Adele’s family was set on having us as their photographers (much to our delight) since we photographed Adele’s brother Daniel and his wife Davina’s wedding a few years ago outside Monaco. Being the first item  checked off the to-do list gave us the rare opportunity to be along for the ride of all potential wedding options as they were up for consideration.

Their final choice was the perfect compromise: a destination weekend trip to the famed Stone Barns at Bluehill Farms (as seen on Chef’s Table) just outside New York where many of their guests live and work. The result was a perfect balance of embracing their Jewish culture, heritage, and tradition and throwing a memorable, kick-ass party to satisfy their mostly younger crowd of many, many, MANY friends (Eric had 14 groomsmen!).

This balancing act was maintained throughout the weekend, beginning with a more intimate Shabbat dinner on Friday night, where Adele’s mom told the incredible story of the family’s Shabbat candlesticks that have survived war and many generations, followed by hilarious (albeit occasionally embarrassing) speeches by the bridal party (every single member  – did I mention the 14 groomsmen?!). The next day you could practically feel the party energy building throughout the day as traditional Jewish ceremony and formal dinner made way for an epic dance party that only gained in momentum through the night.

It was such a pleasure to be there once again for this wonderful family to eternalize yet another memorable celebration. We also loved getting to know Eric and his many bromances and the bonds and friendships that have made both Adele and Eric who they are.

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Guests were invited to the wonderfully eccentric Paramour Estate in Silver Lake to witness an elaborate proposal planned by Rishi. Instead, they were welcomed by the bride and groom revealing the surprise from the mansion’s balcony just an hour before their wedding ceremony.

To add an extra layer of anxiety, the only people who were in the know ahead of time – the two sets of parents – did not know that Zohreen had convinced a very special guest to officiate: Reza Aslan. Oh and a third surprise? Rishi’s brother decided to propose to his girlfriend at the reception and with the bride and groom’s blessing (they were all for more surprises!), he shocked everyone when he got down on one knee (she said yes!).

Despite all the surprises, there was another theme very much at the heart of this whole celebration: the fact that this union was more than two individuals coming together, it was two faiths, two cultures, two families from different backgrounds. Rishi is Indian Jain and Zohreen Pakistani Muslim so the love and acceptance of both families was not lost on anyone who was present. Reza drew from his personal life as a partner in an interfaith marriage as well as his professional life as a world-renowned religious scholar to officiate the ceremony with the perfect blend of honest, sweet, and funny while paying tribute to both of their backgrounds. But it is Rishi’s testament of love during his vows that stood out to me as one of the most beautiful I have heard in my 10 years as a wedding photographer. Rishi’s voice broke as he declared: “I will always be a part of your community. I will always fight for your community to make sure that your community is safe.” These words meant everything. To acknowledge the struggles of Zohreen’s Muslim community and to vow to stand by it is the ultimate declaration of love as far as I am concerned.

We could not have been more thrilled to have been entrusted with not only the task of capturing this truly awesome event, but with all the secrets and surprises that came along with it. Zohreen and Rishi, thank you for choosing us!

And a special Thank You to photographer Adam Kealing, who flew in from Austin to help us cover this wedding!

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Van Ann and Mario shared this story with us when we met them for dinner in New York a year before their wedding. They were excited to incorporate many elements that have defined their relationship over the years – like Shake Shack (the topic of their first ever conversation) and Chick-fil-a (to which Mario famously won a year’s worth of sandwiches for his obsessed bride-to-be). Their faith was also at the centre of the celebration, with Van Ann’s father, a paster, officiating the ceremony. And of course, delicious food, an homage to the many meals over which their relationship developed, was shared family-style at the reception.

Vintage china place-settings, a ladder strung with vintage lightbulbs over the head table, a custom doorway leading to the ceremony, and super fun pink lighting on the dance floor… no design detail was overlooked either! Van Ann and Mario collaborated on the design in a true labor of love.

But perhaps the sweetest gesture of all, was when Van Ann gave Mario two letters to open before the ceremony. One was addressed to him, and the other to his departed father whom she never met. It was the most beautiful way to acknowledge the absence of such a significant individual on such an important day and honour his memory. It said a lot about Van Ann. Needless to say there wasn’t a dry eye in the room when Mario read the letter.

It was a lovely celebration, true to this couple and their relationship, and it was such a pleasure to document it.

