Meadowbank Estate wedding photos: Eva and Stathis kiss on heritage steps as her veil billows across tall green doors in Melbourne
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Real church wedding · Broadmeadows, Melbourne

Meadowbank Estate Wedding Photos: Eva & Stathis

Meadowbank Estate · 1 Eldon St, Broadmeadows VIC · Melbourne

Church & Cathedral Wedding · Cultural & Traditional Wedding · Garden Wedding · Heritage & Historic Venue Wedding · City: Melbourne · Venues: Carlton Gardens · Meadowbank Estate · St George Orthodox Church

A baby son lifted high in a backyard of palms, petals flying on the church steps and autumn leaves all over the lawn. Eva and Stathis married at St George in Thornbury, then took their whole crowd through Melbourne’s gardens, from the elms of Darling Gardens to the fountain at the Royal Exhibition Building, before sparklers lit up their arrival at Meadowbank Estate in Broadmeadows for the reception. We were there for every cheer.

The gallery
Wedding bands in black velvet boxes sit beside a pair of cufflinks on a carved timber table before the church ceremony.
Stathis fastens his cuff beside a shuttered window, smiling in a black dinner suit and bow tie.
A smiling loved one in blue pins a white rose boutonniere on a laughing older man holding a small glass.
Stathis hugs a smiling loved one in a blue beaded gown and fur stole as they get ready for the church.
Stathis holds their baby son in a tiny grey vest among the palms and ferns of the backyard garden.
Stathis lifts their baby son high and kisses the top of his head under the palm fronds.
Stathis and their baby son with four smiling loved ones in a garden portrait in front of the palms.
Stathis reaches over to tickle the baby, held by a loved one in blue beside a laughing older man.
An older man with a white moustache and a loved one in blue hold the baby for a garden portrait among leafy plants.
A family line-up in the backyard with the baby in front and Stathis in the centre before the church wedding.
Stathis stands with four friends on the paved garden courtyard, palms and potted plants behind them.
Stathis leans in to kiss the forehead of an older loved one in navy on the covered brick patio.
An older loved one in navy with a white rose pinned to her jacket smiles as Stathis looks down at her.
Stathis and a friend in glasses throw their heads back laughing on the backyard pavers under tall palms.
Stathis gives a thumbs up beside a friend in glasses among the palms in a relaxed garden portrait.
Stathis and three groomsmen in black suits and white rose buttonholes line up in the leafy backyard.
A full-length garden portrait of Stathis and his groomsmen on the pavers, palm fronds arching overhead.
Stathis chats with his groomsmen in the dappled shade of the garden before heading to the church.
Stathis stands beside a smiling groomsman in a three piece suit on the sunlit backyard pavers.
Stathis and a groomsman bump fists and laugh among the palms and red potted plants.
Stathis and a groomsman in a grey tie stand shoulder to shoulder for a garden portrait by the timber fence.
Stathis shares a tight bear hug with a man in a dark suit in the dappled shade of the palms.
Laughing loved ones dab shaving foam on Stathis under a barber cape as a groomsman holds a razor to his cheek.
Stathis between a loved one in blue and an older man in a checked grey suit for garden wedding portraits at home.
Stathis grins between a loved one in a blue fur stole and an older man, their white rose buttonholes in focus.
Stathis and an older man with a white moustache crack up at a loved one's joke during garden portraits.
A halo engagement ring rests on the invitation to Stathis and Eva's church wedding beside white roses and tulle.
Her dad, in a white shirt and grey bow tie, gasps as a loved one in silver sequins smiles in the bedroom doorway.
Eva holds both hands of her dad, in a white shirt and grey bow tie, beside the bedroom mirror.
Eva laughs as her dad and a loved one in silver sequins stack their hands on hers.
Eva stands by the shuttered window with her dad in a black dinner jacket and a loved one in silver sequins.
Eva, her dad and a loved one in sequins read handwritten cards together in the soft window light.
Eva hugs a loved one in silver sequins while her dad reads a card beside them, not long before the church.
Three bridesmaids in deep teal satin gasp and grin in the bedroom doorway.
Eva laughs beside a bridesmaid in a teal satin cowl neck dress by the white shutters.
Eva and a bridesmaid with wavy brown hair stand arm in arm by the window, ready for the church.
A full-length portrait of Eva in her lace gown holding hands with a blonde bridesmaid in teal.
Eva looks down and smiles as a blonde bridesmaid in teal satin holds her hands close.
Eva and her three bridesmaids in teal satin hold matching bouquets of white roses and silver foliage.
Eva and her bridesmaids laugh together, bouquets held close, shortly before the church wedding.
A bridesmaid in teal lifts the long tulle veil over Eva's head as they both laugh.
In black and white, a bridesmaid drapes the veil over Eva, the two of them giggling.
