Black Forest Station Wedding // Lake Benmore New Zealand // Rachel and James

So we get the occasional comment that our photography style is a little moody, full of epic scenery, dark brooding clouds, crazy wind blown dresses, capes, veils you name it.

Fact is, the majority of our weddings are in mountains, be it New Zealand or Europe. We’re drawn to them like a moth to a flame. The thing is with mountains is the mountain scenery and funnily enough, mountain weather. It changes fast.  One moment it’s glory sunshine, the next it’s full on gale and snow.

The secret to nailing the mountain weather isn’t the lenses, camera’s, even a certain “moody” style, it’s having couples willing to get cold, thrash their hair, lose their veils and generally do what it takes to make it work.

Couples like Rachel and James.

I recall being braced on that rocky outcrop overlooking Lake Benmore, as the tempest raced in, and yelling to them.  “You know those epic pics you love, well this is the kinda shit that makes those pics happen!”  After a few expletives thrown back and forth, we got the job done and raced back inside the truck.

But it’s not all about the epic. It’s mostly about the place and the people, and this story is bursting with both.

Hit play and see a little of what I saw on their big day…