Archive for the ‘weddings’ Category

levi & lisa: married

Wednesday, May 22nd, 2013

levi & lisa are dear friends, so you can imagine my delight when they invited me to photograph their wedding day.  levi is absolutely devoted to his girl…one of my favorite stories about his early desire to please her came in the form of a bike ride.  a group of friends decided to bike to the lake: only about 30 km each way and since lisa was going, levi figured this would be the perfect time to impress her.  what he didn’t realize was that these friends he was riding with were serious cyclists, like the “let’s ride from BC to Mexico for fun” kind of serious.  they actually stopped by our house on the way there and i wondered who this fresh faced stranger was and which one of the many girls on this ride he might be sweet on 🙂  needless to say, this was not the easy ride he had expected…approaching the lake, you are required to ascend a serious hill which slowed him down considerably, but he thought “the way home will be fine because it’s downhill.”  but sure enough, the way down was slow as well and he found the group waiting for him as he plodded along far behind.  finally, he told them to go ahead and he would meet them at home…only to get a flat tire and be stuck in the middle of nowhere with no phone or gas station in sight.

as you can see, this dude is committed.  which is one of the reasons i know their marriage will be great.  their day was that of dreams…they met in the forest for a first look and then took communion together, laying the foundation for the rest of the day.  it was full of joy, tears, remembrance and hope and i’m so glad i got to be there for it all.

lisa’s grandpa was wearing the same suit and bow tie he wore on his wedding day, 50+ years ago.  and it still fits!!

the amazing vendors… Venue: Whonnock lake / Flowers: bride’s aunt and grandma / Dress: Action liquidators altered by Meaghan Esmeijer / Bride’s Hairpiece: Serenity Crystal / Food: Paliottis Restaurant and salads by friends /Pies: Yellow Barn / Cake: friend Hope / Bride’s hair: Tessa Suderman / Groom’s outfit: H&M, Topman, Le Chateau / Bowties: American Apparel /  Bridesmaid’s earrings: Samantha Mello Jewelry

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andrew & brittany: married

Tuesday, May 14th, 2013

andrew & brittany’s wedding was literally a breath of fresh air.  in the wedding realm, sometimes it feels like everyone is competing to see who can have the most extravagant affair.  while their wedding was not short on beauty, these two were so totally focused on what was important: the commitment they were making to each other.  when brittany and i first met, she explained that things would be simple…there were a few details she was excited about, but otherwise she was just happy to be getting married to the one she loved.  they had been enduring a long distance relationship while he was in australia and she was so thrilled they were soon going to be in the same place together,  walking the next steps of their journey as a married couple.

and finally, a polaroid scan from the winery:

brittany&andrew-100-3

congratulations, andrew & brittany!

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jamison & paulina: married

Saturday, May 4th, 2013

paulina & jamison.

their story is one of serendipity; chance connections, mutual friends, shared faith and a love for cats.

jamison had gone back and forth about how he wanted to propose and had all sorts of grand schemes in mind, but once he had the ring in hand, all of those plans fell to the wayside.  he literally drove from the jeweller to the grocery store to buy out their flower department.  he then proceeded to turn her apartment into a floral wonderland, remembering to lock the cat away in the bathroom, but forgetting that it was probably not a good idea to leave a vacant apartment with candles lit (details, details).  paulina was giving him a haircut that afternoon and as he sat in the chair, the nerves started to rise and he could barely contain his excitement.  when they got home and walked through the door, the tears started to flow and she agreed to be his wife.

when they decided to get married, they knew a couple of things: they wanted a beautiful backdrop and they wanted it to be small.  so with their immediate families and a handful of their closest friends in tow, they headed to ucluelet to spend a few days together…not only to get married, but to visit, surf, relax, eat good food and celebrate in a way that was comfortable and beautiful and so connected.

jamison & paulina: married from Sharalee Prang.  Music by Sleeping at Last.

venue: black rock oceanfront resort / dress: ellebay bridal / suit: launch menswear

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richie & ashley: married

Monday, April 22nd, 2013

well, you’ve probably heard me refer to these two as the smiliest couple on the planet and they certainly didn’t disappoint on their wedding day.  it was raining pretty hard at times and they wouldn’t let it get them down, even after one of the groomsmen fell in the mud and was covered nearly from head to toe (i’m not even exaggerating) before i had taken a single picture of the wedding party.  thank the lord for dutch farmers and their big, empty unfinished barns!!

they are part of a big family and a tight knit farming community and it was pretty fun to hear all of the tales from both sides of wild driving and mischief making.  i knew there was a twinkle behind those smiles that told a bigger  story 🙂

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madisen & jeff: married

Sunday, April 14th, 2013

madisen and jeff.  i think they’d be okay with me just saying it: things happened pretty fast for them.   it seemed like i had just found out they were dating when i heard they were engaged.  i’m sure they’ve had their fair share of sideways looks when people heard their entire relationship can be dated back to less than a year ago.

but here’s the thing: who cares!!!

you can’t tell me it’s too fast when you see this man’s eyes well up with tears as his bride walks down the aisle toward him (even though he just saw her 5 minutes ago!!).  or when you see the look between them as they grip each other’s hands while it’s described what those hands will mean to them in the years to come.  or when you see them give each other a hard time or laugh themselves silly while they beat the crap out of dora/diego pinatas (long story). or when you hear the affirmations from friends and family that the two of them together was so. clearly. right.  it just was.

so cheers to you, my sweet friends…this is just the beginning!

thankfully the guys were super boring and always just stood there doing exactly what i asked them to.

jeff has spent the last year apprenticing a violin maker.  as a surprise, his mentor had a professional violinist come to the reception and play the violin jeff made.  it was pretty special.

