Vanessa Voth Photography

A New Blog

2011-08-23T13:47:00.000-07:00

It's time! I've finally upgraded my blog and will no longer be adding new content to this blog. I will still keep this blog as it documents my whole journey and progress in becoming a wedding photographer. But please do check out my NEW BLOG!

New blog address: www.vanessavothblog.com

Thanks to each and every one of you that have frequented my blog and have read my posts and commented and shared and encouraged! You've all been a huge part of this process!

Ryoko & Brendan's Sneak Peek

2011-08-18T22:15:00.000-07:00

It's late and I'm tired so my mind isn't too sharp right now to write anything fancy about last night's engagement session! I'll save it for the final blog post when I finish all the images. But I had such a great time with this couple and look forward to their wedding next May!

Here are a few images from their session...

JUDY & FORREST /engaged

2011-08-17T21:36:00.000-07:00

As you might remember from Judy and Forrest's Sneak Peek, Judy is our Real Estate Agent. We met through a mutual friend and I'm so glad we did! She was such a help to us when we bought our first home, and now again when we bought our new place.

Judy and Forrest got engaged on Christmas Day and I was thrilled when she asked me to do their engagement photos! I met them outside their New West home and we set off down the boardwalk and snapped pictures along the way. So beautiful! The couple, the evening, the lighting, the ring. Oh goodness gracious me. Her ring. It's ah-mazing. It's beyond amazing. It's gorgeously lovely. Wow. One of the perks to being a wedding photographer, and a diamond ring lover, is that I get to see so many different and unique and gorgeous engagement rings! And, yes, I even try them on. It's the safest way to transport them when I'm doing ring shots, instead of holding it loose in my hand! ;) Anyway, beware all you diamond-loving ladies reading this. You will drool. You will ogle. You will covet.

Anyway, thanks for asking me to take these photos for you guys! I had a blast! Hope you enjoy them!

Tomorrow I'll have a Sneak Peek from tonight's gorgeous engagement session at Steveston!!

FEATURED IN /La Belle Bride

2011-08-16T12:47:00.000-07:00

This feature is pretty exciting for me! I love La Belle Bride's wedding blog! So many fabulous ideas and inspiration are feature on this blog every day! If you haven't already checked it out, be sure to do so!

I got mixed up yesterday in my blog post and posted an old feature of Beth and Dan's wedding. But today we have the right one! La Belle Bride featured their wedding on their blog yesterday!

Jen and Josh's Engagement Sneak Peek

2011-08-15T22:21:00.000-07:00

I had so much fun with Jen and Josh tonight! They were such a blast to photograph, and were up for some fun shots, and weren't set back by the lady threatening to call the cops on us for taking pictures on the sidewalk outside of her house! haha. It was a memorable engagement session to say the least!

These two lovebirds are fabulous! I can't wait for their wedding in October! Enjoy these few images from tonight's session!

FEATURED IN /Wedding Obsession

2011-08-15T17:35:00.000-07:00

Emily and Brendan's wedding was featured on Wedding Obsession last week!

Meagan and Josiah's Wedding Sneak Peek

2011-08-14T11:25:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I had the great privilege and honour to photograph Meagan and Josiah's wedding. It was an amazing day- beautiful sunny weather, a couple so in love and ready to become husband and wife, a beautiful view, and family and friends enjoying a picnic lunch on the lawn. Gorgeous. The amount of detail in this wedding was crazy! I can't wait to show you the final images, but for now you can look at these images and anticipate the rest yet to come!

Congratulations Meagan and Josiah! Hope you have an awesome time at your secret honeymoon destination! Can't wait to find out where you went! Thanks again for having me be part of your day.

Enjoy...

From House To Home

2011-08-11T14:54:00.000-07:00

We've been living in our new place for just over a month now. We haven't been around much since we moved, so unpacking has taken longer than it should. And we started painting maybe two weeks after we moved in, so it's be a little chaotic in here. We're SO close to being done the painting on the main level, the mess of stuff is starting to reside and I feel like I can breathe again. Poor Girlie was a little scared of all the ladders and furniture in the middle of the room. She would get so frustrated when she couldn't push her stroller for more than two seconds before it got stuck against another obstacle!

I was a little sad for most of the time since having moved in. Our old place was home. It was comfortable, it was lived in, it reflected us, it was home. This place wasn't home when we moved in. Obviously, it takes time for that transition to happen. But it made me sad. It was sad to see Cheyenne not comfortable with being by herself to play with her toys. She still won't go downstairs without me in the mornings. I missed the familiarity of our old place.

Our last place started feeling like home about 6 months after we moved in when a friend encouraged me to pray through our house. James and I went into every single room, including the bathrooms and garage, and prayed for each room, blessing it and casting out anything or any presence that was not from God. (There's a long story to go along with this that I'll save for another post.) Our house felt so different after that. Almost like a cloud was lifted and we could fully breathe for the first time since living there. I felt like I took control of our life and our home and who/what was allowed to be present in it. Claiming the power of Christ, in my home and in my life. It was liberating.

I didn't even think about praying for our new house until just recently. I'd been sensing something present in our home that was not from God so the other night James and I prayed for our room. Cheyenne was already sleeping and I wanted her to be part of this process so we just started with our room. A fresh slate. Whatever has been hanging around this place before we moved in is no longer present. Is no longer welcome. By the power of Christ's blood on the cross we claimed back our authority over this house, this house that God has blessed us with and is, ultimately, His.

The next night we prayed through the rest of the house as a family. Cheyenne even prayed for her bathroom, with our guidance..."Dear God, please bless this bathroom and keep it holy." I know that we told her what to say, but to hear your child pray is about the sweetest thing your ears can ever hear.

And now our house is our home. We still have lots to do before it reflects us and our personalities and style and all that, but it feels like home. It feels like ours. I'm so excited for all the memories and experiences that we'll have in this home.

If you haven't claimed your home as your own through prayer, I encourage you to do so.

HANA & EUGENE /Langley Wedding Photographer

2011-08-10T10:03:00.000-07:00

One June 18, 2011, Hana and Eugene tied the knot. Their families flew in from their home countries in Asia and they had a quaint, intimate wedding ceremony at Milner Chapel in Langley. I used to drive by this church everyday on my way to work and would marvel at it and hoped to one day step inside its doors. And finally I did! It's such a cute little church, and Hana and Eugene kept the decorations simple, with just a few peonies on the pews.

Hana and Eugene's engagement session is still one of my favourites. They were so cute and the camera loved them! Well, their wedding met all my expectations of a great photo session and then some! I adored the location for their portraits, just across the street from Milner Chapel is a feed retailer and they have some barns and stuff in the back. The rustic setting was my favourite. I love the contrast of the rustic background with their elegant attire. Love it!

Thank you, Hana and Eugene, for having me be part of your day in such a special way. It was truly an honour and I hope you enjoy the images, because I sure do!

I have so many favourites from this wedding, and I was only there for four hours! :) Enjoy these images and to see more check out their Slideshow.

Just arrived at the church, Mom is placing the tiara. That is one happy bride!

I always love the exit shot. So happy and relieved!

Hana was a stunning bride. She got her dress at a second hand store and it is gorgeous and fits her like a glove! I loved so many of her bridal shots so there's a bunch here for you!

This is my FAVOURITE!

I loved Eugene's tie, and the simplicity and elegance of his suit. And the boutonniere is perfect, too!

Love :)

Workin' it for the camera! Love this shot.

Love this one of Euegne!

So cute!

Another fave.

Thanks for looking! Leave some blog love if you like what you see!

Il Mio Sogno: Italia

2011-08-08T12:17:00.000-07:00

My dream: Italy

One of my all time, must do, things on my Life's To-Do List is to go to Italy. Just thinking about it makes my heart ache just a bit. My desire to travel there, and ideally live there for a short time, is so severe! Venice is my ultimate dream. Tuscany, Rome, Florence, any Italian city really. I picture myself roaming the Italian streets, not the main streets, the side streets, where no one knows English (I have Rosetta Stone, I'll be fluent in Italian before we head off!), and I would find a cafe and drink my cappuccino on a wrought iron chair, reading the Italian newspaper, greeting passerby's with a Ciao as they walked by, and maybe even an Arrivederci. At night, we would cozy up in our Italian country side home, Andrea Bocelli serenading us as we make fresh pasta from scratch, all the while sipping Italian wine from a local vineyard.

Bliss.

My yearning to travel to Italy only intensified this weekend. James, Cheyenne and I spent the weekend in Osoyoos and, as is usual for our time up there, I read all weekend long, finishing yet another book. (I think I've read more books in this last month than I have in the last few years combined!) I frequent the library this summer. Grabbing any books that grab my attention. Yes, I'm judging every book by its cover. And it's title and the brief description written about it.

This weekend the book of choice of The Last Promise by Richard Paul Evans. Wow. It was really really good. But I'm a sucker for romantic love stories. It had be captivated. Riveted. It was amazing. I was crying by the end, hoping for the best for the two main characters. I highly recommend it.

Anyway, this book is set in Italy, Florence to be exact. The detail of the country, of art, of wine, of life, was beautiful. Do add it to your reading list, if you're into those kind of books.

So yes, one day I, too, will be in Italy, my story may not be as riveting as the novel's, but it'll be real and it will be mine. And I can't imagine being in such a beautiful country with anyone other than my husband and daughter. Here's to dreaming, and one day to my dreams coming true!

*All images taken from this website.*

FEATURED IN /Shimmer + Silk

2011-08-05T14:02:00.000-07:00

On Thursday I was notified that Luna and Ayo's engagement session was featured on Shimmer + Silk wedding blog! So exciting! I'm so grateful to all the editors of the blogs that have featured my work. It's humbling and it makes me so happy and excited! So, thank you!

I'm off to a warmer climate in just a couple hours, finishing up a few things before I shut down for the weekend. Here's one more image from Hana and Eugene's wedding that I've been working on. That portraits from that wedding are blowing me away! Such a cute, stylish, elegant and in love couple! :)

MEAGAN & JOSIAH /engaged

2011-08-04T21:29:00.000-07:00

Meagan and Josiah are an adorable couple. With an adorable love story. They met in Abbotsford while working in the same book store, but most of their relationship has been long distance, him in Montreal and her in New Brunswick. She said that they've probably only spent six months together in total in their three year relationship. While they were apart, they would write each other letters. Handwritten letters, not emails. So romantic. And they would read and write poetry for each other. Seriously, so cute. They also both have strong relationships with God which is evident even from just reading their answers to my questionnaire.

I've had a few couples now where both the guy and girl have an engagement ring. Meagan and Josiah are one of those couples. I really like this idea. That's why there are two rings in my images of the rings.

I loved Meagan and Josiah's engagement session. We met at the docks in Fort Langley to start and then made our way to the train tracks where they had brought all the items needed for a picnic. So they had a picnic on the tracks, with the sun setting behind them, reading old love letters that they had written to each other and a few old novels. It was excellent. I love e-sessions with props and more of that lifestyle feel to them!

I'm really looking forward to their wedding next weekend! It'll be a good one! :) For now, enjoy these images and if you'd like to see more check out their Slideshow.

Judy & Forrest's Engagement Sneak Peek

2011-08-04T15:15:00.000-07:00

I've mentioned Judy before when we bought our house. She was our realtor when we bought our first home in 2007 and there was no question that she would be our realtor when we purchased our current home. If you're in the market to buy or sell your home, give her a call. You won't regret it!

Anyway, I met up with Judy and Forrest last night by their home in New West and we took some shots along the water by the Quay. So beautiful. But I'll let the pictures speak for themselves!

Here's their Sneak Peek...

I'm in love with Judy's ring! Just wait until you see it close up in my ring shots. Wowza!!

