December 2011 brought with it another great round of graduations for me. It was full of graduates stoked to have no more exams, parents bubbling over with pride, grandparents full of stories from their days at university, and siblings who were really just looking forward to a good feed at night (I know... been there, done that).

I photographed 36 graduates in 45 minute sessions, over 5 days. Doing the math... *opens up a calculator*... that's 1620 minutes of doing the laps around campus! And it was awesome - I met so many hilarious, fun, smart, short, tall, talented, lovely, sweet, jumpy, pretty people... who all hugely deserved to be wearing that silly black hat and a colourful hood.

Here is a snippet of the thousands of photos I took... I do of course do all the traditional photos and standard family photos too... but let's be honest, it would be boring if we didn't have a bit of fun as well...and I LOVE laughter!! Hope you enjoy! xx

Cute little birdie joined us for this one too...

Mr. Duck and I hung out for about 15mins while I waited for some graduates to arrive! I'm very tired.. so I apologise that my silly sense of humour got the better of me here... haha...

Dani even got her 84yr old Grannie JUMPING!! Go Grannie!!!

These guys became famous in an instant... all of a sudden they had a bus load of Asians taking photos of them across the river!!!

I cannot talk highly enough of Rebecca and John's Wyndham wedding on the 14th of January... they did not stop smiling all day, and they just made our photography so easy! Love was abounding and oozing out from everywhere. It was one of those weddings that gave me goosebumps and tingles all down my back from the emotion and loveliness of it all!

They intended on getting married outside in the gorgeous Mayple Glen gardens, but unfortunately rain changed that plan. It really was no problem though - Rebecca and John breezed through the day without a care in the world..."all in God's plan!" they said... and they couldn't have been more correct.

John and Bex first met a camp, and got to know each other further as John became a regular visitor to the Diack family dinner table. They became best friends, and fell deeply in love. Two months after they started going out, John whisked Bex away on a motorbike for a picnic, to the top of a hill on their farm... and asked Bex the best question she could have hoped for.

On their wedding day, we met the groom and his 'people' first. John was introducing us to everyone running around the busy household... "this is my sister, and my brother, and another sister... and two other brothers... and... another sister and brother...". My head got so frazzled trying to work out where these people kept coming from... until I found out there are 12 kids in the family!!!! TWELVE kids!!! That's a whole sports team!!! Jeeeeeepers, there must be a lot of food and odd socks and washing in that house!

They also had lots of nice manly details... including a very classy new watch that Bex had given John as a wedding gift.

John (like most grooms) was having a little trouble getting his tie done up evenly...

John's wonderful mother, (who deserves huge credit for raising a whole tribe of children full of integrity, love and respect), watches on proudly as her precious son gets suited up for his wedding day...

Over at Rebecca's home, everything was suprisingly calm, and there were smiles and beautiful girls galore!! Turns out they don't do things by halves down in Wyndham - Rebecca and John each had 6 friends or siblings in the bridal party - so we had a total of 14 to photograph for the afternoon!!

More pretty girly details - including the stunning gold bangle John had gifted Bex for their wedding day.

How many people does it take to lace up a wedding dress? 6 bridesmaids + one mother apparently!

Wow. Bex, look at you!! You are sooo incredibly stunning!

You were radiant with love and excitement all day... and it was beautiful to watch!

These girls were all fabulous. Not only did they look amazing, they were so helpful and giggly and fun!

Sisterly love...

The ceremony was held in the Wyndham Presbyterian Church because of the rain... John and Bex are so popular and loved that it was packed to the brim in there!

I'm pretty sure there was not a dry eye in the whole congregation as Rebecca walked down the aisle... it was a very emotional moment. It's a good thing I have a camera to hide behind in these moments, because I was welling up something chronic too.

They were just a little bit cute together throughout the whole ceremony!

The pastor reminded us all of the importance of a husband cherishing his wife's heart, and of a wife continually respecting and honouring her husband. I have no doubt in my mind that Bex and John understand this fully. They are so sweet together.

Just married, and pretty darn happy about it! Bex and John totally rocked the shoot. The heavy rain decided to cease just as we arrived at our first location, and we were able to head outside for all the portraits!

Meet the bridal party of awesomeness. Truly, all 14 of these guys and girls totally rocked. They are most definitely in running for the cutest big bridal party ever award. If you are thinking about hiring a bridal party at any stage, I suggest you seriously consider this crew.

