Perspectives Wedding Photography

Hey guys!

On Friday night, we loaded up our car and hit the road, bound for Whitianga.

Just out of Thames, we checked our Facebook on my iPhone… oh. Tsunami warning. Hmmn.

Once we arrived, we watched the news until the warning was downgraded to just a marine advisory… and then felt safe enough to go to bed (in our room right on the waterfront!).

The next morning, the sun was brightly shining, and we watched the boaties heading out over the bar… for all intents & purposes, a normal Saturday at the beach.

We made our way over to Opito bay – an absolutely STUNNING little Coro gem that is tucked away down a gravel road, and still relatively ‘untouched’… which was where Tam’s family have their bach, and the wedding was being held.

Sam & the boys were getting ready a few doors down from the girls… the guys were chilling out, playing some cards..

I loved that the boys went without suit jackets too – such a good call, when the sun was beating down on the beach later that afternoon!

I love the simplicity of this rings shot… but also the fact that if you want to, you can interpret so many cool things about it… weaving two pathways together… lives intertwining… or it’s also just a pretty picture!

On our way back to the girls, we walked through the marquee – set up next door to their bach at “base camp”.. and had the chance to shoot some cool details – the amount of time & energy that had gone into the settings was impressive!

Each table had a theme – like paua…

And then within that, each place setting had a coaster with a photograph they had taken – that tied into the table’s theme.

After the ceremony, the guests got to enjoy the scallops that were once inside these shells!

Around at the girls place – Tam was looking stunning in her beautiful wedding dress..

Which was being touched up / sewed right up until the last moments – thank goodness for talented bridesmaids!! The paua theme was reflected in the girl’s dresses – all complimentary, but different, colours. Awesome.

A quick check in the mirror – and it was time to go.

This is Carmen. She’s a red tractor – and is a part of the family life at the beach. For the wedding, Carmen was dressed up too – and the girls made a grand entrance down the beach, parking right by the guests. I love that everyone is waving here – the ceremony took place just out of frame on the bottom left.

The trees provided some shade – and also made for awesome shadows on the ground – Amber captured this impressive image that I call ‘visual chaos’ … I love that for all that’s going on, all the lines point in to the central focus – very cool!

Many of the guests (and bridal party) were up from the South Island / various parts of the country – and were seeing the Coromandel for the first time. I love that not only did Tam & Sam get to have their wedding in such a special, significant place to them… but also they were able to share the beauty with their guests. And the Coro turned on an absolute stunner.

Earlier in the morning.. Tam asked her Dad ‘So have there been any tsunami waves”… ?

“Yes.. Three – that have come right up past the high tide mark. They’ve had to rake the ceremony area 3 times”.

Wow! During the ceremony, another decent push from the ocean meant Carmen’s feet got a little wet…

Confetti.

I love this shot, of Sam hugging both his Mum & Dad at the same time.

After the ceremony & family shots – the bridal party got down on the beach for a wander in the sun…

Then we played with some of the gorgeous backlight in the trees…

Carmen got to feature, too..

Tam & Sam jumped into the back of our car, and we headed over to the next bay, where we had so many things to work with within one tiny space that we didn’t know what to do with ourselves!

These guys were really adventurous – so we began by climbing a rock face… and at the top, was this awesome field..

The view looking back down wasn’t bad, either..

After Tam & Sam scrambled back down the cliff, I stayed up top to grab this image..

Then it was time for shoes off & a refreshing paddle in the waterline..

Finishing up, we had some beautiful backlight in the Pohutakawa trees..

On the way back to the car.. they asked whether they’d be able to climb this tree & get a shot sitting on the branch.
Who were we to say no??

I love the boats at the bottom of the frame, leading your eye up to Sam & Tam.

We finished up at the reception, and bundled everything back into the car to begin the trip back to Auckland.
On the way home, we swung by the Pepper Tree restaurant in Coromandel town – one of our fav spots to eat, and highly recommended!

It was an awesome wedding day – and all the effort put into the theming totally paid off, with an amazing, relaxed, beachy feel.

