Most mornings on the way to the gym I pass by this tire dealership, the name escapes me, it has a red exterior. The guys that work there are usually hanging out outside having a coffee and chatting away. I sometimes think that it must be nice to just leave your work at the end of the day, to know that tomorrow will be the same thing. Of course a lot of people treat wedding photography that way, so I’m not saying that. Just kind of wondering.

By the time I get home from a shoot I’ve already mentally gone through all the images in my cards. I know which one’s I’m looking forward to and most Sundays I’m up until breakfast time, backing up and editing images. This weekend was no exception there were a couple of images there, a couple that I had mentally filed away that seemed to me to capture Fred and Kelly, just that excitement and happiness at being married, the sun setting behind them and an insane landscape of rolling hills and picturesque clouds. Both of them bringing serious swagger and humor to our photoshoot. So hours later, I’d already edited those images, posted them to our facebook page and I was ready for some sleep. Fat chance. Just try sleeping on the amount of coffee I’d had over the last couple of hours. Only one thing to do. Go to gym, work off that caffeine.

Big thank you to Kelly and Fred’s parents for being such rockstars and making the day go so smoothly.

Ok, so, as always there are more photos from Kelly and Fred’s badass wedding on our facebook page, if you were there or know them, you’re welcome to leave them a message or tag yourself.

More photos from Kelly and Fred’s badass wedding on our facebook page, if you were there or know them, you’re welcome to leave them a message or tag yourself.

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.

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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.

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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 …

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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.

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On Friday we got to go to one of the most fun weddings we’ve been to in a long time. Natasha and Sebastian were just relaxed, impossibly cool and looked liked they were having a blast. It was also our first no Facebook wedding, where the MC asked the guests to not post anything to Facebook or online.

V and I are super sensitive to our clients’ privacy, if we have posted a pic of you ( whether you’re a client or guest ) and you would prefer to not be online, just drop us an email and we will remove it.

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.

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