Elzette & Niël het mekaar die eerste keer gesien op die trappe van die SA Gemeente in Londen en toe langs mekaar beland in die kerkbanke. Niël het dadelik geweet dat hierdie fyn donkerkop sy toekomstige vroutjie gaan wees, maar Elzette het nog bietjie oorreding gekort voor sy besef het dat hierdie ‘tall, dark & handsome’ man presies weet hoe om met haar hartsnare te tokkel en dat sy met hom aan haar kant vir die ganse wêreld kans sien! Hulle mooi storie is finaal geseel op ‘n lieflike (en baie warm!) dag in die Paarl. Ek was mal oor al die kleiner details by hierdie troue, soos Elzette se oorbelle, skoene en turqoise sonbril! Die dekor was ook vars en romanties met vintage touches soos die pêrel krale in die klokglase. Haar rok het haar soos ‘n handskoen gepas en ek was mal oor die tikkie Spaanse flair daarvan. Niël het ook baie netjies gelyk in sy duifgrys pak. Volgens Elzette is Niël die grappige een en sy die meer perfeksionistiese, ernstige een, maar een ding was vir my seker - hierdie twee weet hoe om die beste uit mekaar te bring en hoe om baie saam te lag!
This wedding was absolutely WOW! Melissa and Willem are just such a perfect match and their sincere love and passion for God and each other was so heart warming. I could elaborate for ever on how gorgeous Melissa looked (I mean just look at that dress and hair!) but I would rather leave that to her husband. Willem was completely in awe of his beautiful bride and he just kept saying that there has never been or will ever be such a beautiful woman. Ladies, wouldn’t we all be flattered by such adoration from our men?!
There were many things that I loved about this wedding - the silwer bridesmaid dresses, the mountains surrounding the venue, the atmosphere later the evening in the bedouin tent, the bridal party (who were so much fun to work with) and the expressions on these two beautiful people’s faces. I have also not yet heard such a well-spoken bride as Melissa, her speech was mind blowing and so was Willem’s.
I hope these pictures convey the spirit of these two special people’s day..
Christie and I met while both studying Graphic design at Stellenbosch. Her mom, Di, secretly contacted me just before Christie and Craig got engaged. Wow, I was so excited, it meant a trip to East London and an opportunity to see my friend on her most special day! Christie is so sweet and beautiful - both inside and out. I knew she would look pretty, but looking back at the photographs, I can only say ‘WOW’, isn’t she the most stunning bride?! I loved her bouquet and exquisite dress. Her 3 wonderful bridesmaids wore the neatest soft grey-purple-blueish dresses. Craig, who looked very handsome himself, had the broadest smile when he saw Christie coming into the church and that smile remained there for the rest of the day! The ceremony was in the small town of Stutterheim and from there all 240 guests travelled to Craig’s parents’ farm a few kilometers out of town. I saw the their forestry farm (thousands of hectares!) that afternoon for the first time. Wow! What more can one ask for than to be surrounded by majestic mountains, green fields, pine tree forests and game? This is where Christie and Craig will start their new life together. The reception was held in a bedouin tent and later that evening we could see a spectacular thunderstorm in the distance but luckily it never rained at the venue! The food was sumptuous - juicy steaks and stuffed chicken and a buffet with mouth watering sweet goodies. Guests had a fabulous time on the dance floor and I was later told that the party went on well into the early hours of the morning!
Christie and Craig thank you for having me there at you beautiful wedding. I hope you enjoy this preview!
(Also a special word of thanks to Willie & Di Wade who made me feel so welcome in their home!)
I love the colours on this first photo and the lovely smiles!
The bow was such a stunning detail..
Just look at those mountains!
Brother and sister having a fab time on the dance floor1
Bonnie & Rob’s wedding really summed up who they are as a couple - relaxed, joyous & unpretentious. Even though I haven’t met them before the wedding, if felt like I already knew them - thanks to Bonnie taking the initiative to write me a little summary about them. I was so excited about this that I immediately thought it would be a great idea for all couples to share a little about themselves in writing before their big day - in the end that is what the wedding photos are all about - creating a reflection of the unique dynamics between each couple and the special people sharing their day with them.