If you’ve enjoyed these images, head over and “like” our Facebook page – where you can keep up to date with our latest creations!

Thanks so much for having us along to share a part in your wedding day guys – we had a ball!
Have a fantastic time in Australia – and there’ll be more images to come soon

Isaac & Amber.

Hey guys!

Saturday… was wet. It was also Jamie & Chelsea’s wedding day – and we had an absolute ball photographing it.
The rain made no difference (in fact, urban photos were plan A in the first place.. so it just became more ‘indoors urban’ focused) – and we got some awesome shots.

The day kicked off in West Harbour, where the boys were ready & waiting when we arrived… Jamie was busy pinning the flower onto his suit jacket…

We ventured outdoors.. for about 30 seconds – when the brief clear spell disappeared and forced us to seek shelter again!

We left the boys watching the league (next stop for them, the pub!) and headed off to Chelsea’s place.

Dad was assigned the risky task of un-hooking the dress from the roof… Chelsea’s train was long enough that it nearly touched the ground from a 15-odd foot ceiling!

It was then time to get into it… so exciting!

Well… nearly everyone was excited… some had more pressing things to do – like rehearse… SO CUTE!

I was very impressed to discover that Chelsea’s shoes even sparkled underneath!

We had time for a few gorgeous bridal shots – this one was just on a blank, plain wall in the bedroom – we used a bit of lighting… and voila – stunning.

Next door was a garden center – where Chelsea used to play when growing up. It was also a beautiful location for a few photos with the girls..

… and there was a butterfly house, which proved the perfect location for Jamie & Chelsea to have their ‘first look’ moment – where they saw one another for the first time.

So beautiful. Their expressions when they saw one another told the perfect story – excited / nervous / anticipation – everything. Love it.

It was still raining (sensing a bit of a theme, yet??) … so we headed downtown – where we found a few sheltered spots.
In a clear break – we played with the windows..

These guys were master posers (which sounds somewhat like ‘Master Builders’ for models) … in fact, we ran tight on time after about 10 variations… but I’m sure they could have kept striking new poses for much longer than that!

And then… guess what happened???

Yup.

It rained!

So inside was the call… luckily, mirrors are abundant in Auckland…

As are sweeping, epic, elegant buildings… ahem. Actually they’re not abundant at all.. but if you know where to look….

On a side note – these guys had one of the best ‘dippy kisses’ I’ve seen! Very dramatic!

We then left and headed down to the Auckland Zoo – where their ceremony & reception was being held.

It is particularly awesome & unique being directed to the ceremony and hearing “so just go along this way, past the tigers…”

Down at the new Tamarin enclosure, the ceremony was ready to go – the guests had arrived – and we were ready to roll.

Chelsea’s vows included that she’d love Jamie ‘to infinity.. any BEYOND’ … and she even spoke the line just like Buzz Lightyear. So cool!

It was a short hop across to the Elephant House, where the reception was all set up to go & looking gorgeous..

And the guests were having plenty of fun playing with the photobooth…

If you’ve enjoyed these images – head over and ‘like’ our Facebook page – where you can keep up with our latest creations!

Guys – thanks so much for having us along to share a part in your day, we had such an awesome time with you all!
Enjoy this little sneak peek – and plenty more to come

Isaac, Amber, and Tam.

Hey guys,

On Friday, we headed down to Morrinsville, where we caught up with Campbell & Lauren – who were having their wedding at Woodlands in Gordonton.

We arrived in the morning around at the boys place, where the rain was brooding.. but still holding off. I love this window – strong lines + cool light = happy photographers!

Down the road at the girls place, we met videographer Jared Brandon who’s work we’ve admired for a long time, but haven’t had a chance to shoot with!
He was fantastic – we got to see a few clips on the back of the camera throughout the day, and it’s awesome!

Lauren was checking out the weather… which unfortunately, had taken a turn for the worse!

While Dad sat in the lounge, checking out the rain radar, Lauren got into her gorgeous wedding dress – and it was then given the ultimate test…. can you dip in it??

Lauren’s gorgeous blue eyes just popped in this light… stunning!

