Given the propensity for rain in Gauteng during the summer months, I always, without fail, keep a spare black umbrella in the car. An aesthetically pleasing umbrella, which can be used by the bridal couple during the photography session - should it rain.

Murphy's Law at the first wedding:  I needed the "pretty" umbrella, only to discover I had forgotten to retrieve it from Ursula's car the weekend beforehand.

Here is a sneak peak from Betty's and Richard's wedding (with the back-up midget umbrellas). The full post later this week.

 

 

 

Dear beautiful, clever, smart, readers; Yes, I know, I've been a delinquent wedding blogger.  This week has unfolded into yet another dose of IT problems - this time relating to my internet connection.

Does it ever end!?!

As a result, I am a little late with a couple of weddings, which I will soon share, but, right now, I'm excited to post photos from Michelle's & Matthew's wonderful ceremony.

I'm trying my utmost to type fast, in order to make the post before the connection decides to depart.


So, swiftly onto Michelle and Mathew...

No pacing, no mayhem. Michelle was calm. She was cool. She was collected.

I am not sure what it was like on the other side of the venue, with Matthew the groom, but, Michelle was definitely calm.

The ceremony too was equally as calm, relaxed and, overlooking the Magaliesberg mountains, the setting was simply breathtaking.

A perfect day. Thank you Michelle & Matthew.



 



 

Damn you cloud gods! 

 

Following an early-morning assessment of the heavens, Ursula and I excitedly forecast an afternoon filled with spectacular cloud formations.  Into the bargain of our "Super Cool Clouds" predictions, we also discovered an awesome ruin, precisely in the location we'd planned to shoot the creatives with Bridgette and Mike.

After the ceremony, we got to our much-anticipated setting and, that's right, not a cloud in sight!   Nothing, nada, not an ounce of water vapour around.  So, instead of fighting with the sun, we had no option but to settle on our substitute location.

What can I say about Mike & Bridgette?   Emotional, fun, relaxed, warm and both gorgeous.  In fact, I've never experienced an 10-hour period pass by so quickly.  It was an amazing ceremony to photograph from start to finish...even though we did not receive the desired co-operation from the clouds.

 
The reception speeches kept us entertained, with madcap revelations of a rib, a Scope cover girl and many more family secrets I can not reveal on this blog.

And here you are, a peak into their day.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I had to post this image to show you the one lone cloud we found.

 

 

 

Certain areas Dror and I covered at the Re.Invent workshop, were various tips and techniques we use to keep ourselves inspired. I will reveal one here:

When I'm scouting a venue, I usually choose one specific location and then shoot one image for me. Yes, me, myself, I, the royal mwah ;-). 

 

As a rule, I choose a different setting (or perspective), which may not always suceed and, as a result, may not measure up for the album.

Yes, a little more risqué than the prettier shot, but, the actual photograph is meant for my portfolio.

Sometimes it's a complete failure, so I simply delete the series...and sometimes, just sometimes, it does hit the mark and images like this (the second one) are achieved. I can not take full credit for this though, as Stella contributed to this composition.

 

Oh, and here is that rainbow I was on about.

 

First up the "prettier" version of the scene:

 

 

 

And this image below was shot, from a different perspective, for me.

 

 

 

 

After two blissfully short weeks, it's a terrible shock to my system to be back at work for a full 5-dayer.

 

All the same, a couple of weeks back, I had the honour of documenting Sarah's and Phillip's wedding and it's about time to finally post their images.

 

Nearly 4,000 gorgeous roses, among other flower varieties, were used to decorate Toadbury Hall. I can quite honestly say I have never seen so many blooms in one place at the same time. The décor, which was out of this world, was put together by Phillip's talented brother, William, who, I understand, has quite a reputation in the UK with a few top-profile celebrity clients.

The weather couldn't have been any more perfect; giving us a perfect backdrop of clouds and a rainbow! 

Plus, we were also fortunate to have a bride who was quite willing to climb over a barbed-wire fence, in all her white ensemble, and all in the name of Photography.  It also helps when you have a dashing husband, who simply whisks you over the fence!  (Phillip is a rugby player, over 6 ft tall, and did I mention he was rather dashing?)

 

The reception was nothing short of unbridled merrymaking, which I am sure went on 'til the wee hours of the morning.

 

Anyway, enough babbling - here you are, finally, the sneak peaks;