Melbourne Wedding Photographer
Candid & heartfelt wedding photography in Melbourne
for couples who value real moments,
captured in a honest storytelling way
Jonathan Ong is a wedding photographer based in Melbourne, Australia. For more than 17 years, he has used photography to tell stories of love & everyday magic. With a keen eye for the in-between moments, his storytelling approach is quiet and unobtrusive. He is drawn to photographs that feel warm and intimate, with a little bit of whimsy along the way.
Hi, I’m Jon
Hi, my name is Jonathan, but you can call me Jon.
Over the last 17 years, the privilege of being a photographer has affirmed to me, again and again, that our deepest happiness and meaning is found in the people we love and the stories we tell.
In photographing the human connection through weddings, engagements and families, I’ve been blessed to witness something of how we each begin, and how we become. How we hope, even when we have doubted.
The hard, and joyful, journey to love.
Again and again.
I was once asked during an interview to describe my photography style. Words like “journalistic, candid, natural, minimalistic” all came to mind. But I finally blurted out - “I hope when you look back at the photographs from your wedding day, it felt like a dear friend had captured those moments.”
A friend’s point of view - warm, honest and heartfelt.
That’s everything I aim for your photographs to look and feel like.
The Right
Kind of Fit
Choosing a wedding photographer is partly about the photographs, but also about having someone around who understands how you want the day to feel. When the fit feels right, it’s easier to relax and be yourselves.
Here are a few of the things my couples tend to value.
The couple who valued real moments,
captured in an honest storytelling way
“Jon, I have just watched the wedding slideshow for about the 8th time. Every time I smile so wide (in my heart and on my face) and I get a huge lump in my throat. Today you have made my day. Thank you for capturing the happiest blur of my life so perfectly and honestly.”
- James & Julia
The couple who just wanted to enjoy their wedding
& to not be directed all day
“Brilliant, subtle and kind. Jon ‘feels’ the room. He weaved his way around us so gently, capturing our wedding day more beautifully than we could have dreamed”
- Alfonso & Huang
The couple who wanted candid, natural photos without feeling awkward in front of the camera
“Jon has an eye for catching people in the most natural way. As people who aren’t particularly comfortable behind the camera, he made us feel at ease. There were never any moments where we felt forced, or even like we were really posing. We were just having fun, and that really shines through our wedding photos.”
- Brad & Ruth
Recent Melbourne Weddings
A selection of recent weddings I’ve photographed around Melbourne and Victoria. Each one has its own rhythm, people and little moments, and these stories are a good way to see how I photograph a full wedding day as it actually unfolds.
What Makes Jonathan Ong Different
A focus on not only the couple but your guests
Getting married myself in 2016 changed the way I photographed weddings. My wife and I became very aware of how rare it was to have so many people we loved together in the same place. Since then, I’ve paid just as much attention to what’s happening around you, the people you invited, their reactions and the moments you might not even see on the day.
Limited to 24 weddings a year
Having everyone in the one place at the same time is a rare and beautiful thing. Limited to just 24 weddings a year, your wedding is treated like the rare and beautiful thing it is, and not just another date on a calendar.
A subtle approach
I’m slightly introverted, and I think one of the superpowers that comes with that is being able to read a room. I notice the small shifts in energy, when to step in, when to give a little direction, and when it’s better to leave a moment alone. That shapes the way I photograph weddings, quietly, unobtrusively, and without making the day feel like it’s being constantly interrupted.
years of experience and excellence
I started photographing weddings in my teens, and all these years later I still love watching how every wedding unfolds differently. Experience has taught me when to anticipate a moment and when to simply let things happen. I have photographed about 400 weddings and have more than 150 five-star Google reviews, with many mentioning how comfortable they felt and how little they noticed the camera.
Kind Words
The photographs matter, but so does how it feels to have someone there with you on the day. Here are a few kind words from couples who have trusted me to photograph their weddings in Melbourne and beyond.
Client Reviews
Features & Recognition
Over the years, I’ve been blessed to be featured in various wedding publications & blogs including
Hello May, Polka Dot Bride, Nouba, Style Me Pretty, Green Wedding Shoes, 100 Layer Cake, Ruffled
with recognition from American Photo Magazine & the International Wedding Photographer of the Year competition.
Also mentioned by Ever After Weddings,
Vogue Ballroom and Vines of the Yarra Valley as one of Melbourne's Best Wedding Photographers
Wedding
Photography FAQs
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Elopements and small weddings start from $2,500, while wedding day coverage starts from $4,500. Fill up the contact form and I can send you the packages with all the details.
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I send a small set of sneak previews within 24 to 48 hours of your wedding. Your full gallery is usually ready within 4 to 6 weeks.
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Yes. I photograph weddings across Victoria, including the Yarra Valley, Mornington Peninsula, Daylesford, Geelong and the Bellarine Peninsula, Ballarat, the Dandenong Ranges and Macedon Ranges. I’m always happy to travel further for the right wedding, with a small travel fee for locations outside Melbourne metro. I also photograph weddings and other sessions in Singapore once or twice a year.
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I photograph weddings, engagements, pre-weddings and families across Melbourne, Victoria and Singapore. The approach is the same across all of them, natural, relaxed and focused on real moments rather than anything overly posed.
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Every package comes with a slideshow, an online gallery where you download the full collection of photos. An online store is availble if you wanted to purchase premium print items or you can download the high resolution images to print at your local print shop. Fine Art Albums are available to purchase as well.
Melbourne Wedding Resources
Wedding planning can feel a little daunting. After photographing weddings across Melbourne and regional Victoria, I’ve put together a few resources to help make the planning side a little easier, from venue suggestions to practical ideas from places I’ve photographed along the way.
Let’s Talk About
Your Wedding
If you’re planning a wedding in Melbourne, elsewhere in Victoria or Singapore, I’d love to hear what you have in mind. Tell me a little about the two of you, where you’re getting married and what you want the day to feel like.
From there, I can send through availability and the relevant wedding photography information, and we can see if it feels like a good fit.
Feel free to fill up the contact form or shoot me an email at hello@jonathanong.com