Sara + Eric Wedding - Best Western Plus Nor'Wester Hotel
It was my second wedding of the summer at NorWester Hotel. Once again the weather held up, but it was definitely a hot day for a wedding. Sara and Eric actually got married in a small intimate ceremony the previous year, but they wanted to do it again, this time in front of family.
It was my second wedding of the summer at NorWester Hotel. Once again the weather held up, but it was definitely a hot day for a wedding. Sara and Eric actually got married in a small intimate ceremony the previous year, but they wanted to do it again, this time in front of family.
The ceremony was short and very sweet, with all of their closest friends and family watching on. Once the ceremony was over we immediately braved the hot weather, and wind, for the family and wedding party photos. As I mentioned before, it really is one of the nicest backdrops in the city there. We took full advantage of it too.
My day ended with covering the first part of the reception. It gave me a chance to get a lot more candid photos of people, which I absolutely love. Congratulations (again), to the happy couple, Sara and Eric.
Vanessa + Nick Wedding - Best Western Plus Nor'Wester Hotel
I was so happy that the weather held up for Vanessa and Nick’s outdoor wedding at the Best Western Plus Nor’Wester Hotel last month. It was a bit windy, but everything went according to plan. Well, aside from the bride and her bridesmaids running a little late. I don’t know of any wedding that has gone exactly to plan though!
I was so happy that the weather held up for Vanessa and Nick’s outdoor wedding at the Best Western Plus Nor’Wester Hotel last month. It was a bit windy, but everything went according to plan. Well, aside from the bride and her bridesmaids running a little late. I don’t know of any wedding that has gone exactly to plan though!
With the backdrop of Mount McKay in the background the ceremony was as beautiful as always. Once it was done we made our way to the back field for all the family and wedding part portraits. Everyone also trekked to the water fountain for some additional photos, and an awesome group confetti photo.
After a little bit of a break it was time for the reception. As you would expect, there was good food, speeches and of course, dancing. All in all, the wedding was a blast to capture and I’m so happy with all the great moments I was able to catch. Congrats to the newlyweds. :)
Julie + James Wedding - Best Western Plus Norwester Hotel
With only a few weddings left this year, I’m really trying to take it all in. Luckily Julie and James were an extremely fun couple, so it made getting candid and sincere photos, pretty darn easy. My day started with Julie and the girls getting ready. I spent good hour with them just hanging out, documenting the time leading up to the ceremony.
With only a few weddings left this year, I’m really trying to take it all in. Luckily Julie and James were an extremely fun couple, so it made getting candid and sincere photos, pretty darn easy. My day started with Julie and the girls getting ready. I spent good hour with them just hanging out, documenting the time leading up to the ceremony.
As people started to arrive, I headed down to where the ceremony was taking place to start capturing people arriving. With the threat of rain quickly approaching, it got started pretty quickly. The ceremony itself was only about 20 minutes which worked out perfectly. It just started to rain as Julie and James said ‘I do’. I personally don’t mind the rain at weddings, because it makes for beautiful photos. Well, that is, until everyone gets soaked.
There was a small break after the ceremony and then it was time for the portraits. We focused on just Julie and James for the first little while. We of course took advantage of the beautiful backdrop of Mount McKay as well as the pond. The family photos were actually a lot of fun too. Everyone had such a good personality and sense of humour.
Soon after it was the reception which was a good finish to the night. The speeches were amazing, the first dances brought out some tears amongst the guests and of course people were able to let loose after all was said and done.
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. I feel free lucky to be able to photography weddings, and meet such beautiful and kind couples. I hope these photos last them a lifetime, as cheesy as that sounds.
ONWA’s 48th Annual General Assembly & Leadership Conference
ONWA held their 48th Annual AGA Conference this past October and I was tasked to capture the entire event. It was a lot of work but I absolutely enjoyed the entire experience. The last one I photographed last year was actually in Toronto. So it was nice to be able to stay in town for this one. Although, I do enjoy going to Toronto any chance I can. Not only did I take photographs, but I also did a lot of video too.
ONWA held their 48th Annual AGA Conference this past October and I was tasked to capture the entire event. It was a lot of work but I absolutely enjoyed the entire experience. The last one I photographed last year was actually in Toronto. So it was nice to be able to stay in town for this one. Although, I do enjoy going to Toronto any chance I can. Not only did I take photographs, but I also did a lot of video too.
We did 19 interviews which I am very much looking forward to eventually releasing. Along with that, I grabbed some overall highlights from the event too. These included the Grassy Narrows Drum Group, the ONWA Drum Group, the official release of the She is Wise Magazine, which was a historic moment. Of course there were various workshops, vendors, a paint night and also a blanket healing activity on the final day. I still can’t believe how fast the 3 days went by. Stay tuned to my website as I will eventually be releasing the videos.
Melissa + Brandon Wedding - Best Western Plus NorWester Hotel
Melissa and Brandon’s entire wedding day took place at the Best Western Hotel here in Thunder Bay. If I had to shoot at wedding at just one hotel, this one would definitely be at the top of my list. It did rain the whole day so it was completely indoors but that’s what often happens this time of year. Regardless, it was such an amazing day to be a part of.
