Linda + Cody // Swaneset Wedding, Pitt Meadows

Linda and I first met when I photographer her sister’s wedding in 2021. Since then, she’s become a loyal client and an even better friend. Linda is quite possibly the only other person on earth as obsessed with dogs as I am, and it has created a deep bond between us. I was so thrilled when she and Cody decided to hire me as their wedding photographer. These two are kind, classy, and have a love that is timeless. They decided to privately exchange vows before the ceremony (and played ‘rock, paper, scissors’ to see who would go first). It was a very intimate and meaningful addition to their beautiful wedding day. Thankfully, with Swaneset so close to the gorgeous Pitt River, we were able to sneak away from the reception for some dreamy blue-hour photos before dancing the night away.

Venue: Swaneset Bay and Country Club

Florals: Vivio Flowers

MUA: Jun Studios

Decor: All Occasions Decor

Officiant: Erika from Young, Hip, and Married

DJ: Jace Rivera

Videographer: Still Photography

Planner: Umbrella Events

Chris & Angela // Falls Golf Course Wedding, Chilliwack

I’ve been waiting for this wedding since I photographed Angela’s two sisters’ weddings many many years ago. Angela and Chris mark my third and final wedding for the Stove family- I’ve now completed the trifecta of Stove siblings’ weddings! Being with this crew was like walking into a big family reunion. So many familiar faces and stories. I feel so connected to this family and the incredible love they have for one another. Adding to the emotion of the day, Angela chose to honour her best friend, who recently lost her battle with cancer, with personal touches throughout the day. She wore pieces of her best friend’s jewelry, included a sweet bumblebee in her bouquet (a play on her nickname), and even included a photo of her amongst the guests at the ceremony. It was a beautiful way to carry her best friend with her throughout the day they dreamed of together.

I was in awe of the beautiful space that Angela’s aunt, Larissa (the incredibly talented woman behind Bridal Beginnings!) put together. A mixture of fresh and preserved florals were expertly paired with touches of gold and amber. The reception was warm and elegant and absolutely stunning. It was the perfect way to finish the trifecta of Stove weddings. I couldn’t be more thankful these three sisters chose to hire me!

Florals and Decor: Bridal Beginnings

MUA: The Artistry Duo

Dress: Union Bridal

Venue: Falls Golf Club

Payton + Brian // Fraser River Lodge Wedding

A groovy meets boho wedding in the mountains? Sign me the HECK up. Payton and Brian brought everything they had to this incredible wedding. Brian constructed the gorgeous wooden sunburst backdrop, and Payton gathered all the disco and vintage details. The florals by Wild Rabbit Flowers was just the cherry on top! Then there were the sweet little details like how Payton’s grandma made her wedding dress. And the floral disco ball chandelier? I was blown away by it all. But of course, the most wonderful part of all was two very special guests- Mowgli and Grizzly, their dogs. It was an absolute honour to capture Payton and Brian’s wedding day, especially with an incredible team of vendors:

Venue: Fraser River Lodge, Agassiz, BC

HMUA: Dames and Dolls, Caitlin J Makeup

Officiant: Kristen Olynick, Vancouver Officiant

Florals: Wild Rabbit Flowers

Intimate Mayne Island Elopement at the Cob Cottage // Sophie + Frank

It’s no secret that Mayne Island holds a very special place in my heart. When Sophie reached out to me to see if I’d be willing to come to the island for her elopement, I was all too eager. There are only two ferries to the Island each day from the mainland, so I hopped on the morning ferry, enjoyed the island a bit, then stopped by my favorite charming cob cottage where these two were staying and planned to say, “I do”. Alexis, the incredible human who owns and runs this little cob, is a dear friend of mine. Knowing Sophie envisioned involving the farm animals at the cob as much as possible, Alexis and I planned to lure the animals to the cob with some of their favorite treats scattered about. There’s nothing more fun than leading a herd of eager sheep to a ceremony site, I can promise you that! These two had a private ceremony in front of the cob with sheep surrounding them. I even got to be a witness (since sheep signatures don’t count in the eyes of the government). Sophie had a second dress, so we did a quick change into her second look and headed into the forest for a few more portraits before I hopped on the evening ferry home. It was such an intimate and beautiful day. I’d be thrilled to continue doing little elopements here!

