Mandalay House and Gardens, one of the absolute jewels in the crown of South Australian wedding venues, was absolutely immaculate on Saturday, just perfect. Everywhere you turned there was a new and different garden, or plant, or statue – springtime is when the place really sings. So when Carly and Jake told me of their plans to hold their wedding at night, when most of the grounds would be covered in darkness, I was mildly sceptical, how are we going to take advantage of the incredible grounds for our photos?
In reality, by closing the door to the usual photographic possibilities, Carly and Jake opened a window to something totally different, unique, and spectacular. They were also less interested in the posed shots of them as a couple and more interested in my photos of all the candid sneaky moments, the unstructured and natural images, as a result, after the ceremony was finished we managed to complete the following less than an hour (in the dark):
- take a big group photo
- all the family photos
- photos of the wedding party altogether
- portraits of Carly and Jake as a couple
- change of outfit
- reception introduction
- first dance
- speeches
This often takes about 4 hours – there was absolutely no mucking around for us!!! This is actually what I love most about weddings, no two are alike, sometimes challenges pop on the day and I love figuring out solutions on fly while getting all the photos I need and keeping the vibe of the day rolling and stress to a minimum. Carly and Jake, thank you to inviting me along to experience your magical night, what a blast!
Can you have a wedding at night?
You bet your sweet ass you can. You’ll need some fairy lights, or festoon lights, or some other type of lighting. You may also wish to consider having a first look and taking care of all the wedding party and couple photos before the ceremony so you can just roll straight into the reception, although Carly and Jake proved that’s not necessary provided you’re realistic about the type of photos you can expect.
Mandalay House Night Wedding Vendors
The dream team who brought light to the darkness:
Venue: Mandalay House And Garden
Celebrant: Kendall Staite Marriage Celebrant
Dress Designer: Stella York
Dress Boutique: Jenny And Gerrys Bridal
Suit Designer: Peter Shearer Rundle Mall
Florist: Indy Rose Flowers
Make Up Artist: Chloe Ellouise
Hair Stylist: Chloe Ellouise
Live Music: Baker Boys Band
