Being based in Sydney, we are fortunate to have access to some breathtaking settings. From the the golden sands and cliffs along the Eastern and Northern Beaches, to the iconic Sydney Opera House, and the countless gems along the sparkling Sydney Harbour: The Rocks, Circular Quay, Darling Harbour, Milsons Point, Balmoral Beach, Bradleys Head, Chowder Bay, Mosman, Rose Bay, Watsons Bay, and being afloat on the harbour’s waters itself. And to top it off, last year took us to some amazing destinations, northward to the Central Coast, Brisbane, and Far North Queensland. And finally, there was that lovely resort in Cancun, Mexico!

Before I get too carried away, here are some of our favourite photos from some of our favourite destinations, our favourite venues, and our favourite moments. Enjoy!

The Bridal Portraits

The Venues

The Reception

The Dancing

Thank you all for following our journey as photographers over the last few years! Despite what has been dominating our blog in recent years, we don’t just lug our camera gear to weddings and portrait sessions. We’ve taken them across Australia and beyond, to some pretty spectacular places. Up next on the blog will be a first glimpse into some of our recent adventures. We can’t wait to share!

But first, we’d like to look back on some of the wonderful weddings we’ve had the privilege to be a part of since we started our business. We greatly enjoyed photographing such a culturally and geographically diverse selection of weddings in Sydney and beyond, and we are are filled with gratitude for all our clients who trusted us to capture their big days. So now, we’d like to present you with a photographic journey of a typical wedding day with The Wong Couple, using some of our favourite wedding photos over the past few years. Enjoy Part 1!

The Bridal Details

The Bride Gets Ready

The Groom Gets Ready

The First Look

The Ceremony

After tying their knots and walking down the aisles for their first times as husband and wife, the fun was just about to get started. Stay tuned for a look at our favourite wedding portraits, fabulous reception venues, and our favourite moments of celebration!

We all loved this adorable little blue house!

Didn’t our bride and groom look so lovely and happy?

Gorgeous…

From there it was over to one of the cutest little hidden beaches in Sydney, and one of my personal favourites, Camp Cove.

The sky was filled with soft afternoon light filtering through the pastel clouds. Beautiful!

Love this one! Gorgeous!

Back at the venue, the very elegant Dunbar House was all set up and ready to welcome the guests.

Emma and Carl’s guests were treated to cocktail hour on the veranda in the warm afternoon sun. Beautiful!

As cocktail hour wound down, the sky was gearing up for its evening show, so we followed Emma and Carl down to the beach for a few minutes of glorious sunset light.

We were definitely rewarded with some pretty epic golden clouds!

We couldn’t resist doing a panorama here! Click to view it larger.

At this time of year, we were lucky to have the sun set directly behind the city buildings. Beautiful!

When we get a sunset like this on a wedding day, we’re always so excited for our couples! *Jeff and Erin high-five*

The father-of-the-bride and father-of-the-groom gave a joint speech together. How special!

There was plenty of beautiful gourmet food to dig into! Yum!

Emma and Carl made the final speech of the night that brought out some beautiful emotions from their families.

At last, it was time for Emma and Carl to take their first dance steps together as a married couple.

Some of Emma and Carl’s friends are definitely super-keen dancers! We loved everyone’s enthusiasm!

What a perfect wedding day! Congratulations, Emma and Carl. We hope these images will help to remind you of all the wonderful emotions of your wedding day for many years to come. Thank you for letting us be a part of your day! Friends and family of Emma and Carl, leave a comment for the newlyweds if you like—we’d also love to know what you think of the photos!

Emma told me about her gown long before the wedding day, so I was very excited to see it in person and photograph it. This amazing organza and lace gown is a Vera Wang creation, the “Eliza” gown.

Ahhh, I love this dress. The Chantilly and Alencon lace is just to die for, and its ruffles and layers are soo romantic. It was so perfect for Emma, as you’ll see!

I had a lot of fun with the girls as they got ready in the Watsons Bay Boutique Hotel.

The view from Emma’s room was just lovely, overlooking the bay.

Emma’s bouquet was a perfect bunch of white peonies. The pale pink details for the bridesmaids were a perfect compliment!

I loved the coordinated robes that Emma got for her bridesmaids.

