Photographer - SouthBound Bride

Jessica Ellen Photography

ABOUT US
I am Jessica Ellen and I’d love to document your wedding story. My passion is to capture the personality of your unique day by freezing those special split seconds that happen spontaneously throughout the day in pictures that can then be revisited over and over for years to come. After the celebration is over, the party has left and everything has been packed up, what you are left with is a whole lot of love, endless possibilities for the future and a spool full of precious memories from a day that passed by far too quickly. These are your memories, to cherish and remember forever. When I’m working, I like to be as unobtrusive as possible, guiding you in an unassuming way to get the best possible results from your pictures on your wedding day, without over-posing you or making you feel unnatural. Being a documentary photographer, I shoot with as much available light as possible, capturing your love story as it naturally unfolds on your special day. But I do pull out a bit of extra lighting gear when needed, usually during the reception after the sun has set and everyone is ready to party. After my husband and I got married, I realised how incredibly special our wedding video was was to me. It was so amazing to be able to revisit the day and sit and watch the vows and hear all the speeches that had whizzed by too fast to absorb properly at the time. And that is why my husband, a videographer, recently joined the Jessica Ellen portfolio offering documentary-style wedding videography. Together we’re a formidable wedding documentary team, working alongside each other to offer couples a great value package including both photography and video for their wedding day.

CONTACT INFORMATION
[email protected]
www.jessicaellen.co.za
+27 (0)82 578 0076

MORE ABOUT US
Where are you based and what areas do you cover?
We are based in Cape Town, but it is an absolute dream of ours to be able to travel the world documenting beautiful weddings and experiencing different cultures.

How did you get started in weddings?
I’ve had a passion for documenting moments for as long as I can remember. It was only when my friends starting getting married that I realised that I loved shooting weddings though. A lot of my friends would ask me to come and document extra parts of their weddings when they hadn’t hired more that one photographer to capture their day. The first full wedding I ever shot exclusively was the wedding of family friend. His father was very high up in the South Africa Marine Corps and had organised for their wedding to take place at Admiralty House in Simon’s Town. I was hired as their photographer for the day and my husband was my assistant, lugging what little gear I had at the time around for me. At the time all I had was pure passion for wedding photography, a very keen eye for composition and very basic camera knowledge. I shot the whole wedding with a Canon 600D and a kit lens I had bought in a bundle at Makro a couple of years prior. The bride actually had a better camera than I did at the time! I made countless rookie errors that day, it was a huge learning curve, but I look back at those photos with absolute pride. Some of those images are still in my portfolio today!

What inspires you?
Real love. Those goosebump moments that grip your heart. I hate to admit it but I’m usually a bit teary when those key moments happen throughout the day. When the bride reads the letter from her husband-to-be just before she gets dressed, that moment she walks down the aisle, dad in hand. The unveiling. The vows. That first kiss after the I dos. All these moments are so special and my aim is to capture them in a way that keeps the feeling of them alive when these moments are revisited in your pictures for years after.

Favourite place in South Africa?
We live in such a beautiful country that it makes it so hard to pick a favourite place. I obviously love the Cape and all the beautiful landscapes it has to offer; it’s the part of South Africa we’ve chosen to call home after all. Johannesburg where my husband and I both grew up will always have a special place in our hearts, its dirty citiness has its own kind of beauty that will always just feel familiar. The Transkei has always been a special place for us too, its the first place we went on holiday together, and we go back frequently. We also love the Lowveld and the Karoo. This country just has too much to offer to call one place your favourite!

What advice would you give to brides and grooms?
Don’t sweat the small stuff. Nobody’s wedding day goes 100% according to plan, but it always ends up absolutely perfect anyway. The day passes in the blink of an eye, so don’t forget to take a step back on the day and just take it all in. You’ve planned these moments for months and all your hard work culminates in this one day; it’s too easy to get caught up in the hecticness of the schedule and running everything according to plan, so don’t forget to stand back and take the time to take a deep breath, appreciate all the special people who have come from all over to celebrate with you, and enjoy and admire the day you’ve created.