Time for reflection.

We headed out to Woodlands – where they still were making the final decision as to where the ceremony would be… and the call was made to go with the lawn + umbrellas.
The guests began to make their way across..

By the time the boys headed across though… the rain had began to come down…

And at the last minute, it was decided the ballroom was a better option!

A well documented arrival…

The guests waited expectantly inside… as Lauren made a gorgeous entrance down the stairs.. (great edit by Mat Nimmo)

The ceremony was beautiful – intimate, warm (both in a lovely way and also the temperature!) – and cosy. Perfect to sit tucked inside & listening to the rain pelt down.

This lovely B&W edit by Mat Nimmo:

After the ceremony, we rushed around clearing spaces in the reception room on the dance floor for our big group photo. As Murphy’s law would have it, just as we were set up, step-ladder inside, and ready to roll – the rain eased…. and stopped.

So we raced back around, ladder in hand, to make the most of the brief dry opportunity – couldn’t have come at a more perfect time!

We used the beautiful indoors that Woodlands has on offer… at least if it’s going to rain, the option of an historic homestead is there!

Edit by Mat Nimmo:

Edit by Mat Nimmo:

As the rain eased back again – we ventured out onto the verandahs…

Edit by Mat Nimmo:

Plus a couple of shots on the driveway … it was nice to have some ground underfoot that heels didn’t sink into!

Edit by Mat Nimmo:

Right at the end… the showers returned… and we decided it would be a great idea to walk through a few paddocks in the rain.

I think it was worth the trek.

Edit by Mat Nimmo:

Walking back…

To the nice, warm, DRY reception

Edit by Mat Nimmo:

It was an amazing day – and personally, I think that the rain made for some beautiful, intimate photos.. whereas we don’t usually get the chance to shoot indoors as often at Woodlands.
Plus – I love the fact that they still braved the drizzle and got out into the field for some sweeping epic shots – best of both worlds!!

If you’ve enjoyed these images – head over and ‘like’ our Facebook page – where you can keep up with our latest creations!

Thank you both so much for having us along to share a part in your day, we had such a great time with you both!
Enjoy this little sneak peek of photos – with many more to come

Isaac, Amber, and Holly.

Hi guys,

On Saturday, we headed off to the Shore to photograph Carl & Anita’s wedding.

It was a perfect, sunny day – gorgeous weather for a wedding

Around at the boys place, Carl was apologizing because it was fairly sparse – they had just moved into the house over the last week. But for us, that was perfect – as it meant there were no pictures we needed to take off the walls to find some clear space, and only minimal furniture that we needed to drag around!!

The boys were in very stylish grey suits…

Just before we left, the rings came on a little tour…

So when we arrived at the girls place… we took the dress, shoes, and jewelry on a similar little excursion…

Anita look absolutely stunning in her dress – so elegant & beautiful!

We headed outdoors into the gorgeous backlit garden – where we had time for a few shots before the boys arrived.

Then, Carl arrived – and they got to see one another for the first time! Such a special moment

Before we headed off for our pre-ceremony bridal party photos – there was a Chinese tradition that Anita needed to complete – she holds a fan out of the car, and throws it on the ground. Her mother needs to pick it up, and quickly wrap the fan in her clothing – which is to signify Anita leaving her bad tempers behind as she embarks on a new path. I love learning about cool stuff like this!!

Then… it was time to hit the beach!!

We got down, and Anita asked straight away whether they could get into the tree… no convincing needed here!

There were some cool upturned boats, which made for great backgrounds!

Down at Long Bay – it was fairly quiet for a sunny Saturday, and we had the sand dunes all to ourselves…

The page boys & flowergirl came down to the beach to join us for a bit…

Then we finished up with a few more bridal party shots..

The ceremony was held at Churchill Reserve – up on the hill. It was perfect – so secluded and private, with gorgeous views out over Rangitoto, and lovely afternoon light.

