Second photographer on wedding day {Auckland-Hamilton-Tauranga lifestyle couples-engagement photographer}

I have a lot of questions from my couples about second photographer on their wedding, do they need it, what coverage better to order and what actually the point to have a second shooter on wedding day?

Im shooting weddings around Auckland, Hamilton, Tauranga and surroundings areas and can tell a lot of times I can cover wedding all by myself with all my activity, creativity, fast move around the space and try to capture all important for couple moments :).

But sometimes its just not enough, especially when you need a full day coverage, you having a big wedding with a lot of guests and events. So second photographer can capture:

  • groom getting ready when main shooter capturing bride getting ready on different location,
  • ceremony from different angles and sides (one photographer shoot bride with her father walking down the aisle, another photographer groom's reactions and even tears in their eyes, thats a priceless moments),
  • one photographer doing bridal party shots and intimate session, another one shooting them  from different angle with different focal length of the lens or doing receptions details shots and wedding guests candid shots (schedule always running late and often bride and groom enter the reception with main photographer when guests already took their places (so there is no time to capture all these beautiful details of decoration, cake etc.).

Don't forget a peoples factor: everyone can miss the moment, be tired, and just be in a different spot when something important happening. Thats why the ability to have a second shooter can save the day. I can also tell you a secret: everyone love to have a buddy at work so you feel less tired, more inspired and less stressful, wedding can be a hectic event :)

So its totally your personal choice, but I highly recommend to have a second photographer on wedding day (most of our packages offering it).

Im also like to help out other talented photographers in Auckland-Hamilton-Tauranga areas with shooting their weddings and be a part of couples special day, take of responsibilities of main shooter, don't waste the time on post-processing and enjoy creativity and fun of the day (if I have any free spots in my busy schedule, of course ;).

Have a look at these few images what I took as second shooter with Erica Jane for Kelly Oliver in Ataahua Garden Venue, enjoy this gallery!

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Groom Getting ready {Auckland-Hamilton-Tauranga wedding-couples-engagement photographer}

Getting ready moments is a most interesting and special time of each wedding. Im usually capturing a lot of bride getting ready moments during weddings in Auckland, Hamilton, Tauranga and surroundings areas. 

It's really important for couple to have a complete story of their wedding day: from getting ready till reception. I found this moments really special and full of fun, romance and some thoughts and wisdom atmosphere.

It's lucky when I have a complete story of the wedding day with capturing both - bride and groom getting ready moments, because groom often stays behind the scene as bride have her priority place, ha-ha!

Here is a few pictures from my recent wedding which shows the spirit of groom getting ready moments. Groom and groomsmen, relax atmosphere, details shots with environment, atmosphere, suits, rings, shoes, tie etc.: moment of putting suits on, father or groomsmen helping, pictures with groom's family (they so important on wedding day!).

Sometimes I have time to shoot groom in between of bride getting ready when they staying in the same location, but I am also love to help out other wedding photographers and do second shooting work, when I able to shoot groom and his groomsmen getting ready for a longer time before the wedding ceremony, it's such a fun moments! 

Enjoy this gallery!

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Bride getting ready {Auckland-Hamilton-Tauranga lifestyle wedding-couples-engagement photographer}

One of the most exciting part of the wedding day for me is bride getting ready - it's start of the day, start of wedding story and I also love to capture lifestyle moments behind the scene :) Im doing weddings around Auckland, Hamilton and surrounding areas and most of the time couples want to capture these special getting ready moments for complete the story of their wedding day.

Bride with her bridesmaids having fun, laughing, eating their breakfast, relaxing after late night :) Capturing lifestyle moments around and some portraits before putting dresses on. Details: veil, dress, rings, jewellery, other accessories, shoes - all items what been thoughtfully chosen with love for wedding day. 

Then time for putting dress on, bridesmaids or bride's mother taking big part in helping the bride, its so special atmosphere!

Bride along portraits and capture moments with bridesmaids. Its usually one of the most beautiful portraits from the wedding day!

