VanDusen wedding: Cathy + Andrew

June 21, 2018

We ended the month of May with a blast thanks to these two and their VanDusen wedding. There are so many things about this day that I was absolutely stoked about, I’ll try to do my best and remember them all! 😉

My morning started in Cathy and Andrew’s apartment, which I love because it’s obviously a special place for them! Cathy told me she’d like to have a relaxed, instead of getting up super early. So that’s exactly what they organized! After Andrew left to get ready at his parents’ place, Cathy spent the morning with her bridesmaids and family while having tasty snacks and a vintage bottle of bubbles. Much to my surprise, I learned that some rose sparkling wines can actually handle a few years of aging! I should also mention that Cathy and Andrew are big foodies, so we were in good hands for the day :)!

The couple’s ceremony took place on the lawn next to Heron Lake in Vancouver’s VanDusen Botanical Gardens. The couple had chosen not to see each other before the ceremony. Which meant all the more excitement during the processional. I loved seeing Andrew’s big smile when he saw Cathy walking down the aisle. But the excitement kept on going because the couple had opted for an unplugged wedding ceremony.

Few things make me happier at a wedding than seeing the guests present in the moment, rather than experience the event through an LCD screen. And it doesn’t just change the experience of the guests, it benefits the bride and groom too. Instead of looking at a wall of phones and cameras, they can connect with their loved ones. Cathy and Andrew’s guests showed utter respect for the couple’s wish because during the entire ceremony I didn’t see a single cell phone or camera! Very impressive. 😉

For the formal portraits of the wedding couple and their bridal party, we explored the beautiful surroundings of VanDusen gardens. May showed us its best with warm (if not hot) temperatures, but nothing we couldn’t handle. Because the couple had arranged to finish things off with ice cream! Not just any ice cream, but actual Earnest Ice Cream (I told you they are foodies)! Jelger and I LOVE Earnest Ice Cream. 😉 And let me add, what a perfect addition to a cocktail hour!

Finally, there was the wedding reception, which Cathy and Andrew kicked off with their first dance. It’s a concept that I see pop up more frequently. Maybe because it allows the couple to completely let go, rather than nervously count down until their performance in a spotlight (literally). The couple had put a lot of work into their first dance, and it absolutely showed! I loved Andrew’s loooong dip. Let me explain: for wedding photographers, dips during of after a dance can be a big headache. Often, couples dip superfast and/or in an unpredictable moment, making it pretty difficult to capture that highlight in the best aesthetic possible. So, as we told Cathy and Andrew beforehand: if you’re going to dip, make it last long enough. They did. And it was perfect!

After the amazing dinner and heartfelt speeches, we happily whisked the two of them away for a quick couple of portraits during sunset! Yes, please!! Golden light at the Golden Chain trees. Considering that these trees only bloom for about 2 weeks (under good circumstances!), we felt lucky to be able to photograph the two of them under the yellow canopy.

When we returned to the reception, the final piece of the night had been set up: donuts! That’s right, no cake for these two! Instead of cutting the cake, they fed each other a donut. Things ended with the most fun dance party. And after work, the couple spoiled us with a snifter of amazing Scotch whisky (Lagavulin), after we put the gear away of course :).

Cathy and Andrew, thank you sooo much for having us!!! I’m already excited to see photos from your honeymoon. 😉