Sydney Harbour Wedding
Sydney brought out a beautiful Autumn day for us, and between the unseasonably warm weather and the relatively cloudless sky, it was absolutely perfect. Lavender Bay is a perfect Sydney wedding ceremony location, with views of the Sydney Harbour Bridge and the beautiful surrounds of Clark Park. The reception was to be held in Luna Park, with a venue that has glass floor to ceiling views of Sydney Harbour. It was all set to be a dream Sydney wedding. The bride and groom both choose to get ready at the North Sydney Harbourview Hotel.
North Sydney Harbourview Hotel – Groom Getting Ready
My team and I began our morning with Adrian (nickname Moose) the groom and his two groomsmen. They had planned to gather together in Moose’s hotel room to get their tuxedos and assorted bits and pieces in place. This trio was a hilarious and rowdy bunch, but they dealt well with my haranguing them into place for a few classic groom-getting-ready shots.
When it came time for the pinning on the boutonniere, Moose just looked at me and spat out “The what now?!”. It seems, like many grooms, he wasn’t entirely certain of all the details of this big day. The boys soon realised that pinning the boutonniere’s on their lapels was actually quite difficult! I even got in there to lend a hand, but in the end we were saved by one of our groomsmen. He had googled the task and had found the answer. His hilarious reading of what seemed to be an online cheat sheet for boys going to their high-school prom made this task very enjoyable.
After such a brain-straining exercise, we retreated with the boys downstairs for a few outdoors shots. The North Sydney Harbourview Hotel has an absolutely stunning view of the Sydney Harbour Bridge, which we took full advantage of. During this time Moose also got a chance to read a private love-letter written to him by his soon-to-be wife, Sam.The boys decided that with all this photo taking, they were in need of some refreshment! So off we all went to the bar, and while the boys horsed around, I kept snapping away.We finished up with Moose and the boys, leaving them to loosen their ties, and head off for some pre-ceremony relaxation. For us, it was time to head to the Bride’s room, and see how she was getting along with her preparations.
North Sydney Harbourview Hotel – Bride Getting Ready
We arrived into a beautiful suite filled with light and an amazing view over the Harbour. The girls were just getting the finishing touches done on their hair and makeup, and the atmosphere was festive and fun, with the soundtrack from the TV series Glee filling the room with upbeat songs. It seemed like a perfect for the morning of one of the most important days of Sam’s life.
I started simply by photographing some small details of the day, allowing Sam and her bridesmaids to relax a bit before getting together for the key shots that Sam had requested. The flowers were gorgeous, and placed together with Sam’s earrings and shoes in the shimmering morning light, they projected a feeling of hope and happiness for the future.
Sam’s bridesmaids were very attentive to the bride (as all good bridesmaids are!), making sure she was fed, dressed, and of course had a good supply of champagne on hand!
It was soon time for Sam’s mother and father to arrive – they were an absolutely adorable couple and I truly enjoyed spending time with this lovely family.
A beautiful Father Daughter First Look
There is something special when a father sees his daughter for the first time on her wedding day. This has to be one of the most beautiful reactions I have ever seen.
Our stunning bride Samantha is finally ready for her Lavender Bay Wedding
Once Sam was fully dressed, she looked simply stunning. The dress was absolutely perfect for her, and she looked like a model. I was so in awe of how perfect she looked, I simply had to get a shot of her bathed in the morning light coming through the apartment window.
Once everyone was together and dressed we continued on with a few fun groups shots, to capture the fun atmosphere of the morning. All too soon it was time for us to leave, and for Sam to have a little rest before the ceremony.
Clark Park, Lavender Bay, North Sydney – Ceremony
The ceremony itself was to be held nearby, in Clark Park. A cute park on the edge of the harbour, it boasts an absolutely stunning view, which was taken advantage of by the placement of the aisle and seating. A string trio sat off to one side, filling the air with romantic melodies.
As the guests started flowing in, they were greeted by Moose and his groomsmen, all of whom seemed to be eagerly awaiting the arrival of Sam. Not too long after, the bride’s Jaguar Mark 8 arrived up on the hill, and the bridal party made their way down into the park.
