All Things SKW

Before I kick off with my usual words and memories – may I say a huge THANK YOU to Grace and Dunc, aka #stephenvsmoran, for bearing with my crazy schedule and patiently awaiting their blog.

I have made it extra-long to hopefully make up for the wait. 

So – before you do anything else: please go grab yourselves a cup of tea or a glass of wine and prepare yourself for a viewing bonanza. There are a couple of hundred snaps coming at you. And I will be very offended indeed (insert scary school-teacher face here) if you skim them without stopping to appreciate the details in full. 

If you’re new to me, or my style, it’s pretty simple. I loathe posing people and dragging brides and grooms away from their day and their loved ones. I am casual in my approach and work – because I want my images to represent real life as it happens on the day wherever possible. Not to replicate cookie-cutter poses and images that you see again (and again and again) in wedding albums, where people don’t even look like who they are because they’ve been made to stand or smile like a stranger. I want all the real, authentic, glorious crazy for my clients.

And that’s why Grace and Dunc got me along for the job. I LOVE that my clients specifically seek me out for this reason. I might be casual, but under the water my little duck-flippers are always going 99 miles-per-hour to ensure everyone’s having a good time with me behind the lens…

Working with the Moran and Stephen gang was a massive treat because these guys are all waaaay up my alley in terms of their love for life, spontaneous and totally awesomely raucous behaviour, and in dishing out as much love and laughter as humanely possible being exhibited in their friendships and family.

This wedding was actually hysterical. I want you to imagine a marquee half full of Lebanese people, and half full of regional Australian blokey-blokes. I honestly can’t explain in words the volume, the colour, the laughter, and the day and night this was.

Have you ever heard of the traditional Arabian folk dance that is the Dubke? I hadn’t. And I will forever be grateful I was able to stand right in the centre of 200 odd humans doing this dance with drums and chanting and hollering and wild, unabashed, glorious celebrations. I am used to ‘celebrations’ in Australia being a lot less cultural than this fine show. It was AWESOME.

Grace and Dunc also happened to have the funniest bridal party in the history of funny bridal parties. I think anybody would’ve paid tickets to see those speeches…. 

And of course, there was The Setting. WHOAH. Simply magnificent. And despite a scary moment of weather worries – all ended just swell.

To Grace and Dunc, I thank you both for your friendship, your general awesomeness, and for getting me all the way to the Tweed to be part of the best day of your lives. It means the world.

And to the epic bridal party, Mums and Dads, Uncles and Aunts – and the GORGEOUS little people – thanks for having me, and making my job so enjoyable.

Got that cuppa?

Goodo! Let’s get started…. shall we?

ENJOY / SHARE / TAG A MATE.

With much love,

Shan xx

** please just credit and tag in any images on social media to @Shanna K Whan Photography on FBK or via sober_in_the_country on INSTA. Ta Muchy.