Colin & Jes

On Friday I had the honour of shooting Jes and Colin's wedding! I had never shot a winter wedding so I was very excited to see how it would be different compared to shooting in the summer with Krista. Also, Krista was on vacation in Florida so it was my turn to take the lead! With the help of lovely Carolynn, we were able to capture the beautiful wedding. Jes was nervous - but it did not show! She looked absolutely stunning. These photos were taken only minutes before she walked down the aisle!






Before the ceremony started - Jes was asking her son how excited he was to walk down the aisle and he couldnt have been more proud! Jes and her "little peanut" as she called him, walked down the aisle as Colin waited with a loving smile.





Both Colin and Jes exchanged vows that they had written for one another - it was absolutely beautiful!
Here is Jes listening to Colin express his love for her.



Caleb was hilarious - every time he heard the camera click he wanted to pose for the picture. Carolynn was making faces at him and he just loved it!



Here are some more precious moments during the ceremony - they really do capture the love that is this new family!







The newly weds!





They pretended I was not even there - which I LOVE and did different kissing poses a few times throughout the night. I really dont think they minded too much :) I could tell they didn't want to stop!






Jes is not only a newly wed - but a new aunt as well!



Thank you for letting us share in your special day Jes and Colin!

Aiden & Carolyn's Wedding

Today was a perfect day for a winter wedding with the thaw finally lifting and a light snow in the air! Carolyn was a stunning bride and Aiden just beamed when he saw her! It was a fun first wedding of '08 and a great day! Thanks for letting me be a part of your special day!






I find I am naturally drawn to the elderly and the kids at weddings -0 they are who we want to remember the most and change the fastest. Here is a photo of Carolyn with her grandmother...



and with her nephew... (who didn't recognize her as she is usually very casually dressed)


The handsome groom waiting for Carolynn



When Carolyn arrived, her dad brought her in the waiting car a card and gift from Aiden.


Carolyn was too choked up to open it - until we went inside. I peek out the window and saw this intimate window of her opening her gift and card in private.


And in case you're wondering - here is the gorgeous necklace from Aiden!


And a couple of funny ones before the ceremony...

Carolynn as a triplet...


And a true Canadian bride - long johns (with knee highs over top!) and a coat and snow to step over!


Now on to the ceremony...



Mom and dad watch on....


A sweet moment after signing the registry (did I mention Aiden is 6'8"?)


Some candid shots of family and friends...












And some of the happy couple (hard to believe this beauty is in the city - right in Toronto!)

Wedding Musings

So, I took most of December off and am just getting fully back in to the swing of things! Tonight I had two wedding consults with future couples - love these. Before I book anyone's wedding, I like to meet them. Make sure we "click" and to hear their story. I'm looking forward to a fun season in '08 . We have some great venues, gorgeous couples and fun weddings on the horizon. I can't wait. As I talk about weddings to couples when we meet I get so anxious to just go snap their wedding TODAY! I absolutely love what I do!

...happily ever after

Tonight we held our marriage seminar with Leanne Friesen as our speaker. Leanne's talk was called "Love & Marriage According to Grey's Anatomy". We had 5 couples there - two newlywed couples and three engaged couples (and then Mark & myself and Leanne & her hubby!). If you don't know what I am referring to... let me rewind. I am a strong believer in
marriage for life - and not just a marriage that is stale - but one that is fulfilling and happy.
Since I am involved in so many people's lives at the beginning of their marriage journey, I wanted to offer something to them. We get training for every other area of our life - but not the one that is suppose to last "forever". I asked Leanne if she would do a talk - offering tips and suggestions on marriage. Well she did a GREAT job! We've been married 11 years and Mark and I both found it completely helpful and relevant.

If you couldn't make it tonight and want some of the resources (great for couples at any stage) check out:

www.theducklows.ca and under "Tools" click on "Couples Took Box" on the bottom left side. Here you can find (FREE) downloadable discussion sheets that you can use together as a couple or with a marriage mentor (i.e. a couple who has been married longer that you respect)

It was a great afternoon and I know Mark and I benefited from it. Thank you Leanne!!

Comments I received from those in attendance were:

"It is nice to take time out of the 'rush' of life to focus on the important things."

