Two Bright Lights Editors' Choice Awards | Levien and Lens photography | New Zealand wedding photographers

Excited to share with you amazing news: Levien & Lens Photography just received a prestigious Award: Two Bright Lights Editors' Choice Awards Winner. Its such a big honour for New Zealand wedding photographers to be chosen in company of amazing wedding photographers in USA and worldwide. Im really appreciate it!

Editors' Choice Award Winner Selection Process

"The Two Bright Lights Editors' Choice Awards are a signature program that recognizes photographers and vendors whose number of published features in 2016 ranks them among the top 5% of all Two Bright Lights members. Winners were published across many of the most respected lifestyle, wedding and other print and digital publications in the United States and worldwide.

The 2017 honorees reflect those that have demonstrated a superior quality of work for their customers, and have used Two Bright Lights' online platform to quickly and easily get published by submitting their authentic, stunning imagery and services directly to the top industry publications and editors.

Among thousands of photographers and vendors competing for publication, the Editors' Choice winners represent the best­-of­-the­-best."

Im so thrilled to share with you this award as its became possible only because of YOU, my awesome clients who shared with me such special and treasured moments of their lives. All those weddings was just amazing!

Thank you again!

Contact me with any questions! 

{BOOK YOUR WEDDING}

Villa Maria Vineyard Estate | Cornwall park {Auckland wedding photographers} Jessica-Chris

Amazing day in Villa Maria Vineyard Estate {Auckland, New Zealand} where Jessica & Chris celebrated their special day with close friends and families. We been happy to be around these awesome people as their wedding photographers and document each treasured for them moment: laughing and crying, emotional and calm. We just love this! 

It was beautiful wedding with special atmosphere, unforgettable and unique as each of them, such a great personalities around!

Couple shared their love story: couple got together 6 years ago while they both been living in London {UK}; Chris proposed to Jessica "down in Queenstown (one of our favourite spots!) at Mt Difficulty vineyard while enjoying the beautiful views and wine in August 2015."

Enjoy this video slideshow with best photographs and hand-picked gallery:

{Great Creative Team:

Dress: Tiffany's Vancouver Bridal
Suit: Barkers
Flowers: Orlando Flowers
Shoes: Trousseau
Make up: Martina Phillips
Hair: Makeup Station
Celebrant: Auckland Marriage Celebrant, Suzanne Teague 
MC: Giovanni Pericolini
DJ: DJ-Marrs
and Auckland wedding photographers - Levien & Lens Photography {thank you Fengjin for assistance}

{BOOK YOUR WEDDING}

Happy wedding anniversary Olga and Zydon {Parnell on Rose Garden - beach wedding | Auckland weddings photographer}

Really excited for 1 year wedding anniversary of amazing couple - Olga & Zydon. They celebrated special day with their friends and families in Parnell on rose gardens and St Heliers beach. We het some amazing photographs. 

I really happy for this couple! Many more happy years together!

Their wedding was truly unforgettable.

Contact me with any questions!

Classic Maketu Beach backyard wedding {Tauranga - Bay of Plenty weddings photographers} Sonya and Ryan

Amazing way to meet a New Year - wedding on New Year's Eve :) Sonya & Ryan celebrated this special day with their families and friends in Maketu on the top of the cliff with views to Mt Maunganui and beach {near Tauranga, Bay of Plenty, New Zealand}, with relaxed, fun and warm atmosphere.

Couple shared their romantic proposal story: "During a trip to Colorado we went for a hike in the Rocky Mountain National Park. Ryan managed to convince Me to go off the track to a river where he went down in one knee, opened a ring box and proposed. We looked at the map on return to the car and it turned out the river was called the "Thompson" river." Such a great memories! Couple together for 10 years and their feelings only getting stronger with their two little ones. :)

Thank you Sonya & Ryan for sharing with me special moments of your wedding day! Happy future together!

