A couple of months ago Anna had wisdom teeth removed and it hurt to laugh.  It was then that she realised just how much Olin makes her laugh.  Anna and Olin's wedding day was full of laughter, fun and beautiful light for us to work with, not that it really felt like work, mind you.

Anna's three bridesmaids were everything you want when you're choosing your bridesmaids.  Lovely, helpful and totally into the entire day. 

Anna looked like she had just stepped out of a bridal magazine, gorgeous!

Meanwhile, as usual, Paul is with the boys as they get ready.

Olin's groomsmen were his two brothers, which meant things were super fun and relaxed.  The day was also filled with thick Irish accents as Olin's family came over from Ireland to be here for the wedding.

As the boys arrive at Old St Mary's Convent, Olin is welcomed by a flood of guest cameras.  Here he's perfecting his paparazzi dodging tactics...

The music that Anna walked down the aisle with was the same music that was playing when Olin proposed.  Gotta love the attention to detail!

Most wedding guests don't seem to notice us too much, like Olin's mum on the left.  Some, however, enjoy finding ways to bring some of their fun personality into the shots.

The grounds at Old St Mary's Convent are superb. 

Olin had us cracking up all day.

During her speech Anna said that she not only loves Olin because of who he is, but who she is when she's with him.  You can just tell they like each other!

Rain?  What rain?  All they seemed to notice was each other!

This shot is kind of like one of those puzzle pictures.  The more you try and work out who is who, the more confusing it becomes.  Or maybe that's just me.

Jazz hands!

This is a good example of how Paul and I see things differently.  The shot on the left is mine (16-35mm 2.8L, for those of you playing at home) and at the same moment Paul was taking the shots on the right (70-200mm IS 2.8L).

Group hug!

On Anna's parents hazelnut orchard we found plenty of places to play.

The reception was held in the beautifully decorated barrel room at The Winery Riverlands.

These little signs were scattered around the garden area. Olin is a farmer, and clearly, farming is his life.

Once again we were able to sneak our couple out after dinner and right about the time that the light was soft and pretty. 

Anna and Olin, there is no doubt that you are perfect for each other.  Thank you for a fantastically fun day!

In other news: As usual, this time of year is producing floods of enquiries for next season. I think it must have something to do with New Year?s resolutions, and proposals over the holiday time. If you?re beginning to plan your wedding for next year, I would suggest you get a wiggle on and book your vendors as the season is filling up quickly!

 

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Vendor Shoutout:

I've heard it said that the measure of a man can be found by looking at his friends.  And if that's the yardstick I use to measure Gene and Kerryn, then they must be at least 10 feet tall.  Gene and Kerryn's friends and family came from afar.  Like, really afar.  From all over the country, and all over the world.  They all came together in little Blenheim to share in their most precious day.  That's pretty awesome.

Thankfully good old sunny Marlborough put on a beautiful show once again and everybody had a fantastic time.

The girls got ready at Locks and Lashes, not that they needed much help to look beautiful - but Deirdre did a wonderful job.

The little note there is from Kerryn's Nan who couldn't make it to the wedding, so sent along the hanky and a brooch for the bouquet.  Don't worry Nan, if you're reading this, you were most certainly not forgotten!

I love it when Dad gets a first look.

Kerryn, you are a beautiful bride!

Meanwhile, Paul is with the guys at Vintners Retreat while they get ready.

And then onto Wither Hills where they wait in the cool (in so many ways!) barrel room.

Gene was as cool as a cucumber.  He wasn't even the slightest bit nervous, he said.  In fact neither was Kerryn, they were both cool, calm and collected.

And the bride arrives.

The ceremony was held on the roof of Wither Hills Winery, I think it may have been the first wedding they've held up there.  It sure did have a fantastic view!

And then they were married!

There was dancing back down the aisle.  Sometimes I wish I was a videographer!

The bright sun outside had us seeking shelter once again, and the barrel room was perfect.

Stunning!

Veils are impractical things, but I do so love them!

I actually have no idea what is going on here...

Then back inside where the restaurant looked amazing.

Momako is Gene's grandmother.  Although she doesn't look it, she's 90 years old.  She was so excited about this wedding and wouldn't have missed it, even though she had to travel from AMERICA by HERSELF!  What an amazing woman!  I want to be like her when I grow up!

Photos of weddings and loved ones.

I could look at old wedding portraits for hours.  So much history! I love the dresses, the flowers and the posing.  I wonder how long it will take before some of this comes back into fashion again.

Gene and Kerryn, thank you so much for choosing us to capture your special day, you both looked amazing.  We wish you the most fabulous life together!  Can't wait to show you the rest of the photos!

