Wedding Photography by Faith

2010-01-17T08:25:00.001+13:00

2010-01-15T07:39:00.001+13:00

2009-09-24T07:01:00.001+12:00

2009-09-23T07:58:00.001+12:00

2009-09-04T22:01:00.001+12:00

2009-09-02T07:34:00.001+12:00

2009-08-27T07:51:00.001+12:00

2009-08-14T10:31:00.001+12:00

Waipuna Lodge Auckland NZ Wedding

2009-07-10T07:17:00.003+12:00

A lovely Autumn wedding held at the Waipuna Lodge in Auckland.

After the garden ceremony we walk along the bank of the estuary & got some great photos.

The big old oak trees were just starting to turn & the colours were awesome!

The power pylons are always a bit of an issue at Waipuna... so we thought if you can't beat them join them !! Hence we got this cool shot of the Bride & Groom standing on the base of one. :-)

Then there was the jetty, the kids playground & more trees ... fantastic & all within a 5 minute walk of the venue.

As always plenty more to see at www.afpnz.com & www.go4photos.com

Cheers for now,

Faith.

Cutest Baby

2009-07-02T08:50:00.002+12:00

This little guy was just 3 weeks old when this was taken... we LOVE babies.

Adrian gets all clucky & is always trying to get a cuddle & I have to admit if I get to hold them it's hard to give them back!!

Luckily for us people bring us new ones all the time & they are all so gorgeous!

I have also finally figured out how FaceBook works so we now have a profile on there... feel free to add us as a friend. I will try to be more on to the posting there then I have been with my Blog!!

The photo above links through to our new baby, children & family site.

Cheers for now,

Faith.

Tauranga NZ Wedding

2009-06-16T07:59:00.002+12:00

Once again we got one of those perfect days, where everything is just how it should be for a dream wedding.

We had a stunning Bride, a hot Groom, they had chosen our favorite Tauranga venue(the outstanding Olive Tree Cottage) & they had their photos done at the beach. Magic!!!

Added to that the Bridal Party were all so helpful & totally concerned that everything went right on the day.

End result... we got some fabulous pictures & video footage.

Plenty more to see including the webclip from this wedding at www.afpnz.com

Cheers,

Faith.

Winstones Cove Auckland NZ Wedding

2009-06-14T08:57:00.004+12:00

This was a truly international wedding.... the Groom is from Switzerland & the Bride from South Africa, their baby is a Kiwi!!

Held at a private beach at Winstones Cove Auckland it was their dream wedding.

They had an absolutely beautiful day & the setting was fantastic.

A smaller wedding with just family & close friends made for a very intimate occasion.

After the wedding ceremony & some photos, they also had a naming ceremony for thier new baby.

A lovely couple all round.

Check out the links to see their awesome French style wedding cake!

Plenty more to see including video from this wedding at www.afpnz.com

Cheers for now,

Faith.

Windy Ridge Ohaupo NZ Wedding

2009-06-13T06:04:00.002+12:00

This was a fun wedding we did back in April.

The Bride is the second of 3 sisters whose weddings we are covering... Adrian & I are starting to feel like part of the family :-)

Although the options for photos were a bit limited at the venue, we had a lot of fun with the Bridal Party & they were great about doing some crazy things.

I just love the one of the Bride in front of the fence with the Groom looking over...

Windy Ridge has the most beautiful tree in their garden so we made the most of it.

We are just so excited about the fact that the family likes our work so much that we are covering all their weddings. It makes us feel that we are doing something right :-)

You can check out their video here

Also more photos here

With any luck I will get round to another post tomorrow.

In the mean time plenty more to see at www.afpnz.com

Cheers,

Faith.

Auckland NZ Winter Wedding

2009-06-10T07:58:00.003+12:00

Right, I'm baaack!!!

My mid-year resolution is to be a better blogger :-)

These 3 photos are some of my favorites from a great wedding we covered a couple of weeks ago in Auckland.

It was a wet miserable day & the poor Bride had the flu & was such a great sport for the whole day.

Lickily for everyone involved half way through the photoshoot it stopped raining & we got some absolutely beautiful light.

The first photo is under one of the trees outside Sorrento in Cornwall park where the reception was being held... this was where we had the stuning light.

The second one was in front of the monument at the top of One Tree Hill, the rain clouds made for some very dramatic photos.

And the third is obviously a picture of the rings... I have a thing about the rings, I love taking photos of them & try to get something different for every wedding incorporating a theme that is unique to that couple.

In all we got some great photos & video & the so-so kind of a day turned out to be in our advantage after all.

Plenty to see at www.go4photos.com & also www.afpnz.com

More photos & words of wisdom tomorrow... I'm going to retrofit all the weddings I have neglected since March :-)

Cheers,

Faith.

Wellington NZ Wedding

2009-03-12T07:47:00.003+13:00

Way behind on upudating the blog as usual! :-(
This was a wedding we did in Wellington last month.
They had their service at Old St Paul's in the city & then we went to several inner city locations for photos.
At sunset we took them out to the lookout by the Skyline restaurant at the top of the cable car for more photos & these came out great!
Also on the way to the cable car we shot the second photo in the middle of Lambton Quay... we were all so stoked with that one.
AFPNZ now has a Facebook page ...
don't laugh at it I have only just started it & am trying to figure it all out.
Here is the link http://www.facebook.com/pages/Cambridge/AFPNZ-A-F-Productions/63766596693#

Please feel free to add us as a friend.... I'm not sure yet how it works so bear with us!! :-)
Cheers for now,
Faith.

Castaways Beach Wedding NZ

2009-02-24T06:48:00.003+13:00

Held at the wonderful Castaways at the beach 10 mins out of Waiuku, this was a lovely wedding.

They had the most stunning day for it, fortunately it was a late afternoon start or everyone would have fried!

As you can see from the photos we went to the beach for the Bridal Party shoot. It was the groomsmen that stole the show on this one, they were such posers!!

Adrian has a video trailer on his blog here & as always there is plenty more to see on our recently updated websites www.afpnz.com for video & www.go4photos.com for photos.

Cheers for now,

Faith.

Fairytale Hamilton Gardens Wedding by AFPNZ

2009-02-20T08:20:00.004+13:00

Held at the Hamilton Gardens in the Italian Garden, this truly was a fairytale wedding.
It was one of those rare times where everything goes the way it should :-)
After the service we moved to the Indian Garden for the family photos & then back to the Italian one for the Bridal party photos.
We got sidetracked for quite sometime by the awesome archways at the top of the Italian Garden... just magical!
The Just Married photo was taken just before we left for the reception, Brett from Hudson Hire has the suitcase in his car & it makes such a cute touch :-)
The other photo is one of my all time favorites now ...
To me it is just magical & romantic ... exactly what this wedding was all about.
Check out the video trailer on Adrian's blog
http://www.afpnz.blogspot.com/

Plenty more video trailers to see at www.afpnz.com
We have just revamped our main site ... so check it out.
And of course more wedding photos than you could shake a stick at on www.go4photos.com

Cheers for now,
Faith :-)

Pukekohe NZ Wedding

2009-02-18T21:48:00.002+13:00

This was another visual feast of a wedding...

The Bride had put months of time & effort into getting the gardens looking just right & colour coordinated for the wedding.

They were such an awesome couple & talk about laugh... I don't think we got a single serious photo all day.

It would have to have been one of the most fun weddings with an absolutely fantastic atmosphere.

And everyone got chocolate with their name print on it as favours... what more could you want as a guest :-)

The girls at the table next to us were trying to steal as many as they could!

Plenty more to see at www.afpnz.com

Cheers for now,

Faith.

Taranaki NZ Wedding

2009-02-06T08:20:00.003+13:00

New Plymouth has one of the most beautiful gardens we have ever been to ... the Tupare Gardens on the way to Inglewood.

The ceremony for this couple was held there & it was so lovely, the girls walked down a very long steep path to the service area, being admired by the guests fo most of the way down.

Afterwards we did a lot of the group photos there & then headed to the beach ... where the fun really began!!

It was one of those weddings where everyone got into the spirit of the day & we all had a great time.

It was our 3rd weekend in a row at New Plymouth & we are kind of missing it now!!

Plenty more to see at www.AFPNZ.com on video & photos at www.go4photos.com

Lots more to come in the next couple of months.

Cheers for now,

Faith.