Great Creative Team:

Wedding Dress - Corina Snow Bridal Couture
Suit - Mohan's Custom Tailors, Singapore
Boys suits - Next.
Wedding Cake - Spongedrop
Catering - Good things kitchen
Flowers - Te Puke Florist
Music for ceremony - Fletcher Oxford - Musician and Song Writer
Band - Adam and Kyle; Tent - Stretch Tents Bay of Plenty ; Celebrant - Carol Rickard
and your Tauranga - Bay of Plenty wedding photographers - Levien & Lens Photography

Enjoy this slideshow and gallery!

{BOOK YOUR WEDDING}

Best of 2016 - WeddingWise Awards {Levien and Lens Photography - New Zealand destination wedding photographers}

What a great news coming at start of the year - Levien & Lens Photography just received a WeddingWise Awards "Best of 2016", Editor's Choice Award. Its such a great honour to be in so talented company with other best New Zealand vendors {photographers,celebrants, make-up artists, venues etc.}.

Thank you so much for choosing Levien & Lens Photography. Past year 2016 was just amazing and full of so many emotional, beautiful and real moments on the wedding day and couples/engagement sessions on different destination around New Zealand.

We will do our best to continue positively surprise our clients | friends and followers with our photographs. Also want to say Thanks to our awesome wedding clients for sharing with us such special moments! Me and my husband Matt {who is also a second photographer} really appreciate it!

Contact us with any questions!

{BOOK YOUR WEDDING}

Rustic Garden Wedding published in Paper and Lace {New Zealand destination weddings photographer}

Im really excited to share with you amazing news - Elisah & Heremaia's rustic wedding in Liddington Gardens {Kerikeri, Northland, New Zealand} just been published on Paper & Lace, one of he biggest NZ publishers and such amazing wedding blog. Its happened right on my birthday and its not accident, amazing editor Jax planned it on purpose.

I been so happily surprised to read a birthday wishes right inside the publication. Thank you so much Jax, Paper & Lace, Im really appreciate your kind words, and so happy to be a friend of such amazing company with so much care around! You doing beautiful job with helping brides around New Zealand with their wedding planning and inspiration, Im happy to be featured and be part of it!

You can have a close look at ELisah & Heremaia's wedding day in our Blog and also enjoy brand new publication in Papare & Lace.

Enjoy it!

Contact me with any questions!

{BOOK YOUR WEDDING}

Karekare Beach post-wedding | elopement photo shoot + Secret Letter {Auckland engagement-weddings photographer}

Im so excited to share with you photographs from our post-wedding | elopement photo shoot on Karekare Beach {Auckland, New Zealand} with Benedikt & Lisa and their little daughter Tabea. Couple decided to do elopement in Germany and instead of big wedding in home country to have amazing trip to New Zealand and have a special post-wedding session on beautiful NZ landscapes. Im so honoured to be chosen as their wedding photographer and capture so special for couple moments. Im used to shoot weddings around Aukland area and all New Zealand and overseas, but these type of sessions so special for me, allow better to know couple, walk around, talk, and have amazing time together.

Benedikt told couple's story:

"Lisa and me met seven years ago during our studies at university. Since that time we both knew that we definitely belong to each other. Even one year of separation because of studies abroad did not come between us. We both love nature, especially sports in nature such as hiking, biking, swimming, skiing... We both love the silence away from the city noise and love to laugh and enjoy time with our close friends. After some time we decided to increase our family and 18 months ago our daughter Tabea was born. As in June 2017 our second child will be born, we decided that it is time to marry. But honestly we are both not friends of big ceremonies with many guests, where we are in the focal point for the whole day. The idea of a classical marriage with suit and gown just didn't feel right for us. Therefore we decided to marry secretly and inform our family members and friends with a surprise letter from New Zealand."

Thats really exciting part of our session: right after photo shoot we spent some time to move through images and choose the one to be printed and sent to all friends and relatives from New Zealand to Germany and Austria with wedding announcement. Its such an exciting surprise and Im happy to be a part of couples plan and organise all printing and posting for them {while they travelling around New Zealand in campavan letters will be flying to their families - surprise-surprise!!!}. Its so exciting to just imagine their faces :)

I loved every single moment of our session and happy to share with you this video slideshow and gallery:

Contact me with any questions!

