Boudoir babe Shan was apprehensive about her shoot in the lead up, but these photos are proof that she needn't have been - and the same applies to YOU reading this! Her husband-to-be was ecstatic with his wedding gift and she got a great confidence boost from pampering herself to the experience as well. All my boudoir clients receive an exclusive guide which explains the process, includes personalised styling advice and provides you with tips to prepare for a fun, empowering photoshoot. Become a boudoir babe and contact me to book your shoot today!

There is a certain age group where it seems that the engagements and marriages roll in one after the other, and I'm seeing lots of people in my friend group experience that right now! With this in mind, I've had a lot of conversations about the overwhelming feeling that can come with planning a wedding. Below are my top points to get you started in organising a wedding you'll be excited to see unfold. 1. ALLOCATE A BUDGET BASED ON YOUR PRIORITIES I'm starting bold with the money talk - it's easy to say how much you'd like to spend on a wedding, but putting you and your partner's thoughts formally on paper may change perspectives. I highly recommend making a 'must haves' and a 'don't care' list to start off your realistic budget... but expect it to change slightly. If family or friends are contributing to your special day, keep in mind the value of their contribution (and where they would like it to be spent) so you can allocate appropriately as well. Lastly, always leave an emergency fund for hidden extras that could pop up just before or after the wedding - it could be anything from last minute umbrellas to a top up on your bar tab. 2. CHOOSE A DATE AND/OR KEY VENDORS This step will likely be the biggest hurdle to kick start your planning process, especially if you want to get married within a year as many vendors book 12-18 months out - and well, you can't organise much without a date! Start by securing a venue, photographer and celebrant at the same time to ensure mutual availability. Of course, you may have preference of season/date/day to get married so picking something that suits your needs while coordinating with your key vendors is a critical step. Peak dates in CQ run from April to October and are especially desirable with recent COVID postponements, so consider a weekday wedding if time is of the essence. 3. RESEARCH THE FINER DETAILS Once you’ve chosen a date and locked in your key suppliers, get started on the details! Don't be afraid to shop around online and look for inspiration at expos (where there will often be specials and giveaways on offer to couples) to find the best possible options within your budget. Choose pieces and vendors that suit your priorities and taste perfectly first, then move down to the smaller details where you'd be willing to compromise if necessary. A wedding planner is worth their weight in gold if the nitty gritty aspects of wedding planning are leaving you feeling overwhelmed. 4. CHOOSE YOUR DIY BATTLES WISELY Keep in mind that DIY does not always mean cheap! You may find that it ends up costing more money, time and frustration than a professional wedding vendor who works in their area of expertise daily. When you consider these additions ask yourself 'Do I have the time and resources to do this?', 'Can this be set up in advance or does it need to be done on the day?', 'Is the end product going to look how I desire?' and 'Will it actually save me money?'. A wedding planning friend of mine once said 'You can't polish a turd!' and this is so true of finding a great base for your styling so that little needs to be done to make it into your dream. 5. MAKE A CELEBRATION THAT'S UNIQUELY YOURS Don't lose sight of the fact that a wedding is ultimately to celebrate you and your partner, so make it a day that represents the two of you (and not a complete recreation of your Pinterest board). Focus on the things that matter most to you both and feel free to break tradition if it feels right, there are no real 'rules' when it comes to weddings in this day and age. Your relationship, your personalities and the reflection of your unique styles are what will make your wedding day stand apart from every other! Happy planning. xx

It is so important to capture our milestones in life and preserve the memories in pictures - knowing that these moments will only become more valuable. With Coronavirus travel restrictions as turbulent as ever, it has served as an important reminder to cherish the time we are able to spend with loved ones. A few years ago I had the pleasure of designing wedding invitations for Laura & Rodney's wedding, and was delighted when she reached out to me again this year to book some extended family photos for her Mum's birthday. These are always a cherished gift idea, to not only bring families together to celebrate but get beautiful photos in the process too! Please don't hesitate to get in touch if you'd like to organise your own extended family photos, these sessions are limited and so book up quickly! Venue: The Orchard Yeppoon.

