Tara Lee Photography Archives | The Bride's Tree

Caitlyn loves Andrew | Sunshine Coast Homestead Wedding

Sally Townsend — Tue, 21 Jul 2020 19:30:41 +0000

Despite doing a ton of DIY for their Sunshine Coast homestead wedding, Caitlyn and Andrea went $5k over budget… hey, sometimes that happens! I’m here to tell you, it’s okay – it’s your special day!

This happy couple from Charleville met when they were both attending university, and during their relationship have visited the Sunshine Coast on every holiday. They love it so much it was their first choice of location for their wedding, and they’ll soon be relocating here!

Bride Caitlyn says, “Make the day about you and your partner. Everyone will have an opinion and an idea of what they think you should do. Stick to what you both love and you can’t go wrong.” And she shares more sage advice and Sunshine Coast wedding-planning tips below…

Chief Priority

Involving our families. We live away, so having our families be part of the day was so important to us and made the day that much more special.

Biggest Challenge

Living 900kms away. Thank goodness for our parents who did a FaceTime call of our venue for us.

Wedding Planning Resources

Sunshine Coast Bridal Showcase, The Brides Tree Facebook group and Pinterest.

Images by Tara Lee Photography

Why the Sunshine Coast wedding location?

Andrew grew up on the Sunshine Coast and I fell in love with it after living with Andrew and his family for a few years. It’s the perfect place to get married.

Most Emotional Moment

My vows for me hands down! I held it together so well right up until I was looking at him saying my vows. I got through them but there was a small amount of ugly crying. For him it was when I walked down the aisle and his parents’ speech.

The Unforgettable

How I felt. The genuine happiness I felt on our wedding day is indescribable.

What We’d Change

Our day was absolutely perfect but getting married on one of the hottest days in December was probably not the best decision.

A Sweet Surprise

I didn’t plan this but my parents organised with our wonderful celebrant for us to have a surprise butterfly release during our ceremony. It was absolutely magical and one of my favourite parts of the day.

Wedding Secrets

Biggest splurge: Photography and videography. We really wanted our day captured and invested in the best people to do that for us.

Biggest money-saver: My mum and I went to Brisbane flower market and purchased approximately $350 worth of natives. Then two nights before the wedding, my mum, maid of honour, mother in law and sisters in law spent the night putting the bouquets, centre pieces and floral arrangements together. I was so proud of the bouquet I put together and now it’s dried and sitting in a vase to keep forever.

Bridal gown: LUV Bridal

Veil: My something old. It was the same veil my aunt wore for her wedding. We tea stained it to match my dress colour.

Earrings + bangle: Lovisa

Boots: RM Williams

Groom’s suit: Politix

Accessories + boots: RM Williams

Bridesmaids’ dresses: Forever New

Bridesmaids’ earrings: Lovisa

Bridesmaids’ shoes: Nine West

Groomsmen’s attire: Politix

DIY: We are so lucky to have big families who put so much time and energy into helping us DIY almost everything for the day. My favourite DIY was my hair and makeup.

Honeymoon: Maroochydore staycation.

Number of guests: 100

Wedding budget: $15,000

Actual cost of wedding: $20,000

Our Next Adventure

Apart from working and living at home together due to COVID for over two months, which was an adventure in itself as newlyweds. We’re moving back to the Sunshine Coast and buying a house at the end of this year.

Thank you for supporting our A-list Vendors, who made Caitlyn and Andrew’s Sunshine Coast homestead wedding such a dream come true…

The post Caitlyn loves Andrew | Sunshine Coast Homestead Wedding appeared first on The Bride's Tree.

Tegan loves Lawrence | Noosa North Shore Wedding

Sally Townsend — Mon, 19 Aug 2019 03:17:01 +0000

Tegan was expecting an exciting weekend trip from Brisbane to Sydney to see her favourite singer, Sia, with her favourite man, Lawrence. Little did she know, Lawrence planned to make the weekend away even more memorable. After enjoying a lunch of champagne and seafood on the beach, he popped The Big Question!

The couple then got to planning their stunning Noosa North Shore wedding on an impressively modest budget, and still managing to cater for their 110 guests. How did Tegan and Lawrence manage to hold their big wedding in Queensland’s most popular wedding destination on a $20,000 budget? Tegan shares her wedding secrets below…

Most Unforgettable Moments

“Reading our vows to each other; such touching words from my husband. And the speeches from all the people we care and love so much.”