They are so cute!!

Judy, you are just gorgeous! Forrest isn't too bad either! :)

My Epiphanie

2011-08-03T13:46:00.000-07:00

Last year for my birthday I asked for a Shootsac, which I gratefully received. My Shootsac has been over my shoulder for every wedding and photo shoot since last August. Having photographed nine weddings now, I realized the Shootsac wasn't enough. At least not for weddings. I wanted something more. Something that I could put my camera into with a lens attached to the body. With the Shootsac you always have to separate everything in order to fit it in. So I would end up wearing my camera around my neck most of the day and putting it in my car just on the seat when driving to the next destination. And the Shootsac doesn't have any extra pockets for my personal things, like my wallet, keys, chap stick, and kleenex.

So I started my search for a new camera bag. I looked at Kelly Moore, of course, but wasn't in love with their design and the look of them. I wanted a bag that had multiple pockets, that could fit my camera with a lens attached and a couple extra lenses and all my other little knick knacks, and I wanted something that closed with a zipper, not a button or snap. Kelly Moore's closed with a snap (maybe there are some with zippers, I don't know, I didn't look into it too deeply).

Then I came upon this beautiful company that makes the most beautiful camera bags! Epiphanie Bags!!! Holy moly are they nice. I perused their bag options and instantly fell in love with Ginger, in black. I subtley, or quite unsubtley, emailed my family with a link to that page mentioning that this could possibly make a pretty wicked birthday present! Much to my surprise (or not ;) ) I received the bag on my birthday! And I'm quite excited about it!

I just filled it up with my camera and lenses and am ready to shoot tonight's engagement session with it over my shoulder. I kind of feel like I'm cheating on my Shootsac. But I think I'll still make use of my Shootsac for some portrait sessions, or for traveling, or who knows. We'll see. If it ends up sitting around, then I'll sell it. But for now, I will marvel in the glory of Ginger!

Here she is. She does have an over-the-shoulder strap that I attached after taking these pictures!

I love this bag. But I also love my new office chair. Best Ikea purchase ever!

FEATURED IN /Lovely Bride

2011-08-02T13:25:00.000-07:00

Man, Beth and Dan's wedding has gotten a LOT of press. It blows me away. Not only has their wedding been published in a BC Wedding magazine, it has been featured on four wedding blogs as of yesterday! That's FIVE features! (And I believe there's one more coming yet!)

I've heard Beth's story many times now, but every time I read it on another feature it feels like I'm reading it for the first time. And it makes me so proud. Am I allowed to be proud of myself in this situation? I just can't believe it at times. Beth and Dan's wedding was only my third wedding ever that I photographed! For me, that is a huge accomplishment!'

As I mentioned, their wedding was featured on another blog yesterday, Lovely Bride. Click here to see the full post!

Anyway, we're back from an extended family vacation and back to the grind of working and painting/organizing our house. All in due time. :) Thanks for reading!

Crazy Pants

2011-07-29T11:02:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was my 26th birthday! It was a great day spent lounging by the pool, reading chapter after chapter in my book, bbq steaks for dinner, my favourite cake for dessert, a game of mini golf that I won, and a gorgeous gift from my whole family! I'll post about that later. I still need to take some pictures!!

Today's post goes back a few months...

When I was in Australia I picked up a pair of sweet pants for Cheyenne. I couldn't resist. They were just. too. cute. Australia has a lot of Thai and Indian influences in their stores, which is where I found these. Cheyenne loves them, or at least she used to! We called them her 'Crazy Pants' because, well, they look pretty crazy! haha. I took these few months ago. Cheyenne and her crazy pants...

The Last of Vegas

2011-07-27T11:49:00.000-07:00

I told you I had some serious catching up to do with my editing. Being away from home with the rest of my family means ample amounts of time to myself since there are 5 other people around that would gladly take Girlie off my hands! So, on a rainy day here I sat down and started at the top of my folders in Lightroom. That took me back to January. Pictures of Cheyenne that I hadn't edited yet, she was 7 months younger. Wow, it's amazing how much someone can change in 7 months! I'm still not anywhere near fully caught up, but I've got a good head start!

So, here are a few more images from my time in Las Vegas in February.

Also, today is my last day as a 25 year old. Tomorrow is my birthday. July 28. Mark it in your calendars. Just kidding. It's been a long, long time since I've celebrated my birthday in this town. Growing up we were always here for my birthday. So it's nice. Hopefully the weather will be in my favour! It's kind of hit and miss here this year. Oh well. Still loving being away from home for awhile and having a pool to lounge by on the sunny days!

Downtown Vancouver Wedding /REBECCA & PATRICK

2011-07-26T10:11:00.000-07:00

In June, I second shot this wedding for Lyndsay. It was such a beautiful wedding. The weather was gorgeous, the couple was adorable, and the style was so elegant. Gorgeous peonies, BCBG bridesmaid dresses. It was all so beautiful!

And it was a pleasure working with Lyndsay! I love seeing how other photographer's work on a wedding day. And I love second shooting and having the freedom to take different shots. So, be sure to check out Lyndsay's blog because her pictures are amazing!

This wedding took place in Vancouver, portraits were done in Gastown and the reception was held at the gorgeous Vancouver Club.

Lyndsay asked me to take some ring shots so I grabbed her 100mm macro lens and tried it out for the first time. Yes, I bought my own that next week! haha. So I took a bunch of ring shots to test it out.

Then I met up with Patrick and his men and grabbed a few shots of them.

After the ceremony.

I just love peonies. SO beautiful! And her wedding dress combined with her bridesmaid's dresses were a perfect match!

Lyndsay in action!

I took a lot of flower shots and of Rebecca's dress because they were too gorgeous!

See? Gorgeous.

There was a cute little alley way in Gastown that was a perfect location for portraits!

Loved this lighting at the end of the shoot.

Cocktail hour at Vancouver Club.

Thanks for stopping by. Don't be scared to leave a comment! I love hearing from you! :)

I Love DIY... Especially Fabrics!

2011-07-25T12:27:00.000-07:00

I spent two hours in the fabric store with my mom the other night. We're planning to rid of all the gross metal pull-up blinds in our house, starting with the main floor. Man oh man. Creativity overload. So many choices/options/ideas/textures/colours. Wow. At the end of the visit, I walked out with 4 fabrics. One for the sliding doors beside my desk which will be roman blinds; one for the valence for those blinds; two for accent pieces, either pillow cases or to re-cover this awesome retro chair I bought at the Salvation Army the other day. Here's what I brought home (I took these pictures at night, with the spotlight on them, so the colours are a bit off, but you get the idea!):

The white fabric with the dark grey pattern is for the sliding doors; the fuscia satin-y material is for the valence for that door; and the other two are for my accent pieces. I'm on love. Excited to pick out more for the rest of the room!

Spending some time away from home with my whole family for ten days at the moment. It's glorious. Hot, hot weather (aside from the rain drops that are currently falling from the sky) and lots of visiting, talking, and I brought my computer so I can edit and do the things I never have time for at home (like make a Pinterest account! haha!!)

Happy Monday!

Christie & Gavin's Wedding Sneak Peek

2011-07-22T11:43:00.000-07:00

Last night's wedding at The Brock House Restaurant was divine. Short and sweet, full of class and elegance... and kilts! Christie, born and raised in BC, and Gavin, born and raised in Scotland, met in Montreal where they were both attending McGill University. They live in Scotland and came out to Vancouver for their wedding. I could have stayed there all night. The accents. The gorgeous couple. Gavin's infectious smile. The sunset. The elegance. The jokes. Her bird cage veil!! It was all so beautiful!

We didn't have very long for portraits, but the images that we got are amazing. They are so cute together, and the gorgeous light on the beach was perfect! These are just a few of my favourite images from yesterday. Hope you enjoy!

CHRYSTAL & STEVE /engaged

2011-07-19T22:24:00.000-07:00

I've been waiting to post this engagement session all day! We had to unplug our internet while we painted the first coat of paint in our living room so I wasn't able to do this sooner, plus I was busy painting! It has been awhile since I've posted pictures!! A few people have commented about that recently! haha. Sorry to leave you hanging like this, life is just... busy. To say the least. But it's a good busy. Lots of positive stuff going on!

But, now I'm taking a break from the business of my day to bring you this beautiful couple, only a month and a bit away from becoming husband and wife! I met Chrystal and Steve at Kits beach on a sunny Sunday evening. The beach was just packed! Luckily we found a few less populated patches of beach space to use for their shoot.

To see more images from their session check our their Slideshow.

Sorry for the delay in getting these posted! So without further adieu...

This one is my fave.

Second fave.

This was my first shoot with my new 100mm f/2.8 lens so I took a couple different ring shots to test it out!

Alright, I'm done for the day. Painting is exhausting.

A Year's Worth of Blessings

2011-07-18T13:05:00.000-07:00

I almost forgot. Until I was on the phone with someone who asked about my neck and shoulder injuries and if I was still in pain or if the pain was still gone from that miraculous night. As she mentioned this I looked at the date. July 18. One year ago today, we were in the serious car accident. (See pictures and the story Here.)

Gross. I still get shivers thinking about that day. I can still hear that popping sound of the other car hitting ours. I still find my mind wandering to the "what-if's" of the situation that could have made it fatal. I still find myself thanking God again and again for safety that day.

And then there was that moment, exactly six months ago today, that I will never, ever forget. Healing. Miracle. Prayer. That night, surrounded by ten other followers of Christ, laying their hands on me and pleading with God for healing. That night when I literally physically felt the touch of the Holy Spirit in my shoulders, neck, head. Full on healing. I walked away after that healing with no more pain. None. And it's never come back, either. Just writing that makes me still with awe.

If you haven't read that story yet, please take a minute to read it Here. And if you have read it, read it again! I find I am encouraged again and again by what happened that night.

Who knew God could take such a grave, awful situation and bring something so good from it. Love it.

Settling In

2011-07-17T14:17:00.000-07:00

We have been in our new place for a week and a day now. It feels like less because I was away for most of last week. The move went fabulous. We had so many amazing friends come out to help us which was awesome. We had every loaded into the truck and unloaded into the new place in less than 4 hours.

There's still lots to do here. I feel like we've got a good start already. but we're nowhere near close to being done. We need to paint the entire house. The previous owners had a hay day with some screws and a screwdriver, apparently. There are holes all over the place! Lots of chips in the walls, random things here and there. And we have big plans to build a wall unit of shelves and cupboards above the fireplace! In the end it will look amazing. Right now, it looks alright. :) There is great potential though, and I'm excited for the changes to come! I'll be taking some before pictures yet so I can show you how much we do to this place.

Anyway, Step One was a trip to IKEA. We bought a bunch of new furniture to replace our old IKEA furniture that has served its time and needs to move on. Plus, my style has changed so those pieces just don't fit my new vision. We also bought a new desk and chair for my office space! I absolutely love my little nook! It's perfect! It does require me to calibrate my monitor a whole lot more because of the natural light constantly changing, but it's worth it! It's so nice to sit beside a window while I do my work. Oh, and I bought a new light fixture for my office area as well, LOVE it!

And now comes Step Two. Painting. Yay! The process of selecting paint colours gets me a little stressed out, but once we finally decide on the colour and buy the cans of paint I get pretty stoked! We're starting with our living room/kitchen/dining room space. I've picked a nice grey colour, accented by white furniture in the living room. I have great plans for this space, mostly consisting of great fabrics and decor! After the living room, we'll paint our bedroom. I hate beige. Hate it. Our whole house is beige right now. Not even variations of beige on different walls. Just beige. On EVERY wall. Sorry, that's a lie. One room is mint green with bright Winnie the Pooh wall paper along the middle of the walls, with bright underwater themed curtains. It's pretty awesome. :)

I took a few shots of a few things around our house today to share with you. There will definitely be more to come! All these images were taken with my new 100mm f/2.8 lens which I'm starting to become quite fond of!

