Roundhouse Vancouver wedding: Erin + Daniel
When Erin and Daniel asked us to photograph their secret Roundhouse Vancouver wedding, we were over the moon!!! They are personal friends, which made it extra special to document their day!
This was also the first time we photographed a secret wedding! They announced it to their friends and family a few weeks later at a dinner they organized with photographic evidence. I had the hardest time not posting anything online, because I was so excited, haha. And on top of that, the waiting continued, because an amazing wedding feature on Offbeat Bride. Most definitely a personal goal checked off, I love that blog!
Anyways, I digress. On the morning of the wedding, Erin and Daniel got ready with their friends (and witnesses Sam and Kyle, whose wedding we photographed last year! The girls prepared in the Salon De Nuvida and the boys got a treatment at Barber & Co. It looked so relaxing.
After the cutest first look, the two of them drove to the Roundhouse Vancouver Community centre together. They had the entire hall to themselves. It's HUGE in there. Yet it felt intimate with the two of them and their witnesses. Erin picked out flower arrangements that were complimentary with her stunning dress.
After a beautiful and heartfelt ceremony, all four of them enjoyed the space together. When moving outside later, it was FREEZING cold, but everyone rocked pretending it was hot. My most favourite photo bomb ever happened... Of course that involved animals. ;)
After the photos, the two of them went back home and enjoyed an evening with their adorable kid. Erin and Daniel's wedding was one of the most intimate and personalized weddings we've witnessed to date. I LOVE how they made everything exactly the way they liked it!
Thanks so much for everything guys! <3
Roundhouse Vancouver wedding vendors:
- Wedding planner: Pop Up Weddings
- Officiant: Jane from Young, Hip & Married
- Florist: Devine Vines
- Bride hair: Salon de Nuvida
- Barber shop: Barber & co
- Wedding dress: Pamella Roland
- Wedding bands: Tiffany & Co
- Bride shoes: Nine West
- Groom shoes: Fluevog
Aberthau Mansion wedding: Breanne + Jim
Breanne and Jim chose for an Aberthau Mansion wedding! The Aberthau Mansion is one of those venues that's a total hidden gem. It's a gorgeous heritage building in Vancouver that not a lot of people know about.
Since their engagement shoot and chatting with them about the day, we knew their wedding was going to be unique and fun. Basically they were going to do whatever they felt like. :) Breanne owns a wedding planning business for DIY brides, so we predicted some DIY. But she definitely did pretty much EVERYTHING. Check out her blog post about it here.
It started out in the morning with fun little details such as Breanne's lego earrings and her shoes. Yes, she made her own lego shoes! Jelger had fun with the details on the Jim's side, lego cufflinks and such. Later all the centre pieces were DIY and all signs etc.
It was the first wedding I attended where even the catering was DIY! Jim and Breanne opted to do their own taco bar. After the wedding I pleaded for her spicy salsa recipe, but it's a secret. (sad!) It was absolutely amazing. I can't even grasp how many hours of work must have gone into everything. To be honest I'm more of a "I'll hire someone to do that" kinda person. ;)
Because they don't only enjoy DIY, but also love nature, they decided to go ahead and have the ceremony outside, despite the pouring rain. Being the foreseeing planner, Breanne had umbrellas with her and Jim's initials for the guests. They ignored the weather, walked down the aisle together to the Jurassic Park theme song (cello version) and spoke beautiful, heartfelt personal vows to each other.
Another thing I'll definitely never forget is the hidden hammer in Breanne's garter. She and Jim play a game where they hide hammers at random places. They remind me of me hiding a stuffed squirrel for Jelger in all kinds of places. ;) Just before the garter toss, she tucked the hammer in her garter. I loved the reaction on Jim's face when he found it. Absolutely priceless.
Finally, the wedding piñata that refused to break!! After accidentally breaking the stick, Breanne and her hammer came to the rescue. :)
Thanks for having us guys!
