Nina & Alex

This intimate Yzerfontein beach wedding took place in the middle of January in the middle of the week!

Most of the guests were from Johannesburg and flew down to Cape Town to celebrate with the happy couple and joined them in the beautiful west coast.

The minute I met Nina and Alex, they felt familiar to me.  I had just finished watching Younger on Netflix and Nina is the spitting image of Hilary Duff except Nina is a darker version.  It was surreal.

Alex on the other hand, reminded me of my sons best friend.  It wasn’t the looks but the mannerisms.  They were so familiar to me that I felt as if I had known them a long time.

Nina was a wedding event planner in Johannesburg and her attention to detail was phenomenal.  Even though her wedding was intimate, everything had been thought of and the decor was next level beautiful.

In fact, that is how Nina and Alex met.  She was the event planner at his brothers wedding.  Now doesn’t that remind you of Jennifer Lopez in the Wedding Planner!  How utterly romantic!

This intimate wedding took place on the beach in front of the beautiful Thyme & Tide Guesthouse in Yzerfontein.  Nina and Alex booked out the whole house for their wedding day and their guests were able to enjoy a beachfront property at its best.  Sitting on the decks and watching the sun set over the ocean while Nina and Alex had their photoshoot was an absolute treat.

While the guests enjoyed the sunset and the children swam in the pool, a small army of chefs were busy in the kitchen preparing a sumptuous gourmet meal for everyone to enjoy.

After the sun set, the happy couple returned to be surrounded by their loved ones and enjoy their wedding day with those who were really close to their hearts.

Their special  day was total perfection!

Suppliers:-

Make-up & Hairstylist – Makeup by Lauren

Florist – yes exclusive flowers

Dahlia’s – Adene’s flowers

Minister – Stephen Van Basten

Stationary – Oh Yay

Wedding cake and cupcakes – Florentines

Jewellery – GC Manufacturing

Planning & Designing- the beautiful bride, Nina!

Previous wedding can be viewed here!

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Simons Restaurant, Groot Constantia

This elegant  Groot Constantia wedding was an absolute joy to photograph.

Groot Constantia is one of the oldest wine farms in South Africa.  It was granted to Simon Van Der Stel in 1685.  The architecture has a definite Dutch influence and later this style became more famously known as the Cape Dutch style.

This stunning wine estate is popular with locals and tourists alike.  Its also a wonderful and scenic wedding venue and has two restaurants on the estate.

Kirsten and her family grew up in the area and were schooled locally at Westerford and she studied further at UCT!  But like many youngsters, moved to London to further her career.

Their love story!

Kirsten and Greg met on a blind date.  I remember Greg telling me about it.  His version is that he saw this beautiful girl walk through the doors of the restaurant and started to pray “Please let it be her, please let it be her!” Imagine his delight when she was his blind date!

Greg

Kirsten wasn’t interested in a relationship at first but they did become friends.  Needless, to say, it wasn’t long before Kirsten found herself falling under Gregs spell.  This strong, rugged man from Botswana, is in fact, the most gentle soul who loves his family and friends fiercely.  She fell in love with his strength, his integrity, his loyalty and the way he made her laugh without even trying.

Long distance relationship

Their relationship had to endure a long distance relationship for a year when Kirsten went over to London to work for a year.  After the year, they decided that Greg should join Kirsten in London.

Needless to say, he didn’t need much persuasion to follow her over to London!  Greg doesn’t strike me as a fool …and he would have been a fool to have not followed her.

Kirsten

Kirsten is not only beautiful on the outside but she is beautiful on the inside too!  She has a warmth and calmness about her and embraces her friends and family into her circle with such ease.  Gregs family seem to be as besotted as he is with her and they aren’t the only ones either, I must admit I too, am completely smitten.  She is just lovely to be around but so is Greg!  As a couple they seem perfect for one another.  Greg is strong, protective and a complete gentleman.  They seem to be perfectly suited for one another.

Kirsten looked chic and elegant in her gorgeous wedding gown.  She later changed into an elegant one shoulder mini dress for the dancing and became the “Dancing Queen” of note!  This elegant Groot Constantia wedding was definitely one for the books!

Kirsten and Greg would like to thank the following people:

A big thank you to Mary-Ann and Mike Lumb for their friendship and hospitality!

The bridesmaids, Philippa, Claire, Yvette, Megan and Mary-Ann!

