Newcastle, New South Wales
Abby Muendel Photography
Abby Muendel is a Newcastle wedding photographer who has been shooting weddings for over nine years and doing it full time.
By appointment
Wedding Photographers · Newcastle, New South Wales · Services this area
Stories With Mel
About
Overview & Vibe
Stories With Mel is a Hunter Valley wedding photographer working across the Hunter, Newcastle, Port Stephens and the Central Coast. The work runs from two-hour elopements through to full nine-hour wedding days, and the galleries are built around vineyard chapels, sandstone churches, barn receptions and open paddocks at dusk. Fourteen years of wedding experience sit behind it, ten of those full time.
Style & Approach
The stated approach is candid and spontaneous, with an emphasis on colour, natural light and modern detail. Direction is offered rather than imposed: helpful prompts for couple portraits and honest positioning advice, then a step back to let the day happen. The retouching is described as light, clean and crisp, aimed at images that stay timeless rather than tracking a trend, and the coverage mixes crisp close-ups with wide-angle frames.
Ideal For
Couples who want a photographer genuinely in the middle of the day rather than observing it from the edge, and who value planning support as much as the shooting itself. The tiered structure suits both ends of the scale: a two-hour elopement for a small intimate ceremony, or a full nine-hour day with an album at the end of it. Planning help is offered before the ceremony time is even locked in.
The Need-to-Knows
Elopement coverage starts at $1,500 for two hours, micro weddings are $2,500 for four hours, and full wedding collections start from $3,400 for nine hours with a fine art album. A $1,000 non-refundable retainer and a signed contract secure the date, with the balance due two weeks beforehand. A small preview arrives within days; the full gallery follows in six to eight weeks with a print release.
Standout Feature
The planning is treated as part of the service rather than an add-on. Couples get a questionnaire months out, a Zoom or phone catch-up, venue and timeline advice, and an explicit invitation to make contact before the ceremony time is booked, on the reasoning that a timeline set without a photographer’s input is the thing that most often costs couples their light.
Albums & Prints
- Fine art album, 10x10 inches with 15 spreads
Appointment Policy
- Enquiries are made through the online contact form
- A planning questionnaire is sent a few months before the wedding
- A Zoom or phone catch-up follows the questionnaire
- All clients receive a contract detailing the terms of service
Areas Serviced
- Hunter Valley
- Newcastle
- Port Stephens
- Central Coast
Booking & Deposit
- A $1,000 non-refundable retainer
Hours of Coverage
- 2 to 9 hours of coverage, the shortest option being elopement coverage.
Nearby Landmarks
No details available.
Photography Packages
- Full wedding collection, nine hours coverage with a 10x10 inch fine art album of 15 spreads
- Wedding collection, nine hours coverage without an album
- Wedding collection, six hours coverage
- Micro wedding, four hours coverage with 400 or more high-resolution images
- Elopement, two hours coverage with 200 or more high-resolution images
Photography Style
- candid
- natural
- relaxed
- modern
- timeless
Price Notes
- Full wedding collections start from $3,400 for nine hours with a fine art album
- Micro weddings are $2,500 for four hours and elopements $1,500 for two hours
- A $1,000 non-refundable retainer and a signed contract secure the date
- Collection balances are due two weeks before the wedding date
- Family sessions are $800 for a 45 minute session
Services Offered
- Wedding photography
- Elopement photography
- Micro wedding photography
- Engagement sessions
- Family sessions
- Fine art albums
Starting Price
- From $1,500
Travel & Destination
- Travel is included up to one hour from Newcastle for portrait sessions
Turnaround Time
- Six to eight weeks, with a preview within a few days
What You Receive
- High resolution edited images delivered via an online gallery
- Online print store access
- Sneak peek of 20 images
- Print release to reprint the photographs freely
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Contact
- Website
- storieswithmel.com.au
- Services
- Newcastle, New South Wales
Newcastle, New South Wales
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