This is my second last day at work before I head overseas for a nice little holiday.

I thought for something different, I would upload a slide show of wedding photographs that I have taken over the years.  Some of the photographs are very recent, while others were taken a little while ago but as they are my favourites, I added them too.

I return to Australia and back in the office on the 3rd of December!

Hope you like the show!

Within North Sydney, there is a little area known as Lavender Bay.  Over the years this small area of North Sydney, has become a favourite location for wedding photography and wedding ceremonies.

There are two Churches in Lavender Bay.  Christ Church which is Anglican and St Francis Xavier with is Catholic.

For photography, a great spot is down by the water of Lavender Bay.  The entrance into the park can be hard to find from Lavender Street (if it is your first visit).  Also it is really important to know that many larger cars like limos will find it very hard to enter the park.  If you are wanting your photography to be captured at Lavender Bay, I always highly recommend my couples tell their wedding car company, that we are going to Lavender Bay.  Make sure they have checked out the entrance and small road leading down through the park, if they have not been there before!

I have put together a slide show of photographs captured at both Lavender Bay churches and photographs captured down by the water.

Usually I have only ever seen one or two other bridal parties down at Lavender Bay while I have been photographing.  However I have to be honest and say the last time I was photographing a wedding at Lavender Bay,  there would have been about eight other bridal parties having their photographs taken at the same time.  Lavender Bay isn’t as secret as it used to be years ago but if you visit, you will understand why the word has gotten out.

Lavender Bay is a gorgeous spot for a wedding!

Like every Sydneysider today, I awoke and looked out my window and thought ‘Oh my goodness what is going on?’.

The huge dust storm that swept across inner NSW then Canberra, reach Sydney early this morning.

With the rich reds you couldn’t help yourself being amazed at the colour of the light (and I don’t believe it is just a photographer thing).

My attention then turned to the weekend weddings by thinking ‘what if this is the weather we will have for Saturday and Sunday’s weddings?’

With that I picked up my camera and started to have a look at what creative photographs could be taken in this light (assuming the bride and groom would even want to go outside in this weather).

This was the view from our front room office at 8.00am this morning.  May I add no enhancements have been added,  just the wonder of light in a red dust storm.

 This footage of the dust storm from our office window was taken on a Canon 5D mark 2 camera (the one with live view and video functions).

News media release about Doltone’s newest waterfront wedding reception/event centre at Darling Island Wharf which is set to launch in October 2009:

Doltone House is pioneering a green approach to building construction, design, materials and operation in Sydney.

Situated on the stunning Sydney waterfront, Doltone House’s newest venue Darling Island Wharf has been crafted by green-minded industry experts to become part of the first six-star green-star rated building, workplace6, in New South Wales. Workplace6 is only the second building in Australia to obtain this coveted certification, and this six-star green-star rating represents the world’s best practices in sustainability.

Darling Island Wharf incorporates a fresh food and wine emporium complete with open kitchen, a buzzing café, intimate meeting rooms and an 800 seated capacity event space – an inspirational and unique project from the team at Doltone House. Paul Signorelli, Managing Director of Doltone House, was inspired by the environmental initiatives of Workplace6. “Our plans for the internal fit out were specifically created to complement those of the building. By adopting and expanding on the green philosophies of the building itself, Doltone House aims to lead the way into the future by providing the greenest venue in Sydney.”

Workplace 6 reduces greenhouse emissions by 70% compared to a normal office building. In harmony with this, the interior of Darling Island Wharf is clad in a variety of ‘environmentally honest’ and durable materials: recycled, green-minded, low-toxin emitting and built to last. Eco-ply flooring and stone are the obvious green materials used throughout the site –yet even the carpet in the event centre has green credentials. The event centre bar is made from a durable marble with a high quality finish, while a counter crafted from recycled Ironwood from Queensland is the focal point of the bluestone-clad cafe downstairs.

On a structural level, Workplace 6 is Australia’s first building to use concrete manufactured from recycled products. The high performance insulation used throughout the building is green-certified as manufactured without the use of ozone-depleting gases. Details such as custom-fitted carbon dioxide sensors and variable speed fans are employed in Darling Island Wharf to reduce the toxin emission and air pollution normally associated with buildings of this scale. As a result, fresh air supply is increased by up to 50% making it a healthier, safer space for the public.

