Category Archives: Full Wedding

August 25, 2010

{wedding} nick & surya, basalt, colorado.

This is a story impossible to tell.

You had to be there.

It’s as simple as that.

No photos or words in the world can describe the awesomeness of this day, this night, these people.

Nick and Surya.

“We are having a fun, vintagey picnic style wedding on a mountain in Colorado with BBQ ribs and tons of beer.  It just seems like your style would be an amazing fit.”

I received that email in September last year and even though Nick and Surya thought I was based in Brisbane, California and not Brisbane, Australia, we worked it out.

Because this was meant to be.

Fast forward to the end of July and I’m driving up from Denver to Aspen, nervous but also happy and excited. I love what I do. As some of you know this is my second career, my fallback plan and it has changed my life profoundly. You all have made me a better man. People like Nick and Surya. And people like Erik, who flew up from Texas to shoot this wedding together with me. Erik is in my opinion one of the best wedding photographers in the US, so having him there with me meant more than you can imagine. Add the amazingness of Beth, the wedding planner and you have a day to remember forever.

I don’t know how to best describe this wedding, all I know is that I have met people I hope to stay in touch with for the rest of my life, so instead I’ll leave you with the song ”Love Is A Big Deal” that Surya’s sister Miya performed for Nick and Surya’s first dance (iTunes). And also what Garland, celebrant and BFF, said at the beginning of the ceremony.

True love truly is a big deal.

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“First, a word.

This is a celebration.  This is not a sit on your hands, wait for it to be over, wondering what the readings mean wedding.  This is a stand up and cheer wedding.  This is a clap your hand joyous wedding.  This is a day that you are a part of because you are awesome people and this is an awesome couple.  and we’re to hoot and holler about that.  So please feel free to be as joyful and raucous as you’d like.  in fact, it is encouraged.

That being said, a thank you is in order.  Thank you for being here.  Thank you for the miles you have traveled and for making the choice to come today to celebrate.  To support.

To love.

Your presence here is not taken lightly.  You were invited to bear witness to this day because you are an integral part of this story.  You are family, you are friends.  You were there in those first months.  You saw the glimmer.  The spark in their eyes as they spoke of the other.  “this is the one” they said.  And over a glass of wine.  Or on a cross country phone call.   Or an email from a world away.  You said “yes. And I couldn’t be happier for you.””

Designer & Planning: Beth Helmstetter Events
Videography: Brian Morrow from Flash Dance
Florals: Flower House
Lighting & Entertainment: Platinum Productions
Screen Printing: Indy Ink

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by Jonas

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June 4, 2010

{anthony & alexandra} ~ wedding ~ palm cove

23 people sharing a great day in Palm Cove, Queensland, that’s all it takes. Alexandra and Anthony have been traveling the world for six months and have six months to go before they get back to their jobs in London. I don’t know when they decided to get married, but I’m very happy I got to be a part of their little secret. See, they decided to elope. Well, sort of. 23 of their closest friends and family were in on their plans, and Alexandra’s family now lives in Cairns, but the rest back in London and around Oz were informed just the other day. After the wedding. I have read the Facebook status updates today and believe me, it’s total mayhem. You did…huh? Whaaaat?? Well, it was a pretty amazing day, people and you all should have been there. That’s all I can say. It was actually pure magic.

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by Jonas

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January 6, 2010

{tim & kesh} ~ wedding ~ sydney

When Tim contacted me a couple of weeks before Christmas I had decided not to shoot anything else in 2009. I was done. After a whirlwind of a year I was ready to spend some time stuffing my face with ham and chocolate. But there was something about Tim’s email. He was desperate. And he called me a saviour. I generally turn down weddings where I don’t get to cover the whole day, but this one was different. Sure, the reception would end at 3pm and the 8am temple ceremony was closed, but it still sounded like a great one to me. My gut feeling told me to go for it.

I flew down the day before and Tim and Kesh picked me up at the airport. We drove around for a couple of hours, talked about Swedish jeans, looked at the venue, temple and possible locations for portraits. I knew we’d have to shoot portraits around noon, which is pretty much the worst time of day to shoot anything in summer in Australia. Not only is the sun hot and unforgiving, the light is harsh and makes my job a lot more difficult. I wanted to filter my light somehow and we found some great spots down in Centennial Park, ironically just a couple of hundred meters from where I used to live in Paddington.

