[personal] New Year, New Beginnings...

Dear 2013,

...What can I say?
It's been a big year for my boyfriend Nek and I. We both started our businesses (officially of course, not counting the months prior which involved lots of planning in preparation) in February and it's been a roller coaster of experiences to say the least. We've had ups and downs and round and rounds haha! I'm proud to say that we've both been successful in our ventures, hopes and dreams and in this year we have grown together more than our first two years together ;) Love you, babe!

I'm so grateful to all the lovely clients and friends I've made and had the chance to photograph and I can't wait for what 2014 has to offer ;)

Through this journey so far I've met some amazing industry colleagues and made great friendships with wedding industry professionals as well as other photographers and I'm so happy to be lucky enough to be doing something I love so much. Now that I've started I can't imagine doing anything else! I love the freedom of working for myself, meeting and getting to know these amazing women and men I get to call clients and I love photographing them and creating and capturing those great memories during our photography sessions!

It's been a big year and I want to improve on myself next year in business and in my personal life. I find that I've been keeping myself too occupied with work and I want to keep in touch with my family more often... :)

I hear that you have more of a chance of your dreams coming true if you just let them be known to others.. who knows who might be able to help you accomplish them one day...

So, here goes...  :)
    
      Goals for 2014

• Get PUBLISHED
• A Destination Wedding (!!!) 
• Get fit & live a healthier lifestyle
• Be a better girlfriend, daughter, sister and aunt!!

 *Photos off Pinterest and my instagram :)

To end this little story I wanted to let you know about what I want for 2014...
I want to let this blog be more personal, more of a journal of what I'm doing, my thoughts, travels and ideas. Who knows what the future holds and I'd be happy having a place to document my journey in business and in life, sharing what I'm doing with family and friends might be the key to no more Christmas homesickness in 2014 haha!




Happy Tuesday, Happy LAST DAY OF 2013 and HAPPY NEW YEAR for tonight everyone! xx

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[personal] Merry Christmas... (Thai Style)

It's a time when I hate to say it... but I get homesick. I miss my family, being all the way over here in Thailand.

I send presents

and we put up a tree

but somehow it's just not the same, you know? (Well, clearly with a tree made out of books! I'm ashamed to say that this year this December has been too busy [which is great in a way, don't get me wrong] for us to put up our real tree... yep, I guess there's a first for everything!)

Nek and I have started a Christmas Day tradition of our own in a way, and we've spent the past few Christmases as a beach day :) It's fun and we're still pinching ourselves that this is the year we are lucky enough to run our own businesses and give ourselves a day off! 

I love it. 

Here's some of the 2013 Christmas Day fun we got up to.....

Now, I'm off to photograph one of my last & beautiful 2013 couples for the sunset this afternoon!

Happy Friday! xx

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[honeymoon] Jess and Steven, Sareeraya, Chaweng Beach, Koh Samui

Jessica and Steven married in Hong Kong in style with 300+ guests... and I know this because I've seen some of their gorgeous wedding photos! They chose Samui as their honeymoon destination, and it turned out to be the perfect place to wind down and relax. We were up early morning for their gorgeous sunrise photography session on Chaweng beach, where the sun rises just right... over the water and kissing everything it touches softly as it goes. We laughed, and had some great fun during the session as we had already met at Mini Bar the days they arrived. 

We met in the early hours of the morning at Sareeraya and started by taking a walk down the beach together...

I love that Jess brought some of the props from their wedding with her! What a cute touch to add the their photographs!

I love that Jess's 'J' has a veil! How cute!!

How beautiful is Jess?? Seriously, this lady is stunning :)

Chaweng Beach in the morning is beautiful, and nice and quiet, perfect for a walk a long the beach. 

Haha, Jess later told me Steven isn't an early riser! Well neither am I haha, I think he did great! We all had fun anyway, that was the goal of the morning :)

It's when moments like in these next two photos happen that I just stand back and sigh while it happens... I love capturing my couples' love for one another!

Jess made this prop for her wedding herself! How creative is that?!

And just when I thought it couldn't get any better, the sun did this....

I love, love love this photo...

Then we headed back to Sareeraya to get some photographs there :)

I love getting detail shots like this... I love how they help tell the story of whats going on during the shoot and bring it all together nicely :)

For the next two photos, I'm sort of lost for words... they are just too gorgeous! I didn't have to say anything either! Jess and Steven made these happen all by themselves! :)

I'm going to end on this photo because I love it so much and I think it's a great representation of Jess and Steven laughing and loving each other. I love capturing fun moments like this with my clients :D

Hope you're all having a lovely Friday!!! xxx

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[proposal] Brina and Rafael, Hansar Samui, Bophut, Koh Samui

When Natalie told me she was working on a wedding proposal for a lucky lady I could hardly contain my excitement... Now contrary to most clients, I didn't get to have any initial prior contact with Rafael, or Brina as they were both in Spain and Rafael had a hard time multitasking between planning the proposal in Samui and keeping it a surprise from Brina!

On the evening of the big surprise Natalie, Ad and I all huddled up at the Hansar bar... and I must admit the adrenaline made me feel like I was a spy... Especially when Brina and Rafael arrived early and got a drink at the bar right opposite us before they went to sit down at dinner! haha ;)

I got some photographs of the beautiful setup Natalie and Rafael had prepared... gorgeous roses and orchids everywhere, candles on the table and in the sand, torches to light the way... What girl would not squeal at the sweetness of it... :)

I loved these candles in the sand... such a simple touch but it made their 'dinner' all the more special :)

How beautiful is the setup... Brina told me after the proposal that the first thing she said to Rafael was "this would be a nice spot to propose"... little did she know those were his exact plans!!

 

The holes in the sand for the candles were in heart shapes! <3 <3 <3

GAH... just look at that! Such a gorgeous setting!

At seven, Rafael took Brina to sit down to 'dinner', and they enjoyed a lovely first course of soup... and once their plates were cleared -boof- this waterfall of light started going off! At first Brina was unsure what or who it was for and turned to look left and right to see if someone was getting proposed to or if it was just a really special hotel firework display :)

Annnd I think this was about the moment when Rafael started telling her what he'd had planned for weeks...

 

Clearly Brina was just as ecstatic as he was!

Ohh, and I forgot to mention one tiny detail. When the waterfall of lights ran out, the words "Marry Me?" in fireworks lit up behind Rafael...

How adorable is that?!

Then they got to let off a lantern for good luck... Brina is one happy, glowing woman :)

Brina and Rafael, I wish you all the luck for your wonderful future together xxx

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