It was cool hearing one of the aisle songs for the processional by ‘Enya’ – when we were married, Amber walked in to an Enya song. We were both in our respective positions, waiting for the bridesmaids to come down the aisle, and as soon as the music started we both caught each other’s eye from 20 metres away… one of those real ‘naaawwww’ moments

After the ceremony – there was a surprise!!

We headed down to the water, where we were going to shoot one more cool image – we knew about Anita’s surprise she had in mind, so we were racing the clock.

So we got down there, and shot our beautiful, sweeping, epic photo:

And a quick natural light shot…

And then it was surprise time!

Now – the back story.

When they were in the booking stages, the choice was narrowed down to us, or another photographer. The decision was made more complex by the fact that we cost a little more… in fact, it was either us – or the other photographer & buying a kayak.

So Anita decided to surprise Carl & give him both – us, and a kayak!! Only, the kayak was a hire one… and they were going for a kayak in it.

Right now.

Their friends came down the hill bearing the kayak…

And changing was undertaken…

I can honestly say, I’ve never seen a bride in a wetsuit before!!

Then, they were off!

We jumped into the car and raced around to the next bay – where we were waiting as they arrived.

Seriously – Coolest. Thing. Ever.

Getting changed out of her wedding dress wasn’t all in vain though – as Anita then put on a beautiful Chinese gown for the remainder of the evening.

It was a fantastic wedding – and we were blown away with the kayak thing! You guys are such a genuine, sweet couple – and we had a ball working with you & your bridal party.

More photos to come soon!

If you haven’t done so already – head across and ‘like’ our Facebook page and you can stay up to date with our latest creations

Isaac, Amber, and Holly.

Hi guys!

On Friday – we had the pleasure of photographing Brook & Leigh’s beautiful wedding at Brigham Creek.

Amber, Holly, and I began our day around at the boys place… where we discovered that the colour theme was black & red & white. The guys all had red socks – and a little ‘survival kit’… along with a hip flask
It’s funny – usually the groomsmen are needing to smuggle the hip flask in, but today it was officially sanctioned!

Leigh had found these amazing cufflinks for Brook on Etsy – perfectly suited, considering his occupation..

I don’t think that this smile left Brook’s face all day.

We then headed up the road to the girls place, where things were in the final stages of readiness. It’s always so exciting, to see all the details, and planning, and preparation falling into place!
All the bouquets were done by Amy at Keepsake Bouquets – such perfectly detailed flax weaving! And so cool, that they’ll last forever.

There were still a few decisions left to make, however..

(for the record, red shoes for the photo shoot, and white for the ceremony – best of both worlds!)

Leigh’s bridesmaids were fantastic – and proved to be expert dress lacer-uppers too.

Leigh looked amazing in her gown!

We had time for a couple of quick photos with the bridesmaids…

And then it was time to clear the decks – as the boys had arrived – and it was time for Leigh & Brook to see one another for the first time.

I just love this next shot – to me, it tells a story of anticipation, nerves, excitement, emotion – all in one deep breath.

After they had the chance to take it all in, and a few minutes recounting the morning’s events from either side – we headed off for some shots with the bridal party, before the ceremony.

First stop – a cool old shed / yard with some interesting rustic wood textures, some long grass, biddy bids, blackberry – pretty much everything you’d rather NOT be standing in!! Still… beauty is pain

I love how the red tones in the shed (and even sometimes the stalky grass things) work in with the red in the bouquets

Afterwards, we headed off to a private residence nearby – which had a beautiful grove of willow trees shading the lawn (by this time, the sun was nice & warm – and the shade was a welcome respite… plus the added bonus of great light)

Down the back was also a lovely little chestnut orchard:

It was time for the boys to leave (well, actually a little bit past time… but sssshhh)… so we took the last few minutes opportunity to grab a couple of last shots of Leigh, before we too headed off for the ceremony.

I love this ivy wall!

Down at Brigham Creek, the guests were gathered on the lawn, and the paper lanterns were in place!

The boys made their entrance to a Metallica song… and our favourite celebrant of all time, ever, (and Amber’s mum!) – Peta Hardley – gathered the guests in close.