Cameron, Peter, Paul, Andrew, Hannah (Miss Groomsmaid!), Hayden, Hannah, Emma, Kimberley, Jess, Alana and Claire ... (phew, that makes you breathless)...you did an amazing job at making the photos fun and helping with poofing dresses, keeping Bex and John fed and watered, jumping in stillettos, and keeping calm and cool. It is very obvious that Bex and John have an awesome and loving support crew around them!

I've been sitting here trying to type a wolf whistle... but "wit weoo" is the best I can come up with. Anyway, John you have scored yourself a very hot wife!!

I really wasn't joking when I said that this massive bridal party was so cute! Check this out... we took Bex and John away for a little bit to do some portraits, and when we looked back at the rest of them, they were all huddled around in one big group hug. Although only 6 of the 12 were either Bex or John's siblings, they are all just one big happy family!

I am mostly including this photo because it makes me giggle! Liam and I have fun playing around with different sun flares and colours... and get a bit competitive over it... but we didn't know our bride was something out of Star Wars! When we looked through the photos the first time, I was like "Look Liam!!! You gave her a light-saver!!!!!". He pretty quickly laughed in my face... turns out, it's actually a light-saber. Whoops. I'm clearly not a die-hard Star Wars fan.

Bex can even make a light-s.a.b.e.r look awesome... watch out John!

You are truly an amazing couple, and it was such a privilege to photograph your wonderful wedding!

Bex and John, we wish you the very, very best for soooo many happy years of marriage and life together! Your wedding day was incredible... yet that is only the beginning! You share an huge amount of love and now you get to live a beautiful life together because of it. We hope you have enjoyed your sneak peek of your photos... there are so many more to give you! Bless you both hugely xoxo

Eight and a half years after meeting at a 3rd form rave, Krista and Brett each committed their lives to each other. They are best friends who complement each other completely.

We are going back in time a tiny bit here... just to November 25th, 2011 - to a very sunny and extreeeemely windy day in Timaru. This lovely wedding took place just as I hit peak busyness, and I was unable to blog it... so I am catching up! Again, I am going to let the pictures do most of the talking... because there are plenty of other blogs lining up to be done as well!

Krista is an absolutely stunning girl, and she made a perfect bride. She is my brother-in-law's younger sister, and my sister-in-law, Laura, was a bridesmaid... so there were a lot of family connections during the day! The whole wedding was incredibly gorgeous...

Krista's elegant dress was made by my mother-in-law, Christine, and the bridesmaids dresses were made by Krista's Mum, Lynette! They are two very talented ladies... Krista looked amazing in her dress.

Putting on her great-grandmothers ring...

I love this moment as her parents peek around the corner and watch their stunning daughter become a bride...

While I was at the girls, Liam spent a wee while with Brett and his mates, who were getting ready all very casually...

It was insanely windy... so much so that Krista's veil got blown straight out of her hair! With very little shelter at any of the locations, they did amazingly well to cope with being blown in all directions!

Stunning, and utterly in love...

Playing with a bit of sun-flarey goodness!

Krista and Brett, you are an adorable couple... and Liam and I totally LOVED shooting your wedding! Thank you for letting us be part of your celebrations! I am sure we will see you again soon xoxo

This little baby (known as 'Baby Pea' during pregnancy) graced the world with his presence on his due date, which was remarkably convenient of him! His amazing parents, Catherine and Simon, needed to get home from Christchurch before he was born, and I was heading to Invercargill for a wedding just a few days after his due date... so the timing all worked in perfectly.

Meet little Ezra. He is 9 days old, and he is perfection all wrapped up.

There is only one thing more precious than a baby's wee hands and feet... and that is when those wee hands grab hold of yours. The first thing Ezra did when he was born, was to wrap his tiny little fingers around his mothers...

Isn't he just the sweetest little bundle you ever did see?!

I love the connection here with his Daddy...

Ezra was so chilled out the whole time. He didn't sleep... but he also didn't cry, grizzle, poo, or spew. He just lay, happy as Larry, placidly taking in the world around him.

Remember his wee pea-pod toys from the maternity shoot?!

This is what kisses for a hungry baby look like... hehe...

Love that little tongue trying to find food!

And this is what kisses for a well-fed baby look like...

Catherine and Simon, you are beautiful and loving parents. Ezra is very lucky to have you both. I wish you all the best as you enter the journey of parenthood!

Just fed, and zonked. Wee Ezra finally fell to sleep...

I hope to see you again precious wee thing! xx

Catherine and Simon came up from Invercargill for a maternity shoot just before Christmas... and I am now playing catch up with some blogs... because this little bundle has already been born!! Soon you will get to meet the adorable little face behind this bump too...

