weddings and elopements

Georgie & Ben's intimate wedding | Documentary elopement photographer

Small in size, but huge in heart. This is how Georgie and Ben chose to spend their wedding day. Surrounded by only 20 of their nearest and dearest, they wed on the deck of Georgie's childhood home. Georgie described their approach to planning a day authentic to them:

"I guess without thinking about it really we just forgot the whole word ‘wedding’ as best we could and remembered the day wasn’t about anything other than getting married… while all the extra stuff is lovely, it doesn’t make the day any less or any more important so while we had a few of those extra things, they certainly weren’t the most important part and we cut a lot of things out...there’s so much pressure to have this perfect day. Our day poured rain, we got filthy & ended up wearing gumboots all day.. it was far from glamorous but it was awesome. We had the best time ever & that’s what made it perfect."

Thank-you so much for having me lovelies, and for being part of the inspiration behind Less Stuff - More Meaning. So much love x

Change is in the air | Ethical eco wedding photographer Central Coast Sydney Hunter Valley

Things have been a little quiet on the surface lately, however new projects have been brewing behind the scenes. And now the secret is out!

2016 will see a new direction for the wedding industry. Which over the years seems to have been overtaken by a world of consumerism and going above and beyond. However I am seeing couples going their own way, choosing to tread more lightly, simplify, consume consciously and incorporate social giving into their weddings.

I'd like to sincerely thank these couples (you know who you are), for inspiring me to branch into a new direction with my business. You'll be seeing these weddings on the new blog soon! (Don't worry Sandra Henri Photography will be continuing on, specialising in families, elopements and small, intimate weddings). 

And so introducing Less stuff - More meaning !

A wedding blog with a difference, that digs a little deeper. 

Here you'll find:

1. Real weddings with simplicity and substance
2. Couples shoots, both young love and long time partners. We'll chat and muse with them on ways to foster deeper connections in our relationships
3. Ethical vendors and purpose-driven businesses
4. Opportunities to be hands-on in social activism through your wedding

LSMM is a collaboration between Sandra Henri - Photographer & ethical weddings dreamer, and Amy Wilson - Writer, Poet & relationships philosopher. Together we are passionate about social change and living purposefully. 

We'll also be offering a consultancy service to NGO's working within the wedding industry. 

We'd like to thank those that have already jumped on board! Excited to say we have some beautiful and meaningful real weddings and couples shoots from around the world that we'll be featuring on the blog. 

Calling our tribe! If this sounds up your alley, we invite you to join our little grass-roots movement. Our website will be launching mid January 2016, however in the meantime, feel free to connect with us on facebook and instagram.

Happy New Year! Shine on!

Anna and Tim's relaxed garden wedding at The Oasis Port Stephens | Candid storytelling wedding photographers Central Coast

So this is how I wrapped up my 2014, with a little getaway to Anna and Tim’s wedding at the eco resort The Oasis at Port Stephens. Surrounded by nature, delicious sunset light, lots of laughter and dining under the stars…even serenaded by the lovely Anna herself…what more could you ask for in a perfectly relaxed and dreamy wedding day :-)

Our aussie adventure | Beloved couples photographer Central Coast, Sydney, Hunter Valley

How on earth Claudia and Tobias managed to find me on their round-the-world travels I have no idea, but I’m so glad they did! They stopped by our beautiful Central Coast to capture some memories of their time in Australia, and I got to jealously hear about their amazing adventures! It turns out we have a lot in common…our German backgrounds, our love of all things vintage, and Claudia and I even share the same birthday, a couple of days after our shoot would you believe? It was an absolute pleasure getting to know you both and till next time in Germany!

Loren + Calvin's relaxed country wedding at Mali Brae Farm, Southern Highlands | Storytelling wedding photographer Central Coast

Oh Loren and Calvin, we heart you! Your infectious zest for life and the togetherness you share was beautiful to witness. Thank-you so much for having us!

One of my favourite weddings from last year, held at the amazing  Mali Brae Farm in Moss Vale, which is seriously photography heaven! A big thanks to my soul sister and second shooter Amy from Lark & Bear Photography who made the day even more enjoyable. You’ll see some of her images below.

So sit back and soak up all the loveliness of Loren and Calvin’s heartfelt and quirky day (complete with bush dance!).

Edyta + Matt's 1950's inspired handmade wedding at Little Forest, Southern Highlands | Storytelling wedding photography Central Coast

Girls, get ready to swoon! I am in such awe of the amazing creativity of Edyta and Matt in putting together their handmade vintage wedding at Little Forest, Southern Highlands. Everything you see was collected and crafted by Edyta and Matt with the help of their family and friends, and not only did this make their wedding all the more warm and personal, but it also reflected who they are and what they love, (including their love of vegan food, catered by Garden2Plate Catering). And oh the dress!!! Edyta’s gorgeous yellow dress was an original 1950’s prom dress from the talented Sandie Bizys , isn’t it divine?! Enjoy! A bit thanks to Green Weddings Shoes and Hitched Magazine for featuring this wedding!

Laura + Michael's DIY barn wedding at Fernbank Farm, Yarramalong Valley | Candid wedding photographers Central Coast

A traditional wedding was not on the cards for Michael and little rebel Laura, as they infused their own style into their day…Opting to hold their wedding over 2 days at the ever amazing Fernbank Farm, allowed for an intimate ceremony for only family on the first day (including a beautiful ring blessing that each guest participated in), followed by a casual dinner at a local Thai restaurant! And the second day was all about the party, celebrating in style with friends and family. So much fun and loveliness for my camera! A big thank-you to Hello May for featuring this wedding!