This is my new light in my "office". It's from Home Depot. I think it suits my space perfectly!

My new desk, chair and office space. And some pretty flowers from my mom to brighten up our new place!

On the left we have our living room paint colour choice: Veil. A nice grey. I'll be accenting the space with different colours, and there will definitely be some turquoise in the mix! On the right we have some paint swatches as potentials for our bedroom. The fabric you see here is our duvet cover. I'm planning on painting the wall behind our bed something similar to the darkest colour, kind of like a brown/charcoal mix, as the accent wall. And the rest of the room will probably be a light, soft blue of some sort. We're thinking of painting our bed frame white, too. It's a dark brown right now. I'm just ready for change!

Currently, I'm thinking of using the middle blue colour as my wall colour and the top brown colour (on the right) as my accent wall. What do you think? And these are our new lamp shades from IKEA! They're white. Love them!

Ok, that's all I got for you right now! James is in the process of getting the walls ready for putty and paint. This next week will be Project: Paint the Living Space.

Thanks for stopping by!

Shimmer and Details!

2011-07-15T20:21:00.000-07:00

I was away for a few days this last week and while I was away I got a couple emails from two different wedding blogs letting me know that they featured some of my sessions! Yay! Those are some of my favourite emails to receive!

First of all, a big thanks to Jess from Shimmer and Silk for featuring Hana and Eugene's Granville Island Engagement session. You can check out the post HERE.

And then on Wednesday I got an email from Lauren over at Every Last Detail letting me know that she featured Tim and Larissa's Wedding on her blog. Yay! You can check out that post HERE.

Anyway, that's all I wanted to share today! Enjoy your weekend, hopefully us West Coasters will get some better weather this weekend. :)

Jessica & Michael's Wedding Sneak Peek

2011-07-11T13:45:00.000-07:00

I have been DYING to post some Sneak Peeks ever since I got home last night. There is so much I could and want to say about yesterday's wedding but I'll save that for their blog post. It was truly epic, in my opinion! One of my favourites to date. But I say that all the time! haha.

I can't tell you how many times I cried yesterday. Seriously. Why am I so emotional??!! When Jessica's dad walked into the Bride's Room to see her in her dress for the first time that morning there were tears all around. Jessica, her dad, me. :) Truly a special moment and a special day.

I loved, LOVED that Michael and Jessica rented a few vintage items for their photo shoot!!!! It was a photographer's heaven!

And the theme of the wedding is maybe my favourite part. When I met with Michael and Jessica back in December I asked them if they had a theme for their wedding. They did. Jessica read this line somewhere and knew she wanted it to be the theme, it sums up every. last. detail.

Into The Day Softly

Gorgeous, no? Add elements of Pride and Prejudice into the day and you've got their wedding covered. Man oh man. I'm in love. And so are they. Beautiful.

Here are just three shots from yesterday, but there will be oh so many more to come!

Michael and Jessica, thanks again asking me to be part of your day in such a special way. I truly enjoyed every minute of it, and your love for God and each other is infectious. Honestly. I felt like the day felt like a worship experience. I'm honoured to have been able to share in that. Thank you. Have an amazing time in Mexico!!!

Meagan & Josiah's Engagement Sneak Peek

2011-07-06T21:44:00.000-07:00

Having visited Fort Langley many, many times over the course of their lives, Meagan and Josiah choose this location for their engagement session. Even though each of them had been there numerous times, this was the first time they were there together! Crazy!

I'll go into more thoughts on the session when I post the final blog post with all the images, but I'll just say it was a delight to photograph these two! So much love. So much anticipation for their wedding day in just over a month. Beautiful.

Here are a few shots from their session tonight.

Paper Plates and McDonalds

2011-07-06T15:06:00.000-07:00

I think it's safe to say that most of our house is packed up already. I started packing before we even put our place on the market. I have limited time to do stuff as is so I didn't want to leave it all to the last minute. I wish we were moving tomorrow already so I can just officially put everything in a box and be done with it. I hate thinking about what things we might still need in the next few days. I just want to seal up another box and be done with it!

My husband was losing it the other day (total over-exageration haha) because he made himself a cup of tea and I had already packed the sugar! That was two weeks ago. Yes, I'm a little over anxious here. We have no more plates or bowls, so paper plates and tupperware bowls will suffice for these last few days. And most of our cookware is packed too, so we're either not eating or eating fast food. Can't say I'm loving this fact, but I do love having more boxes packed! You should see my pile of boxes in my living room just piling up! That is a sign of success and it feels pretty darn good!

I decided to take a break from packing while Cheyenne naps. I know that sounds kind of backwards, but that's what I did. I needed to catch up on a few work related things, and drink a cup of coffee. So I did.

Another engagement session tonight, then we move on Friday and Saturday, and I have a wedding on Sunday that I'm super excited about! Busy week, but it's all good!

And I wanted to give a quick shout out to my current clients, thank you for your patience with me these last few weeks/months. It's been busier than I ever imagined and I've definitely falling behind on some editing and all that, so thank you for you patience and understanding! I haven't forgotten about any of you! Looking forward to some quieter times in the weeks ahead!

Now, back to more editing and packing! Story of my current life.

Chrystal & Steve E-session Sneak Peek

2011-07-05T21:47:00.000-07:00

I wanted to get these Sneak Peeks up yet tonight because who knows how much packing tomorrow will bring! For all I know, I might pack up this computer yet! I'm a lean mean packing machine, I tell ya.

Anyway, I met this lovely couple tonight and I'm so excited to photograph their wedding in August! Enjoy this two snippets from their engagement session tonight!

The Final Days

2011-07-05T11:34:00.000-07:00

This coming up Saturday we're moving. We are so excited to move into this new place, which is bigger than what we have now and is in such a quiet and family oriented neighbourhood. There are so many things I love about this new place and can't wait to live there!

But then, there are so many things that I love about where we are now, that I'm really going to miss this place. Yes, I get uber sentimental when it comes to changes. I usually have a big meltdown with every new change in my life. When I graduated and flew off to New Zealand on my own; after I got engaged; after I got married; after we had Cheyenne; you get the idea. I'm not a fan of the process of change, but I do like it in the end. Most changes are usually for the better. So that makes me excited!

We've lived in our current home for just over four years now. It was the first house that James and I bought, a year and a half into our marriage. It's the house that Cheyenne was born in, literally. We had a home birth, so that makes it even sadder for me to leave this place. The memories of that night and the ones to follow. She crawled for the first time here, she took her first steps here, her first haircut. She had all her firsts here. I've worked out of this home for over 3 years now. First as a hair stylist, and now with my photography. So much has happened in this home.

If these walls could speak, they wouldn't stop talking. I'm sifting through memory after memory in my mind right now. All the Pizza Nights shared with old and new friends; all the phone calls to dear friends; play dates and dinner parties; birthdays and anniversaries. So many good memories!

The whole process of house hunting this time around was amazing. I don't know about you, but we often don't think to pray about these kind of decisions. Up until only a few months ago, I'd say, did we realize the importance and relevance of including God into these huge decisions. We never used to think to pray for guidance and wisdom when purchasing a car, or a home, or what have you. We've learned a lot over the last year or so. God has really stretched us in our lives and in our knowledge of His Love. So, we prayed. We prayed that God would be present in these decisions. That he would guide us and give us peace or unsettled feelings about our choices. And he did, in so many ways.

First of all, we listed our place on a Friday. We had our first showing the following Thursday, and an offer put in on that Friday, and the subjects were removed by the following Friday. Yup. That's right. Basically, we had our place on the market for a week. (Judy is pretty much the best realtor ever! She helped us when we bought our current place and we will definitely ask her to help us again with our next place, which hopefully isn't any time soon! We'd like to stay settled in one home for a while now!)

We found a house that we loved. We fell in love instantly. It had everything we wanted/needed and more. We put an offer in as soon as the deal on our place was final. Well, a couple days later I went back to this place to check it out again, from the outside. My concern was the volume of the street noise. I wanted to get away from that entirely with our next house. Our current home is right on the corner of a very busy intersection, along a truck route. It's loud and frustrating. When I drove away that day I felt sick. Literally sick to my stomach. Something wasn't right. I told James about it later, saying that I felt like the Holy Spirit was letting me know that this wasn't the place for us. James wanted to brush it off, he loved this place. It really was immaculate! But I told him we needed to pray about this. We have the Holy Spirit in us and he communicates with us and I strongly felt that something wasn't right with this place. So we prayed. And not long after, James felt the same. And Judy felt the same too. We all had this gut feeling that something wasn't right with it. Or that it just wasn't the house for us. There was something else out there that was better suited for us. When we finally got the minutes for that place it turns out it had some dodgey stuff going on, so we got out of that as quickly as possible.

And then we found our house. Yes, it's not as immaculate. But it's in the quietest neighbourhood ever! You can actually hear birds out of your windows! That's rare at our current place! So, we had an amount set in our minds that we wanted to pay for this place. And ideally, we wanted to have two days to move (Friday and Saturday) because I have to photograph a wedding on Sunday and didn't want to be too stressed with everything. After going back and forth, offer after offer, they finally settled on a price. The exact price we were hoping for AND the two days to move! How awesome is that? The way it all came together just blows my mind. In just under a month, we listed our place, sold our place, and bought our new place. Wow. That was way faster than I was anticipating!

So now we're packing like crazy. Let me rephrase: I'M packing like crazy! haha. I love packing though and I'm trying to be super organized and it's my choice to do the packing, so James isn't in trouble! ;)

Anyway, this week we bid adieu to our home and say hello to our new home :) Goodbye Unit 65, you have been a pleasure to live in!

O Canada

2011-07-01T21:29:00.001-07:00

It's Canada Day. "That is brand new information!" Sorry, that was a Phoebe moment! Gotta love Friends! We spent the morning on the main strip in Osoyoos and watched a Canada Day Parade. It went on for a long time. I didn't think Osoyoos had that many things to put in a parade! There will be fireworks yet tonight, so we'll probably watch those as well.

This year we're spending this long weekend in the Okanagan with my family. This is most definitely one of my most favourite places on earth. It is one of the few places that I would gladly return to to visit over and over and over and over again. It never gets old for me. I love the heat, the lake and pool, the way it feels like I flew to an all-inclusive destination yet it's only a less than 5 hour drive from my home, the endless amount of wineries. I also think a big part of why I love this place so much is because it's so nostalgic. Or I get so nostalgic when I'm here. My family came up here, to the same hotel, to the same hotel room, with the same group of friends, at the same time of year (August long weekend), for a good 20 years. Basically until I got married. My parents still came after that but James and I could only stop in for shorter amounts of time, and not every year because of our work situations and stuff.

Needless to say, I'm enjoying my time here. I'm enjoying not thinking about all the editing that is waiting for me on my desk top computer at home. All the empty boxes that are needing to be filled with the remainder of the objects in our home that have made up our lives for the last many years. I don't think I ever officially mentioned on here that we sold our house and bought a new place! Well, we did! We move next Saturday! (That's the main reason I haven't been around much, life is a little crazy, to put it lightly!)

Anyway...

This is the first of many weekends this summer that we will be spending up here. That makes me very happy! I even get to celebrate my birthday here in a few weeks which makes me even more nostalgic! Out of the 20 years that I came here religiously every year, my birthday was celebrated here about 90% of the time! July 28. It's a good day!

Happy Canada Day to all my Canadian readers, and also to you non-Canadian readers! Any reason to have a party is a good day in my books! Looking forward to the fourth of July! :)

Features Galore!