Inglewood Wedding

2009-01-22T06:57:00.003+13:00

Here are 2 of my favorites from this great wedding in Taranaki NZ last weekend.
I had so many it was hard to choose ....
Although you can't see it in this picture the Bride's dress was the most beautiful off-white pink ... just stunning & with the fascinator looked so stylish & elegant.
After the church service we went to various locations around New Plymouth & finished up at the beach where the second photo was taken.
This would have to be one of my favorites of the year so far... I try at every wedding to get a new favorite...
I think in this one it was just one of those wonderful times where everything came together just perfectly.
The light, the cloud formations, the couple, the scenery.
In all we had a fabulous day with these guys & their family & guests.

My tip for the day is to stress once again if you are planning your wedding add an hour to whatever time frame your hairdresser & make-up lady gives you !!
I don't know why but they ALWAYS run late.
Then if you strike it lucky & they are finished early you have extra time to hang out with the girls & have some pictures before you leave.
Cheers for now,
Faith.

St Mary's New Plymouth

2009-01-15T08:02:00.003+13:00

As you can see from this first photo, this was a fun wedding... once the Bridal party got used to us they were great.
It drizzled all day, but everyone was so co-operative ... they sat on the grass, climbed in a tree & of course did the best jumping which we had to have several goes at!!
When we did the second picture it was actually raining quite hard & the poor groom got quite wet, but he was such a trooper ... kept on smiling.
There is also some great video of the hotrods they had for their cars on www.afpnz.com
So... hopeless blogger should be a bit more on to it from now as we are flat out until May, so there will be lots of pictures to see.
Cheers for now,
Faith.

Sorrento Auckland NZ Wedding

2009-01-05T08:12:00.002+13:00

This was one of those weddings where we had it all... a beautiful bride, handsome groom, large bridal party, well behaved flowergirls & pageboys, a stunning setting & the weather behaved itself for just long enough!!!
The whole thing was held at Sorrento in Auckland's Cornwall Park, which is a great venue.
Then we had the whole park to do the photos in so it was great.
I love the first one ... it seems to have a magical feel to it in black & white ... these guys were so co-operative with all the photos.
The second one with the whole Bridal party was taken just to the right of where the first one was.
It was great having so many people to play with & all the black outfits contrasted so nicely with the green surroundings & the Bride's dress.
Check out www.AFPNZ.com for a great video trailer from the day & also their very cool first dance.
So thats it for my first post of the New Year... I hope you are all having a good one.
Cheers,
Faith.

Fairytale Wedding NZ

2008-12-31T09:27:00.005+13:00

This really was like a Fairytale wedding.

We had the beautiful princess bride, an awesome woodland setting & of course the handsome prince!

Set in the outstanding Pararie Holm Gardens south of Featherston, it was just a magical day.

I shot the first photo just before the sun set & the series turned out just the way I wanted it to, so I was stoked. The second one we went down to the lake for a few minutes with just the Bride & Groom & got some awesome photos with the old car they had.

They held their reception in an army tent under the pine trees & it was the perfect finish to a woinderful day.

I know I've been a slacker on the updating front... but normal service should resume next week!!! :-)

Cheers for now,

Faith.

Wildernness Wedding

2008-12-09T12:23:00.003+13:00

This seemed like an unlikely place for a wedding ... it is the site of an old quarry & now is a 42 acre gardens & scuplture park.
However it was an absolutely stunning set to get married in.
The wedding had a 40's airman theme & they had taken great trouble to keep the theme going throughout the whole day.
The Bridesmaids had flapper cocktail style dresses, the boys had Biggles hats & goggles & the invitations were done in the form of airline tickets.
It was really well though out & made for a unique event.
We did all the photos at the park ... as there was plenty of room to choose from!!
They were a great couple & bridal party to work with & we even had an audience comprised entirely of cows at one stage.
They then had their reception at an airport hanger at the Hamilton airport .... which fitted in perfectly with the overall feel of the day.
A great time was had by all.
Plenty more to see & watch at www.AFPNZ.com
Cheers for now ,
Faith.

Crazy Cool Fun Wedding

2008-12-03T06:23:00.004+13:00

This wedding was so much fun... the couple had come back from the UK to get married in thier hometown of Napier.

She was one of the funniest Brides we've ever had, between her & the bridesmaids we were in hysterics all morning... & they were all so laidback about everything.

The ceremony was the Mission Estate at Napier & I bet it's the first time they have had a Bride get into thier fountain!!!

He was really cool to, just went along with everything & kept on smiling all day. We got some great photos of him & the groomsmen prior to the service, which was a bit of a treat for us!

Then when we went to do the Bridal party photos after the service the whole lot of them got into the act. :-)

We all had a great time & meet heaps of really nice people, both their families were so nice.

Another wonderful day was had by all.

Plenty more to see at www.AFPNZ.com

Cheers,

Faith.

Irish Catholic Beach Wedding

2008-11-27T11:58:00.004+13:00

Well, it's not every day we get a couple that has flown all the way round the world to get married on the beach in the Hawkes Bay!!

They found our website on the internet ... booked & came out trusting that we were A) for real & B) would show up for their big day:-)

As it was the Hawkes Bay produced an absolutely stunning day... everyone got sunburnt & it was the most beautiful intimate wedding with a total of 11 attendees.

After the ceremony we went up Te Mata Peak to do more photos & by sheer chance there were paragliders up there & one had a purple sail that exactly matched the wedding colours!!

Awesome!!!

They were such a cool couple too, the Groom did so well in his suit in the sweltering (especially for them) heat & the Bride was just radiant.

A fabulous day was had by everyone.

As always plenty more to see including the Movie trailer at www.AFPNZ.com

Cheers for now,

Faith.

Sarnia Park Cambridge Wedding

2008-11-24T07:06:00.003+13:00

This was another wedding at the beautiful Sarnia Park just outside of Cambridge.
We had a beautiful day & a fun bridal party, who were very good about walking heaps in the heat.
The first photo was one of the last ones we took before the reception started... they are stading on the wall outside the reception hall.
The Bride had the most awesome champagne coloured dress & she looked stunning.
The Bridesmaids dresses were also really cool, long & chocolate brown.
The boys went with the always popular black on black with brown ties.
The second picture is one of my favorite ring photos ... if you look closely you can see the Groom's reflection in the rings.
Well, I have plenty to update this week so check for more tomorrow.
Cheers,
Faith.

Forest Wedding

2008-11-06T11:21:00.004+13:00

Well this was a beautiful wedding...
Held in a park next to Otorohanga's Kiwi House.
It was a great setting ... there was a bit of consternation about the weather as it started drizzling just before the bride was due to arrive, all the guests had their brollies out.
But the wet held off & the service went ahead as planned under the gaint pine trees.
Afterwards we went into the foresty part for the photoshoot & got some brilliant pictures.
The bridesmaids were so good they were freezing cold but they kept on smiling the whole way through & the Brides parents were the official brolly holders & kept up all the way through.
As for the groomsmen they were funny as a fit ... especially when we loaded them into the van on the way to the reception & I told them I only had a learner's liscence ... talk about backseat drivers!!!
All in all a great day was had by all.
Check out the video at www.afpnz.com

Elegant Auckland Wedding

2008-10-22T07:58:00.003+13:00

Hi There,
well here are a couple of photos from Adrian's elegant & sophisticated wedding last Saturday.
They were quite a young couple, but she looked just like a 50's movie star.
The ceremony & reception were at Butterfly Creek in Auckland & then the bridal party headed off to the Botannical gardens for the portrait shoot.
The boys had a great time with the whole group & they had one of the best behaved flowergirls we've ever encountered :-)
Both of us really love this second shot ... it seems to have a Hollywood quailty about it.
All in all a great day was had by all.
Plenty more photos & the Movie Trailer to see at www.afpnz.com
The DVD has turned out absolutely superb.
Cheers for now ,
Faith.

Laidback Raglan Beach Wedding

2008-10-21T06:27:00.002+13:00

Well this was one of the most casual weddings I ever been to.... it was all about being relaxed & enjoying time with their family & friends for these guys.

The bride was so lovely & was just so happy to be getting married that she wasn't going to let anything bother her.

They had planned on an outdoor hilltop ceemony, but the weather was a little diffident so they settled for the verandha of the surf club, which worked out just fine.

