Well – Twenty Sixteen – What year you have provided. You have been full, busy, happy and sad. There have been tears, laughter, heartache and excitement.
Don’t they say that moving house is one of the most stressful things you can do? As a family we’ve moved house twice. TWICE. Fully moved a whole house with two kids-worth of stuff, unpacked it all and then moved again three months later – thankfully into our forever home. We’ve knocked walls down and painted walls in bold colours. The children have changed school. We have hosted many parties already (SORRY new neighbours – they’ll enjoy “Dry January” – not that I entertain any dry months, but my husband does and so do far too many friends these days). And we finally said enough is enough, let’s rest.
We lost a dear friend in Stanley (our beloved white boxer dog) and in Stanley our Grandad and Great Grandad to the kids.
And alongside I shot eighteen wonderful weddings making lots of new friends, who feel like old friends, along the way. People who let me into their lives and trusted me with the job of recording one of the most important days of their lives. Wow – that’s humbling.
What matters at a wedding for me is the realness – the celebration of love. I’ve spent the year looking for those tiny little moments of intimacy; a touch or a look between two people – something that sets the moment apart from the split second before it and after it. I’m looking for the relationships between the people there, the fun they are having and moments that they are enjoying. The tears they are crying. The love they are feeling. The moments in between the momentous. The small as well as the big.
I’ve learnt a lot along the way and want to thank everyone who has answered one of my never ending stream of questions, the inspirational photographers who have allowed me to tag along at weddings, or anyone who has looked after my mental kids so I can build on this venture.
As I look at my diary for 2017 I’m excited for what lies ahead. REALLY. FREEKIN. EXCITED.
If you know anyone who just got engaged and are looking for a wedding photographer – please feel free to send them this link. I’ve still got a scattering of dates I’m looking to fill for 2017 and I’m taking bookings for 2018. I’d love to chat with them.
