Warning: I've got my mushy, nostalgic, personal hat on today. Don't read this blog if you aren't prepared to hear from my gushy little love heart!

No truly... *back away quietly* now if you're not into that... :) ...

You're still here... ok then, don't say I didn't warn you...

A year ago today... I was a bride.

It was something I had dreamed of forever. Even long before I met Liam, marriage had fascinated me and I wanted it so much. It wasn't necessarily the dress, the shoes, the jewellery and the flowers... yep, those things were fun and important, but I was never one to frantically rip out pictures from magazines and glue them in countless wedding scrapbooks. But marriage is something I have always valued hugely, and a lifetime with my best friend... what could be sweeter?! I desired to be cherished and loved forever by one man. When I fell in love with Liam, I knew it was him who I wanted to treasure... 'till forever and back.

I have always been quite intrigued by the reality of marriage too. It is fun and exciting, and you can achieve more with two than you can with one (this is definitely true for me... this business wouldn't exist to the same capacity without Liam!). And I think one of things I love the most about being married, is that you have to keep working on your love. It's an adventure, a challenge, a daily choice... and while this can be a bit scary, this actually excites me so much. I know, I know....  I am only one year down, and life has all been pretty darn sweet so far... so it's all very easy for me to say now! We are hugely blessed to have so many great friends, incredibly loving and supportive families, and to be doing something so rewarding and special as a job. And I loooooooove being a wife! But I am also aware that it's most definitely not always going to be a easy peasy ride, and I want to have the will to love always.

If you haven't heard 'May Waltz' by Brooke Fraser before, have a listen below... I love it so much, and it was one of our wedding songs. The lyrics capture my heart and I think there is so much truth in it.

Marriage is a beautiful thing. And honestly it just fills my heart to the brim knowing that I get to be a small part of it for other people too. If I can help to give others the feelings that I get when I look at my wedding photos... I am overwhelmed by what a privilege that is.

I have shared this before on my facebook page, and it isn't the best quality for the website sorry, but there is something about this that makes me grin from ear to ear every single time I watch it. And let's be honest, sometimes I watch it quite a few times over! I'm not sure if you can tell or not, but my poor little heart doesn't know how to cope with how happy I am right at this moment...

Liam said to me the other night, "I wonder when the 'paper anniversary' will become the 'electronic anniversary'. So here is an electronic reminder that marriage can be truly awesome. This year has been the happiest, most content year of my life... and I've had a lot of very happy years, so that really says something! Liam treats me so beautifully and he cherishes me totally. Well that, and he teases me constantly!! My heart is full and I feel hugely blessed to be married to the best husband in the world. Happy 1 year anniversary to my gorgeous hubster - I love you heapsies XOXO

(The two wedding photos on here are thanks to Callander Girl Photography!)

My friends are a massive blessing to my life and I am so, so grateful for each and every one of them! Some I have known for many years... we have a rich history together and memories galore! We know each other deeply and nothing could ever change that friendship. My old friends are always there, and I love them to absolute pieces! Old friends are incredibly wonderful to have in your life.

Then occasionally you meet someone new, who you just click with instantly. They understand you, you understand them. You have far too much in common for it to be normal, and you could talk for hours on end with them, about lots or nothing in particular, and it's all good. You laugh lots, do crazy things, and inspire each other to be better.

Heather is one of those friends for me. I can't believe we have only known each other for just over a year. She definitely slots into the 'fit to make an old friend out of' category, and is one of my closest friends. Heather is an AMAZING photographer in Christchurch (I am addicted to her work!). Our friendship has grown from an online, photography based friendship, to an awesome, deep, crazy friendship that goes well beyond our work. I love her to bits!

We both enjoy being a little random and sporadic, which is why this is a 'part one' blog. This was very spontaneous trip to find a yellow field to do flaunt the dress photos in... which was a BIG EPIC FAIL. Turned out the yellow field near Palmerston that Heather travelled from Christchurch to, and I travelled from Dunedin to, wasn't in bloom this year. Typical!

So we found another location out near Karitane, and made stop motions for each other instead. Or attempted to, as the case may be for me! Mine is still to come (I'm just learning, ok?!)... so I thought I would share just a few photos from our one-location wonder in the mean time! I loooove this green blossom!!! And when you add Heather in amongst it, there is natural beauty all around.

Heather is absolutely gorgeous, inside and out. I can't get too gushy on her, or she will resort to calling me names to compensate. But trust me, she is a good friend to have!

And she reeeeally knows how to work the camera, both in front of it and behind it!

You will be seeing more of the fabulous Heather in the next few weeks on my blog... because we are plotting wondorous things! Mwahaha...