After we went down to the beach for the bridal party photos, lovely walk down the hill.... bit of a struggle on the way back with all the gear. :-)

Everyone was having a fantastic time the whole day.... which is what a wedding should be coming together with your family & friends to CELEBRATE one of the most important milestones in your life.

OK... rant over ... tomorrow will be Adrian's elegant, sophisticated wedding.

Cheers for now,

Faith.

Rock On Auckland Wedding

2008-10-20T10:38:00.003+13:00

We had an awesome weekend with 3 weddings... they were all quite different & all fantastic.
These photos are from Fridays.
This was a great wedding with 3 of my favorite things...
1) Rock music,
2) Stunning Bride,
3) Candles.

This first photo I just love as it was a lowlight shot which I love doing & it was one of those times where you couldn't plan it better.
The second one is another of my asthetic fetishes... Brides & mirrors... what can I say ... its cool.

We have plenty more excellent pictures from the day at www.go4photos.com & video at www.afpnz.com
We all had a great day with these guys... the boys photo shoot before the wedding was an absolute riot, they were great.
Then the girls all looked so beautiful & elegant, they were all a real credit to their family.
So tomorrow there will be pics from my extremely laid back beach wedding & then Wens some of Adrian's from his sophisicated elegant wedding.
Cheers for now,
Faith

Cambridge NZ Wedding

2008-10-14T07:59:00.004+13:00

Saturday was on of the rare occassions that we did a wedding in our hometown of Cambridge... usually we are running around all over the country.
They were a great young couple so we got some really funky photos of the 2 of them.
This first one we took on the staircase before the service, then they got married right in front of it.
In the second one we had him pick her up & twirl her ... love it when we get a groom that can lift his bride easily! :-) He spun so much he got dizzy & we had to stop it before he fell over.... An awesome day was had by all & the weather was in our favour for once.
More tomorrow,
Cheers,
Faith.

Once, Twice, Three Times a Bean

2008-10-09T09:14:00.003+13:00

Well, they are off & racing now.
A bit of sun yesterday & a whole lot more rain :-(
But still they are getting there, proving they are not has-beans :-)
And look how much the single one has grown again in a day!!!
Just in case you think I have gone completely mad ... this is also a good learning curve as I have bean taking the photos at about the same time every day & every day the light has bean different ... which is quite fascinating. ..... Well to me anyway.
That's about all I have to say on the bean topic today.
Cheers for now,
Faith.

2 Bean or Not To Bean

2008-10-08T09:06:00.002+13:00

Well after torrential rain all day yesterday & last night, I thought the beans may have washed away!!
However when I got out there this morning ... heaps more were up!
I got a better angle for the distance shot today & you can see how many more have sprouted.
And as for my number 1 bean ... look at him go !!! It's incredible how much it grew in one day. And now it has friends.
So I'm going to put slug & snail pellets down today so that they don't all get eaten.
It's also a much nicer day today the sun is out & it's going to be quite warm, so it will be interesting to see tomorrow's progress.
For all the regular readers, don't worry this has become a beans unlimited blog, there will be weddings aplenty from next week on.
The bean thing is just to keep my mind occupied & to share my love of vege gardens.
Cheers for now,
Faith.

Beans

2008-10-07T07:16:00.002+13:00

Well for something completely different...
We always put in a vege garden & this year I thought I would follow the life of our Butter Beans from start to finish.
The first picture shows the first day of the first one brave enough to poke it's head out.... soooo exciting !! :-)
There was actually 2 this far through, but this one was a little bigger.
The thing is we plant heaps of veges & then we forget to eat them !!
In the second photo you can see the whole row & our spade... as you can see there is not much to see just yet.
Maybe tomorrow more will be up & the distance shot will be a little bit more exciting :-)
Your usual programming will be back next week as we have a wedding & an anniversary... actually it's all go for us from now on so there will be lots of weddings to see over the summer.
And of course probably a good 2 months of bean photos :-)
Cheers for now,
Faith.

Portrait

2008-09-29T08:02:00.003+13:00

I took this photo of this young lady yesterday... a bit of a departure from photographing Brides!

We were trying out new lighting techniques & this was the result we got.

My new assistant is still at high school so am making the most of the holidays to get out & train her & get some practise of my own in.

The other good news is that Adrian now his own blog featuring our videos.... he can be found here

http://afpnz.blogspot.com/

He is going to embed all the latest Movie Trailers on his blog so you will have more access to the wonderful world of AFPNZ.com :-)

Well it's a bit of a slow news day here ... practising more lighting today so tomorrow I should have something new to show you.

Cheers for now,

Faith.

Home Town

2008-09-28T09:06:00.003+13:00

I took this picture yesterday morning.

I shot out of bed at the crack of dawn ... literally I woke up & it was light & I was panicing a bit as I thought I might be too late...

You see we have a Farmer's Market every Saturday on our town square & I wanted to take photos of them setting up...

Anyway I get down there at 5:45 & theres no-one there.

So I took a photo every 15 minutes for an hour & a half & I was still the only one there !!!

What I didn't know was that yesterday one of the neighbouring districts had their big yearly fair & most of the farmers went out there instead.

So what the hell... I got this great photo of the sun coming up over the town hall, which was better than nothing :-)

Adrian thought I'd truly gone mad ...

Oh well , never mind.

Cheers,

Faith.

More Favorites

2008-09-26T09:03:00.003+12:00

Well... this first one was from a great wedding at the Mission in Napier. They were a really fun young couple ... first time we have heard "Highway to Hell" as recessional music!! We all had a fantstic day with them & their families, it was the second in a cluster of weddings for the same group of families. They had this picture done as a huge canvas.
The second one was a lovely wedding on New Years Eve last year at Taupo.What a beautiful couple ... it was one of those wedding where you could really feel the love ... awesome.
Adrian & I really enjoyed this one & once again the families were great ... we have been so lucky most of the weddings we have done the families have just made the day by being so nice. Maybe it's just a natural part of being a Kiwi.
We had a beautiful day for this multiculural wedding. They had a Catholic service & then at the reception they had Cook Island dancing & Nuiean dancing. This picture is one of my all time favorites as I caught it when they didn't know it was being taken & it just captured their essence perfectly.
This Bride was so excited to be getting married ... she was almost beside herself! It was also our first traditional Maori wedding & what a wonderful experience. It was a really moving day seeing all the emotion that everyone in family had put into making sure that these guys had a truly wonderful wedding. At the reception everyone that spoke had to also sing a song & some of the singing was just fantastic, especially the bridesmaids & their brother.
We have been so lucky to experience so many peoples big day & to share with them the joy that they have felt.
Then to be given the privelege of capturing those moments forever is truly an honour.
This would have to be one of the best jobs in the world & I can honestly say we don't do it for the money.
If you wanted to go into wedding photography with just the money in mind you are probably not going to last.
It is one of those things that you have to put your soul into & by the end of the day you are absolutely exhausted & just want to crawl home.... then when you get home you just can't wait to download the footage & see what you got :-)
Well that's it for me.
Cheers,
Faith.

Action Shots

2008-09-25T08:38:00.004+12:00

Well I was going to post more favorites & then as I was looking through my folders I found some great action shots of the boys from the last wedding... So here we go :-)
First one is Adrian showing the Groom how to do the dip which ended up resulting in a great photo ... both this one & the actual one of the couple.... wedding photography is a crazy career !!!

The second one Adrian is adjusting the off-camera flash before he gets into position for the photo. He ended up standing off to the side of the bridal party so he could throw in some side lighting.
Last one I took to show how the team works together on the day.... so any photographers reading ... don't panic the video guy is not in the way :-) This is how we work taking turns to get the shots we need for both video & photos.
Hamish is getting walking shots of the bridal party & Adrian is getting into positon with the flash light for when it's my turn.
Movement shots generally look better on the video than in stills, so I tend to hang back & let the boys do those & just grab the odd one that looks like it might work well.
We work this way at every wedding & have found it makes it a lot less of a trial for all involved as we have to remember that the people in the photos are not professional models & it is THEIR big day not ours. So we try not to drag the photos out for too long as they really want to get back to the party ( especially the boys !)
So that's me for today.
Cheers,
Faith.

