St Mary’s Church Lancefield wedding photos: Naomi and Josefa kiss on a grassy avenue between vines and gum trees, a windmill behind them, Lancefield
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Real church wedding · Melbourne

St Mary’s Church Lancefield Wedding Photos: Naomi & Josefa

St Mary’s · Melbourne

Church & Cathedral Wedding · City: Melbourne

A black vintage car at the kerb, a red carpet to the door and a round of applause under the old timber roof when Josefa kissed his bride. Naomi and Josefa married at St Mary’s Church, a red brick country church in Lancefield, then headed five minutes up the road to Glen Erin for swings, flying veils and a band on the dance floor. We were with them from the first cufflink to the last song in the Macedon Ranges, and we loved every minute.

The gallery
Four men in navy trousers raise small glasses around the coffee table for a lounge room toast before the jackets go on
Two older loved ones in patterned dresses and bead necklaces wait by the window as a man in a white shirt buttons his cuffs
A friend in a blue suit fastens a silver cufflink on a crisp white shirt sleeve during the morning preparations
Josefa kneels on a grey shag rug beside the leather couch to lace his tan leather shoes
Four men in navy suits and waistcoats straighten ties and cufflinks against a bright window hung with empty coat hangers
A friend in a waistcoat rests a hand on the shoulder of a man checking his navy jacket in a standing mirror
Josefa and the boys in navy suits with pink ties line up in the lounge room with two older loved ones
Josefa stands tall in his navy suit and white tie beside a loved one in a red and cream floral dress
Josefa wraps his arms around two older loved ones in bright floral dresses and shell necklaces, all smiles in the lounge room
A loved one in a red flower hair clip and shell necklace looks up at Josefa with a proud, scrunched up grin
Josefa holds a silver haired loved one close in a long, quiet hug, her white lace shawl in his hands
Josefa and a silver haired loved one in a purple leaf print dress and lace shawl hug and smile in front of the couch
Josefa and a silver haired loved one rest their foreheads together, eyes closed, in a tender moment by the couch
The boys in navy suits strike a dab in the backyard in front of a red brick house and barbecue
Josefa and three mates in matching navy suits drop into a squat with drinks in hand on the backyard lawn
Josefa and his three mates stand on the long grass with drinks in hand in front of a leafy tree and timber fence
Josefa sits back on a white chair in his navy three piece suit and raises a glass with a grin
Josefa looks out the window with a glass in hand, pocket square folded, ready to go
The wedding invitation rests on white tulle with a beaded headpiece, a pearl bracelet, perfume and white roses
Naomi's lace wedding gown hangs from the pergola beam in the backyard, glowing against a green timber fence
Naomi in a lace trimmed white robe and crystal hair vine looks up at her gown hanging under the pergola
Naomi in white and her bridesmaids and flower girl in blush robes raise champagne flutes beneath the hanging gown
Naomi in her white robe ties the flower girl's tulle skirt by the couch, a pink rose crown in her curls
Naomi in her off shoulder lace gown fastens a pearl bracelet onto her wrist in soft window light
Naomi's dad turns to see her in her lace gown for the first time as the flower girl hugs her waist
Naomi beams at her dad in a crystal headpiece and off shoulder lace gown during their first look
Naomi pins a white rose to her dad's lapel as he smiles down at her in his green striped tie
Naomi holds a trailing bouquet of blush and white roses beside her dad in front of sheer lace curtains
Her dad laughs out loud beside Naomi and her cascading rose bouquet in the bright lounge room
Her dad and the flower girl in a tulle skirt and rose crown share a smile on the leather couch
Naomi, three bridesmaids in mauve gowns and the flower girl in white tulle hold rose bouquets under the backyard pergola
Naomi stands shoulder to shoulder with a bridesmaid in a one shoulder mauve gown, their blush rose bouquets side by side
A bridesmaid in mauve plants a kiss on Naomi's cheek as she smiles with her eyes closed in the backyard
Naomi and a bridesmaid in a flutter sleeve mauve gown burst into a giggle beside the green fence
Naomi laughs with her head tipped back as a bridesmaid in mauve smiles beside her, bouquets of blush roses in hand
Naomi and a bridesmaid in a halter neck mauve gown pose together on the brick path with their bouquets
A bridesmaid in a halter neck mauve gown kisses Naomi on the cheek as she closes her eyes with a smile
Naomi and a dark haired bridesmaid in mauve smile side by side with matching blush and white rose bouquets
Naomi and a bridesmaid in mauve break into open mouthed laughter in the garden before the ceremony
Naomi sits on an outdoor armchair in the backyard, her long veil spilling over the brick paving
Naomi glances over her shoulder in her beaded off shoulder gown, a trailing rose and eucalyptus bouquet in her lap
Naomi dabs away a happy tear under her long veil, her blush rose bouquet resting on her gown
Naomi looks back over her shoulder on the brick paving, her lace up gown and long veil trailing behind her
A gust lifts Naomi's veil across the frame as she gazes down at her bouquet under the backyard pergola
A breeze catches Naomi's veil as her dad helps her from the black vintage car onto the red church carpet at St Mary's in Lancefield
Naomi and her dad share a laugh beside the black and silver vintage car outside the church
Guests turn in the timber pews with phones up as Naomi and her dad walk the aisle of St Mary's Church, Lancefield
Josefa wipes his eyes at the front of the church as Naomi and her dad come down the aisle past smiling guests
Naomi's dad shakes Josefa's hand in the church aisle at St Mary's, Lancefield, as a bridesmaid in mauve smiles
Naomi smiles up at Josefa at the front of the church as two bridesmaids in mauve stand by the timber door
Josefa grins at Naomi as they sit side by side by a lit candle during the church wedding at St Mary's Catholic Church in Lancefield
Three bridesmaids in mauve and the flower girl in white stand by the side door of the church holding rose bouquets
Naomi slides the ring onto Josefa's finger in the church at St Mary's in Lancefield as the celebrant holds the book open
Three groomsmen in navy suits with white rose buttonholes wait beside the lectern as a guest films the church ceremony
Naomi and Josefa share their first kiss beneath the stained glass window of St Mary's Church, Lancefield, as the groomsmen applaud
