There’s a reason why backyard weddings make my heart skip a beat almost every time I lay eyes on one. It’s that unabashed truth that lies within the location. The undeniable relationship between that plot of land with the Bride and Groom is so engrained within the space that every moment is inescapably personal and utterly beautiful. And when that backyard happens to have breathtaking views of country hills on one side and amazing greenery on the other, you get these stunning images from Bella Photography Tx. See them all in the gallery right here.
From Bella Photography… Gemma and Scott live in Queensland, Australia, near the Great Barrier Reef region. I flew over from Houston to shoot their wedding, but before we went inland where the wedding was to be held, we took advantage of the clear water and white sands and shot some engagements in the Whitsunday Islands!
Gemma decided to do all of the decorations for the wedding herself with the help of her mother, sister and friends. From the invitations and the seating arrangement, to the centerpieces, which were adorned with tiny flowers from her mother’s elaborate garden in Tenterfield, New South Wales, Gemma and her family made everything look beautiful. The guys were great as well, setting up the marquee by themselves and decorating the fixtures and area with lights. The location of the ceremony was on one side of the residence, out in the garden overlooking the hills of the country, while the reception was held in the marquee on the other side of the house at the edge of a hill overlooking the surrounding beautiful greenery.
The day of the wedding, it was sprinkling on and off, but we were lucky for the ceremony because no one had to use an umbrella. By the time we went for formals with the wedding party, it was pouring, so we took advantage of shooting in the historic Stannum House, which had plenty of photo ops. I couldn’t resist though and had the party take one shot outdoors, with the wedding party up top on the balcony and the bride and groom below under an awning. It was pouring down rain at this point, but luckily, the pictures still turned out beautifully. Back at the reception, things got into full swing with eating, drinking and dancing until the wee hours of the morning. The couple didn’t opt for a traditional send-off as they were staying at the house, so I took advantage of the fog rolling in and took a few dramatic lighting shots with the fog drifting in the background. Even out of a rainy foggy day, photographers have an awesome opportunity to make the best out of the situation at hand.
Wedding Photography: Stephanie Bachle of Bella Photography Tx (Soon-to-Be Eden Grey Photography / Wedding Venue: The Bride’s Family’s Home in Tenterfield, New South Wales / Floral Design: Catherine Hay, A Family Friend / Catering: Kim Rhodes, A Family Friend / Wedding Cake: Lara Flanagan of The Stannum House / Wedding Dress: Stella York via Jill Burston for Brides / Groom’s Suit: Tarocash