Somedays I get up and the air still smells faintly of roses and I kind of wonder about Johannesburg and the people that grow roses in the suburbs. This morning, the imac’s screen telling me it’s 2:43AM, I can smell those roses again, it’s silent out here in whitebreadland, not a sound. In about an hour or so, we’ll be back to the usual Johannesburg chaos. For the next couple of minutes this is my favorite time of the day.

I half consider going back to bed, but these days I don’t sleep so well. Insomnia and a 1997 Tiburon are all that are left from my days in the corporate world. So I fire up lightroom, get some coffee going and start doing some editing. I’ve already edited the images from Kerri and Quintis’ actual wedding, but we also did a underwater photoshoot for their day after shoot – I saw a couple of people on our Facebook page comment on the underwater photo that I posted that Kerri and Quintis must have been an amazing couple to work with, and they were. You can’t go wrong when a couple trusts you to do what you do. That’s when we do our best work.

more pics from Kerri and Quintis’ killer bee wedding and day after shoot can be found on our facebook page. If you were a guest or know them you’re welcome to tag yourself in or leave them a message.

and from their day after shoot …

more pics from Kerri and Quintis’ killer bee wedding and day after shoot can be found on our facebook page. If you were a guest or know them you’re welcome to tag yourself in or leave them a message.

underwater photoshoot, underwater wedding photo, underwater couple photography, underwater dresses, underwater shots, underwater wedding, underwater wedding dress photography, 

The December break is over, summer in Jo’burg is here with a vengeance, heat like you wouldn’t believe, rolling thunderstorms every evening and that smell of freshness that you only get after a thunderstorm – not that we get much fresh air in Jo’burg.

So we did what any true jo’burger (Joe Burger?) would do, we left the city and headed for the country. Dullstroom to be exact – a weekend away photographing Alison and Jonathan’s very very pastoral wedding at the Dunkeld Country Estate. Rolling green hills, fish jumping in ponds, horses grazing in the fields, light filtering through a very flammable forest, it was like stepping into a Thomas Cole painting.

Along the way we managed to discover the world’s worst cup of coffee at the Mugg & Bean in Alzu, and were grateful when we arrived at Dunkeld to be greeted by Jonathan with a care package that contained amongst other things …. fresh milk for coffee. Someone give that man a Bells. Thank you guys for taking such good care of us.

I didn’t get any vendor details but I did notice that the guys were drinking Johnny Walker Gold Label before the ceremony.

There are more pics of Alison and Jon’s very very pastoral Dullstroom wedding on our Facebook page. If you were a guest or know them, you’re welcome to tag yourself in or leave them a message.

There are more pics of Alison and Jon’s very very pastoral Dullstroom wedding on our Facebook page. If you were a guest or know them, you’re welcome to tag yourself in or leave them a message.

dunkeld country estate, dunkeld estate, dullstroom wedding photographers, wedding blog dullstroom, wedding photo dunkeld, wedding photos dunkfeld estate, 

We’d kind of gotten turned around in the one way streets that cluster around the Carlton Centre, in the inner city, turned the corner and a huge plume of yellow and purple smoke was erupting out of a car. Someone carrying some sort of implement of destruction rushed to the smoking car and started banging on the driver’s window. A film crew had closed off the road, they were shooting a scene. It’s tough trying to find a quiet location on a Saturday afternoon in the Johannesburg city centre.

That’s ok though, today our venue is none other than Turbine Hall. I remember it back from the old days when I went to watch Faithless play there – it was one of V and I’s first official dates. Today we get to shoot Angela and Patrick’s wedding in some of the nicest concrete chic structures in Jo’burg. Nice. I love industrial backdrops.

Two incredibly photogenic people, the nicest bridal party, ex-Rhodents galore and edgy chic decor. What a way to end an incredible year.

Reception: Turbine Hall – where Lance, the Ops Manager was just a rockstar.
Ceremony: St George’s Anglican Church ( Parktown )
Getting Ready: The Westcliff

More images from Angela and Patrick’s chic wedding can be found on our Facebook page. If you know them you’re welcome to leave them a message or tag yourself.

More images from Angela and Patrick’s chic wedding can be found on our Facebook page. If you know them you’re welcome to leave them a message or tag yourself.

I chuckle every time I think about the Checkers marketing department having to promote turducken, imagine having to punt a food where the first four letters spell …

turbine hall wedding, who had their wedding at the westcliff, turbine hall weddings, st georges anglican church parktown, turbine hall wedding photos, westcliff photography, wedding turbine hall, 

not many words this week, just pics.

Dress: Marianne Fassler (yes, there was a leopard print garter)
Ceremony: St George’s Anglican Church ( Parktown )
Reception: Villa Arcadia
Videographers: DVI
DJ: DJ Luis Almeida

More pics from Lili and Cameron’s rocking wedding can be found on our Facebook page. If you know them or were a guest you’re welcome to tag yourself in or leave them a message.

