[pre-wedding] Laura and Richard, Crystal Bay, Koh Samui

We planned to meet at Crystal Bay resort and go from there. Laura sent me a message worried about the weather, and we decided to just go with it, and I'm so happy we did! Take a look at how gorgeous these photos & the weather turned out! 

Richard first saw Laura in Top Man while shopping and ended up buying something just to get to talk to her. Later that night at the pub, he was being introduced by mutual friends to her and her boyfriend at the time. Apparently there was a lot of Facebook stalking for some crazy amount of time, and in the end it was 'Rich' (as Laura loves to call him) sending her a Facebook message asking if she was still dating anyone that sealed the deal of their first date. Now Laura and I actually have a great talent in common... clumsiness, and yes, I say it's a talent as it's very useful to entertain people when they need a laugh! Which is exactly how she helped calm the nerves of their first date... slipping and spilling hot chocolate all over herself and the floor! I love that as I've given up trying not to be clumsy and my natural response is to just laugh at myself ;) Be warned future brides, something awkward could happen during our photo sessions!

I say you both make a gorgeous couple and I'm so happy to have met you and photographed you for your wedding and pre-wedding! Here's to all the happiness in the world xxx

 

 

I love days like this when the water is so calm it looks flat, and the blue.. ahhh <3

 Laura, seriously, you are so beautiful!

 

Laura and Richard are actually British, but they've gone and moved to Perth in Australia. Richard actually owns his own business there and you can tell how proud Laura and his family are of him.

Gorgeous windswept hair :) I love it !

Then the sun set and make my "professional models" glow. Rich insists that I was lucky to get to work with professionals and reminded me that he modeled as a teenager every time I said "Oohhhh that's gorgeous guys!".

Proof I'm funny! Hmmm ... or was it Rich?

 

I'll be posting their WEDDING up soon and I can't wait to share their beautiful day with you :)


Happy Friday!! xx

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[travel] Romantic Things To Do on Samui during your Wedding or Honeymoon :) [Part 1]

There are many things to do and lots of sights to see which you can find out about by doing a quick Google search or asking at your hotel's information desk.

Being a wedding photographer and having lived here for over 12 years in total, I get asked by my clients what I can recommend to do and where to go all the time. My clients who are couples here for their wedding or honeymoon always want to spend that time together, so I thought I'd write up some of my favorite romantic things to do together during your wedding holiday or honeymoon on Samui! It's the holiday of your lifetime and only happens once,  so make it as romantic as possible :)

Some basic information about Koh Samui to start with; Samui is the second largest island in Thailand, so it is quite commercial and tourist friendly yet not as much so as Phuket. The island is easy to navigate on your own if you choose to rent a car or motorbike during your stay, the main ring road takes you full circle around the island along the coast, and stopping off at landmarks and viewpoints along the way is easy.

These are some of my favorite romantic things to do with my boyfriend on Samui and I highly recommend them :)


Go to Mini Bar for some drinks
My boyfriend (Nek) and I own this small bar located on Chaweng Beach ourselves :) We love spending time at Mini Bar (although we're mainly working, but sometimes when there's no customers we have a lie down in the beanbags ourselves haha ;P) because it's the perfect place to relax and just chill (a favorite pastime -if you can call it that- of mine). We've got huge beanbags big enough for two to cuddle up in, candlelit tables, delicious tropical cocktails and fruit shakes for you to try and a near 180 degree view of Chaweng beach at night... it's gorgeous! :)


 

 Pretty sunsets around 6 - 6.45PM each evening...

 Delicious cocktails for two to share... our Mojito and Mai Thai are pictured :)

The music is a mix of relaxing beachy songs with the likes of Jack Johnson, some amazing female singers we love, as well as some upbeat pop which gets me in my happy mood, even a local Melbournian band... music that gets to us, everytime! We've also got some international music in the mix and LOVE hearing new music we love, so be sure to let us know if there's something that fits the theme that we're not playing yet!

A couple enjoying the relaxing atmosphere at Mini Bar :)

Part of the 180 degree view from the Mini Bar bean bags.

If you're wondering about dinner, O.P. Beach Restaurant next door has the most amazing Thai food and the best part is you can order from O.P. and eat at Mini Bar if you like :)

When to go: 6PM - 12AM everyday (unless it's raining or a Thai Public Holiday). Early arrival will most likely get you a nice atmosphere while the sun is still setting.

Pricing: 50-450 THB.
We serve fruit shakes, soft drinks, wine and beer, regular cocktails and cocktails to share :)

How to get there: Located on the beach of O.P. Bungalow, in Chaweng.
Via Taxi/Car: Drive in to O.P. Bungalow car park and walk to the beach through the bungalow. Or see the Google directions here.



