Archive for the ‘weddings’ Category

fraser river lodge wedding: dennis & kelsea

Thursday, November 15th, 2012

i first met dennis & kelsea at kevin & megan’s wedding back in march.  kevin and dennis are both kielstra boys and are the first two out of three to be married in a mere 13 months.

kelsea and dennis are a sweet couple…very private and not much for pda.  it was fun to hear the story of how they were set up and how their relationship quietly evolved leading up to their engagement and wedding day.

kelsea executed her classically elegant vision for the day flawlessly.  you wouldn’t be able to tell from her ruffly dress and the delicate details that she’s a farm girl through and through, but when she insisted we visit a torn down shed in the pouring rain with the bridal party for pictures, it became clear that she was one tough chick.

Ceremony: Agassiz Christian Reformed Church  / Reception: Fraser River Lodge / Decor: Valley Weddings / Flowers: Vaandrager Nursery / Hair: Transformations Hair Design / Make-up: Chantal Arends

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abbotsford backyard wedding – daniel & chantal

Thursday, October 25th, 2012

it was a normal day, by all accounts, other than the fact the daniel had a nasty toothache.  he sauntered into the dental office, no idea that his whole world was about to change.  as he slowly regained consciousness coming out from under the influence of the anesthetic, the face of an angelic brunette appeared as if in a dream (picture the scene from little mermaid when prince eric is waking up on the beach after ariel saved his life…i’m pretty sure it was exactly like that).  what was he to do?  he couldn’t just let this sweet princess slip away, never to be seen again. coffee. yes, everyone likes coffee, right?  and so began their courtship…from the dental chair to the altar. (based on a true story.  emphasis on “based” i.e. the majority of the details above are not factual).

special thanks to the incredible ladies over at spruce collective for opening up their space to use when it was POURING rain.  go check out their store, full of vintage and handmade delights.  stay tuned…i just might be doing a little giveaway for this sweet shop on the weekend to honor the increasing fan count on my facebook page!

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magical backyard wedding: caitlin & skiff

Thursday, September 20th, 2012

she was wearing a floor length fur coat, pin curls and bright red lips.  she excitedly told me her plans, from the turquoise house to the fire dancers to the unique identities of each of her 12 bridesmaids.  when we were finished, i had four pages of notes and a huge smile on my face.  her favorite color was rainbow.  need i say more?

they transformed her parents property into a colorfully psychedelic wonderland in the woods…it was amazing.  caitlin spent countless hours creating paper flowers, glitter stars, heart garlands, monogrammed popcorn bags and fabric streamers.  everything was homegrown: caitlin’s dress was made by skiff’s mom, her brother bartended out of his trailer while the groomsman barbecued cured meat and caitlin’s mom prepared the salads in the kitchen.  her brother-in-law was even putting finishing touches on the houses’s paint job and nailing up the last bits of trim when i arrived.

and the guests. were. fabulous.  i don’t even know how to describe it, so we’ll say it was fred astaire crossed with rocky horror picture show crossed with dick tracy crossed with hedwig and the angry inch.  throw in a little outsiders and betty boop for good measure.  and that’s only scratching the surface.

i only had the opportunity to meet skiff the week before the wedding when i did their engagement pictures and he was very kind and reserved and exceptionally nervous in front of the camera.  little did i know, all i needed to do was shine a spotlight, surround him with his band and wait for the magic to happen. he’s an incredible musician and performer…he and his boys (washboard and all) closed off the evening with their blend of rockabilly bluegrass while caitlin danced in the moonlight.

your love for one another and those around you is inspiring…it’s beautiful to see a close knit group of friends come together and celebrate in a way that not only honors your commitment to each other but incorporates so many of the things you adore and is so. much. fun.  thanks for inviting me, caitlin & skiff!

special thanks to my lovely and talented second shooter, sarah nickerson, and my assistant, sadia.  couldn’t have done it without you ladies!

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dillon & jo: married

Monday, September 3rd, 2012

a british girl and a mennonite walk into a church.  an hour later, they walk out husband and wife.  not much of a punch line, but it’s the truth!

jo and i have been talking about this day for a long time and she’s been dreaming about it for a lot longer.  being a textiles designer, she is all about the details…the layering of color and texture and delicate intricacies that the average person might overlook.  so you can imagine the focus as she undertook each project and spent months coordinating and creating.

dillon and i have not been talking about this day at all.  and i have a feeling he hasn’t been dreaming about it quite as much as jo either.  but i tell ya, he was certainly ready to marry his bride.  and once the whole “standing up in front of people saying stuff” part of the day was over, he was so happy and relaxed.

family and friends from near, far and somewhere in between came and partied until well after sunset.  what a wonderful sight.

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riverside abbotsford wedding: mike & susie

Thursday, August 30th, 2012

mike & susie are a couple of fun loving, outdoorsy teachers who spent the summer preparing for the biggest party they will likely ever host.

we spent some time gallivanting around in the snow in january and i loved seeing their playful nature and obvious care for one another.  they can also both dish out their fair share of sass.  perfect equation for a great marriage!