Eva smiles down at her bouquet through the soft tulle of her veil, white roses glowing in the window light.
Eva smiles down through her veil at her bouquet in black and white, window light glowing behind her.
From above, Eva touches the white roses and silver leaves of her bouquet with a soft smile.
Two flower girls in white with floral hair clips lean in to kiss Eva's cheeks as she sits on the bed.
In black and white, Eva sweeps her long veil aside by the window, bouquet in one hand.
Eva smiles down as her long tulle veil spills across the timber floor beside the window.
Eva gazes out the shuttered window in black and white, her lace gown and veil softly lit.
Eva turns toward the window holding white roses, the beaded belt of her lace gown catching the light.
Eva glances down at her bouquet in black and white, the veil falling across her lace back.
Eva looks down at her bouquet over her shoulder, the leaf pattern lace on her back showing through the veil.
Eva sits on the end of the bed with her white rose bouquet, ready to leave for the church.
A loved one in silver sequins kisses Eva's forehead as she sits smiling with her bouquet before the drive to church.
Her dad walks Eva up the red carpet aisle of St George Orthodox Church beneath a crystal chandelier and painted icons.
Stathis waits at the front of the church beside the priest as her dad walks Eva toward the painted icon screen.
Her dad shakes Stathis' hand beside the carved church pews as Eva waits with her bouquet.
Two flower girls in white dresses and fluffy shrugs stand on the red carpet near the church sanctuary.
Stathis glances at Eva with a grin as they stand side by side during the church ceremony.
Eva and Stathis smile side by side in the church, groomsmen and white rose bouquets close around them.
Flower girls and loved ones in pink and silver sequins watch from the aisle of St George in Thornbury under chandeliers.
Stathis and his groomsmen stand in a line in dark suits beneath arched stained glass church windows.
Three bridesmaids in teal satin hold white rose bouquets beside a carved timber stand inside the church.
Eva beams up at Stathis as he laughs beside her during the church service.
The priest raises silver crowns linked by white ribbon above Stathis and Eva in the church while holding a red book.
Grinning groomsmen in dark suits look on as Stathis waits by the aisle inside the church.
Her dad and a loved one in silver sequins sit in the front church pews with the flower girls during the service.
Older guests in black lace and navy stand along the carved timber pews, watching the church ceremony.
The priest offers Stathis a sip from a cup at the church altar as he wears a pearl crown linked to Eva's.
Eva takes a sip from the cup held by the priest during the church service, a red cloth beneath it.
A loved one in a blue beaded gown and fur stole stands beside an older man in grey along the church pews.
Three bridesmaids in teal satin stand in the church aisle holding white rose bouquets, stained glass glowing behind.
Two smiling groomsmen in dark suits stand by the carved pews as guests fill the church behind them.
Stathis poses with a bridesmaid in teal and a groomsman in front of the painted icon screen at St George Orthodox Church, Thornbury.
White petals fly as Eva and Stathis leave the white and blue church, Stathis punching the air on the steps.
Eva beams through a shower of petals as she and Stathis step down from the ornate church doors.
Stathis throws an arm up and Eva laughs under falling petals at the gilded doors of St George Orthodox Church.
Family and friends crowd the steps of the white and blue church for one giant group shot, a vintage car at the kerb.
The whole crowd cheers with arms raised outside St George in Thornbury, a white vintage car parked beside them.
Eva and Stathis stand beside the white vintage wedding car outside the church after the ceremony.
Eva and Stathis kiss against the white vintage car in front of the blue trimmed church facade.
Stathis kisses Eva's temple as her long veil streams over the lawn of historic Darling Gardens in Clifton Hill.
Eva and Stathis with five loved ones in a garden portrait on fallen autumn leaves after the church service.
Eva and Stathis with her dad and four loved ones after the church, under the spreading branches of the historic park.
A relaxed family group with her dad on the leaf-strewn grass, Eva and Stathis smiling in the middle of the gardens.
A big family group with flower girls and the baby gathers on the autumn lawn at Darling Gardens.
Eva and Stathis with a loved one in a blue fur stole and an older man with a white moustache in a historic garden setting.
Eva and Stathis with a bridesmaid in teal and five loved ones on the leaf-covered lawn for garden wedding portraits.
A wide extended family portrait stretches across the grass beneath the big old trees of the historic gardens.
Stathis puts an arm around an older loved one in navy with a cane as Eva smiles beside him in the historic park.
Eva and Stathis between two older loved ones, one in navy with a cane, one in red, at Darling Gardens, Clifton Hill.
Eva and Stathis hold hands between a loved one in green lace and a tall man in a dark suit for a garden portrait.
