Lovers don't finally meet somewhere.
They're in each other all along. Rumi (1207 - 1273)
Tuesday, December 25, 2012
Wednesday, December 19, 2012
recap: the girls get ready...part two! (photographer photos!)
Saturday, 29th September, 2012
Ok, so here's where it all starts to get exciting! Our hairdressers left us, following wishes of good luck, and we continued pottering around getting ready. The girls were all getting dressed and doing their make up by this stage, and once they were all done, I headed into the bathroom to do my own make up - in the peace and quiet. A little alone time with my thoughts. It was actually really nice to take that bit of time to make myself pretty and not have to talk to anyone! Refreshing and gave me time to really take in everything so far, and what was about to happen.
While I was doing my makeup, I received a call from our photographers to say they were already in the area, they were just scouting out a few photo location spots and then they would be heading right over. As well as the lovely Sandra, we had sidekick Jo as our second photographer. Let me tell you though, Jo is just as marvelous as Sandra and just as lovely...and I honestly can't tell who took what photos, except for the ones we saw being taken!
I must go off an a tangent for a moment because I have to share just how wonderful these two women are. We booked a second photographer with Sandra, to cover the ceremony and the family photos after the ceremony. That was all. We received an email from Sandra about 2 1/2 weeks before our wedding (after she had already let us know who Jo was and that she was available as our second shooter...I checked out her work and LOVED it) letting me know that Jo was going to be traveling down the coast with Sandra the day of the wedding and staying in the area that night, so she had kindly offered TO SHOOT THE REST OF THE WEDDING. For free. Well, for a meal at the reception. We were blown away by her kindness and definitely got those two lovely ladies the same 3 course meal the rest of us were having! We didn't even think twice about it, yet it was mentioned to us by Sandra that it is a rare thing in photography land to get a 3 course meal.
Shout out to any future/planning brides: If you love your photographers - show it. They deserve it! Hell, those ladies were working off their feet from 11am (not to mention the scouting they were doing BEFORE coming to us, and the traveling!) until 9pm at night for us and they went out of their way continually. We felt it was the least thing we could do to provide them with a good feed! Photographers are very physical while working too (I don't know about any other brides out there, but some of the positions I saw Sandra get into for a photo-op, I swear she must need an ice-soak or a massage the next day!) so think about how you'd feel working that long a day, that physical a job and give them the meal you think you'd want :)
But back to the story! Sandra was really excited about some of the locations they had found and I couldn't wait to see them...but first was the business of getting married. When the ladies arrived to start snapping away, they were so unobtrusive we barely noticed them most of the time. And they got some fabulous shots!
So, to start off, here are some of my favourites of me, the ladies and 2 of the littlest bridal party members getting ready (Tamzyn was in the boys room getting ready with her Daddy, Emily and Aiden were with us girls).
(Please note that I'm super nervous about sharing Sandra's work here but I don't want to watermark her gorgeousness. All the following photos are the work of Sandra Henri Photography and are not to be taken, copied, used or edited in any way without permission from Sandra. Steal them and claim them as your own and we will bust your butt evil copy-right violation people!)
And I'm going to be REALLY evil and stop right about there...leave you hanging with those last few pictures...because my dress? Well she can have a pretty post all of her own...
Next Up: The Boys Get Ready...
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Sunday, December 02, 2012
recap: the girls get ready, part one (pre-photographers!)
Saturday: 29th of September, 2012
I woke bright and early the morning or our wedding at about 6:15am (our hairdressers was due to arrive around 7am and I had to shower, wash my hair and let it air dry...I was the last to get my hair done but I needed to give it time to dry, but also allow my Mum and SIL to shower before the hairdressers arrived).
I woke up, grinned, sat up and stretched. My Mum reached out from next to me in our King size bed in our hotel suite and squeezed my arm. The big day was here. My SIL gave a groan and rolled back over in her single bed in the corner...she wanted more sleep!
I jumped in the shower, trying to gauge whether I was nervous or not. I took my time, relaxing...but I didn't feel particularly nervous!