Energy reduction is a significant factor in being green, and Doltone House have tackled this issue head on. In the kitchen, gas combi ovens that run on natural gas, have been installed while fridges and freezers will be insulated with thick panels to reduce energy consumption. Perhaps the most iconic innovation is the ‘watercool’ system, which captures heat rejected from Sydney harbour and transforms it into usable energy for the building’s water-cooling system. Environmental initiatives also extend to the site’s every day operation, including re-using blackwater for parkland irrigation and a tri-generation energy system – where heat, power and chilled water for air conditioning are produced by one single unit. While ‘greening’ a site of this scale adds an extra 15% to construction and fit-out cost, embracing the green approach at this level signifies Doltone House’s serious commitment to environmental and social responsibility.

Have a look at the artists impressions.

For event inquiries you can contact Julie van der Weegen (Doltone House Venue Sales Manager)

Phone 02 8571 0622 www.doltonehouse.com.au

For many years now, bride’s are confronted with the decision of whether to keep their maiden name or except their husband’s family name.  I have even heard of a groom who took his wife’s surname as his own. 

My husband sent these newspaper clippings to me via email.  I thought they would be a bit of fun.

If unsure these clippings are just some examples of when you shouldn’t hyphenate your married name.  Enjoy

Firstly I would like to apologise for my lack of presence on this blog.  I think just about everyone living in Sydney would agree that this has been the worst Winter in regards to sickness.  Everyone I know is sick with the flu, was sick with the flu or is coming down with it.  As for me it has been the worst Winter ever – bring on Summer!

Late last week I was contacted by Doltone House and asked if my readers might be interested in their wedding extravaganza called ‘A Night to Be Dazzled’.  I thought an evening of glitz, glamour and all things bridal might just be what the doctor ordered to bring some warmth back this winter!

The evening is being held at Doltone House – Jones Bay Wharf on Monday 10th and Tuesday the 11th of August from 5.30-9.30pm.

Here is a little more from Doltone House’s media release:

Providing an exclusive opportunity to mingle with the who’s who in the wedding world, ‘A Night To Be Dazzled’ delivers a veritable plethora of wedding specific information. From cakes and catering, to fashion and flowers, the experts will give guests an in depth insight to ensure their cherished milestone is made truly exceptional. Open to the public and with FREE admission, this is the ultimate, not to be missed bridal experience.

Guests will be drawn into the opulence and romantic charm of Doltone House as they enjoy live entertainment, exquisite fashion on the bridal runway with two shows planned each evening, bubbly and delicious canapés. The elegant harbour side atmosphere will come alive, providing a backdrop to a stunning journey; a visual spectacle set to ignite the imagination of prospective brides and grooms. The expert Doltone House wedding team will also be on hand to impart their inside knowledge to help make this event as extraordinary as a Doltone wedding itself.

“We take pride in the lengths we go to in order to help brides achieve their dream. At this showcase we have covered every detail to educate and importantly inspire prospective brides and grooms on how to make their day nothing short of magical,” Carmela Signorelli, Marketing Director, Doltone House Group comments.

Doltone House is renowned for delivering a wedding experience like no other.

Attendees of the wedding expo can expect the same passion, commitment and attention to detail that have secured Doltone House its position as thought leaders in the premier wedding market.

RSVP is essential, as space to this exclusive event is limited.

Visit the website to register online at www.doltonehouse.com.au

Doltone House is located at:

Jones Bay Wharf, Piers 19-21 Upper Deck 26-32, Pirrama rd, Pyrmont point.

Phone : 02 8571 0622

 My last post had beauty tips written by celebrity hair and makeup artist Lynne O’Brien. 

Now for this post, Lynne thought it would be fun to do a ‘make over’ on me and I thought it would be fun to record the event on video and photographs.  Being very brave I have added below not just the ‘after’ photographs but the ‘before’.

Check out the Youtube video below and listen in as Lynne and I chat about film sets, style techniques, boys and Bollywood.  For those who subscribe to my posts via email you will need to click on the title of this post to view the blog or click this link to go to Youtube.

