Sabeeha and Ridwaan

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And now for part two! Sabeeha and Ridwaan's wedding was such an experience, and really different to what I am used to on a weekly basis. It was so awesome to get a shake-up and to start looking at things from different angles... being on my toes all day and ready for everything (even rushing around trying to find a scarf for my head before the Nikah ceremony, which I was incredibly priviledged to be able to photograph as the ceremony is normally exclusively for the men). As I pointed out in my previous post, Sabeeha and her family were so informative and helpful - such a blessing given that this was my first Indian/Muslim wedding. I would like to extend a huge thank you to Hoosain for all his help and guidance on the day.

But on with the (many) photos :) I hope you enjoy them!

Sabeeha's Mehndi Evening

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When Sabeeha and Ridwaan invited me to document their wedding celebrations I was a little nervous... my very first Indian/Muslim wedding. But I really should not have worried - this trip really did not disappoint. Everything about this weekend was so exciting!

Sabeeha and I went to school together - and it is so heartwarming to see how she has changed from a shy girl into this independent and successful young woman. Her family were incredibly welcoming and looked after me the whole weekend. Trust me, I had to be looked after. The Muslim wedding ceremony is nothing like those I am used to and they kept me in the loop the entire time.

But first thing is first, the Friday night Mehndi. A beautiful celebration that had me doing the happy feet dance. Sabeeha's hands and feet were intricately decorated and she looked like an princess in her bright Sari. Ah, my words just can't explain how beautiful it all was, so I will let you look at photographs instead :)

Enjoy!

Joanne and Jason

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Joanne and Jason's wedding was a simple, elegant, and stunning Sunday wedding. Day weddings are so amazing and really offer something different for the guests and the photographer, so I was very excited to be invited to document their celebration :)

Thunderclouds loomed and the heavens opened just as Jo was scheduled to enter the chapel. It was a photographers dream as those heavenly drops (and a little hail) added their own special character to their wedding day. And then suddenly the storm was over leaving high spirits and excitement in its wake. Although the drizzle only subsided after our couple photo shoot, the couple enjoyed each moment and just took the days events as they arrived.

What a fantastic wedding! I am sure you will all agree :) A *huge* thanks to Jo and Jason for choosing me :)

Nicolette and Pierre

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Nicky and Pierre's wedding was a gorgeous and relaxed affair at one of the most amazing Eastern Cape venues, The Rose Barn. We started out with Nicky's make-up and bridal prep in the brand new suite - and the rustic, clean look of the room is just too beautiful for words! I a-d-o-r-e The Rose Barn and am so grateful every time I book a wedding at this venue. The effort that Sandra puts into each and every wedding is amazing - each is so different, but SO beautiful. And Pierre and Nicky's wedding was just that, unique and simply beautiful.

The day was filled with happy tears and a lot of laughs. Pierre and Nicky, you guys share something really special and it was truly touching to be able to capture some of the wonderful emotions on camera... which you two can now hold onto for the rest of your incredible marriage. Thank you so much for allowing me the honour of documenting such a fantastic day!

Enjoy the photos everyone :)

My Life

Niki M Photography has a brand new website! Visit www.nikimphotography.co.za to view all my latest work :) 

What an awesome surprise! I got home to find out that my interview was featured on Kiki today :) You can click here to read the whole interview. 

The only thing left to do is skip around the house and then make a steamy cup of yummy Milo :) Have an amazing weekend everyone!

 

Sharné and Ryan

Niki M Photography has a brand new website! Visit www.nikimphotography.co.za to view all my latest work :)

Every now and then a wedding comes along that changes everything. A wedding that makes you re-evaluate your own relationship and the way you live your daily life. You can see it has also affected everyone else in the room as you look around at watering eyes and loving glances. This wedding rescued me towards the end of a very long season. Sharné and Ryan are hands down the most loving and happy couple I have ever met, and their attitude towards each other is openly and unashamedly: 'I'll cherish you and love you, and spoil you, for the rest of my life'.

