…and so on….

The weather really was horrendous and with a less gracious couple, it might have been miserable for everyone concerned, but not with these two.  They are so in love, so warm, generous and gracious….yes I could go on about all their other amazing qualities….but it was also their friends and family that really made their wedding day so incredible.

The rain POURED, the wind picked up and blew rain in under all the covered areas we had as a back-up plan, the lady at the church told us she had to leave in 20 minutes so even shooting there was not an option and then it just turned cold; light your fire and curl up in a blanket type of cold. 

The warmth inside the Reception wasn’t just created by the lighting in there, it was the absolute joy and love that you could feel for the couple, all their friends gathered around to make what could have been a real let-down, a wonderful joyous time of fun.  The party started rocking from the moment the Bride & Groom hit the dance floor, the speeches bought tears, laughter and much clapping, and all day long everyone around us made us feel welcome and relaxed.

As photographer’s we were disappointed that we didn’t get to shoot all the images that we had in our minds; to use the beautiful grounds at Pemberton, etc…..but we were thrilled by the attitude of everyone that attended.  It was what it was…..miserable weather, amazing wedding.

In the midst of proofing, I realised I had not posted a blog sneak peek!!!  So here it is guys! You are not only beautiful people on the outside, but the inside too.  Thank you for making YOUR day so special for us too!

I’ll post some of the funny out-takes in the next couple of days!  They make me laugh and smile just thinking about them!

I loved that these images were shot at exactly the same time….one by me and the other by Erick….

and just for a laugh…can you imagine doing this at your wedding?  LOL….I think it would be awesome, but boy I’d love to see the out-takes!!              http://vimeo.com/1531870

Such a little cutie was Baby J!   You could see how in love with him his parents were from the moment they walked in the door…….and he adored them too!   So much so that he didn’t want to take his eyes off them, even though he was so tired…..we all laughed that he kept one eye awake and watching us the whole time! ….but finally he succumbed and like Wee Willie Winkie, drifted off to dream land.   Such a perfect and precious gift right in this Season of Giving!

This year has been so fantastic for us, for our business but more than that, for all the people we have met, laughed and cried with.   We have felt so honored to hear people’s stories; how the met, how they fell in love, how they have struggled through pregnancy issues, the miracle of giving birth, and then being able to hold and photograph the miracle itself! ……..and also the joy of photographing families that we had not seen since last year.  We love catching up with our “regulars” and seeing how their children have grown, hearing what is new in their lives, etc.  This job is really a joy! ……because our clients make it that way for us.

Thank you.

We are also really excited by the new services and products that will be coming online in 2009 for our clients. 

They will make use unique and different in the wedding market, many of them not seen before in New Zealand.   Stay tuned for the awesome details!

I promise to post interesting stuff next time…..pinkie twist…..but for now…..I’m off to tidy up my house for an hour, because any client that has been here to collect prints in the last week, knows that it needs it! …..anyone else just not able to function when things are slightly messy?

Does it feel like this year just rushed by to anyone else?  It just went WhhhhhhhhhizzzzzzzzzzzzzzzZZZZZZZZ BANG!   seriously!  (okay that was a real “Grey’s Meredith” moment!)……but do you know what I mean?  I’m not sure if it has just been that we have been so so busy this year, or that I just lost perspective! but boy this year really did got fast!  I never remember the year’s being that fast when I was a kid! (okay now that is just making me feel old!)

Anyhow….we are now on the CountDown to Christmas, for us this means, decorating the tree (check, done), buying presents (no check, still not done), gearing up for our final two big gigs of the year (kind of check, nearly done), and celebrating the new friendships we’ve made, our business success this year, all the amazing people we have met, and things we have been a part of.

In the rush of the year, I’ve sometimes neglected to share some of our successes this year; and in truth sometimes I just feel embarrassed too….like somehow it is “showing off”, I prefer to just quietly squirrel away with what I’m doing, but while I won’t share all of the amazing things we have been able to be a part of this year, here is a few recent one’s!

We were contacted by an American website design company to have our images featured on one of their Template Designs; I supplied the images, and then to be honest I never really thought anything else of it! Until today when this LINK arrived in my Inbox.   Hello Nikki Lynn!  What an honor!

Then a few weeks ago we were interviewed on the Vibe Blog for Photographer’s, another privilege and if you want to read a bit more about us ; okay maybe TOOOOOO much information! …..then you can go HERE .   I was so touched and blown away by all the amazing comments, from people all around the world that I”ve never met.  This is the Internet on it’s very best days.