"It was a great opportunity to meet other couples and hear from someone who values marriage and recognizes the importance of being prepared to enter it"

"Brought us back to thinking about us as a couple during our busy lives"

"Very insightful in a relaxed atmosphere"

"Fun topics, made us think about things we might not have normally"

Andrew & Amanda

Today was a beautiful November day - perfect for a wedding!! Amanda was an absolutely stunning bride - and Andrew was just beaming at her the whole time! We went to the Grist Mill at Waterloo Park for photos - what a great spot! It was a fun day - and a great way to end off the wedding season for this year! (more photos to come soon!)

Jason & Cynthia

Yesterday was the perfect Fall day - sunny and warm with perfect colours on the trees! A great day for a wedding! Jason and Cynthia got married up in Owen Sound at a beautiful old church - I was so happy to see it's red doors! Jason & Cynthia are just so much fun - watching Cynthia's enthusiasm when Jason told her where they were going on the honeymoon (Spain for a week and a week long cruise of Greece, Italy and Spain. SWEET!!) was so much fun to watch! Thank you both for letting me be a part of your day - you should be in Italy now... enjoy!





























And this is one of my fave pictures - and Mark (my hubby and assistant yesterday) took it! I snapped from the front of the car - but this image taken from the back with the "Just Married" sign I enjoy much more! Good work, hon!

Byron & Erica

Saturday was a beautiful Fall day for Byron & Erica's wedding. After their ceremony we went straight to Glen Erin Inn where they had a mingle reception. It was a great time of people enjoying each other's company! Their was a great jazz band playing, and people mingling between the different rooms. After the reception, Byron & Erica and ourselves went down to Erindale Park to take some photos of just the two of them. It was a lot of fun - they are such a sweet couple and it was an absolute pleasure to be a part of their Big Day!

Chris & Arlene

This weekend was a busy one for me with two weddings. Friday night's wedding was with Chris & Arlene at Liuna Station in Hamilton. The clouds and rain held off until the ceremony was done outside and the guests were in. Perfect! Chris & Arlene carefully thought through every detail, and so many details of the day had special significance and meaning. A beautiful day - thank you for letting me be a part of your Big Day!

Sean & Nichola

Today I had the pleasure of doing a wedding on behalf of a good friend - a fellow photographer who is ill. It was great to meet Sean & Nikola - such a sweet couple! They were just beaming! All week called for rain for today - but it was gorgeous! They have a beautiful 7 month old daughter Shae who was such a doll! A great day - thanks!

Dave & Rachael

Today was a perfect day for an outdoor wedding! Dave & Rachael had a beautiful wedding at the Old Mill in Ancaster today. They are two of the sweetest people - and it was a lot of fun to be a part of their Big Day! They thought of lots of ways to bring meaning to their day - from Rachael's embroidered name on the inside of her dress from her Grandma (in blue for her "something blue!"), to the photo on Rachael's bouquet of Dave's late Grandpa to their dog Bella's necklace. Each detail was carefully thought through and together made for a beautiful day!









Yes - the guys clicked their heels going down the aisle

Jeremy & Becky

Yesterday was the wedding celebration of Jeremy & Becky in London. Even though it was a rainy day - we had breaks in the rain to slip outside. These two didn't mind squishy feet and getting a bit wet. Such troopers! It was a fun day! Becky is so detailed - from her lists to all the little things she thought of through the day. Platters (with special pens for people to sign with) for a guest book - they'll later bake the platter and it secures the penned greetings for years to come. The programs at church were fans for the hot church. There was a;so individually wrapped tissues in ribbon with labels "For Tears of Joy". And the list goes on for how she thought of everything! Here are a few images from the day...

First Dance

Last weekend I photographed Joel and Rachel's wedding - as I mentioned in my earlier post - they did the Dirty Dancing First Dance (THIS was their inspiration). It was amazing! Here is a slideshow of some of the images from it. Sorry I ran out of time to do it to the right song ("I Had the Time of My Life"). If anyone has a video - I'll gladly post it here!

Mike & Vanessa

Yesterday I got to photograph one of the most fun weddings! Mike and Vanessa know how to have a blast and looked after the tiniest detail with care & thought. Such variety - where do I even begin to describe it? Here are a few highlights...