Tanja
PS: Check out Breanne and Jim's recent wedding feature on Modern Weddings Magazine here.
Aberthau Mansion wedding vendors:
- Cake designer: a friend
- Catering: DIY taco bar
- Decor: mostly DIY, other rentals Salmons Rentals and Apex Tents
- DJ: Mr & Mrs DJ
- Florist: Erin Evans
- Hair stylist: Glam Girls
- Tear down: Pop Down Weddings & Events BC
- Videographer: Fluffy Clouds (Jeffery Au)
- Venue: Aberthau Mansion wedding venue
- Wedding planner: the bride! ThistleBEA your wedding
Elk Mountain hike and knowing when to stop
Last Monday, Jelger and I did the Elk Mountain hike in Chilliwack. To tell you the truth, since wedding season got crazy busy, we let a lot of hiking opportunities slip. It just seemed more tempting to hang out at home in a Netflix and beer setup. ;)
However since our recent revelations, we just needed to kick in the right gear again and decided to start of with a "moderate" 8 km hike. Turns out we were kinda out of shape, haha. The first part was no problem whatsoever. But near the final third of the hike, it continuously got steeper and steeper. Unfortunately with the same generic forest trail view.
Thanks to the "territorial bees/wasps" my tempo spiked occasionally. At moments like these I feel like such a city girl! Choosing a red and yellow outfit turned out not to be the smartest plan. Not sure how I forgot, but any time I wear a super bright colour in the wild, big insects chase me. But it definitely helps me to be VERY fast. ;)
Once we made it up to the level of the alpine meadows, we forgot about all the huffing and puffing. Breathtaking views welcomed us! Despite a little smoke from forest fires, we could see the entire valley as well as Mount Baker.
At that point we were confronted with a choice: go further and try to make it to Mount Thurston (an extra 3 hours and 7 km) or return to the parking lot. This dilemma arises often when we're hiking. All too often we like to see what's around the next turn and push ourselves for just a little bit more. And there's always a next turn... Unfortunately this occasionally finished with the two of us being completely wiped by the time we got back to our car. But this time we were smarter!
We did decide to walk a little further, but only to sit down, eat some sausages (our favourite hiking snack) and enjoy the view. No need to go through extra torture or hike in the dark just because of FOMO.
During our break we saw two kinds of grouse (Jelger now knows the different species after getting his hunting license). Countless chipmunks surrounded the entire trail. Way too cute! We even had a "near-bear-encounter", when a hiker warned us he saw a bear on the trail when we walked down. I'm still not sure they actually exist, though. People keep telling me they do, but I've yet to see proof after almost 6 years in Canada and dozens of hikes everywhere. Take me with you on a hike and I guarantee you won't see a bear. ;)
I'm looking forward to enjoying some more hikes this Summer! Don't hesitate to tell me which ones we should try!
PS: The first photo is the view from right next to the parking lot where the Elk Mountain hike starts. Anyone wants to do an engagement shoot there?!
Elk Mountain Hike
Northview Golf Course wedding: Andrea + Cary
This was the third time Jelger and I had the pleasure of photographing a Northview Golf Course wedding. I thought I already knew what it looked like out there, but Andrea and Cary surprised us! They planned some time to drive around with golf carts (yay!!) and explore some of the areas that otherwise aren't easy to access while walking. After just a short drive, the landscape totally changed and we were in the middle of some gorgeous field. We even had mountains in the background!
What will stay with me the most after their big day, is the energetic and enthusiastic nature of these two. And they kept it up ALL DAY. :) Some of my favourite moments were when Andrea accidentally broke the cake knife while being very determined to cut that cake. Best face ever. ;) And the hilarious dancing, especially by Cary and his friends. Definitely the first time that I saw certain moves, like dragging (literally) each other over the dance floor. ;) Some songs will never be the same again.
