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WARNING: STRONG LANGUAGE. BROER.

So how do rockstars get married? They way I understand it is they pick up some chicks, hook up a guitar or two, smash a few smokes and just like do it. Bro. But in real life it doesn’t quite happen like that. Seriously, I thought I might have to use every piece of weaponry in my arsenal to fight off some big egos and some long-haired dude trying to redesign his electric guitar on the top of my head. No such luck. I was actually a bit disappointed – I was looking forward to taking on some punk rocker in a wedding bar brawl. But when Francois VanCoke married his long time ‘chick’ (sorry La), things hadn’t been planned that way at all. In fact, it was quite the opposite. When Helen and myself arrived at Old Mac Daddy out in Grabouw, Francois and the okes were mellowing in the pool while Lauren was having her hair and make-up done along with her bridesmaids. To coin a term, it was ‘vrek warm,’ so we broke with tradition and had a cold beer with La’s dad (who we’ve known for years) to cool down. When ceremony time arrived, La came down the aisle to the rocking strains of an electric guitar played by Jedd Kossew, one of the band members of Van Coke Kartel. It wasn’t awesome, it was fokken lekker (I told you there’d be swearing) and I really felt for everyone during the ceremony – jeepers but the sun was being particularly vicious. Afterwards, we nailed the family shots and it was quite a special time for me to be able to shoot their families (especially Oupa Lionel who has a very dear place in all of our hearts). That done, we walked around Old Mac Daddy (there are a LOT of steps in daai plek) and the bridal party hung in pretty well as they were introduced to the Warren Williams School of Photography Boot Camp. But they passed with flying colours. When it came to shooting the guys from Fokofpolisiekar, I thought I’d need a slightly different approach to break down any egos. So I said to them in my very best English accent: ‘So, you chaps are from a band called ‘Fuck Off Police Car are you?’ There was a lot of laughing and chirping and I can assure you, I didn’t ever need to break the ice because the guys were very cool. From that moment on I became a fan. Ditto the okes from Van Coke Kartel. You can be talented, you can have a big name, you can have a massive following. But if you’re not humble, you have nothing. And humble these men are. Nice, very, very nice. Onto the reception… mellow, laid back, lekker braaikos for supper, shooter as a toast instead of champagne, song to celebrate his bride – ja, quite different from the traditional wedding approach, but it all fitted seamlessly together. Hel and myself left just after 10.00pm. The party looked like it was about to go into overdrive and it clearly did because the next thing I knew it was 4.30am as our guesthouse neighbours came stumbling in. Barry (private sort of connection between myself and Francois) and Lauren – stay true to who you are because that’s why we all love you. Now after that immensely long write-up, here are a few of their photos…

Wait! One last thing. Van Coke Kartel’s latest album is now out. It’s called Wie’s Bang. Go get it – because local is lekker, my China.