I have confession to make: I think the wedding in Twilight is possible the most beautiful wedding setting I have ever seen. Now, to clarify, I am not a huge twilight fan (the movies are okay, they are just not my preferred viewing) but the wedding scenery was stunning. I love the forest setting, all lush and green, the twisted branches benches, the hanging wisteria and the bower that the couple stood in for their vows is stunning. Its a glamorous and elegant setting and, despite not being a Twihard, I can see the obvious beauty of it.
Unfortunately, I can only guess how much it would cost to recreate the look (those hanging wisteria alone would cost a fortune) but bits and pieces of it have inspired brides in their own romantic vision. For one, the forest setting is actually doable, even in WA, particularly if a bride isn’t averse to holding their wedding down south…imagine being married in the Pemberton region with those gorgeous Karri’s and Tingles! Not to mention the studding on-location shoot opportunities. The petal covered aisle is also something that can be achieved and also, while hanging wisteria maybe difficult to get not to mention setup, its probably far easier to get a florist to make the aisle enders (or whatever they’re called!). I have also seen people mimic the canopy effect with chiffon, lace and lanterns. In fact, one of the lovely things about this look is the heavy use of greenery, which is usually cheaper than having heaps of flowers and is definitely more resilient.
Looking at how people have drawn inspiration from this film set is truly inspiring. Below are images of some of my favourites, from people who have bee able to duplicate it completely, to other who have taken one element i.e the bower and translated it to another setting entirely, to others still who have toned it back to a simple forest setting, its amazing how creative people can get.
From a wedding photographer’s viewpoint, the subdued lighting is also something to be celebrated. It may not be sunny and bright but the soft light makes skin look smooth and also avoids heavy shadows. If you like that look, have photos later in the day – an hour or two before sunset and even at, dare I say it, twilight. The photo used as the banner in is this post was taken very late in the day, using the last available light, and the inherent moodiness of that time of day is evident -its dark and romantic because it was taken so late in the day. The forest look can be achieved by using the huge fig trees in Hyde Park or the figs opposite the Swan Brewery, in the cooler months even Bush land can turn green enough for this look.
I am not alone in my admiration of this wedding look, so below are some links I have brought together that celebrate and take inspiration from the ‘Twilight’ wedding.
- Twilight wedding tumblr – focused almost exclusively on the film, but also gathering some real life inspiration for invites, photos and so on.
- Pinterest board of the Twilight Wedding Theme – mixed in with images from the film are some real life wedding settings inspired by the film and more.
- Another Pinterest board filled with stuff inspired by this wedding
- Bride’s Guide has a page that goes from the setting, to the dress to the hair and can help any budding fan recreate the look.
Till next time!
Sorry this is a bit late, but it took a little more prep then usual because i decided to add in an actual checklist you can use to make sure you take everything you need.
Now, I know that a wedding day should run perfectly but its always best to “be prepared”, and one essentially part of making sure the day runs as smoothly as possible is the Bridal Recovery Kit/ Emergency Kit. Usually every bride usually has some form of Recovery Kit, it can range from just a lippy, tissue and perfume to a container filled with bandaids, party feet, water and much more (i have seen dedicated maids of honour with backpacks ready for any and all circumstances). Here is rundown of what I would recommend putting in one of these kits, I carry around a little kit it of my own (as a wedding photographer I believe in being really prepared) as well just in case but its a parred down version. In an ideal world my bride’s kit would have the following:
- bobby pins (because hair is prone to doing its own thing)
- hairspray
- hair brush, comb and perhaps even a straightener/curling iron depending on your hair type
- tissues (obviously)
- safety pins ( these are probably one of the most useful elements, it seems dress are destined to misbehave on the day!)
- basic sewing kit (its nice to be able to fix a button on a boys shirt, jacket etc)
- hand sanitizer
- baby wipes (also do very well in getting rid of mild stains, better than just water)
- really awesome bandaids, my favorite are actually these big ones that are skin colored and padded, here is a link. Great if your shoes have decide to launch and unprovoked attack on your poor feet, they stay forever in place unlike normal bandaids!