It was also the first time that I saw so many matching socks. Even the usher had socks with his title on them. Very fun and thoughtful of them, as it'll be a great memory every time they wear them! I should get more socks with messages on them. ;)
Andrea has a Filipino background and the couple incorporated some of the traditions on their day. During the church ceremony, there were several small rituals. But mostly I enjoyed seeing their money dance. Very smart doing it with clothespins instead of making holes in their clothes. ;)
Thanks so much for having us guys!
Northview Golf Course wedding vendors:
- Wedding planner: Heather Rodland
- Ceremony venue: St. Matthew's RC Parish
- Northview Golf Course
- Makeup and hair: Mikaela Peterson
- Flowers: DIY
- Catering: Northview Golf Course
- Enchanted Cake
- Dance Party Services
- Lisa's Bridal
- Indochino
- The Tie Bar
From drifting to focused
So far this season has been the busiest one ever for our business. The past couple of months have been absolutely amazing and filled with shoots all over the Lower Mainland and beyond. I have yet to write about a lot of the weddings we have photographed. ;) And it's not slowing down until somewhere in October.
But being busy often means: slowly drifting away in a warm and comfy current of work. It means knowing in advance what my days will look like. The schedule dictates it all. It also means the occasional extremely long day, followed by a day of being tired. And this creates the danger of "busy work", which implies me loafing on social media and taking twice as long to complete my tasks. So before I know it, I've drifted away and forgotten about the bigger picture.
Now what is this bigger picture? As you probably know by now, we are wedding photographers for spontaneous and adventurous brides and grooms. These values are the core mission of our business. But for us this mission is about more than just work. We ARE spontaneous and we ARE adventurous people. Our bigger picture to celebrate these values and incorporate them as much as possible in our lives.
For me being spontaneous means: a random afternoon trip to nature, happy dances, taking an alternative route, eating something that seems risky at first. And it's about speaking my mind and allowing myself to blurt out bad jokes and weird trains of thought. Regardless of what others may think.
So what about adventurous? It's about being and feeling independent and following my gut. Doing my own thing, embracing uncertainty and taking a leap of faith.
Two weeks ago, we were at a wedding in the interior of British Columbia (Cariboo region). EVERYTHING there felt like a big wakeup call. I realized how much I had drifted and that I need to get serious about following our mission. Besides growing our business our dream is to own a cabin in the middle of nowhere, to grow some vegetables and fruits and to hunt and fish for our own meats. To find a respectful and loving connection with nature and everything around us.
Right now this seems like a faraway dream for many practical reasons. Especially since we're currently city people and have no experience with the outdoors, other than hiking. But practical reasons should never hold us back. Instead of slowly drifting, we have taken the first baby step: Jelger has just completed the course and exam to become a hunter. Mark my words, in a couple of years we'll invite you to come visit us in our cabin. ;)
PS: The forest fires in the Cariboo region caused the orangeness and hazy sky in these photos.
Vancouver engagement shoot: Ran + Chan
For their Vancouver engagement shoot, Ran picked out the beautiful Acadia Beach at UBC. She studied at UBC and loved a more secluded area for photos so she and Chan wouldn't have a big audience. I totally understand that! It can be intimidating to have your photos taken under the watchful eye of dozens of bystanders. Not to mention potentially whipping out their phones to sneakily snap your photo too! The quiet beach with its tiny hidden parking lot is always a great plan!
Before heading out to the shore, the four of us had dinner together. I loved it! Normally we have "mandatory" pre-shoot drinks with our clients. It helps loosening up the nerves, hehe. Dinner before an engagement on the other hand was a first for us. Chan got introduced to a Belgian beer (a Chimay Blonde) and approved.
A couple of weeks before, we visited Acadia Beach for another engagement shoot, but I LOVE how all our couples have their own personalities. No two shoots ever look the same. Even at the exact same spot. :)
Ran and Chan were so sweet together and there's this beautiful quiet bond between the two of them that I can feel in the photos. I say "quiet" for the lack of a better word. Maybe peaceful describes it better. When my clients show me their personalities, it makes me feel genuinely human and appreciated. Maybe I should write a blog post about it. ;)
We ended our day with a killer sunset. Nature for the win! Congratulations again Ran and Chan! I hope you both have the best time at your wedding in China!