The wedding day was beautiful and even though it was shorter than most weddings I’ve covered, I’m very happy I trusted my gut feeling and went.

Tim and Kesh.

Thank you.

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Dress – Lorraine Bryce

Kesh’s shoes: Juicy Couture

Kesh’s Bow and Tim’s ring: Andrea Santoso

Tim’s suit – We Rob Banks

Tim’s shoes: St&ard

Reception venue - Love Supreme

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by Jonas

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November 23, 2009

{bernie & jane} ~ wedding ~ brisbane

“I just want it to come out right”, he said.

“I love her so much and it can’t sound cliche”, he continued.

Bernie was worried his love for Jane wouldn’t come across in the speech he was writing. Nervously he went over it again. He furiously ironed his shirt, wrote some more and walked around the house telling his brother to put a shirt on. As soon as Jane entered the church and walked down the aisle I knew he had nothing to worry about; his love for Jane was so obvious, no one could miss it. In fact I don’t think I have ever seen a happier groom. No speech in the world would be able to ruin that. And of course his speech was fine. Great even. Every thing about it told the guests how happy he was and how much he loved Jane.

He didn’t have to say a thing.

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by Jonas

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October 20, 2009

{james & rebecca} ~ wedding ~ melbourne

Rebecca and James got married in the tallest residential building in the Southern hemisphere, the 300m Eureka Tower in Melbourne. Little did they know their photographer has a pretty extreme fear of heights. I really don’t know how I made it through the night without throwing up all over the guests, but somehow I kept it together.  When in Melbourne, you have to shoot in some of the hidden laneways you find all around town. So we did. Twas a good day.

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by Jonas

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October 2, 2009

{nick & mel} ~ wedding ~ boonah

As we were driving to Nick and Mel’s wedding in Boonah, i turned to Jac and said, “I have a good feeling about today”. “You always do”, she replied. And I guess that’s true, but this time there was definitely something in the air.

Mel found her vintage 1950′s dress just a week or so before the wedding and Nick, who according to insider information “looks ridiculous” every time a camera is around, looked completely at ease all day.

Can you believe people actually pay me money to be part of amazing days like this?

Insane, I know.

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by Jonas

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September 24, 2009

{dan + edwina} ~ wedding ~ maleny

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by Jonas

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August 5, 2009

{andy & cecilia} ~ wedding ~ sweden

I have lived in Australia for five years and in many ways I’m turning Aussie. I still can’t do Vegemite, but you never know, one day maybe. When Cecilia contacted me about shooting her wedding in Sweden I knew I wanted to do it. Andy is Australian and Cecilia Swedish and they live in Sydney. Their story is in many ways mine. Unfortunately I didn’t think I’d be able to be in Sweden for their wedding, so I had to turn it down. Months later I decided to go over and visit my family in Sweden and remembering Cecilia, I contacted her again. She still loved the thought of me shooting their wedding, so I packed my gear and jumped on a plane.

Svärdsjö in Dalarna in Sweden pretty much epitomizes what Sweden is, what it looks like, how it feels, smells and sounds and I was wondering if I would be able to capture it properly.

This was my first Swedish wedding, but hopefully not my last.

I normally put a slideshow last in my posts, but this time I ask you to watch it first. The music is a traditional Swedish hymn about summer, sung by artist Sofia Karlsson. It was also played on the church organ during the ceremony which I unfortunately wasn’t allowed to shoot.

You can watch the slideshow here.

These are just a few of my favourite shots from the day.

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by Jonas

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July 18, 2009

{paul & cassie} ~ wedding ~ brisbane

I don’t know where to begin when it comes to this one. Paul & Cassie planned their wedding for months and months and made it a very, very personal affair, but something tells me Cassie has been planning this wedding her whole life. Not only did they both collect things and details for a very long time, it felt like everything was there for a reason. It was a mix of DIY and great finds from around the world and yet it all fit together perfectly.

They collected mason jars, leaves, branches and pinecones for well over a year. I have never seen anything like the wedding tree, but I loved it straight away. Just brilliant. The ceremony and reception were held at Metro Arts in Brisbane and the venue was amazing.

Paul and Cassie, thanks for letting me be a part of your day.

You rock.

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by Jonas

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