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We want to help you out!
Planning a wedding can be overwhelming and stressful.
Here are our posts addressing different parts of the journey consolidated in one place and framed as potential questions you might have:
We hope this is helpful for us and, as always, feel free to reach out anytime :)
Or any colour for that matter! <3
We regularly discover new, beautiful wedding venues in our travels for inspiration. We decided to make it easy and collate it all in one spot. As we find (new-to-us) venues, we will add them below. If you know of any that should be on this list, please feel free to reach out. If there are any that should not be on the list (assume that if they are below, we are unaware of any inherent racism, ageism, or discrimination of any form that might be known to local vendors/businesses; again, feel free to reach out to us and let us know). We are most familiar with the venues in our local area - Brisbane, Queensland, Australia - and so the majority of venues listed will probably be concentrated around this area. Enjoy the following 100+ venues!
Australia
Queensland
Brisbane & Surrounds
QUT Wedding Collection (Old Government House, in particular)
Sunshine Coast & Surrounds
Gold Coast & Surrounds
Kooroomba Vineyards & Lavender Farm
Elsewhere
New South Wales
Victoria
Tasmania
South Australia
Western Australia
Northern Territory
Bahamas
Finland
France
French Polynesia
Hawaii
Four Seasons Resort Oahu at Ko Olina
Iceland
Ireland
Italy
Morocco
Mexico
New Zealand
Switzerland
Historisches Alpinhotel Grimsel Hospiz
Turkey
United Kingdom
United States of America
Vanuatu
We kicked off a new series in January featuring traveling photographers from around the world (most recent feature here; to date, the list includes Italy, Canada, United States and Australia). We make no secret of the fact that we love travel. We love learning about other cultures. We love contributing to a smaller, more interactive space. With this in mind, we are going to be sharing local stories by local photographers from around the world throughout our posts this year.
This month takes you off-the-beaten track to Vanuatu of all places! A little backstory from the Lonely Planet: “Vanuatu is a Pacific island adventure far beyond any notions of cruise-ship ports and flashy resorts. Deserted beaches, ancient culture, remote and rugged islands and world-class diving are just a small part of the magnetism of this scattered 80-plus island archipelago”. (You will find an interesting interactive map on this web page.) We have mentioned previously that we love getting to know the photographers behind the stories. Valerie, from Valerie Fernandez Photography, is lovely to converse with; you can be forgiven for thinking that you are on island time, too, as her warm, relaxed nature is contagious (the thought of living somewhere where you can forget to bring your phone with you? Yes, please - sign us up!). Since the flight time from our hometown to Vanuatu is less than 3 hours, you can bet that we have added this slice of sand, sea & sun to our bucket list. Thank you for joining in, Valerie, and for sharing stories from your part of the world with us! Enjoy!
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Tell us about where you live?
I live in Vanuatu, a tiny island country in the South Pacific. It is about three hours flight away from Australia and New Zealand. I’ve been fortunate enough to travel a lot in my life and live in different places. I absolutely love discovering new places, cultures and people; however, I am also always happy to return home at some point. Beyond my obvious biases, there is something truly special about this country - something very raw, very simple and, to me, very authentic. I have found balance here between a life, passion and job that requires me to be connected at all times - as well as the need to actually not be connected at all times. It’s just easy to leave your phone at home around here. It’s easy to still connect with people face to face and not through some device. It’s easy to be spontaneous. I love that.
What makes your town/state/country unique?
Kava. Around 5pm here, most people are done for the day and usually gather in what we call “Nakamals” - a sort of outdoor version of a bar where one drinks “kava” (or other regular soft drink or beer). That’s probably the heart of the nivan culture and something unique. Kava is a drink extracted from a root with a very earthy, peppery taste. It isn’t alcohol. It is not a drug. However, it does have a relaxing effect (that turns to numbing if you abuse it). So everyday around 5pm, people gather for an hour - or two or three (it’s up to them) - and sit down outside. You will find some under majestic banyan trees or by the beach or wherever their favourite nakamal and crowd is. They just chat, catch up, connect. I love this about our culture. I love taking that hour of time to just be a human and connect with other humans, talking about everything and anything. Not knowing whether the conversation today will be silly and witty or deep and meaningful. I love that our lifestyle allows us be dedicated parents & committed business owners but still allows us time to be part of a community and see our friends almost every day. It gives us a wonderful balance. It allows us to transition nicely between our working day and our life at home, blow some steam, have a laugh, and still be back home early enough for family dinners, playtime and cuddles with our bub, and bedtime stories. Both my husband and I have spent years in cities like London and Paris where the everyday rhythm is crazy. Therefore, we appreciate time as our most treasurable thing today.
