Nicole + Chris // Mayne Island Wedding

The first time I met Nicole and Chris, I instantly adored them. There is something about these two that makes you feel welcome and at home with them. They are sweet and humble people who take time to truly listen when you speak to them. When they told me they wanted to get married on Mayne Island, where Chris’ family has had a cabin since he was a child, I knew we were meant to be. Mayne Island has always been one of my favorite places in the entire world. We bonded over our mutual love for this Southern Gulf Island, and they told me about how Chris proposed at the very point where they were planning to have their ceremony.

Their wedding day was relaxed and filled with warm, loving people. Chris and Nicole exchanged their vows in a forest overlooking the ocean, and then scaled some rocky cliffs for their photos before returning to the Mayne Island Resort for a cozy reception filled with games, good food, and a lot of heartwarming laughter.

Hats off to a great team of vendors and friends that worked hard to put this day together:

Wedding Arch: Built by the groom and stained by the couple

Blackberry Jam Favours: Made lovingly by the groom’s mother from berries the couple picked themselves!

Make-up: Friend of the Bride, Sam Hunter

Dress: Made with Love Bridal from Everly Fine Bridal in Kits

Venue: Mayne Island Resort

Catering: Bennett Bay Bistro

Cake/Cupcakes: Le Gateau Bake Shop

Florals: Maple Ridge Florist

Hair Piece: Atelier Elise in Gastown

Decor Calligraphy: Willow Calligraphy

Driftwood Decor: Friend of the Bride, Claire Boothe

Other Decor: Wood and Willow Event Rental

Explore BC // Woods on Pender, Pender Island

Pender Island has called me back time and time again. 4 times in 2.5 years, to be exact. As you know by now, I have a soft spot in my heart for the Southern Gulf Islands, and Pender is no exception. But perhaps the most unique element on this island is the incredible glamping experience at Woods on Pender. Just hop on a ferry from Tsawwwassen, and in two hours time, you step onto the magical shores of North Pender Island.

Woods on Pender consists of a collection of airstreams, cabins, bunkies, shastas, and a charming motel. There is an experience for everyone. On my first visit, we opted to rent an airstream with a private hot tub. However, some of the airstreams are paired with beautiful bunkie cabins for an added room for the kids (or another couple!). Each air stream is equipped with a fire bowl and hammock, and many of them have private hot tubs.

You can also pop into the massage airstream for some therapeutic muscle relaxation, head to the camp food truck for a bite to eat, or sit down at the Woods restaurant and enjoy the most flavorful farm-to-table meals.

One of my favorite oceanside spots to explore is Brooks Point Regional Park. Situated on South Pender Island (the two islands are connected by a short bridge), this beach is accessed through a magical woodland walk. Once you emerge from the forest, you’re greeted with long grass and rocky beaches full of treasures. It’s a great spot for a picnic!

I’d also highly recommend taking a hike up the popular Oak Bluffs trail on North Pender Island. This short hike is sure to get your blood pumping, but before you know it, you’re enjoying stunning views of Moresby Island and Victoria.

As nighttime falls at Woods on Pender, the true magic of this place comes alive. Campfires, hammock hangs, and a dip in the hot tub as the stars appear overhead. I can’t think of anything better!

The mornings on Pender are my favorite. Gorgeous sunrises, a good cup of coffee, and wildlife around every corner. These hues were a special treat during my second visit to the island.

It’s always nice when the journey sports just as many views as the destination. I always enjoy ferry rides (even if I don’t enjoy the cost!). The ferry to the Southern Gulf Islands received an upgrade a few years ago, and it’s a really nice way to take in the sights and sounds of the ocean as you journey to Pender. Get used to it, too, because once you visit the Southern Gulf Islands, you keep going back.

Dwell on Pender // Our community retreat to Pender Island

Years ago, I felt a tug on my heart to foster a deeper sense of community among my fellow wedding photographers. In our industry, it can be far too easy to compare ourselves to one another and grow isolated by discouragement and feeling like we don’t measure up. Wedding season can be a difficult and exhausting time, especially without friends by your side. I became to dream about what this could look like, and soon enough, Dwell was born. I approached a group of women, some of whom I knew and some who I didn’t, and asked them if they’d be interested in retreating into the BC wilderness for a weekend to rest, worship Jesus, create, and grow in community with one another. I invited them into vulnerability with friends and complete strangers, and they all said yes.

As you know, I have a deep love for the Southern Gulf Islands, so of course I made Pender Island our home base for our weekend away. We packed our cars full of gear and boarded a ferry together- nervous energy and all. Thankfully, the moment the ferry departed, we were invited up to visit with the captain and crew and a few of us even got to steer the ferry (a dream come true for Kat!)

A generous thank you to the incredible Camp Brand Goods for outfitting us on our adventures! I’ve loved Camp Brand for years, and truly appreciate their commitment to fostering community and storytelling. They featured our journey on their blog, the Good Times Journal, if you’re interested in checking it out!

All 9 girls in attendance of this weekend are incredibly gifted photographers. Please feel free to browse their incredible work here:

Michelle Karst Photography

Art and the Aerialist

Danaea Li Photography

Hello Tomorrow

Alba Photography

M&him

Meghan Bustard Photography

Lesley Laine Photography

We rented a beautiful home on the ocean on South Pender Island. Perhaps my favorite part was the gorgeous sunroom overlooking the beach, which is where we spent a large majority of our time. Another special thanks to the incredible Salt Spring Coffee, which kept us caffeinated with coffee and mugs for all! I’ve been drinking this organic and fair trade coffee for years! After fueling up, we spent the last remaining hour of daylight on the beach, capturing some creative portraits of one another.