The Venue

“We just fell in love with the secluded and tranquil feeling of Beach Stone House. It really represented us as people to be outdoors in nature and having our dogs included too was really important to us.”

Images by Tara Lee Photography

Standout Suppliers

“Tara as she is an amazing photographer. She really knows how to make you feel relaxed and capture those special moments. Dios Mio food truck; I couldn’t believe how quickly they prepared the food and everyone loved it!”

Why Marry Lawrence?

“He is my best friend and just gets me. We met in London travelling and will always share that passion for new and exciting experiences.”

Advice for Future Brides

“Something will go wrong but it won’t wreck the day, no-one will remember that. Everyone is there for you both, so remember you are surrounded by all the people in the world who care and love you and that is truly beautiful and special.”

Wedding Secrets

Biggest splurge: My wedding dress!

Best money-saver: Having a food truck, so many good options for guest and they provide everything. We saved on not having to hire and clean crockery and cutlery.

Bride’s gown: Brides of Brisbane

Earrings: Ryan Storer

Groom’s and groomsmen’s suits: Norfords

Bridesmaids’ dresses: JJ’s House

Bridesmaids’ accessories: Mimco

DIY: Chairs, table decorations, trestle tables, signs and arbour. My mother made our cake, we had a playlist for music, and borrowed our brother-in-law’s vintage car.

Honeymoon: Borneo on the beach and a jungle tour to see Orangutans.

Number of guests: 110

Wedding budget: $20,000

Actual cost of wedding: $20,000

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Tara Lee Toohey | A-List Vendor Profile

Sally Townsend — Tue, 09 Jul 2019 19:15:40 +0000

Whenever I run into The Tara Lee of Tara Lee Photography, I know I’m in for a good chat. We move smoothly through #mumlyfe observations to exchanging podcast and book recommendations, to my inevitable admiration of her effortless comfy-chic style. She’s one of those people with whom each interaction is easy and authentic.

Tara Lee is all about creating a thoughtful experience for her clients – and of course stunning photography. Giving you her everything on your wedding day, ensuring you have a relaxed and enjoyable time is as much part of her job as taking incredible photos. That’s the difference between a good wedding photographer and a great one.

This August will mark Tara Lee’s 15th year working as a Sunshine Coast wedding photographer. Even after 15 years, her passion for both photography and the wedding industry remains strong. She says, “It’s truly been an honour to capture so much beauty, love and raw emotion.”

Tara and I had a chat, and she shared some insight into her processes and passions…

Tara, take me through your on-the-wedding-day process…

I have a process to get my head into wedding mode – checking my equipment again, healthy lunch, reviewing all the wedding details and then head out with great excitement and anticipation of how the day will unfold. I shoot as much as I can, I bring an inspiration shot list of things I want to try and new ideas. I am all about keeping the time for the couple to ensure the day runs smoothly and without stress to the timeline we have discussed. After the wedding I back up everything captured on to two hard drives and try and get a sneak peak up for the couple that night.

You have a completely free day on the Sunshine Coast. Where are you going, what are you doing, and who are you with?

I LOVE the Sunshine Coast and all it has to offer. On a day off I am usually with my family heading out on an adventure in the morning and then doing something chill in the afternoon. We love sailing near Golden Beach passage, surfing at Happy Valley, walking the board walk in Coolum, bush walking in Maleny Hinterland in search of waterfalls, and finding new places on the Coast… email me with your favorites!

What’s something people may not know about you?

Something people may not know about me is that I am married to the great love of my life, man of my dreams Jayden from Sunshine Coast Videography. I am his biggest fan, his work inspires me.

What is one unique service or offering or element that makes your business stand out from the crowd?

The only truly unique thing I can offer you is me – my experience, my eye, my passion and my desire to see your wedding be an effortless day full of authentic emotion and joy.

Share some words from one of your happy clients…

“Tara without question is the best photographer for your special day or family portraits. She is so professional but yet the nicest most down to earth person you will ever meet. She takes the most amazing pics, ones to cherish forever. Don’t even question if she is the photographer for your special day or family portraits the answer is hell yes she is I will forever be grateful for the photos she has captured for us. The hardest decision is choosing which photos to frame or canvas. Tara your (SIC) the best.” – Linda

Special Photography Offer

The next 10 couples that book their wedding with Tara Lee Photography before August 30th will receive a 20-minute engagement session at Wurtulla Beach with two images of their choosing. Just fill in a contact form to get things started.