...And it's not necessarily about having a huge budget! Over the past decade I've photographed over 100 weddings and, undoubtedly, every wedding is unique - but there are a select few that I have especially fond memories of for a variety of reasons. Usually it's less about dollar signs and more about the connections between people, the carefully considered sentimental touches or the quirky, fun activities that get wedding guests more involved in the celebrations. So, what tips do I have to offer? As a place close to their hearts, Nick actually planned to propose to Erin on Heron Island until a cyclone ruined his plans - so they got married there instead! 1. Add personalisation that reflects you as a couple. Whether that means bringing your pets along for the party or organising your dream car as transport for the day, a personal touch that displays your own unique personalities and interests as a couple will immediately make a wedding day more your own. Bringing your beloved pets to the wedding is sure to make the crowd 'aww' and add an extra special touch to your day. 2. A ‘WOW’ piece for the day. It could be a beautiful ceremony arbor hand-made by the groom, a reception highlight such as a vintage caravan serving drinks or a custom neon sign with your names on it as a photo backdrop. This tip is about creating something that's sure to stick in your guests' minds and become a talking point for years to come! Yep, that's a wedding cake made of cheese - certainly one to remember (and it was delicious too)! 3. Atmosphere - create the vibe you want! Put simply, if you want a party wedding then bring out the confetti and start the pop playlist as soon as you walk up the aisle. If you want a relaxed romantic wedding, bring out the candles and festoon lights at your reception alongside an acoustic duo. I could go on, but the point is that you will start setting the tone for your day from the moment your send out your wedding invites - plan accordingly! Surprise your partner with their favourite car as your transport for the afternoon - and bring an esky of drinks and snacks to top it off! 4. The details DO matter. It's about little things adding up to become the big things, and there are a lot of points I could make here - but my main example is regarding florals. Use the real deal wherever you can, be it dried or fresh (at least for a bridal bouquet if nothing else) - you'll remember the scent and immediately have memories rush back whenever you're near a similar arrangement, you can dry or preserve your flowers and they are more aesthetically appealing and authentic in photos. Adorning your bouquet with a brooch or charm can also be a beautiful reminder of your most cherished loved ones and something to take with you wherever you go on your wedding day. 5. Incorporate (or break) the traditions. Don't be afraid to plan a wedding day that is uniquely you, some traditions can be kept and others are made to be broken. Maybe you're planning to wear your great grandmother's heirloom brooch, have your bridesmaids wear white or incorporate a 'first look' before the ceremony - do as YOU please! Getting married in a cave lit only by candles and then adventuring further through the caverns for wedding portraits, this day certainly ticked the 'out of the ordinary' box! I hope these tips planted some seeds for your own planning, send me a message if you'd like to talk about capturing your own unique wedding celebrations!

You may not know this, but in addition to my photography services I am also a qualified graphic designer - so this makes me especially hand for your wedding planning! It means I can help put together your save the dates, invitations, signage and any paper goods you may need for your big day. Your stationery is often overlooked as one of the most important details to organise for your big day – let's be frank, your guests won't arrive without an invite! It's also the very first impression of your wedding, meaning it will set set the tone regarding your theme and the level of formality for the day. The images above include my previous custom wedding stationery orders and I also have a variety of pre-made designs available in my Etsy store which can be customised to suit your wedding at no extra cost. If you would like a quote for your own invitations please send me a message!