A little bit about the cute couple which the 24th of October was all about…Bonnie & Rob met at medical school but only started dating during their internship year in Durban. This year the are doing their community service at a bush hospital between Swaziland, Mozambique and the Kruger National park. Rob grew up in Kleinmond and spend more time on his surf board than anywhere else. Bonnie was fortunate to grow up on her family’s beautiful farm in Ceres. These two talented young people are adventurous, adore their family and friends and love the outdoors.
It was so much fun working with Bonnie because not once during the shoot she worried about sitting or lying down in the grass, in fact she embraced the opportunity!
Their beautiful ceremony was so heart-warming and one could really feel the joy shared between them. I also loved the vibrancy of the bridesmaid dresses and the bright and soft pinks of their protea bouquets.
The food was gourmet quality and everyone had a feast around the tables. I also loved their wedding cake which was topped with little Bonnie and Rob sugar figurines!
top left: The future Snyder family 
Tulbagh is darem maar ‘n pragtige dorpie! Susan & Harold-John het die lieflike Roodezand venue gekies om hul droom troue saam met familie en vriende te vier. Die kragonderbreking wat van die middag tot laat in die aand geduur het, het verseker nie ‘n demper op die atmosfeer geplaas nie! Dit was ‘n baie jolige saamtrek by hierdie Joubert & Truter troue. Susan en Harold-John was uit hul nate van opgewondenheid oor die aanbreek van hierdie dag en dit is duidelik dat hulle vir mekaar gemaak is - hulle deel dieselfde humorsin en daar is voorwaar ‘n magnetiese entoesiasme en opregte liefde tussen hulle.
Susan & Harry, dankie dat ek ‘n aandeel in julle baie spesiale dag kon hê!
Although I can talk a lot and consider myself an extrovert, I have a very shy side to me and am not always too comfortable with sharing details about my life (it just comes more naturally to share in other people’s happiness!). But, after some consideration I decided to post a few pics about the most exciting event yet to have taken place in my life…I am going to be a bride!!! hehe
This is a short story of how it happened…
Two weekends ago Adél, Kappie (Francois Kapp) and I went to Yzerfontein to photograph Nadine and Deon’s stunning wedding. The sunday morning Kappie decided that an early morning coffee (and rusks of course!) on the beach would be the perfect way to start off the day. We walked for a few minutes before sitting down in the soft sand and talked about everything and anything and also about how awesome the Christian relationship course we did was. A few more minutes past and suddenly I noticed Kappie fiddling in his pocket..the next moment he got down in the sand in front of me and asked the big question…I was so shocked and overwhelmed and started to cry, but it was very, very happy tears!! And I just said…’of course’!! Everything happened so fast and yet it felt like it all played off in sl0w motion! I always knew that I would prefer not being engaged too long, but as you might know, as a wedding photographer your weekends are booked long before your own life ‘happens’. But then a brain wave came…I kept one weekend open end of January! So, the date has been set (29 January 2010) and now we are busy filling in all the details for the day..the venue will be Beloftebos, Stanford (close to Gansbaai and Hermanus) and the photographer a close friend and extremely talented Lizelle Lotter.
I work with couples everyday and I just love it! It is the most awesome privilege to do something that you love. I can still hardly believe that it is going to my turn shortly! At first I was very overwhelmed with what was happening, but now I am getting more excited every day!
I saw Kappie for the first time in May 2007. We were a group of friends who went to the olive festival in Riebeeck Kasteel, but I joined a bit later. Kappie was a new comer to our circle of friends and that was the first day I saw him. I remember vividly making my way through the crowd that gathered in front of the olive and cheese stalls when I suddenly saw it…the most beautiful smile, curly blonde hair and blue eyes (amidst fading faces in the crowd) I have ever seen! At that moment I honestly believed in love at first sight:)
Enough about me! Have an awesome week!