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Vendor Shoutout:

She had always dreamed about being proposed to under the Eiffel Tower, but when the opportunity presented itself, Jared found it crowded and not entirely what he had hoped for, so the proposal was put on hold.  Back at home one night, entirely out of the blue for Ainsley, Jared had a picture of the Eiffel Tower on the TV, got down on one knee and proposed.  She said yes.

Jared and Ainsley's wedding day was absolutely perfect.  From the gorgeous little church and the friends and family that filled it, to the celebration at the end of the day in the most beautiful and comfortable setting.  And the dresses in the tree.  Of course there were dresses in the tree, why wouldn't there be?

Ainsley had bought engraved cufflinks for her Dad and a beautiful brooch for her Mum. 

Lovely flowers, as usual, by Pink Poppie.

The wedding ceremony was held at St Francis De Sales church in Renwick.

Just moments before his bride walks through the door.

We love parents at weddings.  Sure, the day is about the Bride and Groom, but it's also about everything that went into making them into special people, all of the love and hard work of the parents.  From the nights spent up with a small baby, to the nights spent worrying about their young adult.  The encouragement and prodding into the right direction.  The hugs, the stories, the laughter.   I imagine that all of these things are reflected upon as they watch their child get married.  There must be a sense of pride to see that your child has turned out so well, and found someone suited so perfectly for them.  From what I could see, both Jared and Ainsley made their parents proud.

The day was hot.  Like, really hot.  Bright and sunny and everything that people wish for on their wedding day.  Of course we love good weather, but when it's THAT sunny it can take a little bit more effort to find perfect spots for portraits.  Thankfully Ainsley had found this beautiful place not far from her parents farm. 

The ladies looked absolutely gorgeous!

Paul called the beers 'man flowers'.  I guess he's right!

Doing the long grass thing.  I'm still loving it!

Ainsley, you are an incredibly beautiful bride!

Then back at Ainsley's parents farm we had some fun in the woolshed. 

This property means everything to Ainsley.  It's been in the family since her Grandad came home from war.  It's where her Dad was born, and it's where she grew up.  It's home to her.  So what better place to have the reception?  I can't say I was disappointed, the place is gorgeous!

The marquee was beautifully decorated and everybody had a grand old time!

Ainsley's Mum is a keen gardener, and has put countless hours of work in to get the gardens looking as amazing as they did.  Paul was in his element buzzing around capturing the details. 

As is often the case in high Summer, the light became magical after we had finished the portraits and everybody had gone inside.  Not to worry though, we had already planned for this!  Ainsley and Jared were happy to come out again after dinner to make the most of the amazing light and beautiful surroundings.

 

You're so MR DARCYish!  I squealed to Jared.  Every girl in the world has at one point wanted to marry Mr Darcy, I'm sure.  "Thank you!" replied Ainsley on Jared's behalf.  I could feel the silence beside me as Paul had no idea what I was talking about.  But Ainsley and I, we knew.  Mr Darcy is a catch.

This is Lauchie.  I call this shot kid in a barrel.   Isn't he just the cutest thing?

And then, the perfect end to a perfect summer day.  Mr Whippy came with dessert.  Brilliantly planned, and a surprise to the guests.

There's nothing like Mr Whippy (probably not his real name.....) to bring out the kid in everyone.

Jared and Ainsley, we didn't want to leave.  Your day just kept getting perfecter and perfecter (ahem, my blog, and I say perfecter is a word).  Thank you so much for sharing your day with us, we had a wonderful time!

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Vendor Shoutout:

As we started drifting off to sleep deep in the night after a delightful day with Chantal and Ian yesterday, I had an idea.  "Would you like a turn of writing the blog?" I said to Paul.

"I could do that!" he said, to my surprise.

"Really?" I asked, rethinking my suggestion quickly.

"Yeeeeah," almost sounding offended.  "I do know how to write!" he said.

Paul and I wrote to each other as teenagers (LETTERS kids, not emails!)  Long letters, filled with nonsense and strange poetry.  I found a box of them recently.  It was 20 years ago and before we were going out. 

After a small pause, he declared that he could write it in poem form.  "This is about Ian and Chantal, because they have a story to tell......"  He paused again, and I could hear him thinking about the next line.

"DON'T DO IT!  Stop right there."  So to that end, I will write this post.  I may not be eloquent, but I won't put you through that kind of poetry pain!

The day began fresh but perfect.  Chantal and the girls got ready at the ever beautiful Locks and Lashes.

Chantal's Dad was thoroughly impressed with how beautiful his daughter was.