If I traveled from the opposite side of the world, what should I visit in your country?
Tanna definitely. 100% Tanna. Vanuatu has about 80 islands. That’s a lot of tropical paradise to offer but Tanna is so special, it is actually, truly worth coming all the way from across the globe. Tanna is home to the world’s most accessible active volcano. By that, I mean that you can actually sit on its crater rim. As you watch the sun set over the ocean, you can witness the pure, raw force of nature. You will feel, hear, and see the volcanic eruptions and the sky and stars turn red (check out some footage here). If that’s not enough, Tanna has landscape like the moon, tropical beaches, lush green jungles, pristine waterfalls and blue caves all along its coast, accessible only by swimming in from the ocean. It’s a land for the old souls and the children at heart, the adventurers, & the wanderers.
Coffe or chai/tea?
Personally, coffee AND tea. ☺ I don’t know that I can shoutout for a fav coffee shop as that’s actually one of the things I miss about big cities… especially after 8 years spent in Paris where there are probably as many coffee shops as inhabitants. That isn’t to say we don’t have nice little coffee shops around here. We do but I can’t think of one that stands out particularly. What I can say, however, is that we have our very own coffee - 100% Vanuatu coffee. It is grown and harvested in Tanna and processed in Port Vila. That should be enough to make any coffee lover happy, don’t you think? And if that’s not enough, you could pair Vanuatu grown coffee with a Vanuatu tree to bar Gaston Chocolate, for example. ☺ Yes, we have that too. The cacao beans are grown and harvested in the outer island of Malekula, the chocolate bars are made in Gaston’s cute little shop downtown… and you can sip a cup of Tanna coffee while actually watching the chocolate being made!
Best breakfast café?
Hmmm… my loyalties are torn apart! I would say Jill’s Café for a typical homey feel. K2 for several reasons: amazing & healthy breakfast with a twist, traditional recipes revisited with local products & a creative flair, and wonderful coffee & fresh juice. Chantilly’s on the Bay, finally, for amazing breakfast with a view.
Three reasons for why someone should visit your country?
To unwind, stay in a heavenly resort away from it all and let the crystal clear waters and light palm breeze rejuvenate your soul and reconnect you with yourself and your loved ones. To go out of your comfort zone, experience a destination where twenty-first century lifestyle and traditional culture overlap, where you can have access to international standard comfort, or choose to be adventurous and go completely off-the-beaten tracks. Slow yourself. Come back to a rhythm that is healthy. Learn patience.
Any local legends?
None that come to my mind particularly. Having said that, the nivan culture is very, very mystic. Some of the most remote islands are known to be home to actual sorcerers and black magic. This is actually something that is taken seriously around here. As far as I’m concerned, well, just in case, I prefer to respect these beliefs. ☺
Train, bus or walk?
Bus. Our buses don’t follow a given itinerary. You stop them anywhere you would like a cab. Hop in, tell the driver where you are going and he will take you there. Bear in mind, though, that this works on a first come, first serve basis so it is worth making sure the bus you’re hoping on is going your way if you don’t want to end up going all over town before you reach your destination! ☺ (I suppose this could also answer your question about a local quirk! ☺)
Best accommodation?
There are so many options! Erakor Island is a small islet reached by a five minutes ferry ride over crystal clear blue waters with star fish all over the seabed. Breakas Resort for the surfing. Eratap and The Havannah for a truly romantic getaway. Ratua Island and Tanna Rockwater for absolute barefoot luxury, for a honeymoon or a quiet retreat.
Must see vantage point?
Clem’s Hill overlooking far into Port Vila, the harbor, Mele Bay, villages, coconut tree fields, Hideaway Island… there is so much of what is typical of Vanuatu in one panorama.
Most colorful character in your hometown?
Clement Martinez is maybe not the most colourful character in town but he is definitely worth visiting and chatting with. He is the friendly owner of “L’Houstalet”, a French restaurant he opened over forty - maybe even fifty - years ago now. And almost nothing has changed in the restaurant over the years. Clement and his restaurant are a part of Vanuatu’s history and have been the witness of it as well. They were here before we became an independent country, and they stay even after. If history isn’t your thing, he serves delicious pizza - as well as less ordinary dishes, such as lobster and flying fox. ☺
Number one thing you miss when you’re away?