Thanks to Adél who took most of these memorable pics!
Oh I just loooove beach weddings…the sand beneath your feet, the soft sound of lapping waves, the fresh air, blue skies and even the wind. There’s that undeniable nostalgic feeling of a December holiday when you can sit down on a wooden bench with mussels, snoek and glass of wine in front of you. I know that the coast doesn’t necessarily reserve its storms for winter, but in my opinion it is well worth the risk! Deon and Nadine’s wedding day was perfect. The wind later in the afternoon added a bit of drama to the photo’s but the ultimate reward was the sunset - blasts of orange, violet and soft purples - a sight that can never become clichéd!
Nadine looked like a sun goddess with her olive skin, chestnut hair, blue eyes and soft, dreamy dress (I know it sounds like something from a mills and boon novel!). Nadine and Cindy from the b.co. combined talents to create the décor that fitted the venue and setting perfectly. I loved the rows of turquoise glass bottles with stems of delicate white flowers or fynbos. The king protea bouquet was a stunner and a true work of art. Nadine and Deon really radiated love and excitement for just being in the moment and having been so blessed to have found each other. They are such a delightful couple and the Strandkombuis surroundings offer so many possibilities for photos so I just knew the couple shoot will be fun! Probably the highlight of the day was the West Coast style buffet lined with prawns, freshly baked breads and koeksisters (to name but a few!) and just socializing with all your closest friends and family under one tented roof with the soft roar of the waves in the background. Deon en Nadine, dankie dat julle my as julle fotograaf gekies het en dit was baie fun om ‘n aandeel te kon hê in julle prag troue!
Service providers
Flowers: the b.co
Hair & make-up: Jane Field
Dress: Bride & Co
DJ: DJ Pro
Cake: Daniela Dotan
What a pleasure it was to work with such warm and friendly people as Roisin & Steven. Roisin is proudly Irish and Steven proudly English. They both are rugby fanatics and although not supporting the same team might lead to conflict, this would not stop them from enjoying their favourite sport together! They booked me through Noreen at Timeless Weddings and although I met them for the first time on their wedding day, my assistant and I agreed that they felt like old friends. It was yet again a rainy day in Cape Town, but the two had no problem entertaining each other, so the photo shoot went as smooth as on any other sunny day.
Roisin and Steven planned to visit South Africa this year. However, when they got engaged the idea of coming down from the UK with a few family and friends to celebrate their wedding on another continent, started sounding like a very exciting prospect. This was their first visit to SA and it was clear that they and all their guests had a splendid time during their stay. I loved the flowers at their wedding - stunning proteas and creamy roses (Wild Affair Flowers). Currently they are enjoying their honeymoon along the picturesque Garden Route - Roisin & Steven, thank you for choosing me as your photographer and I hope that you enjoy this preview!
Hester & Johan got married on the picturesques farm, Meerendal, just outside Durbanville. Hester got dressed at Clara Anna Fontein which is a small game reserve close to the venue and a perfect choice for any bride having her wedding at Meerendal. When I arrived there Hester’s two sisters were having a fun time doing the last touches of make-up and getting their little sister into her (stunning!) wedding dress. I have known Hester for a few years so I was very excited to see what her wedding day would be like. I was stunned by how absolutely gorgeous she looked, everything was just so perfect - from her hair to the cute little clutch bag that belonged to her grandmother. She radiated excitement and love that was really genuine. Johan was breathless when he saw his beautiful bride coming down the steps in the chapel at Meerendal.
These two were blessed with the most awesome weather! Hester & Johan were like two people who just discovered the other’s existence so we had much fun during the couple shoot! Hester is also the first bride I ever worked with who voluntarily offered her bouquet to a few curious sheep! However I think the moment was to big for them and they walked off. I must also mention something about the décor - it was so simple and elegant and what I really loved about it was the way in which both the flowers and decor reflected the venue and its surrounds. Antoinette from To Netts in the Paarl was the creative hand behind this.
