Joelle and Ed

Saturday August 3, 2013

Every wedding tells a story and every wedding that I photograph inspires me.  Today I was inspired by moments of the past, present, and the future.

I met Joelle at the couple's home at 10:00am.  The house was filled with family and friends getting ready for the wonderful day.  Ed and Joelle lived in a beautiful home nestled in St. Boniface with their adorable children.  Both Ed and Joelle come with unique family heritage inspired by both the French and Vietnamese languages.  I was amazed at watching their children understand and communicate with both sets of grandparents.  It was a house filled with laughter, love, and joy as the last minute details came together.

To represent the Vietnamese tradition, a tea ceremony was held at 11:00am at the couples home.  The tea set was a special gift from Ed's parents.  Ed and Joelle dressed in authentic garments and served tea to the members of the family as they presented them with special gifts.

There were so many tiny details that represented such an important part of the day.  Joelle, along with many friends and family, wore jewellery with the Jade stone in it.  The green stone symbolizes good luck, good health and good fortune.  Joelle carried a rosary in honour of her father who passed away only a few years ago.

Joelle and Ed decided to have their wedding ceremony in the heart of the French community, the historic Saint Boniface Cathedral.  It was a very joyous ceremony surrounded with friends and family.  One of the most memorable parts was when Ed turned to Joelle and said his wedding vows in French.  Joelle listened with tears in her eyes and her smile was breathtaking.  I could only understand a few words but the emotion I saw exchanging between them was so romantic.

After the ceremony we headed to the park to photograph family and the wedding party.  Ed and Joelle were joined by their children for their first official wedding family photo.

One thing I love so much about Joelle and Ed was the love they have for their children.  Kelly, Izabelle, and Liliane were such an important part of their day and they were so much fun to photograph.  Each of them with their unique personalities, charisma, and innocent smiles.  They were truly adorable.

Thank you to Ed and his merry band of groomsmen for making me laugh every step of the way!  These guys couldn't wait to pose for the camera and show me their modelling techniques.  Great job guys!

Joelle and her girls looked so gorgeous in their turquoise gowns.  All of them were so excited for Joelle and Ed as they begin the next chapter of their lives.

After the park we headed to the St. Norbert Monastery to photograph the couple.  Joelle and Ed were escorted to the ruins by one of Ed's longtime friends-who he described to me as being such an influential mentor in his life...Lloyd.  Lloyd was not only a friend to Ed, but one of my own high school teachers.  I couldn't believe it and was thrilled to have the honour of photographing such an amazing car that belonged to MR. V!!!!

Thank you Mr. V for allowing us to come along on the ride it was so great to see you again!

One thing I love about St. Norbert is the lighting.  It is almost angelic.  So to have a bride as fabulous as Joelle filled me with inspiration.  Thank you for your patience as you gave us the opportunity to play with light and make images that are breathtaking.  You are an angel!

Ed and Joelle, I wish you many years of happiness together.  You have such an extraordinary family...and it was a true pleasure to be invited to share this day with you.  I was taken back to moments of tradition, treasures of the present, and inspiration for the future.  Thank you!

Our evening ended at the reception that was held at the Kum Koon Garden in Winnipeg.  It was a fantastic evening filled with food, friends and a spectacular Lion Dance.

Thank you to Janelle Nicole Weddings and More (www.janellenicole.ca) for her wonderful wedding planning and vision.  It was a pleasure to meet you.

My Favourite Photo!

Jennifer and Alex

Saturday July 27, 2013

One thing that I love about photographing weddings is when I have a chance to capture a tradition that in our modern days is sometimes lost and forgotten.  I was born in Canada but my heritage is both Irish and Polish.  I have never been to either country but I admire the people who bring their language, culture, and traditions to Canada.  Today, I celebrated a wedding with the beautiful people of Ukraine.

Alex, the adorable groom, travelled  here in 2007 from his hometown of Simferopol, Ukraine.  He and Jennifer met in University and formed an amazing relationship.  She grew up dancing within the Canadian/Ukrainian community, little did she know that she would one day marry a boy who would ignite her Ukrainian roots.

I arrived at Jen's parents home at 9:30am.  I was greeted by the groom himself who looked so excited but had to rush off as Jen was expected to come by very shortly after her hair appointment.  He did not want so risk seeing his beloved bride before the wedding...he just gets more adorable!
Jen did arrive soon after he left and came inside looking gorgeous and she didn't even have her make up done yet.  Jen is one of those natural beauties who's face lights up a room every time she smiles.  Within the hour, her make up was done and she even had time to eat a quick snack with her girlfriends and parents before she stepped into her dress.

Jennifer's parents live in a lovely house that has a perfect front porch for photos.  Thank you so much for your hospitality and for allowing my assistant, Darlene, and I to come into your home.

Jennifer and Alex were married at the Holy Family Ukrainian Catholic Church by Father Darren in a elegant and traditional ceremony.  The church was lit up by gorgeous natural sunlight streaming through the windows and the sounds of the choir filled the room with such joy and romance.

As the bridal couple left the church their friends and family showered them with confetti....yes CONFETTI.  I haven't photographed confetti in years and it was so much fun.  I felt like a kid again as the colourful paper danced in the air.  Another little bit of tradition that I haven't seen in a long time.

We headed to the Legislative grounds where we met up with the bridal party.  We had a wonderful day for photos.  The grounds looked stunning with their summer flowers and the fountain misted our backs to keep us cool in the sunshine.

From here we travelled to the St. Boniface Cathedral for family and more bridal party photos.  I love going to the Cathedral because it's such a majestic place filled with great architecture and golden light.  It was a stunning backdrop for Jennifer and Alex.

I want to thank the wedding party for adding such fun to each and every photograph from their airborne kisses to their classic jump.   Jennifer and Alex have a great group of friends, thank you for making the day so much more memorable with your laughter, flare for life, and goofiness.

The reception was held at the Holy Eucharist Hall.  Guests were greeted by the the bridal couple, along with their parents and the wedding party.  This was such a fun place to be because as the guests waited in line, the band, "Sloohai" played traditional Ukrainian music and then once they said hello to everyone they were given a shot of apple liquor to drink.  It was fabulous!  The dinner and dancing were amazing.  I watched and admired this awesome crowd as they laughed and celebrated with joy for Jennifer and Alex.

Another thing that I loved so much about this wedding was rather than having a wedding cake, they had pie.  A table full of pie...all freshly baked the day before!  Yummy!

I want to wish Jennifer and Alex a wonderful life together.  I truly loved spending such an important day with you and capturing your moments together.  You are both such talented individuals who share a love of family, friends, and tradition.  It was an honour to be a part of this extraordinary day.

My Favourite Photo!