Eva and Stathis with four loved ones in green lace, navy and florals beneath the historic park's elms.
Eva and Stathis with a bridesmaid in teal and a young man in a patterned shirt for garden portraits in the leafy park.
Eva and Stathis smile with a loved one in red lace and a man in a red tie resting a hand on Eva's shoulder.
Eva and Stathis walk hand in hand across the leaf-strewn lawn of Darling Gardens after their church wedding.
Eva's long veil sweeps over the grass as she and Stathis pose for garden wedding photos in the historic park.
Eva and Stathis with a loved one in pink and coral and a man in a navy suit for garden portraits under a big tree.
Eva and Stathis with eight friends in a wide line across the lawn, the historic gardens' old trees overhead.
Eva and Stathis with four loved ones in green satin, burgundy and grey suits on the autumn grass of the historic park.
The bridal party lines up with Eva and Stathis on the sunny lawn of Darling Gardens in Clifton Hill, bridesmaids in teal.
Groomsmen and bridesmaids cheer with arms raised as Eva and Stathis kiss in the middle of the historic gardens.
Stathis twirls Eva under the glass roof among hanging ferns inside the heritage Conservatory in Fitzroy Gardens.
Eva and Stathis step down the curved stairs of the heritage glasshouse as the bridal party claps under tall arched windows.
Eva and Stathis kiss at the foot of the conservatory steps in Fitzroy Gardens, East Melbourne as the bridal party cheers.
Eva glances back over her shoulder as she and Stathis walk beneath a golden autumn tree in the heritage gardens.
Stathis and his groomsmen raise bouquets and fists around a laughing Eva in a garden portrait beneath blazing orange leaves.
Eva and her bridesmaids in teal lift their bouquets high beneath a gold and orange tree in the historic gardens.
Eva and Stathis with the bridesmaids in teal satin for garden wedding portraits beneath autumn colour in heritage parkland.
Eva smiles down at her bouquet as her veil drifts across the lawn of the historic city gardens.
In black and white, Eva laughs down at her bouquet as her veil trails over the grass of the heritage gardens.
Eva lifts the edge of her veil in a garden portrait, a round bouquet of white roses held low against her gown.
A black and white close portrait of Eva flicking her veil out as she smiles at her bouquet in the heritage parkland.
Eva lets her veil and train spill across the grass, eyes lowered, beneath a gold-leafed tree in the heritage gardens.
Eva's tulle train fans out behind her on the historic lawn in black and white, her fingertips brushing the veil.
Eva looks back over her shoulder, veil and train fanned across the leaf-scattered lawn for garden portraits.
In black and white, Eva glances back from the lawn, veil and long train spread behind her near the palms of the heritage gardens.
Eva spins and flings her veil wide on the open lawn of the historic gardens, a tall pine and autumn trees behind her.
Eva swirls her veil out in black and white as her train sweeps the grass during garden wedding portraits.
Groomsmen and bridesmaids toss their bouquets into the air under a blazing orange tree in the heritage gardens.
Under the veil, Eva smiles up at Stathis as he leans in close, shot through soft tulle.
Black and white close-up of Eva smiling up at Stathis beneath the veil, his face inches from hers.
Eva laughs up at Stathis under her veil, her white rose bouquet in the foreground and the heritage gardens blurred behind.
In black and white, Stathis grins down at Eva as she laughs beneath the tulle in the heritage grounds.
Stathis leans his forehead toward Eva's under the veil in the historic gardens, white roses at the bottom of the frame.
A black and white garden portrait of Eva and Stathis leaning in nose to nose under the drifting veil.
Eva and Stathis face each other at the ornate fountain before the World Heritage-listed Royal Exhibition Building in Carlton Gardens.
In black and white, the couple face each other by the historic 1880 fountain as Eva's veil streams across the lawn.
Eva and Stathis kiss beside the carved figures of the 19th-century fountain in Carlton Gardens, her veil sweeping the grass.
A black and white kiss beside the historic fountain, Eva's veil trailing in a long curve across the gardens.
Stathis kisses Eva's hand on the stone steps of the historic Royal Exhibition Building, its tall green doors behind them.
Eva's veil flies out behind her as she and Stathis walk away from the tall green doors of the World Heritage hall.
Stathis leads Eva past the green doors and grand steps of the 19th-century hall, her veil streaming like a flag.
Stathis twirls Eva out at arm's length on the steps beneath the fan window of the heritage exhibition hall.
Eva lifts her veil high as she and Stathis kiss against the tall green doors of the Exhibition Building, Carlton.
The bridal party raises sparklers in an arch as Eva and Stathis walk out laughing from the heritage stone homestead.
Eva and Stathis hold sparklers high outside the historic bluestone homestead at Meadowbank Estate in Broadmeadows.
The wedding story