More Favorites

2008-09-24T07:11:00.002+12:00

Ok... so more favorites today :-) The first one I just love ... it was one of those things where everything was just right... I have also done it in Black & White & have it as a big canvas ... awesome!!!
This second one ... well this young lady was such a beautiful Bride & as a couple they were just fabulous. In this picture it was one of the first times I have tried getting the girls to do more fashion model poses & this just worked for her.
Number 3 ... we had a great venue with lots of different options & I saw this bridge & thought "Got to be a good one here" & this is what I got. Again just a fabulous couple, she is an aircraft engineer, so being all dressed up & having her make-up & hair done was a real treat for her.
Last one ... animals & weddings always unpredictable .... the usually well trained horse got stage fright & was VERY reluctant to co-operate. However before it all went pearshaped we got this one & a couple of others that were also what the Bride had in mind. They liked this one so much that they had a huge canvas done of it.
We have also had weddings with dog ringbearers, dog flowergirls, several horse & carts etc
This is what I love about wedding photography you just never know what you are going to get!
Well that's me for today ... I think there may be more favorites tomorrow ... I still have lots :-)
Cheers for now,
Faith.

Some of My Favorites

2008-09-23T07:04:00.004+12:00

So, something different again today...
these are 4 of my favorites from weddings in the last 2-3 years.
I like them for different reasons... none of which is their technical excellence ( which is quite often lacking)
They are mostly favorties either for the emotions they captured or how they well represent the day we had with that particular couple.
So....
In the first The Doves ... this was shot at Willow Glen near Hamilton & straight after the service they ring a bell & all the doves come & land by the couple.
Photographically it makes for stunning pictures ... for the bride it makes for a bit of a worry about dove poo on her dress :-) But they all love it as symbolically it is so cool.
The second one I love for it's colour, the bright blue, the reds & the greens ... awesome.
The balloon release idea was a really touching way to remember loved ones who have passed on.
We had so many great pictures from this wedding ... it was one of those days where everything goes just right.
And she was the most laidback Bride we've had & that's saying something as our Kiwi Brides seem to be of the laidback variety on the whole. Third one ... this was from our first big traditional Samoan wedding, & it just tells the story of the day perfectly. Such a happy Bride she spent the whole day laughing & being so happy to be getting married. Considering that they had to start their hair & make-up at 5am in order to get it all done for the 11am service she did really well.
Last one ... this I took at my very first wedding, I was so lucky they were an absolutely beautiful couple both inside & out ... Just wonderful to work with & they had a stunning venue near Tauranga. We all have great memories of that day as it was so lovely.
Well that's it today ... I might try & find some more for tomorrow .... I seem to get a new favorite every wedding ... It is my goal to shoot a new favorite evry time that way I know that I am constantly trying to improve.
Cheers for now,
Faith.

Sunset Over The Desert Road

2008-09-18T08:49:00.003+12:00

So ... here a couple of photos I took going up the Desert road at sunset.

This was just before the mountains came into the shot.

I was really pleased with them, especially as I took them out of the van window as Adrian was racing along :-)

We were very lucky to strike it at that time when it wasn't raining!

It's such a beautiful place & we'd love to do a wedding there just for the scenery!

Well that's about it for me today, I have a couple of weddings to finish so I really should get on with it.

Cheers for now,

Faith.

More Rotorua Wedding

2008-09-17T07:22:00.002+12:00

So here are some more form Saturday's wedding...
In the first one the sun had just gone behind the hill where the gondolas & luge are & the light was awesome!!!
The second I took at the Bride's Parents home ... I just really like the compositon with the tree & the sunlight coming through her veil. I could have stayed there all afternoon ... but I was getting "Faith, hurry up, we have to go" from the boys!
The night shot we did outside the reception.
They had hired these 2 huge searchlights which apperantly you could see all over Rotorua.
So we just had to get a photo with them.... I love low light photos you need some patience but so worth it if everything goes to plan.
So that's probably it for this wedding... maybe some sunset photos tomorrow.
Check out www.go4photos.com for more weddings.
Cheers,
Faith.

Rotorua Wedding

2008-09-16T08:08:00.004+12:00

These are some of my favorites from Saturday's wedding...
What a great couple .... they were up for anything & even when we went & dragged them outside halfway through the reception for MORE photos they were so obliging.
The cool as photo of the Bride with the veil flying out was done at her parents place which was probably THE best garden we've ever had to do the before photos in.
Holden's are the Groom's passion so we had to have photos with their cars & this one of them with him dipping the Bride was just fantastic.
We were also so lucky at the timing of the photo shoot just on sunset .... & the one of the 2 of them with lake Rotorua & Mokoia Island in the background made my day.
There were so many great ones I'm going to add some more tomorrow... as we did some night shots that I really love.
Both their families were awesome, her parents were as funny as a fit & his Mum was just lovely.
So...
Cheers for now,
Faith.
PS To see more photos & the Movie Trailer of this wedding check out www.afpnz.com

The Desert Road

2008-09-15T06:47:00.004+12:00

These photos were taken out the window of our van as we drove home from Blenheim...

I was so excited I have been dying to get pictures of the mountains for ages & every time we've been down the Desert road it's like 2 am so you can't see a thing.

So..... now I think the only thing cooler than the mountains with snow on at sunset would be the mountains with snow on under a full moon .... AWESOME!!!!!

I just love the one of Mt Doom with the liitle streak of cloud over it ....

The only thing about getting these pictures is the freaking power pylons ... how hard would it be to put them under ground?????? There's a prison full of guys with nothing to do just up the road, the army base is on the Desert Road ....

Come on Transpower .... these mountains are a tourist attraction & it's so hard to get a decent photo of them.....

Lucky Peter Jackson he got to go the other side of the pylons .... but then he is special the rest of us just have to Photoshop the damn things out!

Rant over till tomorrow.

Cheers,

Faith.

Blenheim Trip

2008-09-12T07:16:00.004+12:00

Hi again,

here are some more pictures form our Blenheim trip..

In the first one we are outside Wellington harbour, having just gone through the heads.

It was remarkable still & calm on the way down there ... which I didn't really apperciate until we were coming back & it wasn't so calm :-0

The second one is just before we docked at Picton ... I got lots of photos of the Sounds ... but they just don't do them justice.

I just loved this one with the little sailboat to the right & the powerboat to the left.

Picton was a lot bigger than we thought ... it's quite a reasonable sized town instead of the little fishing village we all thought it was.

Well, that's it for today next time will be photos from tomorrow's wedding, & then next week I have have awesome photos of Mt Doom that I got on the way home from Blenheim.

Cheers,

Faith.

Fun Wedding

2008-09-09T07:05:00.003+12:00

This was such a fun wedding.
It was held at the Howick Historic Village, which is a really cool place.
A great family outing could be had there.
Anyway we had the best day with these guys.
The bride was a lot of fun & they really enjoied the portrait shoot.
Then they had their service in the church at the Village, it is a really cute little old chapel thing.
Then on to the reception at the Homestead Cafe which is also part of the Village.
The Groom gave the funniest speech we've heard in a long time & the best man was almost as funny.
It was a great day with their family & closest friends ... awesome :-)
More photos to see here www.go4photo s.com
Cheers,
Faith.

Blenheim Trip

2008-09-05T07:24:00.003+12:00

These are a couple of pictures from the half-way point of our trip to Blenheim.

We arrived at the ferry at 4am .... our ferry arrived not long after we got there.

A helpful hint ... if you go to Wellington & arrive there early hours of the morning .... there is NOTHING open !!!! We wanted coffee & the only place that had anything resembling such was the Shell service station.

Anyway we got on the ferry about 8:30am & there was coffee there.

We had a great trip over the Cook Strait it was nice & calm all the way there & the scenery is spectacular.

I will post some of those next week.

We have a wedding in Auckland tomorrow, fingers crossed for the weather as they have picked great locations for the portraits & a really cute venue.

Cheers,

Faith.

More Blenheim Wedding Photos

2008-09-04T13:37:00.005+12:00

Here are a couple more photos from our Blenheim wedding.

These were done at Pollard Park ... which was a great place for taking Bridal party photos as there is so much variety.

It has camellias, rhododendrons, a little stream & heaps of nice walk ways.

After this we went out to the beach which was whole different scenery agian.

I love the way the girls pink jackets set off their teal dresses... who would have thought pink & teal would look so stunning together!!

Cheers,

Faith.

Blenheim Wedding

2008-09-02T06:36:00.003+12:00

Well, we are all back to normal after our big excursion to Blenheim.

It was a wonderful wedding... the couple were just fantastic & we had perfect weather for the photos.

