The Royal Wedding deserves a Royal affair

Inspiration hit after I read the post on "The Pretty Blog".

I wanted to have a Royal Tea Party in honour of the Royal couple getting married tomorrow at Westminster Abbey. People all around the world have been talking about the Royal wedding tomorrow and all I can think of tonight is how nervous Kate Middleton must be right now. Any normal bride has the jitters of walking down the aisle, but she has the world's eyes on her tomorrow - how nerve wrecking must that thought be!

She will no doubt look gorgeous as she starts a new trend of wedding dresses, veils, tiarras & shoes. Can't wait.

I went to work on baking some scones (said in a posh accent) mixing some Pims and setting up a Royal tea party with a touch of African. The awesome stationery was designed by Elephant Shoe Stationery Studio and the photography which inspired me to have a tea party is Blackframe Photography.

So tomorrow I will be set. Tea and scones while I watch the beautiful couple unite. :)

The Last Summer Family Shoot

This sweet family met up with me on a Sunday afternoon, and while we were having fun getting some shots, other picnicers were packing up after an afternoon in the sun, there was also a wedding in the background, so we had to avoid being in their photos and them being in ours.

They are such a loving family, all with big hearts for each other which I always love to see in families. Once we had finished, they rewarded themselves with an ice cream, the warm sun started to set as we parted our ways.

Loving Moms with bratty teenagers

Whenever I see moms and daughters together, I get a little homesick. As a child I used to cling to my mom's skirt and never want to leave her. Then the other day I was at the shop and a teenage daughter was getting so embarrassed by her mom and they ended up having such a fight, over nothing really, except the teenager being a brat. I think back to when I was a teenager, and how cool I thought I was, so cool that I 'didn't have parents' & if I was seen with them, oh the embarrassment set in. Once you get over that revolting stage of your life, you realise how much your parents mean to you and how hurtful it must have been to have this child who only ever wanted to be clinging to your skirt, and then suddenly to have this horrid monster who wants nothing to do with you (in public).

Now living so far away from my parents, I get quite jealous when I see other moms with their daughters as there is no bond quite like it. I don't think there is anything that you can't ask your mom, and she always seems to have the right answer, even if it's not what you want to hear. There's so much you want to share with your parents when you live far away from them (I'm sure there are lots of people that can relate) The list goes from showing them where you live, where you work, where you shop, who your friends are, having a big hug, to the hopes that when you are pregnant & have kids, that you will be able to show them your child & have granny & grandpa around to baby sit. :)

With Mother's Day coming up, I wish I could be with my parents to celebrate this day. This is when photography becomes such an intregal part of our being, that we should capture the moments we have with our parents to treasure them forever.

Pooches

I seriously wish I had a dog. Every chance I get when there are dogs around I love and play with them - sometimes to my detriment because then they spot the sucker who will pat them and play with them the rest of the day (kinda like kids can spot a sucker who will play with them the whole day!) I really don't mind though, because they are the cutest things and always up for a cuddle and a love. I love the smiles you can so clearly see when they are really excited. :)

Isn't this just such a cute smile!

FairTrade Products

This post follows on from the FairTrade post I did last week. This shows you more of the products which they produce under the FairTrade brand. Below is the room at the Peech Hotel which is a fully FairTrade room and all the products in it as well. Fair Trade was featured on Carte Blanche to illustrate how we all need to make the right choices in what we decide to buy as everything has an origin and we must make the right ethical choices whether it be to protect the workers or animals. Think before we buy. Ask the questions. Choose the right brands.

FairTrade SA

Venue: Peech Hotel

Carte Blanche

Who said camping?

Anyone who has camped with me (and it's not many as I don't camp) will know not to invite me again. You see those rain clouds behind that car in the photo below? Yep, those rain clouds were following me from Joburg all the way to where we set up camp. It wouldn't matter if we camped in the middle of November in Cape Town, if I were there, it would rain. I think I'm jinxed when it comes to camping. I like my comforts - hairdryer, make up, clean, *dry* bedding...not too much to ask?! In an effort to make myself invincible (because I knew it would rain) I bought myself some gumboots, and they were the coolest, girliest things to wear while camping in the rain. My feet stayed clean and dry the whole trip. Those muddy puddles? Pfff - I splashed through them. The puff adder? Ha - He wouldn't have been able to bite through them! Ok, so my feet were taken care of. The rest of the comforts went out the window (of the tent). Dirk, however, made every effort to make sure I was happy and comfy, packing almost every item of the house we could. So much stuff that we had to tie our matresses to the roof of the car (which nearly blew off!) But he definitely took care of me! :) When it wasn't raining we had awesome chats, afternoon naps, curry poitjie, toasted sarmies on the braai, great fry-up breakfasts, spectacular views, and saw giraffe (my favourite!), wildebeest, lots of impala, lots of monkeys and fabulous sunsets! :)

My favourite little bug! Look at him run! :)

My gumboots! :)

Louise and Dean's Waterberg Wedding

The Waterberg has got to be one of South Africa's most beautiful areas. The openness and vastness of the African bush with some mountains in the background surely set it up for some awesome photos for a wedding! Louise and Dean are so perfectly suited for eachother. Having known each other for years before actually starting to date - they were destined for each other. Their family and friends welcomed Dirk (my awesome second shooter, driver &assistant) and I into their day and we had lots of laughs! It was very cute - Louise was so excited to see her husband-to-be that when arriving at the Chapel, she zoomed up the aisle so that they could be united, and as soon as they had their rings on, they stole their first kiss. Once we started the photos, the lighting over the bushveld was incredible and soft and Louise looked so radiant with her very proud husband.

This shot was taken by Dirk - I just love it! :)

Venue: Rainbows End in Waterberg

Wedding Coordinator & Equipment: Event masters & Loudfire

DJ: Ultra Mel - 072 607 6045

Lights & Sound: Sound Stylists

Caterer: Jean Stort - Bush Stop Cafe, Vaalwater. bushstopcafe@yahoo.com