Mount Lofty Botanic Garden wedding photos: Monique and Daniel hug and smile beneath tall trees in soft autumn light, bouquet held high, near Adelaide
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Real wedding · Crafers, Adelaide

Mount Lofty Botanic Garden Wedding Photos: Monique & Daniel

Mount Lofty Botanic Garden · 16 Lampert Rd, Crafers SA · Adelaide

City: Adelaide · Venue: Mount Lofty Botanic Garden

A long hug with her dad by the sheer curtains, vows beneath a blush pink arch, then a drive up into the hills for an afternoon of pure autumn. Monique and Daniel’s portraits at Mount Lofty Botanic Garden in Crafers had red and gold trees, the summit towers on the skyline and a carpet of fallen leaves to sit in. Her bridesmaids hoisted Daniel clean off his feet, the veil went everywhere, and we loved every minute.

The gallery
Monique's engagement ring rests on the wedding invitation beside a diamond bracelet, white blooms and blush roses on sparkling tulle
Monique in a white robe and her three bridesmaids in long red dresses reach up towards her lace gown hanging at the window
Monique stands side-on to sheer white curtains in her lace gown, long curls falling over one shoulder
Monique looks down at her engagement ring, her lace bodice and fine pendant necklace lit by soft window light
Monique holds her blush and white bouquet as her dad sees her in her gown for the first time
A loved one in a champagne sequinned dress presses a hand to her chest, watching Monique and her dad
Monique and her dad share a long, tight hug in the living room, her train spread across the timber floor
Her dad holds Monique close while a loved one in a sequinned dress wipes away a tear, holding the bouquet
Monique pins a white rose buttonhole to her dad's lapel in front of sheer white curtains
Her dad kisses Monique's hand as she laughs beside a loved one in a champagne sequinned dress
Monique tips her head back laughing between her dad and a loved one in front of the sheer curtains
Monique dabs a happy tear from her eye as her dad and a loved one smile at her
Her dad and a loved one kiss Monique's cheeks from either side as she grins at the camera
Monique and a bridesmaid in glasses and a long red dress hold their rose bouquets side by side at the window
Monique and her bridesmaid in glasses smile at each other, holding blush and deep red rose bouquets
Monique fans out her long veil with both hands, smiling down at it in the light-filled living room
Monique and her three bridesmaids in long red dresses stand in a row with their rose bouquets
Monique and her bridesmaids crowd close, holding blush, white and deep red rose bouquets in front of the curtains
Monique stands with a bridesmaid with long brown hair, both holding rose bouquets in front of the sheer curtains
Monique and her bridesmaid share a laugh, turning towards each other with their bouquets at the window
Monique poses with a fair-haired bridesmaid in a long red dress, both smiling with their rose bouquets
Monique and her fair-haired bridesmaid bend over in a fit of giggles, admiring their bouquets
Monique smiles at the camera by the curtains, holding her blush and white rose bouquet low
Monique glances down at her lace gown, veil trailing behind her and bouquet held out to one side
Monique in black and white, eyes lowered, her veil drifting behind her and her bouquet at her side
Monique laughs as her long sparkling veil sweeps out across the timber floor beside the window
Monique laughing by the window in black and white, her long veil sweeping out across the floor
Seated Monique smiles down at her bouquet, her sparkling veil falling over her shoulder
A close portrait in black and white of Monique smiling down at her roses through her veil
Monique sits with her gown pooled around her, glancing down at her blush rose bouquet with a little smile
Monique seated in black and white, her veil and gown pooled around her as she smiles at her flowers
Monique sits by the sheer curtains in her veil, holding her bouquet and smiling off to one side
Monique in black and white, seated in her veil with her bouquet, smiling towards the window
A little girl in a white tulle dress and brown boots holds her cheeks in delight at the sight of Monique
Daniel waits with his three groomsmen in blue jackets beside the blush drape at John Eichner Memorial Reserve
Monique sits quietly in the wedding car in her lace gown, looking down before the ceremony
Monique and her dad stand on the footpath by the white ribboned wedding car, ready to walk in
Her dad walks Monique down the grass aisle between white chairs at John Eichner Memorial Reserve, Greenwith
Monique's long sparkling veil trails behind her as her dad leads her towards Daniel at the blush drape
Monique closes her eyes and smiles, arm in arm with her dad as they walk down the aisle
Her dad hands Monique over to a grinning Daniel at the rose-framed ceremony arch
Monique and Daniel hug at the blush pink arch, her long train spread across the lawn
Monique and Daniel hold hands for their vows under the blush floral arch at John Eichner Memorial Reserve in Greenwith
Three bridesmaids in long rust red dresses stand on the lawn with their bouquets beneath autumn leaves
Her dad smiles from the front row while a loved one in a sequinned dress wipes away a tear, camera in hand
Guests in sunglasses watch the vows from white folding chairs on the sunny lawn
Guests on white folding chairs under tall trees at John Eichner Memorial Reserve, with sandstone terraces and a playground behind
Monique laughs as she holds Daniel's hands during the vows, a woman with a microphone smiling between them
Daniel smiles at Monique during the vows as a groomsman holds the white ring cushion
Guests in sunglasses sit in the autumn sun, a woman in black lace holding her phone
A boy in a bow tie and a little girl peek over the backs of the white chairs to watch
Daniel slides the wedding ring onto Monique's finger in front of the blush drape
Monique and Daniel show their new rings, hands resting on the signed certificate beside her rose bouquet
Monique and Daniel at the small timber signing table with a groomsman and a bridesmaid standing behind them
The full bridal party gathers around Monique and Daniel at the signing table on the autumn lawn
Seated guests clap and smile after the vows, with sandstone terraces and a playground behind