Our Meadowbank Estate wedding photos: a baby son in the palms, autumn leaves at Darling Gardens and sparklers at dusk

Getting ready at home · Ceremony at St George, Thornbury · Family groups at Darling Gardens · Conservatory steps in Fitzroy Gardens · Royal Exhibition Building fountain · Sparklers at Meadowbank Estate

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A baby son among the palms

Our day began at Stathis’ getting-ready spot, with the rings in velvet boxes on a carved timber table. A loved one pinned a white rose boutonniere on an older loved one, and they both laughed at the camera, his glass in hand. Then Stathis went out into the leafy backyard, all palms and ferns, lifted their baby son high and kissed the top of his head. We stood back with a wider lens so the garden wrapped around them. Family lined up in front of the greenery for portraits, the baby in a tiny vest in the middle of it all.

Mates and a bear hug

The groomsmen arrived in black suits and bow ties, and the photos got sillier by the minute: thumbs up, arms around shoulders, a proper bear hug in the shade of the palms. Dappled light under trees can be tricky, so we moved everyone until the shadows fell behind them and their faces stayed clear. An older loved one in navy stood beside Stathis on the covered patio for a quiet portrait, smiling up at him. Then the whole family gathered once more in the garden, and a loved one leaned in to tell Stathis something that made him crack up.

Teal satin and white roses

Over at Eva’s, the morning was white walls, wide shutters and lots of laughing. A loved one in a white shirt and bow tie held both her hands at the foot of the bed, and a loved one in silver sequins squeezed her tight. The bridesmaids wore deep teal satin and carried big bouquets of white roses. Teal and white is a lovely pairing in photos: the dark satin makes a lace gown look even brighter. We lined them up by the window, then let them crowd around Eva and talk over each other.

Veil and window light

A bridesmaid lifted the veil over Eva’s head, both of them giggling, and we printed that one in monochrome. Eva looked down at her bouquet of white roses and silver foliage, then turned to the window. Big shuttered windows give clean, even light, so we pulled the slats open and let it pour across the lace and tulle. A few full-length frames later she was ready. Just before leaving, a loved one in sequins kissed her on the forehead. We stayed back for that one so nobody felt watched.

