…film photography is a magic thing – once you’ve tried it, you are kind of hooked – it’s as if there was no going back from this point of bliss and satisfaction: The creamy tones, the dynamic range between light and dark – and of course medium format’s unrivalled depth of field. Even looking through the Contaxor another medium format camera can be like a gateway drug!

A few summers back in the midst of peaches & mint’s 30 weddings a year challenges, my friend Susanne, owner of the one and only Hochzeitsguide, introduced me to a talented blogger and aspiring photographer herself. I think it took about half a glass of wine at lunchtime – and I was already in love with Melanie. Her straightforward, fun, warm-hearted personality came with a lot of doer qualities, she wanted to learn, improve her photography and so became my trusted assistant for a good lot of wedding adventures. I was lucky to have her – a great assistant always has your back and thinks with you, being in all the spots you can’t be while rolling film at the same time – multitasking at it’s best.

Soon Melanie bought her first Contax and although I knew this was bound to happen it was a bit of a painful process for me at first, seeing her head of and shoot weddings on film in about a tenth of the time it had taken me to bring up the courage to do so. And on top of all that – she was so good! Yes I am happy to admit really scared me, although as a teacher I should have been able to take it as a compliment. Well, back then I couldn’t see it that way at all.

It took a little longer, maybe up until this summer, when I had to come to terms with the fact that I could only be in one place at the time and that shooting three weddings in one weekend wouldn’t be possible. So I asked Melanie to jump in for me on one of them and am still very thankful to the lovely couple for being generous enough to let me of the hook. But oh, when these scans came back from the lab I instantly knew they were actually in for a real treat: Noone could have taken more wonderful pictures of this special day & these two sweethearts!

Holly and Hedinn celebrated their Austrian-Norwegian union in a mix of their countries Tracht – Holly’s gorgeous dress was designed by Lena Hoschek and in one of the loveliest of spots: Aiola in Schloss St. Veit. Wow what a joyful & vibrant celebration it was – I love how Melanie captured the spirit in many, many beautiful images, but this one is amongst my favorite wedding pictures ever! I am sure Melanie will show some more over on her blog soon, hop on over to check out her gorgeous work and watch out for this talented lady!