Then rush, pick up all items and move towards the car for meet groom on ceremony site, so exciting moments.

Enjoy this gallery from my recent weddings around Auckland, Hamilton, Tauranga and surroundings areas. Im so in love with my beautiful stunning brides!

DOMINIQUE

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Kariotahi Beach wedding feature Be Minked {Auckland couples-engagement photographer}

Its such a great pleasure to see my photographs published by Be Minked, international wedding magazine. This beautiful wedding in Castaways, Kariotahi beach {Auckland} was so memorable with full of fun and positive emotions atmosphere.

Juliette & Jonny such a stunning couple, their photographs deserves to be featured and goes live around the world!

Thank you so much! Happy future together!

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Ataahua Wedding {Tauranga-Bay of Plenty couples-engagement photographer} Jessica and Jason

Some weddings just feels so special, couple looks stunning and wedding venue just gorgeous. Thats what I been capture at Ataahua Garden Venue in Tauranga {Bay of Plenty region} in January. It was amazing wedding from start to finish with so enjoyable moments in beautiful environment.

Jessica & Jason are a stunning couple, pictures turned just amazing. Im always in love with my beautiful brides! All these come together: beauty, hair style, make-up, dress, long veil and of course happiness! :)

Im so happy to capture these special for couple moments in Ataahua Garden Venue in Tauranga, amazing location, atmosphere, warm family and friends around bride and groom.

Thank you Kelly for take me on board, I been happy to help out at short notice and capture these beautiful couple's wedding day moments as second photographer with Erica Jane.

Enjoy this gallery!

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Early Bird wedding special 2017 | Winter Wedding Package 2016 {Auckland-Waikato-Bay of Plenty couples-engagement photographer}

Hi everyone! Hope you enjoyed these summer holidays in Auckland, Waikato, Bay of Plenty areas and on South Island. I have a special wedding news for your couple prior St Valentine's Day! :)

Bookings open now for 2017! Its time to announce our Early Bird wedding special 2017 and Winter Wedding Special 2016: 10% off any wedding package in our Pricing.

Early Bird 2017: Plan your wedding beforehand, stay calm and organise, save the money and celebrate: you just take off something from your list :) Happy wedding planning!

Winter Wedding Special 2016: Lets make these quiet months warmer and so much more exciting. I prolong winter special from May to September 2016, yay! Use the opportunity to save some money for your honeymoon! :)

I would love to capture for you special moments and document the story of your wedding day. Special bonus for couples - complimentary engagement session with your wedding package and no travel fees between Auckland - Hamilton - Tauranga areas. I would love to travel to destination sessions nationwide (Northland, Auckland, Waikato, Bay of Plenty, Wellington, Christchurch, Queenstown and surroundings areas), and international!

Excited to meet you and look forward to your wedding!

Check out my Wedding Photography Portfolio

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*Offer valid for bookings till 29 February 2016

New Zealand Garden Wedding Featured Publication {Auckland wedding photographer}

Im so thrilled to receive news: Olga & Zydon's wedding in Parnells on the Rose Garden been published in The Westchester Weddining Planner. Its a great pleasure to see these stunning wedding photographs acknowledged and goes live!
Thank you so much! Olga & Zydon are so stunning couple! Their wedding been just amazing with warm and romantic atmosphere. Happy future together!

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First dance {Auckland wedding-engagement photographer | emotional couples photography}

First dance is such a special moment for each couple on their wedding day. Thats why I often have wedding bookings covering time from getting ready till first dance. Its great memories and such special emotional moments.

You can see how much effort couples put into preparation for this dance to their families and guests (and themselves of course!), some couples even taking dance lessons before the wedding. I absolutely love it and respect this effort. I been taking myself to dance classes for many years from childhood. Its so special  when you feel music and movement, and it all comes together with emotions!

Have a look at this gallery from a few recent weddings in Auckland, I enjoyed every single moment of them. Such stunning brides and grooms and amazing atmosphere!