{BOOK YOUR SESSION}

If you curious to see which picture was chosen and sent to families overseas, here its goes:

Happy Wedding Anniversary {Auckland wedding - photographer} Juliette and John

I want to say Happy Wedding Anniversary to my awesome clients - Juliette & John, such memorable wedding in Castaways {Auckland, New Zealand} and Waiuku church. This day was just amazing, this wedding is definitely one of the outstanding weddings in my last wedding season, full of love, positive emotions and warm atmosphere!

One of images unexpected won an NZIPP Iris Awards, such a special moment of the first look at getting ready Juliette and her father.

Hope past year brought a lot of adventures and amazing events. I keep in touch with couple and know they moved to Fiji, such amazing place {I would say its like all year honeymoon :)}. Hope everything goes smoothly! Look forward to see them again, maybe on our 1 year anniversary session ;)

Enjoy a few highlights from this amazing wedding!

{BOOK YOUR WEDDING}

Happy New Year {New Zealand destination wedding photographer}

I would like to wish a happy New Year to all my couples | friends and followers and say a big thank you for your support in this 2016 year. It was amazing year with plenty of positive emotions, amazing couples photo shoots, gorgeous and emotional weddings and so many other events around.

I kept my "mostly 365 project" and document my family life with little ones, been travelling to different destination all around New Zealand: from Up North {Northland - Kerikeri, Paihia, Russel through Auckland, Hamilton, Tauranga, Rotorua, Taupo, Wellington to South Island: Queenstown, such a magic place!}. I attended different workshop and helped with their organising as well. 

Numbers for this 2016 year:

18 Weddings shoot | 15000 km milage | 2 new cameras | 2 new lenses | 3 pairs of shoes | plenty outfits :)

Really excited about upcoming 2017 and what its brings :) Hope everyone will have a Happy New Year and lots of positive emotions! I promise beautifully capture all these emotional moments! ;)

Lets remember our beautiful 2016 weddings and couples {its so hard to choose just one photo as I loved all of them, ha-ha!}

{BOOK YOUR WEDDING}

Ethereal New Zealand Garden Wedding published in WeddingWire {Auckland weddings photographer}

Im so excited to share with you amazing news - Maya & Andy's garden wedding in St Margarets Cafe {Karaka, Auckland, New Zealand} beed published in prestigious international blog-magazine WeddingWire.

Its such a special wedding with a lot of emotional moments, laugh and crying, love is all around and positive moments what couple shared with their close friends and families.

Im so happy for this amazing bride and groom and their family! Such a treasured memories and moments live in photographs.

Enjoy publication and contact me with any questions!

{BOOK YOUR WEDDING}

Old Forest School Vintage Venue {Tauranga - Bay of Plenty wedding photographer}

Old Forest School near Tauranga {Te Puke, Bay of Plenty} is such a special vintage wedding venue. Its a dream! As a wedding photographer I heard a lot of positive words about this venue but never had a chance to visit it. 

Luckily my friend, wedding photographer Tiffany Curtis asked me for help, and I been happy to give a hand and captured Tracy & Che's beautiful wedding last weekend. It was amazing wedding with great atmosphere - some laugh and crying moments. Im posting only some highlights and leave to Tiffany to showcase a complete wedding gallery. I would love to give brides the opportunity to scout around and see real atmosphere of this gorgeous place in photographs.

So many beautiful spots around the venue as Old School, Redwood Stables, Big and Little Barn, Tin Shed, Faraway Wood, Lovelock Lane, Redwood Bar and Tippy, cabins, tennis court, cricket and plenty of other activities making your guests busy while you are away from the guests.

Venue is in great location near Tauranga, Rotorua and Whakatane, so handy!

Also need to mention amazing care from owners and stuff, you can feel warm atmosphere and great surroundings.

Enjoy this gallery!

Please contact me with any questions!

Trish Peng Christmas Bridal High Tea - Sofitel Viaduct Hotel {Auckland wedding photographer}

it was a great pleasure took part second time in amazing event organised by talented wedding dresses designer Trish Peng and Co. - Bridal High Tea in Sofitel Viaduct Hotel, which took place just before the Christmas. Brides with their grooms, friends and families had a chance to visit great venue with beautiful atmosphere, try wedding dress on, or suits for men, mingle around and   get help and advice about their weddings planning, ideas and inspiration from different wedding vendors: photographer, event planner, flowers etc., get make-up and hair done as well and much more!