Leigh arrived with a V8 rumble, in the (conveniently red) Holden:

And the bridesmaids began their walk up the aisle.. each with a flowergirl / page boy in hand.

Nawww…..

One of my favourite parts of having the pre-ceremony photos is that by the time you’re walking up the aisle – you have much more chance to ‘take it all in’. And Leigh was doing just that!

Each of the parents came forward to give their children away to each other:

And there were readings by friends & family (one being an extract from Sex & the City!!)

I just love the way these two look at one another.

After the ceremony… they had a photo with their baby – bowtie & all!

Meanwhile – the kids were being seriously cute – bouquet in one hand, tippee cup in the other! Bless.

While I photographed the group & family photos – Amber headed into the restaurant for a peek at the setup:

mnnnn… place settings… that double as cupcakes…. (or should it be the other way around..)

Technically… we had done all the photos. But then we found a field.
It was in the back of our minds that we’d love to get a nice big sweeping shot… and after a quick scout, Amber discovered this gorgeous spot. Permission granted (people always look at you a bit sideways when you ask if you can take wedding photos in their paddock… they mustn’t be able to envisage it’ll look like these photos below!)

So we sidled up to Leigh… heeeyyyyy Leeeiiggghhh….. can we ask a littllleeee favouurrrr pleeeasssee……. just jump in our car, we’ll pop down the road for 10 minutes, and it’ll be really really cool.

And it so was.

This is just a tiny selection of our favs from the day (and it’s so hard to narrow it down to just this many!) – and there are plenty more to come.

If you haven’t ‘liked’ our Facebook page yet (I almost typed “licked” but that’s entirely different) – do so, and you’ll get the recent photos pop up in your news feed – and keep in touch with our latest creations

Leigh & Brook – thank you so much for having us along to be part of your day!
We had such a great time – and there’ll be many more photos to come!

Isaac, Amber, and Holly.

Hey guys,

So on Monday – we photographed the winners of the Life FM ‘Wedding Season’ – Nathan & Gabrielle – on their gorgeous wedding day.

If you haven’t heard of it – basically, the concept of the ‘Wedding Season’ is that LifeFM organized a huge range of vendors across the board to donate their time / services – and then ran a competition where a couple could win an awesome wedding with basically everything taken care of – venue, dress, photos, video, flowers, cake, etc etc etc.

Nathan & Gabrielle were the eventual winners – and were such an awesome couple to work with!

Our day began around at the girls place…

Gabrielle was a stunning bride!

Then we were off to St Matthew in the City – where the church was packed to capacity with their guests.
Nathan & his groomsmen were waiting down the back of the aisle – and made their own entrance (complete with some cool antics – piggyback included!

Gabrielle looked so happy coming down the aisle with her dad..

Nathan as he saw Gabi for the first time:

Nathan’s Dad was the officiant for the wedding, which was so nice – what an amazing experience, to be able to perform the marriage ceremony for one of your children.
It’s a lovely memory for me too, as Amber’s Mum Peta (who is a celebrant) did our wedding ceremony – so very special.

Here’s everyone!

A little bit of drizzle had begun outside… but of course, we had our wet backup options all planned out (because we need to think of these things!!) – so kicked off at a couple of indoor spots…

Staying with the indoor theme… just adding upside down lamps into the mix!

Reflections.

The rain had cleared & the sun was out (typical, Auckland!) – so we headed off to our last spot at the Parnell Rose Gardens.

We managed to avoid most of the traffic on the motorway as we headed back out to their reception venue – Carrington’s – on the Unitec campus.

They had a cool paper lantern + photograph train strung between the trees..

Nathan & Gabrielle arrived – and from there, I’m sure the night just got better & better

Thanks for being awesome, Nathan, Gabrielle, and the bridal party!! We had a great time working with you

And thanks also to Life FM for coordinating an amazing event, and having us as one of your vendors – we really appreciate it!

Until next time,

Isaac, Amber, and Mat.

Hi guys,

On Saturday, we had the pleasure of photographing John & Louisa’s wedding – at St. Matthews in the City, a photo shoot around Auckland, and then reception at the Auckland Museum.