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charming chilliwack wedding: tim & allison

Monday, August 27th, 2012

what a gorgeous day. it began with a morning outdoor ceremony and ended with a intricately designed reception at a greenhouse in the country.

tim & allison are such a sweet couple and both have families that love and support them.  it was so fun to spend the day with all of them…

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film inspired vintage wedding: sam & adriana

Friday, August 24th, 2012

sam  is a videographer and adriana a budding photographer, so you can only imagine the creative feast for the eyes their wedding was!  the natural beauty of the rustic property decorated by adriana and her team of crafting warriors culminated in a beautifully magical backdrop for what was truly a special day.

sam & adriana’s engagement picture session was my most popular post on this blog to date, so i was a little nervous about trying to “top” that with their wedding.  but there’s something about a wedding that evokes so much emotion and draws out so much pure love…looking back on these pictures, i “feel”.  which is all i can hope for.  i hope you see and feel the day right along with me, even if you weren’t able to be there in person.

recognize the movie poster sam is re-enacting below…?

though sam now makes movies himself, his love for the movies started at a young age where he attempted to smuggle himself along on a date night by hiding in the backseat of the car while his parents were getting ready to leave.  so it only made sense that the reception would revolve around the couple’s shared love for the movies, from the “ticket stub” seating chart to the outdoor theatre complete with candy and popcorn, no detail was forgotten.  there were so many personal touches as well, including hundreds of bundled love letters on each table that adriana’s grandparents had handwritten to one another dating back over 60 years.  it’s amazing to see the legacy of love and faith that both families have left for their children…what an incredible example for them to build their marriage on.

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retro fort langley wedding: mark & beth

Monday, August 13th, 2012

so this may very well be the most outrageously large blog post i ever publish, but you know what?  i don’t care.  it’s worth it!!

this was one of those days that moved me.  not just because it was beautiful, but because i love this couple to bits.  obviously, as individuals they are wonderful.  but as a couple they are like, triple threat, bomb diggity, bowl you over, knock your socks off incredible duo…they can’t be stopped.

and so, it is with great joy that i share their wedding day with you.  beth brilliantly dreamt up a day that fit them to a tee…sweet, personal, delicate, natural, quirky and fun.

i’m always so tempted to tell the story of each picture because there’s just SO MUCH to be said, but i’m going to try and keep quiet and let the images speak for themselves.  feel free to make up your own story as you go – i kind of appreciate when someone lets me use my imagination anyway.

the poor little ring bearer got a little confused about who/where his daddy was, which provided us with a few laughs, but may have scarred him for life…

Reception: Fort Langley Community Hall / Caterer: Seasonal Experience (amazing food!!) / DJ: Simon Bridgefoot / Photo booth: Cheddar Booth / Bridal gown seamstress: Dinah Vanderhorst / Bride’s Hair: Tessa Suderman / Bridesmaids’ Jewelry: elephantine & amerrymishap / Flowers: collected from various friends / Tons of DIY projects put together by the bride and her friends and family!

 

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harrison hot springs wedding: jason & bethany

Wednesday, August 1st, 2012

peace.

i think that’s how i would describe this day: peaceful.  no mad dashes, no fiascos.  just a picture of peace.  we were lakeside at greenpoint park in harrison and it was beautiful.  everyone was drawn to this wedding, including a couple of tracksuit clad grannies and a multitude of mosquitoes…there was something for everyone 🙂

you may remember jason and bethany from their pie themed engagement shoot.  their wedding represented them well and was full of gorgeous blooms, feather details, lace and of course…more pie.

they were still as sweet and relaxed as ever and i loved getting to meet their families and spend time with their friends.  you can learn so much about a person by meeting those they surround themselves with and it’s no surprise that these two have become so gracious and kind now that i’ve hung out with the people that raised them.

Bride’s dress: David’s Bridal / Headpieces and Boutineres: Carmen West Creative / Ceremony: Greenpoint Park / Reception: Harrison Memorial Hall

and special thank to my amazing assistant, sadia!  she showed up to this wedding even though it was her moving day and her husband’s birthday and she worked so hard.  such a lovely girl!

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lakeside wedding: derek & melissa

Wednesday, July 25th, 2012

i don’t know if i’ve ever been to a wedding that had SO many elements which reflected the character of the bride and groom and was so truly unique to them.  from the peruvian embroidery to highlight derek’s childhood to the traditional german bee sting cake from melissa’s heritage, they did their best to incorporate things that were meaningful to them and reflected their history as individuals and as a couple.

they both love the outdoors, so it was a no-brainer that the wedding would be outside and a member of derek’s family so generously opened their property for us to enjoy.  it felt like the sound of music up there…gotta remember to wear my twirly blue dress next time (i may or may not have busted out a little “hills are alive” for old times sake).  melissa arrived at the ceremony escorted by her dad in a row boat and she and derek planted a tree together to signify the roots they were establishing and the new life they were creating together.  and while melissa’s brother made lattes and we munched on prosciutto wrapped asparagus, people told stories, sang songs, wept, laughed and danced while the sun went down.

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