Sharné and I chatted many times before the wedding. Their engagement shoot was stunning (I'll make a plan to share it during the next few 'quiet' months) and I just knew that this wedding was going to be amazing as we sat drinking rooibos tea after the shoot. But nothing prepared me for the awesomeness that was Sharné and Ryan's amazing day. I can only hope that this post will share just a few of the emotions we all experienced.

But first, we start with the biggest, most gigantic sea storm and a sea twister that was so close we could see the white water where it touched the ocean. The remnants of the second, smaller sea twister can be seen in photo three below, simply because I did not have my camera with me for the first one... and there was absolutely no chance of me going outside to fetch it and face certain death (uuuuh-ha).

Enjoy the photos everyone :)

Winning Couple Announcement

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It's Competition Time!

Niki M Photography has a brand new website! Visit www.nikimphotography.co.za to view all my latest work :)

This year has just flown by, and Bridal Fair is upon us once again!

The Niki M Photography Win Your Wedding Photography Competition (what a mouthfull!) is taking place again this year and I am very excited after the amazing success of last years competition :) Rolecia and Leon won the competition and we had such an amazing time together over the course of the year. They won an amazing package and the same is up for grabs this year!

The prize consists of:

A 90 minute engagement shoot 

       {click here to view Rolecia and Leon's shoot}

One hour photographic coverage to be used for a wedding related occasion 

       {click here to view Rolecia's Kitchen Tea}

10 consecutive hours of wedding coverage 

       {click here to view Rolecia and Leon's wedding}

Approximately 650 high res photographs on DVD

Two packaged copies of the DVD for parents

Total value of this amazing prize is R10,600!

To enter, visit the Niki M photography stand in the foyer at this years Bridal Fair, 26 & 27 May at the Feathermarket Hall.

Conditions of entry:

The competition is limited to weddings taking place during 2012 and 2013

You must have a date set for your wedding and I must be available for that date

To view all the T&Cs that apply, click here

Good luck everyone! I can't wait to meet you all at the Fair :)

Riche & Riaaz's Rainy Engagement Session

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I am busy sitting at at the airport waiting for a flight back to PE and the quiet time is much needed after this hectic trip. It is a time to reflect, catch up on thoughts (and emails), and even put a blog post together.

To be honest, the last few months have been an absolute whirlwind. I am sure that everyone has noticed how sparse my blog posts are. But the season is coming to an end and I am truly looking forward to the quiet time that will fill my life over the next few months (I am sure hubby is super excited too!). A time to re-evaluate priorities, process photos for friends (who always get the short end of the stick he he he), sort out copious amounts of admin, and load photos from all the amazing weddings I have had the privilege of photographing. This season has been amazing and I am so grateful! To be fully booked in a first season and to end off the season with a family, rather than 'clients', is more than I ever expected or could have asked for. I am so grateful!

And given my current thoughts, what post would be better than one that brought so much joy in spite of challenging circumstances! Riche and I had been plotting an engagement shoot for ages. We realized the evening prior that the weather was heading downhill. But despite this, we opted to head out into the rain and continue with the shoot. The resulting photographs are ones that I am very proud of! So perhaps this post will brighten your day too :)

Inge and Simon - The Rose Barn

Niki M Photography has a brand new website! Visit www.nikimphotography.co.za to view all my latest work :)

Inge and Simon's wedding was insanely beautiful! The first memory and one I keep telling everyone about was the smell of hundreds (if not thousands) of roses as we walked into the barn. It made every muscle in my body want to dash outside and frolic in the butterfly and cow filled fields. It was the smell of happiness... I don't know how else to explain it. It even quelled my signature gorgeous-decor-inspired-happy-feet-dancing-attack. Judith and I just stood at the entrance to the barn and gulped in all the beautifulness.

With the ceremony moved indoors thanks to 75km/h winds, it was a tight squeeze. But the wind did not put a damper on any part of the day. We even ventured outside for the bridal party and couple photos, which was a load of fun!

This wedding was just perfect. The amount of effort that Inge and Simon (and families/friends) put into the decor was amazing... they did all the decor themselves! Wow, wow, wow was all we could say the whole day. Well more like 'w..w..w..' thanks to the wind.

Hope you all enjoy the photos!