Just a few of the many details which made this lovely wedding utterly unique & personal.  I absolutely love when a couple creates a day that is meaningful for them, reshaping wedding customs as necessary. Big kudos to Kat & Greg for putting together such a perfect example of how a wedding can & should be: a reflection of the couple being celebrated and their love.  Anything else is superfluous.

Amid spatters of rain, misty clouds, and beautiful sunshine, here are a few of my favourite photos from their day.  Huge thanks to the talented Jesse Holland for second shooting :)

Ceremony venue: Native Plant Nursery, Nanaimo Area Land Trust

Reception venue: Cedar Community Hall

Bride’s dress: TruthPeaceJoy

Groom’s attire: handmade by Brenda Yoshida, mother of the groom

Jewelry: Fabuluster, Pieces of Indigo, Noel Brown

Hair: Braeja Chadwick

Catering: Chef Bruce Chandler & students, from John Barsby School

Florals / Decor: hand-sourced by family members

Officiant: Irene Deschene

This session is kind of like a celebration of Spring’s arrival for me.  It was my first sunny portrait shoot of the year, and it was for some of my favourite people… although I have quite a few photos of this family here & there, you might recognize them from these beautiful maternity photos.  Kate wanted to include one set of little Andrew’s new grandparents… and I loved capturing the connection between these generations.  Enjoy, and get out in the sun with your loved ones! :)

Don’t get me wrong, I understand that most of my clients are looking to get their digital photos on a disc.  Maybe you plan to print them at your own leisure, share them on facebook or through email, etc.  I certainly hope that you do.  But I just don’t feel completely ok with handing over a plain old disc after the wedding is said and done.  It seems anticlimactic and kind of impersonal, which is not the way I want you to feel about receiving your photos.

So I thought I’d share some examples of my spin on your digital photos.  While I do offer a wedding disc containing your high-resolution files, it comes in a custom made DVD package.  Have a looksie below to see what I’m talking about.

A sturdy protective jacket contains your package, and your names are hot-stamped in foil on the front.  Out slides a hard cover book, which contains a smaller mini-album and your disc(s).

The mini-album is a 6 page lay-flat style made of stiff pages – perfect for full spread photos.  It slides into a sleeve on the left side of the booklet.

Your disc(s) are nestled into their own home, and protected by a thin transparent paper built into the booklet.

Just a little way to help you get your photos in a tangible form.  The DVD package also serves as a great baseline for how your photos are supposed to look, if you plan on having your printing done elsewhere.

Please get in touch if you’d like more info or to see some samples in person!

One of the best parts about creating family portraits is seeing how quickly the little ones grow up… it didn’t seem that long ago that I had taken a few images of Maelle at Carter’s age, back here.  Looks as though she is taking her new sister duties in stride ;)

Thanks to Holly & Guy for having me back to document their growing family – Carter is an absolute sweetie! xo

Kristin & John are one of those couples who simply shine together.  Their love is so palpable & real it makes you happy just knowing they have found each other in this big, crazy world.  Love like that deserves to be celebrated, I say.

For their engagement session, we decided the best way to celebrate their love would be to document Kristin & John together on a typical Sunday doing what they do…   This might include going out for a delicious coffee and relaxed chat about their plans for the week, followed by a refreshing stroll through the woods.  Perfect!  49th Parallel Cafe definitely fit the bill for yummy coffees :)

Kristin & John, I can’t wait to be there for you on the big day next month!  I know it is going to be fabulous. xo

To celebrate the end of 2012 and welcome in the new year, I had the great fortune of photographing a beautiful New Year’s Eve wedding.  After over a decade of being together, Heather & Nick were married at the Pinnacle Hotel at the Pier in North Vancouver.  (You might remember their camping-themed engagement session late last summer).  As all my favourite weddings do, their day focused on family, a relaxed & personal experience for their guests, thoughtful details, and celebrating love in all its forms.  And it didn’t even rain – bonus! :)

Heather & Nick opted to have a first look before the ceremony, which was brilliant in so many ways.  Not only did this allow us to schedule their portrait session during the best light of the day (and not in the dark), this meant they were free to enjoy & visit their guests immediately after their ceremony… no lag time or disappearing before the reception for photos.  And what better way to steal a few moments alone together on an otherwise busy day?!  The reception continued on into the night with a few heartfelt speeches & a crazy, bumpin’ dance floor – a perfect New Year’s party.

To Heather & Nick, thank you so much for the honour of documenting your gorgeous day – it was truly a pleasure to celebrate with you & your amazing families.  I felt right at home!  Big thanks as well to my talented second shooter, Kristina :)

Wedding Venue: Pinnacle Hotel at the Pier

Florals: West Van Florist

Hair & Makeup: Jayna Marie Makeup & Hair

Bride’s dress: Mikaella from Isabelle’s Bridal, Bride’s shoes: Badgely Mischka

Bride’s jewelry: Elsa Corsi from Jeweliette

Decor: Sourced & created by couple

Marriage commissioner: John Humphreys

DJ & MC Services: Rob Steel, Steel Productions

The perfect opportunity to have your custom holiday cards all ready for the season, plus an 8×10 print for you to keep.  Get in touch for more details and to reserve your session time!