But thank you Heather for being crazy with me, communicating constantly with me through our days of sitting editing at a computer, jumping with me, hating potatoes with me, giving me colourful M&M tattoos, and taking a real interest in my life. I can't wait to see you next week!!! XOXO

If you want to see some of Heather's incredible stop motion work, have a look at 'Flaunt that Dress' one of me! She is super creative, full of ideas, and came very prepared with a whole story board for this video. What a talented chick she is! (And she makes me look ok in a fast moving film, so I like her for that!). All credit to Miss Heather Ellis Photography for this stop motion (go check out her other ones here):

The best bit of that, was eating hundreds of M&M's off the grass afterwards... I mean, ah, just kidding... :S

Just over a week ago, the temperatures dropped well below zero, and for the second time this winter, we awoke to a white-out around the city. There is something so magical about snow. Even the most ordinary looking things become serene and stunning when dusted with a few inches of white fluffy water. It is a bizarre concept.... but one that never fails to fill everyone with joy.

A good chunk of New Zealand came to a stand-still. People became more friendly and forgiving, and everyone down the street had something to yarn to you about. Young and old went out to enjoy snowfights, make snowmen, and ride real-estate signs down the steep streets. Some had to trudge to work with plastic bags inside their shoes, and socks outside their shoes (ahem, my husband?!), but even the boss didn't care if they were late. Some got a surprise day off work, and checked facebook every 5 seconds to read yet another status about snow. And some cuddled up beside the fire with a hot chocolate and a good book.

And me? What did I do? Oh, thanks for asking! I couldn't quite justify a snow-day because, let's face it, conditions just weren't that treacherous in the hallway between my lounge and my office. I had plenty of work to keep me busy at my computer, but I had a hankering to get out in the snow with my camera.

I called on trusty facebook to find me a 'liker' who a) had a wedding dress, b) would be willing to get out in the freeeezing conditions in her wedding dress, and c) could actually make it to a location I had in mind (close to my house!!) without compromising her own safety! While I had heeeeaps of interest, the location thing proved to be the limiting condition - especially considering I live up a hill, and most roads around Dunedin were unable to be driven on!

But in true Southern style, out came the 4WD and the chains... and I had a model! The beautiful, up-for-anything, and looovely Rebecca Griffiths met me in her stunning wedding dress... with a puffa jacket, long-johns and gummies to keep her warm in between photos! Rebecca, you are amazing! THANK YOU for putting your life (ok, maybe just your warmth) on the line for me to have some fun! Hope it was worth it for you! xx

We had beautiful, soft, floaty snow for the first half of the shoot. It was thick and amazing! As it slowed down, the wind, rain and hail picked up a little... but we carried on!

Rebecca's lovely husband, James, came along for the ride too! I am not going to give him quite as much credit tho, considering he got to stay in his beanie and puffa jacket! Ok, confession... I was completely rugged up in all my snowboarding gear... annnd I even had the cheek to exclaim how much I was cooking under all my layers. I think Rebecca's ears were too cold to hear that tho...

Rebecca and James are gorgeous together. They got married in 2007, and have been working in Fox Glacier (actually, ON the glacier), and also travelling the world. They moved back to Dunedin to study this year... so we got the pleasure of becoming friends! Yay! They are hard-out snow and adventure bunnies... so I knew I was onto a winner when she offered to do the shoot!

Beautiful. I love this.

You are an absolute champ Rebecca!! Thanks heeeeaps for coming and playing in the snow with me!! And for not complaining when I made you lie in the snow!! Thanks also to James for keeping Rebecca warm and loving her, so I could get beautiful photos... and to Jacqui for holding the jackets and bags and cameras! You all made my snow day waaaay more interesting! xoxo

In May I had the opportunity to head to Queenstown for a seminar run by one of the worlds leading wedding and fashion photographers - New York's Heather Waraksa! It was an amazing and inspiring day, run by The Image College. They do a fantastic job of helping little old South Island photographers like me keep up with what is happening in the big wide world of wedding photography!

It was definitely worth the very early morning drive over there. I left at 5am, and sung really loudly to keep myself awake. I was met there by my very good friend from Heather Ellis Photography, and we became friends with the other handful of photographers there too!

The afternoon allowed us some time for a model shoot, which was awesome, and very, very different. I have only just managed to have a peek at what I shot, so thought I would share a few, because they are unique and fun. Please note that I take absolutely no credit for the ideas, or the setting up of these shots! We all stood back and watched while she taught us some tips and tricks, and then we photographed them! Enjoy xx

Model: Kimberley (Queenstown)
Location: Copthorne Hotel, Queenstown
Dresses: Provided by The Image College
Photo Set-up: Heather Waraksa