Esther and Andrew

We've often heard the famous quote........Live...Love...Laugh, well if I had to write a quote describing Esther and Andrew's wedding it would be Live...Love...Laugh....and DANCE!

We started our day just shortly after 11:30am when we met Andrew and his groomsmen at Red River College/Princess campus.  By 11:45am Esther arrived with her bridesmaids.  As Esther walked through the main entrance the sun caught her veil and she started to sparkle...just like in the movies.........now that was a great entrance.

One thing that I love so much about photographing a couple before their wedding ceremony is the special moment of when they get to see each other for the first time.  I love the privacy and the intimacy behind this moment which is sometimes lost during a traditional setting.  I loved Andrew's face when he turned around to see his bride, he just smiled his adorable smile and said "WOW".  Esther lit up the room with her beautiful dress, choice of jewellery, and her exquisite bouquet made by Evangeline's Flower Hut in Steinbach, Manitoba.

When I first met the couple I noticed instantly the friendship and the humour that the two of them shared.  I saw this again during our engagement session, whether it was when they decided to climb a tree, sit by the riverbank or pretend to peek at each other's blackberry.  So it was no surprise that we had a few more goofy moments on the day of their wedding.

Esther and Andrew chose a fantastic group of friends for their bridal party.  Some were childhood friends others they met in their adulthood, but all of them joked around with each other as if they all had been friends for years.  Darlene and I couldn't resist photographing the candid moments shared amongst this crazy bunch.

Esther made such a beautiful bride.  I think every bride at one point of their day feels like a "princess" but I had to laugh when her friends saw the bus stop outside of Red River and insisted that she had to pose beside it to show off the street name.........PRINCESS!  They were right, whether it was with a little humour or not, Esther looked gorgeous.

Esther and Andrew are such a great couple to photograph.  I love the connection and the goofiness that the two of them share. I saw this amazing quality during our engagement session so it was no surprise that the day of the wedding would bring out more moments of laughter.  They bring out such joy in each other's lives that was so much fun to be a part of.

 

After Red River Campus we made a special trip to Victoria Hospital to visit Andrew's father who had become ill in the weeks earlier.  I just want to wish Andrew's family our prayers' for your beloved father.
  
The wedding ceremony was held at the Christian Fellowship Church in Steinbach, Manitoba.  The church was filled with candles, autumn accents and music sung perfectly by one of Esther's bridesmaids.

After the family photos at the church we headed to the school that Esther teaches at for a few more fun bridal party shots.

It wasn't until we were just about to leave that I saw a flash of gold coming from behind the school.  As we walked towards the back of the building there was a gold corn field.  A perfect place to end our session.

We had a beautiful day for photography.  The sky was a deep blue and the leaves were still on the trees. Even though the air was cool and the wind at times........a little crazy, the entire wedding party were so wonderful to work with, Thank you!
The reception venue was held at the Brass Lantern.  It looked like a Princess' ball.  Colours of blue filled the room with flowers, lights, and photos of the couple.

  This was the first time I had been invited to a reception with a Polish flare.  For me, my maternal side is of Polish heritage so I'm always intrigued by the traditional customs that have been passed down throughout the generations.  For this evening, when Esther and Andrew were introduced as husband and wife and entered the room they were greeted by Andrew's mother who presented them with a traditional Polish bread which symbolized good health and happiness.
The evening was filled with great speeches and the best part of all........THE DANCING!  Darlene and I often wondered if we were at a wedding reception or a dance contest.  There was so much talent in the room from ballroom to breakdancing!  We left the venue with the entire dance floor filled of friends and family waiving their arms in the air to Y.M.C.A.

Thank you for such a fantastically entertaining day!

A special thank you to National Video Services for being a great team of videographers to share in our day.

Heather and Paul

Ever since I was a young girl I've always loved the season of fall.  I love the smells of the camp fires, the colours of the tress, the special holidays of Thanksgiving and the fun of dressing up for Halloween.  I began to love it more when I started to photograph weddings.  Every wedding is so different from the bride's dress to the choice of venue but also because of the season it is in.

