Carley meets Sean and Elise - The Sweetest Couple!

If the "perfect day for a wedding" existed, then last Saturday would have been just that. With blazing blue skies, warm winter sun and just a hint of magic, Sean and Elise's wedding day was... well, perfection! It was my pleasure to be the second shooter at Sean and Elise's wedding, and with Lauren from Tiger Lily Photography at the helm they sure were in good hands. I had such a great time getting to know Sean and Elise, and even more fun trying to capture the essence of their special day.

Firstly, it brings me great pleasure to share some of my favourite images taken by Lauren of Tiger Lily Photography on the day. More of her amazing work can be seen at her blog. Thank you so much for allowing me to join you on this shoot Lauren, I had such an amazing day and enjoyed working with you very much. As much as I feel like my right arm is missing when I am not shooting with Kirrily, second shooting for other photographers like yourself provides us with an opportunity to observe, learn, be challenged and, most importantly, have fun...
Let's do it again soon!

I am sure that you'll agree, Lauren did a fantastic job. Congratulations!

Elise and Sean are sure to be blown away by the images.

OK, so... on with the show! The following images are favourites from my own collection. I hope that Elise and Sean enjoy these images as much as I enjoyed creating them!

Elise was the sweetest bride to be, and her fresh and funky personality certainly comes through in these images!

Elise's bridesmaids looked stunning in their glorious gowns and bought a natural vibe to the shoot. They clearly adore their friend and rejoiced in her happiness on the day.

Isn't she just the cutest? This cheeky expression is what I loved the most about Elise...

I especially loved that she was being herself.

Elise's dad, Anthony, was grinning from ear to ear ALL DAY! Who could blame him?

As for Sean, well he is quite the gentleman, and clearly adores his bride... he and his 'boys' were so relaxed and easy going in front of the camera and were just a dream to hang out with.

The reception was held at Cropley House, and the combination of fantastic food, awesome service and such a romantic venue made for a magical, memorable evening.

I love the first dance, it brings tears to my eyes every single time without fail! And I love these images of Elise and Sean joyously giggling together as they dance for the first time as husband and wife.

It was clear from the very start that this wedding was going to be F.U.N!

These guys sure do know how to party!

This was how the dance floor looked when Lauren and I quietly disappeared for the evening...

Elise, surrounded by her grilfriends and having the time of her life.

Boy, that joint was JUMPIN!

To Elise and Sean, thank you for allowing me to join Lauren on this, the most special day of your lives. I hope it was everything you dreamed of and that your honeymoon was even better! Congratulations, and best wishes from Kirrily and I for a long, happy life together.

Carley Captures the Sweet life of the Sim Family

Three's a crowd? Well, I don't know about that... but in Donna and Phil's case I think three is certainly a happy handful! They have been blessed with three bags full of boyish charm, and this photo shoot marks the arrival of their latest addition... Brindley. Welcome to the world, little one!

Carley Shoots a A Sweet Surprise...

Arriving at the location for Mark and Sara's wedding was like being on a secret, undercover mission! Trying very hard NOT to look like a photographer, I snuck my way in through the back of the house and into the main bedroom which was heavily guarded - and with good reason! You see, all of the guests were under the impression that they were attending an engagement party, and I didn't want to be the one to spoil the surprise!
When I caught a glimpse of Mark and Sara they looked hot and ready to party, and were very busy greeting guests and trying not to look nervous! Within minutes, however, Sara rushed into the bedroom to make the switch from party girl to blushing bride and, shortly after, the boys made the big announcement to the excited guests before rushing off to suit up!
So, needless to say, this was a very special wedding to shoot! However, secret weddings do pose significant challenges for photographers and this was no exception! Given that we were hiding out inside with doors and blinds shut tight we had no opportunity to shoot Sara's bridal portraits out on the family's picturesque property. The grounds are situated in a valley, and all light was lost before we could say congratulations! This prompted us to plan a Trash the Dress session upon their return from their 'familymoon'... so stay tuned!
I must say that I missed Kirrily terribly on this job - she is my 'wing-man' and it felt strange to shoot without her! But, thank you to Lauren Walker from Tiger Lily Photography who came along as a second shooter in Kirrily's absence. It was lovely working with you, and I look forward to returning the favour in a few weeks!

So, here is just a small selection of the sweet memories created by Sara, Mark and the sweetest of all Shelby!

Carley's Sweet Mother's Day Suprise

Now, I hope my mum doesn't check out our blog before the weekend because I would hate for her to spoil the suprise. Not that I think receiving photographs from us will be a suprise - it's rather a given actually! But, we know that seeing beautiful images of all her children happy and thriving is what makes Mother's Day so perfect. These images are proof that Mum has done (and continues to do) an amzing job. Because of her we continue to grow as individuals, free to make our own decisions safe in the knowledge that if we fall she will always be there to catch us - no matter how grown up we are!

So, here are few of my faves from a rather rushed session featuring my brother, sister, myself and our wonderful partners (I won't post the shots of the gradchildren just in case mum does visit the blog... you'll have to wait for those Mum xo). Here's hoping that when Mum sees these images she understands that we owe much of our happiness to her... Happy Mother's Day Mum!