Farewell my friend…

Well the time has finally come to bid farewell to this old wordpress blog of mine.

It has been good, it has been fun, but, the time has come to move on to bigger images.

As I type this, I am a little sad moving on and remain in two minds as to which one I actually prefer.

In spite of this, I am in love with the bigger images and it really is time for a change. 

So here we are –  enter my new IDTR blog just in time for the new year!

I promised no post without an image so here you are a couple of images off the new blog from a vintage engagement shoot!

 

http://www.andreacarlylephotography.co.za/blog/

If you do experience any problems please drop me a note.

 

 

 

Kim & Leigh – Hakunamatata

Sorry y’all but I am going to make this a short post (Oh, how you’ll miss my great wit, right?!), but things are just chaos on my end,  a longer post will probably mean another two weeks of not posting.

I am not sure why, but there is something about a ‘Friday’ wedding that  seems  to make it a little more special to me. I feel like… it’s kind of a secret wedding, the only one on a day where everyone else is at work, sitting at their desks.

Kim & Leigh exchanged their vows at Casalinga and had their reception at Hakunamatata…a really unique affair!!

 

 

 

 

 

In between….

I’m trying to finalise Anne and Warwick’s wedding pic’s……Yep, that behind!!

Found this little “beaut” taken by Chantal Madgwick, my second shooter on the day.

Too Cute! 

Trevor & Vivien – Pongola Nature Reserve

Things that make me smile . . . DJ Vlokkie (and his groupies), glittering disco balls, a club called ‘Night Fever’, Jake the wedding co-ordinator and a ceremony overlooking Pongolapoort Dam.

Trevor and Vivien chose Pongola Game Reserve as their wedding venue – and, what a spectacular setting it was.

Guests were treated to a sunset cruise on the dam, whilst we drove around the game reserve sipping champagne and occasionally snapping a few pics of the newly weds….

Oh! (raise right hand to forehead and insert sigh) What a tough job I have!

Trevor and Vivien are just made for the camera – I could photograph them all day!

They actually remind me a little of Kevin Costner and Katie Homes, my first celebrity wedding in the bush!

Alas, no long write up, as I will really fall short in describing what was a truly enchanting weekend.

Thank you to the both of you for being so hospitable.

Without further ado, here they are ….more than usual I am afraid, but we were spoilt with two hours for the portraits.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Love this dress shot!

I am busy editing Bonny & Franco’s wedding at the moment, and I came accross this image. It made me smile … so I had to post it.

This tends to happen often, I rush when selecting for the blog and miss “little beauts” like this one.

Gill & Shaun – Hertford Hotel

Saturday, two weekends ago, was spent tagging along with Dror, at The Hertford Hotel.

Browsing through the multitude of “creatives” and attempting to a select a few for this post I found myself saying: “Gosh, Gill is lucky to have so many wonderful images from the creatives” and then I realised, hang on a moment, she actually isn’t just lucky – she deserves each and every WOW shot.

As brides go, there really aren’t too many of Gill’s ilk.

After a typical Highveld thunderstorm, she was not only prepared to walk through the muddy aftermath, but also venture into some very prickly and wet veld to get these…

So I take my hat off to Gill… Girl, you’re thoroughly worthy of these! And, I am sure you will agree, they were worth every muddy, drenched and prickly moment!

To have a look at the killer images Dror took, click here. http://www.droreyal.co.za/blog/the-hertford-weddings/

 

  

            

    

Andrea and Xen – Moon and Sixpence

On Friday I had the ridiculously amusing “job”…. second-shooting for my dear friend Dror, at the Moon and Sixpence.

With the name Andrea (even pronounced identically as mine “Andreya”) how could the bride be anything but wonderful?

Many thanks, Andrea and Xen, for allowing me to be a part of your wedding day!  It was really great!

Dror and I were blessed with a gorgeous couple and amazing African skies…what more could you need, for fantastic images?