Vancouver engagement shoot: Acadia Beach
Considering your own Vancouver engagement shoot? Get in touch with us right here! We are available for shoots anywhere in the Lower Mainland (and beyond). An engagement shoot is the perfect occasion to go all out! Do you want to include a fun hobby you both do? Or to go on a hike? Let's explore Vancouver's epic nature together! Anything goes! We'd love to brainstorm with you!
Wedding timeline tips
A good wedding timeline can make your life so much easier! Let's be honest, a wedding can be pretty hectic and packed with all kinds of events. It all comes down to project management and building a realistic timeline that keeps track of as many hidden surprises as possible. If you have an event planner or wedding coordinator, which I highly recommend, they will take this burden off of your shoulders. But if you decide to make your own, here are 4 tips based on my year's long experience as a wedding photographer.
When creating your timeline, you'll probably start with lining up all the events that you do know will happen. Next you'll allocate a rough amount of time to each event. This is of course a great start, but let's make your timeline super solid by including some buffer times for "the usual suspects".
1. Makeup (and/or hair) takes longer than expected
I've experienced numerous weddings where hair and makeup ran longer than expected. The causes varied: a guest unexpectedly requested mua services, the makeup artist got stuck in traffic, the hair artist's assistant got sick on the morning of the wedding, etc.
So just play it safe and add a good 30-45 min. to your projected time to finish. For example, if you plan on putting on your wedding dress at 11 am, tell your makeup artist you'd like her to finish by 10.15. That way you're either leaving perfectly on time, or you have some extra time to hang out and have fun with your bridesmaids. Or for more photos! ;)
2. Traffic sucks
In an ideal world, the roads would be empty and we'd be the only car driving. Unfortunately reality is slightly different. Especially in the greater Vancouver area, getting from one place to another can be a true quest full of unexpected challenges. There can be a traffic jam or extra traffic because of some event.
Luckily there's Google Maps. It offers you outstanding real time calculations as well as projections of your travelling times at specified dates and times.
Here's how we always calculate transportation times for our business. And we recommend it for your wedding timeline too.
- Add EVERY driving location in google maps at the projected date and time.
- Add an extra 10-15 min. to the longest resulting driving time.
3. Group photos can be like wrangling kittens
Creating beautiful group photos can be a challenge. Just when you're about to start, grandma took off to get another margarita, uncle Joe had to go to the washroom and nobody can find cousin Fred. Careful planning and preparation is essential to make the process go as smoothly as possible.
First of all, make a list of all the group configurations you'd like your photographer to take a photo of. In our business we send our clients an extensive list beforehand that allows them to create their shot list by ticking boxes. Find some more info about family photos here.
That way we make sure we don't forget anyone and it gives us a good idea of how much time it'll take. As a guideline for massive group photos (with EVERYONE), we allocate 5 min. per photo. For smaller groups we reserve 2 min. per photo.
And last but not least, appoint a designated "wrangler", who knows all the family members and preferably has an authoritative voice.
4. Delegate everything
It continues to amaze me how intricate a wedding day actually is. It seems to be a gathering of people having a good time. When in fact it is the result of months if not years of careful preparation. Whether it's making sure that the decor in the reception venue is set up just the way you like it, or that the ring bearer actually has the rings to bear, someone needs to keep track. And that's where timing is easily underestimated.
Quite often the little "oh, I'll just do that on the day of the wedding" tasks end up taking much more time than you'd think! So here's my best advice:
- Put all unfinished DIY projects and small tasks on the (separate) timeline. And allocate plenty of time for them to be completed. When in doubt, inform yourself on one of the many bridal groups on Facebook. F.e. hanging string lights can take a surprising amount of time.