After my shower we woke up my SIL so she could jump in and the day began! I slipped into my "Bride" singlet and little cotton shorts, breakfast was had and we straightened up one side of the room for it to be ready when our photographers arrived for detail shots. At some point the 3 girls joined us, fresh and showered, from the other room. Our hairdressers arrived about 7:15 (they weren't due to start til 7:30 but had indicated they would probably arrive between 7 and 7:30 to set up) and my sister (who hadn't stayed over) and Bridesmaid Kylie both jumped in the hair dressing chairs first.
Our wonderful hairdressers, Mel and Emma, were so efficient and fast that they finished WAY before our photographers were due at 11:30, and even managed to blow out and style my Mum's hair for her. She hadn't booked in with them because she felt with such a large bridal party they wouldn't have time to do her as well, and had planned to just style her own hair. I'm so glad she got to be pampered as well!
At some point I know my MoH ducked out to the shops, rather early - possibly even before our hairdressers arrived, because she needed toothpaste or a toothbrush...I found that rather entertaining! The following photos are courtesy of her camera (with a few of my own thrown in for good measure) and I'm so glad she managed to capture this for us, before our official photographers arrived!
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| Only photo I have WITH my nephew... He crashed out at the reception! |
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| Hottest photo of the Bride ever...but the girls look fab! |
I remember when I was getting my hair done, everyone started asking me if I was getting nervous yet. The honest answer was no! When it was tine for my veil to be attached, Mel warned me that often that's when she has found that her Brides get nervous because suddenly they LOOK like a Bride...But no, I still wasn't nervous. I was excited, yes. Ready for the day, yes. But nervous? Nope!
After my hair was done and my veil attached, my dress was hung up and ready for our photographers to arrive!
Next Up: The Girls Get Ready...Part 2!
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Thursday, November 08, 2012
recap: bridal party gifts...the girls!
September 28, 2012...continued!
After leaving the boys to their own devices, we girls headed back to our main room, where we would be getting ready the next day, for me to give the girls the first half of their gifts. I was really looking forward to this part!
As it turned out though, the girls had something to give me first...
My MoH (and my Mum, and bridesmaid Kylie) is a teacher and had turned one of her wheelie containers into a little "Just Married" carry-all for us to use the following day, to carry our shoes, water bottles, etc. while running between photo spots, etc. Each of the girls and my Mum had written little post-it messages all over it, and there were some little surprises inside!
I'd love to show you the professional photos of the whole front, but unfortunately it shows you our last names, so I won't. Annie had made up one of those old school games, where you write out your full name, your partner's full name and "loves" in the middle, then you check off the matching letters, etc. and work out the compatibility "percentage". It was so cute! You can see the square of it and all the post-its in the picture from the actual wedding day below...
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| Reading all the messages... |
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| In use... |
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| ...on wedding day! |
Inside was some yummy pink champers and some non-alcoholic sparkling grape drink for those of us who couldn't drink...that was consumed with relish! But first, I had some things to hand out!
I had been collecting bits and pieces of the girls' gifts for a while...and unlike the boys', I managed to make a lot of theirs!
In their "night before" gifts, each of the girls received:
- A little floral box containing:
- Their earrings for the wedding and
- A little clay love heart to hang on their bouquet (which could be used as a Christmas decoration...or a bookmark...or a million other things afterwards...my MoH currently has hers hanging on her fridge next to a polaroid from the wedding!)
- Their ring for the wedding
- A personalised coat hanger
- A "Bridesmaid" or "Maid of Honour" dressing gown!
I think the girls enjoyed their robes, which we all got to wear the next day while we were getting ready...they certainly enjoyed taking pictures of them! DIY post coming soon!
After handing out the first half of the girls' gifts, we had a toast, and set about doing last minute things for the next day...
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| Purple or Ivory? |
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| They were so hard to get on! Concentration was required! |
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| As you can see, the ivory won |
We also made up sandwiches for the following day...and then things got a little "interesting" with the boys being just down the hall...(those picture will remain hidden I'm sorry to say...but there was stealing of hot chocolates involved...among other things!)
Eventually it was 11:45 and I headed outside to say good night to my fiance for the last time. We shared good night kisses...and a hug I never wanted to let go of...and headed back to our rooms. It was the last time I would see him before we became husband and wife!
Next Up: Getting Ready...The Girls! Part 1
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