Their parents, Alistair & Julie and Dougal & Gail!

Francesca for all her help on the day!

My green love affair for all the flowers and table decor

The DJ Company for keeping the dance floor going all night!

The fantastic staff and managers from Simons Restaurant for making sure everything was perfect!

A big thank you to our make-up artist, Sarah Hoberman

and our hairdresser, Marite Crous!

we are forever grateful!

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Belair Wedding – Paarl

Megan and Evan – a joyous Belair wedding reunion!

This Belair wedding was joyous.  I have never, ever seen a bride who glowed with happiness as much as Megan did on her wedding day.

Evan was definitely the biggest reason that she glowed but he wasn’t the only reason. Although without a doubt, he was the main reason!

The other reasons!

Two months before their wedding, Megan and Evan emigrated to Australia as she had successfully applied for a position in Melbourne  but had to start immediately.  They decided to go but fly back to Cape Town for their wedding.  Needless to say, coming home after two months and having all your family and friends at your wedding was another reason to glow!

The final reason, I am sure, is that jet lag definitely was catching up with her, so the best way to handle it , is to pour the bubbly and be jolly!

Friends and family came from across the globe to celebrate this stunning wedding.  Her best friend travelled from Sydney, her uncle and his family travelled from the USA and her sister and her family flew down from Johannesburg.  Not only was this a wedding but it was a glorious reunion too.

Suppliers

Belair was the most magical, pretty venue in Paarl.  A perfect backdrop to a beautiful wedding.

Tracy from Trunk Events was the cool, calm & collected wedding planner.  It is always a pleasure to work alongside this talented lady.

My Pretty Vintage were the talent behind the floral creations. The venue looked amazing.

Shake ‘n Bake created the beautiful cake!

The awesome, Minki Du Plessis was the Make-up and Hairstylist.

Her perfect wedding dress was from Tying the Knot!

DJ Joe kept the party going until way after my bedtime!  He had everyone on the dance floor all night long.

DJ Dean was in charge of all the sound and lighting.

Chef Daddy were the caterers and  also treated the guests to midnight snacks.

A big thank you to my second shooter, Just Judy!

View previous wedding here!

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The best time to have a photoshoot in front of the Eiffel Tower in Paris is at sunrise! As most tourists are not out and about yet. I must admit I had moments of wondering how crazy we must be as I rode through the silent streets of Paris but once we were there and I started to see how the place started to get busy, I was happy with our choice. And there is something very special to see a sunrise over Paris! Definitely worth an early morning start.

Strangely enough, we rode past the exact same location at sunset that evening and when I saw the crowds I was extremely relieved we had chosen sunrise.

I had so much fun with this gorgeous couple and was so very excited for both of them when Heine popped the question a few months later in The Alps!

It was so very special to meet up with them again in Cape Town and to do an engagement shoot for them! Watch this space to see that special shoot! It was amazing!

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Alisha and Emmanuel

The Cellars-Hohenort, Constantia, Cape Town

The Cellars-Hohenort was once again the beautiful backdrop to another gorgeous wedding!  Alisha and Emmanuel chose to have a destination wedding and to fly 30 of their closest friends and family from the USA to enjoy a festive celebration in the scenic Cape Town.

They were all from the USA.  Alishas’ family are from Tennessee.  Emmanuels’  family are from Kansas but this gorgeous couple met in Houston after they had moved there for work purposes.  It was definitely written in the stars!

This gorgeous bride has to be one of the easiest brides I have ever encountered.   Emails were pretty minimal.  All she asked was for a meeting when she arrived in Cape Town on the Tuesday.  Wedding was on a Friday at one of my favourite hotels, the Cellars-Hohenort.  Decor was tasteful but minimal.  Colour palette was white and green. Their delicious wedding cake and the vanilla and red velvet cupcakes were  made by  Wades’ Cakes!

Anneqah Martin was the make-up artist who added some polish to this gorgeous beauty.  Alisha is genuinely a natural beauty, with the most gorgeous dimples.  When she laughs, she lights up the whole room!

Emmanuel is quieter and a little more serious.  Alisha is a perfect catalyst for Emmanuel!  She definitely creates a chemical reaction for him!  He shows his softer and fun side in her presence.  They are without a doubt a perfect combination.  