The girls were getting ready at a converted woolshed on a vineyard... & inside it had the most amazing light in every room, so we got some stunning photos of the Bride.

Then after the service we went to the park & got some great pics of the bridal party ... then out to the beach where it was cold but everyone was so good about all the photos we wanted to capture.

We got so many good shots I will have to put more up tomorrow!! :-)

Also heaps more on the websites & a Movie Trailer at http://www.afpnz.com/

Cheers,

Faith

Off to Blenheim

2008-08-28T14:34:00.002+12:00

Well we are off to Blenheim at the top of the South Island tonight for a wedding on Saturday.
It's a 6 hour drive to Wellington & then on the ferry for 3 hours & about 1/2 hour to Blenheim from Picton.
Soooo exciting I've never been on the ferry before.
We are going to take pictures of the trip there & back so I can put them on the website & the blog.
We just hope the weather holds up ... they've had really bad flooding down there with road closures & all.
Still all the way down there it's just like a desitination wedding really... actually most of weddings are we get to go to all sorts of fabulous places :-)
So next post will be Tuesday probably ... I'll be downloading photos flat out on Monday.
Cheers,
Faith.

AFPNZ at Work

2008-08-27T08:38:00.002+12:00

Some more pictures of us in action at a couple of different weddings.
In the first one Adrian is waiting for the Bride & the girls to arrive ..... & waiting & waiting.
When you shoot weddings you have to learn a lot of patience!!
In the second he is fitting the Groom with a wireless lapel mic to pick up the vows for the video. The lapel mic will catch the Bride & Groom & also the celebrant, without too much interference from the ambient noise of the guests.

After that we move on to Hamish with his Steadicam, the first picture he is catching the make-up artist working her magic on one of the Bridesmaids ... the pre-wedding pictures & video are always so cool as we see everyone being transformed.
The coolest thing is when the Groom sees the Bride for the first time ... as they are so un-prepared for the transformation that has taken place... Every one we have done a wedding for has been at their most beautiful & radiant on their wedding day.
In the second picture Hamish is getting shots of the guests greeting the B & G after the service.
This is always a great time to get candid pictures of the family & friends interacting. This is such an awesome job we get to meet the coolest people a lot of whom become family friends.
Cheers for Now,
Faith.

Action At Windy Wedding

2008-08-25T07:51:00.003+12:00

Something a bit different today...
This is Adrian helping the Bride out of the car at the wedding we did a month ago in the worst storm for decades.
You can't see it all that well, but in the first 2 pics she has her veil ... in the last one it's gone!
It went so fast no-one noticed until she was in the church & then it was panic all round ... the only time that day that I thought she was going to lose it.
So Adrian went & chased the veil over 3 gardens to retreive it.
Her Mum got it back into place & every thing was fine again... crisis averted :-)
They were such a great couple considering the crap weather they were just so happy to be getting married that they didn't care about the rain on their parade.
You can see more of the photo shoot & a movie trailer of their day at
www.AFPNZ.com

Update

2008-08-24T08:15:00.005+12:00

Hi All,

No pictures today... just an update on our busy schedule :-)

Went & checked out the NZIPP tradeshow, it was good to meet the man who makes our fabulous albums & see what the new Epson printers can do... we will have to make aome space for one of those babies ... the one we want is huge!

Next weekend we are off to Blenheim for a wedding ... so hoping that it is going to be fine.

With their high average sunshine days I'm optimistic about that... also we have had more rain than you can shake an umbrella at so the odds should be on our side :-0

We have weddings every weekend from now until the end of April so there will be plenty of pictures coming soon.

We have some awesome brides booked in so this season looks like it's going to be a lot of fun.

Also again this year we are going to places we have never heard of so there will be a broad cross section of NZ being represented right here.

As an aside if ACDC announces a world tour & comes to NZ .... PLEASE ,PLEASE do not book for that date unless you want to get married at the concert which would be cool:-)... as at least 2 of us want to go :-)

Cheers for now,

Faith.

NZ Winter

2008-08-22T08:14:00.005+12:00

Further to our series of winter weddings....
We have had so much rain here in New Zealand this winter that the hydro dam that is about 3kms from our town opened it's sluice gates.
Now, this may not seem like a big deal but in the 37 years I lived in this area it has never happened before. Also the dam is the last one in a series on the river & they had all filled to overflowing.
It made the national news & when they were first opened there was talk of evacuating some homes that are in lowlying areas.
So.... I dragged Adrian out there in the cold & wet, then made him drive to 4 different locations (one a no-entry access road for the dam workers), then I frogmarched him down a hill through the mud where he lost a shoe ... until I was happy that I had photos no-one else would be prepared to get.
I was stoked ... he was happy but cold & wet & possibly questioning my sanity :-)
I think he's now wondering why he ever brought me a camera in the first place!!
Still a fun morning was had by all ... well some ... well maybe just me :-)
Cheers for now,
Faith

Winter Wedding 2

2008-08-21T07:23:00.005+12:00

On a very we August Saturday we went to Auckland for this beautiful wedding.

We were very lucky to have a wonderfully outgoing & photogenic Bride... she was great & the Groom was the perfect foil.

Although the weather was dismal & we had to start the portrait shoot inside it cleared long enough to get out into Cornwall park & get some great pictures.

The photo to the left was taken with the thought that we may not get outdoors & I could photoshop it into a park setting... however we got outside & when I looked at this photo as I was editing it was such a great shot as it was.

They also had the cutest little flowergirls & pageboys who were very well behaved during the church service, but didn't go the distance at the reception.... it was a big day for 4 year olds!

All in all it was a great wedding & everyone had a good time ... the Bride told me the day after that as predicted she was the last one standing at the end of the night!

Winter Wedding 1

2008-08-20T07:58:00.003+12:00

Well............ on the day of the worst storm in a decade for New Zealand these guys got married & even worse they had come out from England to do so!!

They had the service at a really cute old historic church near Te Aroha & the reception at Paeroa, both towns were the worst hit by the hurricane.

So all the Bridal photos were done in the church, before we braved the weather to drive to Paeroa.

On the way we had to avoid a big tree that was right across the road, the B & G who were behind us couldn't get past it & had to detour.

Once we finished at the reception we drove home to Cambridge...

A 40 min trip took us 2 hours as we had to wait for the fire service to clear powerlines across the main road ... at that point the wind was so fierce that we thought our van was going to blow over!! Even the fire truck that we were parked by was wobbling badly in the wind.

Then at Te Aroha more lines were broken & were sparking off the old steel bridge that we had to cross.

Despite all this we had a great day & got some great photos & footage which you can see at www.AFPNZ.com & best of all the happy couple were just so stoked to be getting married that they didn't even care about the atrocious weather. Except maybe when the Bride's veil blew away when she was struggling from her car to the church & Adrian had to chase it across 3 gardens to retrieve it.

Vineyard Wedding Hawkes Bay NZ

2008-06-06T08:58:00.003+12:00

Absolutely Awesome !!!!

This was a great wedding... the setting was stunning, the Bride was beautiful & they were such a great couple.

Everyone had heaps of fun doing the Bridal photos & the Groom was such a trooper ... he was still smiling right till the very last of a long list of family photos, which is no mean feat. :-)

The venue was the Mission Estate in Napier Hawkes Bay New Zealand which is onee of our top vineyard venues & with the autumn colouring it just looked magnificent.

It was a wedding full of surprises from the "Highway to Hell" recessional song to the fully cherographed first dance that went off perfectly to the very enthusiastic response of their family & friends.

Such a wonderful couple & all their family were fantastic too.

Check out their Movie Trailer here http://www.go4lifetoday.com/WEDDINGS/NEW-2007-2008/J-D/JD.html

And some of their photos here http://www.go4photos.com/W_Sample/JD/JD.html

As always plenty more to see at www.afpnz.com.

Cheers,

Faith

Winter Wedding in New Zealand

2008-06-05T07:38:00.003+12:00

Well, as promised here is the first of our weekends weddings!

We had a great day with these guys on Saturday.

She was the most radiant Bride & her dress was just gorgeous... also she had RED shoes stunning.

They got married at a really cute little church in West Auckland & then we did the photo & video shoot around West Auckland starting at the Titirangi roundabout in the rain :-)

Then we went to someone's garden & got some great pictures of them & the bridal party.

On to the reception & everyone had a good time there also.

It was cool to see everyone up & dancing towards the end, especially the parents dancing with the newly weds.

A great day was had by all.