Melissa and Brandon’s entire wedding day took place at the Best Western Hotel here in Thunder Bay. If I had to shoot at wedding at just one hotel, this one would definitely be at the top of my list. It did rain the whole day so it was completely indoors but that’s what often happens this time of year. Regardless, it was such an amazing day to be a part of.
The good thing about a completely indoor wedding is that you often get to spend more time with the couple, which is exactly what happened with this one. It was very laid back and casual. It was almost like I was just hanging out with the Melissa and Brandon. I prefer it that way because it allowed me to capture a ton of candid photos.
I jumped back and forth in the early afternoon between Brandon and Melissa getting ready. They were both super relaxed and it showed through in the photos. Brandon bought all the guys in his wedding party watches, that as far as I could tell, they had to put together. It was very cool and something I had never seen before.
After a few hours it was time to get the ceremony started so everyone headed down to the main ballroom. This is where the reception would eventually take place so it was very convenient, and perfectly decorated. It was an intimate wedding but a busy one for the room nonetheless. I don’t think there was an empty chair. Looking around in the crowd I could see all the proud family and friends. I could also feel it too. Of course, as I expected there were some laughs during the ceremony too, which is always a good sign.
Once the ceremony was done, all the family and close friends made their way upstairs where we did some family portraits. I would have preferred to do them outside but the weather had other plans for us. Nonetheless, it was actually kind of nice having all the family in one room like that. Melissa and Brandon also made their announcement about her pregnancy which surprised a lot of people!
As I mentioned it was raining all day but that didn’t mean we couldn’t get outside to do some bride and groom portraits. We simply used one of the balconies. Since it was cloudy, the lighting was absolutely perfect. Those are definitely some of my favourite photos of the day.
The reception was just as fun as the rest of the day. There were the first dances, a shoe game and some very moving (and funny) speeches. Melissa and Brandon also revealed on their slideshow that they were having a baby to the rest of the wedding guests. It was during their first dance which was perfect timing. I hope both Brandon and Melissa have an amazing life together!
Jenna + Jeff Wedding - Best Western Plus NorWester Hotel
The thing I like about weddings is that they are all different in some way. This past weekend I had a wedding where we went to 4 different locations. For Jenna and Jeff’s wedding which took place earlier this month, it was all at the Nor Wester. It was a nice change of pace because there was no travelling around, and it all happened at one beautiful location. With that being said, I love the variety of each and every wedding I do.
The thing I like about weddings is that they are all different in some way. This past weekend I had a wedding where we went to 4 different locations. For Jenna and Jeff’s wedding which took place earlier this month, it was all at the Nor Wester. It was a nice change of pace because there was no travelling around, and it all happened at one beautiful location. With that being said, I love the variety of each and every wedding I do.
Just because this one was at one location, doesn’t mean it was boring. Far from it! The Nor Wester is by far one of the nicest spots in Thunder Bay to get married. I arrived, just as Jenna was doing a first look with her dad in the hotel room. It was the perfect start to the day. Once we finished that I was off to the races. It’s summer, so the ceremony took place in the courtyard with the gorgeous backdrop of Mount McKay.
As with all ceremonies, theirs was very sweet and you could really feel the emotion. After a short break once the ceremony was done I gathered everyone in what little shade there was and we did all the family and wedding party portraits. During the portraits, I still made sure to keep on snapping in between as there are always opportunities for candid photos. It helped that the entire wedding party was a blast. They were always laughing and having a good time. It made my job 10x easier. I just sat back at times and assessed the situation.
Once we were done the portraits, there as about an hour break before the reception started. It was great because I just wandered around the grounds and photographed people hanging out. Down by the pond, most of the people were gathered, and some of the guys were also fishing. Surprisingly, this was the first time anyone in the wedding party decided to fish and it was a pleasant surprise. Unfortunately the biggest catch of the day was waterlogged grass. Ah well. There was also some goose chasing which also provided some unique photos.
I then headed to the reception about 15 minutes before everyone was scheduled to arrive and photographed the details. It’s one of my favourite parts of the wedding day because it’s just me, walking around, taking my time seeing what I can create. Everyone entered shortly after and the rest of the night flew by for me. There were speeches, great food, a shoe game, a bouquet toss, a garter toss, lots of dancing and of course, some portraits with the happy couple just before sunset.
Almost every wedding I do at the Nor Wester, I suggest to the couple to step out before sunset to do some portraits of just the two of them. The lighting and the way it plays off the scenery at that time of day is to die for. Shortly after that my day was over. It went by very fast, and looking back on all the photos, brings me back to just how much fun I had with everyone during the wedding.
Courtney + Evan Wedding - Best Western Plus NorWester Hotel
My first wedding of the season took place a few weeks ago in May and I was so excited for it, if not a bit nervous. Within a few minutes of arriving and getting started, I was off to the races. Anyone who has seen my work before on this site, knows that I love candid photos. I would say 95 percent of every wedding I shoot is candid. I always challenge myself to find those special moments or expressions throughout the day. It's a hard challenge often times but a fun and rewarding one nonetheless.