- Delegate all tasks to your crew. Your bridal party, family and friends are there for you to help! You should be having fun, instead of steaming table cloths. ;)
Bonus wedding timeline tip
The most asked question we get from our clients is how much time should they set aside for the formal portrait photos of the bridal party and the bridal couple. In general we recommend at least a block of 30 minutes for the bridal party photos, and an other block of 60 minutes the bridal couple portraits (transportation time not included). When working with us this will guarantee a solid set of beautiful and varied portraits. Of course if you want more, we're totally up for that!
Last but not least, consider adding a 15 min sunset photo break into your wedding timeline.
Thanks for reading and don't forget to check out our outdoor wedding photo tips!
Mission barn wedding: Alli + Mikk
A rustic Mission barn wedding with a duo of dance loving enthusiasts?! That's exactly what our past July 15th looked like! I should add that the term "barn" doesn't entirely cover what the Maeots venue looks like! It's an amazing old wooden building from the people of the Estonian Society. It's unlike any other building I've seen and I love the Game of Thrones vibe it has. :) Because of the size of the grass fields that surround the venue, the guests had the option of camping out there! Such a great way of celebrating: just walk (or crawl?!) back to your tent after the wedding.
From our first talks it was very clear that Alli and Mikk knew what they wanted for their wedding! They decided to skip a number of typical wedding traditions such as having a bridal party, cutting the cake and doing a bouquet toss. Instead they focused on other things that were important for them. For instance their fabulous long cocktail hour with appies and lawn games, so they could hang out with their guests and have fun. Jelger and I were extremely impressed by the frisbee in one hand, beer in the capabilities of some friends.
Another highlight for them was the food. And oh man, was that ever good! They had a giant roasted pig that was smoked behind the venue in the tailgate barbecue from Smoke and Bones. And of course they had plenty of good beer to accompany the excellent bbq meat!
One of my favourite moments of a wedding is the first dance. It's often a moment of soaking it all in. I LOVE how long the song was, haha, a photographer's favourite thing to happen. ;) Alli and Mikk's first dance was rather fabulous. So was the rest of the dancing, where Alli proved worthy of the "interpretative dancing trophy" she received during the speeches.
Thanks so much for having us guys!
PS: Big hug to Cristie from Umbrella Events! She's always so fun to work with! :)
Mission barn wedding vendor team:
- Wedding planner: Umbrella Events
- Wedding venue: Maeots in Mission
- Bride getting ready hotel: Best Western Plus Mission City Lodge
- Decor rentals: Londsdale Event Rentals
- Catering: Smoke & Bones
- DJ: Wailin Dalen
- Bathrooms: Sunrise Washroom Rentals
- Mua and hair: friends of the bride!
My solo trip to Belgium
In early June my sister got married in Belgium, so of course I had to be there! Jelger however, would be working at a wedding in Vancouver instead. After all June is the middle of our busy season! It would be my first time travelling to Belgium without Jelger. Well, the first time travelling anywhere for fun without him. At first I was a bit sad about that, because I love sharing experiences. But then I decided to make the most of it and get a lot of ME time. ;)
Instead of stuffing my very short week (jet lag!!) with family and friend visits, I included two days of not meeting anyone and just exploring Brussels by myself. I got to stay with a good friend, who lives there and felt very spoiled! Getting lost in the little streets and eating way too many fries turned out to be quite fun. That included me eating on a little patio in an interesting neighbourhood, where I only realized after a good amount of time that the loitering ladies on the street, were not really hanging out, but working. ;) Strong contrasts between groups of people in this city.
My friend introduced me to a group of wild parrots (what?!) who were set free from a zoo a couple of years ago. Now they over and have built massive nests in the city's parks. I got to know Brussels from a new perspective.