Daria & Dmitry

first dance {Auckland wedding-couples-engagement photographer}

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My everyday moments in 365 Project - January {Auckland-Hamilton lifestyle wedding-couples photographer}

Its a new year, its a new life and I continue to capture my everyday lifestyle moments in 365 project (366 this year :)

What a great month January, amazing start of the year: first 3 weddings open this year for me with travel to Auckland (Castaways Resort), Tauranga (Ataahua Garden Venue) and around the Hamilton, news about winning an International Wedding Photography Award by Bridal Guide (my pictures chosen in top 50 with other amazingly talented wedding photographers). My picture features on the cover of HuffPost Weddings! Its a big honour and amazing start of the year!

My little one finally became toilet trained, yay (you can't believe but its a big achievement in each family with little ones, ha-ha!). 

So many exciting events! I also look forward this year (a lot of big dates).

Oh, I forgot I celebrated my 35th birthday on 8th of January! Yay!

Enjoy this lifestyle gallery with my everyday moments!

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First look with Dad {Auckland-Hamilton wedding-engagement-couples photographer}

First Look is becoming more popular last few years. Its a great way to create a special moment for couples on their wedding day, moment when bride and groom see each other very first time before the ceremony on their wedding day. If couple is more traditional and prefer to see each other right on the ceremony when bride walking down the aisle another option is first look with Brides Dad.

Dads have a special place in each girl's heart so it's a treasured and emotional moment when Dad takes the bride walking down the aisle, but especially when he sees her for the first time right after getting ready before the ceremony. These moments are always full of love and special connection. 

I love to capture all these raw emotions and feelings! It's even more emotional when one person is standing back to walking forward another person (its could be either bride or her father) and they can't see each others faces, but then one turned around it's a magic moment happened, often with some tears (so tense emotions when you waiting for it:).

Enjoy this gallery from Juliette & Jonny's wedding in Castaways Resort, Auckland:

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Small family garden wedding - Musick Point {Auckland lifestyle couples-engagement photographer}

What a great small family garden wedding I captured in the middle of January in Auckland. Tessa & John just amazing couple. They had getting ready moments in Tessa's parents house, ceremony and reception in their garden and location couples shoot at Musick point (Auckland).

They met each other at work and been together for 11 years, what a strong relationship! Tessa and John said they love spending time together walking on the beach, listening to music and the main thing "We have a similar sense of humour so love things we can laugh at together". Thats so important when you can laugh together :)

I love to shoot small family weddings for their cosy and warm atmosphere when couples spend their special time with close friends and family. It was great to capture these such treasured couple moments of their wedding day! Need to say John's son was the best man and Tessa had her best friend Parvati was a maid of honour and her daughter Maia was a flower girl. Such a pretty little one!

Time goes really fast, few hours gone just like this! We enjoy every moment of this wedding day!

Congratulations Tessa & John! Happy future together!

What a great memories!

Creative team:

Celebrant - Mary Cox

Hair - Becs; Makeup - Nicky

Thank you!

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Wedding Picture feature in HuffPost Weddings {Auckland-Hamilton-Tauranga wedding photographer}

What a great honour to discover that my picture been featured in HuffPost Weddings {Huffington Post}! They posted top 50 best wedding photos 2015 award by Bridal Guide and choose one of my pictures for cover of their article. Its such a treasure to be featured in company with so talented wedding photographers around the world. 

Im mostly serving Auckland, Hamilton, Tauranga and surrounding areas, but always happy to travel to destination weddings nationwide, international. Hopefully there will be a chance very soon! 

Thank you so much for acknowledgement of my work. Im happy my art speaks to so many viewers!

feature Huffpost Weddings {Auckland-Hamilton-Tauranga couples-engagement photographer}


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Castaways Resort - Kariotahi beach wedding {Auckland lifestyle couples-engagement photographer} Juliette and John

What a beautiful wedding in Castaways Resort (Kariotahi beach, Auckland) I been captured with Juliette & Jonny; just amazing couple and meant to be with each other. I been shooting their engagement party in April last year; what a warm and cosy atmosphere it was. I been really thrilled to be invited to capture their special wedding day!

