This is a long post… I repeat, long. 🙂 This is the journey of Shaun & Lisa as Peter and I have come to know them. We have spent a lot of time with this lovely couple and I am happy to say that I now consider them friends.
It starts out with a few photos from their amazing engagement shoot at the Marine Building in downtown Vancouver. I have always loved shooting in front of the amazing Art Deco revolving doors, but since Lisa works in the building we were allowed access to the lobby after hours. We had so much fun and this couple is very easy to shoot!
A few months later it was time for the wedding extravaganza! It was a backyard event to end all others! Lisa and friends spent a lot of time and effort with the DIY touches and the already beautiful yard was decked out to party. After the Chinese tea ceremony, the couple said their I do’s in the brilliant sunshine while their family and best friends looked on. This was my first wedding that included a poutine truck and a bouncy castle and needless to say was a fun afternoon!
The reception was a 10 course Chinese dinner at Shiang Garden in Richmond with fun & games, cake cutting, and toasts & speeches between courses. I can safely say that no one went home hungry, but calories were burned with everyone ripping up the dance floor!
A couple of days later, after everyone was rested from the big party, I met Shaun and Lisa for a family picnic/big group photo before all of the overseas guest went back home. I surprised Shaun and Lisa with a small photo book of their wedding photos just two days after their wedding. It was very special for me to watch their reactions as they saw a few of their wedding photos for the first time.
The wedding day had been a whirlwind of activity and even though I got some great photos of the two of them on the day, we decided to meet again for a sunset photo-shoot in their wedding attire. I was so glad we did, I shot some of my favourite photos ever on that shoot.
Our last shoot together was a lifestyle shoot of the newlyweds in their home. I wanted to capture them as they are… I’m sure Shaun makes cookies every weekend! 🙂 He’s a keeper, Lisa! I think it is really special to have a glimpse of their life during that first year of marriage and I’m sure they will look back on it fondly as they grow old and grey together… love you guys!
Last Updated: February 8, 2019 by marla Leave a Comment
Arizona in the spring… a 2018 getaway
Peter and I took a little trip to Arizona in the spring of 2018. This was a little getaway before the start of one of our busiest wedding seasons ever. It was a good idea to get used to hiking in the desert because sometimes that is what it feels like on a wedding day!
Spring in the desert is a lot different than in ‘Raincouver’ and we enjoyed our condo’s pool everyday. Our condo was in Chandler and we took side trips to Phoenix, visiting the botanical garden (my pick) and the zoo (Peter’s pick), and trying the famous In-N-Out burger… they were pretty darn good. We did many hikes, the favourite being the Mormon Trail to Fat Man’s Pass. We drove out to Saguaro Lake and found a fun floating cocktail bar… sometimes it is about the destination! 😉
Our biggest highlight was a day trip to Sedona, a beautiful little desert town that’s surrounded by red-rock buttes and steep canyon walls. It was a 2 hour drive from Chandler, but worth getting on the road early for! We started off with a hike around Bell Rock, visited the Chapel of the Holy Cross and also hiked at Cathedral Rock. We had dinner at the Mariposa restaurant, that has one of the best views in the world. Sedona is one of our favourite places we have ever visited and would recommend it for an adventurous yet still beautifully romantic honeymoon!
Last Updated: February 21, 2019 by marla Leave a Comment
Renat & Suzanne’s Wedding at Minoru Chapel and Hycroft Manor
Last Updated: June 6, 2018 by marla Leave a Comment
Visiting Kauai
Hawaii is one of Peter and my favourite places to rest and relax after a busy wedding season and in fact it is a life goal to visit each Island! Now that we have visited Kauai this past winter, that makes three ticks on the list. We stayed at the Hanalei Bay resort and had a great view of the mountain that inspired the song Puff the magic Dragon. I was told Kauai was stunningly beautiful and that I would love it. It was not an exaggeration. What struck me was the many shades of blue and green, all the cool crayolas were used!
We did catch a few sunsets as I like to do. Even though it is a bit of a pain to bring along a tripod, I am always glad I to have it for those long exposure sunset shots. The last sunset of our stay was especially colourful and as long as I pack a cooler with snacks and beer, I have a happy partner! 🙂
Peter and I like recommend Hawaii to our wedding couples for a romantic (and adventurous as you want) get-away! It is so nice to spend some time together after the busy days of planning and the wedding day itself. In fact, this was Peter and my fourth honeymoon and we plan to keep having them!
Last Updated: May 16, 2018 by marla Leave a Comment
Jeff & Jenny… Swan-E-Set Bay Wedding
Have I told you there’s no one else above you?
Fill my heart with gladness, take away all my sadness
Ease my troubles, that’s what you do
Meets the day with hope and comfort too
You fill my life with laughter, somehow you make it better
Ease my troubles, that’s what you do
Last Updated: August 7, 2018 by marla Leave a Comment
Cultus Lake engagement shoot… Brandon & Julie
I love to do our shoots at locations that have meaning to the couple! Brandon and Julie each grew up going to Cultus Lake with their families and as a matter of fact, Peter and I also did a lot of camping there with our boys! 🙂 Since that was where the couple became engaged there was no question, the location was written in the stars! It was a beautiful day and we enjoyed wandering around to different parts of Cultus with them. Brandon and Julie had a few snuggles and a whole lot of fun!
Last Updated: January 15, 2018 by marla Leave a Comment
Kasia & Joe… Burnaby Mountain engagement shoot
On the warm summer evening we met Joe & Kasia on Burnaby Mountain for their engagement shoot. With the scent of roses in the air, a romantic stroll through the garden was the plan. Joe told us this was where he proposed and he wanted to recreate the moment when he asked the radiant Kasia to be his wife. We ended the shoot with a stunning sunset and they giggled and cuddled like teenagers. These two are so in love and romantic in the most adorable way!