Destination Wedding Photography by Wynand van der Merwe

ABOUT ME
I am a destination wedding and family photographer based in Johannesburg, South Africa. I love spontaneous natural moments during weddings that nobody really sees, and which I get to capture! Wow, what a privilege. I also love fun and quirky moments which make each wedding unique, fun and memorable!

I am also passionate to create natural yet mind-blowing photos. I love it when couples take a moment to forget about me as the photographer and just enjoy each other’s company and the moment right in front of them. Those moments are priceless and just a joy to capture. I also love ending weddings off with a very creative sparkler photo, where I run around you just like a headless chicken…which always adds some fun at the end of a long day!

CONTACT INFORMATION
[email protected]
www.wynandvandermerwe.com
+27 (0)83 351 7299

MORE ABOUT ME
Where are you based and what areas do you cover?
I am based in Gauteng, but I do weddings all across South Africa and internationally. I have been privileged to capture weddings in Mozambique, India and Israel!

How did you get started in weddings?
I have been doing photography for almost ten years and I have always wanted to do weddings. One of the first weddings I captured was in Jerusalem, Israel, and I just fell in love with telling love stories in beautiful destinations!

What inspires you?
I love telling stories. I also love it when people are real. I have a huge love for street photography, which is telling stories of people in their own environment. So I love the documentary side of wedding photos, but I also want to blow people away with great images! I love travel and people!

Favourite place in South Africa?
Struisbaai, Western Cape. We always go there each year during December. I also love Cape Town.

What advice would you give to brides and grooms?
Breathe. Your wedding day happens once, remember to stop and just take in what is playing off in front of you. Enjoy every moment.

PeppermintPix

ABOUT US
We are Emily and Chris Allan, husband and wife, mom and dad, photographers and adventurers. We get so excited to be a part of a wedding day, from champagne sipping and nervous smiles at the start, to the jiving and jolling on the dance floor. So many stories to tell and awesome pictures to take. As a professional photographic team, we can shoot a sophisticated soiree, an intimate gathering or even a wild party anywhere in South Africa or abroad. We focus on storytelling, creativity and gorgeous images, all without interfering in your day.

CONTACT INFORMATION
[email protected]
www.peppermintpix.co.za
+27 (0)73 244 8854

MORE ABOUT US
Where are you based and what areas do you cover?
We live in Ballito and we love everything the north coast has to offer brides wanting beach, bush or forest weddings. Our other home is the KZN Midlands; it’s where we got married and we still have a home there. As a result, we don’t charge for travel or accommodation for Midlands weddings. Joburg is where we began and we travel there regularly for work and play. Simply put, we love to travel and we love adventure; we will go whereever you choose to say “I do”.

How did you get started in weddings?
We have been photographers for years and what started as friends begging us to shoot their weddings, turned into a passion for telling people’s wedding day stories. So from friends we went on to friends of friends and now we are making new friends one wedding at a time.

What inspires you?
We love original ideas. When a couple are true to who they are you can see it in the way the wedding comes together from the decor to the dress, the flowers and the fun. You can’t plan creativity; it happens when you are open to trying something new, when you are prepared to be brave.

Favourite place in South Africa?
Impossible to choose, but for Emily it’s the mountians and for Chris it’s the bush. This might change next week.

What advice would you give to brides and grooms?
Ask your photographer about how to plan the timing of your day. You have to give yourself the time to enjoy every second and never ever feel rushed! A great photographer will fit into your day as it goes (never delaying the process) and an excellent photographer will help make sure you never look at your watch and never have to worry about where you are meant to be next.

Thunder and Love Wedding Photography

ABOUT US
We are Simon & Shan Heale – yup that’s right we are a pair of married professional Cape Town wedding photographers who love destination fine art weddings. We specialise in telling unique love stories and are available worldwide. There isn’t a wedding too far or too near we wouldn’t love to capture. Our style of photography is inspired by mountains, the ocean, adventure, stolen kisses, bonds, emotions and most of all love!

