Planning a wedding in Bendigo?

You’ve come to the right place! Check out Jannah and Tommy’s story and full Bendigo Botanic Gardens wedding gallery for that Pinterest-worthy inspo below.

They were lucky enough to get hitched in the Bendigo Botanic Gardens on the weekend of the 14th of March, right before all the Covid lockdowns started happening. The Gardens offer a variety of different spots for your wedding setting to choose from. Jannah and Tommy decided on the one near the little bridge that crosses the stream flowing through the park. In preparation for their day, I helped them plan their photography timeline from start to finish. This is something I genuinely love doing and a crucial part of all my wedding consultations. If you’re also trying to work out your wedding day schedule, I have written a helpful blog post with all my tips and tricks here.

Jannah and Tommy’s story

Since Jannah and Tommy were good friends of mine who asked me to not only be their guest, but also their photographer, I was heavily involved in the planning process. Jannah and I spent hours looking at wedding dresses, styling inspiration, invitations, ceremony locations and decorations together. Fun fact: the dress that she chose in the end was a style that she said she’d never wear. And god, did she look stunning!

The morning of

Their chosen date turned out to be a perfect day with just the right temperature for an outdoor ceremony and indoor reception. Jannah and Tommy got ready at their parent’s places, both in Bendigo. The getting ready is one of my favourite things to capture. You can feel the excitement in the air, and I love the moment that both see the photos and get an idea of what each other’s day looked like until they met at the aisle. Jannah’s parents also organised an old timer to take her to the ceremony. It was such a thoughtful surprise that made the day even better.

Ceremony magic

On the way to the ceremony, big dark clouds covered the perfect morning sky. I think everyone was a little concerned that it might suddenly rain during the ceremony, but hey, that means good luck! However, as soon as they stood and joined their hands, the sky broke up and the sun lit up the tall trees behind them. It created the most beautiful, magical scene. The sun stayed around for the signing of the certificate, only to be gone again by the time family photos commenced.

Indoor reception

After their Bendigo Botanic Gardens wedding, where we also took the couple and bridal party photos, Jannah and Tommy had planned their reception indoors at St. Killian’s Hall. At the time there were no Covid restrictions at all, so they were able to go ahead with 150 guests. St. Killian’s Hall was decorated with beautiful fairy lights. The guests gathered around custom made wooden tables, whilst speeches were made and platters were grazed. Jannah and Tommy had a wonderful First Dance in front of their self-made LOVE letter sign. Followed by the cake cut, the night commenced and came to a perfect end when Jannah asked me to put my camera away and celebrate with them as a guest. We danced to “Sweet Caroline” and cried when they left to enjoy their first night as husband and wife, while “Good Riddance” by Green Day was playing.

Looking for a wedding photographer?

Hey, I’m Caro, a hopeless romantic, dog mum and nature lover and the person behind the lens of the images you’ve just looked at. I’m always happy to help with any questions you might have, and would be honoured to capture your wedding day! I have photographed over 100 weddings and elopements and assisted couples just like you with planning a day true to them. So what are you waiting for?! Get in touch here.