THE WEDDING GUIDE · WHANGĀREI & NORTHLAND
Kia ora, and congratulations.
Somewhere between the excitement and the spreadsheet there's a real day coming, and it will move faster than you expect. It leaves behind almost nothing physical except the photographs. That's what this guide is about - how I work, how to build a timeline that holds, and the planning detail couples end up hunting for at 11pm three weeks out.
Skim it now
for the shape of things.
Build the timeline
before your ceremony time is locked.
Use the checklists
from twelve months out.
Ask anything
you won't annoy me.
01 · HOW I WORK
Three modes, running all day.
Your wedding isn't a photoshoot - it's a story unfolding in real time. Tap a mode to see how I approach each part of the day.
Most of the day: getting ready, ceremony, speeches, dancing, the ten minutes where your uncle tells a story to your grandmother and nobody else notices. I'm not directing this - I'm reading the room and positioning myself for it.
Family groupings and formal portraits. These need structure or they eat your day alive. I run them efficiently, and I'll show you exactly how to make them fast.
Your couple portraits. Not posed exactly, but not unguided either. I give you something to do rather than something to hold. Most couples find this the part they were most nervous about - and enjoyed the most.
A quick preference: during the ceremony, would you rather I...
Invisible it is. I'll shoot the ceremony from the back with a longer lens and stay out of your guests' eyeline - you'll barely know I'm there.
Great - I'll move freely and get closer for the ceremony, working the angles and reactions. There's no wrong answer, and knowing yours means I'm not guessing on the day.
02 · YOUR OPTIONS
Choose the coverage that fits your day, then build from there.
The Intimate
1.5 hours - $1,750. For elopements, registry office days, or an intimate ceremony with up to 10 guests.
The Essentialist
3 hours - $2,375. Ceremony, portraits, and a little celebration after.
The Curator
6 hours - $3,375. Getting ready through key reception moments - the strong middle.
The Storyteller
9 hours - $4,375. Most of the day, with space for quiet moments and energy.
The All-In
Up to 12 hours - $5,000. Full-day storytelling, across multiple locations.
Also available: The Heirloom Wedding Experience - fully tailored, by enquiry. Aerial coverage, wedding film, fine-art albums.
03 · BEYOND THE WEDDING DAY
Three optional sessions. None of them necessary, all of them useful.
If the thought of making eyes at your partner in front of a camera makes you want to stay indoors permanently, book this one. Half an hour together with no timeline, no guests and no pressure - by the wedding we're not strangers with a camera between us.
Best for: Feeling comfortable on the day. The images are useful too - save the dates, invitations, a new profile picture.
A full session in your wedding attire, before or after the day itself. No time pressure, no waiting guests. Pick a location you love - the Northland bush, a beach at low tide, a room with beautiful light - and it needn't be near your venue.
Best for: A trial run for hair, makeup, shoes and dress - and the answer if you'd rather not carve portrait time out of the wedding day at all.
Back into the dress and suit, no schedule, honeymoon glow. You catch anything the wedding day didn't have room for, and get to revisit the whole thing without the adrenaline.
Best for: Couples who skipped the pre-wedding shoot - some images for the album, some for the wall, some for wherever you like.
04 · THE BOOKING PROCESS
From first hello to the finished gallery.
Nine steps, and I'm on the other end of the line for all of them. Tap a number to see what happens.
1. Enquiry
Get in touch with your date, location and a rough sense of coverage. I'll confirm availability and send pricing.
2. Conversation
A call or coffee, no obligation. You tell me about the day and I tell you honestly whether I'm the right fit. If I'm not, I'll point you somewhere better.
3. Booking
I'll send an online booking link with a contract and invoice. A 50% deposit of your main package secures your date; the balance is due four weeks before the wedding. Payment plans are available - just ask.
4. Between booking and the day
You'll have this guide, a planning questionnaire and an open line to me. Most couples check in two or three times over the engagement.
5. Six to eight weeks out
We build the timeline together. I'll ask for your vendor list, family formal groupings and any must-have shots. Engagement sessions usually happen well before now, but if you haven't done one yet, there's still time to fit it in.
6. Four weeks out
Final balance due. Final guest numbers to your caterer, and a vendor meal requested before speeches.
7. Two weeks out
Final timeline confirmed and circulated to your other vendors, and your family formals list finalised with me.
8. The day
I arrive a little before the agreed start and get my bearings before I begin shooting.
9. After
Sneak peeks within 24-48 hours. Full gallery usually within 8 weeks, occasionally a little longer during peak season.
05 · Build your timeline
A good timeline is the single biggest predictor of a good gallery.
Set your collection, ceremony time and month. I'll lay out a realistic schedule and check it against Northland's light - because sunset is the one resource you can't buy more of.
You sit down. You eat something. Someone fixes your flyaways. You have a moment alone before the biggest hour of your life.
06 · Family formals
The part most likely to run over. Do the maths.
Budget 3-4 minutes per grouping. Write them as groupings, not names, cap it around 10-12, and appoint a wrangler who knows every face and is happy to shout. Drag to see what your list costs you.
07 · YOUR DETAILS BOX
Gather it into one box the night before.
