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5 tips for planning a DIY wedding

A DIY wedding is perfect for someone who loves the little handmade details and taking the time to craft something from scratch. A handy way to find out if that’s you – do you venture down the rabbit hole of DIY Youtube videos to master a new craft? Do you have lots of time on your hands and a long lead time until your wedding date? If you answered yes to all the above questions, then consider doing a DIY wedding – or even incorporating a couple of DIY elements into your day! (Don’t ...

The Why, What and How of Business Branding Photography

Before I started my own photography business, I worked with a commercial photographer – working on product photos, people photos, location photos and everything in between. Now, I use that experience to create great business branding images for clients.If you’re thinking about getting a set of business branding photos done for your website, social media or marketing materials (or, if you just want to know a wee bit more about what it entails) then grab a cuppa and keep reading…WHY: Busines...

A daytime wedding with Tracy and Steve

Enter – their drop-dead gorgeous, laughter and smile-filled morning ceremony and lunch reception. A daytime wedding is one of my new favourite things. I loved this decision for a number of reasons. Yes – one of these reasons was because I didn’t find myself driving home in the dark after a long day, as I usually do. But the best thing about their daytime wedding was it felt so much more relaxed, which was super important to Tracy and Steve.Weddings can be stressful occasions at the be...

Baby sitter sessions – when is a good time to capture your baby?

This is a question I often get asked by my clients when they’re picking up their newborn artwork. Like with many of the questions I get asked, it’s really up to each family, and what they want to do! If they want to capture their child’s progression from newborn to toddler, there are some fantastic options I offer which you can read all about here. However, if they’re after just a single shot to capture their baby in that in-between phase – while they’re still a baby, not quite a tod...

Awake newborn photography – what happens when your newborn won’t sleep

In newborn photography sessions, I always transform the studio into an ideal environment for a newborn to sleep. I keep it super warm, cosy and calm. Those perfectly sleepy newborn photos are usually captured in the small window between when a baby is settling and feeding, as well as working around background changes (and, of course, nappy changes!).  One of the most common questions I get asked by new parents, therefore, is – but what happens if my baby won’t sleep during the shoo...

A perfect Garden wedding at Anam Cara

Less than an hour from Wellington, Anam Cara has a whopping 10 stunning acres of the most incredible manicured gardens. There’s also a gorgeous main house which is available to rent for your bridal preparation. As well as the groom’s quarters in a separate part of the gardens – so there’s enough room for everyone to get ready onsite! This is a rare find, and is part of the reason that Anam Cara is one of my absolute favourite venues.There are so many amazing spots to have your ceremony, ...

My top tips when going with a large wedding party

1. WHAT ABOUT THE DRESSES AND THE SUITS?Everyone has different body shapes, sizes, hair colour and skin tones, so why not let everyone choose an outfit they feel comfortable and flattered in? You don’t necessarily have to let them have complete free reign, but perhaps give them a broad colour, style or cut to go for, and let them wear pieces they already have, or buy something that they’ll wear again.For example – not everyone will feel comfortable in the strapless yellow dress you had in ...

First Looks and pre-ceremony wedding photos – What you need to know

Jess and Steve chose to do a wedding day first look and have their wedding photos before the ceremony. I get asked about this topic all the time – as couples map out their wedding day schedule. They quite often get stuck deciding whether or not to have a first look and take their creative photos before the ceremony or afterwards. Each of these options has their own benefits. But I’m siding with pre-ceremony photos for today, as we break down the advantages to getting them all sorted early in...

Ideas for a maternity photography shoot at the beach

I had photographed Lily before on a number of occasions, (including her beautiful wedding day, and her first pregnancy) so we already had a great relationship. It was such a delight to work together again to create a series of images, both with her husband and daughter as a family, and also of Lily on her own. Her solo shoot was an incredible way for me to focus entirely on capturing her and her stunning baby bump during such a special time.We decided the best way to capture the images she wante...

The 5 things you need to know before a family studio photography session

1. What’s the difference between a location family photography session and a studio family photography session?This is probably one of my most asked questions. Essentially, location based photo shoots take place out and about in the world, usually outdoors, and are very relaxed and action based, capturing your family moving and interacting. Studio family photography sessions take place – you guessed it – inside my studio! I still like to keep my studio sessions relaxed. But because of the ...

A Boomrock wedding With Charlene and Tony

Charlene is a local Wellingtonian, and Tony is from Europe. These two lovebirds met while Charlete was on her OE, and they’ve since settled over in Australia. But, like so many Wellington born and bred folk, Charlene had always dreamed of tying the knot in Wellington. Being able to get ready in her childhood home, and having her family around her, was key. Tony’s family were more than happy to have a reason to visit New Zealand too.  So, Charlene and Tony’s dreamy wedding took pl...

What is the wedding shoe game?

Why is it our favourite? There are plenty of fun games and activities that people choose to integrate into their wedding day schedule, but I reckon that nothing beats a good round of the wedding shoe game. It’s the one that never fails to get everyone laughing and smiling – and we’re a bit biased, because this means plenty of opportunities for us to get fantastic candid photos of your friends, family, and yourselves!SO HOW DOES IT WORK?Usually the MC takes the lead here, and sets up two ch...

My favorite Wellington locations for family photography

First, however – what actually makes a good location? It ultimately comes down the three S’s: Setting, sun, and shelter. SETTINGWhile you would think that a great view automatically means a great backdrop, it’s not always the case. Beautiful views can be distracting from the main subject of the photos (your family!). In addition, I always aim to get the best light I can for the people in the photos, rather than for the landscape – so you might not see all that detail in the far off ...

