Sunrises over the Indian Ocean. Fresh sea breezes and scuttling crabs. Pansy shells hidden in the sand. Tidal pools and starfish. Seafood dinners and friendly stray dogs on the beach. Battered dhows under repair under shade of palm trees, the daily letting out of the nets, fishermen heading out to sea. Boats becoming dhows. Sails pale against the red horizons.

This was my first time photographing a wedding in Mozambique and what an intro! I loved that so much of the enjoyment of the wedding also happened in the time surrounding the actual wedding day – providing so many opportunities for the couple to soak up special time with friends and family. The minute you arrive at the coast the heavy salted sea air hits you like a soft welcoming embrace and that feeling of warmth and relaxation remains throughout the trip and is hard to shake off – even when you have a job to do!

The actual wedding day was as relaxed as it was idyllic. A super-relaxed bride and groom. Perfect weather. Vows on the Indian Ocean.  A cake to win awards with and beautiful decor and set up despite the 800 km + drive from Harare. After celebrations on the beach with family and friends (and of course some 2ms to quench the thirst) we trekked to the top of a sand-dune to catch sunset and then spent most of the blue hour on the beach with the rising moon. Dusky dances on beach with dhows in the background. Can you ask for more? And then it to a reception where fairy lights twinkled amongst the palm trees on the Du-gong lawns. A spectacular seafood buffet and the most delicious cupcakes known to humankind. I’ll let the photos do the rest of the talking.

Thank you Leandi and Kevin and family for trusting me with this special day – and also for your big efforts to get me there. It was a real pleasure to work with you two and I so loved being part of it and meeting your lovely friends and family. Enjoy these. Lots more to come!

Venue: DuGong Lodge – Inhassoro

Pastor:  Peter Aiken

Wedding and Day Coordinators:  Tarryn Calder with the help of family and Du Gong staff.

MC: Daniel Landman

Caterer: Caron & Martin from Du Gong Lodge

Set-Up: Tarryn Calder, and family were there to help her

Décor: Elmie Pieters (my sister) made all the stationary (menus, order of services, jam jar stickers, invites). Cleo Raft (from Blueberry Enterprises) made all the wood work (Name place sea horses, star fish, Pansy shells and cupcake stand).  Tarryn and I came up with the scene/set up ideas for table layouts etc. My gran made the whitetable runners. Martin from Du Gong made our beautiful arch way!

Flowers: Purchased fake flowers and had the boquets, corsages and button holes made here in Harare at Flowertique (the Florist at Arundel). They did an awesome job!!  Facebook: Flowertique Florist Arundel Village.

Sound & DJ: Mark and Philippa Van Deventer (Sounds Vantastic) – LOVE LOVE LOVED their music and they were just so so so awesome to work with!! Such lovely people!!!

Cake: WOW – We’d love to make a special mention to Moira Cunningham (mother of the groom) – such an AMAZING cake (the cake of my dreams – she made it happen), and it all worked out in such difficult weather (humid) circumstances. She also made the cupcakes (as a back up plan in case cake didn’t work) with the help of Lynn Boothe and Granny Margaret.

Make Up: Kelli Barker

Hair: Tammy Birkett (Tamlyn Parker)

Dress: Locally purchased and paid for by my Dad J

Bridesmaids dresses: Purchased from SA

Favors: Tomato Jam jars: My sister made the stickers, Jars were bought from SA by Kevs Mom, and I made the Jam

Wedding Bands: Alpha Jewellers (Tato & Dev) – Awesome job!! Their Fb Page is Alpha Jewellery Harare

Thank you to my Mom and Dad for all they helped us achieve, and to Kevs Mom and Dad too, for all they also helped us achieve. Moira sweated to make that Cake happen, and she did it!!! Not an easy task in that humid weather, but she still made the cake we wanted!!!

Special Thanks to Du Gong Lodge for having us and making it all possible – BEAUTIFUL venue and the Food was out of this world.

Special Thanks to Tarryn Calder and my sister Elmie Miller, who brought all the décor together and made it stunning, and my sister who travelled all the way there and left her 2 month old new baby with hubby to be there to share our special day with us!!!!!!

Our family and friends, who travelled a very long road (some places there was barely any road), to be there to share our special day!! It would not be what it was without them there!!!

Mana Meadows – for Capturing our special day so perfectly and helping us relive the whole experience every time we look at our photos!! You were truly awesome Mana, and you joined in with all our family and friends and it was so much fun having you there with us!!!! Thank you thank you thank you!!!!