I always say to my couples: ‘chaps, we can go for the bog standard stand and pose wedding photos or we can go for who YOU really are.’Then I add: ‘now, if you want the stand and pose stuff, it’s probably best that you go with another photographer.’ Luckily, in most cases, my guys go for the ‘who they really are’ option. What that really means is that I don’t need to get bogged down in the same old same old routine and I’m free to inject lots of fun and celebration into their wedding day. It also allows us to take some chances and live on the edge a bit. Wonderful thing freedom. At Calan and Andrew’s wedding at Groote Post this was our approach. The week before I’d spotted some magnificent hay bails on a hill and my intention was to hit them with a vengeance. But come wedding day, to my utter alarm, the good farmer had removed them so I had to go to Plan B with a bit of pace. So we winged it, giving ourselves the space to just let the camera roll so to speak. As I said, freedom is a wonderful thing. At one stage (quite early on actually) I heard Calan say something like: ‘sjoe, this is quite tiring.’ ‘Too bad’ I said, ‘stay with me here baby!’ And she did. Laughing, giggling, laughing some more, bellowing with excitement and so on and so on until her poor jaw must have hurt. Andrew didn’t do too badly either in between his ‘blue steel stare.’ What a thoroughly satisfying day with a beautiful and very happy young bride and her equally good man. When I left the party at Groote Post was absolutely cracking along and Calan still hadn’t stopped smiling. Would I shoot their wedding again? In a heart beat.