Holly and Curtis

Friday June 8, 2012

Over the past 12 years I have had the opportunity to photograph many beautiful weddings, all with their own theme, and their own story.  The theme for today was...rain...more rain...and a little bit more rain!

Some brides may have been discouraged with weather like this, but not Holly.
I arrived with my assistant, Darlene, to Holly's parents place at 10:00am.  We were welcomed by Holly's parents and Holly who laughed off the raindrops.  Holly smiled her sweet smile and looked truly beautiful standing in the doorway....hair done...in her sweatpants.
Within minutes her two bridesmaids arrived with plastic bags over their heads....the whole room started laughing.

One thing I loved when I photographed Holly and Curtis at their engagement session was their love of nature and what nature brings.  Their engagement session was a bitter chilly day in January.  They stood in the wind and sat in the snow.  Most couples would have wanted to schedule for a warmer day, not this duo.....they are fantastic troopers!

Holly and Curtis decided to have their "first glimpse"at the home of Curtis' parents.  We arrived shortly after 11:00am just as the rain took a break.  I walked to the backyard and was amazed and how lovely the yard was.  A perfect place for photographs.  It looked wonderful.

The rain started up again just as we were finishing photos (perfect timing) so we decided to head out to Pineridge Hollow to pick up the flowers (Willow Lane Florist) and to view the ceremony site.

I want to say a special "THANK YOU" to all of the staff at Pineridge Hollow and the gift store for being so gracious to me by allowing Holly and Curtis to have the freedom to sit (on their merchandise), stand (in front of their store entrance) and be wherever we liked so they didn't get wet.  

Our next stop was to one of my favourite spots...Bird's Hill Park to meet up with Holly's dad who had brought the couple's adorable dog....Callie.
Callie looked so pretty, her fur was all brushed and she wore her best pink leash.  She was such a good listener and smiled for every photograph.

Thank you to the amazing wedding party!

You guys were great as you walked along soggy ground, posed for photos, and kept the entire day fun and exciting.  I love having the opportunity to work with such great people as you bring so much charisma and joy to such an amazing day.  Great job!

After we danced in the rain and walked along the beach it was time to head back to Pineridge Hollow for the ceremony.

Holly and Curtis...thank you for your never-ending positivity throughout our day.  I can't tell you how wonderful it was to work with you both but especially on such a rainy day.  The sky was dark, the ground was soaked but you two brought more sunshine to my day then the sun itself!  You both look stunning in your images and it's because of your positive attitude and amazing beauty and admiration for each other.  You are both such great people and we had so much fun capturing your day.

Holly and Curtis got married in a quiet outdoor ceremony held at Pineridge Hollow just after 5:00pm.  They exchanged vows and had a very unique sand ceremony....pouring grains of coloured sand into a picture frame....great idea.

Before the couple set off to enjoy the company of their family and friends we captured a few more moments from the large guest photo to the cake.

Thank you to all of the family and friends for making our day so much fun and for Curtis and Holly....it was amazing to capture your story and be a part of this wonderful event.

Congratulations!

Krysta and Danny

The First Wedding of the Season....

As the snow melts and the flowers bloom I always get so excited about the upcoming wedding season.  I can't wait to see the latest trends and styles along with having a chance to see my couples again as they begin their new adventure of marriage.

Krysta and Danny were the perfect couple to begin the season with.  I love their sense of adventure, their love of nature and the admiration and respect they show each other.  They live in a beautiful character home nestled outside of Gunton, Manitoba with their dog Jager.

My assistant, Darlene, and I arrived at the couples friend's home (Blair and Jen) just after 9:30am where we were welcomed by Jager and Cooey...adorable dogs....along with Danny and his boys.  The guys looked great in their tuxedos.  The setting was perfect as Blair and Jen have an old barn and the yard looked fantastic.

From here we were off to Krysta and Danny's home.  I love this place....it was meant for photos...from the tall evergreen trees, grassy fields, and the old rustic milk shed (my favourite).

Krysta looked so elegant as she walked down their staircase to greet Danny for their "first glimpse".  Her dress fit her perfectly it had a vintage flare with a modern design and truly captured Krysta's sweet beauty, her elegance and love of nostalgia.

Kathy Campbell (Krysta's awesome mom) made all of the flower arrangements.....WOW....they were stunning!  Kathy you are so talented and I can see where Krysta inherited her talent for art and attention to detail.  Their fragrance filled the room and I loved how the colours complimented the vibrancy of the bridesmaid dresses.

The bridesmaids looked gorgeous in their bright green dress high-lighted by their fun lemon-yellow heels.  However, the perfect finishing touch was the elegant jewelry collection that Krysta had designed from Deanna Watson Jewelry Designs.

What an amazing wedding party.  Thank you for taking me on my very first "off-roading" experience through the gravel pits and for looking out for me when you thought I had gotten lost.  Their isn't a finer group that I would have chosen to climb on top of a burnt car!  All kidding aside...you were ALL so much fun to work with I can see how special both Krysta and Danny are to each and everyone of you by the charisma and charm that you offered in every photograph.

We ended our day at the Lake View Resort in sunny Gimli, Manitoba.  This is one of my favourite wedding destinations.....I was married here too!

Krysta and Danny exchanged their vows in a deck-side ceremony along with a wine box sealing ritual to be opened again in 5 years.  I love it...such a great idea.

Our evening was filled with great food, wonderful company, and lots of laughter, especially if you were near the Photo booth.  I have to say that this was on of the most AWESOME photo booth to date!  Danny took control and was the masked entertainer.  I loved how he grabbed as  many guests as he could so that he and Krysta could have a photo taken with them.  The sillier the costume, the crazier they were.

Thank you to all of the family and friends who made Krysta and Danny's wedding so memorable and special.  I know many of you spent timeless hours on the preparations...well, you could tell because it was perfect.

On a special note.....Thank You to Krysta and Danny for allowing Darlene and myself to photograph your wedding day and capture your story.  You are both such a wonderful couple with such a zest for life...from skeet shooting and archery to gracing us with your dance steps during your first waltz.  I admire your beauty and the confidence that you hold within each other.

Congratulations!!!

My Favourite Shot!

The Wonderful Wedding Show 2012

Over the past weekend I had a booth for the very first time at the Wonderful Wedding Show.  Wow, what an experience.  I had such an awesome time! It was so great to meet such a huge variety of people and to talk about weddings for 2 days straight.  I was at booth#1035 which I feel was one of the best places to be.  I was surrounded by other great vendors such as Platinum Productions, who even played a few ABBA songs for me, Julie at Floral Fixx, and Lee from Buffalo Point Resort.  What a great group of people.

I also had the chance to catch up with my photographer friends and make new ones. I loved the inspiration in the room from cupcakes to crystal....what a fun time.

On a personal note, there are so many people who contributed to the success of my weekend.  I have to thank Natasha and Darlene for helping me at my booth, for Jen who added the final touches, to Jill for the gorgeous flower arrangement, and for TRAVIS, my amazing husband.....who not only helped me build, set up and tear down my booth but for all of the things you do everyday that brings a smile to my face.  I am so happy to have such a great circle of people in my life and I can't thank all of my family and friends enough for your love and encouragement.