Her dad and a loved one in a sequinned dress clap from the front row beside three young men in suits
The bridal party, a little girl and a boy in a bow tie line up at the floral arch at John Eichner Memorial Reserve, Greenwith
Monique and Daniel pose with the little girl in white tulle and the boy in a bow tie at the arch
Monique and Daniel walk back up the aisle hand in hand as guests stand and smile
Monique and Daniel kiss halfway back down the aisle with guests on their feet either side
Every guest gathers for a big group portrait on the lawn at John Eichner Memorial Reserve in Greenwith, the floral arch behind
Every arm in the crowd goes up in a cheer for Monique and Daniel's group photo
Guests and the bridal party throw their hands in the air around the newlyweds on the lawn
Monique and Daniel with a man in a dotted tie and a woman in black lace in dappled shade
A family group of seven stands with Monique and Daniel under a big tree beside the stone terraces
Monique and Daniel with a woman in a mustard print dress in the dappled shade of the tree
Monique and Daniel stand with her dad and a loved one in a champagne sequinned dress under the tree
Monique and Daniel stand behind the little girl in white tulle and the boy in a bow tie
Monique and Daniel crouch on the grass with the boy in a bow tie and the little girl
Monique crouches down for a giggly portrait with the littlest girl in her white tulle dress and brown boots
Daniel kneels on the lawn with a grinning boy in a white shirt and bow tie on his knee
A long extended family group lines up with Monique and Daniel under the tree on the lawn
Monique and Daniel with two older women and an older man in a striped shirt in dappled shade
Monique and Daniel stand with three young men in black suits under the big tree
A closer portrait of Monique and Daniel smiling with the three young men in black suits
Monique and Daniel with a woman in a mustard print dress, the boy and a groomsman holding the little girl
Monique and Daniel smile with an older man in a checked jacket and dotted tie
Monique and Daniel stand together under a green rotunda, Daniel holding her bouquet
Monique laughs with Daniel and his groomsmen holding the bridesmaids' bouquets on the autumn lawn at Mount Lofty Botanic Garden
Monique and her bridesmaids hoist Daniel sideways off his feet, laughing, with the hills behind
The groomsmen help Daniel lift Monique and her gown off the grass for a kiss at Mount Lofty Botanic Garden in the Adelaide Hills
Monique's bridesmaids raise their bouquets high around her on the sunny hillside lawn
Monique walks hand in hand with her laughing bridesmaids across the lawn at Mount Lofty Botanic Gardens
Monique looks back laughing as her veil streams out and her bridesmaids hold their bouquets overhead
Daniel and his groomsmen stand arm in arm, long shadows on the grass, the summit towers on the ridge above Mount Lofty Garden
Daniel and his groomsmen walk the slope arm in arm, laughing beneath the towers on the ridge
Monique and Daniel kiss beneath a spreading tree on a lawn carpeted in orange autumn leaves at Mount Lofty Botanic Garden
Monique and Daniel smile under a canopy of branches, her long train spread over the fallen leaves
Monique and Daniel kiss beneath the branches among fallen autumn leaves at Mount Lofty Botanic Garden in Crafers
Under her veil, Monique smiles up at Daniel with her blush and white bouquet between them
Monique gazes up at Daniel beneath the drifting veil, a portrait in black and white
Faces almost touching, Monique and Daniel share a quiet moment beneath her veil at Mount Lofty Botanic Gardens
In black and white, Monique and Daniel lean in nose to nose under the soft veil
Monique and Daniel kiss beneath her veil, autumn leaves above and the summit towers behind, at Mount Lofty Botanic Garden in the Adelaide Hills
The veil kiss on the open slope in black and white, a branch of leaves framing the top
The groomsmen and bridesmaids stroll down the sunny slope together beneath red autumn trees at Mount Lofty Garden
Monique and Daniel walk hand in hand across the grass, her skirt swinging beside a picnic table
Monique looks back laughing as she walks hand in hand with Daniel through the trees at Mount Lofty Botanic Garden
Monique and Daniel walk hand in hand under the trees in black and white, her skirt and veil swirling
Monique and Daniel kiss as they walk among the trees, her full skirt flaring, at Mount Lofty Botanic Gardens
A walking kiss in black and white, Monique's skirt flaring across the grass beneath the trees
Monique and Daniel stand nose to nose as her veil blows back over the fallen leaves at Mount Lofty Botanic Garden in Crafers
Daniel dips Monique into a kiss on the leaf-covered ground, her train and veil spread wide
Daniel dips Monique, both smiling, as sun breaks through the trees at Mount Lofty Botanic Garden in the Adelaide Hills
Monique and Daniel smile at each other, wrapped in her veil, the sun rimming her hair
Monique holds her bouquet over Daniel's shoulder as they embrace among fallen leaves at Mount Lofty Garden
Monique and Daniel hug and smile at the camera, her bouquet raised above the leaf-strewn ground
Daniel shares a big laugh with a groomsman in a red tie, standing in fallen leaves at Mount Lofty Botanic Garden
Daniel stands with a bearded groomsman in a red tie, arm in arm on a carpet of autumn leaves
Daniel and a groomsman crack up laughing, arms around each other, under the trees at Mount Lofty Botanic Gardens
Daniel smiles to one side, hand in pocket, his white rose buttonhole bright against his dark jacket
Sunlight streams through the trees behind Monique as she glances down over her shoulder at Mount Lofty Botanic Garden in the Adelaide Hills
Monique backlit by a shaft of sun in black and white, eyes lowered over her bouquet
Monique turns from the sun, her veil and skirt trailing over fallen leaves at Mount Lofty Botanic Garden in Crafers
The sun rims Monique's hair and veil in black and white as she turns away across the leaves
Monique smiles at the camera with her bouquet, her full skirt spread across the grass at Mount Lofty Garden
Monique and Daniel sit together in a drift of autumn leaves, her gown spread wide around them
Monique and Daniel sit close among the golden fallen leaves, her bouquet in her lap, at Mount Lofty Botanic Garden
The wedding story

