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Wedding: Caryn & Gaston: Providence, Kwa-Zulu Natal Midlands

Fri, 19 Apr 2013 10:19:42 +0000

Caryn and Gaston’s wedding took place at Providence in the Kwa-Zulu Natal midlands. It was a day filled with beautiful sunlight and loads of love. When I first met Caryn and Gaston, Gaston appeared to be a little shy but one thing he wasn’t shy about on his wedding day was his love and affection for his beautiful bride. He couldn’t stop kissing her! I love it when a bride has this kind of effect on her groom as I really don’t have to get them to do anything for the camera except watch them be in the moment and in love.

Thank you Caryn and Gaston for a wonderful wedding.

Thank you to Casey for assisting me at Caryn & Gaston’s wedding.

Wedding: Keri & Andrew: Providence wedding venue, Kwa-Zulu Natal Midlands

Fri, 05 Apr 2013 15:24:56 +0000

Keri and Andy’s wedding took place at Providence, in the Kwa-Zulu Natal Midlands. Their friends and family had come from far to share in their joy and party the night away. There was so much joy felt by everyone. Keri permanently had a smile on her face and even Andy’s smile surfaced amongst the nerves while he was getting ready. I loved Keri’s choice in decor, it was so festive and Keri cleverly included aspects of Andy’s British culture – the Union Jack and Big Ben. The seating plan was displayed on cow chalkboards!! There had to be some reference to them being farmers. (You can see their engagement shoot on their farm here).

I really enjoyed photographing this wedding – real people, people who make you feel welcomed and loved, and in return you can’t help but to love them right back but most of all people who love each other in a real kind of way!

Thank you Andy and Keri for allowing me to share your special day with you.

A very big thank you to Tanya Jacobs for assisting me on Keri and Andy’s wedding day.

Wedding: Kelly & Scott: Shalwyn: Tala Valley, KZN

Thu, 21 Feb 2013 04:49:32 +0000

Kelly and Scott’s wedding, up at Shalwyn in the Tala valley, took place on what I think was THE hottest day of the year!! Durban is usually hot, but phew – when we got out the car at Shalwyn the temperature had definitely risen. I was not complaining as I was thankful for the golden sunlight. Kelly & Scott’s friends and family had travelled from near and far to celebrate with them, and what a celebration it was. Everyone was so festive and a good time was had by all!

Here are a few of my favourite images from Kelly and Scott’s beautiful wedding. I’m sure you will agree that they made a stunning couple and Kelly looked like a supermodel.

Thank you Kelly and Scott.

Wedding: Caryn & Selwyn: The Cairn Of Old Kilgobbin: KZN Midlands

Wed, 13 Feb 2013 11:04:50 +0000

Caryn & Selwyn’s wedding took place in the beautiful setting of the KZN Midlands in Dargle at the Cairn of Old Kilgobbin. The ceremony was at the quaint little rustic chapel, The Crab Apple Chapel. I had been looking forward to Caryn and Selwyn’s wedding for so long. I became even more excited after Caryn showed me all the little goodies she and Selwyn had made at our final meeting to discuss their day. Wow – was I impressed. It was such a beautiful day with so many interesting little bits of details and their theme was “Sew in love”, so there were lots of bobbins and threads and buttons. So much care had gone into the preparation of this wonderful day.

Here are some of my favourite images from their day. Thank you Caryn & Selwyn for creating so many beautiful things for us to photograph from awesome moments of real emotion to detailed decor.

I just love this photo Kelly took of Caryn – so beautiful!

Thank you Kelly for second shooting.

Wedding: Penny & Michael: Hilton, Kwa-Zulu Natal

Mon, 11 Feb 2013 09:07:06 +0000

Penny & Michael’s wedding took place in Hilton in Kwa-Zulu Natal, on a bright sunny day. The weather had been awful a few days prior to their special day. Nonetheless, everyone worked hard at transforming her parent’s home into a beautiful reception venue with yellow bunting, hand made birds hanging from the trees and a few patches a squelching mud. Everthing looked beautiful.

There was some rain as Penny arrived at the church, but nothing to be to concerned about. During the ceremony however, the priest was competing against almighty claps of thunder, and pelting rain. The rain died down just after they were pronounced as husband and wife. Penny and Michael exited the church with white streamers, laughter, smiles, a few drops of rain, love from their family and friends and most of all their love for each other. Here are a few of my favourite images from their wedding day. I especially love the ones with champagne served with light drizzle…

Thank you to Casey for assisting me.