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This second event really did feel like an extension of the first, and it allowed us to learn even more about them through the other significant individuals in their lives. I was particularly struck by how vast and varied their group of friends is. There were childhood friends of almost 40 years, fellow travellers they met on trips abroad, some were past or current coworkers… even exes! Age, gender, race, religion, sexual-orientation – Christiane and Jeff’s friendships do not discriminate; they love and are loved by all. It takes serious loyalty and great care to maintain so many different friendships over so many years, and Christiane and Jeff have managed to do so beautifully.

During the ceremony, the bridal party gave touching individual testimonials. Despite each of their unique perspectives and relationships with the couple, Christiane and Jeff finding each other later in life was definitely a recurring theme. It was interesting to hear the ways in which their friends feel that these two fully formed adults balance each other out. They expressed a refreshingly realistic view on love and relationships that we honestly don’t typically hear at weddings. It was the acknowledgement that it takes more than just deep love to make a marriage, that it takes a commitment but also an acceptance of the other. It was beautifully honest, and I realized that it seemed very appropriate of what I have observed of Christiane and Jeff. They don’t try to change one another, they may challenge each other, but also they respect each other’s differences, like the fact that Christiane is a passionate vegan and Jeff is very much a carnivore!

After all the salsa dancing on the boat in Vietnam we were not surprised or disappointed to witness a packed dance floor all night. I could watch Christiane and Jeff dance together for hours (and I guess by now I have!). They are individually confident, move together beautifully (albeit not necessarily perfectly) and their connection is palpable. I hate to point out the obvious, but it really is a perfect metaphor for a happy and healthy relationship!

Christiane and Jeff… we will miss photographing you! Thank you for trusting us to photograph both of your wedding celebrations and for inviting us into the inner circle. We feel privileged to be here.

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We met Christiane 5 years ago at Kristiaan and Lionel’s wedding in Antigua, Guatemala (also known as one of our all-time favourite weddings and couples!) and we’ve been active Facebook friends since. We didn’t meet Jeff until we met up in Hanoi the night before our ship set sail but we quickly got to know each other and forgot that we weren’t just hanging out with our friends.

As a photographer I am obviously biased towards visual storytelling. I went to school for journalism with the intention of becoming a writer, but I fell in love with photography (and a certain photographer… but that’s a story for another day!). I rarely feel limited by photography as a storytelling tool, yet during our three days on the boat in Ha Long Bay, I often found myself wishing that I could capture the other elements that made this trip so magical… the mouthwatering smell of lemongrass and garlic wafting from the boat’s kitchen, the feeling of a warm breeze providing a moment of relief from the humid heat, the sounds of the somewhat eclectic playlist the staff played in the afternoon to which this salsa-dancing group of friends checked, combed and “copaed” (I had to google those salsa terms…) with hair still damp with sea water. But really, it was the company that made it all so wonderful. As Anna, the only child on board, said, Christiane and Jeff “have chosen their friends wisely.”

The wedding day was unconventional to say the least; starting with a kayaking trip around the limestone islands, lunch on the beach, and a rush back to the boat for a quick change into wedding attire. To say that Christiane was a laid back bride would be quite the understatement! Her girlfriends fussed over her hair and makeup while she admired the view outside her window and reassured them that she trusted their opinions on what would look best. Back in his room, Jeff shared one laugh after another as he got ready with his childhood friend slash appointed officiant Craig. We saw the sun briefly for the first and only time of our entire trip at sea the moment Christiane and Jeff exchanged their vows. Following another incredible meal, they danced briefly until the heat got the best of everyone and we sat on the upper deck admiring the stars until everyone slowly retreated to their cabins. As I said, it was magical.

The only thing that made saying goodbye to the group after this once-in-a-lifetime adventure was knowing that we’d be seeing most of them again soon in California for Christiane and Jeff’s larger, more traditional wedding. That one is coming up on the blog in a few weeks, so I guess that makes this post To Be Continued…

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Nora and Niklas are German, but moved to Montreal a few years ago for Niklas’s family business. They’ve made new friends in Canada and started their family, but their home and their roots remain in Germany, so they returned there to tie the knot. Lucky for us, they brought Canadian photographers along!

Like many European weddings, an intimate civil ceremony kicked things off on day 1, followed by a church ceremony, afternoon cake, and dinner and dancing later in the evening on day 2. The events unfolded at a relaxed and enjoyable pace, and it was very much a family affair. I particularly enjoyed seeing how German parents allowed their kids to explore and experience things around them so freely. Their curiosity for every part of the wedding day added a really beautiful layer to the story. And of course, it felt especially special to have Nora and Niklas’s little Max there to witness his parents’ special day. He may not remember it, but I hope he enjoys seeing himself in the photos as he grows up. (Side note: our own son Max is 3 years old now and loves looking through our wedding album!)