Our Mount Lofty Botanic Garden wedding photos: a lift from the bridesmaids, a kiss under the veil and a seat in the autumn leaves

Getting ready at home · Vows at John Eichner Memorial Reserve · Family groups under the gums · Up to Mount Lofty Botanic Garden · Veil and autumn leaf portraits

Read the full story

Sheer curtains and soft light

Our morning began at home with Monique, in a room where sheer white curtains filled the whole wall with soft light. We started with the details: her invitation laid on white fabric among eucalyptus leaves, with her ring resting on the card. Then Monique stood side-on to the window in her lace gown, long curls over one shoulder, and we kept her face turned towards the light. Sheer curtains are a gift on a bright autumn morning. They turn hard sun into one huge soft source, so skin glows and the white of a gown keeps its lace detail.

A long hug from her dad

Then Monique’s dad saw her in her gown for the first time. They stood facing each other in the living room while she held her blush and white bouquet, and a moment later came a long, tight hug. She pinned a rose buttonhole to his lapel, smiling up at him, and soon two loved ones leaned in from either side to kiss her cheeks at once. We stood well back for all of it. A longer lens lets us stay out of the way, so small family moments like these unfold the way they would if we weren’t in the room.

Red dresses by the window

Her three bridesmaids came in wearing long red dresses, each carrying deep red and white roses that played off Monique’s softer blush bouquet. We lined them up against the curtains for a group, then paired each bridesmaid with Monique for a laugh and a quick portrait of their own. One of our favourite frames from the morning is a black and white one: Monique seated with her veil pooled around her, glancing down at her flowers with a little smile. Our tip for getting ready at home: keep one clear window or wall free of clutter, and the photos stay calm and bright.