-it was a trilingual wedding as the Bride is Spanish and the Groom is French
-the bride was walking to the church (she lives just around the corner) and the neighbour's daughter drew on chalk arrows for her to follow with notes like "This way to the church, Vanessa" and "Don't turn back now".
-as we walked to the church, neighbours sat on their lawns to watch
-Mike surprised Vanessa by not only singing her a favourite song ("Belief" by Gavin Degraw) but he learned piano to be able to sing it!
-the police showed up when we were at the park... and asked if they wanted to be handcuffed for some pictures! Random. Funny.
-Mike & Vanessa had met at Westdale high school, bumped into each other years later at the Snooty Fox and had their first date at the Second Cup... so this is where we did their photos!
-the entire wedding party took the city bus to the reception at the Art Gallery!! (And... the Hamilton Spectator reporter and photographer came along and are doing an article on them!) LINK
-I could go on and on about the details... the peacock theme and the meaning behind it, the parasols and fans the girls had, the wedding party playing football (Mike use to play at MacMaster), that both Mike and Vanessa are taking each other's last names and hyphenating it, and on and on....

The care they put into their day was incredible. But the real beauty was their absolute devotion and love to each other. Vanessa looked regal and stunning - breathtaking really. And Mike beamed! It was a fun day!!

Mike & Vanessa - thank you again for letting me be a part of your day! Enjoy your Hawaiian getaway now!

Jarod & Erin

Today Jarod & Erin were blessed with a beautiful day for their wedding! These two were a lot of fun - willing to do anything! Erin waded right in the water (as you'll see below) and they drove themselves around in a gorgeous orange convertible! So, I had to climb in the back and snap some pics - standing up in the back while Jarod is driving snapping pics. Love my job! These two are so well suited for each other. It was a great day to spend with a beautiful couple! Thanks!

First Dance

To my husband's disgust I am a Dirty Dancing fan. Should I be embarressed admitting that? Anyhow...

I read about this Dirty Dancing inspired First Dance when reading a wedding magazine and had to look it up on You Tube. What a riot!!

Kevin & Tryna

Saturday was the lucky day for Weddings - 07-07-07 (July 7, 2007) - and I completely enjoyed photographing Tryna & Kevin's wedding in Guelph on this day. Tryna was a beautiful bride and Kevin the handsome groom. They were a lot of fun! Tryna was willing to do anything - hitting a baseball to traipsing through the woods!

One of my favourite memories from the day was when we were waiting for Grandma (who's almost 99!) to join us for the group photo in front of the church.The bag piper started playing to entertain us while we waited and I went over to the happy couple and suggested they have their first dance. They came and danced a jig and were beaming the whole time. It was beautiful to watch this couple celebrating with such joy as all their friends and family looked on!

Thank you again for letting me be a part of your Big Day! It was a lot of fun getting to know you both and an honour to shoot your day.

Practice makes Perfect

In my wedding packages I offer the option of having me come to the wedding rehearsal. As a photographer - this is so helpful! Tonight I went to Tryna and Kevin's rehearsal - and I'm so excited for tomorrow! The church is stunning, the family and friends are fun - and I already knew I loved the couple!!

Here are a few snapshots of the family and friends enjoying the evening...

Waiting....


Loving...


Laughing...


Smiling...


Peeking...


Glowing... (love this lighting!)


Supporting...


Watching...


And I am a sucker for the old churchs! Here's a few shots from around teh church...








Tryna and Kevin don't stress... enjoy this last evening before the Big Day!!



Another reason I'm excited about tomorrow is seeing Tryna's co-workers! My good friend Leanne is a public health nurse and a big supporter of me and my business. She told one friend at her office about me who told another who told another... and now I think I've had the joy of doing photos for almost the entire office! I've done Christmas photos, 90th birthday parties, maternity, newborns, family, and now this wedding! This is a great group of ladies - and it will be fun to see them all again!

Tom & Chantal

Yesterday I had the fun of being a part of Tom & Chantal's wedding celebration. It was a beautiful day and they both were beaming. Chantal was stunning and Tom was the handsome groom. A great day - thanks for letting me be a part of your Day!