I couldn’t get enough of these flowers! They were soooo lovely.

Our bride was looking beautiful!

Even Emma’s mum couldn’t resist the beautiful flowers!

Emma’s romantic hairstyle and makeup looked amazing. Wasn’t our bride just stunning?!

Emma chose these delicate pink dresses from Alannah Hill for her bridesmaids. Perfect!

All the ladies were looking lovely!

Time for our bride to put on that amazing gown…

Emma separately picked out this gorgeous sash to wear with her gown.

Sooo stunning, Emma!

As the girls finished getting ready, Jeff went over to see what fun the groomsmen were having. The boys wasted no time getting dressed!

Cuff links yoga!

Carl had fun styling his own hairdo!

Our groom was looking handsome and maybe only just a little bit nervous. ;)

The boys had small pale ivory peonies to match the girls.

From the hotel it was just a short walk over to their ceremony on the lawn in front of Dunbar House. Events by Nadia did a lovely job with the ceremony styling.

This amazing fig tree was the backdrop for their ceremony. I just love these trees!

Carl looked so excited to see his beautiful bride!

The lovely Joy Allen officiated their ceremony.

Love love love… what a stunning setting for a wedding ceremony.

Emma and Carl look at each other so adoringly… love this one! :)

Husband and wife… you may kiss your new spouse!

What a beautiful wedding ceremony. Congratulations, Emma and Carl! Stay tuned for Part 2 of this lovely day, featuring portraits on the beach with our happy couple, and the beautiful reception at Dunbar House. Friends and family of Emma and Carl, leave a comment for the happy couple below! We’d love to know what you think of the photos!

The kids seemed to love posing for us all afternoon, at least when we could get their attention!

Looking good, Mum and Dad! Your bub is just too cute for words. What a sweetie.

How cute are these kids? They both really love their baby sister and of course both wanted to be the ones to hold her for the photo. Simply adorable!

There wasn’t the slightest bit of hesitation from the kids when we asked if they wanted to go climb up some rocks!

I love this one, with some cheeky smiles! Heehee.

We found out about these cute red rowboats on the Lane Cove River, which you can hire by the hour. We thought that would be loads of fun for the older kids and they seemed to agree!

The kids were eager to help Dad with the rowing. It was a really lovely afternoon to be outdoors!

Soon Annemarie joined the boat, with baby securely in her own life jacket, for a few more paddles around the river. As you can see, we weren’t the only ones playing photographer on the day! Michael and Annemarie’s 7-year-old son was toting an old film camera around all afternoon and loved taking imaginary photos of everything in sight.

I love this one. Sisters together… soo precious!

Love this one of Annemarie and Michael. They make such a lovely couple, and are obviously doing a great job as parents of three well-behaved kiddos. :)

One of our favourites from the afternoon. What a perfect family!

Annemarie and Michael, we loved meeting you and your adorable kids! You should be very proud. Thanks so much for a fun afternoon in the park! Friends and family of Annemarie and Michael, we’d love to know what you think of the photos—leave us a comment below! :)

Weren’t the little flower girl and ring bearer adorable?

Cathy looked so beautiful as she came down the aisle!

The gazebo in the garden was such a lovely setting in the afternoon sun.

Cathy and Stewart included a sand ceremony to symbolise their inseparable union, before they shared their heartfelt vows with one another.

They had the biggest smiles on their faces as they were pronounced husband and wife!

The ballroom set up for their reception looked beautiful dressed up in silver, white and candlelight.

An assortment of lollies gave the venue a nice splash of colour.

Their cake was so lovely!

Our happy couple entered the reception and everyone tucked into Miramare’s delicious food.

The lolly buffet quickly became a huge hit with the guests!

The mother of the bride had everyone smiling as she kicked off the speeches for the evening.

Stewart’s brother had everyone giggling with tales of their growing up together.

Stewart gave the most emotional speech of all as he shared how he and Cathy had met and how his feelings grew for her over the course of their relationship. It was so sweet!

How sweet! Then it was time to cut the cake!

Joy and happiness was written all over Cathy and Stewart’s faces as they danced together.

The DJ did a great job of keeping the guests on the dance floor, boogieing the night away!

