Totally the wildest emotional roller coaster I’ve ever been on.
My camera was broken suddenly, without any signs, right before the welcome dinner started. I sat down beside my bed, my sight was blacked out. I wanted to scream but can’t.

This was the wedding I’ve been waiting for the whole year and I couldn’t imagine taking the pictures without the camera I usually used. I brought a back up camera but it’s film, so I would need more rolls to cover the whole three days. We were in Wanaka, a small town with only one camera store. Tried to call another camera stores out of the town, yet none of them sold any cameras that meet my standards. So, I bought all the professional films at that local store and asked them to open the lab only for me the next day.
I confessed to the groom and bride, with a bunch of possibilities to offer. I said I’m sorry, I held my tears when I came to them explaining the condition and prepared myself for the worst response. But their reactions were beyond my expectations. Mikael the groom calmed me while asking his friends to pour me a glass of wine. I told Nadia the bride the same thing and her reaction was 180 degrees from any normal brides, like for real. Her smile didn’t get any smaller, she laughed hard and told me, “I don’t care what camera you use, Carol. I will still be happy with your pictures.” and started talk to me about the wine and hairdo like, like it’s not a thing!
Yet another lucky thing, maid of honour have a professional camera with her. Not the camera nor range I usually use, but it was obviously the best option I could take so I borrowed hers and she handed me the camera and lens without any notes or pre cautions. Seriously, what a hero maid of honour you are!

Not only the bride and the groom; the family, friends, vendors and guests, everyone made this wedding felt more like a holiday instead of a job. So maybe you can see now, why eventhough It’s been a month from the wedding, yet still impossible for us to move on.

Here’s some pictures taken using the maid of honour’s camera and the film back up from this beautiful wedding, and also some beautiful pictures from my homie, Gary.

This post will be a reminder for me that no matter how shitty your condition is, there are still a lot of good people and luck outside. All you gotta do just reach out (and freaked out for a while).

Enjoy!

* Dear Mik, Nad, and all teams, if you read this please know that I won’t forget you kindness. I am so grateful that our paths crossed. I seriously can’t thank you enough, guys!!

Wedding Stylist and Planner : Alexander Gotama
Venue : The Rippon Hall
MUA : Archangela Chelsea
Wedding Dress : Viktor and Rolf
Cheongsam : Biyan
Film lab : Yes Photo Wanaka and Soup n Film
Videographer : Leone Stave
Second Shooter : Gary Jordan