Horace first sent me an enquiry about being the Melbourne wedding photographer for his and Hillary’s Melbourne wedding. He also asked whether I could photograph a pre-wedding photoshoot a couple of months before their wedding day.
During our email conversations, Horace shared several inspiration photos from talented international wedding photographers. The locations were incredibly unique — Amazon-style forests, uninhabited desert regions, and dramatic landscapes from around the world. I spent quite a lot of time thinking about whether we could find somewhere equally special within driving distance of Melbourne, as both the couple and I agreed that we wanted the pre-wedding shoot to be achievable as a one-day trip.
Eventually, we discovered Cement Creek Redwood Forest in East Warburton, only around 90 km from Melbourne. The final photos turned out far beyond our expectations, and Hillary and Horace absolutely loved the gallery when I delivered it online.
I think it was an awesome decision to photograph their pre-wedding session before the wedding day itself. By that stage, I already understood their personalities, the photography style they loved, and they had built a strong level of trust in me as their wedding photographer. For a wedding photographer, creating trust and a relaxed atmosphere on the wedding day is already half the job.
The wedding day itself ran very smoothly and beautifully. The morning included several traditional Asian wedding elements, including Chinese red lucky envelopes and a tea ceremony. Hillary and Horace served tea to both sets of parents, and in return, their parents gifted jewellery for the bride along with red envelopes as blessings and financial support for the newlyweds. When Hillary and Horace received the red envelopes, their genuine happiness and emotional expressions were so beautiful to witness. I used my Canon prime lenses to capture these candid and heartfelt moments naturally.
After the tea ceremony, I noticed that the styling at Five Vineyard beautifully incorporated Chinese wedding aesthetics. The civil ceremony backdrop featured rich red tones instead of a traditional wooden arbour, which gave the wedding a modern Asian-inspired elegance.
Because Hillary and Horace already felt comfortable around me after the pre-wedding session, they were incredibly relaxed in front of the camera. Before the ceremony started, I guided them through a few editorial-style portraits, and they posed so naturally and effortlessly — almost like a Vogue magazine cover shoot. Compared to the pre-wedding session only weeks earlier, their confidence in front of the camera had evolved dramatically. It was amazing to see how much more comfortable and expressive they had become.
As a Melbourne wedding photographer, I believe it is important to constantly keep learning and developing fresh ideas creatively, especially when it comes to editorial and fashion-inspired wedding photography.
After the ceremony, I photographed the family portraits before moving into location photos around the venue. This was my first time photographing a wedding at Five Vineyard, so I spent time researching the venue carefully before the wedding day in order to fully prepare and deliver the best experience possible for Hillary and Horace.
Five Vineyard blends rustic atmosphere with modern architecture beautifully. Located only around 29 km from Melbourne CBD, it is an ideal venue for couples who love vineyard-style weddings while still wanting the convenience of staying close to the city for themselves and their guests.
The venue features sweeping vineyard views combined with minimalist and timeless architectural design. Having photographed many wedding venues over the years, I could immediately feel that Five Vineyard has strong potential to become one of Melbourne’s most sought-after wedding venues in the coming years.
For the location portraits, I used the clean modern architecture to create high-fashion-inspired wedding photographs. I have always believed in the “less is more” concept. With architecture this elegant, there is no need for overly dramatic posing or excessive creativity. Instead, I kept everything simple, timeless, and natural.
I guided Hillary and Horace through relaxed walking shots, hand-holding moments, forehead kisses, and quiet interactions against the concrete walls and modern building lines. I even used the elevator as a portrait location, inspired by the urban lifestyle wedding photography style often featured in wedding magazines such as Hello May.
Later in the evening, Hillary and Horace changed into a second outfit for their reception entrance. I captured their introduction, champagne tower celebration, and the joyful moment when they raised their glasses together.
During sunset, I asked them whether they wanted to quickly step outside for some sunset portraits. The moment I mentioned “stunning sunset photos,” their eyes immediately lit up. Thanks to the beautiful Melbourne weather that evening, we were gifted an incredible sunset, creating the perfect ending to an unforgettable wedding day.
