November 18, 2015

Gecko Ridge Wedding

Photographing a wedding at Gecko Ridge just outside Pretoria always excites me. I LOVE the place, the food, the photo possibilities, just everything. And it was just fitting that two beautiful people like Louis & Shani had to get married at such a beautiful venue.

And when I say beautiful I mean they are beautiful people inside and out, special people, caring people.

So how did I meet them? Shani and Louis were a bridesmaid and groomsman at Leon & Xandi Bender’s wedding that I photographed about a year ago. It seems like she liked Xandi’s photos, because here I am as her wedding photographer. And it was so nice to meet up with Leon & Xandi again. This time it was their turn to be a groomsman and bridesmaid for Louis & Shani.

I was a bit worried driving to the venue, it was raining, the kind of rain that prevents you from photographing outside. And the weather bureau was predicting rain for the whole day.

Shani’s make up was done by Karin Roode http://www.karinroode.co.za/ , without a doubt one of the very best make up artists I’ve seen…and I see a lot. Here she is busy with the finishing touches of Shani’s make up

All the girls enjoying themselves before the wedding. Everyone was very relaxed as they were ahead of schedule. Not knowing yet about the shock Shani will get in 15 minutes time. Just as Shani was about to get dressed they discovered that they didn’t have the part of the dress with the hoop in at the venue. And this part wasn’t very close to venue. Luckily Xandi phoned her sister to get a hoop at a wedding supplier and meet Shani’s mother in law halfway. To while away the time and get the stress levels down all the ladies danced around in the room. Eventually Shani walked into the church 40 min late. Which was a VERY good thing, I’ll tell you about that just now.

Louis doesn’t look very nervous does he? Believe me, he was! Minutes later Shani walked into the church on the arm of her dad, crying when she saw her soon to be husband waiting for her.

Louis and Shani are born again Christians. It was so refreshing to see him honouring the Lord in church by raising his arm whilst singing!

During the ceremony Louis’s father, grandfather and new father in law came forward to anoint the newly wed couple with oil and pray for them.

And then, just as they were about to walk out of the church it stopped raining. If Shani wasn’t late for the church due to her hoop, they would have had to walk out in the rain…and wait for 40 min to have their photo shoot. Somebody higher up was helping to plan things for them. Just after the shoot when they walked into the reception it started raining again. It cleared just long enough for the shoot. We had our photobus outside for the guests from about 20:00 – 21:00. It rained till just before the photobooth had to start, stopped raining the entire time that we had the photobooth, and started again when we left. Louis and Shani…you are connected!

Louyis and Shani with Louis’s grandfather’s car. He still took his girlfriend out in it all those years ago.

Time for the reception, and all the well wishes from friends and family.

Poor Louis, his friends really gave him a lot of uphill during his speech, even coming forward to take selfies with him. Look at Louis’s face here. To remember what you wanted to say under this kind of pressure must be very difficult