Our day began at the boys’ place, where John and his groomsmen were ready to roll.

We then raced down to the Hyatt hotel, where Louisa and bridesmaids were looking stunning. We busied ourselves with the detail photos…

And then it was time for Louisa to put on her gorgeous gown, custom made by our favourite designer – Anna Schimmel. And what a gown it was – exquisite.

Then it was jewelry on…

And time for a few quick shots before we left – there was some gorgeous window light coming in that really worked with the detailing on the dress…

And Louisa just fell into ‘classic / elegant / composed’ naturally!

Downstairs in the lobby, a few shots with Louisa and her gorgeous bridesmaids..

And then off to St. Matthews – where the boys & guests were waiting expectantly.

Inside, there were some patches on sunlight falling through the windows – and as Louisa and her dad came up the aisle, Amber nailed the exposure just as they hit the sun… creating this awesome spotlight effect..

While from the front I was able to catch the other side of the action…

Their ceremony was beautiful – and the priest did a fantastic job, very intimate & interspersed with a very sharp sense of humour!
And the setting… well, what can I say?

After the ceremony, we headed off for some photos.

At the first location, Louisa was very brave, getting out onto the wobbly, skinny plank over the water… but the results are worth the effort!

It was SO HOT in the sun outside – so we made for our second location, and the welcome shade.
However… when we arrived, we discovered we were sharing the shade.

With a bunch of sheep.

Which was fine, except for the need to step carefully around all the things on the ground that are naturally associated with sheep!

Eventually, we found a spot clear enough to get everyone in together.

As the bridesmaids & groomsmen made their way (carefully) back to the cars, we sneaked a few more shots with John & Louisa..

Back in the cars – and next stop the summit… where some epic skies awaited us.

It was nearly time to head back for the reception… so we made our way down to the Museum – where we finished up our bridal party shoot…

Then… we were really mean – as we said that we were all finished… and no sooner were the words out of our mouths, we noticed some gorgeous light under a nearby tree… so off we trundled for a couple more – thanks guys for being patient with our whims, the shots look beautiful so it was worth the extra few minutes

The guests had started to arrive – and we headed inside to catch some candid shots, while Louisa went upstairs to get changed, into a second beautiful gown – that she wore for the remainder of the evening…

The venue was amazing – the room is set in a circle, with 360 degree views – stunning.

I’m going to start training this little guy up… not only can he take photos, but you should see him dance!!

It was time to sit down & sample the gorgeous food (it was AMAZING) – and also the staff & service – top notch. Check out Austins catering for fantastic food & restaurant quality service – we were really impressed.

Friends and family gave speeches – which resulted in plenty of laughter

John & Louisa went around all the tables to talk with each of the guests, and a toast at each one (luckily, they were still walking in a straight line when they headed back to the bridal table!)

Just as the sun went down and the last light was fading from the sky, we stole them for a quick photo behind the fairy light curtain – they were all reflecting off the glass, and the warm tones of the indoor lighting makes for an electric blue sky outside..

There was a little commotion going on towards the dancefloor… so we headed over… to discover that our little photographer from above in this blog post.. was putting on some dance moves, much to the delight of the crowd!

DJ Andy Wilson was quick to notice, and shifted the tempo up a few notches..

So cute!! These kids kept going all night too… oh to have those same energy levels!

John & Louisa cut their wedding cake, and did the traditional ‘feed each other a piece of cake’… as I shot this image, I managed to catch a guest’s camera flash at the exact same split second – making for a great backlight!

Then the dancing got underway – beginning with a lovely father / daughter dance..

And then John & Louisa’s turn to impress…

After which their guests came and joined them on the dance floor, and the party was well underway!

And so on, and so forth – partying on into the night!!

Fast forward >>>>>>>>>>>>>

Two days passed >>>>>>>

And then today, we caught up with John & Louisa again, for a ‘Trash the Dress’ shoot down at Karekare Beach – before they head back home to London on Friday.
This is really a ‘sneak peek of the sneak peek’ – but I couldn’t resist just sharing a couple of them now…

So here’s what we did today:

Anna: You’ll be pleased to see we kept your gown dry…

But Louisa’s second dress maybe got a little wet…

And there’ll be more from this shoot in a later blog post

Enjoy this little collection of photos from your day(s) – and we’ll have more for you soon!