More pics from Lili and Cameron’s rocking wedding can be found on our Facebook page. If you know them or were a guest you’re welcome to tag yourself in or leave them a message.

villa arcadia, villa arcadia wedding, arcadia parktown wedding venue, villa arcadia site, 

It seems I’m always posting blogs late at night these days, we’re deep into summer madness, trying to keep up with the latest weddings. A lot of the other wedding photographers in our circle are also still up, I can see them on Skype. I’m kind of half listening to the new Black Keys on my earphones – V is asleep, it’s an early morning for her tomorrow.

We were at Summer Place this weekend for Bronwen and Andries’ wedding, two people who I couldn’t imagine more in love (and two of the nicest people you’re likely to meet). You know it’s easy to get jaded in this industry, another wedding, another bride in a beautiful white dress, but looking at these two smiling at each other, sneaking crafty looks and kisses on the staircase, your heart can’t help smiling. So now, late at night, my new lava lamp keeping me company, editing those images and seeing the sneaky glances, I’m smiling again to myself, very grateful to have been able to capture those moments. The cats are still looking at me strangely.

I did get vendor details this week:

Dress: Gideon
Shoes: Jimmy Choo
Getting Ready: Le Chatelat Boutique Guest House – stunning venue
Ceremony: St Martins in the Veld – can’t actually explain how beautiful the light is in this 100 year old church.
Reception: Summer Place – our co-ordinator was Simon who was on the ball and really accommodating.
Decor: Lorraine at Papillo Designs, rapidly becoming one of our favorite decor/wedding coordination people. Just a rockstar really.
DJ: The man, the myth, the legend, DJ Luis Almeida
Videographers: Andre from Freeman Productions – professional and unobtrusive, a pleasure to work with as always.

pretty good huh?

ok, some pics, but before that, there are more pics of Bronwen and Andries’ super stylish Summer Place wedding. If you were a guest or know them, you’re welcome to tag yourself in or leave them a message.

There are more pics of Bronwen and Andries’ super stylish Summer Place wedding. If you were a guest or know them, you’re welcome to tag yourself in or leave them a message.

summer place wedding, st martins in the veld, summerplace wedding, wedding summer place, wedding photographers summerplace, veld weddings, summerplace wedding venue, 

I’m terrible at keeping secrets. I can’t imagine how Paulo managed to not tell anyone about the helicopter that he had chartered for the wedding. No-one knew, not the groomsmen, not the bridesmaids, not the bride. I almost spilled the beans at one point. Don’t tell me to keep a secret, think of a hyperactive eight year old, I pretty much have a similar capacity for keeping quiet. I didn’t say a word.

All I can say is that Kate was surprised. The wedding rocked like the 80′s and Kate and Paulo brought serious rockstar swagger (and movie star good looks) to their photoshoot. The reception was at Thaba Ya Batswana, and kind of reminded me a lot of the purple lighting design I’ve been seeing from the New York photographers. We were joined by the videographers from DVI so we didn’t have to stress about the moody lighting, which is always nice. Just a rocking relaxed day with two of the nicest people, who made the day just too easy. Thank you.

btw I did have to smile to myself when it came out that Paulo went to Benoni High and spent a lot of time not studying. I did a lot of not studying at Benoni High myself. Lots of good memories.

Portraits: Rand Airport
Reception: Thaba Ya Batswana
Ceremony: Our Lady Of Lebanon (which is one of the nicest churches we’ve photographed at)
Videographers: DVI

more photos from Kate and Paulo’s rocking Thaba Ya Batswana wedding can be found on our facebook page – if you know them you’re welcome to tag yourself in or leave them a message.

more photos from Kate and Paulo’s rocking Thaba Ya Batswana wedding can be found on our facebook page – if you know them you’re welcome to tag yourself in or leave them a message.

thaba ya batswana weddings, kliprivier wedding venue, THABA YABATSWANA, airport wedding message, wedding photos at thabo ya botswana, tswana weddings, thaba ya batswhana, 

I haven’t been sleeping much lately, I think it’s the weather. It’s keeping the cats indoors at night and they tend to chase each other around the house loudly. That and the fact that I don’t sleep much most of the time anyway. So it’s almost dawn and I’m staring at the mac’s screen again, trying to figure out what to say about last Saturday’s wedding. I’m drawing a blank, I’m not sure any words, or photos can convey the sense of community and family that characterized this wedding. Just a huge outpouring of love for Irma and Jan. We’re talking an entire hall decorated and set up with blue china, and memorabilia, we’re talking a bicycle made especially for the day, 37 flowergirls in identical outfits, over a 1000 people arriving for the service. A sermon by Irma’s dad that even with my very slow Afrikaans to English translating brain … let’s just say that at this point I was thinking V and I should probably move to Randfontein …

I just wanted to say thank you to everyone, who made an effort to make us feel welcome, those that made an effort to speak to us in English, those that listened to our terrible Afrikaans, to both the Van Rensburgs and the Nels. We really appreciated everything and had a blast hanging out with you. Next time at our place?

There are more pics on our Facebook page, you’re welcome to tag yourself in or leave Jan and Irma a message.

There are more pics on our Facebook page, you’re welcome to tag yourself in or leave Jan and Irma a message.

NGK OUTFIT 2011, outfit 2011 ngk, wedding photography johannesburg randfontein,