I love the shot here with Stewart’s grandmother. What a sweet moment. You may recognise these two beautiful young couples here, Melissa & Chris and Jen & Ben, whom we also had the pleasure of photographing! It’s been such an honour to have been a part of so many milestone events in the Wilkinson family!

This little guy loved being the center of attention on the dance floor!

Congratulations, Cathy and Stewart! We loved being a part of your beautiful wedding day. We wish you a long life filled with happiness and love! Friends and family of Cathy and Stewart, leave a comment below for the happy couple and let us know what you think of the photos!

Many smiles and the smell of fresh roses filled Cathy’s hotel room!

Cathy’s romantic hairstyle and makeup looked beautiful!

Cathy’s friends and family were having a blast with their own preparations!

Cathy looked absolutely gorgeous as a bride in her ballgown fit for a princess!

So beautiful… just stunning, Cathy!

Meanwhile, Stewart was enjoying a relaxing morning and getting ready with his family.

Looking pretty sharp, Stewart!

Cathy and Stewart wanted to do a first look before their ceremony, so we hid Cathy away at a beautiful small beach north of Narrabeen while Stewart waited patiently.

Stewart was so happy to see his beautiful bride! Awww.

What a beautiful couple and what stunning scenery. Perfect!

I just love these! Soo pretty.

Love it! Cathy and Stewart looked so tremendously happy.

They also hired this fantastic classic car to wheel them around on this beautiful day.

We went for a little stroll at the main beach in Narrabeen, enjoying the sunshine.

Another beautiful shot of our bride and groom! Love this one!

I love Stewart’s smile here. Such joy on his wedding day!

We could nearly hear the wedding bells… it was time to head to the ceremony! Next up, we feature Cathy and Stewart’s beautiful vows and reception at Miramare Gardens. Stay tuned!

Friends and family of Cathy and Stewart, leave a comment below for the newlyweds and let us know which is your favourite photo!

Maria and Talib are such honest and genuine people, so clearly deeply in love! It is such a special thing to witness as photographers. You two make such a beautiful couple, Maria and Talib!

Maria and Talib had a little practice of their first dance in the park… love it!

I loved this ballgown on Maria… just stunning!

What a beautiful summer afternoon! We took Maria and Talib down to one of our favourite sunset spots in Sydney, not far from Jeffrey Street Wharf. Even with the afternoon sun still high in the sky, it’s hard to beat the panoramic view from here, with the Sydney skyline in all its glory. Click the panorama for a larger view!

Soo beautiful!

The classic car they hired for the wedding day was fabulous!

Next we made our way to their big and beautiful blue, black and white themed reception at the Westella Renaissance ballroom in Lidcombe. Maria and Talib chose a very elegant black and white cake that fit the venue perfectly.

Our happy couple made a dramatic entrance accompanied by several drummers and went straight into a fun choreographed dance!

Soon, everyone was joining in!

Some of Talib’s best mates kicked off the speeches with humorous tales of the groom’s past…

Maria and Talib had a surprise in store for their guests… when they started dancing, the whole ballroom floor was flooded with thick fog! So dramatic and beautiful!

Love this one! Gorgeous.

Even the little ones wanted a chance with the mic on the dance floor!

Our happy newlyweds took the mic for the final speech of the night.

A final treat was in store for the guests… another fantastic choreographed group dance!

Then the dancefloor opened up to everyone. What fun!

Love it!

Congratulations Maria and Talib! It was a delight to have been a part of your wedding day and we wish you many years of joy and happiness together! Friends and family of Maria and Talib, leave a comment for the happy couple below and let us know what you think of the photos!

The spread symbolised many hopes and wishes for the new couple in their life together—that they may have joy (pomegranates), wealth (coins), sweetness in life (sugar and honey), fertility (walnuts), and that they may avoid the evil eye (salt) and be protected from evil spirits (poppy seeds and other spices).

The Aghd spread also included a mirror, one of the most important items in the Aghd ceremony, and a candelabra representing brightness and light in the future of the couple. This beautiful bowl of saffron-coloured rock candy symbolised a wish for the couple to have sweetness in life.

A very talented family member also created this amazing carved fruit and vegetable spread!

