Dan and Nancy are American's and are having their wedding on Santorini, and a party back in the U.S.A with family and friends. It will be just the two of us they say, and they wondered if our son would like to be the ring bearer?
Our six year old thought it would be wonderful, and had the important role of looking after the rings.
I never tire of seeing couples in love, it is what the world needs more of. Beaming smiles, promises with emotion and heartfelt that even after 27 years of photographing, I still feel that excitement.
Well Oscar our son was like an angel, and as soon as the wedding was over I gave him a camera.
I was ten when I photographed my first wedding with my dad, and Oscar well he has now started at 6!
While Dan and Nancy are dancing, laughing, and posing, they are just loving the mum and son photographers. Oscar is diligently photographing like a pro!
As the sun was setting we were capturing photographs of this unforgettable, joyful and special marriage.
"You are welcome to stay and join us for dinner!" was their kind invite.
Now normally we don't stay as it is just normally one of us at the wedding, but my husband had photographed Dan and Nancy's engagement photos earlier, and as he had finished his wedding he had popped in to congratulate Dan and Nancy.
Yes we would love to join you! With delight we enjoyed the Santorinian evening. With stars twinkling, we ate delicious cuisine, and got to celebrate their wedding day.
We were chatting and Dan and Nancy were talking about needing lots of gifts for all the people back home. Realising the time frame they had there was not much time to shop - there was only the one morning before catching a plane. I was mentioning a location where they could achieve a lot considering the types of gifts needed.
On Santorini we do not have malls as such. There is also limited signage, lots of alleyways, which I love, but if you are trying to achieve a lot firstly you have no idea how long these unknown alley ways will take to navigate and find your way back to where you started. Signage even for road sign names are not that common, you are just supposed to know!
Judy to the rescue! I was up for this important task! People back in the U.S.A who made the dress gave all sorts of special input for this marriage, and needed a momento from this very grateful couple, and also some treats for Dan and Nancy. Treasures were purchased, along with a replica of ancient Greek pottery as a decor piece.
I suggested: "Why not have their names and wedding date painted into their own Santorian pottery piece made by a local potter." My mother in law was a potter and she made each of the children a special piece with names and wedding date on, I always thought it was a beautiful and unique gift. Dan and Nancy loved the idea so a piece was chosen to be made and freighted to the U.S.A. when it was done.
Armed with a list of all the people and knowing there was little in the way of weight allowance for the onward flight we were on a mission. What fun we had, amidst happy tourists. There is a vast array of shops with some showcasing local and Greek artisans. Dan and Nancy both commented they would never have found the places I had taken them, and yes this is why I started helping people as I have done the research to allow them time to shop instead of the overwhelm, which is pretty easy to happen here on a limited time.
Well these two Americans who are so in love, were so taken with the new addition to the photographic team Oscar, that out of the blue many months later arrived on Oscar's birthday a huge box of Lego for one very happy boy. Oscar's photographs and being the ring bearer had meant so much.
We felt very privileged to be a part Dan and Nancy's wedding, and to see the start of a possible photography career for Oscar. For me life is about people, and we wish our new friends Dan and Nancy a joyful marriage full of blessing and fun, maybe for an anniversary they will return to Santorini?
