Viva Las Vegas | Adelaide Wedding Photographer | International Wedding Photographer | Corrynn Jones Photography

When I 1st met Carolyn, I was showing her how to use her Canon SLR to get awesome photos of the beautiful & most delicious cakes she was making at Frangipani's Cakes.  We were at the very 1st McLaren Vale Wedding Expo & were packing down after a busy day of meeting potential clients.....

I never thought she would be the client that would change my life forever!

As fate would have it, a year later at the next McLaren Vale Wedding Expo, we met again and once again as we were packing down we had a chat about life & cake when Carolyn whispered in my ear "You know you're coming to Vegas to do my wedding photos, right?" to which I of course laughed, assumed she was joking, and replied "Absolutley, I'll come!" 

A month later we met again at Frangipani's Shop Grand Opening & I met Gareth for the 1st time & the whispers were there again as I was introduced as the girl who would be coming to take their photos in Las Vegas....I jokingly went along with it...I mean seriously, who goes to Las Vegas for a wedding...it just seemed ridiculous that anyone would want to take me across the world to capture their day!  We had a great day at the opening, said our goodbyes & carried on with life.

I was checking my Facebook one day, when I came across a message from Carolyn asking if I had a passport & could I get one ASAP....I looked at my husband & said "Hun....I think she's serious....I think she wants me to go with them....what should I do?"  To which he replied, "If you don't go, I will!  You can't miss this opportunity, it's a once in a lifetime thing, you have to go."

So with 4 weeks before we were due to be in Las Vegas, we scrambled around getting passports, flights, accomodation etc all booked and ready for the most amazing experience of my life...

MY FIRST INTERNATIONAL WEDDING....and MY FIRST LAS VEGAS WEDDING!!!

Carolyn & Gareth met me at the airport & gave me the tour of the Las Vegas Strip & surrounds, helped me settle into my room at their chosen hotel for me, the Paris Hotel & Casino Las Vegas (including it's very own 1/2 scale eiffel tower!) & then we were painted the town red, 1st stop was M&M's World (4 sotries of M&Ms deliciousness!!) where we sampled just about every flavour & colour on the M&M's wall of colour & I squeaked, ooh'd & aaah'd at absolutely EVERYTHING!!  We had dinner together & chatted about the wedding the next day....it was all far too fabulous to believe & my nerves & jetlag kept me awake most of the night...

...I was in Las Vegas to shoot a wedding...was it even real?

I was up bright & early the next day, getting my cameras, batteries, lenses, flash & cards all organised for the day & trying to wrpa my head around what was about to happen....I mean, I shoot weddings all the time and you don't get a reshoot....but I will never get a reshoot in Las Vegas, and they bought me here to get it right....yes, I was nervous as I've ever been in my life...maybe more!

I headed out on my 15 min walk to Caesar's Palace, home of my gorgeous bride & groom, when I got there & saw them my mind was set at ease with loads of fun & laughs and just the gorgeousness of the love between these two.....& I was lucky enough to be their chosen one.

 

After capturing our bling & before shots, we headed down to the amazing Gold Fish Noodle Bar, the Grand Foyers, Fountains & entrance of Caesar's to wait for the limo to take us to the Chapel for the ceremony.  The Chapel of Flowers at the northern end of the Las Vegas strip is just stunning, and was the most perfect setting for such a special couple.  When we arrived, Carolyn went in to get the signing of the papers under way and Garth took a moment outside to get ready to marry the girl of his dreams...I gave him a few ideas to calm his nerves, from my experiences and we went inside to continue the signing.  As I was the only guest, I was also the witness for the marriage & signed my name on the dotted line to complete the paperwork & it was time for the ceremony to begin.

Most of you know I get teary at weddings...there's always sometg different for each couple that will set me off, but to be honest I never thought I would cry at a Las Vegas wedding....it just always seemed to sound very Wham, Bam, Thank you Mam and not at all personal and sentimental...boy was I wrong!  The Minister conducted the ceremony with his gorgeous 6ft8in african american-ness, the accent, the words, the pauses, the giggles, the vows they made....it was all just perfect for Carolyn & Gareth & I couldn't help but well up at one of the most beautiful ceremonies I've ever witnessed.

Once the paperwork was completed, the ceremony finished with the kiss & walk down the aisle, it was time for our photo shoot.  We used the grounds & gardens of the Chapel for an hour & then headed back to Caesar's and made good use of the epic shopping centre fountains & ceilings as well as the pool area & wedding grounds.  We drove out to the EPIC "WELCOME TO LAS VEGAS" SIGN & made good use of the strip as well.  We stopped for cake in the gorgeous cake shop in Caesar's & then went up to their room where Carolyn made the epic call to mum "We're married!"

The wedding reception (for 3) was at the spectacular Eiffel Tower Restaurant in my hotel and we dined while overlooking the gorgeous Bellagio fountains.  After what can only be described as a scrumptiously delectible meal & dessert, we headed out again to the lights of Las Vegas, made good use of the beautiful Bellagio fountains & epic columns, archways & rotunda's at Caesar's Palace until it was time to say goodnight & let the happy couple enjoy their wedding night together.

I stayed in Las Vegas for a total of 4 days, each day was a new adventure for the 3 of us, including a roadtrip to see the sights d many walks up down the ever so famous Strip.  It was a life chaing experience for me, my first trip overseas, ever and an epic adventure across the world.  Not only did I gain international experience, the trip of a lifetime & many dreams come true, but I have also gained 2 of the most gorgeous friends I could ask for!  I cannot thank Carolyn & Gareth enough for the opportunity they gave me, for the laughs, the fun, the amazement of everything...it was so surreal and I am forever grateful.