If Pender Island is made for weddings, then Poet’s Cove is where you will find the most intimate of them all. For Katie and Jeff there was nowhere else.
This is where her family built their weekend home 19 years ago, and of course this is where she got ready for their big day.
When I met these guys, I knew their wedding was going to be fun. Katie is gregarious and funny, above all else her friendliness shines through. Jeff’s dry wit and humour are always evident, as is his innate kindness. Knowing Jeff is a photographer – no pressure, then, to make sure the images were perfect!
Surrounded by her friends and family, there were tears and laughter as Katie got ready to start the next chapter of her life with Jeff. Make up artist Amy, with Artisty by Alexa was on hand to apply, and reapply, Katie’s make up as everyone made her laugh and cry in equal parts. Vahn swept Katie’s hair up beautifully. Getting ready for a wedding is always a highlight, and we all had a great time. Especially when she slipped on her Theia Couture Dress. In a word, stunning.
If you are going to a host an island wedding, then of course it has to be a weekend affair. Friends and family gathered for the drinks reception on Friday evening and celebrated right through the weekend. From personal vows at the ceremony, to the departure in a Triumph T4 restored by Katie’s dad, it was one to remember. Especially for Jeff: this was the first time he was allowed to drive the T4!
It was the personal touches that made the weekend so special. Bill, a good friend of the couple, was the officiant. Who else would make reference to the Hot Breakfast Memorial Fan Club? Katie and Jeff wrote their own vows, which were equal parts heartfelt and moving and funny. “Accomplice in mischief,” was a particularly memorable quote from Jeff.
The reception kicked off in style as friends and family made emotional toasts and speeches. There were tears, but it was the cheers that you could hear for miles. This couple is clearly well loved! It was the song, though, that Jeff had written for Katie and sung by both Bill and Jeff and accompanied by a group of friends, that brought the house down. It was incredible. Only to be followed & surpassed by Katie joining the band for the “rock star” moment that Jeff had promised her. Long live CCR, especially when you are taught by your husband-to-be. As Katie quipped, “Find someone who makes you a band band of ten of your best friends, teaches you a CCR song and cheers the loudest when you crush a life goal in front of 100 of your best people.”
The attention to detail was amazing. A photobooth was in high demand as everyone had their photos taken. It was run by the Hemingway Project, a charity that Katie co-founded. The flowers by Platinum Flower Designs were exquisite. Pink, peach, red and white tones decorated the room, and of course the white tiered cake, created by Rain Bake Shop. And the dancing! It was one of the best bits of the night, seeing everyone getting out on the dance floor, letting loose.
It is the cheers and tears that left me knowing that these two were off to the best start. Love was definitely in the air.
I knew from the moment we all met at a coffee shop in North Vancouver that capturing Aly and Nick’s wedding was going to be fun. Both were full of Ideas and had a great sense adventure but were also quite relaxed, so I knew their wedding was going be chill.
The ocean holds a special place in Nick and Aly’s hearts, and it was with that in mind that we decided on taking pre-wedding portraits in Whytecliff Park. This setting was ideal for Aly, Nick and their close family members to enjoy a quiet moment before the festivities got underway. The three of us moved from the park and made our way to Horseshoe Bat, where they had their boat waiting to be launched. The combination of the sun, the mountains in the background and the Howe Sound Inlet was spectacular and brought out a playfulness between the two. They even brought their fishing rods out for the photos (or was it a friendly bride vs groom challenge?!).
A huge cheer went up from the guests gathered on the viewing dock of the West Vancouver Yacht Club as Aly and Nick jetted in on their boat. What an entrance! The yacht club, where the ceremony took place, is nestled in a stunning setting with views out to the ocean and Vancouver Island beyond. And it was here, with Eagle Island as their backdrop, that Nick and Aly met at the end of the aisle to say their vows.
The couple had given the day many heartfelt and personal touches: decorating the tables with flowers, driftwood and shells, each one personalized with the name of a lake that clearly had significant meaning to the two, and handing out handmade candles at the end of the evening. From a blissful start to the day to a rocking dance party at the end, this was such a special celebration to be a part of.
Vancouver Wedding in Gastown
So I may have taken a while to blog about this Vancouver Wedding…..so a touch too long…..I don’t know why, because it is definitely one of my favourite wedding days to date and Dionne and Ryan were magic to work with.
I first met them in a sweet little cafe in North Van, where we chatted about their upcoming nuptials and their little guy Buzz, shared his chocolate chip cookie with me. (cutest dude ever). I felt connected to this couple right away and super excited to photograph their big day in downtown Vancouver. We decided to do their engagement shoot at Whytecliff Park in West Vancouver; a gorgeous, gorgeous place to photograph a couple in love.
Captured in the picture below, having a sweet, intimate moment; standing on top of the little island at the park.
Their wedding took place downtown at Steamworks in Gastown, Vancouver. It was a perfect setting with 20′ floor to ceiling windows behind them as they said their vows. So beautiful, intimate and unique. The reception was in the restaurant on a private floor that felt cosy and luxurious. Every detail was thought of and every guest felt the love and care into the day. Dinner & speeches had everyone feeling good with the wine & happy tears flowing.
Steamworks is right in Gastown, so we were able to troop around and grab some gorgeous images in neat settings. So much fun. Dionne and Ryan were keen to try out anything for a great shot, and it totally paid in dividends. From images with perfect light and reflections, to pictures including the spectacular background of the city. Most importantly, it was easy to capture their connection and their love for each other. It was a dream to photograph a couple like these two; so sweet and easy with each other, so in love and so aware of the other.
Such an honour to photograph weddings for wonderful couples like these. Check some of my favourite images from the day.
