When Robyn and Anthony first contacted me, they were having their wedding on a Saturday in Durban.  A few months before the wedding, they had to change their date and location to a Friday in JHB. When Robyn emailed to tell me the change in plan, I could sense that she was a little stressed that I wouldn't accommodate her and the change.  But flying from Durban-JHB first thing in the morning with all the business men and their briefcases, holding my camera bag and light stands.  Who would say no to that?? Micaela and I felt like Top class traveling photographers.  Just as well I had the excitement of the flight to get my adrenaline going - it was an early start, a late night and I had shot a wedding the day before!!

Robs and Ant are really such lovely people and were such fun to be around.  Robyn's Dad had the 'coolest' moves I've seen and had the whole room cheering and clapping along  as he boogied with his baby girl.

Thanks for the opportunity of a lovely adventure for Micaela and I.  I wish you two all the best for the future.

Xx

For final year school girls, the Matric Dance (Senior Prom)  is undoubtably THE highlight of the year.  

I have known Lara since she was about 11 years old.  My sister and I got her involved in synchronized swimming and coached her on and off for about 5 years.  She was - and is - the funniest little character ever.  Except now she's not so little!  She's gettin' all grown up - and absolutely gorgeous!!

I took a bit of time before Lara headed off to her dance to get some portraits. This girl really knows how to work it.  

I attended the same High School as Lara and had my Matric Dance 9 years ago. For fun, I've added a photo of me and my 'then-and-now' boyfriend .  We  clearly DIDN''T know how to work it. :)

Star Wars fans – Marilize and Nico - wed in February at the beautiful Netherwood chapel in the Midlands.  By far, the prettiest chapel I’ve photographed at.  I just love the feeling of space created from the glass sides, back dropped by a valley of rolling hills. And the significance of that beautiful swallow chandelier at the back? Just melts my heart!  Did you know swallows mate for life?  That’s why in older times; a sailor might tattoo a swallow onto his arm as symbolism of having found his one true love.  Perhaps I love that story so much because my boyfriend has two swallows tattooed onto his chest.  He may have got them before we started dating, but oh well – I’m claiming them now. ;)

This couple was all smiles - from the time Nico spotted Marilize walking down the aisle, to their last dance of the evening.  It’s always so wonderful to see a couple that not only love each other, but that are able to have FUN together.  And these two were game for anything.  On their wedding day, they had no problem ‘hiking’ up a hill to stand among the cows (and dung!).  On their post-wedding Trash-The-Dress Shoot, Marilize got soaked from head to toe on our very first shot (My fault!) Eventually the couple gave in; and together holding hands ran into the shore break. Delightful!

We got to see a bit of their playful spirit through the Starwars figurine cake toppers of Han Solo and Leia as well as Nico’s Stormtrooper cufflinks.  They even walked into the reception to the Starwars Imperial March.

Marilize and Nico….may the force be with you.

Claudio has his commercial pilots license, and Michelle's Dad is in aviation too - so it seemed fitting to have their engagement shoot with airplanes.  Having flown down from Joburg, this lovely couple were up for anything, so enthusiastic and a real dream to work with.

The owner of these two planes gave me a bit of background into the history of the aircraft:  After the Cold War, there were heaps of Soviet aircraft lying around the US - literally just lying around.  Somebody took these planes, refurbished them and found willing buyers all over the world.  

Aren't they just precious?? 
(The planes.... AND the couple...)

See you in June for the Big Day. 


Xx

So the last desktop lasted approximately 6 days on my computer and I'm BORED.  So here is my new one - This pic is from Marilize and Nico's wedding which I photographed about 2 weeks ago.  We had such fun!!  

Feel free to use it if you like...

“Aaahhh, I’m so excited. I’ve never won anything before!! ” 

This was the response I got from Tamara when she won my '500th fan' prize of a free photo shoot.  The reaction was enough to get me keen to photograph this girl.  Then she told me that their wedding at The Windmills had rained out resulting in a cancelled creative shoot and no wedding photos of them together. Any bride whose gone through this deserves a second chance at wedding pics.   As we started planning our shoot through an email conversation, I learnt more about Tamara and her husband Derek and what marriage has been for them so far – and my heart pours out to them.

Three months after their wedding (Which was in December 2011), the couple got into a very bad car accident.  They thought that their worst problem was a written off car.  A month of two later Derek saw an optometrist for head-aches and blurry vision and suddenly he was on the operating table having a cyst removed from his brain.  The first op was unsuccessful and during the second, Derek’s heart stopped for a while.  They were able to save him though and remove the cyst, however an hour after the surgery he suffered a stroke, which left him paralyzed down the left side of his body.  He was now forced to learn to walk again, hold things, lift things. Derek was adamant that through all this, he was going to loose his wife too but Tamara was going nowhere!