The sun had come out from behind the clouds just as Sam arrived, bathing the entire park in a beautiful glow that matched the radiance of Moose’s beautiful bride.
Everyone cheered as Sam and Moose shared their first kiss as husband and wife. The informal nature of an outdoor ceremony like this was lovely, and allowed everyone to have a quick chance to chat with the bride and groom. The greens of the park foliage in the sunlight were gorgeous, and made the bride and bridesmaid’s dresses really pop.
The Photoshoot – Luna Park
Soon after, it was time to head to the reception venue! Moose and Sam had chosen to have their reception at the Palais room, Luna Park Weddings. This location is absolutely stunning – between the gorgeous view over the Harbour and to the iconic bridge, and the cheerful theme park atmosphere off to the other side, it’s a perfect place for a celebration of love and a perfect location for a wedding photoshoot.
We went for a walk with the wedding party around the entrance of the park and along the boardwalk that runs along the Harbour. Here everyone got a chance to finally relax – the official part of the day was over, and now it was time to eat, drink and be merry!
Palais – Luna Park Weddings – Reception
We all headed up to the function room to grab a drink, and to enjoy the views off the balcony before it was time to get into the evening’s festivities. The balcony is one of my favourite things about this place – the splashing water is almost literally beneath you, and off to the left the massive Sydney Harbour Bridge feels so close you could almost touch it, while down the other end the colourful ferris wheel of the amusement park peeks out from around the side of the building.
As guests started arriving, the drinks flowed and the whole room filled with laughter and chatting. Sam and Moose circulated around, having a great time catching up with their loved ones.
As the evening progressed, everyone was well-fed and soon came time for the evening speeches, with the bride’s father giving a sensational speech.
Afterwards, dessert gave everyone some energy to head to the dance floor. First was Sam and Moose’s first dance as husband and wife, and they were soon after joined by their parents on the dance floor.
The rest of the evening was filled with joy and laughter, and of course, some killer moves on the dance floor! All in all it was a perfect end to a perfect day.
Sam and Adrian loved the wedding album that we put together for them. It covers all the important things to them on their wedding day. Check it out below.
On a More Personal Note….
Adrian and Sam, I feel honoured that I was able to document your wedding. I loved getting to know the crazy Moose, an ex-Wallabilites and Lord Howe Island Woodhens legend with a heart of gold. It was obviously that you had waited all your life to find the true love that you found in Sam. I loved getting to meet your friends and family Sam. It was with deep sadness that I heard of the passing of your father. I will always remember that look on your Dad’s face when he saw you in your wedding dress for the first time, and the smile on his face as he proudly walked you down the isle. His speech was epic and his dance floor moves are up there with the best Father-Daughter dance of all time. I am especially glad that I got the opportunity to capture these memories for you and Adrian. Thank you for allowing me to be part of your wedding day.
Kind Regards,
Samantha
How to have your own Lavender Bay Wedding – Luna Park Reception
If you would like to see some more of our weddings.
Should be interested in a wedding at Clark Park or any of the surrounding Lavender Bay Parklands you can get further information on the North Sydney Council website.
If this wedding has inspired you to have a Luna Park Wedding, you can find plenty of information on their multiple venues within the park on their website.
As a wedding photographer I get to visit many wedding reception venues, and this is still my all time favourite. It has amazing views of Sydney Harbour, great staff and sensational food.
Sam and Adrian hired the Jaguar Mark 8 from Classic Bridal Cars.
The stunning red roses and other floral arrangements were thanks to Events by Nadia.
That beautiful cake with the crazy personalised cake topper came from:
Cake – Sweet Passion
Cake Topper – Personalised Cake Toppers
Our Bride’s styling was courtesy of:
Dress – Fashions By Farina
Hair – Heavenly Bridal Creations
Makeup – Your Big Day
The groom and groomsmen all sourced their suits through Roger David Suit Hire
DJ/MC hired through Evoke Entertainment
The string trio for the ceremony was also hired through Evoke Entertainment
