Cypress Mountain welcomed us with snowy tree limbs for Hannah & Aaron’s engagement shoot. An absolutely beautiful afternoon with two great people.
Engagement shoots with us are far from the cliche. We prefer to venture off into a bit of quiet wilderness with our couples and keep things laid back. We walk around and chat, we let them do their thing, we invite them to get close to each other and we create real photographs like these.
When people are allowed to be themselves, great things happen.
“If you have good thoughts, they will shine out of your face like sunbeams and you will always look lovely.” -Roald Dahl
Jessie sparkled.
Shone.
Radiated.
Beamed.
Sometimes the best adventures can be found close to home.
This past Saturday we woke up to a foggy morning. I was super excited because Graeme told me the night before that he was taking me on a surprise date. Two words I love: surprise and date. Together, even better.
We headed north, through Stanley Park and across the Lion’s Gate Bridge to the Capilano Suspension Bridge Park. We knew this place was quite the tourist attraction, so our expectations weren’t super high, but honestly, the park is so, so beautiful. We couldn’t help geeking out a bit-the place is a goldmine for photography and as we walked through, we were imagining where we’d place a bride & groom in amongst the trees. We bought sea salt caramel fudge and laughed at ourselves and enjoyed some splendid rays of sunshine.
But seriously, for any outdoorsy couples out there looking for an incredible wedding ceremony & reception spot, you’ve gotta head there. An open air reception at the canyon overlook would be killer. There are trees you can hang lanterns from and one of the most beautiful views. If you decide to do it, call us. 
It’s been awhile.
And we’ve been busy.
Editing weddings, working on a new website (!!) meeting awesome couples (!!!!) who are getting married next year, and photographing cuties like these two.
Ah, love.
Can’t wait to share more soon!
“I will love you as a drawer loves a secret compartment, and as a secret compartment loves a secret, and as a secret loves to make a person gasp, and as a gasping person loves a glass of brandy to calm their nerves, and as a glass of brandy loves to shatter on the floor, and as the noise of glass shattering loves to make someone else gasp, and as someone else gasping loves a nearby desk to lean against, even if leaning against it presses a lever that loves to open a drawer and reveal a secret compartment. I will love you until all such compartments are discovered and opened, and until all the secrets have gone gasping into the world.” -Lemony Snicket
The dock swayed and bobbed gently as they walked down it towards the boat. Suitcases and backpacks, babies, sunhats, swimsuits, and anything else you’d need for a weekend away at camp. Emily & Brad’s guests were in for a weekend of fun. A weekend of watching the Princess Bride on Friday night, witnessing a marriage on Saturday afternoon, and enjoying a great brunch on Sunday morning before walking back down another dock and back to normal life. Camp for a weekend.
The morning came, sunlight touching the tops of the trees and running down to the floor of the forest. She headed down to the water with one of her best friends for an early morning “pore-cleansing” swim in the awakening waters of the Pacific Ocean. After breakfast, he headed down to the dock to welcome more guests and get the marriage license that was left in their apartment in all the hustle (things never go perfectly on a wedding day, you know). They met in a little while, in the middle of the forest, ready to get married.
I can say so much about Emily & Brad’s incredible wedding by the sea. About personal vows, her brother officiating the wedding, a scotch hour before the reception, hand drawn birds of prey as table numbers, lawn games, picnic baskets at the ceremony, and the stars, oh the stars. But at the heart of their wedding was a big love. Emily and Brad are the kind of people you want to be your best friends. They are interesting, they are kind and caring, they are thoughtful, they are genuine, and they are up for anything. If we could photograph people like Emily & Brad every weekend, arriving to their weddings via a trip across the waves, hey, I wouldn’t mind that so much. It was the kind of wedding that inspires and energizes. The kind of wedding that reminds you of the why: of the big love.
You’ve gotta see it to believe it. Make sure you watch their slideshow below. I actually have a confession-I teared up every single time I watched it (which was about 20 times because I created it). It’s… just beautiful. Lovely. It’s Emily & Brad.
(PS. Charles is their cat-Brad mentions him in his vows).
We photographed another awesome camp wedding-Laura & Theo’s! Check it out HERE. Are you getting married? We’d love to photograph your awesome wedding. Connect with us about it.