The post Tara Lee Toohey | A-List Vendor Profile appeared first on The Bride's Tree.

Chanel loves Scott | Hastings Street Wedding

Sally Townsend — Thu, 17 May 2018 19:00:17 +0000

On the morning of her wedding, bride Chanel had her mum and her bridesmaids by her side. The plan was to create a relaxed, calm environment, free of chaos, to prepare for the biggest day of her life. Champagne, laughter and pampering made the morning a dream. Later on the bride walked down the aisle at Maison La Plage for a Hastings Street wedding ceremony to the ukelele version of “Over the Rainbow”, completely zen and ready to start her married life with partner, Scott.

Chanel shares some of the highlights of the day and how she planned her dream day.

Finding their Dream Team

“Once we organised our wedding ceremony and reception fit out with Splash everything fell into place. With all the suppliers knowing each other as they had previously worked together it came together very easily, each recommending one another.”

Tricky Proposal

“I had just come home from an overseas holiday and was getting ready to unpack and have a shower when Scott followed me into our bedroom with a shell jewelry box I had bought on my travels. He asked me if I had looked inside it and when I opened it and saw my beautiful ring we both burst into tears. He couldn’t spit out the question before I said ‘Yes.'”

Biggest Priority

“The highest priority was having a great photographer. I have always loved looking through photo albums and we wanted to make sure we had images that we loved forever and would never get sick of looking at.”

Wet Weather Back Up

“Our biggest challenge when planning our wedding was working out the wet weather backup. We tried to ensure there would be no rain on our wedding day so we married in June when it is relatively dry. Luckily we had clear skies but for the days leading up that was a bit of a challenge to organise.”

Images by Tara Lee Photography

Big Love

“Scott is the man of my dreams and everything I could ever wish for in a life partner. He makes me laugh like no one else and continuously does things that make me fall in love with him all over again, one lifetime with Scott would never be enough.”

The Perfect Location

“Scott and myself had always holidayed as children in Noosa and it was the first place we went away together as a couple. It really wasn’t something we had to think about because we both had fallen in love with Noosa. Maison La Plage is located on Noosa beach; having a beach wedding was what we both had wanted. We were lucky enough to find such a perfect location that was so well suited to what we were looking for.”

“Our Photographer, Tara Lee, was an integral to how perfect our wedding day was. She took the most beautiful photographs and allowed Scott and myself check out for an hour while we had our photos taken and enjoy being married – we got lost in the moment celebrating and she was there capturing the whole thing.”

“I loved working with Splash Events – their display room you could get lost in. They worked their magic and made our special day so stunning. “

Wedding Secrets

Biggest splurge: Our Reception was our biggest splurge. We had always wanted to have a Restaurant cater our Wedding and for our special day to continue into the night with a beautiful Dinner for everyone to enjoy.

Best bargain: Our invitations, stationary and thank you cards we purchased online. We didn’t pay someone to create the design for us – we managed to find some we liked and the website allowed us to customize them for free!

Bride’s dress: Elizabeth De Varga

Bride’s accessories: Mimco

Bride’s shoes: Windsor Smith

Bridesmaids’ dresses: Sheike

Bridesmaids’ accessories: Mimco

Bridesmaids’ shoes: Windsor Smith

Groom’s and groomsmen’s attire: Saba

Flowergirl’s dress: Elizabeth De Varga

Honeymoon: Koh Samui

Number of guests: 84

Wedding budget: $60,000 (including pre-wedding celebrations)

Actual cost: On budget!

Thanks for supporting our A-list Vendors, who nailed it for Chanel + Scott’s Hastings Street Wedding…

Learn more about… Tara Lee Photography + Splash Events

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Engaged: Sharayah & Sam at The Lakehouse

admin — Tue, 28 Oct 2014 19:00:00 +0000

Gorgeous couple Sharayah and Sam are getting married, and to celebrate this wonderful time in their lives, and their love, they had a photo shoot with the wonderful Tara Lee Photography.

At Sunshine Coast wedding venue, The Lakehouse, the pair had a picnic in a row boat, did a little fishing and reading and just all round loved up the joint. I think we can most definitely call this little blue vessel “The Love Boat.”

Flawless natural makeup with a bronze hue by Kate Ellen Makeup Artistry.