At the reception guests socialised outside on the beautiful lawn till late and everyone had a awesome time on the dance floor!
Hes & Johan, baie dankie dat ek saam met julle hierdie ongelooflike spesiale dag kon deel. Julle is ‘n stunning couple!
One day a lovely girl from New Zealand met up with a cute guy from South Africa. They saw each other for the first time in an Australian pub in London and a few years later their love story was sealed on a beautiful farm in Franschhoek, South Africa. One simply can’t overlook the honest warmth and affection shared between these two. Stefan’s eyes were locked on his gorgeous bride when she came striding down the isle - and one could see why! She wore the most gorgeous champaign coloured dress which fitted her perfectly. Her dress also had the neatest set of buttons! I also loved the simple, elegant décor and expecially the cute favours with the owl print. Friends and family from South Africa, the UK and New Zealand all joined in for this special celebration. Sarah was also very excited seeing her cute niece for the first time!
Sarah & Stefan, it was a joy being part of your beautiful wedding, I hope you enjoy this preview!
Saturday was one very rainy day in Stellenbosch! They say that rain brings an extra blessing to your marriage and I just know that Carla & Jaco will be no exception to this. It seemed that the only thing Carla needed for the couple shoot (besides Jaco!) was the red gum boots - once she traded her dainty wedding shoes for these, she was ready for anything! Taking photographs in the rain (not a light drizzle, rain!) is no joke. Adél, my spectacular assistant, got so wet while trying her utmost to keep my camera from getting drenched. What made all the difference to the not-so-perfect situation, was that Carla & Jaco are just so in love with each other that rain was definitely not going to spoil anything on their special day. Jaco could not stop laughing once! At first we took some pics in Church Street, Stellenbosch and then head off to the Mooiberge Strawberry farm for a bit of colour to jazz up the grayness of the rainy day.
Luckily rain had no influence on the reception at Stellenrust! Guests were spoiled with the most sumptuous buffet and there after the party began in full swing. Carla even found herself trapped in the middle of the Helshoogte Blou Hoender dance!
Cream Library did the beautiful cream and green décor at the reception. I was in love with the light shades that hang from the ceiling, it gave so much atmosphere.
Carla and her two bridesmaids got dressed at the stunning Li Belle Guest House in Somerset West. And even though it rained there as well we could take photographs inside the light-filled house. Carla’s beautiful dress fitted her like a glove. Her soft make-up and fair skin made her look like a fairy tale princess.
Carla en Jaco, julle was great gewees, ek hoop julle geniet hierdie voorskou!
(Tips for photographers: Make sure you are geared with at least 2 white or clear umbrellas. A colourful umbrella can look visually striking at a distance but reflects the colour strongly on the couple’s faces for close-ups - and this will cause much frustration when editing afterwards. Also, since you don’t have the luxury of the sun’s warm glow when it rains, look out for splashes of colour around you so that the photos immediately look more striking)
Leandra & Ruan’s beautiful wedding took place at Groenvlei Guest farm. Their black and white décor theme was complimented by artistic touches such as the beautifully carved words (liefde, genade, ens.) that Ruan produced himself and hanged from the centerpiece in the venue. Leandra’s dress had touches of black in the form of small black beads complimented by a lovely lacy bodice. It was evident that these two really appreciate and enjoy each other, so we had much fun during the couple shoot!
Geluk julle twee en ek hoop julle geniet hierdie voorskou van julle foto’s!
Adél en Jan is van ons beste vriende. Hulle het 9 Januarie vanjaar in Kalkbaai getrou en Christine Meintjies het hul stunning troue afgeneem. Adél looove dit om agter die kamera te wees (sy is immers my getroue assistent by meeste troues) maar sy is ewe mal daaroor om vóór die lens te wees!
We had such a fun session with these 2. They are 2 of the most fun and vibrant people I know and that is why spending time with them is always a memorable experience! For me, memorable photographs are always about catching the emotions and dynamics shared between people.