- party feet (and related products to alleviate foot ills)
- clear nail polish (for runs in stockings)
- superglue (always handy if a shoe breaks! pluss many other uses)
- feminine hygiene products (God forbid, but if you have watched 16 candles -it happens!)
- makeup essentials
- nail file
- biotene mouth gum or spray (really good if your mouth drys out before speeches etc, you can get it at any chemist)
- cash (for parking)
- pain killers
- indegestion pills
- allergy meds
and, actually, much more! (the sky’s the limit really). Water is essential for instance, and make sure someone in the party has access to a mobile, just in case. You can really make a kit as big or small as you feel comfortable with. Having a kit can just keep everyone smiling that little bit longer (which is a good thing in my book).
While i was researching this post I actually found it pretty hard to find a ready made checklist, so I decided to help budding brides out and created my own. I have created a word document and pdf checklist. just click the links below (you can add new items to the Word doc easily, just copy and past a previous item including the check box and then change it accordingly).
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Till next time!
I though it was worth telling our readers why we do what we do -what our core belief is and how it drives what we do.
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In finite terms, a wedding day is just one 24 hour period that can be spliced down into hours, minutes and seconds. But no one actually remembers their wedding day in these terms, what we do remember is the events that made up that wedding day: the first married kiss, the rings, the first dance and so on and so forth. We also remember the joyous and optimistic feelings that come with a singular event that promises (and delivers for better or for worse) the beginning of a new chapter in our lives.
It is in our memories that our wedding day can and does last forever. Indeed our memories of that one day, that one day that changes our lives in many infinite, large and tiny indescribable ways, can and does effect our everyday lives. For many it can become a safe point, a safe harbour to sail into when the seas of life become rough. Because on that one day, the day we said ‘I do’, we said so much more.
We said we believe that people can dream together, that they can grow together, that they can love till death and beyond. We may, sometimes and probably often, look at the naiveté of that day and laugh or cry but we cannot deny that that was the truth of that day. We grow older and hopefully wiser, but there is a beauty in the innocence of a wedding day that is worth treasuring and keeping safe in our hearts and memories.
Keeping memories safe though can be hard and so we try to keep our memories strong by making keepsakes of all sorts. We keep flowers, we have our rings and finally, when the dress is packed away and the flowers have dried to a dark resemblance of their fresh selves, we have our photos.
And that’s the crux of it, photos are the main currency of our memories. They refresh and recharge our memories, when we share them with others, with loved ones, we create new memories for them to treasure also.
Thats why we all take photos: because we know the power of memory, and while the moment can only last for a finite period of time in terms of the passage of time, in our memories those moments stretch out before us for as long as our lives last. Photos are that little string around our finger that reminds us of those times gone past. We know that a good photo, a great photo, is like a candle to a memory ever burning bright and a bad one is like a fog over our eyes; shading and dulling our vision of whats past.
Thats why we strive to create beautiful photos. Because we believe that the memory of the day that those photos represent should be glorious and luminescent. We believe that if you have great photos of your day, then your day can sparkle just that little bit brighter when you look back on it.
I could say we take really good photos, and that if you take us on as your wedding photographers we will give you photos that are beautiful and true to your day. It would be the truth, but its not reason enough to hire us. Lots of people take great photos. You should hire us if you believe like we do – that our memories are our most precious assets, that something that precious deserves to be captured in photos that are made with care, quality and respect from the minute they are taken.
What our Couples say….
Thank you very much for being our wedding photographer. You and your beautiful wife have done an amazing job. From the onset of our first meeting we were very confident in that choosing you as our photographer that we had made the right decision. We applaud your work, from the way you conduct your business, the countless hours and effort you put in, right down to the fine detailed spectacular finished product. Please know that as well as monetary gain, you also have our copious appreciation.
We will recommend you to everyone we know, and probably even people we don’t.
Mark & Sarah