Guests in the timber pews clap and beam after the first kiss in the bright, white walled church
The silver haired loved one in her lace shawl smiles from a front church pew at St Mary's, Lancefield, among cheering guests
Naomi's dad sits in a timber pew of the church holding the order of service, a white rose on his lapel
A loved one in a red and cream floral dress films the vows on her phone from a church pew at St Mary's in Lancefield
Josefa leans over the table to sign the register as Naomi and a bridesmaid look on at the front of the church
Naomi smiles as she signs the church register at St Mary's, Lancefield, the celebrant holding a page beside her
Naomi and Josefa walk back down the aisle hand in hand as guests clap from the pews under the high timber roof
Naomi and Josefa stop to kiss halfway down the aisle of St Mary's Church, Lancefield, as the whole church applauds
Naomi and Josefa kiss in the arched church doorway, her veil pooling on the porch floor, in black and white
The wedding party and about sixty guests gather on the lawn in front of St Mary's Catholic Church in Lancefield
Guests throw their arms in the air for a cheer in front of the red brick church and its tall pointed windows
Naomi and Josefa stand with her dad in the deep shade of tall hedges beside the church at St Mary's in Lancefield
Naomi and Josefa pose with two older loved ones in floral dresses against a wall of dark green hedge in the church grounds
Josefa and Naomi link arms with two loved ones for a family group on the church lawn at St Mary's, Lancefield
Naomi, Josefa and her dad join two older loved ones for a wide family group on the lawn beside the church
Naomi and Josefa stand with her dad, three men in navy suits and a woman in mauve by the church at St Mary's in Lancefield
A closer family group of Naomi, Josefa, her dad and loved ones smiling against the hedge after the church ceremony
Naomi and Josefa with the flower girl, her dad and loved ones in a relaxed family group beside the church at St Mary's, Lancefield
A bigger family group gathers around Naomi, Josefa and the flower girl in front of the tall trees by the church
The full bridal party in navy suits and mauve gowns lines up with the flower girl on the church lawn at St Mary's in Lancefield
Naomi and Josefa kiss as the groomsmen and bridesmaids lean in on either side for a cheeky kiss of their own beside the church
Fresh from the church, Naomi and Josefa stand between two black vintage cars on a grassy vineyard track at Glen Erin at Lancefield
One of the boys sprawls across the timber A frame swing as the groomsmen laugh beside the vines
Four of the boys pile onto the swing at Glen Erin, one sprawled across the seat with his tan shoes kicked high
The boys hang off the A frame swing, legs flying, with vine rows stretching out behind them
Naomi sits on the timber swing at Glen Erin in the Macedon Ranges as three bridesmaids in mauve gather behind her
Naomi, Josefa, the flower girl and three bridesmaids in mauve smile on the grassy avenue under a big leafy tree
Naomi and her bridesmaids look back over their shoulders arm in arm on a grassy avenue beside the vines at Glen Erin Lancefield
Josefa throws his hand to his face laughing as Naomi, the flower girl and bridesmaids walk the vineyard avenue
Naomi raises a toast with Josefa and three groomsmen in navy suits on the lawn at Glen Erin under a spreading tree
The groomsmen scoop Naomi up in their arms on the grassy avenue between the trees and vines, one raising a bottle
Naomi is lifted high by the boys on a sunny avenue at Glen Erin at Lancefield while one groomsman kicks his legs up
Josefa and his three groomsmen in navy waistcoats share a drink at the end of the vineyard avenue
Josefa and his groomsmen in shirtsleeves and waistcoats break into dance moves on a grassy track at Glen Erin in the Macedon Ranges
Josefa and the groomsmen huddle arm in arm laughing, mid stride and pulling faces, beside the vines
Josefa and his three groomsmen leap into the air in a row, arms and legs flung wide, between the vines at Glen Erin Lancefield
Josefa and Naomi look back hand in hand on a long grassy avenue with a gazebo and windmill ahead
Naomi and Josefa kiss on a sunlit avenue at Glen Erin at Lancefield Vineyard Retreat, her long veil trailing on the grass
Josefa and Naomi kiss under the overhanging branches, her trailing rose bouquet held between them
Naomi and Josefa stroll hand in hand across the lawn at Glen Erin in the shade of a big leafy tree
Josefa grins at Naomi as he leads her by the hand past the trees, her blush rose bouquet in the foreground
Josefa holds Naomi close as the wind streams her long tulle veil beside the vine rows at Glen Erin at Lancefield
Josefa kisses Naomi's cheek beside the vines at Glen Erin in the Macedon Ranges as her veil streams out on the breeze
Josefa and Naomi smile through a sweep of flying veil in front of the trees and vines
Josefa kisses Naomi's cheek through a soft blur of flying veil beside the trees and vine rows
Naomi and Josefa kiss as her veil billows out behind them between the vines at Glen Erin in the Macedon Ranges
Naomi and Josefa gaze at each other under the soft fall of her veil, warm backlight glowing through the trees
The veil falls over Naomi and her bouquet as she and Josefa share a quiet look at Glen Erin Lancefield, in black and white
Naomi and Josefa sit close together on a round hay bale beneath a tall tree, sunlight flaring through the leaves
Naomi and Josefa lean in nose to nose under her sheer veil at Glen Erin, the lace of her bodice catching the light
A close, soft portrait of Naomi and Josefa almost touching noses beneath her veil, in black and white
Naomi and Josefa stand on the timber jetty by the lake gazebo at Glen Erin at Lancefield as her long veil lifts in the wind
Naomi and Josefa cut their white tiered cake trimmed with blush roses on a wine barrel at Glen Erin at Lancefield Vineyard Retreat
Naomi wraps her arms around Josefa's neck for their first dance as the band plays behind them
Josefa cups Naomi's face during their slow dance by the stone fireplace in the timber reception room at Glen Erin at Lancefield
Naomi dances with her dad on the timber floor as guests watch from their tables in the reception room
Josefa busts out a low dance move with the silver haired loved one in her lace shawl on the dance floor at Glen Erin
Josefa holds a loved one in a red floral dress close in a long, tender hug on the dance floor by the brick fireplace
Naomi twirls under a raised hand on the packed dance floor at Glen Erin Lancefield, her sparkling gown fanning out
Naomi and Josefa walk hand in hand between the vine rows into warm backlight as the sun drops low
The wedding story

