A "7-11" Wedding

July 11th, 2009 was forecast to be the thunderstorm of the summer. The morning of, black menacing clouds rolled in and the sky was dark as night. On my drive into Guelph for the preliminary "getting ready photos" for Kate & Jeff's wedding, we experienced the beginning of a downpour and the power had gone out in many areas. By the time my new intern Lindsay and I had arrived at Kate's, the clouds had vanished and the sun had come out. Granted, it took a moment or two for everyone to trust the fact that the forecast had indeed changed, but once the summer heat rolled in and the sun decided to stay, spirits rose and we knew that Mother Nature was going to be on her best behavior for the rest of the day.

Kate & Jeff were married at Norfolk United Church in Guelph and had their reception at the Springfield Golf and Country Club. In the interim, the newlyweds and bridal party decided to board their white shuttle bus and head to the Arboretum at the University of Guelph for photos but not before making a small "pit-stop" at the local 7-11 for slushies. In fact, Kate even told me that she had created a 7-11 theme for her entire wedding, using the orange and green colour scheme (orange for the flowers and green for the bridesmaid dresses) as well as having a "penny-candy" buffet at the reception and a midnight buffet of nachos and cheese dip (with of course all the fixings). Best yet, Kate & Jeff had their own slushie machine at their reception filled with a much more party-minded slushie mix (piña coladas and daiquiris) than their 7-11 inspiration.

All in all it turned out to be an amazing summer day with much laughter and fun to be had by everyone. After tearful speeches, the dance floor was full and energy was high the entire night long. My kudos to Jeff who was doing a full-out jig when we left for the evening and didn't seem like he would stop all night. I wish you both the best in your future together. May you always have sunshine and never stop dancing.

July Engagements

A few photos in celebration of three engagement sessions that were captured in July this year:

Like many couples not used to being the center of attention in front of a camera, Jessica & Jeremy were a little unsure of how to let loose without being "posed" but once we began their engagement session in Waterloo Park, they certainly got into the swing of "just being themselves" quickly! We had a fabulous time walking through the park and taking advantage of its many great photo spots and I think we ended up with some amazing photos of this wonderful couple! Jessica & Jeremy have planned their wedding for June 12th, 2010 and I am greatly look ing forward to sharing it with them. Congratulations you two and good luck with the rest of your wedding preparations and planning.

More of Jessica & Jeremy's engagement session can be viewed here.

Tiffany & Matt chose to have their engagement session at one of my absolute favourite areas: the Elora Gorge. The beauty of this area is breath-taking - truly is a photographers dream. Both Tiffany and Matt did a great job of humoring me by trekking through the river and quite a bit of undergrowth to get to all of the best nooks and crannies at this natural wonder. And since the two are such an amazing, fun-loving couple, they had no problem whatsoever with having a full-out water fight for the camera at the end of their session. Thank you Tiffany and Matt for being such great sports and making the day so much fun!

Tiffany and Matt were married in November this year so make sure to check back soon for more photos of this wonderful pair!

View more of Tiffany & Matt's engagement session here.

When you meet Christine and Paco, you first witness their playfulness together and then you click in to the chemistry that these two have between them. Honestly at times during their engagement photo session at the Mill Run in Cambridge I almost had to put the camera down and consider giving them some privacy. These two exist in a world all their own when they're together, or at least when Paco isn't keeping updated on the latest game score on his Blackberry. (just kidding guys) I had the utmost honour of capturing their amazing wedding this October and can not wait to post up their photos. Congratulations you two!

View more of Christine & Paco's engagement session here.

Nothing But Blue Skies (and a Few Pre-Wedding Butterflies)

June 27th, 2009 was a perfect early summer day of bright blue skies. It's what our entire summer should have looked like: white puffy clouds, sun shining and the perfect temperature. So perfect in fact that the groom and his groomsmen just simply had to spend the morning golfing at the driving range and having a few drinks on the patio at one of the nearby pubs. And the girls? After a morning at the salon, they kicked back, leisurely getting ready for the day's main event. That is, until the nerves started to kick in.