Pregnancy is such a mystical and beautiful time of life - maternity shoots aim to capture something of three people... one of whom no-one has ever seen! I'm so glad Catherine and Simon booked a last minute maternity shoot, only a few days before the wee poppet arrived into this world!! They were so excited, but were awaiting his arrival patiently, as they needed him to hold on until after Christmas! We set out for beautiful evening light, and we found it...

Pregnancy really suited Catherine, and she and Simon were awesome to work with - they were like a model couple, who were willing to get really cold feet!

Loving this beachy evening light...

Beautiful Catherine looks adoringly at her husband...

...who is thinking his wife is pretty darn hot right now!

Catherine is a French teacher in Invercargill, so it was awesome to be able to include some different little things that were personal to them. Bébé à bord means what it looks like... 'Baby On Board'... cute!

And I was the only one privvy to the gender and name of their precious wee baby... but now that wee Ezra has been born, I can share these!

_Catherine had the perfect bump. It was called 'Baby Pea' during the pregnancy, (because their last name is Patterson), so they wanted to include these cute little pea-pod toys they got given too!

And just after Catherine, Simon and Baby Pea set off for the evening, the sun set on another gorgeous day, lighting the sky many different colours.

I'm sure you are both enjoying wee Ezra being out in this world so much now! I can't wait to blog his newborn shoot very soon! Thanks for letting me be part of this exciting stage of life! xx

Rachel and Andrew's wedding, on January 6th, was a truly magnificent day! Their ceremony was held in the beautiful St. Pauls Church in Invercargill, and the reception in the intricate and immaculate Civic Theatre! It was such a huge privilege to be part of their extremely special day. Rachel was a serenely graceful bride, she just floated through the day so perfectly! Their classic, 'romantic elegance' theme suited them completely, and the love they share is something incredibly special.

Today I am going to let the photos do the story-telling... take in the emotions, look at the beauty, adore the details, and feel the love...

Thank you so much for allowing me to be a part of your amazing day, Rachel and Andy! You and your bridal party were all amazing and so much fun! I hope you enjoyed your wee sneak peek of photos! All the best for your happy life together as husband and wife! xx

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!)

Blind dates. You hear about them in movies, but you don't think they actually happen.
Are they kinda awkward? Yup. Kinda ridiculous? Yup. Kinda exciting?! Yea, a bit. Do they ever work?! Weeeeell... I wouldn't have thought so. But this time I'm going to tell you one of the best "getting together" stories I have ever heard.

Jess and Mickey both grew up near Gore. They each spent five years at Gore High School, but Jess was two years above Mickey. They never reeeally knew each other, apart from the fact that Mickey was the younger brother of one of our good school friends, Natalie. After finishing high school, Jess headed to Lincoln University to study. Two years later, Mickey followed...

They went about life reasonably oblivious of each other, apart from seeing each other around every now and then. Then in her final year at Lincoln, Jess got set up on a blind date. She was auctioned off as part of a fundraising event, after finishing a stint as a leader at the christian fellowship group. Petrified about who she might have to spend one very awkward evening with, Jess hid in her room (and even in her wardrobe for a wee while!!!), waiting for this Mr. Somebody to come along.

Walking out to to meet her date, she couldn't have been more relieved to see Mickey's face. At least she knew him a little bit, and they would have some things in common to talk about. They chatted away, time flew by... and they both left feeling pleasantly suprised about how un-awkward the blind date (that they had both been chucked into very unwillingly) had been.

Life carried on as normal afterwards. They saw each other occasionally, but nothing more than that. It wasn't long though before Jess started catching herself dreaming up ways she could bump into Mickey more often.

Those dreams (and some cunning plans) turned into reality, and gradually they got to know each other better and better... and fell more and more in love.

Jump forward a couple more years... Mickey proposed on his birthday last year, and they are getting married in less than two weeks!!!!!! I am sooooo excited for them and just can't wait for the day to arrive! Marriage is the best thing ever and I just love seeing my friends getting engaged and preparing for a lifetime of happiness with the person they love.

Jess and I go back about eleven years. We met as geeky little third formers with bad hair cuts and no fashion sense, yet with an unspoken but mutual feeling that we could be good friends! Over the years we became really close, and now some of my very favourite stories involve Jess! I have sooo many awesomely fond memories of long nights giggling and gossiping, tramping together, never getting any work done in sewing class together, leading at camps together, talking about boys and many other more intellectual things... and just generally laughing a lot!

