A list of the top 12 wedding venues in Kumeu and wider Northwest Auckland by local photographer Lydia Rachel. As a local Auckland wedding photographer, I have shot hundreds of weddings working in the industry for over eight years. Auckland is a wonderful city with a variety of different landscapes and many hidden gems. We […]

Short answer- it’s up to you. A few quick reasons I think an engagement shoot is a good idea: Photos in normal clothes at any location/time you like. A practice-run in front of the camera. Treasured images in your current life season. Beautiful images to use for pre-wedding purposes. I’ll go into these in more […]

Where do I start? There are a bunch of different ways to find the ideal wedding photographer. Some of the most common are: via Google, social media, or word of mouth. Getting recommendations from friends or other wedding vendors can be great. Also, there are some wonderful wedding directories out there (with all sorts of […]

Here’s some of my favourite things from the last month… a cute Etsy store, delicious recipe, amazing courses, natural beauty fave and very bingeable Youtube channel. WEDDING/PJs// Piyama Etsy Store.A cute Etsy store with pyjamas and robes perfect for brides and bridesmaids wedding prep. Or anyone just wanting a cute new set of PJs! HEALTH/BEAUTY// […]

Choosing your bridal party (bridesmaids and groomsmen) is a really exciting part of your wedding planning but can also be a tricky one. You may have had your crew picked out in your mind for years, or maybe you are stuck! You may have lots of friends and don’t want anyone to feel left out, […]

Here’s some of my favourite things from the last month… a couple of helpful wedding resources, foodie and business love and a longtime fave podcast. WEDDING SERVICE// The Curator.The Curator is an amazing wedding planning tool and resource. As it says on their site: “The Curator helps you discover unique, high-quality wedding vendors, keep track […]

I didn’t want to write this post in a negative way, and in no way want to come across as complaining or having a rant. There is so much I love about being a wedding photographer, a lot more positive than negative! 99% of my clients are amazing! I wanted to let you in on […]

One of the most popular topic requests I have had is for: marriage advice. While I love everything weddings and have so much experience photographing them, your wedding day really is just a tiny snippet of your entire relationship. It’s still important and pivotal of course, but wouldn’t you say your relationship overall is more […]

“Maybe we should just elope!” This phrase is thrown around at the best of times and especially in the thick of wedding-planning overwhelm. More so in this time of social-distancing, it’s becoming more than just a throwaway remark for many couples. Going forward, for the next wee while at least, weddings may look different and […]

Hello! I hope you are all doing well, keeping sane in this Covid-19 isolation time. I know there are so many of you still planning your weddings during this time and it’s great to have a bit more space to do some research, be inspired and figure out what you like. But how do you […]