Mornings were probably my favorite time on our retreat. There is something about sharing a meal around a table full of laughter and friends that is soul-filling. After breakfast each morning, we would spend some time in worship and listening to teaching in the sun room.

On Pender Island, there are adventures around every corner, so we took advantage of the many trails and explored to our hearts content. Our first afternoon was spent having a seaside picnic and checking out an enchanted forest (legitimately what it was called, and I have to agree!). Then, it was back to our little slice of airbnb heaven for some relaxing in the hot tub!

It goes without saying that when 9 photographers get together, there will be some fun creative things happening. We played with lights and smoke bombs one evening and experimented to our hearts content before heading in to build a fire and share our stories with one another. Each evening, if we felt comfortable enough, a few girls would share their life stories with the group. This time spent together was probably the most fruitful of the entire trip. We laughed together, cried together, and even UGLY cried together. The bond built through hearing how God has worked in our lives knit us together so tightly. It was an uplifting and encouraging time. It only grew my love for these girls more and more.

On our last day, we took things slow and packed up. We took a quick hike up some cliffs overlooking the ocean. Check out my great selfie shot- long arms come in handy!

Sadly, our time came to an end far too quickly and we began the journey home. We parted as friends with roots grown deep, and it has only continued to deepen and grow in the two years since. Only a few months after this retreat, four of us became pregnant! We journeyed through pregnancy together, and now motherhood. I suspect that’s part of the reason it has taken me two years to finally tell this story, since I was one of the women who became a mom during that time. A difficult pregnancy and adjustment into motherhood (while running a business) has caused me to slow down and accomplish far less than I probably would like. But, in all honesty, I feel like it has taken me two years to fully sit with the magic of this gathering and process it to the point of forming words. The community forged in this trip has blossomed into a circle of women who support one another and lift each other up. They even threw us a joint baby shower and the four of us were spoiled with love and presents for our babies. It’s been two years, but these stories and memories are stronger than ever, and I am so looking forward to retreating with these ladies again in November (and hopefully a few more women as well!).

Explore BC // Bodega Cove, Galiano Island

In October, I had the pleasure of setting out to explore yet another Southern Gulf Island. This time, our destination was Galiano Island, a gem just a short ferry ride from Tsawwassen. My mom happened to be visiting while my husband was on a work trip, so I had an extra pair of hands to help with our baby, Ezra, while we were away. We hopped on a ferry on a gorgeous sunny day and began the quick journey to Galiano Island.

When I first heard about Bodega Cove, I was eager to stay in one of the updated Pan-abode cedar cabins from the 60s. These 5 cabins are nestled together overlooking the ocean, just below the sister property of Bodega Ridge. The cabins are modern and cozy. They’re filled with unique and thoughtful design aspects that wow you around every corner. We stayed in a two bedroom cabin, but one bedroom cabins are available as well. We enjoyed sitting on the deck and watching some friendly deer and local chickens wander about.

Our first adventure brought us to Montague Harbour Marine Provincial Park, where we wandered the beach and trails lazily, and enjoyed a warm fall afternoon.

After our afternoon at the beach, we watched the sun set and the stars appear from the comfort of our warm cabin (which was made even cozier with a roaring wood stove).

Having a baby makes early mornings a common occurrence, so our first morning was spent cave spelunking in the sandstone caves at Retreat Cove. Ezra and I watched the sun rise during low tide and explored the caves with glee. These structures are even more beautiful in person. If you plan on exploring them yourself, plan to go at low tide, and note that the caves are “explore at your own risk” and can be dangerous if you lose your footing.

Now with the rest of the world awake, we went to explore Bellhouse Provincial Park. This mossy, seaside park offers a stunning view of Mayne Island and incoming ferries. In fact, you can easily spot the lighthouse over on Mayne Island, one of my favorite spots!

Afterwards, we went to Babes in the Woods Eatery for lunch. Many restaurants are closed in the off season/winter on Galiano, so we were lucky that a restaurant as delicious as Babes was still open! Afterwards we enjoyed an incredible latte from Bowline Cafe- one of the highest end coffee shops I’ve ever seen on a Southern Gulf Island. They also have the most delicious ice cream sandwiches from Cold Comfort (including GLUTEN FREE! I was in heaven).

With a full tummy, Ezra went down for a nap under the watchful eye of Grandma while I went for a quick hike up Bodega Ridge and enjoyed some incredible views over the gulf islands. The hike climbs up through gorgeous forest and ferns to a ridge that you can follow along for quite some time. I only wandered a little ways down the ridge and opted to sit and enjoy the view for awhile before turning around and hiking down.

We spent the rest of our afternoon enjoying the cabin and deck. I was lucky enough to pop into a few of the other cabins to see the various layouts. Each cabin possessed the same gorgeous cedar walls, modern and stylish decor, and cozy cabin vibes. I was in awe of the giant soaker tubs that the one bedroom cabins are lucky enough to have. I would gladly take an hour long bath in one of those!

Sadly, the next morning meant time to journey home. Our little trip had come to an end. We lined up at the ferry and watched a spectacular sunrise over the ferry dock. It’s always hard saying goodbye to the Southern Gulf Islands, but I never stay away too long. I’m eager to be back again soon and explore some more!

Some other areas that I was keen to explore but didn’t have enought time for include:

A hike up Mount Galiano

The Cemetery Lighthouse (said to have lots of sea lions)

Any of the beach access points along Sticks Allison Road

Feel free to check these out and report back to me!