I was hoping to blog one more engagement session before this wedding, but I just couldn’t resist any longer. Alexandria and Jonathan travelled from the Northwest Territories for an intimate wedding with 18 of their closest family and friends. They had a ceremony and mini-reception at Abigail’s Hotel, which were both full of laughter and silly sweetness. Then we headed to the ocean and Fan Tan Alley for some portraits.

I love their classic movie star style and couldn’t resist editing many of the portraits in black and white. Short dresses are perfect for taking lots of portraits and for being able to move around, like Alex showing off her mad ballet skills. When you save money by having a smaller wedding, it’s a great excuse to buy some killer shoes – she chose Jimmy Choo’s (my first time even touching some). A custom cape, jewelled hair-piece, and birdcage veil topped off her vintage style. Jonathan also has that 40s movie star look: kind of a blend between Fred Astaire (my favourite) and Cary Grant. Add in Alex’s natural grace (and their resistance to cold weather) and you get some stunning winter portraits. It was such a great prelude to the spring season for me.

Thanks to Gwen Ewart for photographing this wedding with me.

Venue: Abigail’s Hotel
Bride’s Shoes: Jimmy Choo
Bride’s Dress: Maggie Sottero from Bridal Debut (Edmonton)
Groom’s Tux: Perry Ellis from Capital City Tuxedo
Cake: Cakes Etc.
Flowers: Petals Plus
Officiant: Joan Hoffman
Hair: Fish Hair Salon
Make-Up: Pearl Spa at Abigail’s

I made a little stop motion style video from all of the photos I took at their shoot and it turned out pretty cute. Check it out below.

Kristin and Aaron came to Victoria from Edmonton in February for an intimate and elegant afternoon wedding at the Brentwood Bay Resort and Spa. I’d never been to the resort before and it definitely met my high expectations. The SeaGrille is a gorgeous place for a reception, with tons of natural light. We got lucky and the rain held off for the day, so we could take some photos outdoors.

I loved how laid back and fun Kristin and Aaron, and their guests, were. They had a brunch reception because they love brunch, and they cut a crepe instead of cake. The shot of Kristin after throwing the bouquet will probably be one of my favourite shots of the year. She’s just so adorable. Hearing their family and friends’ speeches was a ton of fun.

The little details at this wedding were so beautiful, with gorgeous bouquets designed by Bella Fiore and Kristin’s stunning dress by Crystal’s Bridal in Edmonton. The reception didn’t need a lot of decoration with great wood architectural details and colourful artwork. All of this beauty made a wonderful backdrop for the best things about this wedding – all of the love, laughter, and emotion. I love seeing so many guests travel from afar to celebrate with their loved ones.

Thanks to Darren Beckwith for assisting me with this wedding and taking lots of great photos.

Venue: Brentwood Bay Resort and Spa
Cellist: Martin Bonham
Florist: Bella Fiore Custom Floral Design
Make-up: Jen Clark
Hair: Lindsay (x2) from Talking Heads
Officiant: Iain Hooey
Dress: Crystal’s Bridal in Edmonton

Guests can check out the full gallery here.

Randal and Sarah came to Victoria for New Year’s Eve and we had a fun evening portrait session. We went to Government House and wandered around for a bit and somehow managed to miss the sunset, finishing with some night photos at the lovely Abigail’s Hotel. She’s a yoga instructor and he works in media – I just love working with people who also love what they do. We had such a fun time walking around, talking about our respective cities, and checking out the always gorgeous gardens and ocean view at Government House. I did a bit of experimenting with my tilt-shift lens, the Brenizer method, and my flashes.

Emily and Joshua came from Toronto to Emily’s hometown of Victoria to get married at the art gallery. The gallery is such an elegant place for a wedding, which was nicely complimented by the beautiful decor that Emily’s mother’s friend Deanne Young put together. We did some location scouting earlier in the week, which gave me a chance to meet Emily and Josh in person for the first time, but things ended up going a little differently than planned on the wedding day due to lots of rain. They had a first look at the Inn at Laurel Point and we took some photos on their suite’s balcony (the room was ridiculously gorgeous, by the way) and outside the hotel with umbrellas. As we headed downtown, the weather started to clear up a bit, but the wet ground still wasn’t ideal for pre-wedding photos. We made the best of it and they didn’t complain once. Thanks so much to my assistant Jon Faulknor for making the day run much smoother, and as a last minute fill in for a sick photographer.

Both of their families were really friendly and easy-going, making the task of getting family portraits done a snap. Emily’s grandfather played the bagpipes during the ceremony and her mother made jam favours for all of the guests. This wedding was very personal and emotional and I adore the range of expressions in the photos. The one of Emily’s father giving her away is one of my favourite photos of the year. After the first dance and parent dances, it seemed like every guest hit the dance floor – and they hit it hard. I’m sure the after-party at their hotel was a fantastic time.

Venue: Art Gallery of Greater Victoria
Decor: Deanne Young
Caterer: Truffles
Hair: Laura at Ginger Group
Cake: Pure Vanilla
Officiant: Don Gunn
Dress: Luz Boutique
Tuxedo: Moores