About lunch time Sunday I got a last minute message from Tegan asking if I was available that afternoon when her pregnancy photo session plans fell through, and luckily I could step in to help! You may recognise this gorgeous face from You Had Me At I Do- Ceremonies from the Heart with her partner Mick - and despite them not loving photos I think these sneak peeks prove otherwise! Enjoy. 😍

Jen & Colby booked some celebratory photos for their upcoming 10 year anniversary, coming all the way from Alpha to Rockhampton for their session! Luckily we got perfect weather conditions - despite a few (read: plague of) mozzies! - and the most beautiful golden sunset... scroll down to see how it all came together! Jen's hair & makeup was done by Metro Vision Hair & Beauty. 😍

Cue the smoke bombs and earthy tones at an under-renovation estate overlooking the ocean and hills of Yeppoon, then add in a beautiful couple due to meet their little boy any day now - what more could a photographer wish for?! I have always appreciated the trust Jess & Mark place in me with their photos, and this time they let me plan a shoot at Arches Estate. After some ominous weather in the morning we lucked out with the most beautiful sunset light for their maternity photos... scroll down to see how it all unfolded!

This sweet pair were the lucky winners of my Engagement Session Giveaway as part of the CQ Wedding Expo last year, and it's easy to see how excited they were about their photoshoot! Despite the mozzies and humidity, we set up a little macrame teepee and got the most gorgeous engagement photos for them to cherish! Makeup Artist: Molly Hanna • Makeup Artist. Ring Box: Amonie. Teepee Hire: Michelle's Macrame.

Last year Ange bought Lee a gift certificate for a session with me, and by the time we got around to their session they had just come back from a trip to Disneyland USA... where they got engaged! To celebrate we took a walk through the CBD alleyways for their photos, making the most of the urban textures and even including Ange's black VW Beetle 'Bonnie' for a few images. As the the first same sex couple I've had the opportunity to photograph, I'm super excited to share Ange and Lee's images - enjoy! #loveislove I've included a few words from from Ange below: 'We recently had our engagement shoot with Madelyn Holmes Photographics and were absolutely blown away! Being an LGBT couple we weren’t sure what to expect but Maddy made us feel at ease straight away and we knew we had nothing to worry about! She was super fun to work with, guided us when we didn’t know how to pose and was open to my many suggestions! Lol! She didn’t make us feel rushed and went over and above to make sure we were happy and got the right shot every time which we really appreciated! We 100% recommend you use Maddy - you won’t be disappointed! And we can’t wait for her to do our upcoming wedding.'

View my entire nature photography collection here. If you've gotten to know me either through my social pages or in person, you'll know I have a pretty keen sense of adventure and am always planning a trip somewhere new. Of course, this has meant accumulating quite a large portfolio of nature photography over the years. I figured they were worthy of display alongside my portrait work and I'd love to share their beauty with you! This means my carefully curated images can now be purchased as a variety of fine art prints and ready-to-hang wall art for your home. Aside from supporting a small business and local artist, getting professional prints means you'll have a piece of work to be treasure for years to come! I can sign all printed pieces on request and provide any additional information you may like regarding the story of the photograph such as the location it was captured. All products are supplied by a specialised laboratory and printed on professional photographic materials with an archival quality rating. Want to see more? Click here to visit my entire nature photography gallery - including including a selection of underwater images, floral macro photography and Australian/New Zealand landscapes - or please don't hesitate to contact me for more information about purchasing your own unique wall art piece.

It's the story we heard a dozen different versions of in 2020... Corina & Stephen should have been married in May but COVID lockdowns hit a few weeks out - then they postponed to next year, only to find out their venue was closing. So with a willing team of vendors they moved their plans from Rockhampton to Emerald and pulled off a beautifully sentimental celebration last weekend, perfectly timed for the lift on dancing restrictions too. It served as a great reminder that love conquers all, congratulations Mr. & Mrs. Murdoch! Venue: Emerald Botanical Gardens, Ag-Grow Emerald. Celebrant: Danielle Hempseed - Marriage Celebrant. Bride's Gown: Mason Bridal Boutique. Flowers, Hire Items: Stylish Events & Hire. Makeup Artist: Danielle Ford Makeup Artist. Hair Stylist: Genesis Hair. Videography: Short Flix Media.