_And as I sit here, counting on my fingers and trying to remember how old I am at the moment, I realise I have actually known of Mickey for probably about eighteen years! Woah. I was very good friends with Natalie (Mickey's older sister!) all through school... so he probably just knew me as another one of her annoyingly giggly friends, who hung out at their house sometimes.

These guys are awesome together. Like, actually awesome. They are fun, and they laugh at each other.

And they share a deep level of respect and love.

They aren't an overly touchy-feely couple though, so they asked me if they could stand at least one metre apart during the shoot.

They had the infamous hens and stag nights the day before... so there were pleeeenty of stories to tell each other when they met for the shoot! They spent most of the time just chatting away, laughing and getting a little horrified at what went on... while I just quietly snuck around with my camera. Mickey got to bed at about 4:15am, and started work at 5:15am.... so he had only had 45 minutes of sleep! Yuuuuuk! And you can't even tell....

Too cute for words!

Eeeeep I can't WAIT for your wedding day! Jess you are going to be a gorgeous bride!!! Hope the last week or so of preparations go well, and that you get a bit more sleep before your big day! Lots and lots of love to you both XOXO

Thinking back to James and Laura's wedding on December 30th, makes me do a big happy sigh. Such a beautiful day is hard to contain in a few words and photographs! It was the perfect ending to a fantastic 2011... Liam and I absolutely looooved photographing the whole day.

The glorious sun did its thing, and Laura and James had put sooooo much effort into so many great details and lovely little gestures for the guests to enjoy. And to top it all of... they became man and wife after 9 years of being in love! And what an awesome team they make!

We arrived at the family farm near mighty Clinton, where we were greeted first by a goat, and next by a shoe-polishing groom (through the deer fence!) Impressed? Yep, so were we.

_Actually, we were just stoked to see a groom there at all - Laura practically had to wrap him in cotton wool to ensure he would turn up in one piece. Only a week before the wedding James and his best man, Blake, wrote off his truck (which was meant to be a wedding vehicle!!) while rabbit shooting. Then two days before, he nearly cut off his finger with a knife. Sigh, boys and their toys...

The whole wedding took place on the farm that Laura grew up on, and that James and Laura now live and work on with her parents. So after meeting the boys briefly at the family home, we headed further up the farm road to Laura and James' new house. The beautiful bride was already looking radiant, as we walked up the drive....

When a farm girl meets her wedding day...

Laura's dress was breathtaking... elegant, feminine and utterly divine.

James' Mum pops in to see her (very nearly) daughter-in-law getting all prettied up...

Laura is the definition of beauty... inside and out...

And her own Mum, Robyn, pops in for another peek at her gorgeous girl!

Meanwhile, back at the hundred year old homested... James and the boys slowly scrub up their act from stubbies to suits...

You may remember Gus, from Laura and James' engagement shoot. The LOVE him (so much that they now have a GIANT canvas of one of our photos of him on a bedroom wall... which kinda makes the room like like a shrine to Gus!)

It was great being able to flit between the boys and girls getting ready! Back at the girls, Laura was having trouble knowing which bridesmaid to top up first!

I love, love, looooove when a father sees his stunning daughter for the first time as a bride...

I also love girls with a bit of fun and sass!

Time for the ceremony, which took place on the immaculate front lawn of her parent's home. The section was perfectly suited to a wedding... Robyn had done a fantastic job of the gardens, and a marquee filled with hay bale seats gave some shelter to guests who were avoiding sunburn. Laura and James had thought of everything their guests could possible need... tissues, umbrellas, sunscreen... everything...

Laura and James see each other for the first time, and they couldn't be more happy about it.

The vows were sincere and beautiful, full of love and dedication.

When it came to the giving of the rings, Laura let out a loud whistle, and out came a frantic and hyperactive dog, with a wee ring bag tied to his bowtie!

Very proud of himself on a job well done...

Wisdom from someone with years of experience is invaluable...

You may also remember from their fun paper plane engagement shoot, that James is a pilot! I was ridiculously excited about the possibilty of James flying his bright yellow plane in for the photos! Our prayers for a nice day for flying were answered, and this wee beast made for some awesome photos.

Being classic farmers, next stop was the wool shed!

I love this sneaky wee sexy shot that Liam snapped...

Sighs of relief were heard as all the girls swapped heels for gummies...and we hit the paddocks...

Never has a farm girl looked so darn good... (and Laura looks pretty hot too... :P)

From the paddock to the 4WDs, we headed up a mighty steep hill (let's just say I was glad they organised a 4WD for us too... don't think our Caldina would have made it too far!)... and the 360 degree views around Southland were spectacular. On a good day you can even see right to Central Otago from up there...