Nora and Niklas, thank you for allowing us the privilege of documenting your wedding in the German countryside. Exploring a part of the world that we otherwise would likely have never seen was a bonus to witnessing the love that surrounds you as a couple.

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When Clarice and Stanley planned their trip from Hong Kong to Canada to visit Banff National Park and the Rocky Mountains, Stanley suggested that Clarice bring a wedding dress so they could set up a tripod and take some pre-wedding photographs (a typical Chinese tradition). They are both photography enthusiasts so it seemed like a good idea. What Clarice didn’t know, however, is that Stanley was planning on surprising her with two human tripods (named Davina and Daniel) AND an engagement ring!

We picked up Clarice and Stanley at their hotel in Banff after location scouting for the previous two days and I think we may have been even more nervous than Stanley! We kept our real names, but the story was that we were friends of Stanley’s cousin, fellow photography enthusiasts who happened to be in Banff at the same time as them, who would show them around since we had a rental car and they don’t drive. When we got to Lake Minnewanka, selected for the proposal spot for its privacy, I nervously asked Clarice and Stanley if they wanted us to take a photo of them on the rocks. I nodded to Stanley to take the ring out of his backpack while I distracted Clarice, and convinced her to leave her backpack with me. There wasn’t a single tourist around as they climbed the rocks, posed for a photo and Stanley got down on one knee and presented her with a sparkly engagement ring to the sound of a music box he had hidden in his pocket. A shocked and thrilled Clarice said “yes!” and we all got a little teary-eyed.

Able to finally reveal our real identities to Clarice, we were excited to tell them about all the great spots we’d be exploring the next day. All four of us were visiting Banff for the first time and it was truly spectacular. To have the opportunity to photograph Clarice and Stanley against these breathtaking backdrops was an experience that we will never forget. We could not have asked for a sweeter, more willing couple to go on this adventure with.

Thank you, Stanley, for inviting us along, and to Clarice for embracing the surprise and the adventure!

To see a photo from the proposal itself, head over to our Instagram page where we post behind-the-scenes photos of our travels and photoshoots, as well as (embarrassing) photos from the last 10 years of Davina + Daniel.

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This time, we met up in Paris, one of our favourite cities, and we got to be the translators for a change! While the kids have grown significantly, a lot has remained the same: good appetites (I cannot get enough of watching Esme eat!), followed closely by food-comas, diaper changes on the go, tons of personality, and the occasional meltdown of course (Flynn’s turn now!).

While we love photographing weddings, there is something so incredibly special about documenting a family vacation. Travelling with our own kids is one of our greatest joys in life and being there to document the experience for another family is just so special. I love the idea that Esme and Flynn looking through these photo albums years in the future, looking back on experiences that shaped them despite not having any memories of. I just hope that our images can allow them to see how sweet and spirited and hilarious they are, and how loved they are by their parents.

We are excited to keep this tradition going and look forward to many more trips with the Lee Family!

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It was another memorable experience for me, and I really enjoyed getting to know these high school sweethearts. Chaunette & Andrew, I wish you guys a beautiful wedding this summer, and Andrew, I hope to be there with you on the ice when we (finally!) lift the cup in Montreal!

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Which is why when Betina came to us one morning, her big eyes full of tears, with the news that Marc-Etienne had proposed over the weekend, we immediately offered to be their photographers. Nothing was going to prevent us from being there; not even giving birth to our daughter Charlie just 2 weeks prior to their wedding! (Luckily I felt great!)

With Betina’s family coming all the way from Brazil, the day was all about family… the family that Betina made for herself in Canada through friendships, Marc-Etienne’s family who took her as their own, and of course this new giant family all coming together to celebrate. As a wedding photographer herself, Betina has seen a lot of weddings and she knew the ingredients to the perfect wedding day: emotion + dance party. And that’s exactly what they managed to achieve. The energy was so perfect all throughout the day that even 2 week old Charlie seemed to sense it, as she was just perfectly sweet all day, allowing her parents to do their thing.

We feel so lucky to have been the ones to photograph this family reunion of a wedding day, for a really special couple. We love you, Betina and Marc-Etienne, thank you for trusting us to document it all!

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