Our first stop was at Meerendal Wine estate to take some pics in the canola fields and then we head off to Blouberg where it was very, very windy! We were in time to catch the last 45min of beautiful sunset glow and the colourful helium baloons really added to the scene.
Dankie Venters, dit was baie fun gewees!!
(Baie dankie ook aan Iza Loubser wat ‘n amazing job gedoen het met Adél se make-up!)
(Note for photographers: I used the gold side of my reflector to achieve the soft fill-in light on the couple’s faces in the canola fields)
Adél took this last photo of me and Kappie (my boyfriend and wonderful assistant for the day!)
On Sunday I had the privilege of working with Canell and Kobus whose wedding will be on the 15th of May next year in Stellenbosch. We started off in the vibrant Bo-Kaap and ended in the beautiful V&A Waterfront. Threatening dark clouds could not dampen the spirit of these two! They are so cute and loving with each other. Canell is a childhood friend of my brother’s so I have known her for many years. She recently got engaged to Kobus who is the man of her dreams.They met while both studying engineering at Stellenbosch University.
Toe ons by die Waterfront aankom was die donker wolke al taamlik dreigend, maar uit ‘n fotografiese oogpunt kla ek nooit hieroor nie, dit moet net nie skielik neersak nie! Teen die donker agtergrond het die helder blou van die skip se romp so mooi uitgestaan en die wind het vir bietjie ekstra drama gesorg. Ek looove die see en spesifiek die nostalgiese gevoel van ‘n hawe! (Okay, nie die deel waar die vis gewerk word nie, maar eerder die kaai met die baie toeriste en helder bootjies, seiljagte of statige skepe:)
Hoop julle geniet hierdie kiekies!
On Sunday afternoon I had a fun engagement session with Elrika & John-bert whose wedding will be on the 3rd of April next year in Stellenbosch.
All the photographs were taken in Cape Town. We started off at the famous Charly’s bakery and ended in the colouful Bo-Kaap.
Ek het al so baie keer die kleurvolle Bo-Kaap huisies op foto’s gesien en is baie bly dat ek nou self daar kon foto’s neem - die vrolike roomys kleure het ‘n kinderlike opgewondenheid oor my laat kom!
Dié twee is so oulik en gemaklik bymekaar en dit was heerlike om saam met hulle te kon werk. Ek sien uit na die troue!
Annemarie & Johan’s wedding was such a blessed, joyous occasion! Annie is a dear friend of mine, so I was thrilled when she asked me to be their wedding photographer!
Hierdie meisietjie is ‘n bondeltjie dinamiet! Sy het hul hele troue (met die ondersteuning van vriendinne en haar moeder) binne 4 maande gereel en alles was perfek van haar lieflike vintage rok tot die ongelooflike mooi dekor.
In order to spend as much time with their guests as possible, Annie & Johnny decided to see each other for photographs before the ceremony - this was a first for me! And it worked amazingly well! Being a bit of a traditionalist, I wondered whether it would take away some of the magic from the first glance down the isle, but it didn’t one bit! It was the most heart warming moment when Johnny saw his to-be wife coming down the staircase, the man was in tears and at a loss for words! It was such a beautiful tender moment. And the exact same loving expression filled his face when he saw Annemarie by her father’s side walking down the isle.
During the ceremony, the pastor said that he could sum up Annemarie & Johan as two individuals with such a passion and zest for life - like little children mesmerized with life. I agreed 100% with this! Their bubbling personalities and deep love for each other are evident to everyone who are close to them.
Annie en Johnny, dit was ‘n absolute plesier om ‘n aandeel te kon hê in julle troue! Dit was so lekker om saam met twee sulke borrelende vriendelike mense te kon werk. Ek weet julle gaan ‘n lewe vol vreugde en liefde saam hê!
Service providers:
Dress: Ilse Roux: www.ilserouxbridal.co.za
Make-up: Iza Loubser: www.izaloubser.co.za
Guesthouse where bride got ready: belmonteguesthouse.co.za
Venue: Nelson’s Creek: www.nelsonscreek.co.za
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