The University of Sydney Great Hall wedding photos: Praz dips Felice into a kiss before a carved sandstone archway guarded by stone beasts in Sydney
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Real heritage wedding · Camperdown, Sydney

The University of Sydney Great Hall Wedding Photos: Felice & Praz

The University of Sydney Great Hall · Science Rd, Camperdown NSW · Sydney

Cultural & Traditional Wedding · Heritage & Historic Venue Wedding · Urban City Wedding · City: Sydney · Venue: The University of Sydney Great Hall

Bubbles drifting down a marble aisle, vows read into a microphone under stained glass, then a grey-sky stroll across the Quadrangle with clear umbrellas in hand. Felice and Praz’s wedding at The University of Sydney Great Hall in Camperdown kept the ceremony and the party under one hammerbeam roof, and the sandstone did the rest. We were with them from a calm morning in the city to a dance floor lit pink and green beneath the old portraits, and we loved every minute.

The gallery
Praz fixes his cuffs in a blue check suit as a loved one in a white shirt smooths his jacket by the urban hotel window
Praz knots his green tie at a tall window with sheer curtains, getting ready at QT Sydney in the city
Praz sits on the edge of the bed in his blue check suit and green tie, chin in hand in the CBD hotel
A tortoiseshell comb, crystal bow brooch, pearls and a ring set out with perfume among cream roses in soft daylight
Felice in navy polka dot pyjamas reaches up to her lace gown hanging against the sheer curtains of her city hotel room
Felice smiles with her blue and white rose bouquet in front of sheer curtains in her urban hotel suite, gold leaf pins in her hair
Felice looks back over her shoulder, her lace gown and long train spread across the timber floor by the city hotel window
A loved one in pink florals does up the buttons on the back of Felice's lace gown by the window
Felice glances down by the bright window of the CBD hotel as a loved one in pink florals finishes fastening her gown
Felice puts in her earrings by the sheer curtains, a sprig of greenery tucked into her hair
One bridesmaid in deep green kneels to settle Felice's train while another adjusts her bouquet by the tall city hotel window
Felice laughs with a bridesmaid in deep green over her blue and white bouquet in the city window light
Felice stands beside her dad in his dark suit, holding her blue and white bouquet against the sheer curtains of the city hotel suite
Felice rests her head on her dad's shoulder with her eyes closed, bouquet in hand, in soft window light at the inner city hotel
Felice smiles between an older man in a dark suit and a loved one in pink florals in the bright urban hotel room
A guest carries a little girl down the black and white marble aisle as bubbles drift through The University of Sydney Great Hall
A bridesmaid in deep green smiles her way down the aisle past guests on gold chairs and portraits on the heritage sandstone walls
A bridesmaid in a strappy green gown carries her posy down the aisle beneath the historic organ gallery of the Great Hall
Felice walks down the marble aisle between her dad and a loved one in pink florals as guests turn to watch in the heritage hall
Praz and his groomsmen wait on the dais beneath the stained glass of the Great Hall of the University of Sydney as a cellist plays
Praz rests a hand on Felice's back as they climb the white marble steps to the dais together
Felice and Praz hold hands before the celebrant on the historic dais, white and blue flowers lining the chequered floor
Felice and Praz beam at each other as the celebrant speaks under the stained glass at the Great Hall at the University of Sydney
Felice reads her vows into a microphone, steady and focused in the heritage hall, Praz soft in the foreground
Praz slides the ring onto Felice's finger as a bridesmaid in green looks on
Praz bows low to kiss Felice's hand after the ring goes on in the historic hall, the celebrant smiling behind them
Felice and Praz kiss beneath the stained glass window at The University of Sydney Great Hall, Camperdown, as the bridal party claps
Felice and Praz hold each other close before the teal velvet curtain while bridesmaids and groomsmen applaud
The bridal party lines up on the chequered marble floor beneath heritage sandstone walls, bridesmaids in deep green beside groomsmen in blue check
Praz throws an arm in the air as he and Felice head back down the aisle of The University of Sydney Great Hall to cheers
Felice and Praz stop for a kiss halfway down the aisle as guests stand and clap beneath the heritage hammerbeam roof
Felice and Praz walk hand in hand down the aisle, all smiles, as guests clap from both sides
Every guest gathers on the dais steps of the Great Hall for one big group photo beneath the historic stained glass
Guests wave and cheer in a lively take of the big group shot on the marble dais steps
Felice and Praz with a family group holding a toddler and a baby on the marble steps under the teal curtains of the historic hall
A larger family group in bright colours gathers around Felice and Praz in the Great Hall of the University of Sydney
A small family group with a baby and a little girl in white stands close around Felice and Praz
Felice and Praz with a family group on the heritage hall's chequered marble, one guest in a rust orange suit at the end
A big family group fills the dais steps at the Great Hall at the University of Sydney around Felice and Praz
Felice and Praz with a crowd of guests on the dais steps, everyone squeezed in close and smiling
A tall group of guests rises up the steps behind Felice and Praz, one in a cream suit at the front
Felice and Praz with a small group of guests on the marble steps at The University of Sydney Great Hall, Camperdown
Guests holding a toddler and a baby join Felice and Praz on the steps for a relaxed group shot
Felice and Praz pose on the steps of the heritage hall with guests in orange, green and blue, a table of white flowers behind
Felice and Praz with four guests on the steps of the Great Hall, one in a polka dot dress and one in pale yellow
Felice and Praz stand with a guest in a grey suit and a guest in a long navy gown on the dais steps
Felice and Praz stand with two guests on the historic marble steps, one in a red rose print dress
Felice and Praz between a guest in a dark shirt and one in a blue check suit at The University of Sydney Great Hall
A guest pops up behind Felice and Praz with his arms around them for a playful shot on the steps
Felice and Praz with two guests, two babies and a toddler in white at the Great Hall of the University of Sydney
Felice and Praz stand between a guest in a blue floral tie and a guest in a green and gold draped gown
Felice and Praz with two guests below the tall stained glass and teal curtains at the Great Hall at the University of Sydney
Felice and Praz with an older man in a dark suit and a loved one in pink florals before the heritage hall's teal velvet curtain
A wide family lineup on the dais steps, Felice and Praz at the centre with two guests on each side
Felice and Praz walk hand in hand across damp sandstone paving in the University of Sydney Quadrangle under a grey city sky
Felice and Praz stand against an ivy covered wall between heritage sandstone arches on a grey afternoon
Felice and Praz look back hand in hand from a dark Gothic archway, city towers soft in the distance
Felice and Praz sit together in an arch of the Quadrangle Cloisters, the lawn and sandstone facades behind them
The bridal party lounges on blue velvet chairs beneath a dark carved honour board against historic sandstone walls
Bridesmaids kick up their heels beside Felice as the groomsmen fold their arms on the Front Lawn at the University of Sydney
Felice and her bridesmaids in deep green stand on curved stone steps under a deeply carved historic sandstone archway
Felice laughs between two bridesmaids in green, one lifting her bouquet high under the carved Gothic doorway
Praz and his groomsmen lean on a carved stone balustrade in matching blue check suits and green ties, city rooftops behind
Praz and his groomsmen hold folded clear umbrellas by the balustrade, a heritage sandstone building and trees behind
Clear umbrellas swing open as Praz and his groomsmen clown around along the stone balustrade, inner city rooftops beyond
The bridal party stands on the stone steps of the urban campus under clear umbrellas, Felice and Praz sharing one at the front
The whole bridal party jumps in front of a historic carved sandstone doorway flanked by stone beasts
Praz dips Felice into a kiss on the steps of a carved Gothic Revival entrance guarded by stone beasts
Felice, Praz and the bridal party stroll up the inner city campus avenue with clear umbrellas towards the sandstone towers
Looking down on The University of Sydney Great Hall as guests dance under pink and green lights beside long tables of white flowers
Guests dance in a blur of purple and green light beneath the old portraits on the historic sandstone walls
Felice twirls under a raised arm with a drink in her other hand on the crowded checkerboard dance floor of their city wedding
Felice and Praz dance among guests as coloured light washes the portraits in the Great Hall
Praz and Felice raise their hands and glasses on the packed dance floor beneath pink lit portraits
Felice laughs as she dances hand in hand with a guest in a striped shirt at The University of Sydney Great Hall, Camperdown
The wedding story

