Pre-Production

From early conversations, Bayleigh understood how deeply Jac and Lin connected to the landscape around Huka Lodge. Seeing Jac’s bridal looks ahead of time, especially the sculptural Gigi Burris hat, allowed her to pre-visualize her subject within that environment. Reviewing Tiffany Keal’s styling moodboard also helped her anticipate the palette, texture, and atmosphere.

Bayleigh scouted the property the day prior, ideally pairing this with the couple’s pre-wedding portraits. While sunshine had defined the earlier scout, the wedding day arrived with rain and heavy cloud. Instead of resisting it, she leaned into the tonal shift.

“Darker tones aren’t usually my style,” she notes, “but the richness of the landscape and light rain meant surrendering to what the day was offering.”

Photographer: Bayleigh Vedelago

‘Behind the Shot’
I think as photographers we are both reading a scene but also anticipating a moment. Not having an assistant shooting on the day meant I had to get my timings right to be able to capture all the key moments. I knew Jac would be walking the old forest path with her Dad to the ceremony, it was a surprise and unexpected entrance point that would hold so much sentiment to her to reflect back on. It required a bit of orchestration with their planner so we didn’t ruin the surprise entrance, but I’m so glad I made the effort and decision to position myself to be able to capture these intimate moments as father and daughter.

Quick Info

Gear:
2 × Canon R5
28–70mm / 50mm / 85mm
Canon 600 Speedlight with small round softbox

Coverage: 1 photographer, approximately 10–11 hours

Getting Ready

Bayleigh often begins quietly, photographing fashion details to gently establish her presence. By this point she had already seen many of Jac’s pieces, allowing her to anticipate how textures and tones would interact with the villa interiors.

Jac carries an old-world elegance, something Bayleigh consciously channeled in her portraits. The morning was structured intentionally to allow a few minutes of stillness before leaving for the ceremony.

‘A Favorite Image’
It had been such a calm start to the day, and we had the luxury of time up our sleeve so I took the opportunity of a few quiet moments to capture some bridal portraits before the ceremony. After a morning of light rain, the sun came out right at this moment, and the light turned cinematic. Sometimes as photographers we can see what is about to unfold with the light and so it was a good reminder to trust in my instincts and tune in to the moment. This moment of Jacqueline so gracefully feeling the warmth of the sun with the beauty of the river behind is such a representation of her essence and gives such a sense of place, it was worth taking a few extra minutes to go outside to capture.

Ceremony

The rain cleared just in time.

The overcast skies created a moodier, more cinematic tone than originally envisioned, but Bayleigh adapted in real time. Shooting solo required reading the scene while anticipating what would unfold next.

One of the most meaningful moments came before Jac even reached the aisle.

Drone stills were captured by Sommar Films, revealing how the lodge nestles into the surrounding river and wilderness, a reminder of scale and context.

Portraits

Locations were intentionally woven into the portrait session. Jac loved the tall hedges; Lin was drawn to the croquet lawn. Incorporating spaces meaningful to them allowed the images to feel authentic.

Though the light dropped sooner than expected, the prior scouting ensured flexibility. Bayleigh adjusted timing so the couple could enjoy their guests while still capturing portraits in flattering light.

Linford’s playful energy and Jac’s beauty, style and grace felt like being on the scenes of an old film. Knowing how special the landscape was to them, it was about placing them in locations the held the beauty of the place like a stage for them to simply be themselves. Once a natural moment has unfolded I often then step in and give gentle direction so we can also capture a more elevated image in the scene that feels still organic but also refined.

Reception

Inside Huka Lodge’s dining room, the mood turned intimate and warm, more family dinner than production. Tiffany’s styling elevated the space while preserving its coziness.

For the early reception, Bayleigh withheld flash to protect that atmosphere. Speeches were heartfelt and vulnerable; disrupting them with artificial light would have broken the feeling.

As the energy lifted later in the evening, she introduced flash strategically, using her Canon 600 Speedlight with a small round softbox to create editorial guest portraits and sharper energy on the dance floor.

The Bigger Picture

Throughout the day, subtle details unfolded naturally: ducklings swimming near the floral installation, a rainbow catching the edge of a frame.

For Bayleigh, photographing this wedding was about more than documenting beauty. It meant capturing how it felt to stand beside the river, to walk the forest path, to gather inside a warm lodge as rain softened the world outside.

Understanding how sacred Huka Lodge was to Jac and Lin shaped every decision.