Mitchell & Family…

Fri, 08 Feb 2013 14:46:40 +0000

I went to school with Mitchell’s mom, Donna so I was rather excited to see her and spend some time with her family during their long awaited family shoot. The last time I saw her was probably back in 1998. Thankfully, through Face Book, we had kept in contact and I knew a little bit about how life had treated her since 1998. I knew she had had two children, and that her oldest son Mitchell had since developed epilepsy but I did not know the extent of how he suffered. Mitchell is a few months younger than my own daughter so I thought I’d be chatting to a cheerful 3 and a half year old little boy during our shoot. The week before the shoot Donna emailed me to tell me about Mitchell’s condition and she informed me that he could not speak and was disabled. Mitchell has Lennox-Gastaut Syndrome, a severe form of childhood epileptic encephalopathy.

Colourful helium filled balloons are sure to bring a smile to anyone’s face so on my way to the shoot I bought a big bunch. When Mitchell saw the balloons he laughed, smiled and rubbed his face on the balloons in sheer delight. It was beautiful watching him interact in his own way with the colourful balloons. It was wonderful following him around and chatting to his mom and dad and enjoying the tranquility of the surroundings. It was however heart breaking to hear their story and how they deal with various challenges on a day to day basis, emotional and financial and many others. Mitchell has been born to the best parents. Donna and Murray are truly amazing! Both working full time jobs but both on a mission to enrich Mitchell’s life. They have started the Mitchell Centre, offering a stimulating environment for epileptic and severely disabled children and support for their families.

If you are in any way able to help their cause, either by giving of your time, talents or you’d like to make a monetary donation you can contact the centre through their website, here.

Donna I hope you are enjoying your photos. Mitchell and Joel are such happy boys and loved so much by you and Murray…

Claudine

Wed, 06 Feb 2013 15:12:12 +0000

Claudine emailed me to enquire about having some photos of herself taken. The only request she had was to do the shoot with a full head of hair, looking healthy. You see she was scheduled to undergo surgery, the day after the shoot, to have a tumour removed. The outcome of which would determine if she needed to have chemo again.

I arrived at Claudine’s home, not knowing what to expect, wondering if she’d look ill, or if she would even in fact feel well enough to have photos taken by someone she had never met before. I was amazed by how she looked. She looked healthy, with no signs of the cancerous tumour in her body. She was easy going, confident and so beautiful, even though she had mentioned she was “camera-shy”. We sat in her lounge and she told me about her life, what she had been through and what was going to happen the next day, and about the cancer. We then began shooting. I took so many photos of her while we laughed, and spoke.

Claudine, thank you for contacting me to photograph you the day before your surgery. Here are a few photos to bring a smile to your face this evening and to help with “moving forward”.

Engagement shoot: Keri & Andy: KZN Midlands

Fri, 25 Jan 2013 07:05:04 +0000

I photographed Keri & Andy’s engagement shoot on their farm in the KZN midlands last year and I’m sure after looking at their photos that you can understand why I am so looking forward to shooting their wedding next month! Keri and Andy were so relaxed and chillled. I just loved the way they interacted with each other. So much of love…

Keri has so many wonderful ideas and so much energy. It was her idea for both herself and Andy to write each other a letter, listing all the things they loved about the other person…

See you SOON guys!!

(Keri – I’m loving that you have bright pink skipping rope:) )

Wedding: Barbs & Andy: Palm Dunes Lodge, Blythedale Beach

Tue, 22 Jan 2013 07:30:31 +0000

I had been corresponding with Barbs via email months before her wedding took place and only met her & Andy the day before their wedding while they were finishing off the last bits and pieces in Durban. They live in the UK and decided to come back to South Africa to get married in front of friends and family at Palm Dune Lodge in Blythedale beach. Loved ones had travelled from far and it really felt like a great big family reunion, old friends chatting and catching up on the years past. Barbs and Andy made me feel so welcome and at ease that I hardly felt as though I was in fact actually working. It was great watching Andy and Barbs exchange vows, so heart warming and sensitive. I loved the way Barbs looked at Andy…

Such a fun filled, relaxed wedding. Thank you Barbs & Andy for a wonderful day.

Wedding: Amanda & Vukile: Netherwood, KZN Midlands

Thu, 17 Jan 2013 10:58:45 +0000

Amanda & Vukile’s wedding was up at Netherwood in the Kwa-Zulu Natal Midlands. Their wedding was full of colour, singing, dancing, praising and most of all, their love for each other and for their friends and family. Amanda has such an amazing smile accompanied by an infectious laugh – I can see why Vukile has chosen her to be his wife. All the best for the future Amanda and Vukile, I know you will achieve great things together!