Sunflower story

"Always trust your gut. It knows what your head hasn't figured out yet" -

This is what I am trying to listen to more in my life. I have always had this ability to 'feel' things and since starting this photography journey, I have listened to my instincts more. The more that I listen to it, the more amazing things happen.

Here's one story... I so badly wanted to see the sunflowers last year, but I missed them and I was too late. So I had been waiting and waiting for them to bloom. I had planned to head out west early Feb, but after speaking to the farmer she said I had to be there that weekend, otherwise they would all be gone for the year. We were planning Mariah's newborn session and I had a feeling to ask her what she thought about doing her session in the sunflower fields - I don't know why I thought so, we had already found a location and had planned to do it on the Friday. When I asked her she was almost in tears, telling me how sunflowers are her favourite flowers and how much it would mean to her. So I got planning!! I posted a last minute sunflower session ad and thought, if I am out there, I would like to be able to give others some beautiful photos too! The sessions booked almost straight away but I had one feeling, my gut was pushing me and all I could see was a wedding dress in the sunflower fields at sunset. I could NOT get this out of my head. I contacted Rubi and Lance as Rubi LOVES sunflowers, their son gave her a sunflower as part of her bridal bouquet and sunflowers have a deeper meaning to both Rubi and Lance. Lance's son tried to grow a sunflower to give to her but that didn't work out, so I thought this would be so perfect and special.

That whole time whilst we were trying to plan it, I thought I was seeing Rubi's wedding dress out in the fields. Unfortunately we couldn't make it work, she had work, even sunrise on the Monday morning we couldn't do because Lance had work. We tried and tried but it was not possible. I felt really disappointed but I had to 'let it go'...Anyway, we both accepted it and moved on. But then, 15 mins later (no joke), a lovely lady by the name of Sharni sent me a message and asked if she could book a sunflower session. She then asked me - "can I wear my wedding dress?" little bit creepy right??? Perhaps this was what I was feeling that whole time. We re-worked the times a bit and managed to squeeze Sharni in for the sunset session.

Now, you may be asking - why did she want to wear her dress again? A few reasons, Sharni and Mitch were married in October last year and it POURED on their wedding day. The entire day!!! Sharni and Mitch still had so many beautiful images captured on their wedding day by the amazing Vicki Miller, however, Sharni also loves sunflowers!! Her bridesmaids and flower girl wore crowns with a sunflower on it, and her bridal flowers were sunflowers. Whilst her photos were beautiful and so special from her wedding day, she wanted to take up this (possibly) once in a lifetime opportunity to wear her wedding dress at sunset, in a sunflower field. Sharni didn't want to replicate her wedding day in these photos, she wore her hair differently, didn't wear a veil and Mitch was wearing more casual clothes. You can't re-create things that didn't happen. That's not what we were trying to do at all. Her wedding was perfect and the memories captured on that day will be treasured for a lifetime I am sure. What we were trying to create was, even more memories of these two people in love, and to add to the photo collection that we hope to see in a slideshow for their wedding anniversary in 50 years from now.

Sharni plans to pass down her dress to her daughter or daughter-in-law one day and by having her beautiful wedding photos AND sunflower bridal portraits, just adds depth to the story of her dress. So not only will she pass down a stunning wedding dress, she will pass down the stories attached to that dress and that, is so special.

🌻 So when you feel something, always listen. If it’s meant to be, it’ll be.