Amanda & Dan got married in the Spring at the very beautiful Kin House. It was a special wedding to me for a few reasons! Firstly, Kin House is a wedding venue that I’ve wanted to work at for such a long time. Even just on instagram I couldn’t help but be charmed by its iconic interiors and I was very happy to find out that it absolutely and completely lived up to the hype. Secondly, a few years ago, I photographed one of Amanda’s sister’s wedding and so being chosen to capture Amanda’s wedding felt like the most lovely compliment. To not only have someone see my work and want me to photograph their wedding is amazing but when someone has seen how I work on a wedding day and then decide that they want that for themselves is so special. Seeing Amanda, her sister and parents and wider family again and already having that familiarity was amazing. I always say that I never want to turn up on a wedding day and feel like a complete stranger and having already photographed her family before was a lovely advantage.
Here are some highlights from their wedding with some post-wedding advice from Amanda!
Why did you choose Kin House as your venue?
We chose Kin House as our venue because of how it made us feel. For me, I always struggled to visualise the place where I would get married; my sister actually found it on instagram and suggested we visit. From the moment we did a venue tour, we fell in love. It was intimate, colourful and felt so homely. I actually felt excited to plan and could really see how the day would be. Most importantly, there were so many indoor and outdoor ceremony options and that meant a lot to us that we loved both- it took a little of the weather stress away knowing we genuinely loved both options!
How did you pick your suppliers?
For our suppliers, a good portion were from my older sister Sarah’s wedding! My makeup, hair, dress, photographer were all the same team- it felt like a mini reunion! For some of the other suppliers, we looked through who had done the venue before and so were familiar and then chose the ones that we felt matched the energy and aesthetic we wanted for my wedding day (We couldn’t recommend every single supplier we used more!)
Were there any details or design choices that felt particularly meaningful to you?
For design & details we really wanted a lot of colour with the flowers with it being a spring wedding (and in a garden) and wanted to embrace all the joy of spring. Tanya who did our flowers absolutely nailed that and just got the vision immediately. Also, having the veil which my sister Sarah wore, with my grandma, Nana and mums handwriting felt so special to have a piece of them with me.
What were your priorities for the atmosphere of the day?
Our priorities for the day were for it to feel relaxed, happy and not rushed. I wanted plenty of time in the morning, and to make sure that we spent time with as many of our guests (and each other) as possible. We were very aware of how many people said the day flies by so we really wanted to just enjoy it and feel present which I think we did.
Were there any moments during the day that really surprised you or that you’ll never forget?
I think for me personally one of the bits that I’ll never forget is just before walking down the aisle. Seeing our mums, and then my bridesmaids and sisters walking away and each one shouting back “love you” before they went still makes me tear up now. As a couple- walking into the wedding breakfast was a top moment- the energy was insane and I couldnt actually hear the song we chose for the cheers! It was one of the happiest moments of my life so far.
What part of the day were you most looking forward to beforehand and did it live up to expectations?
I was most looking forward to walking down to see Dan and being announced as husband and wife officially. It more than lived up to the expectations- there’s no feeling like the joy of walking up the aisle with the love of your life officially as husband and wife. But also secretly, the giant pavlova and yes it 10000% lived up to the hype- we still get comments from guests now!
When it came to your photography, what was most important to you?
For me for photography, we both wanted ones that felt intimate and emotional. I wanted photos that I could look back on in years to come. In our meeting we agreed I was drawn to movement and the ‘candid’ ones that actually usually aren’t candid. I think we absolutely nailed that- the photos are beautiful, candid and joyful and we both felt super comfortable in front of the camera.
Do you have any favourite images in the gallery? What makes them favourites?
My favourite images are the ones that captured the emotion and the joy of the day. The ones of me and Dan laughing at the speeches as they capture a moment of pure happiness. I also love the one of my parents holding hands and looking at me getting ready. It captures their happiness and pride but also the realisation their youngest is growing up!! It was such a genuine surprise fave shot as I hadn’t realised it was taken!
And now that you’ve had a little time to reflect, what moment from the day feels the most special when you think back on it?
I think having all our loved ones in one room and just the joy of having everyone there feels the most special, it means so much.