Those of you who may believe the sky is fake , a post-production Photoshop add-on, take a look at Dror’s Blog  http://www.droreyal.co.za/blog/moon-and-sixpence-wedding-photography/ - I assure you, it was totally authentic! (and confession I am not that good with Photoshop)

This post is going to be short, as I had to put up a few of the faves…you will also see, by my selection, that I am kind of obsessed with “the sky” images.

 

 

 

 

Gemma & Alasdair – St John’s, Houghton

 

To me, there are very few “jobs” as rewarding as photography.  You are given the privilege of peeking into people’s lives and capturing what really matters to them… the things that make them smile and even cry.   

I’m not sure if it’s the Virgo in me that loves the ‘pretty details’; or the child in me that loves the excitement of the day; or the mom in me that loves to see pure emotion preserved for future memories, but, picking up my camera nearly every day does makes me truly happy. 

True to form, I once again picked up my camera last weekend to head out to St Johns College, in Houghton, to capture Gemma’s and Alisdair’s ceremony.

We had the chance to use this exceptional location for the creatives and what an incredible backdrop it was.

Congratulations to you both and wishing you a long and truly happy marriage.

 As always, here are a few of my favourites from the day, for your viewing pleasure.

 

 

  

 

 

 

 

Elizabeth & Grant – Hazeldene Hall

I am an emotional wreck!

Over the past two weeks I have discovered I am not equipped psychologically for this wedding photography thing.

Last week’s wedding I brushed aside – it was a once-off and it won’t happen again too soon, I thought.

Well, enter Grant’s and Elizabeth’s ceremony.   I actually lost count of how many times I shed a tear.

I write ’shed a tear’ in an effort to downplay the situation, as in reality there were a fair few “pure sobbing” moments.

I may need to get some Help! (Not sure if I am sending out the right message here? “Hire me – I’m an emotional wreck!”)

Elizabeth and Grant: your day was one I will truly not forget; packed solid with uniqueness and sensitivity.

Elizabeth is the type of person who has the most smallest detail covered and, for such an organised person, I must say the getting-ready part of the day was one that will go down as the most chilled and hassle-free.

I am really at a loss for words here – this is about the sixth draft and I’m still unable to describe the day.

So my apologies to all and hopefully the images will cover my literary shortcomings.

Oh well, if the photography side doesn’t work out, I certainly see a market out there for a “wedding crier”

 

 

 

The bride and flowergirl arriving at the ceremony.

 

The ceremony was held outside with a perfect sky.

Nicki & Dave – Toadbury Hall

Tasteful, intimate, emotional and exceptional are the words which come to mind in describing Nicki’s and Dave’s wedding.

The ceremony was nothing short of utterly beautiful, in a forest strung with crystals – and, not a dry eye in sight.   It’s especially great to see (and capture) such genuine and spur-of-the-moment emotions; shared between two people. (Sorry, Dave… I didn’t mean to spill the beans on the tears, but let’s face it – you had every single guest grabbing a Kleenex too).

The reception was a luxurious picnic on Toadbury Island – a unique little part of Toadbury Hall I never knew existed.

Originally, I was a little annoyed with myself, tackling a wedding on my birthday weekend, but as it turned out, I couldn’t have planned a better day out; doing what I love most, in great company with truly special people who clearly adore life to the full.

My second shooter. . . yep, you guessed it, the gaffer himself.  In fact, you can see Dror’s version of events here; http://www.droreyal.co.za/blog/nicki-and-david-at-toadbury-hall/

You will also see the pic, which had intimidated me a little; added to which the comment implying I’ll be posting “Killer Bee” images and, hence, the selection dilemma, plus delayed post!

That’s it.    It’s official – blame Dror for the delay! (nothing like passing the buck)

 

Just before Nicki left for the ceremony her sister read her a message from the UK, which had me in tears too!

The couple prepared their own vows, hence the tears!