CONTACT INFORMATION
[email protected]
www.thunderandlove.com
+27 (084) 558 8363

MORE ABOUT US
Where are you based and what areas do you cover?
We are based in Cape Town , but shoot all over the country and world.

How did you get started in weddings?
We are both professional photographers who met online; two weeks after meeting we shot our first wedding together as Thunder and Love and it’s been an adventure ever since then. We both have a deep love for all things vintage and film.

What inspires you?
Film, light, romance, family bonds, emotions, whimsical places, Old Masters paintings.

Favourite place in South Africa?
The Natal Midlands: you simply cannot beat the amazing mist, the green rolling hills, the cows and scenery; it is a magical place.

What advice would you give to brides and grooms?
We would tell brides and grooms that this day isn’t about their guests, it is about their love and their story! So stop worrying about making your guests happy and do you! After all, they will be happy if there is food and Champagne (who isn’t?)

Vicky Bergallo Photography

ABOUT ME
My name is Vicky and I’m a portrait and documentary photographer. I love to capture real moments and tell stories through my lens. I love my job and everything that comes with it, I appreciate the people I meet and the places I go. I am based in Johannesburg, South Africa but available worldwide.

CONTACT INFORMATION
[email protected]
www.vickybergallo.com
+27 (0)00 000 0000

MORE ABOUT ME
Where are you based and what areas do you cover?
I am based in Johannesburg, South Africa but available worldwide.

How did you get started in weddings?
I got my first camera when I was eight years old as a birthday present, since then I have never stopped taking photos, I was always the girl with the camera. Photography is my passion and I absolutely love to document special moments and tell stories through my lens. Weddings are the perfect setting to tell a love story!

What inspires you?
Love, people and travelling!

Favourite place in South Africa?
Boulders Beach, Cape Town

What advice would you give to brides and grooms?
Be yourself, enjoy the moment and choose a photographer whose style you love!

Liz Bharo Photography

ABOUT ME
As a creative and artist, it has always been a focus of mine to see and express the exquisiteness and story of each moment. Photography is a method of powerful storytelling – either honest or imaginatively created. The lovely pleasure of working in the Photography, Fashion & Art industry, is that my work allows me travel throughout the world to photograph designer couture and bespoke occasions. My extensive travels have included: United Kingdom, France, Netherlands, New Zealand, United States of America, South Africa, Brazil and Argentina. With a background in fine art and human studies, I have found my sweet spot – this has resulted in dynamism and creativity in my work, as I get to experience different cultures and places. To highlight enthused moments and expose the elegance of bespoke occasions has become a photographic approach and artful technique for capturing luxury weddings throughout the world. Whether I capture casual portraits, intentional creative concepts for fashion designers, or bespoke occasions, style and elegant expression is treated holistically. Get in touch as I would be delighted to capture your portrait, project or occasion in timeless luxury storytelling.

CONTACT INFORMATION
[email protected]
www.lizbharo.com
+27 (0)72 771 7239

MORE ABOUT ME
Where are you based and what areas do you cover?
I am based in Sandton, Gauteng, South Africa. I travel nationally and internationally for fashion and wedding photography. My favourite places in South Africa: Kwazulu Natal, Cape Town, Johannesburg, Culinan, Muldersdrift, Garden Route My favourite places in Europe: Amsterdam (Netherlands), Paris & Courchevel (France), all of Italy and the U.K. Other favourite countries: New Zealand, Brazil, Argentina

How did you get started in weddings?
I love fashion, and naturally I transitioned from capturing wedding couture to live weddings.

What inspires you?
Nature is my biggest inspiration – South Africa is bountiful in nature, and I am lucky to call it my home. I go for walks, breathe fresh air, and take fashion into natural spaces all the time. I love Instagram. When I have a creative block, Instagram is the place I visit digitally. It’s great to see other hardworking artists showcasing their beautiful work. It always motivates me to stay true to my creativity, and push onto the next project.

Favourite place in South Africa?
Drakensberg – Cathkin Peak, Kwazulu Natal. Garden Route, Eastern Cape.