3 years on and the couple are living on a quaint dairy farm in Nottingham Road.  Derek is up early tending to the cows and farm, but exhausted by 7pm and unable to maintain his energy.  Tamara teaches in Howick and comes home after quite the commute to an exhausted husband. BUT, she tells me, “We are a lot closer and value each other far more than we did, but our life style has changed! Derek's short-term memory is very weak and he is constantly tired! He often can't remember what he did in the morning or the day before!

Although we have had a tough first year of marriage and nearly lost each other, we are more in love with each other now than we have been in the 7 years we have known each other! “

Now isn’t that a story of courage, commitment and love?  Normally when I hear things like this I just want to cry – but Tamara and Derek are so strong and so matter-of-fact about what their life is and what needs to be done.  It is really inspiring.

I very seldom pull out my flash at a wedding.  I'm glad I did at last night's Netherwood wedding with Marilize and Nico.

Lolly and Dave planned their wedding from the UK, so the first I heard of them was though Lolly’s Mom, who started her email to me with the following:

“Lolly plans to wear a reproduction 1930’s “silver-screen” satin dress with butterfly twin trains combined with a huge 1930’s arum lily shower bouquet exactly the same as her Granny’s.”

Well…that got my attention!

Lolly and Dave opted for an informal lunchtime wedding at Coco De Mer Hotel in Balito, with the focus of their day being family and friends.  A good portion of time was allowed for mingling and lunch.  There was laughter, chatter, a few shooters and eventually a dip in the hotel pool by a handful of guests.

IT – WAS – BOILING!

Thank goodness for the wine fridge.  I thought it would be unprofessional if I cooled off in there, but after seeing the change in the guests after leaving the fridge – I thought it would improve my ability to photograph well if I was in a better (less-dead) condition.

Toward late afternoon, Lolly and Dave said farewell to their guests (who I suspect remained in the pool with a few bottle of tequila) and headed out with Charity and myself to the beach.  

Lolly and Dave, your wedding was beautiful – I hope that the photos contain the love and happiness that the day expressed.

I wasn’t told much about this shoot at Rockwood Forest Lodge, except that Willem Oets had arranged two models, and had space for one more photographer.  I had seen Willem's work before and I knew that he  with the female figure, light and nature so I didn’t really need a lot of persuasion. 

As we turned off the freeway it was evident that we had just missed a MASSIVE hailstorm.  I thought it was snow lying on the side of the road!  The mist rolling across the field was just breath taking – and so the photo taking began.

Because of the hailstorm, we were out of electricity which added to the excitement of the whole weekend.  Candles and red wine kept our spirits up.

There was no plan for the weekend.  We just photographed – how, when and where we wanted to.  What a joy, to not be working ‘for’ something.  There was no album to make, no client to please, no brief and no deadline.  At times I directed the girls but sometimes said nothing and let them express themselves. They were great.

I can’t show all of the photos here as some are inappropriate for the Internet.  But maybe I’ll do an exhibition one day?  If my nerves can take it!

Thanks Willem for the opportunity.  You are such a cool guy and really spoilt us. 

Michelle and Ben’s story shows how love has no borders.

Benjamin from South-east Missouri in the United States met Michelle from Durban, South Africa over a Christian dating website called ‘Christian Café’.  They started emailing, then sending texts and eventually Ben asked Michelle on a date.  Very reasonably and before getting too excited, Michelle replied saying ‘Yes, but how??’  

Just like that, Ben booked a flight to SA and spent a 2 week holiday with Michelle and her family.  Between then and now the couple have gone through 36 flights, 11 airports, 3 bus rides. Lots of cities, lots of packing and unpacking, lots of hellos and goodbyes, lots of time, lots of money and lots of tears.

In Michelle’s beautiful speech, she made mention of the lyrics that Ben recited to her from a Relient K song called “I’m taking you with me”…

"And so I'm trying to hold it all together and make it through the day
When I'm just dyin' to drop it all and take your hand
So we can run away from all the miles and the hours
That seem to endlessly devour the time that I could be with you
If home is where the heart is, Then my home is where you are
It's getting oh so hard to spend these days Without my heart."

I hadn’t know Michelle and Ben before their wedding at Kearsney Manor, but after listening to each of their very heartfelt speeches (and feeling a little teary eyed) I can see how deeply these two believe in the love and connection that they share and how devoted they are to the God that brought them together. 

Kearsney Manor is a really charming venue for a wedding.  It's situated on an original sugar estate near Stanger and was home to Sir Leige Hulett in the 1800's. This magnificent old colonial estate is recognised as a Heritage Site and after housing the Hulett family, became the original Kearsney College School grounds.  It's quite fascinating walking the corridors and imagining it as a boring school.  The photos on display make it easier to imagine it and shows the boys sleeping out on the balcony to escape the humid Durban summer.
Back to the couple though...

I wish for the two of you a long and exciting life – and no more frightening interrogations at US customs!!!

Xx