Vince & Heather

A couple weeks ago I had the fun of shooting Vince & Heather's wedding. They should be back from their time in Italy now - and so here are a few more from their beautiful day! The square dance was so much fun! Vince and Heather are two of the most caring, loving people. A fun day!

Vince & Heather

Saturday Vince & Heather got married at a beautiful old church in Toronto. They both love vintage things - so I tried to give some of the photos more of a timeless feel. They were both so happy - and I just loved watching how Heather responds to Vince with the glorious big laugh and beaming face. Thank you for letting me be a prt of your fun-filled day!

Curtis & Laura

Curtis & Laura were married on Friday and God definitely was smiling down on them as they had the most gorgeous day ever for early May! These two are so sweet and it was an absolutely beautiful wedding. Congratulations!

Nathan & Rachel Part 2

I had this slideshow created right after Nathan & Rachel's wedding last week - but the slow Cuban internet connection wouldn't let me upload it. So without further ado...

Hola! from Cuba

Well, I am in Cuba for a few days shooting a wedding. Yesterday was the ceremony and it was gorgeous! The ceremony was right on the beach and God was definitely smiling down on the day - the sky and the ocean were bursting with colour.

Aaron & Sandra, it has been so fun getting to know you, your friends & your family! Thank you for bringing me along on this incredible journey and allowing me to be part of your Day & lives.

(Internet is slow here in Cuba so I have not been able to upload slideshows from this wedding or Nathan & Rachel's. I have them made and ready to go... when I get home on Thursday I'll have them up!)






































and one that I thought was pretty funny....

Nathan & Rachel

Saturday night was Nathan & Rachel's wedding and what a party! These two celebrate life and love at full speed! It was such a joyous day and a lot of fun for everyone involved.

I have the pics ready to upload... but here I am in Cuba doing a wedding and the internet is painfully slow. If I get the chance before I come home Thursday I will add more photos - if not, please check back Thursday for some VERY fun photos.

Congratulations to Nathan & Rachel once again!

Charles & Mary Ann

Friday I had the absolute delight of being a part of Charles and Mary Ann's wedding. It was my first Filipino wedding and some of their traditions during the ceremony were just beautiful - loved the symbolism. The ceremony of the coins, and the veil & cord for example. But the real beauty of the day (besides the weather!!) was definitely the couple. They were just radiant! It was a joy-filled day and a lot of fun to be a part of. Thank you Charles & Mary Ann!

Kids

One of the main reasons I got into photography was kids. I adore kids and at any wedding I'm naturally drawn to them and get lots of candids of the little munchkins. At Friday's wedding there were a group of boys involved in the wedding and a gorgeous flower girl that my camera couldn't help but be drawn to over and over again. I just loved watching them interact - daring each other to touch the wedding cake - and how they experienced the day. Here's some of the photos of the wee ones...

(it goes pretty quick thru some of the pics - but you can always select the gallery option at the bottom to see them close up!)

Josh & Amber

Today I had the pleasure of photographing Josh & Amber's wedding. It was beautiful - and despite all the nasty cold we've had lately - it turned out to be a beautiful day. (now they say we're getting snow tonight - yikes!) Here are a few snapshots from today.

Wedding Day Excitement

Lately I have been getting excited about the upcoming wedding season. Ready and excited to get going full speed ahead! I have been enjoying meeting with couples throughout the winter season preparing for their upcoming Spring-Summer weddings (and some for Fall and Winter too!).

I take weddings really seriously - as I often say: the dress will get boxed away, the flowers will die, and all that remains as a visible reminder of one of the Biggest Days of your life are your photos. It is such an honour to be a part of people's weddings and their lives.

Yesterday, after a particularly long day at my full time job (as mom to two young girls) I was thrilled to receive this unexpected e-mail in my inbox from a bride who's wedding I was a part of last August.

Thank you again from the bottom of my heart for all your hard work and talent! You helped to make the memory of our wedding picture perfect!

Ben & Kristina were so much fun to photograph - despite the rain! Their wedding was a real celebration of family - I even found myself crying during the speeches! It was beautiful.

I look forward to this summer ahead with gratefulness and being a part of so many weddings!