Our St Mary’s Church wedding photos: a red carpet arrival, a kiss to applause and a veil over the vines

Getting ready at home · Red carpet at St Mary’s Church · Groups on the church lawn · Swings and vines at Glen Erin · Lake jetty at golden hour · Band and dancing

Read the full story

Cufflinks and a lounge-room toast

Josefa’s morning began at home with a toast: four glasses raised around the coffee table before a single jacket went on. Then the groomsmen took over, one fixing his cufflinks, another squaring up a jacket in front of the mirror, while Josefa laced his tan shoes. Two older loved ones arrived and the room went quiet for a while, with long hugs we shot close and tight so nothing else crept into the frame. Out in the backyard the boys found their energy, all four dropping into a squat in matching navy, before Josefa sat back with a drink, ready to go.

A gown under the pergola

Across town, Naomi’s gown hung from the pergola beam in the backyard, glowing against the green fence. We like to hang a dress outside when there is a roof overhead: the cover stops harsh sun on the lace and the garden puts colour behind it. Naomi in a white robe and her bridesmaids in blush robes raised a glass beneath it, and Naomi straightened the flower girl’s skirt inside. The invitation sat on the bed with a beaded headpiece, a bracelet and her perfume, and a little later Naomi fastened that bracelet herself.

Her dad’s first look

Our favourite moment of the morning happened in the lounge room. Naomi’s dad turned around, saw her in the off-shoulder lace gown and could not stop smiling. She pinned a white rose to his lapel herself, and when we stood them side by side by the window he laughed out loud. The flower girl joined him on the couch in her tulle skirt. Outside, Naomi shared a moment with each bridesmaid in mauve, a kiss here, a giggle there, while we kept the fence soft behind them. Then the long veil went on, and Naomi dabbed away a happy tear.