My loved ones and my dogs. Also, the sights. I love the fact that I can see the ocean from almost everywhere, that nature is so present around us, & it makes me feel like I can just breathe better. I miss that when I’m away, for sure!
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You will find Valerie here:
Website: Valerie Fernandez Photography
Instagram: @valeriefernandezphotography
Facebook: @kspvaleriefernandez
Narrowing down the options when choosing a wedding photographer is typically multifaceted. You want to love the photographer's work. You want a personality that "gets" you as individuals and as a couple (put simply, you want someone relatable!). You need to be able to afford them. With this is mind, some of the most important reasons for why we blog regularly (fyi: we blog once a week and this is our 128th post) are:
to tangibly demonstrate how passionate we are about our role as wedding photographers
to show who we are and what this means to you as our client
to share tips and ideas
Essentially, the kind of information that we are hoping will be important during your decision-making process. Today, we are sharing a little more about us & some food for thought for our clients. A recent discussion about some of our most memorable & personal images to date was the catalyst.
We work really hard on perfecting our craft. We focus a lot of attention on people skills, composition, chasing the most ideal light, depth of field... have we lost you yet? ;) We decided to strip all that back during our discussions and we challenged each other to think of our personal favourite images (rule time: we could only pick a maximum of 2 images). Of course, we both gravitated to ones that have all three of us in them. However, we currently do not share images of our daughter, Chloe, online. So we started again. Naturally, our minds drifted to favourite shots of the two of us - mostly taken during travels. With that in mind (and as the exercise was beginning to feel too easy!), we narrowed the criteria down even further: Pete had to choose two images that featured only him and I had to choose two that only featured me.
{Try this for yourself! You might surprise yourself with what you end up choosing. Actually, why don’t you stop reading now and pick out your two all-time favourites. We’ll come back to yours in a moment.}
In the end, Pete settled on one image. He felt that this one summed up everything for him:
I chose two as they are from a similar time period (same year) but during very different experiences and I find the polarity striking:
Interestingly, all three are “okay” images (definitely not terrible). However, are they perfectly composed? Was the lighting nailed? Honestly, does it even matter? All three tell a story that is important to the subject. Pete chose his representative image for a range of reasons. Skydiving was a dream come true. He was proud of himself for taking the risk. Pete experienced freedom that comes with… well, jumping out of a plane with all risks carefully calculated. I chose my graduation image as I was (and am) so proud of this achievement. It is something that was the result of hard work & dedication. I chose the one from my first time experiencing snow. This moment features in one of the top 10 days of my life to date. Experiencing snowfall was (in my case, anyway) a magical moment. I don’t usually take selfies but this was a moment I wanted to freeze forever - literally.
When you selected your two images, did you think anything along these lines, “I really like x one but I can’t possibly keep it! If I took it again, I would make sure I was a little more off-centre. If it followed the rule of thirds, I think I would be more inclined to keep it”… “Hmmm, this is a good one but the shadows on my face are too pronounced. I think I will scrap it. Shame really as it always makes me feel happy when I look at it!”… “Oooops - the highlights are blown! Forget it! …
Correct me if I am wrong but I am guessing that you chose based on how looking at those images makes you feel?
In conclusion, we wanted to take this opportunity to re-frame the importance of capturing the moments that are important to you. Yes, we will strive for perfect composition, image processing, lighting, timing, & storytelling. However, we will not compromise storytelling & capturing raw emotion at the expense of perfection. We want the resulting images to tell your story; not be representative of our “brand” per se. We want you to love your wedding photography for a lifetime.
We kicked off a new series in January featuring traveling photographers from around the world (most recent feature here; to date, the list includes Italy, Canada, United States and Australia). We make no secret of the fact that we love travel. We love learning about other cultures. We love contributing to a smaller, more interactive space. With this in mind, we are going to be sharing local stories by local photographers from around the world throughout our posts this year.