Stunning florals by Sunshine Coast florist, Styling Hue.

The Dream Team

Photography: Tara Lee Photography

Venue: The Lakehouse

Florals: Styling Hue

Makeup: Kate Ellen Makeup Artistry

Picnic food: Love My Food

Blankets & pillows: Remember When Vintage Prop Hire

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Styled Shoot: Forest Wedding Inspiration

admin — Mon, 08 Sep 2014 19:00:00 +0000

Get ready, get set for some insanely pretty bridal inspiration. This styled shoot is the result of the creative genius of a bunch of some of our fave Sunshine Coast wedding professionals, who never cease to amaze us with their talents.

The location was The Sanctuary at Forest Glen, which offers a plethora of pretty spots, perfect for bridal photographic loveliness. Such as these here photos by Tara Lee Photography.

A loose braid laced with wildflowers for a sweet woodland bridal vibe

An unstructured bridal bouquet in pinks and reds has a whimsical charm. Love this prettiness by Willow Bud

A groom always looks dapper in a bow tie and suspenders! This handsome fella was dressed by Suits Direct

It’s all in the eyes with this soft smokey bridal makeup look

The Dream Team

Photography: Tara Lee Photography

Venue: Forest Sanctuary Venue

Dress: Marilyn Crystelle

Suit: Suits Direct

Flowers: Willow Bud

Hair: Hair 4 Brides

Make up: Makeup 4 Brides

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6 Steps to a Stress Free Wedding Morning

admin — Tue, 27 May 2014 19:00:00 +0000

Step One: Put your phone in temporary custody

Imagine answering 50 calls, responding to 100 texts, and hearing 150 Facebook notifications coming through… not so relaxing on the morning of your nuptials, right? Relinquish your phone to a trusted person who will remain nearby throughout the day and is free to screen your calls and only bother you with the super important ones. Anything else, including well wishes, can wait till tomorrow!

Step Two: Eat eats & drink drinks

Start the day with something nice and substantial in your tummy, and something you know agrees with you. If you tend to bloat with gluten, this is not the day to throw caution to the wind and order pancakes. Stick with what you know makes you feel good and try to up the protein and limit the sugar. Protein will sustain you, while sugar comes with a high… but remember what comes up, must come down. And hydrate!

Step Three: Pamper yesterday

The time you have to get your makeup done, your hair, eat, relax… trying to fit in things like painting your toenails and tanning (yes, I know it’s obvious, but I’ve seen it…) is not ideal. Get your spray tan, manicures and pedicures a day or two before your wedding, so they are fresh.

Step Four: Practice the tricky bits

If there are parts of the wedding that you are anxious about, practice them before the day. If you are worried about your speech, practice in front of a friend you feel comfortable with as many times as you can. If you are concerned about walking in heels, put them on as frequently as possible in the lead up to the big day. If you are worried you are going to mess up your first kiss or first dance, well this will be stacks of fun to practice in advance with your fiance! This preparation will prevent you from building up the nerves all morning.

Step Five: Delegate, delegate, delegate!

I would be surprised if you hadn’t heard this before, but handing over on-the-day jobs to trusted family and friends is so important. Make sure the people you choose are not your bridesmaids, though. You need them there with you.

Step Six: Be Elitest

Limit the number of people in the room to your inner circle. This is the one time I would recommend you get your clique and don’t allow yourselves to be penetrated. I give you permission to snob it up like a little snobby snob. Because this: drop ins will halt the process of your getting ready when you’re strapped for time, or you won’t be in a position to stop the proceedings and you will end up feeling guilty for not giving them the attention they deserve. Let everyone know you’re looking forward to seeing them at the celebration and making a big entrance – that’s usually enough to deter drop ins. Threats I don’t recommend, but you do what you gotta do, no judgement.

Photos by Tara Lee Photography from Ema and Shaun’s Flaxton Gardens wedding.

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Engaged: Lauren & Brendan at Mt Coolum

admin — Mon, 03 Mar 2014 19:00:00 +0000

Lauren and Brendan’s romantic picnic atop Mount Coolum at sunset was captured by Tara Lee Photography. Mount Coolum is one of the Sunshine Coast’s most beautiful spots. The 20-30 minute walk up the mountain is rewarded with spectacular views of the ocean and the rest of the entire Sunshine Coast. Take a look at this Mount Coolum engagement shoot that follows the handsome couple up the hill and shows their undeniable love for one another.

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