…and so on….

Engaged only a month ago, they really did an amazing job of pulling their wedding together and not only making it all work, but work in a beautiful way!  The dress was just stunning and I’ll post some detail shots of that next week, but the flowers, decorating at the Reception and Cake were all incredible. 

Whilst a month isn’t very much time to get everything organised and co-ordinated, it worked for these guys because of their family.  Their amazing family.  It was such a pleasure to meet and work alongside such a wonderful group of people, all of them working together to make Robert and Odette’s Day beautiful.  The weather of course was a major concern all week, and whilst I feel so sorry for people up North, some who are still without power, I feel so grateful that for once it wasn’t the South Island that got hit.   The Day was cold but clear and calm.   Their Ceremony was outside, so rain would have spoiled their Dream, but as it was the sky above Waimate held as they exchanged vows amongst tears, laughter and a small gathering of close family and friends.  

I’m busy finishing proofing up Engagement Shoots, but wanted to grab the first few images I opened and post a Sneak Peek here……you can just “feel” how much fun and how relaxed they were to work with. 

Congrats you two!!!!

Last of the Engagement Session Sneak Peeks!  For this week anyhow!  …….this couple bought their “fur baby” with them, and he was so so cute!  He chased the sea gulls, tied his mom and dad together with his rope (he understood the meaning of “together forever” I’m sure!) and made the Shoot fun and fast!  Just the way I like it!   The weather turned glorious sunny near the end, but started off with amazing light, and a very very wet beach!

I loved that when we got to the Park at the top of the Hill, the sun broke through the clouds and as I knelt down to photograph them on the swings, this amazing beam of light shot straight through the clouds and onto them both!  It was poetic of what they are like together; light and laughter (I don’t think Vikki stopped smiling and laughing the whole time, and Mike has the most amazing calm and stable presence about him!  Just what every girl needs!)

Enjoy guys!

and no Tash!  I didnt’ forget my “Dare”…yes I know it is meant to be called a TAG, but it is more like a Dare isn’t it!  Six quirky things about me,

1.  I need a List for everything!  I have post-it notes everywhere at home…..on my screen, on my fridge, by my bed…and I use TA-DA Lists nearly every week  (Brides if you have to co-ordinate a lot of things and a lot of different people, this is a GREAT way of doing it!  We use it for the Beyond Magazine, and everyone is able to see what is on the list, what is ticked off, and what still has to be done, it is fantastic cos you can do a personal list or a group list, etc….be sure to check it out!….who knew my Quirk could actually help someone else!)

2. I wear socks.   Now that might not seem quirky but I mean I REALLY wear socks….like one or two pairs, everyday!   I get the worst cold feet, I can’t function if my feet are cold…..hands yes, feet NO!   So socks are my friend!

3. I do my best work between 10pm and 3am in the morning; but I pay for it the next day if I’m not allowed to sleep in until at least 8am.   Luckily I’m really really good at making four school lunch boxes in 5 mins

4. I NEED a clean tidy organised environment to function; I normally still have to function in a cluttered desk, but for some reason, if I know where everything is and why it is there, it still feels like an organised environment to me (nuff said!)  Once a  week we do a major “put everything back in it’s place, let’s have this place spotless” time; it lasts for about 24 hours and usually occurs the day before a client is due to come here, I now can spot clients who do the same thing when I’m due to go their houses; it makes me feel more normal!

5. I love my Electric Blanket.  It is what God created on the 7th day…..He was resting, and decided He needed more warmth, so He made a blanket that would turn up to 3, stay on for hours and supply endless warmth…..kind of like having the Sun inside your blankets!

6. Last quirk I have…hmmmmmm …….had to ask Erick for one (and he was duly warned that I said QUIRK  NOT annoying bad habit! )……Toast in Bed.   Well I have to say, I think that does qualify as “annoying” and not Quirk, since he hates the crumbs that land in the bed, but yes, midnight toast in bed (or 3am if that is the time I finish working)…..there is something about toast and a cup of tea, in bed, with the Electric Blanket on of course!!!!!…..that just makes for the perfect end to a long day. 

and here’s the rules….

Link the person who tagged you

- Mention the rules on your blog

- Tell about 6 unspectacular quirks of yours

- Tag 6 fellow bloggers by linking them

- Leave a comment on each of the tagged bloggers blogs letting them know they have been tagged.

Looking forward to reading something quirky about you

I’ll be back to link 6 Bloggers!  I told you I suck at this!!!