2011-06-28T14:58:00.000-07:00

I still get giddy every time I get notified of another online feature! Beth and Dan's wedding sure is a big part of that! Their wedding has been printed in a magazine, and now featured on two more weddings blogs!

On June 25, One Stylish Bride featured their wedding (which is actually an Australian wedding blog!)...

On June 27, Wedding Obsession featured their wedding...

I know of a few more blogs that are wanting to feature this wedding, which makes me so excited! So, if you're getting married and want to have your wedding featured as much as this one, be sure to have lots of details and creative aspects to your wedding day! :)

Back From Banff

2011-06-27T16:58:00.000-07:00

Hi!

Sorry for the major break in blog posts. We spent a week in Banff camping with my inlaws and just got home Saturday night. I've been fighting a cold and a headache for the last couple of days so I haven't spent much time on the computer. It still hurts to look at the screen, but I wanted to pop in and say Hi!

These next couple of weeks are going to be beyond busy. So please bare with me. We move in 12 days, and between now and then we'll be spending a long weekend in Osoyoos with my family and I have about 3 or 4 photo shoots to do yet! Needless to say, I'm a little behind!

Here are just a couple pictures from this last week. Hope you had a great week and a great Monday! I'm looking for someone's TV to sit in front of so I can watch The Bachelorette live tonight and not have to wait to download it! :)

Our sweet camper set up. That's right. That right there is a 1980 BonAir tent trailer with a hot dog stand awning. I know you're jealous.

Girlie had lots of fun!

James' cousin and his wife and daughter joined us for a few days and they have this cute dog that Cheyenne couldn't leave alone!

Hana & Eugene's Wedding Sneak Peak

2011-06-18T21:21:00.000-07:00

I woke up this morning to rain. RAIN! Yes, I was shocked. I don't know, considering I live in Vancouver (area) but I was still shocked. I started racking my brain, and others', for covered locations in Langley in case it was still raining during the portrait shoot of the wedding. Thankfully the rain stopped for those two hours that we needed to be outside for photos! Yay!! We went to our pre-determined photo location and had a great time taking pictures of the newly married couple! Hana and Eugene are a pleasure to photograph! They are so cute together and the results are always a big success!

Here are a few images from today's wedding!

I LOVE Hana's dress! It was so stunning on her!

Anyway, thanks for stopping by. Time to call it a night! Pictures of Cheyenne's birthday will have to wait until I get back from a family trip next week!

Two

2011-06-17T00:32:00.000-07:00

It's technically June 17 right now. Today, two years ago, at 8:11am, our baby girl was born. I just finished reading through my birth story and am so glad I documented that moment and experience. I just wanted to share one paragraph with you that brought tears to my eyes, again.

"As soon as she came out they put her right on my chest and covered her with a towel. I was crying and totally in disbelief that this baby just came out of me. James teared up, too, as we looked at our baby. Her eyes were wide open and she was so alert and did give us a cry so we knew she was ok. I took the towel off and turned her on her back and asked James what she was- boy or girl. He looked down and proudly said, “It’s a girl!” I was in shock. I honestly thought it would be a boy based on everyone’s predictions. I looked over at my mom and told her it was a girl, too. She was smiling so huge. James and I kissed and looked in awe at our daughter, what a blessing and miracle."

That was a truly unbelievable moment and I will never forget it.

The balloons have been blown up. The cake is made and decorated. The goodie bags have been filled. Now we need to get some sleep and in a few hours we get to celebrate our little Girlie's second (technically third) birth day! :)

PUBLISHED IN / Weddings In BC

2011-06-14T15:20:00.000-07:00

Today I get to cross off on the the items on my Life's To-Do list. Have my photos printed in a magazine! After a slight delay at the printers, the June issue of Weddings in BC is finally available! It's free! And you can find it at so many different stores and venues in the lower mainland, and you can also sign up to have a copy mailed to your door every month, again for free! Here's a link to a few of the locations where you can pick up a copy.

Anyway, I stopped by the Sears at Guildford Mall today and grabbed a small stack of this issue for myself! And I can't tell you how excited I am to see my name and my photographs in this magazine! Wow! And not only that, three of my friends who are also photographers in the lower mainland are featured in this issue as well! Michelle Cervo, Jamie Delaine, and Simply Rose!

Here is a look at my first published wedding!

I also have a full page ad in this issue!

Feeling Summery

2011-06-12T15:13:00.000-07:00

Looking at the stats for my blog, I sense I have a few readers who are into fashion. I've received many emails asking why I stopped documenting my 30 for 30 challenge and that they wanted to see more of my outfits. I'm not sure why, I still don't think my wardrobe is anything to be inspired by! BUT, since you asked, I decided I might start taking more pictures of my outifts, when I'm actually wearing something that I think is worth photographing. And you might completely disagree with my choice of photographical outfits, and that's fine! I don't claim to have any fashion sense what so ever! :)

Today I felt very summery. I just bought this new skirt from Old Navy the other day, along with the tank top, and thought today was a good day to wear them. As we got ready for church this morning the sun was shining through the windows, beckoning me to wear something fresh and summery. And so I did. Along with one of my favourite pairs of heels that I just bought in Australia. Love them. This is how the combo looked...

This is my husband taking pictures of me...

This afternoon looks like it will consist of a trip to the "swinging cool" (what my daughter calls the swimming pool), a cold beer on the deck, and more chapters of Velvet Elvis read. (And can I just say that I'm being blown away by this book? There will be many blogs coming with thoughts and revelations from this book. I have to read it again once I finish and actually journal my thoughts, because there are too many to keep track of! In the meantime, you should read the book so you'll know what I'm talking about! It's Velvet Elvis by Rob Bell.)

Enjoy your sunny Sunday! Hopefully I'll be able to pop in a little more often this next week! We've got some exciting things coming up in the next few weeks that are taking up a lot of my time! Will write about those this week yet too!

Campbell Valley Park Engagement /BETH & STEVE

2011-06-06T21:39:00.000-07:00

Beth suggested we do their engagement session at Campbell Valley Park since her and Steve have spent a lot of time there together. We planned for the shoot to start at 6:30, my most favourite time of day in the summer for a photo shoot! I was seriously looking forward to their shoot for a whole week! And I was not let down, not even a little bit!

The sky was clear, the sun was shining and it was a whopping 17 degrees Celsius that spring evening. Gorgeous. When Beth stepped out of the car I was even more excited! Look at her cute outfit! I love me some nice dressed couples! Beautiful couple. :)

So, let me tell you something. The lighting at this session was to. DIE. for. And I almost did. It was amazing. I've been waiting for this light since last October! This is the reason I schedule all my summer shoots on weekdays at 6:30pm. Because of this light. This dreamy, angelic, awe inspiring light. Keep this in mind, all your brides, for your wedding day. If you can slot some time into your day for a few snap shots at 6:30pm you will NOT regret it! Just look at these pictures and tell me you wouldn't want some of this deliciousness for yourself, in a wedding gown. Wowsa!! I can see the beauty already!

Anyway, back to Beth and Steve. As we walked across the field to the landmark barns they told me repeatedly that they didn't know what to do, they weren't good models, etc. Yeah right! You guys were naturals! And Beth thought Steve would be the more reserved one. Oh no. He was right in there, stealing every kiss he could from his stunning bride-to-be! Love it! :)

Hope you enjoy this engagement session and all the lovely light in all its glory! To see more images from their session check out their Slideshow!

One of my faves from the session:

Love this moment:

Hope you enjoyed those! Very much looking forward to your wedding in September!

FAQ / the little things matter

2011-06-03T14:30:00.000-07:00

I've been thinking up this blog post for a few months already. It's somewhat of a collaboration of all the little things I've learned to help improve my pictures along the way, and I wanted to share those with you!

1. Calibrate!!!
I can't stress this enough! Until you finally do, you have no idea how off your computer screen colours actually are! For the first 8 months of my business I edited all my pictures on my laptop. I always had to crank the warmth in the white balance. Thought it was just bad Auto White Balance in my camera. When I bought my Mac desktop in September I was shocked at how different the images on my blog looked on the new computer! I couldn't stand the idea of my clients looking at my photos online or on their computers and seeing something totally different than what I saw on my computer! Yikes! So, pretty much the day after I bought my desktop, I bought the Spyder 3 Express calibrater. It's a little thing that plugs into your USB port and hangs over your monitor and goes through all the colours and figures out what your screen needs to be at in order to be the right colour. Let me tell you, the difference was insane! Not as insane on my desktop, but my laptop was a HUGE difference (you can use the Spyder on as many computers as you want, and it's portable too!) So now at least I know that the colours I've edited my pictures to be are true, and that's why I highly recommend ordering prints through me because my lab also calibrates their monitors so the colours come out pretty much exactly the same! I can't tell you how many photographer's pictures I've looked at where the colours are so off. They're probably good on their own computer, like I thought mine were, but in actuality they're pretty off.

2. Check your background!
This is so important. Look at what's going on behind your subjects when you're taking their pictures. There are so many potentially distracting objects out there. Not buildings and other normal background stuff, but little things like purses and cups or cars or anything else that takes away from the moment of the picture. We tend to focus on our models, which is a good thing, but we still need to keep our backgrounds in mind. Move your body so that the couple's bodies hide that stray garbage can in the backdrop, or move the couple all together if there's too much distraction, or move the garbage can! Set your scene! I still have to constantly remind myself about this. Too often than I'd like I end up having to delete an image because I didn't make note of what was going on in the backdrop.

3. Line 'em up!
Another big thing of mine is having straight lines. I'm uber anal about it. I'm one of those people that will get a twitch if I see a picture frame that isn't hanging straight. The same goes for my pictures. I level out most of my pictures, at least any that have an obvious line in them. It's a small thing, but it makes a huge difference. There's nothing worse that looking through photos taken at the beach and in every picture the horizon goes off at a 45 degree angle. When I first got my camera last January I was so busy focusing on how to use the camera and on my subject that I didn't even think about the background. I had some pictures with buildings in the back that were all tilted and it's been ever since then that I take time to notice my lines. That's just my style. If you like the tilted look, heck, tilt away!

4. Filter!
When you're going through your images, don't keep any that don't "wow" you. And don't keep any that are even slightly blurry, no matter how great the couple/subjects look. This was one of the biggest things I learned at WPPI and I'm so grateful for it! Nobody but you knows that that image ever existed so the clients will never wonder what happened to it! Instead of giving them a blurry image that makes them unsatisfied, why not give them only your crispest images that make them gasp in awe! And, along with blurry images, get rid of any where someone in the picture looks funny, or where there's bad lighting, etc. You are representing yourself and your work in your images, and your clients will show these images to their friends and family... if they like them. And if they don't, they might show them and say negative things, which is SO not what we want! Aim to make your clients rant and rave about you your work and their experience with you!

Those are my rambling thoughts for the day! I have been there, done that, and this is what I've taken from my own personal experience! Hopefully it will help someone else out there!

Thanks for reading!

The Three Hundredth

2011-06-02T14:08:00.000-07:00

Post, that is. This, right here, what you are reading at this very moment, is my three-hundredth blog post since I started my photography journey a year and a half ago. Wow. SO much has happened and changed within these three hundred posts. Let's go back on a little trip down memory lane, shall we?

My very first blog post here.

My first practice run with my new camera here.

My first photo shoots with my sister. Bridal and Portrait.

My first family session here.

My first Trash the Dress session. Part One and Part Two.

My first couples session here.

My first newborn session here.

Girlie's first birthday here!

A bridesmaid photo shoot that brought so many new clients and friendships my way! Here.

Our accident in Tofino last July here.

One of my favourite sessions to date, and the start of a great friendship! Here.

