I was so happy to find out that I would be Lumina and Chris' Wedding Photographer as I had photographed both of his brother's weddings and they were all so much fun. So it was no surprise that Lumina and Chris would bring their own charisma to their day, which they did!
What a beautiful day it was. With September you never know what to expect with Mother Nature but she didn't let us down. The sun was warm and bright lighting up the colours of our city with deep greens and just a hint of the Autumn leaves coming through.
I met Lumina at the couple's home just shortly after 10:30am. We walked into their freshly painted house to see all of the girls adding the finishing touches to their hair and make-up. Smells of fresh daisies and yummy cupcakes filled the air. Lumina turned the corner as one of her favourite songs played on the stereo, within minutes the girls were singing and dancing........even the little ones. A perfect start to the day.
Soon with the help of her sister and friends, Lumina stepped into her Victorian-Style dress and stood looking radiant in the door way. As she turned around we could see the hand-made veil flowing down her back........she looked gorgeous!
Within minutes all of girls were dressed in their Lavender dresses and they all began giggling as the minutes were flying by and the ceremony was fast approaching. They were all so excited! One thing I noticed was how much Lumina loves her nieces and how much they love her. All 3 little girls (Tessa, Brooklyn and Harmony) were so happy to be a part of the wedding party but it was the admiration and love that they showed Lumina as she cuddled up next to them...they were sitting beside a real princess!
From Lumina and Chris' home, Darlene and I headed straight to the Transcona United Church which was just around the corner. Chris and his entourage showed up minutes later. Chris appeared calm as usual but it was his brothers that were full of jokes that made Chris crack up and smile his sweet smile.
The ceremony was beautiful and the church was filled with their family and friends. I forgot how pretty the church was with all of the natural sunlight coming through the stained-glass windows.
After the ceremony, the wedding party headed to the Exchange District for the formal photos. Wow, we weren't the only wedding to take advantage of this gorgeous day. I think we counted 8 other brides and their parties walking through the cozy district. I loved how Lumina and Chris waived to them all!
Lumina and Chris were so fantastic to work with. With the help of their crazy wedding party(especially the boys) we had Lumina in a tree, the guys showing off the bouquets and the girls getting cozy with Chris. Thank you to you all for the laughs, and for the fun!
On our way to the reception we stopped at one more place in the Exchange District. There were 3 other wedding parties lined up against the wall for their photos. As a photographer this is so funny to see because you don't want your pose to look anything like your neighbours so due to our time restriction I let the wedding party go "free-style". This group has talent! I had so much fun watching them climb the walls, hug each other, and pose............thank you for not falling off, you were all AWESOME!
We arrived at the reception venue just before 5:30pm where we met the rest of Lumina and Chris' family and friends for the family photos. All of the images are filled with happy people smiling and so excited for the newlyweds. As everyone was entering the venue to find their seat before dinner, I couldn't resist snapping this photo of the 4 little cuties who wanted a photo with their own ideas!
So Cute!
The hall was decorated for Royalty. It was filled with white lights, greenery, and flowers. Truly Elegant!
As with every reception, one of my favourite parts is the speeches. I love them! I love them because I get to know the couple and their families just a little bit more. I always hear a story, a poem, or watch a slide show that will bring a tear to my eye whether of joy or sadness. However, at this reception I would have both. It wasn't until a man by the name of Jan (pronounced "John") was introduced as the surprise speech. During his speech he informed all of us how he met Lumina. It wasn't the typical meeting at work, school, or a common friend, it was because he was her bone marrow donor as she was diagnosed with a rare form of Leukemia a decade ago. As I listened to his words of encouragement, love, and humour I was reminded of the strength, patience, and courage that Lumina and her family had faced only a few years earlier. I felt so lucky to hear her story and also so blessed to be a part of such a wonderful day.
Thank you to you both, Lumina and Chris for inviting me to capture all of your wonderful moments and for the friends and family of the couple.............thank you for wonderful evening!
As Darlene and I left to head home we took one last glance and saw Lumina
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