Next up in the Engagement Party!  …..this couple were so much fun!  I think we laughed or made jokes right through the whole session and nearly every second image has them laughing with each other, which makes for a great marriage I think!   Whenever I’m upset or mad, Erick always makes me laugh, which is REALLY annoying when you want to be mad, but then I always realise later on that it was a good thing! 

Curtis has that same quirky sense of humour……and although he appears quiet, he is actually quite the Joker.  I think their wedding day will be amazing, especially if their friends and family are half as much fun as these two are!

On another note, I’ve been tagged!  I need to post SIX quirky things about myself…….so I’ll do it tomorrow, cos one thing I do know about myself, I”m absolutely hopeless at posting on Blog Tag Challenges, so I figure if I think of them today and post them tomorrow, then I can cross it off my List….which is the FIRST quirky thing you need to know about me…….I can’t function without a List…..seriously!  I run around like a headless chicken!  So if your talking to me, be sure to say “have you put it on your List?”   LOL!!!!  

We started out this Session where Curtis made the big proposal……and thought it would be fun to capture that and the resulting “prize” …….isn’t that ring just beautiful???

They are just such a beautiful couple, the connection between them and those moments of pure bliss at having found “the One”.

Then we went over to Lyttelton, I confess I haven’t been there in years! …..but I loved the old buildings and working with a couple who were up for anything!  Enjoy!

The last two weeks have been so busy!  Engagement session previews are being worked on this week; three in the last week, and two weddings coming up in the next month, so  a really exciting time for Erick and I.   My Grandmother passed away, and I just wanted to say thank you to everyone who emailed and wrote me to send special hugs!  I really appreciate your thoughts, but honestly I’m not down or sad, she was 95 and I guess having lost my mother and my best friend to cancer when they were only in their 30’s, for me, I think 95 is a pretty good innings!!!

School hols are over, business hours are back to normal…….so first up is such an amazing couple!  They met on a Blind Date!  can you believe it???  I can, because this is the third couple we have met in the last month that has said “blind date”  when we asked how they met.  Erick and I are blown away by that and secretly love it!….maybe because our own engagement was off a virtual blind date; also arranged by friends!  In fact, we didn’t even have a date before we got engaged!   14 years later, we still know that we are the “right” one for each other,  and we know this couple feel like that too.

Not only is Renee stunning!!!!! but Mark is just a great down-to-earth guy, who loves his cars, but loves Renee more! He confessed that he didnt’ really want his photos taken, but was doing it for Renee, and I have to tell you Mark was the most amazing trooper!  He helped carry gear, he put up with all my crazy ideas, and several different locations (yes even the public one’s that he absolutely said he didn’t want to do)……for me it showed how much he adores his wife to be, how amazing their relationship is, and how bright the future will be for them both.

How sexy does she look in this outfit???!!!  Told you Mark was one lucky guy!

We of course had to include the car!  Sure to be a star on the wedding day.

The Day was an absolute stunner!

I loved this series of Images; the Romantic Gesture, the Sassy Reply………..

…..and lastly the absolutely obvious Love that exists between these Two; one touch from Renee and …..well you can see the results!

Thanks for a super fun Day guys!  Your wedding will be amazing!  Gallery due up early next week!

So really this is a test….a boring old test!  but since a blog would be EXTREMELY boring if that is all I posted!  or anyone else for that matter, I found some other interesting stuff to put in this XP test post too!  LOL…genius!     Yes, we finally got rid of Vista off all our systems, and now hours have been spent reloading all our software, programmes (which are software!) and Mailboxes, Documents and other files…..for those of you who blog and want to do it quicker, I love Windows Live Writer…just google and you’ll find it, but I HIGHLY recommend it!  It is so easy, so  convenient and makes blogging a breeze, which is great when life is so busy here!

This weekend I did two E sessions, and sneak peeks will be coming later in the week (sooner rather than later really!)……and in the coming weeks we have two fantastic fun weddings …..one local, one in Waimate of all places!  Long drive both ways, but the location is stunning!  Then the wedding and baby seasons hit, two of my favourite things; new life and new love ; both of which are caught in the new-ness of couples beginning their lives TOGETHER, and babies beginning their new Lives, period.

So this could be a new way to announce it to your spouse?

….and I promise not to do this if you ask me to "adjust" a few things in your pics!…..we do offer full proofing on all our images, but LOL….20% happier????

Check back soon for E Session (That is Engagement Sessions folks!) Images.  ‘Til then enjoy the fabulous weather we are having!  School holidays couldn’t be better and I’m loving hanging with my four kiddos!