My first wedding (not my very own, by still my first experience with weddings!) Here.

The launch of my website and new branding! Here.

The day our lives changed forever when we found out about Cheyenne's life threatening nut allergy here.

My first engagement session here.

Our Five year wedding anniversary here.

The day I was asked to fly to Australia to photograph a wedding here.

Our first family photo shoot here.

Girlie's first Halloween here.

My first wedding here.

A personal post of the importance of taking time to be, here.

Booking a trip to Las Vegas for WPPI here.

My two hundredth blog post here.

My second wedding here.

Our Christmas story here.

Probably the most important, amazing, overwhelming blog post I've ever written. And moreso, experienced. The post that still has the most views than any other post I've ever written. The miracle. Here.

Buying a new lens! Here.

Attempting my 30-for-30 challenge, but only making it about 15 days or something! Here.

Having to say goodbye to our beloved cat, Meetzy, on account of Cheyenne's allergies here.

A short reflection on my time in Vegas here.

A huge revelation for me. Learning how to establish my business the way it works FOR ME, not for you. Here.

My first wedding blog feature! Here.

My first destination wedding in Australia (third wedding overall) here.

My fourth wedding here.

My fifth wedding here.

Wow, did that all just happen in a year and a half?? Crazy! And so good!

Today, for my three hundredth post, another feature! This time a preview of what you'll be seeing in the June issue of the Weddings in BC magazine!!!! Yes, Beth and Dan's wedding will be featured in a printed magazine this month. Whaaaaat??? That's unreal! That was my third wedding ever!! You can already read some of the details on their website by clicking this link.

So, basically, I'm floating on air right now. So excited about all the things that have happened for me over this last year and a half, excited about the things that are yet to come! Nine more weddings for 2011. Love it!

Featured In: WEDDINGS IN BC

2011-06-01T13:44:00.000-07:00

Yes, again! It's crazy! I so appreciate Weddings in BC and all of the sessions that they've featured on their blog! It's amazing! Thank you so much!

Today they featured Hana and Eugene's engagement session. This session is turning out to be quite the success, two features! Wow! I'm blown away!

And, now you have to keep a look out for the June issue of their printed magazine. This is what it's going to look like you can have a visual...

One of my very own weddings is featured in this issue of their magazine, along with a full page ad. So please pick up a copy! It's free!!! I believe that it can be found at most Home Outfitter's, The Bay's, lots of wedding dress stores and other wedding related venues. If you can't find one, please let me know so I can tell you where to look!

Thanks again for all your support! It means the world to me! :)

Langley Wedding Photographer /LARISSA & TIM

2011-05-31T14:43:00.000-07:00

Larissa has been a faithful follower of my blog and work for so long now, I feel like I've known her for ages! She frequently comments on my blogs (which is a great thing! Thanks for the love Larissa!!!) She once said that when she first came across my work it was "love at first sight". Seriously?! Melt my heart!!!

Tim and Larissa had a short courtship, but knew within the 6 weeks that they had dated that they wanted to spend the rest of their lives together. When you know, you know. Larissa wanted the theme of the wedding to be vintage traditional with lots of wild flowers. She told me she wanted to feel like she was walking through a garden when she walked down the aisle. And that's definitely what it looked like!

You learn a lot about a couple at their wedding. For instance, I learned right away that Tim is somewhat of a Lego fanatic. The guys were putting together little Lego sets when we showed up! And more than once this fact was brought up during the reception, among other interesting facts! Larissa, we were told again and again that night, is a very joyful person, very loving and very level headed. Which, Tim told me in a questionaire they filled out when they first hired me, was his favourite quality about her. Or as he put it, he likes that she "has an even head. Not in the symmetrical kind of way; in the sensible kind of way. And it is also pretty." Cute. :)

Tim also is somewhat famous for his 50 word stories which, as you can guess, are short stories made up of 50 words. Not 49. Not 51. 50 exactly. I loved how they incorporated this into the reception. As a way of getting the couple to display their affection with a kiss the guest would have to write and recite their own 50 word story. I was quite impressed with the number of stories that were shared and the quality of them! Very clever guests!

I especially loved Larissa's dad's speech. If a father cries, I will cry. Guaranteed. Especially when the father is talking about his baby girl. Wow. So much love, and so much faith and love for God. It was so evident in the story of how Tim and Larissa got to where they are today. Having only dated for such a short time, and maybe only having met each other's parents once, there's a lot of trust that goes into a father giving his blessing to an almost stranger to take his daughter as his wife. One thing that her dad said that really hit me was to pray for your children's spouses, even from an early age. And so I have.

This wedding was loaded with amazing details and just great style, so there's lots of photos for you to look at! Thanks to James for second shooting for me, too!

To Tim and Larissa, thank you so much for trusting me with your wedding day photos and for all the support you have been to me over the last months. You've been an encouragement to me as I continue on in my business and photography. I so appreciate it! I'm glad you guys had a good time on your road trip and I pray that God will richly bless you as husband and wife and as you start this new chapter of your lives together! I hope you enjoy your photos!

Here we go, Tim and Larissa's wedding! If you'd like to see even more images from their wedding day, check out their Slideshow.

I loved Larissa's parents back yard! And her lace Allure wedding gown and veil were just stunning!

Gorgeous spring bouquet by Champfleurie Floral Designs.

Love her wedding shoes! Hush Puppies!!

Her something new, something old, something borrowed, something blue.

Beauty.

The aisle.

This was such a precious moment to me. While the witnesses were signing the register, Tim and Larissa held hands on her shoulder and I melted.

Cute!

One of my faves.

Another two of my faves below.

Not even a little rain could damper their love!

Also love...

Lookin good guys!

Another two faves... I had a lot of favourites from this day!

Annnnd... another fave, the one above and below!

Gorgeous.

Wowsa! :)

The reception (and ceremony) were held at North Langley Community Church.

Larissa and her Oma made the cake together.

The end! Thanks for taking a look!

Beth & Steve's E-Session Sneak Peek

2011-05-30T21:32:00.000-07:00

I wrote it on my Facebook status when I got home tonight, and I'll write it again here. It's nights like this that I'm reminded why I love what I do! A beautiful couple in love in a gorgeous location with the most stunning sun light! MmmMMmmMMMMMM!!!! I could just eat it all up with a spoon. Seriously.

I met Beth and Steve for the first time tonight at Campbell Valley Park for their engagement session. They said they didn't know how to pose or what to do but, seriously, they were naturals! They knew when have the right moments at the right time. They were real, they were in love, and they were gorgeous!

I had been looking forward to tonight's shoot for a long time. This was my first session with sunset lighting since October. OCTOBER people!!!! Do you have any idea of the sunset withdrawal I've been dealing with for the past 7 months??!!!! Sheesh! I can't tell you how refreshing it was to get out there, with an actual sun, and to shoot in this amazing light tonight. Wow. Thank you God for creating so much gorgeousness!

Anyway, enough about my love and obsession with sunset lighting. Let me show you the stars for the evening, Beth and Steve. Gorgeous. Gorgeous. Gorgeous couple. Did I mention how gorgeous they are? ;) You guys were such a delight to photograph! I'm so excited to photograph your wedding in September!

Enjoy!

FAQ / the importance of e-sessions

2011-05-30T21:04:00.000-07:00

E for engagement, incase you were wondering what the e in e-session stands for! When I first saw the word e-session when I started my business I was so confused by it. I had no idea what it stood for! I thought it was e for electronic or something. Like email or evite, etc. So, don't be embarrassed if you didn't know what it meant either!

When I first started this wedding photography journey I didn't fully comprehend the importance of each couple having an engagement session before their wedding day. I include a complimentary engagement session with all of my packages for that reason. I've had a few couples opt out of having an e-session, and that's totally fine! Out of the 6 weddings I've photographed, half of them have had engagement sessions and the other half did not. I've noticed a few things from this.

First of all, whether or not you choose to go ahead with the e-session, your wedding day will still rock! I've had a blast at every wedding I've shot so far, so don't feel like your at a disadvantage if you choose not to have one! But, I can tell you for certain, the photo part of a wedding day goes a little bit smoother, and quicker, when the couple has had the engagement session.

What is the purpose of an e-session? Aside from getting some great shots of you and your fiance at such an exciting time in your life it also gives you a chance to get to know me better, as your wedding photographer. On most occasions, this will be the first time that we'll actually meet each other before the wedding day. So it gives us a chance to get to know each other better, and it helps you be more comfortable around me and in front of my camera. Of the weddings I've done where the couple had an engagement session, the photo part of the day tends to flow just a wee bit better than of those who did not have one. They already know where I want them to look, how the guy should put his hand in his pocket, how to walk so that it looks good in a picture, etc, etc.

And, it's free, so why not?! :) Like I said, I offer an e-session as a complimentary service to my couples because I really find it beneficial to everyone! Even if you don't plan to use any of these images for your wedding or invitations it's still a nice way to get professional pictures of you and your fiance.

That being said, how can you make the most of your engagement shoot? I love to encourage my couples to think outside of the box. Bring props that we can incorporate into the shoot, be as personal and as quirky as you want! If you and your fiance love going on picnics, then let's recreate a picnic in a field. If you both like to read, bring some books along, and some antique spectacles.

Also, allow yourself to feel beautiful. Let's be real here, it's terribly awkward having your picture taken. You feel like your smile looks funny and you don't know where to put your hands or if your eyes look creepy, or whatever. I've been on the other side of the camera and I can attest to this. It's awkward and you get all self conscious. Mostly us women, the guys tend to just show up, somewhat begrudgingly, but they're usually not too concerned about how they look! My job is to make you feel comfortable, relaxed and affirm you that you are doing a great job and that you do, in fact, look fabulous. But it really does help if you take that extra time to glamify yourself! Treat yourself by getting your make-up done professionally and get a stylist to style your hair the day of your session. Trust me, it will boost your confidence ten fold!

Along the same lines, think about the clothes that you'll wear. I love a pop of colour on my models. Cheerful, bright, fresh colours. But not too much. :) Bring a couple outfits if you'd like, one more dressy and one more casual. And dress the casual up just a touch as well. You won't regret it!

But the main thing is that you stay true to you. If you don't ever ever wear heels then please don't even think about wearing them to the session. I don't want you to look back on your photos and go "why did I wear those heels?!?! That's so not me!" (This is all true for your wedding day as well!) This session is meant to fully capture you and your fiance's personalities in their rawest form! Your wedding day will naturally be a little more formal, so take advantage of your engagement session to do those shots and poses and whatnot that you probably wouldn't do on your wedding day.

Does that make sense? I feel like I was a little all over the place in my thinking, which led to this post. I hope it makes sense and that you get where I'm going with this. And please don't feel bad if you've turned down an e-session with me! It's totally fine!!! I've loved every wedding I've done so far and the results have been great either way!

Just something to think about!

Featured In: WEDDING OBSESSION

2011-05-26T14:33:00.000-07:00

Today I was delighted to see that Hana and Eugene's Engagement session in Granville Island was featured on the Wedding Obsession blog! I'm always blown away when my work gets featured. It's a surreal feeling and I hope I never get used to this! =)

Abbotsford Wedding Photographer /EMILY & BRENDAN

2011-05-25T13:35:00.000-07:00

Brendan and Emily's wedding was my first local wedding of the season. What a great way to start it off, too! Not only are Emily and Brendan a gorgeous couple, but their love for each other is the most beautiful thing to witness. I pretty much just followed them around with my camera and got all of these amazing images just bursting with love that you see in this post. They are too cute. Even a minute apart from his bride was too much for Brendan and he would quickly make his way over to her and give her a big hug. Oh man, oh man. I'm telling you guys, this couple has 50+ years of a loving, fun and amazing life together!