Last Updated: November 5, 2018 by marla Leave a Comment
Locations, locations, locations!
I often get asked for advice from my couples on where to go for their engagement shoot. I think it makes sense to choose somewhere that means something to them and fits their lifestyle.
There are so many beautiful places to choose from right in our own backyard in the Lower Mainland. If you are more uptown and dressy, how about Coal Harbour or Gastown? If you are outdoorsy and casual… maybe Lynn Valley or Pitt Lake would work for you. Of course the popular standards are always great, Queen Elizabeth, Deer Lake or Stanley Park have so many different locations to choose from. Maybe one of our many beautiful beaches on a warm sunlit evening would be a good choice or the colourful extravaganza that is Granville Island.
I can’t think of a better way to feature some great locations and help couples to decide than with pictures! All in all this is a fun shoot where we get to know each other a little better and helps the couple get used to being photographed, oh and for the guys… kissing will be involved 😉
Last Updated: July 19, 2017 by marla Leave a Comment
Brennan & Kendra… South Bonson Community Centre wedding
Peter and I met Brennan and Kendra for their engagement shoot on a cool autumn evening in at Campbell Valley Park. We wandered amongst the trees and got to know this sweet couple, hearing all their plans for their big day, and of course taking photos.
Fast forward a year later and the long awaited day was here! Kendra got ready at the Sandman Signature Hotel with her best girl friends as Brennan and his best men (and best dog, Maks) waited patiently for the girls to arrive to the South Bonson Community Centre.
This autumn day had every weather… from pouring rain in the morning to sunshine in the afternoon, and one of the prettiest skies at sunset. Because of the unpredictable weather the ceremony was held inside, but fortunately for portraits, the afternoon turned lovely and mild. The afternoon’s beautiful water-colour sky was a nice trade off for the morning’s rain.
The reception was lively at the Community Centre, great food and great people! Kendra put some much thought and effort into her decorations, with a nod to all of the couple’s favourite movies!
I love when we get to sneak the couple out for a few sunset photos during the reception, and Brennan and Kendra were keen on the idea, too. It gives the couple a few minutes to themselves and always get some great photos, whatever the sunset may look like. This night’s sunset, my favourite part was the afterglow of pale pink and blue, so pretty and romantic.
After our return, the reception got underway with toasts and dancing and a fun evening for all. Brennan and Kendra (and Maks), we wish you all the best!
Last Updated: June 9, 2017 by marla Leave a Comment
Stanley Park Pavilion Wedding… Chris & Liz
Chris and Liz were married at Stanley Park Pavilion in September of 2016. The Pavilion is the jewel of Stanley Park, and one of the prettiest locations for an outdoor wedding in Vancouver. Peter and I were thrilled to be shooting there again.
It had been a long hot summer, but the weather was perfect on the day of the wedding. It was still quite warm, but the rain from the day before had left a freshness in the air. The grounds surrounding the Pavilion were gorgeous, the flower beds still bursting with colour even though summer was almost at an end. The garden ceremony was gorgeous and we didn’t have far to go for great photos after.
For the reception, the Lord Stanley Ballroom with it’s bright and fresh interior was a lovely backdrop to Liz’s gorgeous flowers. Chris and Liz love to travel and the theme for the reception decor was places from their travels. It was a very relaxed evening with great food and music. The funny stories and kind words from loved ones resulted in tears and laughter, happily more of the later. After the cake was cut, it was time to party! Everyone let loose and had a great night with dancing and fun times.
Chris and Liz, we hope that your first months of marriage have been a blast and the travels that lie ahead of you will be as amazing as your wedding day!
Last Updated: April 29, 2017 by marla Leave a Comment
Shaun & Lisa… the wedding extravaganza!
This is a long post… I repeat, long. 🙂 This is the journey of Shaun & Lisa as Peter and I have come to know them. We have spent a lot of time with this lovely couple and I am happy to say that I now consider them friends.
It starts out with a few photos from their amazing engagement shoot at the Marine Building in downtown Vancouver. I have always loved shooting in front of the amazing Art Deco revolving doors, but since Lisa works in the building we were allowed access to the lobby after hours. We had so much fun and this couple is very easy to shoot!
A few months later it was time for the wedding extravaganza! It was a backyard event to end all others! Lisa and friends spent a lot of time and effort with the DIY touches and the already beautiful yard was decked out to party. After the Chinese tea ceremony, the couple said their I do’s in the brilliant sunshine while their family and best friends looked on. This was my first wedding that included a poutine truck and a bouncy castle and needless to say was a fun afternoon!
The reception was a 10 course Chinese dinner at Shiang Garden in Richmond with fun & games, cake cutting, and toasts & speeches between courses. I can safely say that no one went home hungry, but calories were burned with everyone ripping up the dance floor!
A couple of days later, after everyone was rested from the big party, I met Shaun and Lisa for a family picnic/big group photo before all of the overseas guest went back home. I surprised Shaun and Lisa with a small photo book of their wedding photos just two days after their wedding. It was very special for me to watch their reactions as they saw a few of their wedding photos for the first time.
The wedding day had been a whirlwind of activity and even though I got some great photos of the two of them on the day, we decided to meet again for a sunset photo-shoot in their wedding attire. I was so glad we did, I shot some of my favourite photos ever on that shoot.
Our last shoot together was a lifestyle shoot of the newlyweds in their home. I wanted to capture them as they are… I’m sure Shaun makes cookies every weekend! 🙂 He’s a keeper, Lisa! I think it is really special to have a glimpse of their life during that first year of marriage and I’m sure they will look back on it fondly as they grow old and grey together… love you guys!