St George in Thornbury

At St George in Thornbury, Eva’s dad walked her down the aisle under the painted icons, guests turning with phones up and smiles everywhere. Flower girls in white and the bridesmaids in teal lined the front, and the groomsmen beside Stathis could not stop grinning. We moved slowly along the side aisle, using a longer lens to stay out of the way while catching faces: an older guest in black lace beaming, loved ones reaching for each other. At the front Eva and Stathis stood close together, white rose bouquet between them.

Petals on the steps

When the doors opened, the petals flew. Stathis threw his fist in the air on the church steps while Eva gathered her skirt and laughed, and a loved one behind them lifted his glass. We stood on the footpath at the bottom of the steps and shot up, so the white and blue facade and the painted arch above the doors filled the background. Then the whole crowd squeezed onto the steps for one giant group photo, a white vintage car waiting at the kerb, everyone waving at once.

Autumn leaves at Darling Gardens

The first portrait stop was Darling Gardens in Clifton Hill, where the lawn was carpeted with fallen autumn leaves under the big old trees. It was perfect for family groups: open shade, plenty of room and no hard shadows. We worked through every family combination Eva and Stathis had listed, from the closest family out to the grand crowd, then put the couple between two older loved ones, one in navy with a cane and one in red. Finally the bridal party let loose, arms up and cheering, while Eva’s veil caught the breeze.

Conservatory steps and golden trees

Next came the Conservatory in Fitzroy Gardens, with its terracotta-pink facade and tall arched windows. Eva and Stathis kissed on the curved front steps while the bridal party cheered around them. Then we found a tree blazing gold and orange and lined everyone up beneath it. In May the light in Melbourne’s gardens is soft and low all afternoon, and those autumn colours do half our job for us. Eva twirled her veil on the grass, and we finished close, shooting through the tulle as the two of them leaned in, forehead to forehead.

Fountain, doors and sparklers

Our last city stop was the Royal Exhibition Building. Eva and Stathis kissed in front of the old fountain, a pair of black and white keepers, then walked out from the tall green doors with the veil flying behind them like a flag. Then it was north to the reception. Our Meadowbank Estate wedding photos for Eva and Stathis finish with one of our favourite frames: the two of them outside the old stone building after dark, arms up and big sparklers blazing, with the bridal party cheering behind before the guests arrived.

Photographer's venue notes

Meadowbank Estate, Broadmeadows: a sparkler arch at the old stone homestead after an autumn garden loop

Read the venue notes

A bridal party arrival before the guests

Eva and Stathis reached Meadowbank Estate at the end of a long loop through Melbourne’s gardens, and they had one plan for the arrival: big sparklers, lit outside the old stone homestead before the guests came in. The bridal party formed an arch, and the couple walked out from the building through it, laughing, with the sparks crackling over their heads. Then came a second frame, Eva and Stathis holding their own sparklers high with the dark bluestone behind them and their friends cheering in the background.

How we lit the sparkler frames

Sparklers are a light source as much as a prop, so we let them do the work on faces and kept everything else simple. The rough, dark stone of the homestead was the perfect backdrop, because it swallows stray light and lets every spark stand out. We stood slightly low and in front of the arch, so it curved over the couple like a frame, and we kept shooting as they came towards us. A sparkler burns out quickly, so a tight group and one confident walk matter more than a long setup.

Three garden stops on the way north

Earlier, we planned the loop so each garden did a different job. At Darling Gardens the fallen leaves and open shade were ideal for the long family list. Inside the Conservatory in Fitzroy Gardens, the glass roof softened the light and Stathis twirled Eva under the hanging ferns, then the curved front steps gave the bridal party somewhere to cheer from. The golden tree nearby supplied the colour. At Carlton Gardens we used the fountain and the tall green doors, and a breeze sent Eva’s veil out like a flag.

If you want a sparkler arrival too

Take a lesson from Eva and Stathis and buy the longest sparklers you can find, because the short ones are gone before the couple reaches the end of the arch. Do it with the bridal party only, before guests arrive, so the group stays small, close and easy to direct. Give one person the lighter and the job of lighting everyone at once. And if your day includes a garden loop in autumn like theirs, put the big family groups at the first stop, while everyone is fresh and the leaves are still on the lawn.

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