The Wedding of the Year!

My daughters very good friend Bina, got married to the love of her life Jonny at the end of 2011.  I was honoured to be asked to take a few group shots after the wedding, and delightfully accepted.  I love to be part of a good wedding!

Bina is lovely.  She's gentle and elegant, but has the most excellent sense of humour, and I love it that she is friends with my daughter.  I asked Anne if she could take a few shots on her camera as well as a backup and it worked really well.  Anne took the long lens shots, and I worked on the record shots during the wedding.

Together, we took nearly 1500 images.  I've chosen 30 to show the world...

The wedding was held at Otehei Bay on Urupukapuka Island in the Bay of Islands, Northland, New Zealand.    Beautiful spot in the Bay.  Gorgeous area to explore too if you're visiting.

Bina and Jonny shared the beach with the rare endangered New Zealand dotterels...

I went over on the first boat in the morning to scope out the island for good wedding shots, and to take photos of Bina relaxing with her friends.  Here she is taking a well earned rest from all the wedding preparations of the last few months.  Her friends and cousins are very supportive.

No wedding is complete without showing off a bit of leg.  The prize goes to the person who can guess which pair of legs has just seen a European Winter.

 I took an old frame over as a prop so tested it out...

The morning was over so quickly, and before long it was time for the bride to start getting ready.  Anne and I started preparing the creative wedding shots...

Once she was ready, and waiting for the service to start.  To calm down the Bride we took her outside and made her get into various poses to take her mind off the service...

The bridesmaids were gorgeously dressed in pohutakawa red, matching the flowering Pohutakawa trees that dotted the island...

Anne took the most amazing shot of Bina....

I loved it in black and white too...

I was able to record the moment when Jonny tripped over his vows.

Anne's long lens shots of the wedding were gorgeous...

While I managed to get a record of some humour from the groom!

Afterwards I took them into the island and made them go into different poses.  They were great, both of them knew what to do without too much prompting, although Jonny did make the comment that he enjoyed me asking them to kiss occasionally!  You'll note the wedding dress blowing about - the Cyclone was beginning to bear down on the area...

The following two - is the same photo, but different colours in the frame.  I can't decide which one I like better.  The one with the black and white in teh middle of the frame makes me think of a digital flat screen TV with a black and white show on it.  What do you think?

Down to the beach with the dotterels and gulls, they danced inside a heart..

 Afterwards Jonny went a bit mad, so I shot him....

Bina practising pulling Jonny away from his toys.  I know that this is pretty normal in most households, especially when it comes to... laptops, cellphones....

Jonny and Bina,  I wish you the utmost happiness together for the rest of your lives.  It was really pleasurable to be able to share your day with you, and it was one of the most memorable weddings I've been to.