Big shout out to my pal Rachel Patterson for also taking the ferry over from Victoria to do Sophie’s makeup! We first met at a Gulf Island Wedding when we were both pregnant in 2017. It was nice to work a wedding together again.

Alysha + Ryan // Intimate Wedding at Pitt Lake

I first met Alysha and Ryan when Ryan hired me to capture his proposal to Alysha (during a photo session with their pup!). These two wanted an intimate ceremony overlooking Pitt Lake, so they invited a handful of friends and family to the Pitt Meadows dykes. We lucked out with dry weather, but the sun played peekaboo behind the clouds for the entire ceremony. Sometimes they were illuminated in brilliant sun, and other times the light was moody and stormy. It made for a fun mix of mood throughout their photos. We had a ton of fun taking their photos with a classic car (until the battery died- but thankfully I always have jumped cables!) before heading to Chameleon Restaurant in Maple Ridge where everyone sat down for a delicious meal to celebrate. I absolutely love when couples create the wedding day that’s perfect for them, and this one was no exception!

Planner: Dashae at Above and Beyond Event Planning

Hair and Makeup: Shayla at Rose Quartz Beauty

Florals: Westgate Flower Garden

Reception: Chameleon Restaurant

Kathleen + Dave // Rowena's Inn on the River Wedding, Harrison Mills

Kathleen and Dave love adventure. Whether they’re backpacking the Pacific Crest Trail, or relocating to the Yukon, they’re up for anything as long as they’re together. Their wedding day at Rowena’s Inn on the River was such a romantic affair. I couldn’t help but gush over Kathleen’s incredible “Tangled” inspired braid, or her dress that shimmered with a subtle touch of glitter. It was a beautiful nod to every little girls’ Disney dreams. These two lovebirds were married in the middle of a grove of trees- a little nod to their love for the outdoors. Their reception was all class with beautiful draping and elegant candles and fragrant florals. The personal touches- a customized wine label with a cartoon of them backpacking, and every table number showcasing school yearbook photos from the corresponding grade- only added to the charm! It’s always a pleasure to photograph weddings at Rowena’s Inn, and this day was no exception.

Noahmay + Trevor // Wedding at the Secret Garden at Ripples Winery and New Wave Distilling in Abbotsford

Whenever my clients book at the Secret Garden, I am absolutely giddy with excitement. This venue really has it all. Noahmay and Trevor leaned into the greenery for their wedding, and added pops of coral. We loved using some of the greenhouses for photos, as well as the local fields. This area was devastated by catastrophic flooding only 6 months prior to Noahmay and Trevor’s wedding, and Ripples worked tirelessly to return the venue to its former glory. Their efforts truly paid off- it was impossible to even tell that the entire venue was under 4 feet of water.

Noahmay and Trevor are extremely kind and fun-loving people. They met playing a video game, and despite the long distance between them, took a chance on dating one another. They both come from families that love fiercely, and it was so evident how deeply loved these two are by everyone around them. It was an absolute joy to photograph their wedding day- especially with an entire gaggle of flower girls and ring bearers that loved busting a move on the dance floor. Not to mention the exuberant Filipino money dance that was enthusiastically participated in by all the guests. Truly an incredible day to remember!

Venue: The Secret Garden at Ripples Winery

Julie + Geoff // Mayne Island Resort Wedding

Venue: Mayne Island Resort

Forest fire smoke rolled in heavy and thick the day before Julie and Geoff’s wedding. Though smoke-filled skies make for even light, it tends to be pretty orange. The before and after on these images can be a bit dramatic to compensate for the smokey hue, but they always turn out beautiful despite it!

Mayne Island is one of my favourite places to be. Don’t ask my husband how many times I’ve begged him to let us move there. It’s a special spot and an even better location for weddings. Julie and Geoff made the right call when they chose to host their wedding at Mayne Island Resort. The ceremony location is nestled into a grassy forest overlooking the ocean, and the outdoor reception space lined with string lights creates such a beautiful atmosphere for games, conversation, and dining. These two opted to read private vows to one another near the ocean prior to their ceremony and it was such a sweet, personal touch to their wedding day.

Julie and Geoff had this to say:

“We first found Rachel’s portfolio when we were looking at island wedding venues and we instantly fell in love with her photography style. We immediately knew we had to book her, so after a quick FaceTime (which included a lot of smiles and laughs) we knew she was the right person for the job! From the start, Rachel has been so responsive and easy to communicate with. She was flexible and adaptive when we had to reschedule our engagement shoot (twice!) due to some bad weather, and we loved that she was up for any location. Coming from two people who feel a bit awkward in front of the camera, Rachel immediately put us at ease with her genuine positivity, her awesome sense of humor, and her light hearted nature. She made us feel so comfortable and confident on our big day. Our guests haven’t stopped gushing over how amazing and lovely she was, and we’ve received SO many compliments on our photos! Without hesitation I would recommend booking Rachel for any of your special events. She was an absolute pro and a joy to work with, and we’re so grateful she captured our wedding day!!”

2022 Family Session Round-Up!

It’s cliché to say, but becoming a mother really impacted how much I love and value family sessions! Here is a round up of the last year of family photo sessions with some incredible families!

The Hill Family

The Appenheimer Family

The Hazlett Family

The Baerg Family

The Carroll Family

The Sipos Family

The Starr Family

The T Family

The Gi Family

The Hutchinson Family

The Leggett Family

The Monument Family

The Solobay Family

The Monson Family

The Wong Family

The Clarke Family

Arielle + Sebastian // North Arm Farm Wedding, Pemberton

Venue: North Arm Farm, Pemberton, BC

Planning: Blue Violet Events

Florals: Within The Flowers

Beauty: Colleen Conroy Makeup

There are no words that can prepare you for these two and their effortlessly cool vibes and flawless sense of style. A little bit rock n’ roll mixed with bohemian goodness. Arielle and Sebastian aren’t just a pretty package, they’re quite possibly the most genuine and warm people I’ve ever met. To top it all off? They’re hopelessly in love and have been since their high school days.

North Arm Farm is one of the dreamiest venues that overlooks the iconic Mount Currie. You wouldn’t have known it when you drove up for this wedding, however, since the skies were dark and heavy with rain. The moody atmosphere was the perfect compliment to the rich tones that Arielle and Sebastian chose for their wedding colours (and those FLORALS!), and I was giddy to capture such a stunning combination. We might have had to break out my handy cart of clear umbrellas during the ceremony, but the skies soon cleared and the evening was filled with sunshine and striking mountain views.

The sneak peek from this wedding day went viral on Tiktok, to the tune of 1.5 million views and over 500,000 likes. It’s not hard to see why (and as much as I’d like to take credit, it’s really a combination of many, many, incredible people that helped put this day together). If you really want to set the mood while you look at these images, I encourage you to listen to Light my Love, by Greta Van Fleet (the couple’s first dance song!)

Here are some very sweet words from Arielle and Sebastian about their experience:

“10/10 HIRE RACHEL BARKMAN!

This is the easiest review we could ever give. Rachel was incredible from the moment we first connected to discuss our wedding, continued to surprise us over the 2 years of planning, and finally on our wedding day. We were BLOWN away by the engagement session we had with her at Lighthouse Park, and the previews we received of our wedding photos, (the next day I might add!!), had us in tears. At the wedding she was a master in helping facilitate the events of the day, was so kind to everyone, brought 40 clear umbrellas that she JUST HAD because it was raining, and is just so incredibly talented. There aren’t enough words for me to express what she has done for us. I absolutely adore her, and will cherish these photos for the rest of our lives. She really knows how to make a couple feel special.”

-Arielle and Sebastian

Newborn Session Round-up!

One of the greatest privileges of being a wedding, newborn, and family photographer is getting to participate in the entire journey of family from the moment two people choose to spend their lives together. Witnessing a couple pledging their lives to one another, then seeing their children born (and maybe a few fur children added to the mix too!), is a joy I cannot fully express. Having a child myself, I cherish those early newborn days and how fragile, exhausting, and beautiful it can be. Capturing it in all it’s fullness is how I honour that moment in time. All of my newborn sessions are lifestyle- meaning I aim to capture the entire family dynamic, not just the newest tiny human. Below are a few samples of four newborn sessions I’ve captured in the last year. Each one has been an immense blessing!

Innes Family

Kirincic Family

Gi Family

Moretto Family

Emily + Mark // Covert Farms Wedding, Oliver, BC

Emily and Mark were one of the many weddings that had to delay their plans due to the pandemic. Luckily, they were able to get the exact same September weekend at their dream venue a year later than their original wedding date. The wedding was well worth the wait. Not many people have the natural chemistry that these two have. Looking through their photos, you’ll constantly notice how they’re drawn to one another- always moving closer, snuggling their heads in, and laughing together. The bond these two share is incredibly special, and getting to capture it on their wedding day was a true joy.

Venue: Covert Farms

Florals: Gems and Stems at Eastside

Dress: Morilee by Madeline Gardner

Hair: House of Dennison

Junie + Nick // American Creek Lodge Autumn Wedding, Hope, BC

Junie and I spent the entire week leading up to her wedding checking the weather. The morning of, it was downpouring, but the hour by hour reports looked somewhat hopeful that we might get some breaks and be able to host her and Nick’s wedding ceremony on the deck of American Creek Lodge. As Junie and Nick got ready, we got closer to the deadline for making a decision for where to set up. Seeing that Junie was clearly in distress about making the decision, I stepped in and told her to take the risk for the outdoor ceremony. The view was worth getting wet for. Not long after she agreed to set up the ceremony outside, the clouds parted and a giant rainbow stretched across the sky. It was only the beginning to an epic wedding day.

Though we had to pull out some umbrellas for a few minutes during the ceremony (and it even started to snow briefly at one point!), the rest of the day was dry and gorgeous. Junie and Nick said their ‘I dos’ and danced under the stars. Junie’s show stopping dress made everyone swoon, but it was the little tuxedo vest she made for their dog, Paddington, that truly stole everyone’s hearts. Honestly, I may begin to limit my services to dog friendly venues only because weddings are 100x better with a dog present. Paddington roamed around all day and got his fill of treats (there was even a treat station just for him at the reception!).

The weather may have been fickle, but this wedding day could not have been more beautiful. Congratulations, Junie and Nick!

Venue: American Creek Lodge

Officiant: Brian Olynick

Decor: Bespoke Decor

Florals: Flower Factory

Hair & Make-up: The Love Team

Catering: Savory Chef

Planning and Day Of Coordination: Maeghan Tuckey

2020 Family Session Round-Up

2020 brought a lot of unexpected change. With my wedding season almost completely wiped out by the pandemic, I suddenly had a lot of time to dedicate to portraits- especially families! I’ve always wanted to be able to dedicate more time to family sessions, so I jumped at the opportunity to fill my calendar with families. There is too much goodness to blog them all separately, so here is a little round-up of all the amazing parents and children I was honoured to document in 2020.

Sigouin Family

Wong Family

Johnson Family

Tesya Family

Chen Family

Cooke Family

Fok Family

Horner Family

Moyer Family

Pearson Family

Pezzelosi Family

Pierlot Family

Villenueve Family

Relkie Family

Kirincic Family

Illman Family

Pelton Family

Janzen Family

Rene Family

Bennett Family

Mitchell Family

Tia Wood // Portraits

I’ve followed Tia on TikTok and Instagram for a while now. I stumbled upon her incredible voice and then became completely wrapped up in her approachable and engaging Indigenous culture videos. Tia, who is both Cree and Salish, has a way of educating and bringing awareness to her roots that has deeply impacted me. Her stunning jingle dresses, which she handmakes with her mom, are traditional regalia that she wears to dance at Pow Wows. When I approached Tia and asked if she would be interested in a photoshoot, I was overjoyed when she suggested wearing her regalia. We ventured out in Golden Ears Park on a winter morning and were treated to the most jaw-dropping fog and light rays I’ve ever seen. The following images are some of my favorite ones I’ve ever taken. Thank you, Tia, for the honour of photographing you and documenting your beauty and strength.

Natoya // Portraits

Time spent with Natoya leaves me wiser and joyful. Natoya is an artist, blogger, and runs her own vintage shop (while completing her art degree and being an incredible mom to her son). You can check out her incredible artwork HERE, or visit her Etsy Shop. Natoya’s work is moving and powerful, and I’m lucky enough to have some of it around my home. You can follow along with Natoya’s life on her inspiring instagram account. Or her art account, @natoyaellisart.

When I discovered a beautiful field of lonely buttercups next to a quiet burger king parking lot, I knew I had to create something there. Natoya somehow trusted me when I pitched the idea of a shoot next to a burger king, and after a day of rain, the clouds parted and gifted us with an incredible evening of golden light to match the golden blooms. The portraits we created together are some of my favorite creations yet. I’m always in awe of the peaceful presence Natoya brings to a shoot. The way she moves seems to mimic the wind- as if she has grown her own roots down into the soil and now lives there. These images fill me with joy and serenity- something that Natoya embodies so well. I hope you enjoy them.

2019 Couples Round-Up!

I recently realized that I haven’t blogged any of my couples work in… years. Though my wedding work is on proud display, my engagement sessions and anniversary sessions have really taken a back seat! So, in order to play catch up, I decided to round up all my faves from my 2019 couples sessions and blog them all together! It was a pretty fun project walking through all of these shoots again. I can’t wait to get back to shooting and capturing people once more!

Bora & Eugene

Brooke & Rob

Emily & Mark

Jasiel & Evan

Jenny & Daniel

Jenny & Nathan

Jordan & Doug

Kaitlin & Gavin

Kat & Kyle

Kirsten & Nick

Nicole & Chris

Stella & Chris

Moore Family // Chilliwack River Family Session

You may recognize this red-headed mama as the former owner of Uniform Handmade. We met through her beautiful clothing line, and I’m thankful to now call her a friend. We chose the Chilliwack River as the backdrop for their family photos, and the dreamy winter tones really made the gorgeous red hair in this family POP. I can’t get over the sweet, vivacious, and fun personalities of these kiddos (and not to mention their gorgeous, sparkly blue eyes). We had so much fun exploring the river together. Family sessions can be a bit chaotic at time- children are children after all! We went with the flow and these images are the result- such a fun collection that capture this family of 5 in their truest form. Throughout this session, I kept telling Kati- “You might feel like this is a little bit chaotic, but I can’t wait to show you how these images are turning out!” I can’t say enough how much I adore these 5 and these images.

Bacchus Family // Edmonton River Valley Family Session

From time to time, I manage to return home to Edmonton to visit my family. It’s usually over the Christmas holidays, which doesn’t allow for many portraits opportunities (because Edmonton is VERY VERY COLD, haha). Luckily, I managed to schedule a visit during the warmer months, and was lucky enough to meet the Bacchus family to capture their little family of three. Their son is close in age to my son, Ezra, and we bonded deeply over our common stage of life as new parents to toddler boys. (We also bonded over our love of the ring sling company, True North Slings, which Renee wore to carry her son for part of our session!) We chatted so much throughout this session, I found myself mourning the fact that we didn’t live closer so that we could organize play dates and chat more! The warmth and love between these three is infectious. You can’t help but laugh when you’re with them (and maybe secretly hope they might adopt you). It was a pleasure capturing these images for them!

Viehweger Family // Barnet Marine Park, Port Moody Family Session

The sweetest little family (that also happen to make the most delicious coffee). Annie has a great eye for colours, layers, and textures, and their wardrobe for this shoot is just STUNNING. We were lucky to find a spot with a bit of fall colour left in the trees after a big wind storm knocked most of the fall foliage from trees all around metro Vancouver. I always walk away from a shoot with a lot of pride if I can get the baby to smile, and the little member of this family showed us the CUTEST set of smiles I’ve ever seen. She is such a little peach (just like her two older siblings). Capturing families has become even more meaningful for me since I became a mom, and taking photos for this amazing family was an honour!