We did a few commercial photo shoots this year, but this was by far the funniest!   Look for a turkey in a grocery store near you, but always buy Canter Valley Farm’s! cos I can tell you having seen their operation; the place is CLEAN CLEAN CLEAN….honestly I was surprised they didn’t want me to “gas shower” before and after, but that is a GOOD thing when it comes to chicken and food manufacturing. 

Tomorrow the last big lot of our orders leaves here, we still have an E session and a cute baby to edit, and then the wind-down truly will begin for us, but in the meantime I confess I’m too tired to think of anything witty to say!  So I’ll just post some links to my favourite blogs and hope you get some inspiration there instead!

http://www.confetticakes.com/  for brides…oh so cool!

http://www.thebricktestament.com   Even if you don’t believe in the Bible you will love this; the hours of work and all the details!  My kids love looking at this site

http://news-service.stanford.edu/news/2005/june15/jobs-061505.html  Inspiration from Steve Jobs (Apple Mac) …..he inspires me!

http://www.getmarried.com/on_tv.php  Such great bridal info, and although we aren’t the “couple” we feel it is part of our job to make their day as amazing, as easy and as wonderful as WE possibly can.  So the more insight, ideas, shortcuts and budget saving ideas that we have stored in our heads, the more help we can be when and if we are asked.  So this is where we go to “keep up” with the industry of “marriage”.

http://thompsonfamily.typepad.com/thompson_familylife/  Just cos she is so clever!  Danielle always always comes up with the coolest things!

and finally…..http://heatherbailey.typepad.com/heather_bailey/ another cool site just for no other reason, other than that she is just so much more creative than I am!  I’ve never made anything off of Danielle or Heather’s site, but I dream that one day I will! LOL….if anyone does make something, be sure to share the link to your pictures of it!  Those pompom Christmas wreaths and tree “tinsels” would be so amazing on a white tree! 

Oh and if you are a photographer…then www.beyondjustimages.com/blog ….is a definite must!  Also be sure to check out all the details for Conference in PHOENIX, ARIZONA this year…..we have an amazing line-up of talented speakers and it is going to be an incredible weekend of teaching, training and fun!

sssssssssssssshhhhhhhhhhh Night!

!

Yesterday was our Anniversary…..14 years….and I only remembered that because I went and looked at the small date plague on our wedding photo!!  I don’t know whose idea it was to have that little date plague put on the frame, but since it has saved my skin numerous times and is such a GREAT idea, I will happily take credit for it!

Erick was awesome and avoided the DogHouse (so so funny!) …..although I confess over the years he has lived there for some periods of time, especially the year he bought me a hand-vacuum, so I could make sure that at least the area under the table was clean!  Meaning????    So he not only rang me to wish me a happy anniversary, he begged me to meet him for lunch, but with the final sessions I’m proofing for Christmas, that was just never going to happen…..I bumped him to Friday! LOL

His final act of goodness came when he arrived home with a big bunch of flowers…now normally I hate getting flowers; I mean they just wilt and die, they don’t DO anything; okay except look pretty, and I see them as a waste of money…BUT over the years I’ve learnt to change my attitude about this romantic gesture.  I mean…..if you complain and say you don’t like flowers; then they get you chocolates (and we don’t like fat either!), or they do what Erick did….they get you NOTHING….big fat zilch….having no clue what to buy that wasn’t expensive before Christmas, wasn’t deemed to be a waste of money, or unnecessary…..he just bought nothing. 

Soooooo…..I love the flowers….they MEAN something, and it has taken me 14 years to understand that they are not useless…they are a gesture of thanks and love.  I hope I’m not the only one that takes a L…O….N….G time to get really basic stuff like this!

So in the midst of some final proofing of a family session….remember beautiful Ava? Her family were in a car accident a couple of years ago, have since had a maternity and newborn session with me, and now their family pictures to record this stage in their lives.  I just loved catching up with them, seeing how much joy they have together, even in the midst of hardship and health concerns.  They really are truly amazing.  What really touched my heart was their walls full of images I had taken  over the years; from before Ava had her accident, right up until these recent one’s.  It is moments like those that make you realise what an honor this job is.

and finally…one from a Recent E Session……loved this old truck!  It was in a old yard, but the  people in the house adjoining the property weren’t home, so I confess we raced into the back field, took the shots ….on such a sunny day too! …and then got out of there, but I intend on going back, finding the owners and using the area again, because the whole place was really really cool!

I’ve been tossing up adding some Christmas music to the blog, just for the December month, but sometimes when I go to blogs, the music drives me nuts….so vote guys….yes or no?  Want to hear it on here to get you in the Mood??? or  No, you are overwhelmed by it everywhere else, you just come here for the laughs and eye candy!!!