Orillia Engagement Photography - Cristy & Mike

It's easy to get wrapped up in the planning of a wedding.  It's easy to be bombarded with ideas and details and opinions.  It's easy to stress out about all of these ideas, details, and opinions.  It's easy to worry about every little detail, about everything going right, about things going just perfectly.  

Sometimes you need to take a moment, breathe, and remember why you're planning this major event full of so many details and opinions in the first place.  It's not always easy, but it's important to remember what the day is really all about - exchanging vows with your best friend.  

Engagement photography should be a lot of things - practice for the wedding, fun, interesting, and especially authentic.  It's also a good way to take that moment to breathe, to spend time together, to have fun together and remember why you're planning a wedding in the first place.  

Cristy and Mike trusted me from the beginning.  When I mentioned I knew of a great spot, but wanted to surprise them, they didn't ask any questions.  Driving down dirt roads, walking through the woods, still with no idea where we were going, they trusted me.  

I think it was worth it.

Bellamere Winery Wedding - Sneak Peek

Nell & Aaron's Bellamere Winery wedding in London, ON was a gorgeous day filled with gorgeous details, tons of fun, genuine people and so much emotion you could feel it enveloping the room.

Stay tuned in a few days for more images from their Bellamere Winery wedding!

Port Credit Wedding - Michelle and Terry

Working in the event industry means you see a lot of weddings.  You see all the details, all the trends, the unique touches, the personal additions.  You meet a lot of vendors, a lot of professionals, and work in a lot of venues.  You've seen it all, probably a million times.  The good, the bad, the ugly.  How things can go wrong, and how things can go perfectly right.  

Planning a wedding when you work in the wedding industry isn't easier because of who you know or what details you've seen, it's easier because you see first hand the most important part of the day, and can easily make it a priority.  You already know the most important part of the day isn't the napkins - it's marrying your best friend.

When Terry and Michelle of Scotia Entertainment got engaged, I was ecstatic for them.  Having worked with them many times, I've always considered them not just my favourite DJ's, but friends as well.  So when they asked if I was available to photograph their wedding?  I couldn't contain my excitement.  

Terry and Michelle knew exactly what they wanted in a wedding day - a ceremony in their favourite local park surrounded by friends and family, and a low key reception in their favourite intimate venue, Napoca in Port Credit.  They knew they wanted to involve the kids (Michelle was walked down the first part of the aisle by her dad, who then passed her hand to Kody - an extremely heartfelt gesture and moment).  They knew they wanted to focus on family and friends.  They knew they just wanted to be together.

Of course, being who they are, they made sure their reception was the best party around - a magician, a caricature artist, a signature shot, and the best music playlist I've ever heard at a wedding.  While Terry was able to give up control of the music for most of the night, he couldn't help but slip back into DJ mode for a bit near the end.  

Thank you both so much for asking us to be a part of such an amazing day!  

To see a couple more photos from Terry & Michelle's Port Credit Wedding, be sure to check out the JSW Facebook page!

 

Dorchester Wedding - Tyler and Michelle

I love couples that know how to keep their wedding down to earth, fun, and genuine.  Michelle and Tyler knew from the get go what they wanted in their Dorchester wedding - friends and family gathering in their gorgeous backyard to celebrate, to catch up, to spend time together, and to enjoy themselves.  

I think they achieved their goal.  

Everything in Michelle & Tyler's Dorchester wedding was well thought out - tiny details that tugged at your emotions (like the carving of their initials in a tree!), and gorgeous decor everywhere (flowers in jars suspended from branches - lovely!), but a wedding is never just about the details.  A wedding is about two people making promises in front of their family and friends.  Watching Tyler try to hold it together as Michelle and her mom walked down the aisle was as genuine as you can get.  

Congratulations, Michelle & Tyler!  Thank you for choosing me to document your amazing day, and for reminding us what weddings are really about.

Want to see a few more pics?  Check out my Facebook page!

Port Credit Wedding - Sneak Peek

Not only am I still in awe of being the one chosen to photograph the amazing Port Credit wedding of the couple behind Scotia Entertainment  (my favourite wedding DJ long before their wedding day!), I'm also in awe of how freakin' amazing Terry and Michelle are as people.  It's been a long time since I met a couple with hearts so big.  

Stay tuned in a few days for more images from their Port Credit wedding!

Dorchester, Ontario Wedding - Michelle and Tyler

Michelle and Tyler proved with their Dorchester wedding that backyard events aren't given enough credit.  While I love my backyard weddings, and my cottage couples, not everyone has experienced just how gorgeous these types of weddings can be.  

Stay tuned in a few days for more samples of this gorgeous Dorchester wedding!

Civic Gardens Wedding, London - Farah and Josh

Farah & Josh knew what it takes to plan a wedding, having already had one in Farah's home country of Mauritius, so when they were planning their Civic Gardens wedding in London, they knew their priority - time with family and friends.  We definitely had a great time walking around the gorgeous gardens and grounds of the Civic Gardens, but I think this couple had an even better time enjoying the day and evening with those who love them the most.  

Congratulations, Farah & Josh, and thank you so much for choosing me as your photographer!