For some reason when Jelger and I still lived in Belgium, Brussels had a grim reputation to me. While there are definitely sketchy neighbourhoods, I now feel as if I missed out on a lot by not giving this city a real chance! So much culture, amazing design, great little food places and a lot of multiculturalism. Unfortunately the latter seems to be working better in some neighbourhoods than others. It also has many more hidden gardens and cute little green parks than expected.
The highlight of the trip was of course my sister's wedding. So fun to be a wedding guest for once! For those of you wondering: I put my camera away. No need to become "that guest with camera who's in every shot", hahaha. It was quite a different experience to be present in the moment and enjoy the good company and the amazing food! Especially fun was the amazing private concert and a hike at a local nature reserve.
Am I missing out on not having hundreds of photos of the day? Heck no. :P I have a cellphone selfie that I'm very happy with. ;) I did pull out my camera (just once!) after the photographer left when they started playing with sparklers. However I was definitely not sober at that point, hahaha.
Finally before flying back to Canada, I visited the polder from Doel, close to where I grew up. It was a short hike with my mom. Interesting to see how things change and yet stay the same. One particularly impressive part was the private "museum" of one of the locals. A young man collects everything that has an even remote connection to the polder history.
Touristing in Brussels
My sister's wedding
My precious cellphone selfie :)
Polder from Doel
UBC engagement shoot: Whitney and Charlotte
Whitney and Charlotte will celebrate their wedding at Cecil Green Park House and decided to do a UBC engagement shoot to stay in the "UBC theme". ;) Plenty of amazing nature at the UBC grounds, so we enthusiastically scouted it out.
The photo shoot was also a test for James Brown, their adorable chocolate lab. Turns out he's absolutely fantastic at photobombing. He'll participate in the wedding and I'm 100% convinced he'll do the best job... ;)
We started off with a short walk in the forest, followed by a stroll along Acadia Beach where we witnessed a beautiful sunset. In case you've never visited, Acadia Beach is a small pebble beach that you can find when you continue driving beyond Spanish banks. Because of the pebbles and the hidden parking lot, it's always way more quiet. I probably shouldn't be writing this on the internet, haha.
Before shooting, we went for our mandatory pre-shoot drinks and it reminded me of the first time we met Whitney and Charlotte. It was in a brewery where we had a great time talking about life. One of the things that stuck with me is the fact that they both have a heart of gold and dedicate their time helping the less fortunate by being involved in non-profit work. That and the fact that they appreciate good beers. :D
Thanks so much for the fun evening! Can't wait to photograph your wedding in September!!
UBC engagement photos
Interested in having your own engagement photos? We're available for adventures anywhere in BC. Or anywhere worldwide, really. ;) We love nature and we love to explore it with likeminded couples. Feel the sand between your toes and dip your feet in the ocean. Climb on a rock or tree or maybe even a mountain top. Let's have fun together! Get in touch here.
Natural Bridge and Wapta Falls
Natural Bridge and Wapta Falls are the final two destinations I want to share with you from our Yoho road trip. Next week we leave on our next trip to Horsefly for an amazing wedding. :)
When we arrived at Natural Bridge, we were not alone! Because this spot is a famous tourist attraction and the buses park right next to it, it was swamped! Trying to take a photo at Natural Bridge reminded me of photographing a wedding with many uncle Bobs. In case you don't know who uncle Bob is: he's the overenthusiastic amateur photographer at weddings, who manages to be in all the wrong places. ;) Walking around during the ceremony, jumping in the aisle to photograph the first kiss, breathing heavily down your neck to take the same shot over your shoulder, ... that kind of thing. ;)
At some point, it got SO crazy, that I had a guy with camera RUNNING behind me down a slope because he noticed I was walking off the trail to find a different angle. He even ditched his two confused kids in the midst of his chase. No joke, I felt as if there was some hardcore photo contest going on.
It was our cue to walk further upstream the Kicking Horse River and find a more secluded beach. And as always, just a few minutes later we were all by ourselves. ;) Jelger threw rocks and I took pictures of it. It was perfectly relaxing.
