Cedar Creek Lodges
Married at Cedar Creek Lodges on Mt Tamborine, Barry and Lauren’s wedding day was literally spent in the middle of a rainforest. With beautiful personalization of details, the celebration truly reflected who they were as individuals while demonstrating the values they shared as a couple.
Arriving at Cedar Creek Lodges, also the home of Thunderbird Park, around 2 hours before the ceremony was due to start, I used the time to visit Lauren as she was getting ready. At this time I document details such as flowers, dresses, jewellery and the final stages of hair and makeup, I also capture the general hubbub of excitement and energy of those present.
As the ceremony and reception will be conducted close by, I also get a chance to go over to both spaces and photograph some of the details of the room and décor.
Over the 15 years and 600+ wedding that I have photographed, I have seen many spectacular wedding venues. Each time I work at Cedar Creek Lodges I cannot help but be impressed with the visual impact of the Amphitheatre and semi-enclosed reception room. Perched right along the edge of the flowing creek and surrounded by rainforest it really is a lovely experience.
It was an absolute joy to be working with celebrant Janice Hancock. Janice is one of the loveliest people I have met. Her ceremonies are always very positive and blend a sense of fun and solemnity. The end result is a ceremony that incorporates the couples’ personalities, giving each wedding its own unique feel. The Tibetan meditation ceremony that Barry and Lauren incorporated is one such example of Janice being flexible.
With the formalities and family photos completed it was time to head out into the grounds surrounding Cedar Creek Lodges and craft some images. During this phase of the wedding day I am blending candid moments with the epic. My goal is to present my wedding couple with a range of wedding photos.
I find that if everything is shot too deliberately, with too much posing and direction, that the collection of images looks rather staged and bland. My personal view is that couples should still be able to see their ‘true’ selves in the images. Achieving a blend of fine art style images and genuinely candid moments ensures that I deliver this.
Receptions are my favourite part of the wedding day. It is an opportunity to really study people and their behaviour. I enjoy documenting reactions, particularly those during the speeches. The dance floor is also another great opportunity to capture images of humans in the wild.
As the reception descends into chaos it is usually when the most memorable and amusing images are taken.
Also during the reception, my complimentary selfy camera is set up in a corner. A bit like a photobooth without walls, guests use a remote control to take their own photos. Couples supply their own props for guests to use and images are included in the final collection of wedding day images that my couples receive.
In conclusion, Barry and Lauren, ably assisted by Monica – the highly experienced wedding director at Cedar Creek Lodges, pulled off a magnificent celebration that was a true reflection of the love they share for each other.
A big shoutout to Bayly Allure for her work with the bridal makeup and Edge Salon for the hair styling. The amazing floral arrangements were produced by Flower Patch on Main. The wedding was an excellent example of the services offered by members of the Tamborine Mountain Weddings Group!
If you would like to read more from my Australian Photography Blog or view my wedding and portrait galleries, please feel welcome to visit my website: stevemcmarson.com.au