On a warm afternoon, the familiar smell of spring permeated the brisk air. Guests slowly filled the Church of the Good Sheppard, a tiny chapel situated on the banks of Lake Tekapo, one of the largest and highest lakes on the South Island of New Zealand. The distant mountains, still capped with snow from the cold blast of the recent winter, created a majestic backdrop. The clear blue sky and white mountain tops created an alluring contrast.
Together with my good friend, Jim Pollard, who invited me along to photograph the day with him, we discreetly documented the intimate ceremony. Shanel and Chris exchanged their vows in front of their family and friends who were tightly gathered into the small church. The altar window adorned the celebration with the picturesque beauty outside.
After the ceremony, we drove along the spectacular blue glacial waters of Lake Pukaki, slowly making our way towards Aoraki, New Zealand’s highest mountain located deep within the southern alpine region.
We stopped along the way and took a quick helicopter flight to the surrounding mountain peaks for some portraits. The soft late-afternoon light beamed down on the couple and the surrounding barren landscape stretching as far as the eye could see.
As the day drew closer to an end, we continued our journey to the final destination, the Hermitage Hotel. Nestled in the breathtaking Mount Cook National Park, the hotel greeted the guests for the reception and a warm place to stay overnight. At one point during the evening, I stepped outside to take a moment to appreciate the serenity of the grand mountains towering around us. In the distance, the thundering sound of an avalanche momentarily disturbed the silence as it echoed through the cold night.
Words and photography by Jakub Special thanks to Jim Pollard