My first wedding of the season took place a few weeks ago in May and I was so excited for it, if not a bit nervous. Within a few minutes of arriving and getting started, I was off to the races. Anyone who has seen my work before on this site, knows that I love candid photos. I would say 95 percent of every wedding I shoot is candid. I always challenge myself to find those special moments or expressions throughout the day. It's a hard challenge often times but a fun and rewarding one nonetheless.
Courtney and Evan's wedding took place at the Best Western hotel off the highway, and it's always a beautiful location so I knew I had a great backdrop to work with. The weather held up so that was awesome. After getting a bunch of candids before the ceremony, it was soon time to head on outside to the courtyard to get the main event on the way. As I mentioned above, it's a beautiful venue so that made my work that much easier. It was quite a beautiful ceremony and I think I managed to get some nice genuine moments, not only of the wedding couple but also everyone else.
Once the ceremony was done, there was a short break and then we tackled the family and wedding part portraits. Just before the reception was to get on it's way, I stole Courtney and Evan away for a good 20 minutes and we did some portraits with just them. Knowing that I would probably get the chance for some more portraits with them later in the evening during golden hour, I didn't take up too much of their time.
It was then time for the reception which I never know what to expect. I must say, the food was amazing, the speeches were so funny, genuine and emotional at times. It made for some really pure moments within the crowd. Courtney and Evan did the shoe game which also had everyone laughing and of course their was the first dance along with the parent dances as well. Then ... it was time for the dance floor to open up and it was so great to see so many people out on the floor. I got so many great dancing photos! The ones below are just a small sampling, but some of my favourites from the bunch.
Before I was done my day, Courtney and Evan joined me outside for some more photos outside. The lighting was just perfect and the weather was too. The resulting photos were definitely some of my favourites from the entire day. The highlight of the night hands down, goes to Courtney. As we made our way outside, she sprinted, in her wedding dress, to the open field where a whole bunch of geese were settled down. Well, once they saw her coming they all flew away and it made for quite the seen. I wish I would have had my zoom lens on me but I still managed to get a pretty good photo.
I couldn't have asked for a better wedding to start the year with. Courtney and Evan were an amazing couple to photograph and the entire day was just so much fun!
Gaby + Michael Wedding
Gaby and Michael celebrated their wedding day this past July at the Best Western in Thunder Bay and they chose me to capture the entire day. My started in the afternoon photographing Michael and the rest of the boys getting ready. It was a very relaxed atmosphere, although you could just tell that Michael was anxious to get the wedding started. Luckily for him, it wasn't too far off.
Before the ceremony started though, I made my way to Gaby's room to get some photos of her and the rest of the girls. Once I was with them I could really start to feel the excitement, especially when Gaby put on her dress. It goes without saying that she looked absolutely stunning which I know everyone else thought as well.
Gaby and Michael celebrated their wedding day this past July at the Best Western in Thunder Bay and they chose me to capture the entire day. My started in the afternoon photographing Michael and the rest of the boys getting ready. It was a very relaxed atmosphere, although you could just tell that Michael was anxious to get the wedding started. Luckily for him, it wasn't too far off.
Before the ceremony started though, I made my way to Gaby's room to get some photos of her and the rest of the girls. Once I was with them I could really start to feel the excitement, especially when Gaby put on her dress. It goes without saying that she looked absolutely stunning which I know everyone else thought as well.
I then made my way down to the ceremony area and captured photos of all the guests arriving and the rest of the moments leading up to the actual ceremony. It wasn't long before the ceremony was under way and Gaby was walking down the aisle, beaming a huge smile, as her Father accompanied here.
As with most ceremonies these days, it wasn't too long and, at least for me, it went by super fast. After the ceremony, they signed the papers and then it was off to the open field to get a truly epic photo. Gaby had the awesome idea of getting an overhead view of all the guests forming a heart. So, I climbed up a 10 foot ladder, grabbed my wide angle lens and got the shot. It was actually my first time attempting such a photo and I think it turned out great!
We then quickly got all the family photos done in the same spot, while everyone was still there. Then it was time to just focus on the wedding party. Luckily the venue, as anyone who has been there before knows, has one of the most beautiful backdrops in Thunder Bay. I was able to use a variety of cool spots to get some truly beautiful photos. Everyone, especially Gaby and Michael were so extremely easy to capture.
Then, after a short break, it was time for the reception to start. During the reception there were some really funny and very heartfelt speeches. My favourite moment was the MC, a friend of the happy couple, putting on a puppet show. It was the first time I had ever witnessed something like that in my 6 plus years of photographing weddings, and I was in awe.
The last part of the evening concluded with some first dances and of course just everyone else letting loose on the floor. Before my time was up, I really wanted to capture some sunset photos of Gaby and Michael, and that's just what I did. It didn't take long, but I managed to get some of my favourite photos of the day.
Every single wedding I have done this year has been so much fun and this one was no exception. As always, everyone was so easy to work with and Gaby and Michael made my job super easy.
