Harmony Newman 26/1/23 Harmony Newman 26/1/23

Apollo Bay Elopement

Carly and Rhett’s intimate elopement in Apollo Bay was beautiful. We then stopped at The Californian Redwoods and Hopetoun Falls deep in the Otway’s for some amazing portraits.

Nestled in the South West corner of Victoria is the stunning Otway National Park. it is where the ocean meets the forest and offers such a diverse range in locations for the perfect intimate ceremony or elopement. No matter what it is that you, as a couple, desire for your perfect small wedding, you will be able to find it in the Otway’s! It may be that you desire a beach wedding on the shores of Apollo Bay or Marengo, or an epic elopement in the hills above Apollo Bay. It may be that you wish to be surrounded by tall eucalyptus forests in Gellibrand or in the Stunning Redwoods in Beech Forrest. The choices are limitless but I do have a few favourites that I will share with you in this post.

Rhett and Carly decided that they wanted to elope with their two children present on a family trip along The Great Ocean Road. They traded the shores of mostly sunny Byron Bay for the shores of the unpredictable Apollo Bay. The elopement was a beautiful surprise for their children, as they were always asking when Mum and Dad were going to get married.

Their intimate ceremony took place at Pirates Cove on a sunny morning. Sally Hayes was their celebrant and she led with such warmth. I also had my cousin from Camille Hulm Photography present on the day to act as a witness and to capture some photographs herself. it was small, it was intimate, it was beautiful.

So, with their two children present, Carly and Rhett were married in front of the two most important people in their lives, their kids. Afterwards we captured some portraits of the happy couple and the entire family on the rocks at Pirate’S Cove.

Standing under the towering Redwood Forrest — Carly and Rhett surrounded by the towering Redwood Forrest in the Otway’s

When then travelled through the Otway’s to the Californian Redwoods and Hopteoun Falls. These two locations are my favourites for some epic landscape portraits. The towering trees and rushing water add an amazing element to your photos. The landscape in this area is absolutely stunning.

The Californian Redwood’s are located in South West Victoria in the Otway National Park. Did you know that Redwoods can live to be 2,000 years old and grow to be over 300 feet tall? Crazy! This remarkable stand of the world’s tallest tree species have thrived in Otway soil, far from their native California. Towering on the sheltered river flat at the Aire Valley Plantation, these Sequoia Sempervirens Trees were originally planted in 1936 by Victorian foresters for experimental purposes. While still in their youthful growth phase, the Otway Redwoods may one day claim the title of tallest trees in the world.

A walk for the first time between the massive trunks flanking the river creates a special feeling of awe and reverence – not to be missed. While Redwood National Park is known for its giant trees, it’s also known for its numerous hiking trails, beaches, and off-the-beaten-path locations only accessible through forest roads or by foot. Not to mention its remoteness, which makes the Otway’s a perfect honeymoon destination for couples looking to get away from the hustle and bustle of city life.

A family shot after their elopement under the towering Redwood Forest

Located just minutes from The Redwoods are two spectacular waterfalls. There is also another about 10 minutes away, if you’re up for the extra few minutes in the car. Beauchamp Falls and Hopetoun Falls are literally seconds away and both make a beautiful space for portrait images. Beauchamp Falls is a bit of a longer hike, however probably more suited to photos, whilst Hopetoun Falls is much quicker albeit rather steep. Or you could choose to drive a little further to Triplet Falls, which has a loop walk and many spectacular spots for photographs.

In the case of Carly and Rhett’s elopement, we chose to Hopetoun Falls. The sun was directly overhead as we were there around noon - which added a special glow to their images.

The black rock contrasts amazingly against the lush greens and rushing water. Hopetoun Falls is the perfect place to travel to for an Apollo Bay elopment.

Pirate’s Cove in Apollo Bay was a very heavily considered option for a morning ceremony. We knew that we may have been dealing with lots of sun or lots of rain so wanted a beach option in Apollo Bay that was both quite and had the option of some cover from the sun or rain!

Elopement on the rocks at Pirate's Cove just outside of Apollo Bay

Harmony Newman 29/5/19 Harmony Newman 29/5/19

Californian Redwoods Wedding

Weddings in The Redwoods

Nestled deep in the Otway’s, just outside of the tiny township of Beech Forest is one of the most picturesque locations for an intimate wedding or elopement. Known by the locals as simply, “The Redwoods'“. I remember when I was growing up, many people referred to Beech forest as the place where it rains for 9 months of the year and drips from the tress for the next 3 months.

It has grown in popularity in the last five years as the perfect location for either an elopement or a wedding due to stunning backdrop that it creates for your wedding photos. It is not surprising why they have become so popular in recent years. In an area where Eucalyptus tress abound, The Redwoods create something a little bit different. They create a majestic quality to your ceremony and even have their own natural amphitheatre. They also have the added bonus of having two nearby waterfalls that can be featured in your couple portraits if you, like me, are a little bit on the adventurous side. They are called Beauchamp Falls and Hopetoun Falls and are two of my absolute favourite waterfall along the Great Ocean Road and the Otway National Park.

Simone and Jared chose The Redwoods for their intimate ceremony and it really was the most perfect location for them! They had originally organised to have their wedding on the 11th of June, however Covid had other plans and we had to reschedule to the week later! I was playing netball in Gellibrand on the 11th and happened to drive home to Apollo Bay via Binns Road, where The Redwoods are located. It was a dark dreary evening; not ideal for a wedding! Perhaps it was just luck, or maybe it was fate but the wedding was rescheduled to the next Saturday… and wow the weather was amazing!

So on the 18th June, in the middle of Winter, we miraculously had the most stunning weather, albeit a little cold! Jared and Simone opted for a late ceremony, so we knew that lighting wouldn’t be ideal, however it was established that flash wasn’t an option. They preferred low light and loved the look of grain in their images, as they feel it adds to the romanticism that they envisioned. I am so glad that they decided that because they were styled perfectly to capture images that created a soft romantic feel with the perfect little touch of grain. But honestly; the dress, the suit, hair and makeup and the flowers just tied together beautifully.

Surrounded by close friends and family, including their children Jared and Simone were married in the most beautiful ceremony that really captured the essence of who they are. It was such a beautiful evening and they and their guests continued on with the celebrations at The Beech Forest Pub.