To see Movie Trailer go here http://www.go4lifetoday.com/WEDDINGS/NEW-2007-2008/Craig-Nadine/C_N.html

To see photo sldieshow go here http://www.go4photos.com/W_Sample/CN/CN.html

So until tomorrow when I'll give you the rundown on the wedding we did in the Hawkes bay...

Cheers,

Faith.

February Wedding 3

2008-05-30T09:57:00.002+12:00

This was such a great wedding... even though it was the middle of summer & it hadn't rained for weeks this day it poured down !!!
Everyone took it in their stride though & although it was supposed to be an outdoor wedding in the vineyard & 100+ people had to squash into the winecellar (very small) it was just great.
At first I was a bit freaked out about how to do the bridal photos as there wasn't too many options ... but I took it as a challenge & ended up with some really great creative shots which were totally different to what I usually do.
To view slideshow go here

As always plenty more at www.afpnz.com & www.afpnz.co.nz

Next week there will be 2 brand new weddings & then I'll be back to counting down to the most recent from the summer.
Cheers,
Faith

February Wedding 2

2008-05-29T07:34:00.002+12:00

This was a very stylish elegant wedding... they held it at Vaughan Homestead Long Bay on Auckland's North Shore.
The bridesmaids were as usual the life of the party... the head bridesmaid gave the funniest speech...
We were so lucky with the location as we had the beach & some bush to work with & then at sunset we were even more spoilt with a stunning sunset over the beach.
It really was a fantastic day.
To view their slideshow click here

To see the Movie trailer here

As always plenty more to see at www.afpnz.com or www.afpnz.co.nz

1st February Wedding

2008-05-28T07:44:00.003+12:00

I am starting to catch up !!! The good news is that we have 2 weddings this weekend.... so next week there will be brand new photos from 2 New Zealand winter weddings :-)

Anyway back to February.... Pahiatua is down the lower middle of the North Island of New Zealand. It's very small but a nice place.

These guys had their ceremony at a Lavendar Farm just outside of town ... which was so cool.

They were a great couple & the girls had us in hysterics all morning while they were getting ready.

The bride said the groom was really shy, but he came out of his shell for the photos & we got some great video also.

To view slideshow go here

Check out their Movie Trailer here

As always plenty more to see at http://www.afpnz.com/ or http://www.afpnz.co.nz/

Last January Wedding

2008-05-27T10:24:00.002+12:00

This was such a cool wedding... we did the photos & video of the couple & the bridal party first before the ceremony, which is a great idea as everyone's hair still looks great & the girls make-up is still good.
They were an awesome couple to work with ... they went with all our ideas & because they were quite cool & with it we were able to do some more funky poses etc than we can do at a more conventional wedding.
It was another Scots themed wedding complete with bagpipers etc & there is a funny photo in the slideshow of everyone that wore a kilt on the day.
To view slideshow go here

As always more to see at www.afpnz.co.nz or www.afpnz.com
To see Movie Trailer go here

January Wedding 3

2008-05-25T14:08:00.004+12:00

Deep in the heart of the middle of nowhere .... honestly we had to meet the Bride at the Hairdressers in Taumarunui & follow her to the wedding, because it was so far out in the sticks.

Anyway... what with the spectacular scenery & the wonderful people it was certainly a wedding to remember.

We had a great time ... we went 15 minutes into the bush by 4wheel drive for the photo shoot & it was just all very surreal.

Everyone had a great day & all the families were just so happy for these two.

To see slideshow go here

To see Movie Trailer go here

As always plenty more to see at http://www.afpnz.com/

January Wedding 2

2008-05-22T07:54:00.006+12:00

This wedding was the most fun.... between the whole Pink & Black theme & all the guests wearing pink & black also it was great.

The Sand Ceremony in the thumbnail looked great with the pink & black sand.

Then when it came to family photos they had props & did all sorts of different things... so very different all round.

They had hired a school camp for the weekend & everyone was staying there ... when we got there it felt like a big family holiday, which was so cool.

There was even a paddling pool for the kids, which got hijacked to put ice & all the beer in !!!

To see slideshow go here

As always lots more to see at http://www.afpnz.com/

A March Wedding

2008-05-21T10:47:00.004+12:00

I know this is all out of order.... But, this was such a great wedding & we received the following e-mail from them yesterday & I thought "well this just has to go on the blog right now!!:-)"

Dearest Adrian, Faith and Hamish,
Where to start on behalf of Mike and myself the wedding party and family and friends I would like to thankyou for your amazing job that you did on our wedding day. The DVD gets a great deal of workout as Mike watches it once a week as it captures everything about our day!
Faith thank you so much for all of your help, input and leading up to our fabulous day...I know that I had some weird requests of information for people that you knew of that might be able to help us out with service that would suit our wedding style in the area.From the moment you arrived I was relaxed and so happy that you and the family were so easy to get along with....you got straight to work and started getting footage of the girls and I getting ourselves organised.
Heading to the beach and getting some nice photos and video of the girls down there before the ceremony was awesome we felt like movie stars when we walked around the corner and you were all up there waiting to get shots of us walking down towards you our own paparazzi.
The video of the ceremony is lovely capturing the true feeling of the day with Mikes singing (he forgot that he had the mic on) through to the background noise of the matron of honours little screaming for mummy...and showing her dropping her tissues she had stuffed down her dress for later...all these little things make the day real...when everything gets edited out I feel like things feel fake and I love that our day was beautiful as it was.
The family shots are great and love to look at them and see my Dad so proud and Frank holding my hand so tight that I know that I am accepted as a daughter to him.
The group shots what can I say you captured our fun side so well and I love that the girls and boys got to show off their personalities.
Our time together when we had our couple shots was very nice and the pictures are very romantic.
I loved that you took the time to get shots on your way out of the reception to capture my cousin and his two hour old baby girl as they were also leaving. There stop on the way home from the hospital to show us there beautiful little girl that was born ten mins after our ceremony finished this was very special.
From a couple of the bridesmaids they have said you were brilliant some have been married others have been in up to five weddings as bridesmaids and have said they will look at having you do there weddings when they get married as you are the best crew they have ever worked with a you can balance the fun and the professionalism.
We had the most amazing day it was so much fun and so relaxed that we could be ourselves and not feel stupid doing the crazy things we love to do!!
Thank you so much, Michelle and Michael

To see their slideshow go here

Here is their Movie Trailer

As always lots more at www.AFPNZ.com

January Wedding 1

2008-05-19T11:14:00.006+12:00

Wright's Watergardens at Pukekohe make an awesome venue for a wedding. Built on an old stone quarry they are absolutely stunning... a great family day out too.

We got some absolutely awesome photos from the whole day... right from the start of the service through all the Bridal Party photos.

They were a great couple & we even got photos with their dog!

To see slideshow click here

To see Movie Trailer clcik here

December Wedding 4

2008-05-15T07:44:00.004+12:00

This has to be my favourite wedding photo from the last season... I also turned it into black & white & had it made into a huge canvas .... AWESOME!!!

The whole wedding was great, the Groom & the boys arrived by helicopter on the beach & then we had quite a hike up aVERY steep hill to the clifftop ceremony.

The Bride was absolutely stunning & it was a beautiful day.

The black sand beach in Taranaki provided an awesome backdrop for the Bridal photos & showed off the bridal party beautifully.

To see more photos of this wedding

View slideshow here

To see the Boys spectacular helicopter entrance on video

Click here

December Wedding 3

2008-05-14T08:25:00.004+12:00

This was a dream wedding for us... the Bride was already nice & early & we had time to do all her family photos before we left for the church.

The Catholic service was nice with readings from the family.

Then after we had no time to go to the park for the portraits so we did all the Bridal photos at the church, which worked out really well.

The reception was heaps of fun... we have found that Indians are real party animals!!! We LOVE Indian weddings, so colourful, the food is great & the people are lovely.

I have even brought an Indian outfit to wear so that I fit in better than I did in my pants & top.Also I get to wear my high heels :-)

To see more photos of this great wedding

View Slideshow here

To watch their movie Trailer click here

December Wedding 2

2008-05-11T08:23:00.003+12:00

We were so lucky to catch this photo of these guys... we literally had no time for portraits as their day was so busy.

By the time everyone had their hair & make-up etc done & got to the park for the service, we had the ceremony & started on family photos ... we reliased that by the time we got through the very long list of family there would be no time left.