Emmanuels’ dad married them in the gardens of The Cellars-Hohenort in Constantia.  What an absolute blessing to be able to marry your son to his soulmate.

Ryan from Cape Dj’s got the guests onto the dancefloor and kept them there for the whole evening.  He read his crowd well and we had a sure winner for the title of the “Dancing Queen.”

And then just like that, this perfect day had to come to an end!  It was time for their guests to catch their shuttles back to their hotels and it was time for this newly married couple to enjoy their first night as Mr & Mrs in the honeymoon suite at The Cellars-Hohenort.  A big thank you to the wonderful staff at the venue, who always deliver superior service with such beautiful smiles on their faces.  Once again, it was a delight to capture another wedding at your venue.

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Cape Town Engagement Shoot

Levarne & Sharne’

I was excited to capture this Cape Town engagement shoot.  Levarne and Sharne have patiently waited for me to arrive back from Dubai.

To be honest, I could not wait!  How awesome to come home to Cape Town and have a gorgeous young couples’ engagement photos to shoot.  Especially against the beautiful backdrops of Cape Town with some incredible winter light.  I was in my element.  This was home!

The young couple!

Levarne and Sharne were just absolutely perfect.  It was fairly obvious to me that this young couple were well suited.  They were just so comfortable and relaxed with each other, as well as being totally supportive to each other.

They have both needed to have been supportive of each other over the years as they both completed their studies.  Sharne qualified as a dentist and has recently bought her own dentistry practice and on top of that is organising their wedding.  Levarne, has worked hard and achieved so much to be proud of in IT Development.  They are both immensely proud of each other as they should be.

The Shoot!

I loved being this young couples engagement photographer.  It was fun from start to finish.  They themselves made so much effort in their choice of settings and clothing.  They complimented each other to perfection.  I was almost sure that they had read this previous blogpost!

Our whereabouts!

We started off in the quaint town of Kalk Bay and took a drive down to Noordhoek Beach.  It was an absolute perfect winters evening.

And finally the light disappeared and it was time to go home.  I was happy.  Sharne and Levarne had sizzled  in front of the lens and I was home, Cape Town will always have my heart.   I was doing what I loved best!  Photography!  I cannot wait for when I get to see this lovely couple walk down the aisle.

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Cute couple

Michael & Nina

Regensburg, Germany

I had the honour of photographing this cute couple  while I was in Germany this summer.  It was definitely “cuteness” overload.  It is always such an honour to photograph cute couples in destinations around the world.  Just another reason why I absolutely love what I do!

Being a destination photographer definitely has a few perks.  Discovering a beautiful, charming historical town  and with a cute couple was my absolute dream.

In addition to being able to do a destination photography session with young cute couples is that in their own  way they are better tour guides.  Their knowledge about their own city is so much better.

Michael and Nina were on their summer break from university and therefore just wanted some cute couple photographs done around Regensburg.

I last visited this city during winter when it was covered in snow.  It was so much fun to come back and capture this cute couple during the summer heatwave.   Regensburg was brimming with tourists from across the globe and the weather was fabulous.

Regensburg is a Bavarian city in the South East of Germany. It is situated on the Danube River.  It is famous for its well-preserved medieval Old Town which was fortunate enough to escape the bombing of World War 2.

We discovered the charming St Emmeram Palace which is  the Royal Residence of the  Thurn and Taxis family.  The palace is surrounded by exquisite gardens.

Furthermore, I am currently located in Dubai and more than willing to travel to Europe to cover weddings and shoots.  In addition, I will be in Prague in December. Please drop me an email at jo-ann@joannstokes.com should you wish to have your own couple shoot.

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Celeste & Marinus

A Nooitgedacht wedding in winter, is just absolutely special!  The venue never really disappoints, no matter the season, but in winter, it is colourful.  Add to the mix a truly, beautiful, loved up couple and it can only be magical.

Celeste and Marinus are a gorgeous couple who have kept their love alive while Celeste commutes between Cape Town and Iraq where she is currently working. Luckily for me, her commuting tied in perfectly to my own commuting lifestyle at the moment.  I am currently commuting between Dubai and Cape Town so I totally felt we were a client/photographer match made in heaven.  The only unfortunate moment was their engagement shoot, when I was so sick with flu but luckily they were absolute naturals that my loss of my voice was a non-issue! Their engagement shoot can be viewed here!