I joined the ladies in the morning while they got ready, while Justine, my 2nd shooter for the day, spent the morning with the boys. I'm told there was never a dull moment there! The boys were up for anything! Emily and her entourage of beautiful ladies, including four sisters and her best friend, were all very relaxed as they put the final touches on their make-up and sipped lemon Perrier and filled up on healthy snacks before the festivities began. I fell in love with these girls. Their obvious love for each other was something to envy. You girls, including Emily F., have something so special and it was a delight to photograph you and be with you on this special day!

The ceremony took place at Bakerview MB Church in Abbotsford. Right after the ceremony, guests were treated to many delicious treats and hot or cold beverages prepared by Afterthoughts. Apparently they have the best cheese cake as well, so you'll have to check them out! After family pictures we headed out to Fishtrap Creek for some portraits. Their reception was held at Heritage Alliance Church. Again, what a joy this couple was to photograph! It was near impossible to pick my favourites since Emily and Brendan make every picture look fabulous! I did finally narrow it down, though!

So, without further ado, Emily and Brendan, I hope you enjoy these and thank you so much for asking me to be a part of your wedding day. I had a fabulous time and I hope these pictures will help you to relive the day for the rest of your lives! Enjoy!

And thanks for joining me for the day, Justine! It was fun working with you!

To see more pictures from their wedding day you can check out their Slideshow.

He just got the first glimpse of his beautiful bride! :) These are always my favourite pictures!

Cute cute cute!

Love!

Gorgeous bouquets of tulips and calla lilies!

Emily's smile and eyes are killer!

I want to frame this one for myself! haha. One day when I have my own studio! :)

I love it when couples are on board with sitting on the ground!

Gorgeous.

This makes me smile!

And, couples who want to have fun shots also make me happy!

Very studly!

Love this idea! And the shadows and the light are just MMmmMMmm good!

Couples who lie on the ground make me even happier!!!

Next Top Model, watch out.

Question: "What is your wife's favourite flower?" Emily: Tulips. Brendan: 2lips. :)

And that's me and the couple! What a great day!!

Renee & Ono Wedding Sneak Peek

2011-05-23T12:44:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was a special day for Renee and Ono as they became husband and wife surrounded by those they loved. The weather couldn't have been more beautiful, even leaving its mark on a few of the bridesmaids shoulders. Congratulations Renee and Ono on your wedding and marriage and I wish you all the best as you start this new journey together!

Here are a couple shots from yesterday!

Her Ways

2011-05-20T13:14:00.000-07:00

Her ways never cease to amaze me. Her ways are beyond her years. Her ways are carefree and friendly and full of joy and excitement, and void of fear and self-consiousness. Her ways inspire me. Yes, I am inspired by a little girl, a few weeks shy of being two years old.

If only I had half as much heart and openness as her. Not a stranger will walk by without being acknowledged with a big wave, a huge smile, and a resounding "Hi!" And not one of those strangers has yet to not smile back. I believe God brings children into this world to bring joy to everyone around them, especially those who are lacking it. She will make anyone feel special. She will have the longest conversation with anyone that will give her the time. She trusts. She approaches. She loves. She is the epitome of who Christ is and wants us to be. I am truly blessed by this little person, my daughter.

She has led me to so many people, so many conversations have been started and friendships have been made because of her ways. I have no doubt in my mind that God has a special purpose for this little child. A child who really has faith like a child.

And no fear. She will throw her arms around the biggest dogs and beg them for kisses without ever stepping back. No fear. We strive to keep her this way. To teach her the dangers that are around, but not to instil fear. Fear is manmade. Fear does not come from God. I don't want to instil my own irrational fears on my daughter, or anyone's irrational fears, for that matter. When we see a spider, we do not scream. We marvel at the complexity of it's many legs and thank God for making all the animals. When we see someone standing on a high ledge, we do not remark on the scariness of such heights, for there is nothing wrong with heights, but only our own perceptions and fear of what could happen from that height. The word "Scary" is not often heard in this house. I've lived most of my life in fear and I do not want the same for my daughter. That is not living life to the full, and that is all I want for my daughter. Living the life that Christ intended for her to live. And her ways, her lack of fear, will give her the chance to live this life.

Her ways are one of knowledge. The things this girl knows at her age are astounding. The alphabet has been memorized (not the song, but the individual letters), her repertoire of songs is uncountable, her memory is so sharp. Not only does she point out the usual balls and cars, she also points out abacuses and helicopters. It's true.

And we laugh. Never have I had this much laughter in my life on such a consistent basis! Not a day goes by without a good chuckle on my part, and a good journal entry trying to write down the memory to remember forever.

These are her ways. I am so blessed to call her mine. I am so excited to watch her grow and to see the ways that God will use her to further his kingdom, even more than she already has.

(Pictures taken at 2 weeks, 6 months, 1 year, and almost 2 years old!)

Meet Ray

2011-05-16T12:56:00.000-07:00

Today I want to introduce you to a very special man. I met him 8 years ago, in New Zealand. This Irish born, Australian citizen with the most interesting accent changed my life in so many ways. I saw on Facebook that he posted some links on YouTube with a miniature version of the week long seminar we heard in New Zealand (while at Bible School). He is a discipleship counsellor and his passion for God and his ministry is infectious. And his accent makes you pay attention!

I'll never forget our first meeting. He met with each student individually and basically broke down our temperament for us based on the questions we answered prior to seeing him. Everyone is either a Thinker, Feeler or Doer or some combination of the three and you can be different temperaments in Socially, under Stress, and with Affection. Very intriguing!

Anyway, I sit down in a chair across from Ray and listen intently as he tells me that I'm a Feeler and that I would make a great entrepreneur and that I could basically go to China and sell tea. Sure, that sounds great, I'm thinking. But why do I have to go to China? I was so confused. He went on with this analogy for quite some time, and all the while I'm still wondering why I would have to go to China to sell tea and that I really didn't want to. I would rather stay near my home! Finally, I asked him why I had to go to China and he just about fell off his chair laughing. Once he explained the metaphor or analogy or whatever it is, I finally understood! Now it made sense!

Ray came to Vancouver the next year and I set it up for him to do a workshop at my church. He, again, made time to have some one on one appointments and I signed myself up right away. I had just started dating James and had some issues that I was struggling with, personally. Needless to say, if I hadn't spent that hour with Ray, I would most likely not be married to James right now, or anyone else for that matter. Ray showed me the fear in my life that was keeping me distant and closed off from accepting love from others, the result of having been hurt many times by guy friends in high school. And he made me realize how this fear was affecting me relationship with God and my view of Him. I was a changed person after that.

So, thank you Ray, for impacting my life (and my family's and so many of my friends' lives) in more ways that you will ever know.

To hear his wicked accent and to listen to his message, check out Part 1, Part 2 and Part 3.

Free Wedding Photography!

2011-05-14T14:00:00.000-07:00

There's a reason I've been hounding you to check out Weddings In BC on a regular basis. Today is the day when you can cash in on a big giveaway prize... your wedding day photography done by me, for free!! Be sure to go to their Facebook Page and tell them what you're doing to personalize your wedding and your name will be put in the draw!

I just love seeing my name and images on a wedding blog! I never in a million years thought that that would ever happen. Two years ago I would have sighed and said "I wish" if someone told me that I would be doing what I am today and that I would have multiple features on a wedding blog! But it's happening, and I am so grateful and honoured.

Since we're on the topic of features and Weddings In BC, check out today's post in their inspiration room that I contributed showing a few of my favourite locations for photo shoots in the Vancouver area!

One Week

2011-05-13T16:57:00.000-07:00

So much has happened in one week. It's been a whirlwind of a week, a busy week. It all started with Mother's Day last weekend.

This was my second Mother's Day and it was a good one. The morning started with church. My mom, sister and brother-in-law joined us at our church and then we came back to our place for beef barley soup for lunch and apple crumble with vanilla ice cream for dessert! So good. After Cheyenne's nap the three of us (James, Cheyenne and myself) went for a walk to our local Starbucks, always a good outing in our opinion! When we got back to our place we got out the"by-yoom" as Cheyenne calls it. It's her ball but she thinks it's a balloon. We watched and laughed and Cheyenne kicked and ran after that ball all Phoebe style (from Friends. Remember that episode where her and Rachel go running together and Phoebe flails her arms around as she runs? Yeah, that's our Girlie, just miniature!) She has the best kick I've ever seen. It's like the goose step. Her leg doesn't bend and keeps swinging around until it's hip level. So cute! And as she chases the ball she yells "I get it. I get it. I get it. I get it." until she gets it. Then we took her baby for a walk in her dolly stroller around the complex.

That's probably my most favourite times as a family. When we're all outside playing together. Watching our little one smile from ear to ear and just soak in her surroundings. She has no fear of getting dirty or wet. It's awesome. This will be a good summer!

The evening ended with pizza night. Always a high light of my week. We waited until Cheyenne was in bed this time so we could enjoy it alone, just the two of us, while we caught up on some of our shows.

The rest of the week was ridiculously busy. Buying a new place is not a low-stress situation! We looked an numerous homes and had multiple conversations about what we liked and didn't like about each one. The pressure of it all has been getting to us. Luckily we have the most amazing realtor to help us with this decision. Judy has been so patient, understanding, honest and accommodating for us, we are so grateful we've chosen her to be our realtor again. Seriously, if you're getting in the market, do give her a call!!

Today we'll know if our house is sold or not. I'll let you know the result!

And thank you so much for your patience in the last couple of weeks. I know I'm not producing much for you to look at these days, but it's been really chaotic around here and I've had minimal time in my dungeon. Hopefully after today things will settle down a bit! I appreciate your understanding so much!!

HANA & EUGENE / Granville Island Engagement Session

2011-05-04T23:04:00.000-07:00

I absolutely adored my session with Hana and Eugene at Granville Island! How could I not? First of all, Granville Island is one of my favourite places to photograph, and second of all, what an adorable couple! So full of love and Hana's smile is so contagious!

I loved their outfits, and the lighting that day, the urban backdrops and textures, and so much more! It all came together beautifully! They opted for a more urban feel for their engagement photos as their wedding photos will have a more rustic, natural feel to them! And seeing as both of them are from oversees (Hana is from Korea and Eugene is from Taiwan), having a very Vancouver-ish backdrop was perfect.

I hope you enjoy these photos as much as I do! I just had too many favourites to share with you!

To see a few more pictures check out their Slideshow.

One of my favourite ring shots to date! Hana and Eugene both have rings and these will be the only rings that they exchange. I like it!

Crazy Town

2011-05-03T15:39:00.000-07:00

That's the name of the city that I feel like I should be living in right now - Crazy Town. My husband and I just put our townhouse on the market this weekend. All last week was spent cleaning up our place, which basically meant throwing everything into a box or closet and hiding it.

With a toddler around, it's near impossible to have a clean house all the time. One day last week I had swept the floor in the morning, and a few hours later my husband suggested I sweep the floor in the kitchen since it hadn't been done in a while. I kindly suggested otherwise. He didn't believe me that I had already swept it that morning. haha. Girlie likes to move around alot while she eats, therefore dropping crumbs and bits of food everywhere!

So, between cleaning and organizing and packing a few boxes up already, I've spent a lot of time at my parents place to avoid the risk of having the house turn into a mess again. I don't normally mind a mess, it's kind of inevitable with a toddler so why fight it? But when we could randomly having a showing of our place we kind of need to keep it clean.

James and I went to look at five houses today and so it's officially happening! We're on the hunt for a new house! Hopefully we won't settle in Crazy Town! We even got to enjoy a quiet lunch at Cactus Club, just the two of us, which we haven't done in a very long time!