Great creative team:

HareandHatter Grandeur Events Tomuri & Co. Flowers Levien & Lens Photography Jetmo Project Mildred&Co Wedding Travel OnepureMaraca MIX it DJ New Zealand Weddings Working Style Select Management Sweet Bites Cakes North Shore School of Dance Grayson Coutts Makeup Artistry

Enjoy this atmosphere through the photographs what I took around on the day between having a chat with beautiful brides to be and their grooms, friends and families. Such a great memories!

Im really excited about their upcoming weddings and look forward to document so special for them moments!

Contact me with any questions!

Liddington Gardens - Kerkeri Northland {NZ destination wedding photographer} Elisah and Heremaia

Such amazing destination wedding in Liddington Gardens {Kerikeri, Northland, NZ} where Elisah & Heremaia celebrated their special day with close friends and family. It was a great pleasure for me as their official photographer captured so special for couple wedding moments. {need to say just day before I shoot wedding in Russel, Bay of Island, it was amazing to shoot weddings in such a beautiful places in Northland}.

There was a lot of laugh, crying moments, some fun, dance and LOVE! 

Elisah shared their love story: "We meet years ago in high school. We were so close in school but unfortunetly went our seperate ways. About 3 years ago we happen to both be back in Kerikeri and decided to meet up and the rest is history...haha!"

Proposal been just amazing: "On my birthday, at the garden where we are getting married, by the man made pond with candles, it was so sweet." Heremaia's 4 years old son was there too and Elisah loves "him to pieces" from her words :)

Couple really looked forward to spend their time with friends and families on the wedding day and it was just amazing, so much positive emotions from bride and groom getting ready, through the ceremony in the gardens, to bridal party and bride and groom session around Liddington Gardens and finally great reception under marquee with a lot of emotional moments, speeches, dancing and bouquet tossing with first dance and guests dancing till night time!

Elisah & Heremaia, Happy future together!

Enjoy this video and gallery!

Contact me with any questions!

Great creative team:

Venue and Wedding planner - Liddington Gardens, Susi Liddington Creative 
Make up - Make up with Dawn (Dawn Matthews)
Hair - Real Hairdressing (Debbie de Ruiter)
Dress - Bridal Brilliance; Suits - Hallensteins
MC - Sam de Wolf; Band - JPG
Catering - Neat Eats
Celebrant - Pete Gentil
Flowers - Paradise Flowers
and New Zealand destination wedding photographers {Northland, Auckland, Waikato, Bay of Plenty etc.} - Levien & Lens Photography {thanks to my husband Matt for assistance, you done a great job!}

Special thanks to Susi Liddington who planned, organised, decorated this amazing wedding in her beautiful gardens, as dream come true!

Elisah & Heremaia

{BOOK YOUR WEDDING}

Queenstown wedding photography workshop - Two Mann {Destination weddings photographer}

If you been wonder why its been so quiet lately in my Blog and Social Media, the answer is simple - I been away on destination wedding photography workshop in Queenstown {NZ} by best weddings photographers in the world - Two Mann studio. It was amazing time in a great company (with small group of top wedding photographers from New Zealand, Australia, USA and Canada}. Im not will tell you all names, but some of them Im sure you know as James Day, Isaac from Perspectives, Zahn from Perry Trotter photography etc.

Its amazing how important for us to learn, progress and study, this process never stops! Its been  full on time with learning some tips and tricks about capturing the perfect emotional moments on the wedding day {thats what we aim for}. Im so excited to put in practice all this knowledge, look forward to my next wedding on the weekend!

{Other highlight from the travel - my husband who my second shooter as well arrived to Queenstown just for 24 hours to celebrate our 5 years anniversary and fly with me over to Milford Sound and back. It was a shaky flight, but it was worth it all with beautiful views on snowy Southern Alps and sea line, such a great landscapes. What a great memories!}

Contact me with any questions!

