HOW often does anybody get to witness a father cry, the reunion of a family after a long separation and a grandparent watching a grandchild start life all in the one day?
This is one of the driving forces behind Kate Raston's passion for wedding photography - the fact she can be part of documenting such a significant event in somebody's life.
"Weddings are such a real thing to photograph," Kate said.
"It's very emotional, the brides are lovely and despite what some may believe, there is rarely conflict or tension.
"Most people have the wrong impression of weddings and they are more harmonious than what people think," she said.
"I would much rather photograph somebody's wedding than be a guest because you get to go behind the scenes and see all the detail that goes into that day."
It is clear the enthusiasm Kate demonstrates is what has made her photography business a success and there is a sense of calm and determination that surrounds her on her family farm in Tammin.
The photographer, journalist and mother of three is currently juggling numerous careers, that of raising three children, working as a freelance journalist and of course driving throughout the Wheatbelt to photograph brides on their special day.
Kate has been photographing weddings professionally for more than a decade.
She first realised her passion for photography during her years at Penrhos College in Perth where she learnt how to process film in the dark room, something which is very rare now since the introduction of digital photography.
She completed a Journalism degree at Curtin University then got a cadetship with Farm Weekly as a photographer.
After accepting a position with ABC Rural Radio and the Country Hour, photography took a back seat.
"I spent eight years travelling around Australia working for the ABC and I learnt a lot about interacting with people," Kate said.
"These are skills that help me still today, because you often have to convince people who don't really know you, to let you photograph them."
She established her business Iris Photography and now covers about 20 weddings a year from about September through to May, which are usually booked 12-18 months in advance.
"Because so much travel is involved, because I have a young family and because farm life is so busy, taking on more bookings is not an option," Kate said.
"I think if I did, I'd also start to lose my creativity."
This is an important element to Kate's work and she believes the country is the ideal setting for any wedding.
More than half her jobs are in the Wheatbelt where she has the opportunity to harness her creativity and Kate said she wouldn't have it any other way.
"Country towns have amazing locations to work in, like the old bank, fire station, local theatre or town hall," she said.
"People in the country think outside the square and turn ordinary venues into something magnificent.
"Shooting in Perth can be difficult because it's hard to be original so many people want to shoot in King's Park or King Street in the city, where it's been done before.
"It's also very regulated, busy and you need permits to go most places.
"In the country you have more freedom, which makes the job a lot less stressful and most places haven't been used for a photo shoot."
Kate names York as one of her favourite locations to work due to the natural surroundings and historic buildings she is able to work with.
"The stone buildings and the rolling paddocks in York are beautiful," she said.
"But the wedding photography industry has changed considerably over the last 10 years.
"These days, people want more candid photos and artwork that they can hang on their walls rather than formal photos they put in an album never to see again."
Kate is thankful for a small group of country wedding photographers who are in a similar position to her.
She said other wedding photographers around the Wheatbelt region don't affect her business but rather work together and help each other out.
"We're competition but we're all friends and there's enough work going round," she said.
"You can share ideas, constructive criticism, software, advice and someone is always there to help out if you need them.
"Being able to rely on someone is great and I really appreciate having them.
"They are all about trying to be better at what they do, which is really important."
Kate emphasises this last point, making it clear that wedding photography is not as easy as some might think.
She said the industry was working hard to lift the standards of wedding photography, which has been undermined by amateurs entering the market, because of the popularity of digital cameras.
To help combat this, the Australian Institute of Professional Photography (AIPP), of which Kate is a member, is working hard to lift the standard of photography through mentoring programs.
Kate relies on word of mouth and social networking to keep her business going, as well as blogging each wedding.
"I think that is kind of expected now, but it's also a way of reaching prospective clients," she said.
For Kate, the most fulfilling part of her job is the final product and delivering an album to a bride and groom.
"People are so grateful and the feedback you get is great," she said.
"It's a very rewarding job, probably because it doesn't feel like a job at all."