Lynne thank you for my new look.  The whole experience was a lot of fun.

Conact Lynne for your wedding day hair and makeup lynnie@lynneobrien.com.au

Lynne O’Brien is one of Australia’s most recognised and popular make up and hair artists in the film industry.

Lynne takes care of many celebrity’s beauty needs not only on the film set but also on their wedding day. I asked Lynne to share some of her wedding beauty ideas for Wedding Planning Tips’ readers.

Lynne’s response:

“Every single Bride (and if the truth be known … Groom) wants to look beyond amazing on that day. Sure you may choose a simple dress and want to look the ‘same you’ that your partner fell in love with but you will still want the most incredible version thereof the world has ever seen.

This is your chance to be the star and have all of it’s accoutrements.

Make up is something that has to be booked ahead to make sure you are taken care of. But who? Which one? Sometimes a good standard is to ask a finicky friend (you know some one not pleased easily) and ask if they were happy with their make up person. Or find a makeup person with a strong history. Remember years after your wedding is finished and you are on your tenth wedding anniversary the few things you will always have will be the photographic evidence, make up and hair, your dress and a confident and relaxed smile on your face in the photos knowing you look your best.

Remember the one thing is to leave nothing to chance … just because it worked for a friend doesn’t mean it will work for you. Spend the time to

Things to remember … Just from the beauty perspective

• Facial – more than 7 days prior so no break outs immediately before the wedding day.
  
• Spray Tan – 3 days before (this way excess has washed off and you are still left with a good colour for the wedding day and the honeymoon (remember to test spray tans prior to the wedding day a few times and choose the one you are the most happy with as each spray tan varies vastly from the other due to the brand and the applicator).
  
• Test hair colour and style prior to day (no surprises) . A bit of pre planning goes a long way.”

You can personally contact Lynne for your own wedding hair, beauty and make up needs. lynnie@lynneobrien.com.au

Last Friday I was photographing a wedding in the Blue Mountains.  The location for both the wedding ceremony and reception was at the historic house and estate ‘Yester Grange’.

Situated at the end of Yester Road Wentworth Falls, the estate is nestled on 10 acres and backs onto world heritage National Park wilderness. 

The wedding couple shared with me that Yester Grange is a secret little gem and I have to admit that it was my first time photographing there.  I found the staff friendly, the bushlands and grounds stunning and the house quaint and charming.

If you are looking to get out of Sydney for your wedding, check out Yester Grange as a possibility.

For years I have believed the title of this post was an oxymoron.  Yes in Sydney there are many creative, brilliant and very professional wedding photographers but none you would say are really cheap and affordable.  As they say “you get what you pay for”.

To be honest I believe the ‘bottom end’ or cheap or affordable wedding photography service has meant couples were often confronted with unprofessional, non creative and unreliable wedding photographers.

Today proudly I announce to Sydney that there is a real alternative in the wedding photography industry.  ‘VFM Photographers’ is a totally new and exciting concept offering couples access to some of Sydney’s top wedding photographers for only a fraction of the cost.

It took a long time for me to establish VFM because I had one problem that I needed to solve. The problem is how does an affordable wedding photography company attract top, creative, professional and experienced photographers?

Top photographers wouldn’t want to book an affordable wedding for another company ahead of time because they know it is likely they will book a wedding for themselves and hence make more money.

Now I have come up with a solution. This solution is kind of like ‘last minute.com’ or ‘wotif.com’ for photographers. When you book your wedding with VFM your wedding date is secured no matter how long away your wedding date is. VFM will allocate one of our top class photographers from our roster two weeks before your wedding date.  This is the reason why VFM can attract professional and experienced wedding photographers.  

VFM is able to offer an affordable wedding photography service because you will not meet your wedding photographer before your wedding date but you will be guaranteed to have a very experienced, professional and creative wedding photographer (for the price of a budget and average wedding photographer).

VFM Photographers Mission

To offer creative wedding photographs captured by professional and experienced photographers for an affordable price.

Give every wedding couple access to beautiful and creative wedding images even if they are on a very tight budget.

View VFM Photographers website