The Duke of Marlborough Hotel - Russell wedding {Northland-New Zealand weddings photographer} Hana and Aidan

Its been amazing weekend Up North in Paihia - Russell {Northland, New Zealand} with shooting beautiful destination classical wedding in The Duke of Marlborough Hotel and Pampallier Mission Gardens where Hana & Aidan celebrated their special day with close friends and family who come all the way up from other places around NZ to have enjoyable and peaceful weekend with so much positive emotions! Everything been just in walking distance on the Strand, really handy.

We started with groom getting ready photos, reception entails, bride getting ready, follow through the ceremony, family formals in the gardens and bride and groom session around the gardens and on the Long beach at Oneroa Bay, such a beautiful, romantic and special atmosphere, full of love and tender moments!

Couple story start at the blind date 4 years ago with proposal made on surprised holiday in Queenstown, Aidan proposed at the edge of the Milford Sound!

Great Creative team:

Grooms suit - Barkers; Groomsmen suits - Hallensteins
Wedding gown- Secret Lace Bridal; Bridesmaid dresses- Made by Julie Smith; Wedding bands and engagement ring- John Franich Jewellers
Hair- Laurel Stratford Wedding Hair Stylist
Make Up - W.I.X Makeup; Flowers - Donna Nicholas

Celebrant - Ida Birch MC - Andrew Brees

Videographers - MATA Films {check out their amazing videography - highlights from the full wedding day coverage}

and New Zealand destination wedding photographer {Hamilton based} - Levien & Lens Photography

Enjoy this video and gallery:

{BOOK YOUR WEDDING}

Bokeh online.com international publication - interview with photographer {New Zealand destination wedding photographers}

Im so excited to share with you amazing news: interview with me {your New Zealand destination wedding photographer} just been published in international magazine Bokeh Online.

Its such a great honour to be interviewed, tell about my photography journey, what had influence on me and my wedding photography, how I progressed and grow.

I loved how editors chose the name for this article: "Believe in Yourself" and is means word to me.

You can have a look at publication online and Im happy to share with you a couple of pages with my interview. Its unbelievable!

Thank you so much for sharing my story and photos!

Contact me with any questions!

Waiuku-Pukeoware outdoor farm wedding {Auckland weddings photographer} Sandra and Cory

Great full of fun and positive emotions wedding in Waiuku-Pukeoware {South Auckland} outdoor in the farm environment with ceremony in the paddock, Sandra & Cory celebrated their special day with close friends and family. It was a first wedding what I shoot as photographer with rain during the ceremony {luckily there was prepared umbrellas around, one lovely lady even been holding one above me for a couple of minutes, thank you!}. Luckily weather not had any influence on level of fun and love!

We started from couple's first look at their friends garden in Waiuku, with shoot around and then follow to the Pavillion and old traditional buildings in the Waiuku town centre. Following the ceremony in the Cory's parents farm | paddock and reception in Pukeoware, not far from Pukekohe {South Auckland}. One of the most exciting parts of the day was big dance party, bouncy castle in Pukeoware Hall and a lot of special for couple moments!

Sandra shared the story: "We met at a dance class - Cory was brought along by a mutual friend. He fell in love with the dancing, then fell in love with me :) We have been together 5 years. Cory proposed at Rainbows End- he arranged to be part of a magic trick". This couple know how to dance and there definitely something magic between them!

Enjoy this video slideshow and gallery!

P.S.: When I been editing this weddings gallery I had smile on all the way through, such a positive atmosphere and plenty go laugh! {I heard a good laugh make your life longer, so I definitely added a few extra months to my life, ha-ha!}

Contact me with any questions!

{BOOK YOUR WEDDING}

Happy wedding anniversary - Dominique and Owen - Formosa {Auckland weddings photographer}

Just want to say Happy wedding anniversary to my awesome wedding clients Dominique & Owen! Their wedding took place one year ago on Formosa Golf Resort {Auckland, NZ} and been unforgettable.

It was amazing time full of fun and positive emotions!

Its such a pleasure to remember this wedding.

 Enjoy this photography gallery!

Contact me with any questions!