A Beautiful Church wedding

That’s how I’d describe the dreamy church wedding of Alice and Anthony last season. From start to finish, the day was filled with hugs, laughter, cuddles, kisses and cheers.Their day was the perfect blend of a traditional church wedding. Combined with all the best parts of a modern day celebration.The ceremony kicked off at the beautiful old Otaki Beach Church. There’s just something so romantic about a traditional church wedding, especially when the venue feels so warm and welcoming. The ...

Documentary wedding photography, what is it and what to expect with me

Give it a quick Google. The term “documentary photography” comes up with plenty of newspaper images of people, moments and places (and a whole lot of black and white images). While the definitions are pretty vague, the idea of documentary photography is that it captures real events, and a factual record. To me, and in my wedding photography world, I would say that documentary style involves capturing the day as it unfolds, realistically and honestly, with a focus on capturing the real moment...

What to wear for a family photography session

1. PICK YOUR TONESWhen choosing outfits for the family, ideally you’d aim to wear similar tones and colours. A key point here – this definitely doesn’t mean you need to wear matching outfits in identical colours! The best way to choose your tones is to pick 2-3 colours that work well together, and keep everyone within that colour palette. Easy combos could be white, blue and black, or grey, pink and white. Dark blue and mustard are very popular rich tones, at the moment too. Pairing a slig...

How to get amazing sunset wedding photography

IT’S ALL ABOUT TIMINGA few weeks ago, I mentioned the importance of timing for epic night photography on your wedding day (that blog post is here). For picture-perfect sunset photos, timing is even more important! Most people think that the best time for sunset wedding photography is right at sunset, as the sun is disappearing behind the horizon, but one of my top tips for getting sunset photos is to aim for around 20-30 minutes before sunset. That’s when the light is at its most glowing gol...

Love your Local – how to support local small business

Christmas, somehow, is just around the corner (when did that happen?), and we’re finding ourselves scrambling to put together gift lists. Every year, we tell ourselves, ‘I am not leaving it til last minute this Christmas’ – and, inevitably, we find ourselves rushing around open-til-midnight mega-stores, panic buying those forgotten gifts.  This year, we’ve learnt about the importance of supporting local small businesses. Rather than buying mass-made products, I’m encouragin...

A Summertime Kapiti Wedding at Sudbury Farm

I adore when the siblings of past wedding couples get in touch for their upcoming wedding.I already know plenty of the guests and the family, and similarly, they’re already familiar with how I work (although it does mean I need to add a few extra jokes to my repertoire!). A few years ago, I photographed the gorgeous wedding of Melissa and Sam, so when Sam’s sister Laura got in touch, I jumped at the opportunity to capture their day too. She had met me at their wedding and spent plenty of tim...

Cake Smash Photography, yes or no?

I’ve been booked up recently with first birthday celebration shoots, and have a few more booked in before Christmas. The world of cake smash photography is a divided one – some clients absolutely love the fun of it, while others are less keen. Today, I’m sharing my thoughts on cake smash photography. Along with some suggestions to make it a little less sugary and over-indulgent. First things first – yes, I absolutely do offer cake smash photography! They’re great fun and we can ge...

Working out your wedding day Priorities

If you’re finding yourself in these shoes – first thing to do is to take a deep breath.While it can seem like a massive undertaking, there are plenty of professionals who can guide you along the way. Enlist the help of your family, friends and bridal party. Remember to take time for yourselves as a couple. And, most of all – sit down together and figure out your wedding day priorities. It’ll clarify the most important aspects of your wedding day to you as a couple, and make it easier to ...

Baby Progression Photography – What to expect

It’s one of my favourite times to capture – and rather than offering a monthly pop-up style session, I go for something a wee bit different for baby progression photography; four photo sessions spread out over their first year. AT THE BEGINNINGWe start when bub is brand new! Your first baby progression photography shoot will be done within the first two weeks after your baby is born. These sessions take 2-3 hours, usually in my studio, and I photograph a range of photos of your little o...

What to wear to a newborn photography session

A few weeks ago I touched on what parents should wear during a newborn photography session, so I thought I’d elaborate on this today. It’s one of the most common questions I get asked before a shoot, and it’s a good question to ask – you want to be looking your best and prepared for anything! I’m sharing my top three tips for choosing your own outfit for a newborn photography portrait session, so you can arrive at your shoot feeling confident, excited and ready to go. PLAIN, ...

Entering photography awards- why I do it

I have been entering a range of professional photography competitions over the last decade. I have also had the opportunity to judge at a national level for the past 5-6 years. There are a huge variety of competitions out there – some giving away prizes, some giving away titles. Some exchanging prizes for what we call ‘rights grabs’ (where they have an okay prize, but they then get to use your images however they like). Some that purely dish out bragging rights and allow you to call yourse...

How to get epic night photography at your wedding

It’s something that Mel Waite Photography has become known for. Sparkling, moody, creative shots taken under the night sky, these images make for the perfect end to the night, and look stunning framed up and showcased on your wall. So today, I’m sharing a few tips and tricks to help ensure you get that epic night wedding photography shoot you’ve been dreaming about (followed by plenty of night photography eye-candy for a little inspiration!). ALLOWING TIMEMake sure you allow at least ...