It's even more meaningful for me because Juliette is my very first friend that I met in New Zealand in my first year when I joined ice skating coffee club (I been doing figure skating for 5 years back in Russia :). She is a presenter at Radio New Zealand concert. We both love ice skating, dance and more :) it was a big honour to capture these beautiful moments for this stunning couple.

Juliette & Jonny met each other on tropical island on holidays few years ago and thought they never met again, but it was destiny :) Jonny moved to Auckland and started to work just few buildings over from Juliette's office and they met each other again and together forever from this point :) They have amazing story of relationship (there even been a moment when Juliette drove to rescue him in Northland where he was diving, luckily all finished good, but it was really strong check of their relationship). This couple meant to be with each other!

Creative team what made this wedding so special:

Dress: Parkland Bridal & Shirley from I Sew 4 U- Dressmaking & Alterations
Makeup: Catherine Campbell Make Up
Hair: Sam Graham from Framed Hair & Beauty
Shoes: Trousseau - bridal & evening shoes
Cake: Isabelle Edmonds
Flowers: Rosemary McNoe
Band: Twistin’ The Swing
and Levien & Lens Photography ;)

Day started from getting ready moments in nice Castaways chalet with amazing views to the ocean, what a great place to be! It was emotional moments with first look with Juliette's dad and time with all her close family and 3 bridesmaids (one of them Rosemary is Juliette's sister, she also made gorgeous flowers bouquets for bridal party: need to mentioned other sister Catherine created make-up for her, what great family support!). Juliette's veil is very special and kept in family for a few generations, what a beautiful tradition!

Then we moved towards St Anthony's Catholic Church in Waiuku, Auckland where wedding ceremony was held. It's such a beautiful place with nice Christmas display and warm atmosphere. Music and amazing, singing made this ceremony special as well. Scotland national music finalist at the wedding with couple walking down the aisle as husband and wife! 

We not missed the family formals after the ceremony, it was a big fun with so many relatives from both sides and also little ones - nieces and nephews (8 kids in total!).

Then became time to have rest and relax on the top of beautiful hills near Kariotahi beach, where we made bridal party shots and intimate session for bride and groom. Amazing views, beautiful landscapes and couple's emotions and connection made this location shoot really special. I love to give my couple time to be themselves and get a peaceful moment in between of this hectic day :)

Reception been held in Castaways Resort Restaurant on the top of the hill with stunning views, where we get a chance to sneak to a few shots before the sunset in between of speeches, cake cutting and first dance.

What beautiful memories!

Congratulations Juliette & Jonny! Happy future together!

Enjoy this video and gallery!

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Award winning wedding photographer: Best of 2015 {Auckland-Hamilton NZ couples-engagement photography)

Its a big honour to find out at the end of 2015 that two of my wedding pictures been chosen by Bridal Guide as Best of 2015 Wedding Photos. What amazing news and great pleasure to be an award winning wedding photographer :) 

Look at these images from Daria & Dmitry post-wedding session at Kariotahi beach, Auckland. It was full of magic and positive emotions photo shoot in beautiful costal New Zealand landscapes at seaside. Wind, picturesque views of wild New Zealand nature and stunning couple helped this happened, and my creativity of course ;)

Amazing results of the year!

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Wedding details pictures {Auckland-Hamilton couples-engagement photographer}

Rings, flowers, veil, shoes etc, I love all these little details, treasured thing on the weddings. Each couple put a lot of effort to choose wedding style, theme, details, items which mean a lot to them.

This planning process start right from engagement till last day before the big day! I absolutely understand how much work couple put into this and how important to capture all this little details for them.

Its also add a lot to the wedding story, let feel the atmosphere and also showing this day decor, which can take a good spot in wedding album as well.