Our University of Sydney Great Hall wedding photos: bubbles down the aisle, clear umbrellas on the front lawn and a dance floor under the portraits

Getting ready at QT Sydney · Ceremony on the Great Hall dais · Family groups on the marble steps · Quadrangle and cloister portraits · Umbrellas on the front lawn · Dancing in the Great Hall

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Window light at QT Sydney

Our day began in the city at QT Sydney, where Praz was getting ready by a tall window in a blue check suit and a green tie. A loved one tugged his collar straight, he fixed the knot himself, then sat on the edge of the bed with his chin in his hand, looking far calmer than most grooms do at that hour. Meanwhile we set out the details in soft daylight among white roses: a tortoiseshell comb, a crystal bow brooch, pearls, a ring and a bottle of perfume. Details always go first, before the room fills up.

Pyjamas, lace and her dad

Felice pulled the sheer curtains wide in her polka-dot pyjamas, and the room filled with the soft, even light we love. A loved one in pink florals did up the buttons on her lace gown, then came earrings and a sprig of greenery in her hair. The bridesmaids, in deep green, knelt to settle her train across the timber floor and laughed with her over the blue and white bouquet. When her dad came in, Felice rested her head on his shoulder, eyes closed. Sheer curtains turn a bright window into one big softbox, so we let it light every frame.

