Mr and Mrs Williams
Mr and Mrs Williams
It was Valentines Day 2020, and we were officially on count down to Dana and Aaron's summer wedding! I drove out to meet Dana and Aaron for their wedding rehearsal. It was a beautiful day, the sun was out in full force and the sea was glistening with the light on the water. I arrived to find a hive of activity. Family and friends were busy putting the finishing touches to the venue. Dana had been so organised with all her wedding preparations so it was great to see it all pulled together and looking fantastic!
The wedding rehearsal went off without a hitch, and it was great to get meet the rest of the bridal party before the big day. If I can, I always try and be at the wedding rehearsal as it's a great way for me to check in with the bride and groom and make a note of any changes or suggest prime photo spots for on the day.
Dana and Aaron chose the Nocton Woolshed in Clevedon as their wedding venue. This beautiful site is run by a lovely local family and a blank canvas for those who want to add their own personal touch to their big day. The venue has a rustic feel to it which makes for plenty of photo opportunities and it has the bonus of being a short drive from Maraetai Beach.
The Ladies
Dana and her bridal party stayed at the house next door to the venue. This is a perfect location for the bride to relax and know she is close by to the venue for any last-minute preparations.
On the morning of the wedding, I arrived to find hair and makeup in full swing, and breakfast underway with a glass or two of bubbles to settle any nerves.
One of my favourite parts of any wedding day is capturing the bride and her girls getting ready. Dana had chosen her sister and two best friends to be her bridesmaids, and it was great to witness lots of laughs and banter between them. Clearly Dana had picked the right ladies to be by her side on her big day.
The Fellas
As I spent the morning with the girls, my second shooter Chris was hanging out with the boys at Dana and Aaron's house. Once the boys were ready, they drove down to the beach to trim up the wedding cars before heading to the venue for the first look.
The First Look
Before we knew it, the time had come for Dana to head down for the first look. This is a chance for the bride and groom to see each other before their ceremony so they can really enjoy that moment together without lots of eyes on them. It's always so heartwarming to see the groom's reaction to his bride and of course, there's usually a few tears as all the build-up and preparation finally comes together.
After the first look at the venue, we had some bridal party photos before I whisked Dana and Aaron away for their bridal portraits at the beach. This was a great opportunity for them to spend some time together before their wedding guests arrived and shared in their celebrations.
The Ceremony
Full of laughter, tears and a whole lot of love, the ceremony was officiated by the lovely Emma Love. It wasn't long before Dana and Aaron were pronounced man and wife and then the real celebrations of the day began!
Reception
After the ceremony and group photos, Dana and Aaron entered their reception to raucous applause before the speeches began. It was a fantastic evening of food, drinks and dancing and I was so very honoured to be asked to capture Dana and Aaron's special day.
Congratulations again to Mr & Mrs Williams!
The Wedding of Lisa and Travis
Lisa & Travis’ Beautiful Autumnal Wedding in the Waikato
Lisa and Travis were planning to say "I do" on Saturday 18 April 2020, at an intimate backyard wedding in the beautiful Waikato. Before we had a chance to confirm the details of their wedding photography, the world turned upside and New Zealand was placed into Level 4 lockdown.
Like many New Zealand couples, Lisa and Travis were devastated that their day couldn't go ahead as planned. They had both dreamed of an autumn wedding with their ceremony being held at Travis' parent's bed and breakfast, La Belle Maison and their reception next door at Travis' brother's bistro, Red Cherry Roasters & Co.
So with wedding plans on hold, and my photography business on pause; there was nothing we could do but wait to see what happened next. Thankfully, New Zealand came out of lockdown relatively quickly, and despite a nail-biting few weeks in the lead-up; Travis and Lisa were able to go ahead with their wedding on their newly scheduled date.
On Saturday 30 May, surrounded by their closest family and friends, Lisa and Travis' became the new Mr & Mrs Maclennan.
I arrived at Lisa and Travis' house in Morrinsville to find a buzz of excitement in the air as Lisa and her lovely friends, Jeanna and Dianna were getting ready. I captured Lisa and her family, and the smaller details like her shoes, home-made flower bouquets; and her stunning dress from Astra Bridal Hamilton before heading over to Cambridge to hang out with Travis.
It was a crisp, autumble day with a beautiful low glow from the sun, and a sprinkle of rain from the sky as the guests took their seats. Lisa's son's Jayden and Tyler played a part in their Mum's big day, with Tyler walking Lisa down the aisle, and Jayden welcoming everyone to the celebrations. Absent grandparents were remembered with a balloon release from the boys, and the ceremony was full of tears, laughter and love.
After the ceremony and group photos, the bridal party wandered onto a neighbouring property for some photos, and as the sun was setting, Travis and Lisa joined me away from their guests so we could capture the two of them together.
Whilst the day may not have been as they'd originally planned, it was somehow even better knowing the waiting was finally over! I absolutely love seeing the joy in these photos as it reminds me of the difficulty in getting to this moment, and the relief when witnessing Lisa and Travis say "I do" - it was certainly a wedding adventure to remember.
I'm so happy that it all worked out in the end, and thankful to Lisa and Travis for trusting me to capture their beautiful wedding day.
Here’s a small collection of photos from the day.