A red carpet at St Mary’s

A black vintage car pulled up outside St Mary’s Church in Lancefield, and a breeze caught Naomi’s veil the second her dad helped her out onto the red carpet. Inside, guests turned in the timber pews, phones up, as the two of them walked the aisle under the old roof trusses. We work from the front and to one side for the walk in, so we see the bride coming and the groom’s face in the same few seconds. Worth it: Josefa wiped his eyes before she reached him, and Naomi’s dad shook his hand.

Rings, the register and a cheer

At the front, the celebrant held the book while Naomi slid the ring onto Josefa’s finger. The first kiss drew applause from the groomsmen beside them, and a loved one in the pews held her phone up with a huge grin. White walls and a high stained glass window bounce soft light around a church like this, so faces stay clean and bright. After the register was signed, they walked back down the aisle through a wall of cheering guests, then stopped for one more kiss in the arched doorway, a frame we kept in black and white.

Groups on the church lawn

Out on the lawn, everyone squeezed in for one big group in front of the red brick church, its steep gable and porch filling the top of the frame. We shoot that one wide and from a little height, so every face shows and the building still reads as St Mary’s. Then we moved the family groups into the shade of the tall hedges and trees beside the church, where the dark green backdrop keeps white lace and skin tones even. Naomi’s dad joined in, and the whole bridal party leant in for a cheeky kiss.

Swings and flying groomsmen

Five minutes up the road at Glen Erin, two black vintage cars waited among the vines, so we started there. Then the groomsmen found the big timber A-frame swing and that was the end of formal posing: one sprawled across the seat while the others hung off the frame. The bridesmaids took their turn more gracefully around Naomi. The boys scooped Naomi up on the vineyard avenue, leapt into the air in a row and huddled up laughing. We gave them room and kept shooting, because the best bridal party frames happen once the posing stops.

A veil in the vineyard wind

Then it was just Naomi and Josefa. We walked them down a grassy avenue between the trees and vines, let them talk, and stepped back. A breeze kept lifting the long veil, so we put it to work: Josefa held her close while the tulle streamed across the frame, and for a quieter moment it fell over both of them for a close, soft portrait. Down at the lake, on the timber jetty in front of the gazebo, the veil took off again. As the sun dropped, they walked hand in hand between the vine rows into warm backlight.

A band and a full dance floor

Inside, the reception room glowed with timber walls and exposed brick. Naomi and Josefa cut a white cake trimmed with blush roses, set on a wine barrel, and then the band started up for their first dance, a slow sway with plenty of smiles. Naomi danced with her dad next, and Josefa held a loved one close in a long, tender hug on the floor. After that, nobody stayed seated for long. At night we mix the room’s warm light with a touch of bounced flash, so the dance floor keeps its glow and the moves stay sharp.

Photographer's venue notes

St Mary’s Church, Lancefield: a red carpet arrival, hedge-side groups and veils over the vines

Read the venue notes

Church first, vines later

Naomi and Josefa’s afternoon split neatly into two places. At St Mary’s, the vintage car stopped at the end of the red carpet, Naomi walked the aisle under the timber trusses, the register was signed at the front, and the two of them paused for a kiss in the arched doorway on the way out. Groups on the church lawn and beside the hedges came next. Then everyone drove up the road to Glen Erin, where the swing, the grassy avenues, the jetty and the vine rows filled the rest of the daylight.

Afternoon light, inside and out

An afternoon ceremony meant strong daylight on the lawn and a gentler glow inside the church, where the white walls and the high stained glass window lifted soft light onto faces at the front. Outside we split the work in two: the whole crowd in the open with the red brick front behind them, then each family group into the deep shade of the hedges. Holding the couple portraits back until Glen Erin meant their walk through the vines happened as the sun dropped low and glowed through the trees.

Spots we leaned on

The red carpet gave a clean, simple arrival, and the breeze there caught the veil right as Naomi stepped out. The arched doorway, with the dim porch behind, framed the kiss beautifully. At Glen Erin, the timber A-frame swing broke the bridal party out of posing in seconds. A round hay bale under a tall tree gave us sun flaring through the leaves, and the timber jetty with the gazebo behind turned a gust of wind into one of our favourite veil frames of the day.

Tips from this wedding

If your day has a long veil and an open country setting, plan to let it move. We kept Naomi’s veil free across the vineyard and used each gust, sometimes streaming across the frame and sometimes falling softly over both of them. Give the bridal party something to play on, too: a swing, a lawn or a long avenue does more for natural frames than any pose we could suggest. And ask your driver to pull up right at the end of the carpet, so the arrival, the step out and the first breeze all happen in one smooth moment.

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