I have been fortunate to work with so many talented people on this shoot!  Firstly, a big thank you to Jessica Jane Jewellery for some really unique jewellery!  Aartsappel in Paarl supplied us with the most artistic bouquets and hair pieces!  Clarita Smit Make-up did a superb job with the brief, I could not have been happier!  Olivelli Cape Town supplied us with the most exquisite dresses! And MT Ferreira, the Events & guesthouse Manager of Diamant Estate, gave us free reign with this  most picturesque venue which overlooks acres of vineyards and lush countryside and is at the foot of the Paarl Mountain and is a definite treasure in the Agter-paarl.

And finally, a huge thank you to Topco models for sending us the fun, infectious and playful, Rafaella Lemes who was a joy to work with as well as a big thank you to Julian Naderer for being my knight in shining armour and being our handsome, charming groom!

The post An African influence | Wedding: Diamant Estate appeared first on Jo Ann Stokes.

It was a beautiful summer’s weekday and Lauren and her bride Christelle could not have chosen a better venue for the event. Their wedding took place at Babylonstoren, South Africa even though they had to fly all the way from Melbourne, Australia to be there.  I had the privilege of playing second shot for the day alongside photographer Monica Dart, an opportunity I am eternally grateful for.

The couple, obviously madly in love, were outfitted in beautiful stylish dresses and pulled out all the stops to make every moment truly unique and special. Beetroot ice cream cones, no doubt freshly made from farm produce, was just one of the fun twists enjoyed by the guests (although, as you’ll see below, the flower girl did not agree with the novelty). Great music and arty lighting led the day into a fun and memorable evening filled with laughter and dancing.

If you haven’t been to Babylonstoren before, let me paint you the picture: it is essentially a massive, organic garden with a restaurant and farm hotel. It is situated in the Drakenstein valley and is thus surrounded by mountains. The farm boasts beautiful vineyards and walking trails which made for a really stimulating experience. It was an absolute pleasure to capture the couple’s joy from behind the lens with this scenic setting as the backdrop.

I should mention that this was the first time I had the honour of photographing two women getting married and hopefully it is not the last. The pure beauty that radiates from the celebration of two people joining in matrimony shines with the universal light of love. I always walk away from a wedding with a certain feeling that I was part of something special, grateful that I could in some way contribute to freezing every warm moment shared on the day in time for years of remembrance.

Their minister having a quiet, reflective, moment!

The post A Tale for Two | Wedding: Christelle and Lauren appeared first on Jo Ann Stokes.