic job of performing an intimate ceremony on the beach whereby friends and family found themselves front and centre of the proceedings which was full of fun, laughter and heartfelt gestures.

When Rhys and Suzie first came to us – Jiva Workshop, they wanted some really great photography of their day. They knew they had picked a picturesque setting and wanted their wedding photo’s to not only capture the scenic location but also the love they felt for each other.

Not having shot at the beach before we, went down to Mills Beach in Mornington to scout the location and see what would be the best way to shoot the couple on the beach and surrounds.

We knew we would get some absolutely fantastic shots of the couple with the beach, the beach boxes and the sea, butwe wanted to try something different and get a different angle that most haven’t seen before. That is why we decided to use a drone for photography only. As you can see by using the drone we were able to get shots that no one else would be able to get otherwise.

We were really ecstatic as were Rhys and Suzie at how they turned out and will be using the drone again to get shots that are truly unique.  

 

Real Wedding | Mel & Shane | Beaumaris

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Mel and Shane first met at a club in Sorrento whilst out with their respective friends. According to his best man, Shane was instantly attracted to Mel and went about the process of wooing her the only way he knew how. Mel fell for Shane’s charms that night and long story short subsequently had 2 children together and were for all intents and purposes a committed couple. The only thing that was missing was the ring. So it was with great excitement that Shane asked Mel to marry him and finally put a ring on it. 

Both Mel and Shane wanted to have a beach side wedding, and when they saw The Beaumaris Motor Yacht Squadron that was situated right on the foreshore of Port Phillip Bay. They knew they had found their wedding venue. The ceremony would be perfect overlooking the water, however, The gods on that day decided to bless Mel and Shanes wedding day with rain. It’s not often that it rains all day in Melbourne but today was one of those days. And so everything had to be moved inside. The crew setting up did an amazing job making the venue look quite magical for the ceremony with the big LOVE letters displayed as a backdrop to the whole procession.

It was after the ceremony that we had a small break in the weather and was able for a small time to go out and get some great shots of Mel and Shane even if their was a light shower. It shows that even if it does rain on your wedding day that it can still be special and you can capture some absolutely gorgeous moments.

Mel & Shane Wedding Highlights from Jiva Workshop on Vimeo.

 

 

wedding, Sandhurst golf club

Real Wedding | Breanna & Chris | Sandhurst Club

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When Breanna and Chris decided to get married they wanted a simple wedding in a picturesque setting with lots of fun and dancing afterwards. It was when they saw Sandhurst Club that they knew they had found the perfect place to get married.  “We knew we wanted to get married at a golf club because Chris loves golf”. Having gone to quite a few friends and families weddings before they knew most of the vendors that they wanted for their big day. They had seen Andrew from Passion8 Photography work his magic once before as well as DJ Peter D, of whom both have come to know the family quite well.

However, when it came to capturing their wedding on video they hadn’t seen any that they really liked until they saw Jiva Workshop’s Facebook Page where they saw an assortment of video’s that told the story of the couples day the way that they would want it. Chris and Breanna had each written special vows to each other and the speeches were extra special as though everyone was nervous about speaking, it was heartfelt and Chris and Breanna both wanted those special moments captured.

Breanna & Chris Wedding Highlights – Sandhurst Golf Club from Jiva Workshop on Vimeo.

The day was certainly special, and after the speeches and first wedding dance. It was time for everyone to get up and dance. And so with a spin of the DJ table everyone hit the floor and began to boogie to the popular songs they knew and loved. Thank You Breanna and Chris for having us capture your day. We had a great time producing the video for you.   

 

Wedding couple Palmtree photo

Real Wedding | Tegan & Shaun | Mount Martha

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Tegan and Shaun first met at Sofia’s Italian Restaurant in Frankston. Although they didn’t get together till much later, they worked together side by side. It wasn’t till after they had both left “Sofia’s” that they ended up hooking up and as they say the rest was history.

When we first met these two love birds and their family (they have two children), it was obvious just how much they loved each other and wanted more than anything to share their love for each other with the world.

They had decided on having the ceremony at “The Mornington Rose Garden” which is pretty much near the centre of Mornington with rows upon rows of carefully manicured roses surrounding a Gazebo in the middle and a lake towards the background that is home to an assortment of ducks and swans.

Getting ready, they decided that it would be easier to do their prep at the same hotel in Mornington at “The Tanti” Hotel. This made it possible to do something which is a little rare where they can have one last moment together before saying their vows to each other without ruining the day by seeing each other fully in person – (see video & photo’s below)

Then finally came time to say “I Do” at the rose garden. Shaun looked incredibly proud and ecstatic at seeing his children make their way to the front of the aisle and when he saw Tegan in her dress – well his eyes absolutely lit up. Seeing her in her dress might have been the reason why he found it difficult to get some of the words right when saying his vows to Tegan, which in itself made for a funny cute moment for the two.

Tegan & Shaun Wedding Highlights Mornington from Jiva Workshop on Vimeo.

After the ceremony, we went down to the lake and park with all the ducks and swans on display to take some snaps of the newly married couple. It was quite convenient having such a picturesque park nearby to take some great photo’s and video of the two.

