Photography by Sarah Finlay

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Photography by Sarah Finlay

Perfectly imperfect moments,
captured as they truly felt. Wedding & Portrait Photographer
Waikato and Bay of Plenty

05/10/2026

Shonny & Jason 🤍

The kind of wedding day that feels completely them.

A beautiful day at Woodside Estate, surrounded by the people who matter most — with their best friends standing beside them as their bridal party, their gorgeous family, and so much love woven through every part of the day.

And somehow, the weather played along perfectly. ☁️

Those beautiful moody clouds gave us the most gorgeous atmosphere, the rain held off for all the important bits, and then just as dinner rolled around, the skies opened up and everyone was tucked inside, warm, cosy and celebrating together. We even managed to pop out after dinner to capture some magic in the rain!

There was something really special about this day. Nothing felt forced. Just two people who clearly adore each other, surrounded by their favourite people, laughing, hugging, celebrating and soaking it all in.

The kind of moments I love photographing. 🤍

Congratulations Shonny & Jason — thank you for letting me be there to capture it all. 🥂✨

Vendors:
📍 Woodside Estate
💄 Makeup by Ruby Hanson
💇‍♀️ Snippets Hair Design
🌿 Suzanne Gunn Flowers
🎶 Done Deal NZ
💍 Celebrant — Trevor Reith
🍽️ Montana Food and Events

26/09/2026

✨ “Sarah is a magician with a lens!” ✨

This beautiful review landed today, and this part really got me:

“I normally really dislike candid photos of me but I love, love, love every single photo Sarah took.” 🥹🤍

And honestly, that’s the magic I’m chasing.
The little looks, the laughs, the quiet moments, the people you love — capturing the things that happen naturally, without everything feeling posed or forced.

Emotive storytelling with a little bit of magic. ✨

Thank you so much Saskia for such a beautiful review. It means the world. 🤍 If you have the time to take a couple of minutes to do so. Reviews genuinely help future couples find me. 🤍

https://g.page/r/CWeK8wMnUmUWEAE/review

15/09/2026

A photograph from a Waikato wedding… hanging in an exhibition in Paris. 🇫🇷🤍
Earlier this year, The Light Between Us was selected for the LOVE Exhibition with Art-Icon in Paris.
I took this photograph of Bradley & Tara at Woodlands Homestead here in the Waikato, so seeing it printed, framed and hanging on a gallery wall in Paris was a pretty surreal moment.
A little piece of the Waikato, somehow making its way to Paris. 🥹
Still a bit blown away by that one.
I’ve shared the full story — including Bradley & Tara’s wedding and the journey of this photograph to Paris — over on my website.
The Light Between Us | LOVE Exhibition | Paris 2026 🤍🇫🇷
Read the full story →
photographybysarahfinlay.com/paris-exhibition

14/09/2026

I've been a little quiet around here lately — mostly because life has been a bit bloody hectic. 😂

Kids, calving, finishing up the last of wedding season and all the usual chaos…

But amongst all of that, something pretty exciting happened. 🤍

Earlier this year, one of my photographs was selected for the LOVE Exhibition with Art-Icon in Paris.

This is The Light Between Us — a photograph I took of Bradley & Tara at Woodlands Homestead here in the Waikato.

I shared a little teaser about it at the time, but now I can finally share some photos from the actual exhibition.

Seeing it printed, framed and hanging on a gallery wall in Paris was pretty surreal.

A photograph that started here in the Waikato, on a wedding day, somehow made its way all the way to Paris.

I'm still a little bit blown away by that.

And I have to say, seeing your own work hanging somewhere like that is a pretty special feeling.

So here's a little glimpse of The Light Between Us in Paris. 🤍

The Light Between Us
LOVE Exhibition | Art-Icon
Paris, 2026

I've shared the full story — including the original wedding and the journey to Paris — on my website.
👉 https://www.photographybysarahfinlay.com/paris-exhibition

31/08/2026

They didn't need a big wedding. They just needed each other. 🤍

Kam & Dania chose the beautiful stone circle at Taitua Arboretum as the place they would say I do, with their celebrant and two witnesses by their side.

She wore a gorgeous white pantsuit, they exchanged vows, and then we wandered off into the trees together for some beautiful photos of just the two of them.

Quiet. Relaxed. Completely theirs.

And I think that's what I love about elopements most — there are no rules about what your wedding day should look like. You get to make it whatever feels right for you.

Congratulations, you two. 🤍 It was an absolute pleasure to capture this little piece of your story.

22/08/2026

Your wedding day isn't just the big moments.

It's the little boy who decides the safest place to be is hiding between Dad's legs.

It's Big brother concentrating far too hard on getting that bow tie just right.

It's the quiet hug before the ceremony.

It's the flower girl holding onto your hand.

These are the moments you don't necessarily plan for.

And honestly?

They're some of my favourites.

Because when you look back at your wedding photographs, I don't just want you to remember what your day looked like.

I want you to remember what it felt like. 🤍

21/08/2026

There are things you won't remember about your wedding day.
Not every detail.
Not every moment.
But you'll remember how it felt.
The moments that were completely you.
The people you love.
The things nobody planned.
The moments that stay with you.
Because when all the flowers have faded and the day is long behind you…
these are the moments you'll want to remember.
That's what I'm there to photograph. ✨

19/08/2026

There are some wedding moments you simply can't pose.

The hug that lasts a little longer.

The tears that come before anyone has time to hide them.

A hand reaching for a face.

These are the photographs I love most.

Not because everyone looks perfect, but because you can feel exactly what was happening in that moment.

Years from now, when the flowers are long gone and the little details of the day have faded, these are the photographs that will bring it all back.

The people.

The love.

The feeling.

That's what I want your wedding photographs to hold. 🤍

26/05/2026

As Paris opens the doors to LOVE tonight, my photograph The Light Between Us is hanging there as part of LOVE: An Anthropology of Simulated Affect — a contemporary photography and art exhibition exploring intimacy, connection, and the way we experience love through visual language 🤍

Captured during a quiet “Tie the Knot Thursday” wedding at Woodlands Estate - Homestead, Gardens, Venue, Cafe here in New Zealand, this image has always felt incredibly special to me. Soft, still, emotional — the kind of moment that reminds me why I love what I do.

The thought of this little piece of New Zealand now hanging on a gallery wall on the other side of the world feels honestly a little surreal.

Very grateful to be included alongside so many incredible international artists and photographers ✨

25/05/2026

Some weddings just have a feeling about them ✨

currently lost in editing this beautiful day and falling in love with all of the little moments all over again 🤍

the movement, the emotion, the atmosphere… this one was magic!

Address

Hamilton

Website

http://www.photographybysarahfinlay.com/

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