Down the aisle at the reserve

Late in the morning Monique arrived at John Eichner Memorial Reserve and walked the path towards the lawn with her dad. Daniel waited up front with his three groomsmen in blue jackets and tan trousers, beside a blush pink drape framed with roses. Guests filled rows of white folding chairs under the gums, with a playground and sandstone retaining walls behind them. Monique’s dad walked her down the grass aisle, her long veil trailing behind. In bright midday sun we keep the couple’s faces in the open shade of the arch where we can, and let the background run a little bright.

Vows, rings and every arm up

Monique and Daniel held hands for their vows in front of the drape, with the low sandstone wall and turning trees behind them. Guests leaned in from the front rows, and two little ones peeked over the backs of the chairs to watch. The rings went on, then the certificate was signed at a small table on the lawn, her new ring catching the sun beside white roses. Afterwards came a kiss halfway back down the aisle, with everyone on their feet and clapping, and then a big group photo where every arm in the crowd went up in a cheer.

Families in dappled shade

Family groups came next, on the lawn by the stone terraces, in dappled shade under a big gum. We worked through the groups quickly so nobody had to stand in the sun for long, and kept the bright sky out of the frame so faces stayed even. Monique crouched down for a giggly portrait with the littlest girl in her white tulle dress, both of them grinning straight at us. Before we left, Monique and Daniel stood together under a nearby rotunda for a calm portrait, the first quiet minute they had had since the vows. Then we packed up and headed for the hills.

Up into the hills

In the early afternoon we drove up into the Adelaide Hills for our Mount Lofty Botanic Garden wedding photos, and autumn had timed it perfectly. The trees had turned red, orange and gold, and the summit towers stood on the ridge above us. The bridesmaids hoisted Daniel off his feet and held him sideways like a trophy, then raised their bouquets high around Monique as her veil flew out behind her. The groomsmen walked the slope arm in arm, and the whole bridal party strolled down the lawn together. We kept the hillside behind them so the colour filled every frame.

A kiss under the veil

Then it was just Monique and Daniel. We drew her long veil over them both and moved in close, faces almost touching, her bouquet glowing between them. A veil works like a soft filter: it lifts the shadows and wraps the light around two faces. Out on the open slope, with the summit towers behind and a branch of autumn leaves framing the top of the picture, they kissed beneath it. Monique then swept across the grass with her skirt swinging and Daniel at her side, and the breeze kept lifting that veil for us.

A seat in the fallen leaves

We finished down among the trees, where fallen leaves covered the ground and the sun broke through the canopy in long shafts. Monique and Daniel stood close with the veil blowing back, and Daniel shared a big laugh with one of his groomsmen. We turned Monique so the sun sat behind her, which put a rim of light on her hair and veil, then sat the two of them down in a drift of leaves with her gown spread wide around them. After that, everyone headed back home for the reception and a well-earned celebration.

Photographer's venue notes

Mount Lofty Botanic Garden, Crafers: autumn slopes, summit towers and a seat in the fallen leaves

Read the venue notes

From the reserve up to the hills

Monique and Daniel said their vows on a lawn at John Eichner Memorial Reserve, then the whole bridal party climbed into the Adelaide Hills with us for portraits. We used Mount Lofty Botanic Garden purely as a portrait location, so there was no ceremony set to work around and no crowd to gather. That freedom let us move from the open hillside lawns down into the trees at our own pace, with the bridesmaids and groomsmen close by for the loud, funny frames and stepping aside whenever we wanted the two of them alone.

Bright autumn sun on the slopes

We arrived in the early afternoon with the trees in full red, orange and gold under a clear, sunny sky. On the open slope that meant long shadows across the grass and plenty of sparkle, so we placed the bridal party with the light coming across them and the summit towers on the ridge behind. As we worked lower, the canopy broke the sun into long shafts, which gave us a completely different, softer mood only a short stroll from the lawn.

Three spots that carried the gallery

The upper lawn below the ridge was our stage for the big bridal party moments, because hillside colour filled the background wherever we pointed. A spreading tree on a lawn carpeted in orange leaves gave us a natural roof for the quieter kisses. Then, deeper among the trunks, the fallen leaves lay thick enough to sit in, and the open grass between the trees gave Monique room to swing her full skirt as they walked hand in hand.

Tips for an autumn hills session

A late morning ceremony and an early afternoon drive up worked beautifully for Monique and Daniel, giving us strong colour on the slopes first and gentler, broken light under the trees later. When the sun sits low behind the branches, let us turn you away from it, because hair and veil pick up a lovely glowing edge. A long veil is worth the fuss on a breezy hillside, and a gown you are happy to sit down in opens up some of the sweetest portraits of the day.

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