{BOOK YOUR WEDDINGS}

First Look - Bride and Groom pre-ceremony photo session {Auckland NZ wedding photographer}

You know a lot of couples prefer to not spend much time away from the guests between ceremony and reception as they want to have a quality time with friends and family. First Look is a great solution for have pre-ceremony photo session right after getting ready moments and save the time in between of important for newly weds events. As an Auckland wedding photographer I captured a lot of traditional weddings when bride and groom prefer to see each other at the ceremony site when bride walking down the aisle and groom waiting to meet her. I understand this special tradition and meaning behind it.

But if you not mind to see each other before the ceremony First Look can be a great option for make your timeline special and flawless. You still get those special emotions as groom will be waiting for you turning back to you {he usually wait for quit a long time, so all emotions became really intense and ready to explored with happy laugh or tears at moment when bride gently touch groom's shoulder or close his eyes, or maybe even give a little kiss - whatever feels more natural to your couple}.

Its amazing moments to captured, so much mystery, intrigue, waiting moments, expectations and then happy positive emotions with smiles and tears in the eyes. Im as photographer and romantic person in love in this tradition {so popular in USA, Canada and Europe}.

Right after the first look we can do a family shots (if they are around}, bridal party and bride and groom intimate session and then with no pressure move to ceremony and reception. 

Some couples also considering to do first look and intimate session between ceremony and reception as they want to do pictures in different location and change atmosphere. Its still save the time between ceremony and reception. 

Usually bride and groom session can take between one and two hours {depends on location), so sometimes guests waiting for couple been back to reception after few hours {including family formals and bridal party shoot}; with first look option with time go down to 30 min - 1 hours {depends on amount of extra images required by couple}.

So as we mentioned first look worth to consider if you want to:

1. save the time between ceremony and reception;

2. not make guests wait for a long time; 

3. get interesting experience with non-traditional wedding timeline;

4. make the best out of such emotional moments along with bride and groom {and their close family, without all ceremony guests}

5. get all intimate photos done before the ceremony and move it out of the way.

Consider:

1. First look not suit traditional couples who prefer to see each other on the ceremony site.

2. Sometimes time before the ceremony not best for pictures as light not so soft as at late afternoon {but if its scheduled at morning you can still get beautiful photographs; and also good photographer can take pictures even at noon bright sunny weather}.

3. you can always entertain the guest with  games on the grass, cocktail hour, snacks and positive things. Most of the time they are enjoying each others compony and happily laughing {if you have a second photographer on site he can capture these happy moments what you are missing being on location bride & groom photo session}.

4. obviously first look will be an intimate moment so all guests can't see bride's and groom's first reaction when they seen each other after getting ready.

So its your call what traditions closer to your couple and what can perfectly fit in your wedding day timeline. Its great to know all options and consider some other ways of wedding planning!

For photographers I would suggest to have a second shooter / assistant who can capture the moments from different angles and with different focal length for give a gallery variety. {thank you Matt and Fengjin for assistance on Langham Hotel wedding!}

Also note: you can make a similar idea first look with bride's dad. Its unforgettable memories!

Less words more images! Have a look at firsts look from our recent wedding in Langham Hotel with Basma and Mohamad. Such amazing and emotional moments! Love is all around :)

Enjoy it and contact me with any questions!

{BOOK YOUR WEDDING}

Tree Church Ohaupo Wedding-Elopement {Waikato-New Zealand wedding photographer} sneak peek

Last week I been capturing amazing elopement with Jodie & Scott in Tree Church Ohaupo {Waikato, New Zealand}. Couple escaped from big city wedding to quiet and natural picturesque rustic weddings atmosphere. It was a great pleasure for me as their wedding photographer to capture all beautiful and emotional moments on the day: from getting ready in Cambridge, NZ through the intimate ceremony to couples photo shoot near the church.

Couple prefer to keep their intimate pictures private and I respect their will, but also have permission to share with you their sneak peek. I also would like to show few environmental photographs to give other couples feeling of Tree Church, as I know how hard to choose a right wedding venue and to find images from the wedding day in those venues; and just a few lifestyle moments happening on the wedding day around the couple :).

Enjoy it as I enjoyed this piece of paradise in Waikato, New Zealand :)

Contact me with any questions!

{BOOK YOUR ELOPEMENT | WEDDING}