Maria’s traditional wedding outfit was elaborately adorned with sequins and metallic embroidery. Beautiful!

Maria’s mother and sister helped her get ready before the ceremony.

The little flower girls were quite taken with our beautiful bride!

Did Maria look gorgeous or what? Absolutely stunning!

Sooo beautiful, Maria!

Talib waited patiently for his bride at the start of the ceremony. Adhering to tradition, Talib gazed into the mirror and waited for Maria to walk down the aisle and approach him. The groom is to see his bride for the first time in the mirror.

The adorable flower girls led the procession down the aisle.

Talib looked so happy to see his beautiful bride all dressed up! Such a nice moment as they smiled at each other’s reflections.

The ceremony began with some words of prayer and the signing of the marriage certificate.

Maria’s family members held a silk scarf over their heads and tossed a thin flatbread onto it, as a wish for feasting and prosperity in Maria and Talib’s future together.

At the end of the ceremony, Maria and Talib dipped their fingers in the cup of honey and fed it to each other.

Afterwards, in Talib’s Pakistanti family traditions, they held a brief ceremony in the doorway of the house.

Then, Maria and Talib gave each other tea, sharing their first drink together as husband and wife.

We then travelled with Maria and Talib to their own home for a quick outfit change before some photos and their beautiful reception.

Maria chose a gorgeous silk ballgown to wear for their big, festive reception! It was just perfect for her!

She also had the perfect shimmering silver accessories to go along with her gown.

With no bridal party or family members to attend to, Maria and Talib got their first chance to relax and enjoy this quiet downtime together before the festivities ahead. It’s not often the bride and group get a chance to help each other dress for their wedding!

Looking very sharp, you two!

Once our bride and groom were all dolled up, we headed out for some photos by the harbour! Here’s a sneak peak at what’s coming in Part 2…

Stay tuned everyone for more portraits of this gorgeous couple, and their beautiful ballroom reception with lots and lots of dancing! Friends and family of Maria and Talib, we’d love to know what you think of the photos in the comments below!

The preparations began with Talib’s female family members arranging the items for the ceremony, including coloured rice, sweets, Pithi paste made of tumeric, and small clay pots.

The guests were all smiles as they eagerly awaited the arrival of the future bride and groom.

Our beautiful bride made a ceremonial entrance while her family and friends held a traditional wedding shawl over her head.

Our handsome groom soon followed!

The guests approached our bride and groom one by one to give their blessings. Each guest fed them a piece of candy to wish them sweetness in their marriage.

They also took the Pithi paste, made of chickpea flour, rose water and tumeric, and rubbed it on the bride and groom’s hands or face to give them radiant skin for the wedding day.

There was also much throwing of the coloured rice to wish them abundance and prosperity in their lives together. The guests seemed to really enjoy that part of the blessings!

What fun! All the commotion was so lively and festive! With the guests crowding around in excitement, there was hardly any room for us to squeeze in.

Didn’t our bride-to-be look gorgeous?

The guests were all in such good spirits!

After the blessings were completed, our bride and groom broke sapatias. These small clay pots traditionally contain sugar, tumeric, lentils and silver coins, the breaking of which symbolises the release of the gifts that are inside—sweetness, good health, prosperity and wealth.

Then everyone enjoyed a delicious feast of Indian food!

Maria and Talib had told us that the end of the night would involve some “egg throwing” at the groom. Here I was envisioning a small group of people, perhaps with one egg in hand each, tossing them gently toward the groom… but once I saw that giant blue tarp go down, I suspected there might be something a bit different about to happen! Talib donned his protective Iron Man mask to prepare for what was to come. It was tradition for Maria to smash the first egg… and then…

Haha!

Jeff and I thought it was hilarious they brought out ketchup, flour, pitchers of water, silly string, whipped cream… and of course, several dozen eggs!!

Oh my goodness… what a mess!  The guests were very entertained, and I think it’s safe to say the groom was thoroughly “blessed” by this stage! :)

While our groom escaped to take a shower, the guests took the celebration to the dance floor!

What fun! Next up on our blog will be Part one of Maria and Talib’s beautiful wedding day… stay tuned! Family and friends of Maria and Talib, we’d love to hear what you think of the images! Feel free to leave a comment for us below.