Later it was off to The Dava Hotel in Mount Martha. The cocktail reception was held on the rooftop deck which overlooked the stunning Port Phillip Bay, which enabled some great photo’s and scenery as the we were all witness to a fantastic sunset. As night fell and people began to dance to Live Duo that were performing well known acoustic hits. Jaime, Tegan’s sister gave a surprise performance of a song that was specifically for Tegan and Shaun.

It was a magnificent night for a truly fantastic couple, well done and we wish you all the happiness in the world.

Wooded Couple

Real Wedding | Sam & Shane | Mt Martha

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Sam and Shane had been together for some time before wanting to tie the knot. They had renovated a house they were living in and Shane had a thriving business in fixing motorbikes and mechanical that Sam worked in from time to time.

So when it came to getting married, they both wanted something simple with family and a small group of friends. They opted to have their ceremony in the beautiful grounds of Karrawingi Park in Moorooduc where they have an assortment of scenery from lakes to early settler cottages. The reception was to be held at Sam’s parents home in Mt Martha where they had a marquee and a two piece band guitar and Cajon (hand drumming box).

Sam and Shanes wedding was a done a little differently with family photo’s and prep photo’s taking place together where they were getting ready at their newly renovated home at Crib Point.

From there everyone made their way to Karrawingi Park for the lovely ceremony in front of the gazebo overlooking the lake. Sam was walked down the aisle by her grandfather and stepfather together and she looked absolutely stunning.

Afterwards, we were able to roam the grounds and take many different candid shots of the couple taking advantage of the picturesque grounds that Karrawingi had to offer. As you can see below.

After the fun of location shooting had ended and the sun began to die down, it was time to party at the reception in Mt Martha. Although this wasn’t a reception venue, you could be forgiven for thinking a little otherwise as the decorations and preparation in making the house look so good was really apparent and definitely set the mood for what was going to be a magnificent night.

With a combination of live music to mellow tunes with the duo previously mentioned to pumping out “get down” tunes over the stereo. It really was not only a well catered affair with food and canapes in abundance, but just a damn lot of fun.

Happy Couple - Photography

Real Wedding | Jane & Alec | Red Hill

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Jane & Alec came to us from seeing some of our work and wanted us to capture their special day that was taking place in and around Red Hill, Mornington Peninsula and Flinders.

Jane had a particular style she was going for when she planned her wedding day which was simple rustic. Everything from the small country church situated in Flinders to the massive landscapes of Red Hill Estate overlooking Western Port Bay.

The rolling hillside of Red Hill Estate made for a picturesque scene where Jane was getting ready with her sister and mother before the big day. Sipping chardonnay and red wine from the cellar door whilst getting ready and laughing at what the day had to unfold.

Understated Alec on the other hand chose to get ready at his best man’s accommodation about 10 minutes from Jane. A nice little country cottage to ease into before saying his vows to Jane.

St Johns church in Flinders is a quaint little church perfect for small weddings that add that extra atmosphere of a small country wedding. With stunning lead light windows and accompanied by live violin, it really did set the tone for the whole day.

After the vows were said and done and the bells chimed to signal that the bride and groom had left the building. We ventured down to Shoreham foreshore where the wooded hills that overlook Western Port Bay made for some stunning imagery with the newly married couple.

Exploring the wooded trees and grassland which overlooked the scenic Bay on a warm sunny day made for some stunning photography and video of the couple and after having spent time there i am sure i will come back.

Jane & Alec Wedding Highlights – Red Hill from Jiva Workshop on Vimeo.

The next stop was the reception at the beautiful Red Hill Estate overlooking the bay. The reception was quaint but lovely and it was hard not to be in awe of the scenery that envelopes Red Hill Estate.

 

Sunset silhouette Photo

Real Wedding | Brett & Lizzie | Ranelagh Mt Eliza

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Brett & Lizzie were teenage love birds that first found each other through mutual friends. Having seen each other around the traps on the Mornington Peninsula at the many different night spots they finally hooked up and the rest was history.

Now when it came to them making the next step and getting married both Lizzie and Brett fell in love with the picturesque shoreline of The Ranelagh Club in Mt Eliza.

The Ranelagh Club in Mt Eliza is situated overlooking the Port Phillip Bay and boasts scenic views of the beach and shoreline that during the summer months offers fantastic sunsets.

The day started at Brett’s house with the boys having a few drinks whilst they got ready for the big day, whilst Lizzie got ready with her bridesmaids at her mother’s house with her beloved dog looking on in admiration.

When it came time to leave for the venue Lizzies parents gathered together with Lizzie to wish her all the best and choke back tears.

The ceremony was simple and sweet on the balcony of Ranelagh overlooking the ocean whilst the tall ships sailed by into Melbourne via Port Phillip Bay.

Lizzie & Brett Wedding Highlights from Jiva Workshop on Vimeo.

Afterwards we got some absolutely beautiful visions thanks to nature giving us a wonderful sunset as can be seen in the video below and the photo’s. This meant that we had what they call “Magic Hour”. “Magic Hour” happens twice per day where the light is absolutely vibrant and makes for photo’s and video that are truly stunning.

The scenes in around Ranelagh with the beach boxes and small bushy fauna meant that we were able to get a variety of scenes from the one location.

Congratulations Lizzie & Brett