Next up was Wapta Falls, a great hike with way less people! Even from a distance we could hear the waterfalls thundering loudly. They were HUGE, my photos don't even show the scale of them. And as soon as the sun came out, there was a little rainbow; selfie time of course! This place has something magical... Hard to put my finger on what made it so special. Maybe the constant energy of the wild water, surrounded by old mountains and trees. We explored by ourselves, and spent some time just reflecting.
On the way back, we had a close "non-bear encounter". There's this running joke about me being a bear-repellent person. I've never seen a bear in the wild (not even from a car)! And believe me, I've done my fair share of hikes. Not that I want to run into one while hiking, but it'd be amazing to see one when we're driving! During this hike, we were walking back close to sunset, with nobody else on the trail. Suddenly it became very quiet. And we heard a loud sniff and some snapping branches. But that was it. :P
Can't wait to go back to the Rockies! Maybe we'll have to do a Winter road trip!
Natural Bridge
Wapta Falls
UBC engagement shoot: Andrea + Cary
Andrea and Cary decided to have a UBC engagement shoot, because they both studied there and have great memories! Instead of Jelger and I scouting and choosing the shooting locations, they took us on a fun trip through student memory lane. Starting of at Koerner's Pub where we shared laughter and nachos. :) Honestly, I would have never found this hidden gem if they hadn't told us about it!
Andrea, who recently started working in a law firm, traded stories with Jelger about their experiences. For those of you who don't know, Jelger used to work as a lawyer before moving to Canada. Convinced it was impossible to have fun in legal jobs, Andrea actually managed to change his mind.
Despite the tricky Vancouver weather, we started the shoot at the UBC Rose garden. Unfortunately the rain quickly picked up and urged us to find shelter in the nearby Buchanan building. Jelger figured this artsy building could use some interpretive dancing (what?!) and Andrea and Cary totally nailed it. :P
Cary, who teaches PE among other subjects, appropriately decided to descend the stairs of Tower Beach. Getting back up turned out to be a bit of a workout! I can't believe he used to do this stretch twice in a row as part of his training regimen. Intense, is the only word I can think of.
Down at the beach, there was some time for throwing rocks. If you've followed us for a while, you might know Jelger LOVES to throw rocks and he was beyond excited to have that included in an engagement shoot.
On a final note, Andrea and Cary told us they don't have a lot of photographs of the two of them. It takes balls to let go of the initial awkwardness that sometimes comes with having your photographs taken (yes, we all have that!). I felt thrilled with how much fun we had and how open and sharing these two were.
I know we're going to have a blast at your weddings guys!
Photos UBC engagement shoot
Roadtrip in Banff with snow in May!
The weather forecast predicted as much: tomorrow it will snow in Banff and Yoho. We didn't really take it too seriously at first. It was over 30 degrees and we were baking in the sun. Sure it wasn't going to be that bad?! WRONG!!! As soon as it became evening, thick clouds rolled in, followed by a torrential downpour. The next morning, I woke up to the sound of rain hammering on the car.
I promised Jelger earlier if it rains, we'd get a room for the night. Car camping is all fun as long as it's dry outside, because the outdoors is pretty much your living room. But when it rains, a car can feel claustrophobic. We planned on booking a room in Banff and checking out a couple of places we hadn't been to before.
Lake Moraine is usually one of those amazing crystal blue lakes with a perfectly massive and impressive mountain range as a backdrop. The mountains definitely looked impressive, but the lake was still entirely frozen. When I left the car to take a photo, I felt as if punched in the face by the wind. Tears were streaming down my face. Uhm, no hike here then. ;)
We drove further towards Banff and decided to check out Johnston Canyon. I figured there would be less wind than at an open lake. I was right about the less wind part. But man was it snowing! During our 2 hour hike, 4 inches accumulated on our car. And that at the end of May! Crazy! The Canyon didn't disappoint though. I read somewhere it's the park's most popular hike, and a million visitors frequent it every year. The snow slowed them down a bit, but we were definitely not the only brave souls trying to snap some photos and enjoy the wild nature around us.