Marinus was the happiest man once Celeste has said her vows …as she had a bit of a reputation with the bridal party of being a “Runaway bride” and for giving Julia Roberts some serious competition.  But he needn’t have worried ..it was pretty obvious to all of us that he was her “Richard Gere” heart throb …and the only running she was doing …was straight into his arms!

I admire Celeste because one thing is pretty obvious about her …if she doesn’t believe something is right..she won’t go through with it.  Her wedding dress was typical of this situation.  She had organised her dress six months before the wedding but two weeks before the wedding, she wasn’t happy with the final product. Without any hesitation, she cancelled the order and decided that she had two weeks to find her perfect dress …..and boy, did she find the perfect wedding dress at Eve’s Bridalwear, Cape Town.  The dress was definitely made for her!  Alicia Buckle performed her magic and created a make-up and hairstyle look that embodied Celestes look and personality.

Celeste and Marinus choice and taste in suppliers was phenomenal.  I was introduced to their event planners, Pretty in Stains and  these two sisters pulled off Celeste’s vision of an elegant, classic, pastel wedding to perfection.  Me and Mr Brown were the evenings entertainment and once again, they did a sterling job and had the crowd on the dance floor until the early hours.

I hope I get many more opportunities to have Celeste and Marinus in front of my lens!

This Nooitgedacht wedding truly does not disappoint.

Suppliers:-

Venue – Nooitgedacht

Wedding Dress – Eve’s Bridalwear

Event planners & Stationery – Samantha and Melissa from Pretty in Stains

Flowers  –  Blommeprag

Decor – Makiti

Lighting –  EC Lighting

Live Music – Me & Mr Brown

Brides make-up and hair – Alicia Buckle

Bridesmaids & moms make-up & hair – Anna B

Wedding Cake – The Cake Lady

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Jana & Frans

A Durbanville Hills Wedding

A Durbanville Hills wedding!   Jana and Frans gave me the pleasure of photographing their wedding on my own backyard.  I literally live two minutes away from this fabulous venue.  There are so many advantages to photographing a wedding in your own backyard.  Firstly, I know lots of gorgeous spots, secondly I know the light and thirdly , I dont lose time on driving …and local is always lekker!  Durbanville Hills is pretty famous in our area as nine local wine producers are involved in this cellar and some famous wines are produced here.  In fact three wine estates played a small part in this beautiful wedding.  Jana, got ready at the regal Cape Dutch boutique hotel at Meerendal and then we stopped off at the picturesque Altydgedacht Farm which is one of my favourites spots.

Jana’s vision for her Durbavnille Hills wedding was gorgeous.  This Durbanville Hills wedding was tasteful, elegant, timeless and yet understated and in no way upstaged the beauty of this young couple.  It was a perfect backdrop to them as people, soft, quiet and yet strong in their unity.  What was also very apparent on their wedding day, was the importance of family to them and how both sides of their families played some small or big part in their wedding day.  The fact that the day went off without a hitch can definitely be attributed to Jana’s mom, Jane whose organisational skills were phenominal.  Got to say, I was also slightly nervous as Frans’s mom and aunt are both talented photographers themselves but what impressed me most, was that both these lovely ladies didnt even take their cameras out and put complete faith in me to capture this beautiful wedding.

SUPPLIERS:

Dress Designer: Paul van Zyl – Paul van Zyl Couture – www.paulvanzyl.com
Jewellery: Anina Le Roux – Lily Blue – www.lilyblue.co.za
Make-up Artist: Amelia Kotze – www.ameliakotze.co.za
Hair Stylist: Dawid Kriel – Institute Aesthetic – www.iaesthetic.co.za
Stationery: Marelize Bester – Paper Paradise Tygervalley – www.paperparadise.co.za
Venue: Hanlie Campher and Stephanie Bailey – Durbanville Hills Wine Estate – www.durbanvillehills.co.za
Florist & Decor: D’Shahnee Louw – Sorrento Events – www.sorrento.co.za
Wedding Cake: Kanya Hunt – The Hunt House Kitchen – www.kanyahunt.co.za
Church music: Titia Blake and Mike Hoole – Palm Strings Duo – www.palmstrings.co.za
DJ – Criss Kruger – Cape DJ’s – www.capedjs.co.za

Videographer – Rudolf -Pie in the Sky – www.pieinthesky.co.za

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