Isaac, Amber, and Melissa.

Hey guys,

On Friday, we headed out to Long Bay again, for our second wedding there in 2 days!

This time though, the sun was shining, and it was hot!

Our day kicked off with the boys’ prep shots – we headed down to Albany and caught up with Aaron, who also had his 2 brothers as groomsmen.

Mum was there too, helping him tie his tie…. with a helping hand from a chair for height!

There were some cool lights there too, giving us a nice warm background.

Finally, we finished off with a couple of cool shots in the motel’s carpark – cool light & interesting lines running everywhere:

Around at the girls’ place, Melissa was getting ready in the Sentinel – super high up on the Takapuna coast. There were some awesome views from the top of the tower…

Melissa had a friend from London come back to be her bridesmaid, and also her brother as a ‘Brides-man’… and he was fantastic at doing up bracelets!

Melissa looked stunning in her dress – and had the most gorgeous, happy smile on her face the entire day

There were some cool downlights in the hallway… we had to move a strange family of bunny rabbits to get this shot… true story.

Down at Long Bay, the guests were gathered by the beach, the music started (courtesy of an awesome speaker box that Aaron had built – involving a car battery, an amp, and some 6×9 speakers), and Melissa arrived. Here’s what Aaron thought of it…

Beautiful speckly light…

Such a lovely ceremony – very real & intimate.

Afterwards, we headed around the area for some photos with Aaron, Melissa, and their bridal party.

We lugged the lights all the way down to the rocks… so I thought it was only fair to use them…

But once we got down there, we saw that what mother nature was giving us was perfect anyway…

Then we met up with the bridal party over at the sand dunes…

The sun was getting hotter and hotter (as was the sand, scorching our feet!) – so the move to shade proved to be a popular call!

We finished up down the road with some shots on the beach at Waieke – so that we could incorporate Rangitoto into the background.. as it has special significance to Melissa, having grown up on the shore!

Our day finished up back at Long Bay restaurant – where we left Aaron & Melissa to party on & enjoy their evening!
It was heaps of fun, and they were just the sweetest couple – thanks heaps guys for having us along to share a part in your day!

More photos to come soon

Isaac & Amber.

Hi guys!

On Wednesday, we headed out to Long Bay, in Auckland – for a wet, windy, wild wedding on the beach!

Paul & Barbara both got ready at Paul’s parents place in Glen Eden, which was really cool for us, as we got to match many of the tones / shots – great for album design continuity!!

We started off with the boys, who had run of the place while the ladies were at the hair salon in the morning.

I noticed this little tick chart on the wall as soon as we arrived – it’s little things like this that really sum up the huge amount of preparation that goes into a wedding, and often the little details that need remembering are the ones that make the difference!!

It had been raining all morning – but when we arrived, the skies looked to be clearing up. All was well! (or so we thought…)

Paul even demonstrated his snooker skills for us!

The boys left – and the girls arrived back! Barbara had friends & family over from Holland to celebrate with her, so it was a full house – but one full of friends reunited, the best kind!

Barbara looked stunning in her dress

Barbara’s sister was her maid of honour – all the way from the Netherlands.

We headed down to Long Bay… and the rain came.

By the time we arrived, it had well and truly set in. The decision was made to move off the beach, and into one of the little shelters on the grassed area. Things were arranged, guests took their seats, and it was nearly time to go.

Barbara arrived in style.

She really wanted to get married on the beach – so the girls waited in the cars for a while, and presently, the rain cleared!

Heels were abandoned in favour of jandals…

Meantime, the guests all lent a hand in picking up their chairs, grabbing their umbrellas, and making their way down to the beach.

The rain had stopped… but it was still VERY windy!