Meanwhile Paul was with the boys, and a happy but nervous Ian looked rather dashing.

The image on the bottom left completely transfixes me every time I see it, and I have no idea why.  I want to create some kind of explanation as to why it is so striking, but nothing comes to mind.  I just like it.  In fact, I love it.  Paul thinks I'm odd to like it as much as I do.  Well, frankly, I embrace odd.

Both the ceremony and the reception were held at The Winery Riverlands - which was formally Montana Brancott Estate. 

And the ladies arrive.

This was the moment that Chantal's parent were asked to give their blessing to the marriage. 

Which they wholeheartedly did.

Look at how Ian looks at his bride! 

This was one of those ceremonies that had everybody feeling it.  I looked around into the crowd and saw more than one person crying, and a whole lot of nodding in agreement with what Carol Taylor was saying.  It was beautiful.

Then we headed back to Locks and Lashes where Ian and Chantal had their E Session. 

Sometimes you just have to turn around to see an equally great shot standing right behind you.

Then back to Montana to have some final portraits before the reception began.

Beautifulness!  Look at the detail on Chantal's dress.  I was besotted with it.

The speeches were great.  This is Chantal's Dad welcoming Ian into the family.

Neil, Ian's brother was the best man. During his speech he said that Ian was a very lucky man and that he was a little bit jealous of him.  However, he pointed out that he does have more hair than Ian.  I guess you've got to look at the bright side.

The cutting of the cake was the funniest and most entertaining cake cutting I have ever witnessed.  I'm pretty sure they didn't intend to pull the entire top off the cake!

The rings were aaaaaamazing!

Chantal and Ian, what a wonderful day you had!  Thank you so much for choosing us to capture it for you.  We can't wait to show you the rest!  Have a fantastic first Christmas as husband and wife!

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Vendor Shoutout:

"She makes my heart make an extra beat when she smiles at me."  It was the perfect statement to round up a perfect day.  Niklas adores Taryn, and she adores him right back.  The way they look at each other, sometimes just a sideways glance and other times she leaps into his arms with her big beautiful smile and kisses him.  If anybody deserved a perfect day, Niklas and Taryn did, and that's just what they got.  Perfection from the very moment we arrived, to our final goodbye hugs. 

Taryn got ready at the beautiful Monaco Resort Hotel.

Grandma's watch, utterly beautiful.

Amelie and Luciella were the perfect little flowergirls. 

Meanwhile, Paul was with the boys as they got ready.

This was Niklas' kiwi connection.

This was the first time we had shot at the Nelson Cathedral, and we were like a kid in a candy shop, without the sugar high.  So much to photograph!

The bride arrives.

This is most definitely the closest we have ever gotten to the glamour of a royal wedding, and most likely will ever get!  Unless, of course, someone knows of a royal wedding somewhere that needs some kiwi flair?  Feel free to hook us up... after this amazing day I think I could get used to this kind of grandeur!

And they are declared husband and wife!

Their reaction as they come out of the church says it all.  Bliss.

The traditional German log cutting ceremony was another first for me.  Traditionally the bride and groom must cut a log together as their first difficult task, or obstacle, in their marriage. If it's a clean cut it means they work together well.  And as it turns out, they work together really well!

And while we're busy doing cool stuff, how about releasing some red balloons?  Great idea!

Before we left for the portraits, we snuck Niklas and Taryn up some super awesome old stairs we'd found earlier. 

Taryn, you are A-maz-ing.  Beautiful, inside and out.

Then off to Rabbit Island with the attendants for some fun!

When I spotted this long grass, I knew we simply had to get in there!  Have you noticed I've got a thing for long grass lately?  Good thing I don't have hay fever!

 

Beach time!

I could have photographed these beautiful sisters all day!

Paul was committed to the cause and ditched his shoes and socks and waded out in the water to get this shot. 

Then it was off to Petite Fleur at Seifried Estate for the reception.

Niklas' speech was utterly gorgeous.  I could feel hearts melting all around me.

Niklas and Taryn, you cannot know how much we appreciate the way you invited us to share your day with you.  You are sweet and funny and utterly perfect for each other.  We can hardly wait to show you the rest of your photos!

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Vendor Shoutout:

In everything give thanks... It was a Bible verse long before it became an American Holiday.  Thanksgiving.  What a great time to remember all of the things we have to be thankful for.  I'm especially thankful for my family and friends and our amazing job.  Anybody who has seen us shoot knows that we love what we do.  We are utterly blessed to be able to take photos of gorgeous people like Aidan and Steph.  And we are incredibly grateful to all of the amazing couples that continue to hire us to capture their day for them.  We've been doing this for years now, and I still pinch myself. 

