ROCKLEA FARM WEDDING VIDEOGRAPHY

It has been a rainy start to summer in Melbourne, and this December wedding at Rocklea Farm was no exception. During bride prep, several devices had the live rain radar open as the couple and venue weighed up whether to move the ceremony to the wet weather option inside the marquee. Rocklea Farm is best known for its outdoor ceremony space beneath the large tree at the back of the property, so there is always a sense of disappointment when couples realise it may not be possible.

We held off until the very last moment before making the call on the big tree. The rain had mostly eased, but strong gusts meant falling twigs were becoming a safety issue. The Rocklea Farm team were incredibly efficient, relocating flowers and equipment and setting up the ceremony inside the marquee in around 20 minutes. While the changeover was happening, I filmed an intimate first look with the couple, which became a really meaningful moment in their wedding film.

The ceremony went ahead smoothly inside the marquee, and as a wedding videographer at Rocklea Farm, it was a familiar and well laid out space to work in. It was also a fun moment being back in the same spot where one of my Instagram videos had previously gone viral, reaching over five million views. That clip involved a photographer getting a little too close during a first kiss, but working with the talented Jacob Heston on this day, everything flowed calmly and without distraction.

After the ceremony, guests gathered in the canapé area, which is a cosy space with heaters running and a relaxed, social atmosphere. We took family photos on the lawn just outside, which I loved because the couple could still see and interact with their guests. From a wedding videography perspective, this setup was ideal. I could move between filming natural guest moments and capturing family portraits without having to sacrifice either.

The couple and I then jumped in a golf cart and headed out to the open field for their portraits. Since they missed out on the tree ceremony, we started there for a few shots. The wind was still strong, but we used it to our advantage, letting the bride’s long dress move naturally to create some really beautiful, dynamic footage. The shoot took around 45 minutes before we returned to join the guests.

Dinner was a sit down meal, which was a first for me at Rocklea Farm, as all my previous weddings there had been food truck style. It was a nice change to film in a more traditional dining setting. After dinner, guests moved back into the cocktail area for more speeches, followed by the first dance and the opening of the dancefloor.

My coverage was scheduled to finish around 10:30pm, but the couple had a sparkler exit planned for 11pm. When they realised I would miss it, I could see the disappointment, and I knew it would be the perfect way to end their highlight film. As a Rocklea Farm wedding videographer, flexibility is part of the job, so I stayed back to capture the sparkler exit and a final group shot to close out the night. It ended up being one of the strongest moments in their wedding video and a fitting way to finish the story of the day.