We found some meerkats up there too!

Love. Pretty, lovely, genuine love.

The reception venue was filled was heaps of little farmy details, and strings of their engagement photos everywhere too!

Hellooooo immaculate cake...!

Photographing the photographers with cameras on the tables provided endless hours of entertainment for some. That one never got old!

I loved the little differences these guys had organised to make their wedding unique... they even had a quiz to determine which tables got their meals first!

As we drove back to Dunedin after an incredible day, the sun set on another wedding... and almost on another year! I had to pinch myself over and over, to remind myself this is my job... it is such a privilege to be invited into someone's day to be able to capture all these moments.

Laura and James, you guys are an amazingly fun and awesome couple, filled with all the love in the world! You totally rocked your wedding day - the planning was perfect, the day was perfect, and you guys are the perfect couple. We wish you all the very best as you head into your married lives together! XOXO

Alex Hooton is a gorgeous, stylish, beautiful little four year old boy. And he has an INCREDIBLE mother who gives the world for him. Alex is only four... yet he has been through far more than what many of us have. He is a trooper through and through.

Alex's beautiful Mum, Katie, emailed me saying she really needed photos taken of her darling boy, as he was about to begin an extreme high dose of steriods (5 times the normal adult dose), in an attempt to stop him having many seizures a day. The effects of the steroids would be extreme fluid retention, and she was desperate to have something to hold onto of her gorgeous boy, without all the side effects of the drugs. Alex was born with autism and West Syndrome - a catastrophic type of childhood epilepsy that was diagnosed at 12 weeks of age. My heart sunk and tears rolled down my cheeks as I read Katie's email about what she and Alex go through on a daily basis.

This is why I do what I do. Photographs are more than a piece of paper, or something to brighten up our computer screens. Photographs are a way to hold onto something that once was, or to capture real personality and mannerisms. They tell the story of someone's life - with memories to be passed down generations. For Katie, these photographs serve as a very precious reminders of her wee boy, before the side effects hit.

When I met Alex, Katie, and Sue (Alex's grandma), on the day he began his first dose of intense steriods, I was blown away by the strength they have, and how perfect Alex is in so many ways. He is such good looking wee boy, with gorgeous shaggy hair, soft skin and a wee round face that tugs at your heart strings.

His health may be far from perfect, but as a beautiful, loving little boy... he is perfect. He is inquisitive and delightful. He loves exploring and running (...away from the camera...!), and he also loves cars and tractors! Katie has to be in the running for the world's greatest mother, she does such a great job.

Alex is such a sweetie, and Katie is so proud of him. She loves him more than anything - and his sweet wee laugh and the way he looks at her, is testament to how much he loves her back. Things are definitely not easy though. Alex spends his days going in and out of hospital, getting therapy, treatments, medications and he still suffers from many seizures, sleepness nights, and a heap of other side effects.

I love that no matter what the circumstances, the bond between a mother and her child is unbreakable and unconditional.

After running around the playground and fields, Alex found a small creek which he loved throwing stones into. It wasn't long before he was in the water in his shoes... and falling into the creek fully clothed!

A few wardrobe changes later, and Alex slowed down a bit as his energy faded a little. This was a perfect time for me to grab some 2 second shots of him and his adoring mother.

_I totally love the next three portraits.

Alex calls Sue "Mema Chickens", because she has free range chickens at her house, that Alex adores! I think that is the cutest thing ever. Sue was so great to have on the photo shoot too - her energy and beauty was awesome. It was really special that Sue could be down from Christchurch for the shoot, because Alex just thinks she is the bees knees!

Talking with Katie since this shoot has really taught me a lot. Her strength and positivity, amongst what is a really difficult lifestyle and situation, is hugely admirable. She is so smitten with her wee boy, and rightly so! Yet poor wee Alex goes through so much more than what I can ever imagine, and the steroids have only had negative side effects so far. I have been reminded to take time to be thankful for what I have, and to take life's small curveballs in my stride. There are so many people dealing with so many difficult issues, who still smile, love and bless others hugely. Katie and Alex have been a big blessing to me in the past month or so since I have met them. They are both amazing people with huge hearts, and I just hope that you will join with me to pray for a miracle for wee Alex as they try to find a suitable treatment and medication for him.

Thanks so much Alex, Katie and Sue, for playing with me that afternoon! My thoughts and prayers are with you all xoxox