Anyway, that's why you haven't heard too much from me this week. I've got a few hours alone to catch up on work which I will take advantage of! Hope you're all having a bit of a less crazy week than I am! Enjoy the beautiful weather we're having today!

Giveaways!

2011-05-02T20:55:00.000-07:00

Yes, I will be endorsing Weddings In BC yet again on my blog! haha. I have to! They've been so generous to me in the last couple months with features on their blog, it's the least I can do to show my appreciation!

That being said, have you checked out their website yet? Have you registered yourself onto their site? If you have, you're awesome! If you haven't, you're not. JUST KIDDING! But you really should. They officially launched their Weddings In BC magazine this month so for all of May they're doing a daily prize giveaway!!!

And in this first week of May at some point, or at least some time in May, they'll be giving away FREE wedding day coverage by yours truly!!! (ie: ME!) So, get you name on their list. Check out their Inspiration Room on their site daily. And get ready to win some amazing prizes from a huge variety of local wedding vendors!

NAOMI /Burnaby Baby Photographer

2011-05-01T18:10:00.000-07:00

Two weeks ago I met Dan, Kristina and their ten-month-old baby girl, Naomi and their brother's home in Burnaby for a family/baby photo shoot. Naomi was very keen to be photographed. She looked right at the camera, on cue, and was so adorable I loved every minute of this session!

Thank you Dan and Kristina for asking me to take these photos for you!! Naomi is so precious!

Enjoy...

Vintage Inspired Wedding Sneak Peek

2011-05-01T11:50:00.000-07:00

I had the pleasure of photographing Tim and Larissa's wedding yesterday!!! Tim and Larissa were one of the first couples to hire me as their wedding photographer, and she's a loyal blog follower/commenter and I love it!

The weather cooperated with us for most of the day, only sprinkling a few drops on us during the portrait session but not enough to damper the love and happiness of this newly married husband and wife! What a pleasure it was to be part of their day!!

Here are just a couple Sneak Peeks for you. I have LOTS of pictures to go through but these jumped out at me as I flipped through!

Congratulations again, Tim and Larissa, and have a fabulous honeymoon!!

Enjoy the rest of your Sunday! I know I will! Since we were at the wedding yesterday we're doing Pizza Night tonight!

50% Off Prints!

2011-04-27T11:37:00.000-07:00

To all my past clients: I am offering 50% off prints on orders made between now and May 1, 2011!!

Still haven't printed photos from your session? Now is the time to do so! Get great quality prints to show case on your walls for a great price!

Print Prices:
4x6 - $5
5x7 - $10
8x10 - $20
16x20 - $35

(I can also get prints in lots of different sizes, just contact me for pricing!)

If you're interested in ordering some prints, please email me at vanessa@vanessavoth.com by May 1st!

Adelaide, Australia Wedding /BETH & DAN

2011-04-26T16:58:00.000-07:00

Beth and Dan's wedding. Where do I start? How can I adequately sum up this wedding and my overflowing gratefulness for being asked to photograph their wedding in Australia? It very well might not be possible. But I will try my best.

When the idea of me flying to Australia to photograph Beth and Dan's wedding came up, I thought it was just a pipe dream. Why in the world would someone fly me- a photographer who, at that point, had only photographed two weddings- all the way to Australia to photograph their own wedding? It was crazy! And then I got the phone call saying it was a go. Book your flights. You're coming to Australia! Needless to say, I put a lot of pressure on myself for this wedding, but it was good. I loved the added challenge of being the only photographer and having the most gorgeous bride and groom and bridal party to work with! It was as if I was photographing a family member's wedding. Thank you for that!

When I first saw Dan when I arrived, he had the bushiest beard I've ever seen! I asked Beth if he was planning on leaving it that way for the wedding and she thankfully said that he would be shaving it off the night before. His thought was, if he couldn't see her dress until the wedding day then she couldn't see his face until then, either. So he grew out his beard for 6 months! I wish I had a picture of that, too!

This wedding was the ultimate definition of a D-I-Y (do it yourself) wedding. The bonbonnieres (what we call favours!) were branches from her families yard cut into smaller pieces and stamped with a cute stamp and then lacquered with veneer for a smooth finish. The invitations and programs were all hand made, as well. Beth made the cake toppers herself using wire and pliers to bend them into the shape of a tandem bicycle, a bride and a groom. She made her earrings the morning of the wedding from a necklace she found the day before. Her friend arranged the flowers. Her I think that's more than enough to qualify for the D-I-Y Wedding Award!

Beth and Dan even designed their own weddings rings. And, Oh. My. Goodness. They are stunning!!!! You have NEVER seen a ring set like Beth's. Honestly. It's jaw-dropping-ly amazing. It's in the shape of a calla lily. And the wedding band is a leaf. For reals. It's stunning. Calla lilies are my favourite flower so I especially fell in love with her ring!

The reception venue used to be a farm and is now turned into a peacock farm. Hence it's name, The Peacock Farm. The barn still has wool in the shearing room. It was very unique. This was an amazing reception. They served pizza all night long! And not just any joe-blow pizza, we're talking gourmet, straight from Italy-esque, delicious pizza. So good. And the dancing? Don't even get me started! It was unreal. First of all, Beth and Dan choreographed their own first dance bit, which was so cute. And then they had their playlist going for a little while until the jembe drums came out and Dan, his brother-in-law, and Beth's mom (and one or two others) started jamming away on these jembe drums and the dance floor was just packed! The only music was the beat of drums. Oh, and cow bells, and maracas, and other interesting hand held instruments strewn about the crowd! It was epic.

Overall the style of this wedding was everything that I love in a wedding! Her dress was to die for. The designer, Anna Campbell, has the most amazing wedding gowns I've ever seen! The colour and style of the suits were perfect. Dan's hat, too cute. The girls' dresses, brilliant! Everything about it was gorgeous.

So, again, to Beth and Dan, I just want to thank you for inviting me to share this day with you. You both looked so gorgeous and happy and in love and it was such a joy and honour to capture these moments of that day for you to look back on forever. I hope you enjoy them!

Enjoy Beth and Dan's wedding pictures and if you still want to see more, check out their Slideshow HERE.

Thanks for looking!

Granville Island E-Session Sneak Peek

2011-04-26T15:35:00.000-07:00

I first met Hana and Eugene in February and I loved their easy going, sweet personalities. Hana is from Korea and Eugene is from Taiwan and they met each other here and are getting married in June. They are so cute together! I met them at Granville Island today to do their Engagement session and we were lucky to not have rain!

Here are a few pictures from this morning's session:

I'm just about ready to blog my Australian wedding! Need to narrow down my pictures a bit and do the write-up and then I'll show it to you all! Tomorrow. =)

Have a good night!

Weddings In BC

2011-04-26T10:13:00.000-07:00

I woke up this morning with another email that one of my engagement sessions is featured on Weddings In BC today, in the Inspiration Room! Today you'll find Larissa and Tim's Langley Engagement session there. =)

Weddings In BC has featured four other sessions of mine including a wedding. I'm so grateful for that! I love seeing my name elsewhere on the internet, besides my blog and website! They are a great wedding resource blog with lots of great ideas for decorations and dresses and whatnot! Check them out if you're planning your wedding right now! They also mail out free magazines to brides, so get your name on their mailing list!

So, thanks again Weddings In BC!

(Edited to add...) Weddings In BC is launching their BC magazine in May! So brides, get on their email list and enjoy their free magazines sent to your door, filled with tons of information and ideas and venues, all wedding related! Plus, they're having tons of give-aways for their first month!

Easter

2011-04-25T15:30:00.000-07:00

Easter has come and gone. It felt different this year. Busier. Yet less busy at the same time. It was strange. I wasn't in the head space that I normally am for Easter. That's probably mostly my fault. I didn't take time to fully reflect on the reason for Easter before it actually came. And by the time it had passed I was just starting to get there, mentally and emotionally.

I feel like I want to write so much more. About my faith; about how Easter is the reason for why I believe what I do; about the love of Jesus and the sacrifice he made so that we can live life to the full. So much. I've read so many beautiful blog posts this weekend from other Christians that sum it up so good. I especially loved the way Jamie summed it up in this blog post. So instead of reiterating the same thing, I'll guide you to her post!

Here are some pictures of Girlie on Easter Sunday before we took off for Church! She looks so grown up here!!

Hahahaha... don't mess with her... she means business!

One More

2011-04-19T14:24:00.000-07:00

As I was culling through wedding pictures yesterday I came across a set of images of the whole bridal party that I had to smile at. Emily and Brendan had an amazing bridal party, and I think this picture proves that. Check out Brendan's karate kick. Pretty impressive!

Random Monday

2011-04-18T22:09:00.000-07:00

My husband is brewing a batch of beer as I sit in my dungeon, culling through Saturday's wedding pictures (which are stunning... if I do say myself! This couple is really, really, ridiculously good looking- say that with your best Ben Stiller voice from Zoolander.) Oh, in case you're wondering, James is brewing a Nut Brown beer. I know, so exciting. haha. It kind of is actually. The house smells like a barn and I love it. I'm a country girl at heart, what can I say?! No, seriously. If I could milk cows for a living I'd be one happy girl (as long as I didn't have to do the early morning milking and I could still do photography!)

My day has been random. Girlie actually slept in today which was a treat. Then we had a late brunch and got started on cleaning our garage out. I have been dying to sort through/purge/declutter/organize our garage and its contents for so long! It feels so good to have that done with. Anyone want a VCR or roller blades? (For those of you born after 1995, a VCR is a way of watching movies that requires rewinding the video when you're done watching it. I know, so old school. haha)

There were bubbles and dirt; coffee and grad caps; plaid suit jackets and cables; beach toys and baseball gloves. And there was LEGO. A whole two suitcases of Lego. My husband was a bit of a Lego fanatic growing up. Even to this day, they're split into two suitcases, one of which holds the contents that I'm not even sure he'd ever let our own children play with. haha. One of the suitcases has a pen explosion in it and I made James clean them today. Pretty sure that wasn't his most favourite part of the day! But at least it's done with now and we can move on.

There was pizza for dinner and a hair cut for my brother-in-law. There was a toddler serenading her parents over the monitor with continuous rounds of "uppabuppa world so high", on repeat. There was a short conversation with a good friend. There was chatting with the neighbour while our children passed a ball back and forth. There was nostalgia as we sorted through boxes containing items that at one point in time had significant meaning to us. There was Regina Skeptor and Lightroom and Blogger.

And there was contentment. Peace. Satisfaction.

Oh, and on a side note, I had another photo shoot featured on Weddings In BC the other day! Denise's Trash the Dress shoot from last summer was featured!

Sweet Naomi's Sneak Peek

2011-04-17T18:41:00.000-07:00

It was a busy weekend for me! Yesterday a wedding, and today a family shoot with an adorable little 10 month old girl, Naomi. Naomi was all smiles for me when I got there and was not shy of the camera at all! Kristina, Dan and Naomi were in town visiting family so we planned this photo shoot months ago already so it was nice to finally meet you guys!

Here's a look at our session today!

Beautiful Spring Wedding Sneak Peek

2011-04-17T18:15:00.000-07:00

I had the privilege of photographing Brendan and Emily's wedding yesterday. It was so beautiful! The bride was as gorgeous as they get and her groom was handsome as can be. They are such an adorable couple together! They were giving me cute, intimate, natural poses all day long, without me even asking them to!

It took all morning and part of the afternoon for the weather to finally figure out what it wanted to do for the day. It started with rain, on and off. Then turned to sun, then hail, then sun, then rain, then more hail, but eventually it stayed with sunny. Perfect timing, too. Just as the ceremony ended the sun came shining without a cloud in they sky!