They say that every great marriage, like every great love, starts with butterflies. And Kristy was no exception. From the morning preparations to her walk down the isle, our beautiful bride was brimming with these metaphorical winged symbols of excitement and nervousness. And though Ryan insisted that he was calm, his smile gave away his emotion when he saw Kristy walk down the isle toward him. Although the touching, tear-filled ceremony at Rebel Creek Golf and Country Club soon transformed into laughter and euphoria, I must say that it was incredible to witness these two throughout their event-filled and eventful day. With so much support from their friends and family, and so much love between the two of them, I can only believe that they will have nothing but blue skies from now on.

Thank you so much Kristy & Ryan for allowing me to share in your perfect wedding day. I truly felt like a member of your family, welcomed and included from the first moment. And if you ever need a big sister, I'm just a Blackberry text away.

More of Kristy & Ryan's wedding photos can be viewed here.

Classic Elegance and Wearing Your Heart On Your Shoe...

Crystal & Dave's wedding was truly a day of elegance, romance and a classic beauty that simply took your breath away. From the weather that turned from a fine mist to a perfect day for photos to the perfect bouquet, the perfect dress, the most wonderful friends and family, a fire-engine-red classic car, a stunning venue, a picture-perfect garden, the ultimate shoes - complete with hearts on the soles - and last but not least: the most amazing couple, every detail added to the overall story-book perfection of the day.

It amazes me that Crystal & Dave did not believe that they were photogenic when we began our engagement session last fall but after an hour or so of playing through the streets and parks of St. Jacobs, it was without a doubt that the camera loved these two! Their wedding was held on Summer Solstice - June 20th 2009 with the ceremony and reception at the ever-elegant Grey Silo Golf Club in Waterloo. Crystal & Dave added an additional personal touch by having photos taken in the backyard, or rather, the intricately amazing rock garden at his parents home in St. Jacobs. Yet the photo op that stole the show was the photos with the family's antique car when the shotgun came out (as a prop - honestly!).

It was the perfect start to summer and I thank Crystal & Dave as well as their family and friends for making the day so wonderful. It was truly a photographer's dream and honour to experience and capture such an amazing couple and their incredible day.

More of Crystal & Dave's wedding photos can be viewed here.

Happiness & Humour at the Holiday Inn

Nicole & Troy are not simply two people in love; their high-spirited personalities can take you by storm if you come unprepared to the party. Luckily, I had the honour of getting to know this absolutely wonderful pair last fall at their engagement session and quickly realized as we started the session that I would soon adopt Nicole's wonderful laid-back and humored attitude as a very thrilled and excitable Troy gave artistic direction as he kidded around with both of us, meanwhile absolutely getting the shots he wanted. Very rarely in my work do I actually have to put the camera down because I am laughing too hard to shoot - that day was truly the exception.

When the wedding day came, I was a little more prepared for a day of high energy and high emotion. As tears of happiness started flowing first thing in the morning at the hair salon, I knew it was going to be an amazing day of celebration and joy.

Nicole & Troy were married on June 13, 2009 at the Holiday Inn in Kitchener. After the ceremony, the bridal party boarded their SUV limo and headed to Victoria Park for photos. Once again, Troy made my job incredibly easy by not only giving me suggestions on all the shots he wanted, but by truly enjoying himself and being the instigator (along with Nicole, of course) for some of the most contagious laughter imaginable. After the park, Nicole & Troy's entourage headed back to the hotel for family photos and an incredible party. And ever the joker, Troy closed the night off by secretly setting up a practical joke for the garter toss – after dancing his way up to Nicole and removing the garter, he sprayed all the waiting single men with a previously-hidden high-powered water gun before throwing the garter itself.

An unforgettable day with a truly unforgettable couple. Congratulations Nicole & Troy! May your lives together be long and full of laughter.

More of Nicole & Troy's wedding photos can be viewed here.