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sukhi’s getting married

Tuesday, April 2nd, 2013

i love our old neighborhood!  we lived right across from the sikh temple and that first year we found ourselves swept up in the beauty of the surrounding community.  there’s a huge sikh festival in the fall where they celebrate their holy book and we were so eager to participate, but at that point no one knew us so everyone was curious about the “gori”(white woman) in the salwar.  i embraced the strange looks and began to make friends with our neighbors.  when the same parade came around the following year, i got the inside track as i was allowed to come and watch some of the morning food preparations on our street and get taste tests of all the best punjabi delights.

i was so ecstatic to hear of sukhi’s engagament in the fall and even more pleased when she invited me to attend and photograph some of the pre-wedding celebrations.  she and her family had lived next door and we had spent hot summer days hiding in the shade of the lane between our homes while she let my kids douse her with water.  best neighbor ever!

the week of the wedding, it’s customary to signal the beginning of the maiyan(a period of separation between the engaged couple) with a celebration at the bride’s home.  sukhi’s family joined together the night before the wedding to prepare her for marriage by performing the vatna and chuni ceremonies, which involve giving the bride an intricately embroidered veil as well as applying a special paste to her body.

it was such a beautiful thing to be a part of…to watch previous generations bestowing blessings and gifts on this woman who was about to start her own family.  thank you so much for welcoming me into this evening as one of your own!

sukhi’s mom is one of the most beautiful women i’ve ever met.  her smile is contagious and she is so warm and generous.

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2012: a year in pictures

Saturday, February 23rd, 2013

i was so conflicted about how to encapsulate an entire year of pictures into one blog post.  all business?  all personal?  some of both?  none of either?  and i don’t like picking “favourites” because the reality is that there are beautiful moments in every.single.session and to decide one is “better” than another…just doesn’t sit right with me.  so what you’re going to get is a little bit of everything.  a whole bunch of moments bundled up into 4 minutes of your day you will (hopefully) be happy to have witnessed.

2012 was full of “feeling”.  i grieved this year.  a lot.  i cried alone and with others and alone again.  i was conflicted in my spirit over why this life is the way it is and wondered how beautifully good people could suffer so much.

at the same time, i rejoiced.  like there was no tomorrow.  i got to witness the very first breaths of a sweet new life and be present as another was released back into the hands of her creator.  i got to see a million first steps as married couples bounced down the aisle and see the tears of joy as their parents freed them to start their own families.  i saw my own kids eager to start school and comforted them when they returned to me with scrapes and bruises of all kinds. i got to cuddle warm little bundles and wiggly toddlers and watch as moms and dads reluctantly let go of their child’s hands so they could take a few wobbly independent steps.  maybe not all of that sounds like rejoicing to you, but to me it represents joy of every kind…what moulds us and shapes us and challenges us and gives us hope for the future.  in a word: life.  what a year.

(the song is paper house by lisa hannigan)

if you watch this and are stirred; if you see these people and wish it was you in those pictures; if you trust me to walk alongside you and the ones you love while you dance and play and enjoy each others company, then you are my client.  you are the one i want to serve.  call me.  email me.  just don’t be a stranger.  i can’t wait to meet you.

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Posted in baby pictures, engagement pictures, families, my family, weddings 19 Comments »

fort st john winter wedding: daniel & amy

Tuesday, January 15th, 2013

amy and i have known each other since she was in high school, but really got close when we lived in a house together a couple of years ago.  we had a few chats about boys and settling down and she was pretty sure she wanted to wait awhile before making that commitment.  so when the baby-faced german started coming around, i was curious to see where it would lead.  the time was approaching when daniel would have to return home, so when amy decided to head in the same direction taking on a position as an au pair it became clear this was the real deal.

they chose a short engagement and a simple wedding in a log church overlooking charlie lake.  daniel’s father was able to fly in from germany for the occasion and friends and family from all over the world watched the very personal ceremony as it was broadcast live on-line.

everyone chipped in to transform the town hall into a beautifully soft space for the reception with chiffon and hundreds of twinkle lights.

it still kind of feels like a dream – i was in town for less than 48 hours and i still can’t believe we got sun AND snow…seeing as it had been -35 the day before i arrived, we were seriously blessed with incredible weather.  couldn’t have asked for more!  thank you amy & daniel – it was so cool to be there to watch you commit your lives to one another.  love you both!

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snowy winter wedding: nick & katie

Saturday, December 29th, 2012

it’s such a gift to watch two people fall in love…the first night katie came home after meeting nick she was all smiles and glow, but wouldn’t admit that she liked him.  soon enough the commitment was made and as everyone has said, we all knew the wedding day would come as these two weren’t the kind to enter into anything lightly.

you two are most certainly meant to be together.  can’t wait to be a witness to the continuation of your story!

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chris & mallory: married

Wednesday, November 21st, 2012

chris and mallory are delightful.  that’s the best word I can think of to describe them.  they are kind, they love their friends and family and they like to laugh.  they didn’t even mind when i poked fun at them every once in awhile and certainly weren’t afraid to dish it out either, which always makes for a fun day for me.

it was cold and beautiful and cold (did i say that already?), but we did our best to make quick work of the picture time so they could get back to enjoy the party awaiting them.

bless you in this beautiful journey you’re beginning together!

 

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