I'll write more about the wedding day when I finish the rest of the photos.

Brendan and Emily, thank you again for asking me to capture these special moments on camera for you. I had such a great time with you guys and your bridal party. I hope you have the best time in the Dominican! Enjoy these few Sneak Peeks of your wedding day! =)

Emily has the most gorgeous blue eyes!

I love a bride and groom that will lie down on the ground for me!

A big thank you to Justine for helping me out yesterday! It was fun working with you!

Minoru Park Engagement Session /RENEE & ONO

2011-04-15T19:51:00.000-07:00

Last Sunday afternoon I met Renee and Ono in Richmond for their engagement session. I'm already looking forward to their wedding in May because this couple has so much love for each other and so much fun! It wasn't difficult to get smiles out of these two. And if you asked them to kiss, they didn't waste a second to jump into the pose! I loved it!

Despite the rain, Renee and Ono were warm and beautiful and a delight to photograph! The rain did not deter them at all! But I'm still hoping we have gorgeous weather for their wedding day!

Renee and Ono chose Minoru Park for their engagement session since that was where they got engaged almost 4 years ago! They did a little reenactment of the proposal for me by the tree where Ono originally popped the question to Renee. Apparently it rained the day they got engaged, so the rain on Sunday was maybe somewhat fitting.

Here are my favourites from their day:

I adore this one!

To see more pictures check out their Slideshow HERE.

This and That

2011-04-12T15:21:00.000-07:00

Hi! It feels like I haven't blogged for a long time. I miss it! I miss your comments! I miss the connection! Hopefully I'll remedy that today.

I have been busy. Travelling, photo shoots, workshops, bettering my business in general. A few exciting things have been going on here in the last few days and weeks. Obviously I went to Australia and photographed an amazingly beautifully styled wedding; I photographed an adorable baby boy; I listened to a two day online workshop taught by Jasmine Star about starting a Wedding Photography business; I met one of my couples for their engagement session; I bought a new camera; I had another feature on a wedding blog!

See, busy!

Friday and Saturday were spent on my computer, for 8 hours each day I was soaking in endless amounts of information from Jasmine Star about starting a wedding photography business and make it grow. Very exciting and such a fitting time to hear that in my business (on the verge of booking my 12th wedding for 2011!)

On Thursday night I got a call that my camera was in! I drove over right away and picked it up. I now own my very own Canon 5D Mark II camera! So exciting!! I feel so much more legit now! =) I'm still getting use to it, it's got a lot more functions than my current Rebel XSi, but it's amazing! Its ISO goes up to 6400! Who needs flash when you have an ISO of 6400??!!! haha. This weekend's engagement session was my first trial run with the 5D, and I think it was good!

Another feature on weddingsinbc.com! Luna and Ayo's engagement session was featured in their Inspiration Room on Saturday! Exciting!

I HAD to use my new camera as soon as possible to test it out so I used my Girlie as my model again. Here are some pictures with my new camera and my 35mm lens which is even more heavenly on a full frame camera body!

First Sneak Peek With Mark II!

2011-04-10T20:11:00.000-07:00

I was so excited for today's engagement session with Renee and Ono! Not only did I get to meet yet another fabulous couple who's wedding I get to photograph in May, but I also got to test out my NEW Canon 5D Mark II camera!! =) I'm way too tired right now to write anything else about either of those things so I'll just show you some pictures and write more tomorrow!

Vancouver Newborn Photographer /GAVIN

2011-04-05T17:39:00.000-07:00

Oh, Gavin. If only you could comprehend how adorable you are! I was gushing over these images as I was editing them. He was such a great sport during the shoot. Awake and alert and intrigued by the sounds of my camera, the clicking of the shutter with each shot. His parents are so obviously in love with their little man, you can't help but smile.

I always feel so honoured when I'm invited into a family's home to capture their real moments. Scott and Andrea were gifted a photo session with me by her friend and it was such a great session! I mentioned in Gavin's Sneak Peek that Andrea and I are second cousins, so it was a pleasure to meet this little addition to our extended family!

Scott and Andrea, congratulations again on the arrival of your baby boy! Thinking about you and praying for you as you adjust to this new addition to your life and I pray that God will give you so much wisdom when it comes to raising him!

Enjoy these pictures of the precious, little, two week old baby, Gavin!

I know there are a lot of black and white pictures but with newborn sessions I just love the look and feel of the black and whites compared to the coloured ones!

Australian Everyday

2011-04-04T11:26:00.000-07:00

I summed up a bit of my trip in a previous blog post and today I want to talk a little more about my time in Australia!

First of all, I have to say, when I go on vacation I don't usually feel like bringing my "good" camera along (ie: my Canon DSLR). Sure, I love the look and quality of those images so much more than my point and shoot images but there are many reasons why I prefer to leave it at home. For one, it's heavy. It takes up a lot of room and it's bulky. For two, I have to go back and edit all the pictures I take because my camera isn't spot on with colour balance SOOC. For three, I find that it disconnects me too much from the people I'm with when I'm immersed in taking pictures. Yes, I love taking pictures and finding new ways to be creative, but it takes a lot of mental space and that tends to mean that I have to block out other things that are going on around me. On one hand I feel like I can take in so much more of my surroundings by photographing them, but on the other hand I feel like I'm missing out. I just want to be in the moment, in the location, in the experience. So, that's probably the main reason why my camera tends to stay in my purse or back in my room during my travels. And, I also prefer taking pictures of people, not just places and things, although there are times when I thoroughly enjoy taking pictures of my surroundings (like in Tofino).

All that being said, I did take a few pictures here and there. The following were taken in Heidi's house and on our lunch date at The Austral in downtown Adelaide. I'll commentate as we go long!

First I want to say that I love Adelaide. It was probably my favourite part of our first visit to Australia in 2008. I love that when I visit there, I get to live with Australian families and love in a more suburban area, away from all the tourists and busyness. I love being immersed in their culture and community and experience their everyday. I love that, only a few days into my trip, I already pick up on their sayings and their different words. I would love to go back there for a bit of an extended trip one of these days!

The "thing" in Australia is to drink tea. At least I think it is. I was shocked when one of the girls I met there said she didn't drink tea. Is that even possible?! I thought Australian's were born with the love for tea! Anyway, I love tea. So I was thrilled to have ten days of tea, multiple times a day! Heidi had such an amazing array of tea selections, including delicious loose leaf tea from a Melbourne tea company called T2. I might need to look into seeing if they ship to Canada! And this lovely orchid plant sits on the windowsill above her sink, overlooking the trees and the beach in the distance.

This is the view from her kitchen and living room. It was cloudy and rainy this day so you can't really see the beach, but it's right in the nook of the trees in the horizon.

Heidi's house was so her. I walked in and felt like I was walking into her soul. All the small details and hand crafted items just screamed "Heidi". =) And her husband, Joel, is such a fabulous guy! I'm thrilled they found each other and got married. Love them both. Joel sums up who an Australian is to me. He's got long dreads, goes surfing every weekend, sometimes more often, when you get in his car the radio is sure to be playing the reggae station, and he's got didgeridoo's in the corner of the room. And the way they both speak, so classic! We had a good time making fun of each other's vocab's and terminology for different words. I could write a blog post on just that! haha. Maybe I will!

I spent much of my time on this couch, overlooking the view, drinking my tea, catching up on facebook, and chatting with Heidi. And trying to escape the millipedes!

On Monday, Heidi took me downtown to have lunch at The Austral and then to walk and shop along the streets. My husband and I visited this same restaurant and streets when we came out in 2008 for Heidi and Joel's wedding so I was a little nostalgic while we were there. Such a great place! And their beer is amazing! I tried something new, I added some lime cordial to my Cooper's Pale Ale, as per Heidi's suggestion and it was amazing! Needless to say, I bought some Lime Cordial to bring home to have that same taste over and over and over again!

We also went out for coffee nearly every day! We basically did all the things I love doing with friends... chatting from morning till night; drinking tea together; going out to cafes and drinking lattes; driving around, still chatting; shopping; eating at and tasting wines and some South Australian Wineries; and so much more. It was really fabulous!

Am I ever going to cover everything that I experienced while I was in Australia? I really don't think so! I have another chunk of photos that I need to edit yet, too. Slowly but surely I'll get there. At least give you a good glimpse into my time there.

That's all for now. I have lots of work to catch up on! Enjoy the rest of your day!

Baby Gavin Sneak Peek

2011-04-01T20:05:00.000-07:00

I love newborns. I love how teeny tiny they are. I love how innocent they come into this world. I love how floppy their bodies are. I love their smell. Mmm Mmm.

I got to meet a very handsome little two week old baby today! He was born to my second cousin, Andrea, and her husband, Scott, two weeks ago tomorrow. He was a pretty darn cute baby! Here are two images from their newborn shoot this afternoon!

Australia- The First Days

2011-03-30T21:01:00.000-07:00

I'm not sure how to adequately sum up my time in Australia. I could probably find a few words to give you a vague idea...

Amazing. Rejuvenating. Inspiring. Friendship. Worship. Latte. Latte. Tea. Tea. Love. Culture. And so much more.

I arrived in Adelaide early in the afternoon on Thursday, March 17. First thing's first... While my friend was getting her hair died I walked over to the nearest bakery and ordered a latte and pie. (Not fruit, meat. Meat pies are pretty much a staple food item down there. I think we should bring that into our culture as well. Pies. Mmm mmm.) The day was spent with one of my closest friends at heart, but furthest friend geographically. I'm always amazed when I think about our friendship. Heidi and I met 8 years ago in New Zealand at bible school. We were room mates for the three months that she was there and instantly connected. Being so similar in personalities we bonded on a deep level, very quickly. We've stayed in touch over these last 8 years. A couple phone calls a year, yet after the "hello, how are you"s have been said, we delve right into the real matters of life. No surface level friendship here. We get down to the nitty gritty of our lives- the good and bad days, our strengths and weaknesses, our goals and struggles. We've managed to see each other 4 times within the last 8 years. I think that's pretty impressive!

Needless to say, spending a whole 10 days with Heidi was therapeutic! It was so refreshing to catch up with her, face to face. To reconnect over endless cups of tea- on her couch, overlooking Adelaide and Glenelg Beach in the distance- or over lattes at cafes. I haven't drank that much caffeine in a very long time! But there's something about Australian latte's that taste just so unbelievably amazing! Don't get me started on the names of their coffees though! That, I will never understand! =)

There was one day near the end of my visit when we had just gotten home from our facials and we were putting on our make-up in the bathroom, soft music filling the spaces around her quaint, Australian inspired decorated home, and I started to get emotional and I told her that this was a moment of worship for me. The presence of God of was so alive at that moment. The awe of the whole situation, of the whole process of all the events that led me to that moment. So grateful.

Anyway, the first two days were spent getting ready for her sister's wedding day. I basically tagged along to wherever Heidi and her family needed to go. I was pretty much useless at this point as jet lag had reared it's ugly head and I was ready to pass out by 3pm. When we arrived at the ceremony location for the rehearsal I knew this would be a great wedding. The location was amazing. A friend's front yard over looking some vineyards and a lake. Gorgeous.

Saturday was the wedding, as you all know by now since you've probably seen the Sneak Peeks already. It was the only sunny, hot day of my whole visit but I'm glad that it was! I'll write more about the actual wedding day when I write the full blog post. But I will let you know that this wedding was amazing. It definitely encompassed so many traits that I'm drawn to and that I love photographing. Intricate details, lots of DIY projects (including the bride's earrings that were made the morning of the wedding! Now that's talent!), amazing style, and a gorgeous couple!

I'll finish off here and continue writing about the rest of my trip in the next few days. Here are two more pictures from the wedding!