Barbara was walked down the aisle by her mother.. and she finally had her beach wedding

The wind kept whisking away – playing havoc with hair…

And the rain looked set to return…

The first drops began to fall… getting heavier quickly.
Our favourite celebrant in the whole wide world – Peta Hardley – did an AMAZING job of keeping everyone composed, calm, and didn’t miss a beat.
It was decided that we would return to the shelter, and re-convene the ceremony from there.

So the guests grabbed their chairs again, and we began the walk back to the shelter.

Paul – being a lovely person – raced back to assist Oma..

Because the wind was so loud down on the beach, and many of the words were quickly carried away, Peta decided it would be best to start again from the beginning – and it was as though nothing had ever happened!

Meanwhile – the decision to relocate had proven prudent indeed…

To get the above shot – I looked a little like this…

Rain or not – nothing could change the fact that Paul & Barbara were there, getting married, and having the time of their lives.

Everyone in this shot here came from Holland to share in the day with Paul & Barbara… and we turned on a proper NZ summer for them – boiling hot 3 days ago, then pouring with rain on the wedding day!

The rain had stopped again – and we took our chance to get onto the beach to play in the weather conditions we like best – wild, stormy, dramatic! We were in our element

On the bridal party shoot – no moment is wasted. We needed to walk between the grass and the beach to begin… so we let Paul & Barbara get a little bit ahead…

Once we hit the sand, Amber & I reversed our usual roles… often, it’s me who is shooting with the lighting & the big wide shots, while Amber has the zoom lens. This time, Amber shot things like this (one of my favs of the day)

While I shot this at the same time..

It’s amazing the different feeling achieved between those two shots – one moody & dramatic, the other more light & airy – all down to different use of lighting, but taken within seconds of one another.

Thanks also to our assistant Mat – who was racing around holding lights for us!

Right – enough words for now… here’s a few of our favourite images from the shoot.

We finished up on the beach, and hopped into the cars to navigate 5 o’clock traffic on the way from the Shore back to Kumeu, where they were having their reception, at Gracehill.

They went Riverhead. We went Greenhithe. And they won.
Sorry to the guests waiting while we arrived, to then capture their entrance, and copious amounts of rice being thrown!!

Then, as everyone moved inside to take their seats for the reception, we took a few quick shots on the wharf..

… before leaving them to enjoy the evening.

It was a fantastic wedding – made even more special by the rain.

I am SO pleased that you guys waited for that break & got down onto the beach – it made me smile so much to see you determined to go ahead with what you wanted, and no matter that the whole ceremony didn’t happen down there – the part that did, was totally worth it.
Well done

Enjoy this little sneak peek of your day, through our eyes – and there are plenty more to come soon.

Isaac, Amber, and Mat.

Hi guys,

On Sunday, we headed out for our third wedding of the weekend (and the third day in a row that I forgot to wear any sunscreen, which I’m still paying for!) – photographing Matt & Paula’s wedding at Gracehill, in Kumeu.

We stopped on our way to the boys’ place and collected Melissa, who was assisting us – and then carried on through.

When we arrived, the guys were ready to roll – and we took a few shots indoors…

Before migrating outside – where we played around with the light a little…

Album cover – anyone??

Then we headed out to Kumeu, where we caught up with Paula, her bridesmaids, and family – as they were getting ready. Paula is one of 11 sisters… it was a very full little B&B!!

There’s always time to check one more txt..

Paula was perfectly graceful and elegant…

And traveled to the ceremony in her Dad’s Mercedes – which was really special.

Paula’s father met her at the bottom of the stairs, and walked her down the aisle. This is always one of my favourite moments…

At the end of the ceremony, they cut the cake, and then had a surprise first dance – which was beautifully choreographed – and awesome to photograph!

After some photos with the bridal party around the grounds at Gracehill…

We spent the remainder of the time with just Paula & Matt – where we captured some gorgeous, romantic images.

The late afternoon light was perfect – trickling through the trees…

Matt & Paula – thanks so much for trusting us to capture these images for you – it was a fantastic experience to be involved in your wedding day – and these shots are only just a taste of what’s yet to come!

Isaac, Amber, and Melissa.