So the MC who was an uncle made an executive descion to do the rest of them later. Which left us about 10 minutes to do the bridal party & the Bride & Groom !!!

Still we got there in the end & it was a beautiful wedding, lovely , lovely people & just an awesome day.

On the way to the reception we stopped at the Groom's grandfather's resthome to take some pictures with him, that was so cute.

To see more pictures from this wedding

view slideshow here.

Till tomorrow .. take care,

Cheers,

Faith

December Wedding 1

2008-05-10T09:53:00.003+12:00

Our first wedding at Hamilton Gardens... these guys were great,

we had so much fun with them & their Bridal party.

Our last stop was the Indian Gardens which have a big fountain/water feature in the middle.

By the time we got to it everyone was hot & tired so the bridesmaids took their shoes off & got in the fountain!

It made for some hilarious photos & on the DVD they were just sooo funny. :-)

Luckily for us by that time there weren't too many people around as the gardens have some pretty anal rules & they probably have one about not climbing in the fountains!!

To see more great photos from this wedding

View slideshow here

I have also updated my profile ... so if you want to see what kind of crazy I am ..... check it out :-)

November Wedding

2008-05-09T07:21:00.003+12:00

Well as you can see from the title I am waaaaay behind!

However.... these guys were fabulous, we got a lot of fun photos.

Including hitchiking on the Auckland motorway!!!

They were great they really got into the spirit of the day & we got some really unique pictures for them.

To see more from their great day

Veiw slideshow here

Now that I am back in the habit of updating ....

There should be something new everyday.

Cheers,

Faith.

About Time to Get This Under Control!!! :-)

2008-05-08T07:11:00.002+12:00

Hi There,
As you can see true to form I have carried on my slacker ways & this is the first post since Feb!!
However now that the wedding season has slowed down a bit I should be able to get back on track.
Hopefully by the time next season hits I will be onto it enough to keep this baby updated every day....
So, here goes
We have been flat out this year with an average of 3 weddings a weekend since the beginning of Jan. ... so lots of post-wedding work has been keeping me very busy.
To check out some of our work have a look at the links below... proof that I haven't really been sitting around doing nothing :-)
Video site www.AFPNZ.com
Photo site www.go4photos.com

Please enjoy yourselves & with some good planning I will start reveiwing some of our weddings
later today.
Cheers,
Faith.

New Years resolution....

2008-02-14T12:10:00.002+13:00

Ok, I'm a slacker .... my New Years resolution was to blog every week & keep up to date.
As you can see it's half way through February & this is the first entry!!!!
Things have been very crazy so I am just going to post links to some of the weddings we have done over the last couple of months.
Next week (fingers crossed) I will get back on track.
Sooooooooo next post will be lots of links.

October Wedding 3

2007-10-17T08:43:00.001+13:00

An intimate wedding with just family & their closest friends, you could really feel the love that everyone attending felt for these two. It was just awesome to see two people that were so loved by those who knew them.
The venue for the ceremony & reception was just stunning & the rain held off until after the photos when everyone was safely inside at the reception.
There were some really touching & wonderful sentiments in all the speeches, particularly from the Groom.
Their little girl who was flowergirl for them was just the cutest thing & soooooooooo well behaved.
Fabulous wedding, just fabulous.

View slideshow here

October Wedding 2

2007-10-17T08:32:00.000+13:00

These guys had the most outstanding Bridesmaids dresses

lime green with pink sashes... they looked stunning.

It was a very long day for all concerned, our team left home at 2am Saturday morning to travel to Whangarei in the Far North & returned at 1am Sunday morning.

Although it was an early afternoon wedding with an afternoon tea reception it was also a really long day for the Bridal party ... they were so much fun & up for any challenge with the photo shoot.

It was great to meet such a nice group of young people.

They were all heavily involved in their church & the whole church showed up to support them at their wedding.

And as for the car trip between the church & the reception

Whangarei has probably never seen anything like it!!

View slideshow here

October Wedding 1

2007-10-17T08:22:00.000+13:00

Mystery Creek Hamilton is where the National Feildays are held every year.....

Who would have thought that it also has the most beautiful Wedding Venue? :-)

This was a truly wonderful day, the weather held, the Bride was stunning & the whole family on both sides were just great people. I was especially impressed with the Groom's family's colour co-ordinating efforts with their outfits!!

Everyone was most obliging with the photo session, even when I dragged the Bride & Groom out into the dark so I could get my must have shot in low light.... guys it was well worth it!!

View slideshow here

August Wedding 4

2007-09-13T11:38:00.000+12:00

WOW!! This was a fabulous wedding.

The bride was one of the nicest people we've ever met & the groom was just great.

We had a fantastic time right from when we got to the brides place to get photos of her & the bridesmaids getting ready.

The bridesmaids were all gorgeous & SO funny!

The bride went out of her way to get into her dress so that we could take some lovely photos of her in it well before she was ready to go.

They had a lovely church service at a really beautiful little church.

We didn't have a lot of time for the photos but everyone was so co-operative we got through it no trouble & ended up with some truly wonderful pictures.

Everyone at this wedding went out of their way to make us feel like we were part of the family & we were quite reluctant to go home at the end.

During the speeches everyone that spoke also sang a song which was really awesome.

I was just pleased that we didn't have to sing ... as I am tone deaf & couldn't sing in tune to save myself!!!

It was a wonderful day all round.

View slideshow here.

August Wedding 3

2007-09-13T11:29:00.001+12:00

This bride truly captures the essence of the saying Big is Beautiful.

She looked absolutely stunning & had the most awesome personality to go with it.

She had chosen the perfect dress stylish, elegant & the bridesmaids dresses were an awesome shocking blue colour that set off the brides dress perfectly & the 2 little flowergirls were so cute with their little fake fur wraps.

Unfortunately Aucklands weather was not playing the game this day & we had to cut the portrits short at the park due to rain, cold & wind.

But we found a nice quiet corner at the reception & finally got some nice pictures of the happy couple... they were fantastic with all the goings on & hassle of the wet day they carried on smiling right throught to the last picture.

View slideshow here.

August Wedding 2

2007-09-13T11:18:00.001+12:00

One of the most beautiful weddings we have ever done... the combination of the bright pink bridesmaids dresses with the Brides white dress & the guys black suits really was stunning.

Another day when the weather gods smiled on us at just the right time.

It had been showery all day & when we went to check out the location for the photos it was windy, wet & miserable... by the time we went to do the photos it had cleared a bit.

Then half way through it rained then stopped, right then I saw the most beautiful rainbow .... so I made the couple run out to the middle of the beach right under it with their umbrella & got the BEST photo.

It was a once in a lifetime oppurtunity & I wasn't about to lat it get away!

They were all such good sports we had them on the beach freezing cold, in bare feet, climbing on the rocks, hiding from the rain, wading throught the surf to get to the rocks.

And it was all so worth it as we got some really great photos.

They were both lovely people & we hope they have an idyllic life together as they were both so sweet.

View slideshow here.

August Wedding 1

2007-09-13T09:02:00.001+12:00

This was a fabulous family wedding.

We were really lucky with the weather... when we got to Auckland it was raining & windy half hour prior to the service it all cleared up & by the time we got to the park to do the photos it was a beautiful day.

The entire bridal party were just fantastic, they ran, jumped & did all sorts of crazy things so we could get some really great photos.

The newly weds were such lovely people, very relaxed & so happy to be married it was nice to see a couple that was so supportive of each other.

At the reception kids ran riot, there was Tongan dancing, funny speeches & just a nice family atmosphere.

In all it was very much a warm fuzzy wedding.... oh & the groomsmen were as funny as a fit, as you can see in some of the group photos!!

View slideshow here.

