I was lucky enough to be asked to take part in a styled bridal shoot on Sunday at the most stunning Bed & Breakfast Ana Mandara right here in Port Macquarie.

Ana Mandara is not only the most beautiful place to stay if your needing somewhere to get ready on your wedding day or just a quick night away together but they are also offering a more imitate ceremony and cocktail reception venue and who wouldn't want the amazing water views in the back ground of their ceremony and the gorgeous sunsets.

A huge thank-you goes out to all the local businesses and models that took part in this styled shoot and a huge thank-you to the lovely Kristy from Big Fat Kiss Events for putting it all together.

If you like anything you see please see these vendors:

Ana Mandara Bed&Breakfast Accommodation ( Located in Port Macquarie )
Big Fat Kiss Events ( for all your wedding day or special function styling )
Photography By Melissa Lee ( Provided the Photography )
Patrice Makeup ( Provided the ladies makeup )
Beverleys Bridal Boutique ( Provided wedding gowns & ladies formal dresses )
Stellar Weddings Hair and Makeup ( Provided the hair styles )
Park Lane Jewellery with Katrina Carney ( Provided the Jewellery )
Living green indoor plant hire ( Provided the plants )
Street Smart Clothing and Mens Foraml Hire ( Provided the men's suits )
Wauchope Colonial Florist ( Provided the bouquets )

Models: Ellen, Jana, Jaimie, Tom, Jonothan & Mitch

For links to their pages please head to www.facebook/photographybymelissalee as I have shared links to the businesses there.

Mel approached me a little while ago with an "out of the box" location idea and I loved it as I had always looked at this location as a "cool" place to shoot but didn't think anyone would ever be interested in it, so yesterday afternoon just before sunset we headed off too capture some family portraits for this awesome family. I must admit I had to chase little 1 year old Nixon around to try and get a shot of him but 4 yr old Lincoln was quite the little model and totally rocked his shots.

Thank-you Mel & Justin for allowing me to capture your family portraits.

Location- Wauchope Nsw

In March I was honored to photograph the wedding of Louise & Michael on a gorgeous private property at Tom's Creek NSW.

The day started out sunny with clouds, a beautiful warm day, just want you'd want for your outdoor wedding ceremony, as the ceremony & family portraits went on the skin started to get darker and darker, so we rushed off to get some bridal portraits before the rain was to set in.

As I followed the car in front of me winding around the dirt roads and the rain starting to sprinkle on my windshield, I thought "oh please just let me get a chance to get some photo's in". We soon turned into a property and up we went, up up up, I keep thinking WOW look at this view its is amazing :-)

We finally reached our point at the very top "The Ridge" they referred to it and all i could see 360 degrees was mountains, property and the most stunning landscape. That soon came to a stop when I realized its is about to bucket down lets get these shots done. I've never shot my bridal portraits in such quick time I think we were up there for about 15/20 minutes and just as we jumped back into the car it poured and by poured I mean bucketed down, as we were driving back to the main road, roads were starting to go under same with bridges, the gorgeous location they had just gotten married in was starting to go under and all I could think was "oh my gosh I am going to get stuck out here, and I hope not as they need to make it to their reception were their guests are waiting".

We got out and the closer I drove to Wauchope the rain eased off until I had hit just outside of Wauchope and the rain completely stopped, you wouldn't of even thought it had just been raining that much.

Thank-you Louise & Michael for allowing me too share in your special day, to their family and friends here is a small snippet of their special day.

Ceremony Tom's Creek

New Years Eve 2016 had me spending a few hours with this amazing couple Skye & Brock.

All though it has to be one of the hottest weddings i've ever photographed, they all did so well to get through the heat ( including me ) and come out the other end were they could all kick off their shoes, party and bring in the new year all while they celerbrated these two becoming husband & wife.

The stunning wedding was on a gorgoues property just the other side of beechwood followed by their beautiful stylish reception held at the Beechwood bar & cafe ( their first one yet ). The room looked amazing and I highly recommend anyone thinking of reception venues to pop out and check it out.

Thank-you for allowing me to share in your special day.

Mel xo

Earlier this year not only did I have the lovely Elise and her bump along for a mentoring session with Alaine form Alaine Ylais Photography I also have some of Alaine's friends volunteer to help out Katie & Sam, they were awesome and stuck it out though the mozzies and all.

I had so much fun with these guys and you can see just how much they are in love with each other.

Thankyou guys for helping out :-)

Mel x

Last year I ran a competition to giveaway a free engagement session, and early this year I was happy too meet up with the lucky winners Kimberly & Clinton, these guys are amazing so sweet and very lovely people, Kimberly found the spot she was chasing after and I am thankful to of now been shown this beautiful and very cute spot.

Although we were getting attacked by mozzies Kimberly & Clinton stuck it out til the end and we were absolutely blessed with the most amazing weather and sun and as the warmth and rays from the sun shone through the trees for us to catch its last moments before it was gone for the evening, I captured the love and friendship between these two love birds.

Kimberly & Clinton you were both so amazing and relaxed to work with and I wish you both all the future happiness and the best for your wedding this year.

Enjoy your sneak peek.

Mel x