This month, and our 125th blog post (random fact!), is all about Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (United States), through the eyes of Kitty & Mark from Requiem Images. One of our favourite aspects of organising these features is getting to know the individuals involved; lovely Kitty & Mark are no exception. We have really enjoyed learning about their colourful corner of the world (showcased beautifully through their emotional photography) - and the personalities behind Requiem Images, too. (Our little one is a fan of Daniel Tiger; there is an interesting connection below!) Enjoy and thank you for joining in, Kitty & Mark! (All images below were taken in Pittsburgh.)
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Photography by Requiem Images
Tell us about where you live:
We travel regularly and try to experience as many cultures as possible so my family and I like to consider ourselves more global citizens than anything; however, the home we own and where we spend most of our time is in Pittsburgh, PA.
Photography by Requiem Images
What makes your town, state or country unique?
Our city is unique because it’s like a hybrid of a small town and a city. We have a downtown with skyscrapers, lots of museums, parks, highways - so many things happening at any given time - but everyone knows one another and it’s essentially just a grouping of small, unique neighborhoods.
Also the bridges - Pittsburgh is rated 4th in the cities with the most number of bridges in the world.
If I traveled from the opposite side of the world, what should I visit in your town, state or country?
Mattress Factory, Warhol Museum, all the restaurants, Strip District, Lawrenceville - just make a week of it and experience all the little neighborhoods and see what each has to offer!
What is something quirky we would find in your town, state or country?
I wouldn’t say that Pittsburgh has one specific quirky feature, but rather that Pittsburgh is awesome because it is comprised of lots of little quirky aspects throughout the city and even its suburbs. Some great examples are The Mattress Factory (the worlds first museum dedicated to installation art), Picklesburgh (the highest-rated specialty food festival in the nation), the mass of dinosaur sculptures that can be found scattered around the city, monthly community ‘undies only’ bike rides, and so much more!
Coffee or chai tea?
Coffee. Because kids.
Best breakfast cafe?
Oooo that’s a good one! There are so many killer places to brunch in this town. If I absolutely have to chose, it's not necessarily a breakfast cafe but if I had to chose one place to go for brunch this weekend I would probably chose Eleven. My husband and I had brunch there for one of our first dates in Pittsburgh, so not only is the food great but the memories, as well. But seriously… there are tons of awesome places to brunch in Pittsburgh!
Photography by Requiem Images
Three reasons for why someone should visit your town, state or country?
It’s super friendly, has an amazing art scene, and an even more amazing food scene.
Photography by Requiem Images
Photography by Requiem Images
Photography by Requiem Images
Photography by Requiem Images
Photography by Requiem Images
Any local legends?
If we’re talking about people, there are loads! Wayne Coyne of the Flaming Lips, Andy Warhol, Mr Rogers, loads of actors and musicians, etc.
If we’re talking events, I’ve mentioned several awesome happenings throughout the interview that are totally worth checking out!
Photography by Requiem Images
Train, bus, car or walk?
Always try to walk if possible. It’s best for the environment and it can do a world of good, especially for someone who is self-employed, to just get outside for a few minutes. Luckily, we live in an area in Pitttsburgh that’s very walkable. One thing that makes Pittsburgh awesome is that there are lots of little walkable neighborhoods around the city - but if we have to get somewhere on the other side of the city we drive. (I would KILL to have an awesome train system in town!)
Best accommodation?
As a wedding photographer, I am pretty familiar with a lot of the hotels in town and I definitely have my favorites. My first choice would probably be the Ace Hotel - it's a former YMCA facility with a super cool vibe, amazing natural light pouring into all the rooms, a restaurant with great food, innovative cocktails, and it's in the perfect walkable part of town. If Ace is booked, some other faves include Hotel Monaco, Hotel Indigo, and the Fairmont downtown.
Must-see vantage point?
Mount Washington. Hands down. It offers a view of the entire city that can’t be beat.
Who is the most note-worthy person to come from your hometown?
Of course as an artist I’m biased, but I’d have to say Andy Warhol. My husband argues that it’s Mr. Rodgers (even though it often rains, Pittsburgh is a city filled with beautiful little neighborhoods).
Most colorful character in your hometown?
I’d have to say Tracy the Trailer Trash Girl. However, Sharon Needles and Alaska both deserve honorable mentions.
Photography by Requiem Images
Number one thing you miss when you’re away?
Pittsburgh is amazing and wonderful but my honest answer has to be my comfy bed.
Photography by Requiem Images
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You will find Kitty & Mark here:
Website: Requiem Images
Instagram: @requiemimages
Facebook: @RequiemImages