Both rings, and the box
Invitation suite and any stationery
Perfume and cologne
Jewellery, cufflinks, watches, tie
Shoes
Veil or hair pieces
Buttonholes and a spare bloom or two
Vow books
Anything borrowed, inherited or with a story
Anything culturally significant to your ceremony
0 of 10 done. Click an item to check it off - I'll remember where you got to.
08 · THE FIRST LOOK QUESTION
See each other before, or wait for the aisle?
There's no wrong answer here, just a genuine trade-off:
You get a quiet, private moment together before the noise of the day starts. It also means your make-up and hair are fresh for the reveal photos, and we can knock out most portraits before the ceremony, leaving more time to actually enjoy your reception.
Some couples find the whole thing less nerve-wracking when the ceremony walk itself is the first look. If big emotion in front of a crowd is your thing, waiting makes that moment even bigger.
09 · ON THE DAY ITSELF
Outdoor or indoor, a few things to plan around.
A quick note either way: where's your ceremony happening?
Golden hour is unbeatable, but it moves fast and the light changes by the minute. Have a backup spot in mind for rain, and know that midday sun under trees or a marquee still photographs beautifully.
Indoor light is softer and easier to control, and the weather stops mattering entirely. I'll bring off-camera flash if the room runs dark, and check the space beforehand for the best angles.
10 · FEELING GOOD ON CAMERA
Almost nobody likes being photographed. Here's what helps.
Most of my couples say some version of "we're awkward in front of the camera." Six small things make all the difference.
Do an engagement session
The single most effective thing you can do to feel comfortable on the day.
Move rather than pose
Walking, turning, adjusting each other's collar. Movement looks natural because it is.
Talk to each other, not to me
The best images come from a moment where you forgot the camera existed.
Hands are the giveaway
If you don't know what to do with them, hold something - each other, a drink, your dress.
Breathe out
People hold their breath when a camera comes up, and it shows.
Weight on your back foot
Chin slightly forward and down. Universal, unglamorous, works.
11 · YOUR PLANNING CHECKLIST
Everything, in the order it needs doing.
12 · NORTHLAND WEATHER
Plan for it, rather than hoping.
Have a wet-weather plan
And tell me what it is. Marquee sides, a covered deck, a barn, an indoor room. Decide before the week of.
Rain photographs well
Some of my favourite images have come from wild weather. Clear, unbranded umbrellas cost almost nothing.
Wind is the real variable
Especially at coastal venues. Factor it into veil length, hair and marquee choice.
Summer sun is harsh
Between 11am and 2pm in January, shade matters. Full midday sun on an open lawn flatters no one.
Sandflies and mozzies
At bush and river locations, and at dusk. Repellent for the wedding party is a kindness.
Bring cold water
On a hot day, a chilly bin and a few frozen flannels do more for your wedding party than anything else - especially anyone in a suit.
13 · THE LEGAL BIT
Getting legally married in Aotearoa.
Practical information, not legal advice - confirm current requirements with your celebrant and the Department of Internal Affairs.
Requirements
- ·Both partners must be 18 or over; 16 or 17 needs Family Court consent.
- ·Neither of you can currently be married or in a civil union.
- ·No residency requirement, so overseas couples can marry here.
The licence
- ·Apply online through Births, Deaths & Marriages at marriages.services.govt.nz.
- ·Processing takes around three working days.
- ·Valid for three months from issue, so don't apply too early.
- ·Apply around 6-8 weeks out.
On the day
- ·A registered celebrant performs the ceremony.
- ·Two witnesses aged 18 or over must be present and sign.
- ·You all sign the Copy of Particulars of Marriage.
After
- ·Pre-pay for your marriage certificate when you apply - most name-change processes need it.
- ·Use either surname, both, or a hyphenated combination, with no further legal process.
14 · GOOD TO KNOW
Frequently asked.
How many hours should we book?
It depends on the shape of your day. A small celebration or elopement might need 2-3 hours - ceremony, portraits and time to breathe. For the fuller story from getting ready to the dance floor, 9-12 hours. Not sure? Tell me roughly what's happening and I'll help you work it out.
How many images will we receive?
There's no hard limit. If it's good, it's in. As a general guide, around 50-70 individually edited images per hour of coverage, delivered in high resolution.
When will we receive our photos?
Sneak peeks within 24-48 hours, so you have something to share while the day is fresh. Your full gallery usually lands within 8 weeks, occasionally a little longer during peak season, and I'll always tell you if that's the case.
Can we have the RAW files?
No. Editing is a substantial part of what you've commissioned, and the unedited files aren't a finished product.
What happens if things run late on the day?
I won't disappear mid-vows or during speeches. I build in buffer and stay flexible within reason. If things run significantly over, extra time can be added at $350-$600 per hour depending on your booking - and I'll always check with you first, so nothing is a surprise.
What if it rains?
Some of my favourite images have come from wild weather. I come prepared with clear umbrellas and backup plans and can pivot quickly. If you're up for it, we embrace it; if not, we find cover and keep things simple.
Do you travel for weddings?
Yes. I'm based in Whangārei and travel throughout Northland, Auckland and across Aotearoa. Travel within the Whangārei area is included; other locations are quoted separately, and we'll talk through flights and accommodation if they're needed.
If you remember nothing else
Build backwards from sunset. Protect your 30 minutes. Slow everything down - you'll experience more of it, and I'll get the shot.
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