Steph and Aidan's day was perfection.  It was filled with serious and tender moments, and loads and loads of laughs.  Just my kind of day!

The bell at the end was a gift from Aidan to Steph for their wedding. 

The flowers.  Oh my goodness - coolness! The flowers were done by Stacey at Bellebird Design Flax Flowers & Art.  They are made of flax and incredibly gorgeous.  I suspect I'll be seeing a lot more of Stacey's work in the future!

The celebrant had obviously asked both Aidan and Steph what it was that they loved about each other.  As she read out the different points, you could just see their faces light up.  Clearly they adore each other, like really really adore each other!

Every wedding has an 'Uncle Bob'.  It's the person who has a good camera and is keen as mustard to get the best shot.  The 'Uncle Bob' at this wedding was a small boy.  I think he'll be giving us a run for our money in a few years time!

We headed over to Steph and Aidan's old school.  We spent some time hanging out by the tree that everyone carves their names into before finally graduating, yes, Steph is doing bunny ears.

Steph you are breath taking!

Generally I would be the one lying in some ridiculous position to get a shot like this, but Paul, in his drive to get the best shot every time, got there before I could.

See? 

Small girls are not always cooperative, but they are always cute!

Steph is not only beautiful, but she's also extremely creative.  Go and checkout her handiwork over at G is for Giraffe.

Steph wears her watch every single day, she told me, so what better place to wear your watch than on your flowers?  Also Grandma's brooch, very precious.

I love the way that Aidan adores Steph.  You can tell that Steph is everything to him, she's a very lucky girl indeed!

I've never come across this game before.  How small can you make your face?  I think I'll be playing it, possibly by myself in random places.  I reckon it will go down well...

Both the ceremony and reception were held at Marlborough Vintners Hotel.

We found some light to die for inside.  happiness....

This is a photo of me showing them the photo I took of them.  Even I have to read that sentence slowly to understand it.

Steph and Aidan, it was our absolute pleasure to capture your amazing wedding for you, thank you for choosing us.  We hope you're loving Bali! 

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Vendor Shoutout:

It was the kind of day that the birds seemed to sing just that little bit louder.  The weather was perfect and the whole property was buzzing with excitement.  I never doubted that this was going to be a very special wedding, but the beautiful moments contained in this one day are simply far too many to share in this humble blog post.  So you'll just have to imagine even more beauty than this.  If you can.

Getting ready in her childhood home is something precious to any girl. 

And her mother.

This brooch that belonged to Grandma has been worn by all of the women in Kat's family.

Meanwhile Paul was over with the boys, and caught some very special moments himself. 

Kat and Josh were getting married at the St Michael's Church in Waimea.  It's the kind of church that made us go "Ooooooooo" when we first turned up to do a quick scout.  The possibilities made us talk extra fast.  Well, it made me talk extra fast.

Inside and the wait for the girls has begun.

Any moment now....

And there she is!

I wasn't close enough to hear exactly what Dad said as he gave Kat away.  But I love the expressions!

The vows were so incredibly heartfelt, so sincere, I don't think there was a dry eye in the church.

Married!

Sometimes you get the perfect mix of location, light and gorgeous people.  Ding ding ding!  We have a winner!  I was busy trying not to do my happy dance.

Josh and Kat had organised a double decker bus to take themselves and their guests back to Kat's parent's property where the reception would be held in the most beautifully decorated marquee that you ever did see!

Sometimes it's a good idea to shoot in the general direction that everyone else is shooting in. 

But sometimes it can be worthwhile turning around and seeing what is going on behind you.  Sometimes that is actually the shot that you want.

And every so often, you need to look where no one else is looking.  Sometimes that's where you'll find a story more powerful than anything else.

Josh spent the whole day grinning.  He seemed so absolutely over the moon with Kat.  It was almost like he had won the lotto, but better.

And WOW who can blame him for feeling like the luckiest guy alive? 

Josh and Kat had chosen a really fantastic bridal party.  They were helpful, funny and fully present.  Well done guys!

You guys are so gorgeous, I can barely stand it.

Kat's Mum and Dad have spent countless hours getting their property ready to host the celebration.  It was immaculate.

You guys are so fab, you even make the (ahem boring) traditional pose (for Grandma) look like something fresh out of a magazine.  You've made both me (and Grandma) very happy.

Josh and Kat, you had the most spectacularly beautiful day, and we are so grateful to have been able to be part of it.  Thank you.  We can't wait to show you all of the rest of the beautifulness!

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Vendor Shoutout: