Stormy skies loomed in the forecast the entire week before this engagement session. Olivia and I messaged back and forth, nervous about the forecasted rain for their "sunrise" session at the Abbotsford Tulip Festival.
Tulips of the Valley // Chilliwack, BC Tulip Festival
Last night, I grabbed my dear friend Jessica and drove out to Chilliwack to frolic amongst some incredible tulips. We had bought our tickets a week earlier, and the weather came through with some gorgeous sunny rays for our time at the fields. Tulips of the Valley might not be the most well-known tulip festival in the valley, but it is the largest festival currently in the lower mainland!
A Local's Guide to Vancouver and the Lower Mainland: 25 Must-See Places and Hikes.
BC is overflowing with beauty, and sometimes, it's hard to know where to start. I've collected my 25 favourite locations and hikes throughout the Lower Mainland and compiled it into an easy guide for newbies and locals to enjoy.
Tas + Jack // Pitt Meadows Mountain Top Couples Shoot with Sky Helicopters
In March I launched my brand new website, and to celebrate, I ran a series of awesome giveaways on my Instagram account. I teamed up with the amazing Sky Helicopters to give away a mountain top photo session to one lucky couple. We luckily had a break in the weather this past weekend, so we flew our winners, Tas and Jack out to a peak in Pinecone Burke Provincial Park and created some beautiful images of the two of them!
Anna + Jeff // Squamish Engagement Session
Anna and Jeff are a pure riot. I think my cheeks are still recovering from our time together a few days ago! The three of us were instantly at home with one another and spent the night cracking jokes and unveiling our silly sides (and Anna has the best and biggest silly side I have ever seen).
Oregon // Our Summer Roadtrip
Last August, we hopped in our SUV and headed down the Washington Coast towards Oregon. We've been dreaming of this road trip for years, so it wasn't difficult to plan out all the spots we wanted to visit. I pulled together this entire itinerary only 3 days before we left!
Point Roberts // A Weekend in a Yurt
Last June, we traveled to the little town of Point Roberts for a relaxing weekend away before we moved.
Jenny + Daniel // Pitt Meadows Engagement Session and Sky Helicopters Mountain Adventure
Jenny and Daniel are two super sweet and adventurous souls. We had originally planned an epic overnight hike for their engagement session (Yes, I will GLADLY hike for your session!), but a stress fracture ended up cancelling our plans. I opted to give them the next best thing, and we took a helicopter ride with Sky Helicopters to a snowy mountain peak after shooting the first part of their session at sunrise. We were treated to some epic winter fog along the dikes at Pitt Lake, which made for some gorgeous and moody images that I am completely over the moon with! Then, we climbed into our helicopter and frolicked in foot-deep snow on a mountaintop in Pinecone Burke Provincial Park.
Adam + Claire // Calgary NYE Wedding
Oh, these two. This day. There are so many things to say.
When I first walked in on the morning of Claire and Adam’s Calgary NYE wedding, I walked into a room of calm, cheerful girls walking around giggling with one another as they got ready. Claire was moving from girl to girl, making sure they were all pleased with their hair, make-up, and outfits. In fact, I don’t recall one moment when Claire actually thought of herself. She was the most beautiful picture of selflessness, even on her wedding day. See if you can find the photo of her helping a bridesmaid do up her dress, with a toothbrush still in her mouth! It cracks me up every time.
One thing I love most about Claire is the way she intentionally connects with people. Throughout her wedding day, I saw her reach out and grasp people’s arms, hands, and backs and exchange a meaningful, loving glance with them that seemed to make time stand still. I have many, many images of her reaching out to the people she loves throughout this day and they are probably some of my favorite images of her. She is always looking outwards, and making sure everyone feels loved and cherished. It’s no wonder Adam stares at her the way he does, full of tenderness and love. Claire is the kind of woman every man dreams of, and Adam was the lucky winner of her heart. As much as I’m sure his Australian accent helped gain her attention, his character and deep respect for her is what made her stay.
As the girls got ready, the most magical, soft falling snow began to grace the porch outside the window. We all remarked on how remarkable the snowfall looked- it floated like you’d imagine it would in a disney movie. The snow continued to fall throughout the day, making for some magical, snowy images. I realize I’m using “magic” to describe this day a lot, but once you see these images, I think you’ll understand!
A huge thank you to the wonderful team of vendors that helped bring this day together!
Dress: Truvelle
Florals: Rhosyn Floral
Ceremony Venue: The Lantern Church
Reception Venue: The Commons
Hair and Make-up: Leah Murray at Illuminate
Adam + Chelsea // Permanent Building Vancouver Wedding
It’s true that I cry at every wedding, but I cried a whole lot at this one. I’ve known Chelsea for 9 years, in fact, her wedding day was our 9th anniversary as friends, to the very day! We met on a rainy day at Trinity Western University. The rain surprised us while we were in class, and Chelsea had come unprepared with no umbrella (we were both Alberta girls living in BC for the first time, we’ve since learned our lesson!). I showed Chelsea all the back routes through various dorms that kept us as dry as possible on our way back to our rooms. We became fast friends that day as we ducked from overhang to overhand, laughing at our vain attempts to stay dry.
Flash forward to this day, and I could barely contain my joy and tears. Chelsea is grace and joy embodied in a person. She is pure light, and her happiness means the world to me. None of us are perfect, but there is something about Chelsea’s beautiful soul that just deserves the most beautiful story, and I felt like this wedding day was the beginning of the most magnificent story of all. So yes, I was a ball of emotions throughout this gorgeous day, but my tears were welcomed amongst all the other friends and family who felt the exact same way as me.
If you know Chelsea, you also know that she has impeccable taste (Adam is excellent proof of that). This also extended to their wedding day. Every last detail was carefully chosen to represent the two of them. Adam brought his rebellious musician side into the details with his delicate skull and cross-bone pocket square. Chelsea had her dress custom designed. The day was filled with the most beautiful city views, stained glass details, and gorgeous blooms. I cannot fathom a more beautiful day for two beautiful people. Especially two people so madly in love. The “stare at each other across a room” kind of love. The kind of love that sneaks forehead kisses into every spare moment. The kind of love filled with giggles of joy and excitement. These two have it.
This unreal day was brought together by one of the strongest teams of creatives I’ve ever had the pleasure of working with. A huge thanks goes to these top-notch professionals:
Coordinator: Jaclyn at 6pence
Dress: Custom Designed by Ellebay Bridal
Florist: Floralista
Venue: The Permanent Building
Officiant: Josh Kruse
Hair: Roxanne with Mauve Hair Design
Reception band: Redhaven
Chairs: Salmon’s
Tables: Juniper Event Rentals
Cakes: Bride’s Friend, Lexie
Caterer: Boy With A Knife