Dream.
This was what the Dolomites were to Shaina and Ian.
It all begins literally on the other side of the world, in South Africa. Two young people who are very much in love decide that a unique venue would be needed to celebrate their union. Mountains, and the Italian Dolomites in particular. Thus their dream is realized.
In this type of wedding (often called Destination Wedding) where the group is really intimate and small, it assumes great importance for the photographer to create a bond not only with the bride and groom but also with all the guests. With these kids it was no different; we dove into their world, their traditions and became “fascinated” by their stories.
This adventure begins with a shoot in one of the most picturesque places in the Dolomites, Lake Braies. Shaina does not mind the harsh temperatures of our winter and decides to pose in traditional clothes (her family has Indian ancestry). As soon as we put the cameras down Bisi runs to cover her, but she is eager to start again and Ian is always ready as well. Their genuineness and love impressed us from the very beginning and helped us so much in the realization of the photo shoot.
We then moved on to Funes Valley to the clearing around the little church of St. John in Ranui, a magical place for a couple in love but equally splendid for us photographers. What came out were images filled with love and passion.
After this first day of shooting, the schedule said we would return to the hotel and meet again the next day. But unexpectedly Shina and Ian invite us to the resort where they are staying for an informal dinner with their friends. They order us not to bring cameras, but we, as photographers, decide not to follow this order. However, we thought that these photos should be their own thing. On the other hand, this situation allowed us to get even more in tune with the whole group and was crucial for the photo shoot the next day. We can also say that the Indian dinner combination with South African friends in the middle of the Dolomites must not be a situation that happens that often so: lucky photographers.
The day of the ceremony has arrived, the Dolomites seem to be hiding under a blanket of clouds, and this makes Ian a little worried; the preparation proceeds with the traditional differences, namely a little more goliardic on the groom’s side and slightly more tense on the bride’s side. Eventually everything is ready, Ian is at the summit and Manlio right in the middle of the clouds, but it is when Shina arrives that the sky suddenly becomes clear and the Dolomites seem to bless Shina and Ian with all their majesty. We photograph so much, we experience minutes almost of ecstasy because the light that has appeared allows us to take just the pictures we had hoped to take. The ensuing couple shooting is playful and intimate at the same time. Even the cable car departure gives us a sunset that makes for the best framing of a perfect day.
The party then continues down the valley, and dinner in perfect Tyrolean style is the natural conclusion to two days of wonderful love
Thank you Shina, thank you Ian
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