Take a day and cruise on the Naga
We had the amazing opportunity to take a day trip on the Naga last year and it was an awesome experience! There are scheduled day cruises around Samui or to the Angthong Marine Park and back. We went on the Marine Park cruise and spent the day getting to know the friendly crew and making friends with other passengers on board. Nek and I have actually been to the marine park many times before and we were pleasantly surprised to find that the Naga took us to a different island than what the other boats take you to as one of the stopovers. The sand was the softest our toes have touched haha :) The crew know their stuff!

 

Although the main point of the trip is to go to the Marine Park, I have to say that my favorite part of the day was coming back to Samui. Lying next to Nek with the sea breeze blowing around us and the sun slowly setting was just amazing.

  

The beautiful sunset we could see while cruising back to the port, so stunning!

 

Here I am looking out at the view :) Photography by Nek <3

When to go:
Angthong Marine Park cruise - Tuesdays & Fridays

Departure - 08.30

Arrival - 18.30

Samui Cruise - Thursdays

Departure - 08.30

Arrival - 18.30

Pricing: 3,200 - 3,950 THB for scheduled day cruises. Children 0-12 years of age are free.

How to get there: The Naga departs from Bangrak Beach on Koh Samui. 

Go for a SUP at sunset together :)

Hire a Stand Up Paddleboard (SUP) for the day or by the hour and go for a paddle together :) Naish SUP Samui has Naish Paddleboards for rent by the hour or daily. They can take the boards to your villa or hotel as well if you prefer.

 

We had our photo taken by our lovely friends at Phuket Photography while we took a paddle at sunset :)

One of my favorite memories was when we went paddling out to Koh Matlang from Chaweng Beach with another couple and took a delicious picnic of Thai and Spanish food with us :) As Chaweng Beach faces west, the sun sets over the opposite side of the island and you can watch it from Koh Matlang which actually faces Chaweng Beach. It was absolutely beautiful.

 

Us all paddling toward Koh Matlang :)  Photography by James Haworth

 

On Koh Matlang walking up to the beach... Photography by James Haworth

Enjoying our picnic and watching the sunset... photography by James Haworth

When to go: Anyday approximately 1-2 hours before sunset (6PM).

Pricing: 300THB per hour or 1,000THB per day.

How to get there: Easily paddle from Chaweng Beach to Koh Matlang. Or ask about board delivery to your villa or resort.

Romantic dinner on the beach
Most hotels on Samui offer this service, and if you haven't seen it promoted within your hotel be sure to ask and I'm sure the staff will be able to give you details. Most hotels will offer to set up a private dinner for you and your partner on the beach.

 

Romantic Dining on the beach for two at Melati Resort 

The perfect romantic dinner on the beach for two at the Four Seasons Koh Samui.

Napasai's Ban Tai beach dinner setting built into the sand seems like something to good to be true, only previously seen on pinterest!

There are also lots of restaurants on the beach to choose from in Chaweng and Lamai. Maenam (one of the more quiet, local towns) also has some nice beach cafes, bars and restaurants which serve Thai and international food.

Cafe Talay in Maenam is one of my personal favorites :)

When to go: any night :)

Pricing: $-$$$

How to get there: Song Taew (red pick-up trucks which circle the island), taxi, also ask as some hotels have free shuttle buses to certain locations.

Thank you so much for dropping by and I hope this helps you in some way shape or form during your stay on Koh Samui.

If you enjoyed reading this and know someone who is traveling to Samui or Thailand soon, please feel free to share this link with them :)

Stay tuned for romantic things to do in part two... it's coming soon :) ...But for now, happy Monday & Mothers day in Thailand!! xxx


Now let me know in the comments below what you think... love it? Think I could add something? 

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[honeymoon] Olga and Artem, Centara Villas Samui, Maret, Koh Samui

My friend, K. Dudy at Centara Grand contacted me saying she'd referred me to a couple of her guests staying at Centara Villas Samui, at first I thought it might have been a different kind of photography to what I specialised in. So when Olga texted me I was happily surprised to read that her and Artem were on their honeymoon :)  I so enjoyed getting to know you both, and even in such a short amount of time I feel like we've become friends!

They met while studying on exchange in England and found out there, in another country, that they were attending the same university back in Russia. The details of their story are safe in their hearts and even to outsiders, it's clear that they fell in love there. She talks about him and giggles and you can just tell how head over heels she still is, seven years later, having just married the man of her dreams.

Thank you both so much for choosing me as your photographer in Thailand, I enjoyed every minute I spent with you two!

Here's to a marriage that's even happier than your honeymoon! xx

We started with some photographs in the gardens and pool of the Centara Villas.

OMG, Olga, you are seriously so beautiful! 

 

 Then headed onto the beach from there :)

This is the point where Artem brought it... his modelling skills, that is. We were in hysterics because he said he didn't like having his photo taken... I guess Olga and I proved him wrong that day haha ;)

I love this photograph, really. 

 

You two are too gorgeous together.. 

Happy Tuesday :) xx

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