Afterwards, we decided to book our hotel and got lucky with a free hot tub and an upgraded room. Yes please! No hot tub photos, but it was fantastic to be in there while the snow was still falling. A true Winter experience. I also met a little furry golden friend there.
And just like that, the next day the snow disappeared again and we were treated to two more gorgeous days before heading back to Vancouver. When in the mountains, you never know what's going to happen. And it's all part of the experience.
Photos snow in Banff
Sea To Sky Gondola elopement: Tya + Anthony
Tya and Anthony's was our 5th Sea To Sky Gondola elopement!!! In case you're wondering: no, we don't get tired of this place, everrrr! ;) Squamish proudly carries the title: Outdoor Recreation Capital of Canada. And it shows! We get especially excited when the schedule allows for enough photo time to explore some of the trails with the couple!
Tya and Anthony are a very active duo! They considered hiking up to the Summit Lodge on the morning of the wedding, but realized that may not be the best idea for Tya's makeup. ;) Needless to say they were prepared for their photo shoot and Tya wore flats to conquer some trails.
I especially love how both of them were totally on board with doing some hilarious moves and fun photos during their portrait time. Mountain epicness: check. Great spontaneous dance moves: check. ;)
This duo brought a whole mix of cultures to the mountain top! Tya has Indian roots and Anthony's parents and family flew in from France for the wedding. The Sea To Sky Gondola is of course the perfect spot to show off one of British Columbia's highlights. And last but not least, the food is great. Yes, that's very important too. ;)
Thanks so much for having us Tya and Anthony! We had a great time!
Photos Sea To Sky Gondola Elopement
We have photographed a lot of elopements and intimate weddings over the years. The Sea To Sky Gondola is definitely a favourite spot, but we can help you find a location anywhere in the Lower Mainland (or anywhere in BC, really). It's all about what is important to you! Whether you prefer a wedding on the ocean shore, on the banks of a beautiful lake, in the surroundings of a lush forest or on an epic mountain top: we've got you covered! We have a special elopement package available for weekdays and select Sundays. Get in touch here and we'll send you all the information.
Lions Bay Loop hike and seeing the light
When googling "hidden hikes Vancouver', Lions Bay Loop hike showed up quickly. I google things like that, because I'm always hunting for the places that are less busy. Because we are working a lot these days (wedding season is in full swing!), it becomes more and more important to go outside and take that much needed time off. :)
Lions Bay Loop hike seemed promising, with beautiful views of the Howe Sound and lots of different vistas. If you scroll through my photos below, you might think the hike was absolutely perfect. ;) Except, it was right next to the highway. Even when the trail went higher, you could still hear the cars. When we're going out in nature, the plan is to see as few people as possible and to get away from the feeling of civilization. Mission not really accomplished. :P
That being said, it was invigorating to see al the lush green and the beautiful pockets of light in this forest. It made me realize again how much I love light. ;) I sometimes randomly yell at Jelger during our hikes "Look at the light!" I may have come across as a total nutcase when people walk by. But when I've seen the light, I just love it. When I tried to photograph a forest years ago, I thought it was one of the hardest things to do. Because well, everything looks green. That includes people if you don't pay attention to the light. :P
But I'll share a photo tip with you: look for the pockets of light. I'll share an example from this hike: first photo, Jelger is not far enough back. He's in front of the pocket! Second shot, he's perfectly placed. :)
How cool is that! It's all there, it's just a matter of seeing it.
We also saw a waterfall. Always a nice bonus. When climbing down to get a better photo, the felt so powerful and thundering, that I thought a helicopter flew over. It's amazing how many of these waterfalls are out in the forest. I'm convinced there are so many more that aren't on google. That'll be for my next level of adventurousness. I'll need some backcountry training first. ;)
Enjoy the photos!