Bubbles down the marble aisle

At the Great Hall, guests filled gold chairs either side of a black and white marble aisle, with the organ gallery behind them and a white marble statue keeping watch. Bubbles floated through the doorway light as a guest carried a little one down the aisle, and the bridesmaids followed in green. Then Felice came in between her dad and the loved one in pink, smiling the whole way. Praz met her at the steps, put a hand on her back and they climbed to the dais together, with a cellist playing beside the teal curtains.

Vows under the stained glass

Up on the dais, beneath the stained glass and a wall of teal velvet, Felice and Praz held hands while the celebrant spoke. Felice read her vows into a microphone, steady and smiling, and when the rings went on, Praz bowed low and kissed her hand. We worked from the side of the dais for those close frames, then stepped back to the centre of the floor for the kiss, so the whole window, the bridesmaids and the clapping groomsmen fitted in. In a hall this big, a wide lens from the front tells the story of the room.

A roar on the way out

Praz threw an arm in the air as they started back down the aisle, and the hall answered with a roar. Guests leant out from the gold chairs for hugs and handshakes, and the two of them laughed their way towards the doors. Before anyone drifted off, we gathered every guest onto the dais steps for one big photo. Those steps are perfect for it: each row stands a little higher than the one in front, so every face shows, and the stained glass sits right above everyone’s heads.

Family on the marble steps

Then came the family groups, one after another, with babies in arms, a toddler out the front and both families dressed in their brightest colours. We kept everyone on the same marble steps under the teal curtains, so the whole set reads as one series when it is printed side by side, and worked through the list quickly while everyone was still in the room. The University of Sydney Great Hall wedding photos we love most mix both moods: the tidy formal line-up and the spontaneous laugh straight after it.

Cloister arches on a grey afternoon

Outside, the sky was a flat grey and the paving was still damp, which is kinder light than you might think: no squinting, no hard shadows, just soft colour on the sandstone. Felice and Praz walked hand in hand across the Quadrangle, stood against an ivy-covered wall, and looked back at us from inside a dark Gothic archway with the city softly blurred beyond. Then they sat together in the cloister arches with the lawn behind them, and the bridal party lounged on blue velvet chairs beneath a dark carved honour board.

Clear umbrellas and a dip

Out on the front lawn, the bridesmaids kicked up their heels beside Felice while the groomsmen folded their arms beneath the clock tower. Then the clear umbrellas came out, and we were happy about it: clear ones keep faces visible and catch the light like glass. The groomsmen leant on a carved stone balustrade, one swinging his umbrella open mid-frame, and the whole party jumped in front of a carved sandstone doorway flanked by stone beasts. Praz dipped Felice into a kiss on the steps, and everyone strolled back up the avenue, umbrellas in hand.

Pink and green on the portraits

Back inside, the Great Hall had changed completely. Long tables dressed with white flowers ran down the room, and once the dancing started, coloured lights washed the sandstone and the old portraits in pink, green and purple. We went up high for one frame looking down over the marble checkerboard floor and a packed dance floor, then headed back in among it: Felice spinning under Praz’s arm with a drink in her hand, the pair of them dancing with their friends, and Felice laughing with an older guest late into the night.

Photographer's venue notes

The University of Sydney Great Hall, Camperdown: vows on the dais and clear umbrellas on a grey afternoon

Read the venue notes

One hall, two moods

Felice and Praz used the Great Hall twice over. For the ceremony, guests sat on gold chairs either side of the chequered marble aisle, and the vows happened up on the dais with the stained glass and teal velvet behind them. Straight after the recessional we turned the dais steps into natural risers for the whole crowd and then every family group. While we were outside for portraits, the room was reset with long tables and white flowers, so walking back in for dinner felt like arriving somewhere new.

Cloud on the sandstone

The afternoon stayed overcast and the courtyard paving was still damp when we stepped outside. On pale sandstone that kind of sky is a real help: the stone keeps its warm honey tone, faces stay smooth, and we could place the two of them anywhere in the Quadrangle without chasing shade. Inside, the light through the stained glass was gentle but limited, so we kept our lenses fast. Once the party started, pink, green and purple light swept across the walls, and we exposed for skin first so the colour stayed fun rather than overwhelming.

The corners we chose

We started against an ivy covered wall between two arches, then stood Felice and Praz inside a dark archway so the city towers blurred softly behind them. A seat in the cloister arches gave a quiet frame with the lawn beyond, and the bridal party sprawled on blue velvet chairs under a carved honour board. Out the front, the groomsmen leant along a carved stone balustrade with rooftops behind, and a carved doorway guarded by stone beasts became the stage for a big jump and a dip into a kiss.

Lessons from their day

If the forecast looks grey, pack clear umbrellas for everyone in the bridal party; they keep faces visible and add a little sparkle without blocking anyone. Keep every guest in their seats until the big group frame on the steps is done, because a crowd that size scatters quickly once drinks are calling. And when the dancing starts, let us find a spot up high for one look down over the checkerboard floor; it shows the whole room alive in a single picture.

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