July Wedding

2007-07-25T08:39:00.001+12:00

We left Cambridge at 3:30am Friday morning & drove to Wellington.... 7 hours later we arrived in the city.Friday was spent getting to know the Bride & Groom & their families & checking out locations for photos on the off chance that Wellington's weather might actually be fine!Saturday morning 7am start... First up the Bridal parties preparations, 3 bridesmaids, one flower girl, several aunts, sisters etc & one very laid back Bride who insisted that everyone else be made-up & have hair done first.Then the Groom's party arrived ... which was a riot that last for about 2 hours.finally the Tea Ceremony where gifts were given from the Bride's family to the Bride & Groom.We moved on to the Groom's hotel where they had another Tea Ceremony for his side of the family.It was all change then after some quick portraits in their traditional Chinese wedding attire into their Kiwi style outfits.Her dress was just beautiful with a long train & intricate embroidery & he wore a white suit with silver trim.The ceremony was held in one of the function rooms at the hotel & everyone managed to squash in.... our first wedding that featured a violinist with a mohawk!!After the ceremony & some mingling we did the formal portraits of the families etc on the staircase as the Wellington weather true to form was terrible!At the reception every guest received Chinese love dolls as favours, these were so cute ... little wooden painted dolls & each pair was different.Speeches, cake cutting, first dance it all went well.We had heaps of fun & all the guests had a great time ... although I think they were some very tired people the next day as the partying went well into the night.We left at 11pm to drive straight home & when we left they were just getting started on the serious partying!All in all it was a fabulous wedding & we wish the happy couple a lifetime of happiness & good fortune.

View slideshow here.

April Wedding 2

2007-07-25T08:27:00.000+12:00

A purple themed wedding that took place at Settlers Lodge Auckland.

A wonderful setting with unlimited photo locations.

This couple were really cool & lots of fun, her daughter was a bridesmaid & his son was a groomsman.

It was a lovely family occasion & everyone had a great time.

An autumn wedding is just lovely when the weather is settled & the trees are turning.

View slideshow here.

April Wedding 1

2007-07-09T14:16:00.000+12:00

These guys had planned a fantastic wedding with all sorts of entertainment, an outdoor ceremony, reception in a marquee etc..... However Aucklands weather flatly refused to co-operate & at the last minute they had to move eveything inside to a very small cafe.

However it turned out to be one of the best wedings we've been to ... it was so obvious that they were just so happy to be getting married that nothing else mattered.

Which made their wedding really beautiful despite the crappy day.

The bride was absolutely stunning & had a gorgeous dress... although I think she may have been feeling the cold towards the end of the day!

View Slideshow here.

March Wedding 5

2007-07-09T14:08:00.000+12:00

We had a blast at this wedding... the groomsmen were all crazy!! We got some of the funniest pictures ever!

The couple were absolutely lovely & their 6month old baby was so cute.

The portrait photos were just a riot from start to finish... & the whole party were such good sports about everything.

The reception was at Tuscanys in Tauranga which is a beautiful upstairs venue in the Historic Village & it was decorated beautifully with fairy lights everywhere.

A great time had by all.

View their slideshow here.

March Wedding 4

2007-07-09T14:01:00.001+12:00

These guys were so much fun... they had us in fits of laughter when we were trying to shoot the portraits & it wasn't until after we got them to do a whole lot of crazy things that they told us she was pregnant.

They had a lovely garden wedding at Ormlie House just outside Napier in the Hawkes Bay, it was a beautiful autumn day... just perfect.

With guests from Holland & all over NZ it was a great family occasion.

View slideshow here.

March Wedding 3

2007-07-09T13:51:00.001+12:00

Our first wedding with a Tea Ceremony... they had a traditional Catholic service & then went back to the hotel for the Tea Ceremony.

It was great.

They were such a lovely couple & their families were awesome ... we got some of the most beautiful photos of everyone in the party.

Then at the reception the bride changed into another beautiful dress & looked stunning again.

They were a fun couple & we all really enjoyed our day.

Veiw slideshow here.

March Wedding 2

2007-07-09T12:03:00.000+12:00

This was an absolutely beautiful wedding on one of New Zealand's most attractive beaches... Hahei on the Coromandel pennisula.
It was a very kiwi wedding, the bride had bare feet, the guests all stood round with their drinks, there was a large contingent of onlookers due to the fact it was a Saturday on a popular public beach.
A large Pohutukawa tree provided shade for all the guests & the bridal party & the couple made their vows against a stunning backdrop of the bay & all it's islands.
A brilliant day was had by all with plenty of drinking & dancing well into the evening.
Fantastic!!

View Slideshow here.

March Wedding 1

2007-04-20T10:55:00.000+12:00

This photo typifies the feel of this wedding.

The bride was almost always laughing... she has the most wonderful bubbly personality, her husband was fantastic too... they did seem a bit like chalk & cheese, but when you saw how they looked at each other it is definitely a match made in heaven.

They had a traditional Samoan wedding which was quite an experience, they have some really lovely ideas & seemed to incorporate all of the people that were important to the couple in some way.

A great day was had by all.

View slideshow here.

February Wedding 4

2007-04-20T10:48:00.000+12:00

A real family wedding was what this couple wanted & that's exactly how it turned out.

They had a beautiful Auckland day for a late afternoon wedding at an historic homestead.

The little niece & nephew & their antics were cause for much amusement amongst the rest of the guests.

These guys were such a lovely down to earth couple, who just wanted everyone that they had invited to share their special day with to really feel at home.

February Wedding 3

2007-04-20T10:29:00.000+12:00

This wedding was like the fairytale wedding that little girls dream of... the day was perfect, the dress was awesome, the venue was stunning, & the flower girls were Sooo cute!

Added to this 2 sets of extremely proud parents &amp; a large crowd of family & friends.

I think everyone got sunburnt, but carried on partying until very late.

View Slideshow here.

February Wedding 2

2007-04-20T10:23:00.000+12:00

A Scottish themed wedding was extremely apt for this couple as he came out from Scotland ... fell in love & stayed here.

They were such a cute couple , just doting on each other.

The historic chapel they choose in Auckland was jus the perfect setting for their theme.

The groomsmen all looked great in their kilts & later on at the reception there seemed to be a lot of interest as to what was being worn underneath!!

View Slideshow here.

December Wedding 3

2007-04-20T09:36:00.000+12:00

On the 23rd December this couple was married in Hastings, NZ.

A formal church wedding with their own music it was a beautiful service with lots of family & friends in attendance.

They had their reception at one of the local vineyards which was an absolutely beautiful setting.

They are a great couple & seem set to succeed in all they set out to do.

Both the families were also lovely people & such proud parents on both sides.

February Wedding 1

2007-04-20T09:18:00.000+12:00

In our home town of Cambridge we are so lucky to have the most beautiful park & that is where this couple got married.

It was a very casual wedding but extremely touching.

Everyone could tell that these 2 were just head over heels for each other & they are both lovely people.

The guests all brought folding chairs & blankets & drinks & picnics it was like a real family outing.

View Slideshow here.

December Wedding 2

2007-04-20T08:44:00.000+12:00

These guys came all the way from England to get married at Karekare beach... they'd seen the movie "The Piano" & loved the beach shots.

The ceremony was at the Karekare Falls which are just magnificent & then we all went for a walk on the beach & did some photos there... I almost got bowled by a rogue wave!!

The coolest thing about these 2 was just how happy they both were to have found their soulmate. It was just beautiful to see & it really came out in the photos & video.

View Slideshow here.

December Wedding 1

2007-04-19T15:16:00.000+12:00

This was a great, fun, family wedding.

The couple & their 2 boys came out from Australia to celebrate their special day with thier NZ friends & family.

Such a laidback bunch!!!

From Dad & the boys playing rugby in the garden, to the Groom snoozing & having to be woken to get ready, the kids watching "The Wiggles".

Short & sweet was the best way to describe the ceremony... it was really beautiful, the Groom sang a song to his Bride & the kids danced to it. So cool.

All the guests had a fun time & it seemed like a huge success, everyone there was just so stoked for them & the atmosphere showed it.

View Slideshow here.

September 2006 Wedding

2007-04-19T13:53:00.000+12:00

This was a beautiful wedding, one of the most emotional ones we have ever covered.

The day was Fabulous... one of those perfect early spring days when it seems like summer is just around the corner.

The bride looked stunning & the groom was very emotional which was so sweet.

The venue in Tauranga was perfect for this wedding... enough room for the ceremony, photos, reception &amp; dancing!!

We had a great time & everyone there had a blast.

View Slideshow here.

Who am I ?

2007-04-10T08:23:00.000+12:00

I am a wedding photographer from New Zealand.

My Husband & I run a family business doing wedding videos & photos.

This blog will track our weddings as we do them & have links to photos & videos of some of the weddings we have covered.

It could be helpful to those of you still planning your big day as we have covered a wide variety of weddings ... no two have been alike.

I hope you enjoy watching our journeys around New Zealand, we love what we do & we meet all sorts of fasinating people.

Cheers,

Faith.