I am always amazed at how beautiful our city is and I think we all forget to take a break in our busy lives and look around us.  What I love about photography so much is how it has shown me the world through a different pair of eyes.   I love to sit and watch the sun's rays sparkle across the river every spring, take a walk through our lush parks in the summer but especially photograph a wedding in the fall.  During the autumn months our city is painted with colours of yellow, red, orange, and brown, and then to add in a bride and groom makes my job.....simply fantastic!

I told Heather and Paul at our first meeting that the weekend that they chose to get married is one of my FAVOURITE weekends for a wedding.  It always seems to fall at a time when the weather is warm, the colours are bold and bright, and our city looks like a painting.  As a wedding photographer I was thrilled to have the opportunity to capture their moments and events at such a vibrant time of the year.

Darlene and I arrived at the couple's home at 10:30am and we were welcomed with a huge hug from Heather.  I loved seeing her excitement as she was about to marry her best friend.  One thing I think is so unique about Paul and Heather's home is how the walls are decorated with images of landscape photography from the groom, himself.....Paul.  Paul has captured the solitude, serenity, and beauty of the special places he and Heather have travelled.

As the morning passed, Heather sat with with each of her bridesmaids as they giggled while they got their make up done and sipped on their coffee.

Heather's parents also had a chance to enjoy the morning with us sharing in stories and laughter.  Soon Heather, with the help of her teary-eyed friends stepped into her elegant wedding gown.

As I photographed Heather, all I could say was,"wow....your eyes are sparkling." Heather has incredible eyes and today they seemed to be smiling too.

The ceremony was held at St. Luke's Church for 1:00pm.  I love photographing here as the architecture and the giant stained-glass windows offer such a romantic setting for a wedding.  As Heather walked down the long aisle Paul stood at the end, beaming.  The ceremony was filled with candid humour and testaments read by their loved ones.

Our first stop with the married couple was to a place called "Cake-ology" in the heart of the Exchange District.  This historic building holds sentimental value to Heather as the store is owned by her sister-in-law and brother.  Anyone who has savored a dessert from here knows....Heather is a lucky girl.  This place is amazing and tasty.

I had so much fun working with Heather and Paul along with their hilarious wedding party.  I  loved the spirit, the energy and the charisma that they shared.  Paul just went with flow as the guys grabbed him for a photo to show off their latest "blue steel" impression.  This team of gentlemen were fun and animated but most importantly loyal friends to Paul.  The timeless gift of a watch was presented to each one as a "thank you" for sharing in the role as Paul's BEST MAN.

Heather and her "MAIDS OF HONOUR" were also a ton of fun.  They were sassy and sweet and the camera loved them.

Another important role that Heather plays is the role of "beloved auntie".  The girls (Camryn and Claire) gushed as Auntie Heather sat next to them.  She was a real princess!

Thank you to to entire wedding party for the love, humour, and priceless moments that you all brought to our day.

It is no secret that Heather and Paul share the same admiration and love for each other.  I saw this remarkable trait during their engagement session as they exchanged smiles and cracked a few jokes.  They have a contagious sense of humour, a genuine character and I find I can never stop smiling when I'm with them.

The elegant reception was held at the exquisite Breezy Bend Golf and Country Club.  The room was decorated with autumn accents of brown, leaves, flowers, and the most decadent dessert table I've ever seen (cake-ology).  Just spectacular!

One thing that I love so much about Heather and Paul is their LOVE OF FAMILY.  It was touching to hear them both thank their parents and siblings (during the speeches) for the roles they each played throughout their lives contributing in their accomplishments and achievements.

Heather knows just how much Paul has wanted a Pug.  As a wedding gift she granted his wish by surprising him with the sweetest Pug ever....an edible one.

After a fantastic dinner, great company, and wonderful dancing, our evening ended.  Thank you Heather and Paul for being such a great couple to photograph and to be with on my favourite wedding weekend.

Another special thank you to all of the family and friends of Heather and Paul.  It was a pleasure to meet you all and to the others..........to have a chance to see again.

Congratulations and Happy Thanksgiving!