Pian and Richard

A wedding at Stones of the Yarra

By Thomas Feng

February 14^th, 2020

Before the wedding...

It was the summer of 2018-19 when Pian reached out and asked if I was interested in photographing her special day. I was elated. I had been considering pursuing opportunities outside of work and film photography for a while but Pian gave me that extra push to actually do it.

I reached out to Bec Matheson, an excellent human and photographer of families and weddings (do yourself a favour and check out her work), to show me the ropes. If I was to photograph Pian's day, I wanted to learn from the very best. Thankfully, I was able to spend a whole day out in the Dandenongs being her assistant capturing Mitch and Cass' ceremony and reception out on an old farm.

The other thing I wanted to do in preparation was to spend additional time with Pian and Richard so they were familiar with me and my style, and I knew how to get the most out of them!

Stones of the Yarra

The wedding was held at the stunning Stones of the Yarra winery and estate. It is a charming property, with a tree-lined cul de sac leading you inside to meet manicured lawns, which foreshadow the sweeping vineyards in the heart of the Yarra Valley. A hedge-covered sandstone church awaited in the middle as an idyllic, cinematic spot for a ceremony.

As I arrived a couple of hours early to scout locations for various shots, the florist (Flowers By Leda) and staff from Stones were busily preparing the space with final touches.

And then it suddenly all began...

The clock struck 11am. We hustled the guests to take their seats inside the chapel, and Pian started walking down the aisle.

As Richard and Pian exchanged their vows and speeches to each other, you could see how interwined and in tune they were with each other's habits, hobbies and expressions of love to each other.

They showed little nerve and took on each moment as it came. And it helped make everybody feel relaxed and happy throughout the whole day. There were lots of cheers and hugs exchanged as they walked out of the chapel.

Group shots are probably the bane of every wedding photographer's existence, but I am really happy with how these turned out (I've only uploaded a couple here but there are 30 different shots!).

Shooting outside in the middle of the day is a challenge for every photographer! Thankfully I was equipped with how to tackle these scenarios from Bec.

Richard and Pian together

Richard and Pian's jaws were probably hurting from how much smiling they had to do throughout the day, but in between the ceremony and reception we had an hour to take couple photos.

Having photographed them together prior to the wedding, I knew that I had to just direct and shoot candidly, without forcing too much out of them. They are unashamedly themselves, and won't do anything they don't feel comfortable with. They aren't super touchy or affectionate, but I am stoked with how I captured their unique love here.

Reception

After sinking down a few sparkling apple juices and an ice-cream and a dress-change for Pian, it was time for the reception. Pian and Richard know how to tell a story, and their respective versions of how they got together had all of the guests laughing the rest of the afternoon away.

Pian had managed to add an extra personal touch by hand-painting all of the coasters and the guest seating arrangements!

First dance

Pian and Richard's first dance as a married couple was a testament to how they met as dancers at university. It was a routine mix of jazz, contemporary and urban dance! And while the guests weren't really up for dancing afterwards, I managed to convince Pian's Dad to dance for one song.

And I'm so glad because I think it is a moment they will remember forever.

Alas it was time to head off and prepare for the honeymoon. And for me? A weekend of resting my tired shoulders and editing!

I am so grateful to Richard and Pian for giving me the opportunity to capture their special day. It was a beautiful, joyous celebration, and truly reflected their relationship and love for each other.