A wedding is a once-in-a-lifetime milestone for couples.  Just like the dress, venue, wedding planner and florals, a wedding photographer plays a significant role in your special day. Today we are chatting with Port Stephens wedding photographer, Teresa Brincat of Muse Photography, about the creative and collaborative processes involved in capturing a unique love story.

What kick-started your journey into photography?

I love storytelling and poetry, so it felt very natural to pick up a camera and create stories through the lens. I have a deep desire to show human connection.

How does a couple start their collaboration with you?

Most couples I work with have reached out to me because they loved the way I captured the intimacy and character of a couple.  They’ve experienced an emotional connection that they want for their own wedding photography.

I encourage people to contact me through my Muse Photography website where they can complete a simple enquiry form. We then spend some time getting to know one another and the stories they want to tell through their wedding photos.

Are pre-shoots part of the wedding package when working with Muse Photography?

Yes, pre-shoots are included in all of our wedding packages.

I encourage a pre-shoot because it’s a real-life opportunity for us to get to know one another. Plus, it’s a good practice run for couples who feel unsure in front of the camera and a way to get to know what’s important to them on their wedding day.

Destination weddings are becoming increasingly popular post-pandemic with everyone wanting to travel, and you've shot many destination weddings. What are your top three destination wedding locations?

I’ll go anywhere anyone wants to take me, but my top two wedding destinations are the pristine sandy shores of Port Stephens and the breathtaking mountains of Queenstown, New Zealand. 

My third favourite wedding location is the quiet little nook that no one would ever think of. An understated venue, that tells a beautiful story, dressed in simplicity. Where couples share an intimate dinner with their closest friends and family, creating meaningful moments that are a joy to capture.

Is there something different about shooting destination weddings, and do you have a particular approach to shooting in unfamiliar places?

Visiting the shoot locations beforehand is important to gauge the lighting and establish some familiarity. Visiting the local area and surrounds beforehand can also spark creativity and inspire my storytelling.

Most couples will have chosen a spot or two they would like their creative shoot to take place. I enjoy collaborating together to make sure we strike a balance between meaningful backdrops, optimal lighting and thoughtful compositions.

From a wedding photographer's perspective, what's one piece of advice to give to a couple that would help their day run smoother?

Once the day arrives, it’s important for couples to let go and trust the process.  It can be helpful to reassure yourself that you have a good team running the day and acknowledge that all the hard work is done. It really does go fast – so enjoy it!

Having a well-spaced-out timeline will help you achieve this. I am happy to design a timeline that creates enough breathing space and encourages a relaxed flow to your wedding day.

I would encourage couples to view their wedding photography as memories. The very simple moments can be some of the most treasured.  

Are there particular photos that are must-haves for the photo album?

I really value family, so I’m always looking for special family moments.

I also adore well thought out details and gorgeous floristry.

I tend not to work from a checklist but from an understanding of the things, the people, and the moments that hold special meaning to the couple.

What happens after shooting the couple's special day and selecting the photos?

There’s a perception that all the hard work and creativity is done once the shoot is over. But there is a lot of work and creativity that goes on behind the scenes in editing and printing the photos.

For me, there is great nostalgia in holding an album full of your wedding photos. It creates that old world feeling where you can see the depth within the images and physically hold your wedding photos in your hands. Imagine sitting on the lounge over a glass of wine and reliving your wedding day by turning over pages of visual poetry. The tactile feel of a wedding album is truly a rewarding feeling.  

We take great pride in producing photo albums of the highest quality.  

The wedding photography process involves many elements and hours of work, from taking the images to editing to printing and creating albums. From your experience as a wedding photographer, what is a reasonable budget for couples to consider when looking for the right wedding photographer?

There are many options available from a smaller collection for elopements to larger all-inclusive coverages Elopement packages start at $3000 whilst a full coverage collection starts at $7000.  

Finally, congratulations on having your work published in magazines like Harpers Bazaar, Cosmopolitan, Together Journal and Hello May. One of these published works featured a wedding dress by our Eternal Bridal New York designer Enzoani.

Do you mind sharing your experience of that photoshoot?

The bride who wore the Enzoani dress wanted me to shoot her wedding but sadly I was already booked. We found a way to work together by creating a post wedding morning after shoot. We shot it on the beach on a beautiful morning against an island sunrise. There was a gorgeous picnic setup and later the couple ended up in the water, fully clothed – wedding gown and all!  It was a lot of fun and the memories created were so unique. It was also another way to wear her dress again.

All images are provided courtesy of Muse Photography. For a full look at Teresa's photography collection and more information on Muse Photography, see here.