What advice would you give to brides and grooms?
Your wedding is a magical day, celebrating the union of your love, friendships and family. It is one day (in most cases). Be sure to enjoy the day! Make proper use of your suppliers – regardless of the type of wedding suppliers, they are there to ensure that your day remains a stunning celebration. The suppliers are the wedding team that will take care of all the behind the scenes processes. So don’t ever worry. Live and enjoy your wondrous day!

Magnolia & Magpie Photography

ABOUT ME
Magnolia & Magpie Photography Co. is made up of husband and wife duo, Joey and Cameo. We live in the United States six months out of the year, and spend the rest of our time in Cape Town. Magnolia & Magpie Photography was birthed out of a firm belief that photography should not only be beautiful, but truthful and lasting. In our images, we seek to avoid disingenuous moments, but to allow space for the grit and vulnerability of life. We aim to know our couples well, to take part in their stories, and thus, to create images that speak not just to the wedding season, but the full spectrum of their relationship. We strive to create unique works of art that will sustain you through the struggles, enrich you in the light, and provide you with aesthetically lasting heirlooms for the years yet to come.

CONTACT INFORMATION
[email protected]
www.magnoliaandmagpie.com
+1 (0)407 865 2744

MORE ABOUT ME
Where are you based and what areas do you cover?
We are based in Orlando, Florida six months a year and Cape Town for the rest of the year. We love Cape Town and photograph all over the Western Cape.

How did you get started in weddings?
Joey had been working in commercial photography and we actually met at a photoshoot. Much of our dating relationship involved him taking pictures of me and showing off all of his fancy gear. As we planned our own wedding, we fantasised about starting a wedding photography business as a couple. The next year, we took the leap and have never looked back. We so enjoy getting to take part in the most important day in our couples’ lives. We have the unique privilege of capturing love, commitment, and the moments that lead to forever.

What inspires you?
We are deeply inspired by travel; we find that nothing transforms a person more than experiencing new places and cultures.

Favourite place in South Africa?
Truth Coffee. Just kidding, but not entirely. Truth was one of the first places we visited upon arriving in Cape Town for the first time, so it holds a special place in our hearts.

What advice would you give to brides and grooms?
Planning a wedding in the 21st century is odd… you are constantly bombarded with current trends, Pinterest boards, and your aunt’s incessant advice about how she would do things. But ultimately, it is YOUR wedding. Make it special, make it unique, and think more about what is lastingly beautiful than temporarily trendy. And enjoy your wedding day! Don’t get so acutely focused on the details that you miss out on the joy of choosing to spend the rest of your life with your best friend.

Expressions Photography

ABOUT US
Hi, we are Andre and Selma. We are a couple and a COUPLE of wedding photographers. We are lovers of the world and light. Our photographic style is a blend of both documentary and classic. We love to throw a few edgy shots into the mix too. We always shoot as a team, ensuring that your wedding day is covered from two unique perspectives.

CONTACT INFORMATION
[email protected]
www.expressionsphoto.co.za
+27 (0) 84 599 0902

MORE ABOUT US
Where are you based and what areas do you cover?
Although Cape Town is our home, nothing excites us more than a road trip into unknown territory. We’ll happily cover your wedding throughout South Africa. When we are not taking photographs we like to collect passport stamps – we are happiest when doing both. We’d be happy to shoot your destination wedding anywhere in the world.

How did you get started in weddings?
It was never something we planned. It just seemed to happen. We shot a friend’s wedding. From there we got a few referrals and realised it was something we’d like to explore. Now, several years down the line, we wouldn’t change what we do for the world!

What inspires you?
We love telling people’s stories. There is very little that gets us more excited than creating something new. Each wedding is an opportunity to create images that are not only unique, but that showcase your love story. This, beautiful light and travel all fuel our creative energy.

Favourite place in South Africa?
Any dirt road off the beaten track. The vastness, silence and light in the Karoo really speaks to our souls.

What advice would you give to brides and grooms?
Stay true to yourselves. Make your wedding day your own. Rather add a few minutes here and there on the day to spend with family and friends than racing against the clock.