Its such a treasured moments showing this important for bride and groom day!

Look at these flowers bouquets from Juliette & Jonny wedding. Juliette's sister created them with big love:

wedding flowers bouquet {Auckland couples-engagement photographer}

You can see these details in each wedding gallery what I created, its so lovely memories and took their good place in a wedding story.

Yes, I love to capture candid moments, emotions, connection and lifestyle moments follow my style, but I also love to take the break, slow down and capture these details!

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Little White Book {Auckland lifestyle wedding-engagement-couples photographer}

I just excited to share with you a new listing, Little White Book directory, great place to find your wedding suppliers/vendors and of course wedding photographer ;) Im happy to be listed in this warmly community based by Karleigh from Paper and Lace. 

I'm serving mostly Auckland and Hamilton but happy to travel to destination sessions to Tauranga, Bay of Plenty, around Waikato and all New Zealand!

Dear brides please feel free to check this wonderful website for those who get engaged. If you already had weddings with me, please feel free to leave a few kind words, Im really appreciate!

Thank you so much for be with me all this time!

I look forward to a future busy wedding seasons!

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Parnell on the Rose Garden {Auckland lifestyle wedding photographer} Zydon & Olga

Parnell Rose Garden is a beautiful place in Auckland NZ to be married! I had the honour to capture an amazing wedding last weekend for Zydon & Olga, such a stunning couple!

Their photographs turned out just amazing which was not surprising when you look at all factors around: gorgeous bride Olga and handsome groom Zydon, stunning locations (rose gardens, old style reception and St Heliers Beach photo shoot after reception), great warm atmosphere (these families know how to have fun! I just loved every single minute of this wedding!). Olga fly over from Australia to New Zealand to Zydon to make this wedding happened :) Even distance not a barrier for a true love!

Great creative team been working together to making this wedding so special:

Celebrant: Andrew Brook
MC and dance teacher: Valeria Antipenko
Make-up: Grayson Coutts Makeup Artistry
Flowers: Tomuri & Co. Floral Designs 
Dj: Nikeil Deo 
Covers Decoration Hire 
and Levien & Lens Photography 

Enjoy this video and gallery!

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My 365 Project. December {Auckland-Hamilton lifestyle photographer}

Last month of this year gone and its last month in my 365 Project - December.

It was a month full of positive lifestyle moments and emotions. I been doing photo shoots in Auckland and Hamilton, weddings and lifestyle sessions and also capture my family and kids everyday moments.

Enjoy this gallery!

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Happy New Year! Best lifestyle-wedding photographs {Auckland-Hamilton documentary couples-family photographer}

Hello everyone!

Hope you having a great holidays!

I just want to wish you a Happy New Year and share with you our best lifestyle moments - couples-engagement , wedding-elopement , and family-kids-baby-newborn sessions what I been capture in 2014 year.

It was an amazing year with a lot of positive emotions. Thank you for share with me your special moments!

Enjoy this gallery!

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Footbridge Lodge Wedding {Auckland-Bombay couples photographer} Tammie & Ross

What a great cosy wedding I captured last weekend in Footbridge Lodge {Bombay, Auckland}. Tammie & Ross such a stunning couple! Their photographs turned just amazing!

Ross is a navy guy and Tammie is paramedic girl and they found each other. Celebrating their special day with family and close friends and sharing their feelings. Lily going to have a great step-dad!

Morning start for me in guys place getting ready in Pukekohe with relaxed and warm atmosphere. Ross and his 3 groomsmen  been joking, having fun, eat some lunch and getting ready for special event!

Footbridge lodge is a beautiful place in Bombay Hills, Auckland with beautiful picturesque views and old style architecture with wooden chapel (which has great big window at the back). What an amazing place to be married. 

We had some fun at location shoot near the pond with pier and boat, then follow up reception with emotional moments, speeches and of course dance time!

What a beautiful couple and cosy atmosphere!

Happy future together!

Enjoy this gallery!

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Thank you Sharni for take me on board!

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