Jack and Jane Photography

ABOUT US
We are a husband and wife team based in Johannesburg, but cover weddings throughout South Africa. Our style is natural and fresh with a romantic edge .We love capturing those real moments, the ones that will make you treasure your celebration for many years to come. We are such a great team and can certainly say that we feed off each other’s creativity! We are so lucky to be able to work together, inspire each other and most of all have fun with every project, client and personal shoot.

CONTACT INFORMATION
[email protected]
www.jackandjane.co.za

MORE ABOUT US
Where are you based and what areas do you cover?
We are based in Johannesburg, South Africa, but cover wedding through SA and abroad.

How did you get started in weddings?
Jack and I both studied graphic design and then I went on to specialize in photography. I spent quite a few years travelling, working as a photographer on a cruise ship and then settled back in South Africa to start my wedding photography business. Jack joined me on a full time basis a few years ago and it has been one incredible ride and we are loving every minute of what we do.

What inspires you?
Most definitely travelling. Being able to step out of our own existence gives us such a perspective of the world and people. Everyone has his or her own unique story and that is incredibly inspiring.

Favourite place in South Africa?
The Natal Midlands

What advice would you give to brides and grooms?
We would say that our biggest advice for brides and grooms would be to have fun. From the planning process, right up to the day of the wedding. Make things personal, incorporate your personalities and remember to not sweat the small stuff.

Hello Love Photography

ABOUT ME
So you want to find out a bit about me…
With nearly 15 years of photography under my belt (that’s right – I had my start in the days when we still bought film), I still love all the aspects of weddings – from a couple’s story, to the small details and fun party – what’s not to enjoy?
I love natural light, photographing people in love and travelling to new places.
My fine art and editorial approach has proven to result in clean, beautiful images that evoke emotion and tell people’s stories.
I feel truly blessed to play such an important role in my clients’ big day!
Photography aside, who am I?
Well……. here are a few of my favourite things:
my husband (the love of my life and my partner in crime) | cat kisses from Jamie and Sam (who are both professional sleepers) | coffee (I must admit I can’t start a day without it) | cupcakes, donuts and brownies | walking around barefoot | good movies and even better books | braaivleis on a summer evening | real friends!

CONTACT INFORMATION
[email protected]
www.hellolovephotography.co.za

MORE ABOUT ME
Where are you based and what areas do you cover?
Based in Johannesburg, I specialize in local and destination weddings & will gladly travel to any location for a wedding celebration.

How did you get started in weddings?
By accident actually. But a happy accident ;) A friend got married on her granddad’s farm in Zimbabwe (almost 15 years ago), and asked my husband and I if we would take a few photos of their day. At that stage we were amateur wildlife photographers, so we had the kit and were stoked at the opportunity. Apparently we did such a good job, that one wedding became two, and two became three… I then started shooting weddings with other photographers. The bug had bitten, and I was passionate to learn all I could about wedding photography. There’s absolutely nothing that compares to on the job training! Learning to deal with bad weather, emotional clients, timelines that don’t exactly run on time… but also the joy of seeing two people vow to love each other till the end of their days, a dad’s proud smile when he sees his gorgeous daughter in her wedding dress… Priceless! All these experiences have moulded me into the photographer I am today. And proud to be!

What inspires you?
Life and those around me… seeing random acts of kindness from humanity, unconditional love from an animal, joy in a child’s face. And of course the occasional cupcake ;)

Favourite place in South Africa?
Honestly… South Africa! Our country has so many breathtaking destinations, from the apple orchards nestled in Elgin Valley, to the golden light of the bushveld in the Kruger, a painted sky over Table Mountain, or the vast expanse of open space in Dullstroom… one cannot be compared to the other – but they all make my heart beat fondly and bring my imagination to life!

What advice would you give to brides and grooms?
Do what makes you happy! It’s your day, plan it your way. There are no more rules about what your wedding should be. So have fun with it! On a practical note, do your homework when booking suppliers and then have faith in them! If they are industry professionals they will be able to guide you in all the other decisions you have to make.