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.
Laura + Beau Wedding
Most of the time I have long wedding days, anywhere between 7 to 10 hours. Those usually allow a lot of time to capture a ton of moments and great photos. Well, my recent wedding with Laura and Beau had me photographing them for only 2 hours. The challenge with short wedding days like theirs, is that I really have to make sure I'm on my game to get a lot of quality photos in such a short amount of time.
Most of the time I have long wedding days, anywhere between 7 to 10 hours. Those usually allow a lot of time to capture a ton of moments and great photos. Well, my recent wedding with Laura and Beau had me photographing them for only 2 hours. The challenge with short wedding days like theirs, is that I really have to make sure I'm on my game to get a lot of quality photos in such a short amount of time.
Luckily for me, Laura and Beau were a blast to photograph and there were plenty of moments during my short time with them. I arrived in the afternoon, and as soon as I got there, the ceremony was just about to begin. It was perfect timing. I was already ready to go so I immediately started taking candid of guests and eventually Laura walking down the aisle. The ceremony was short and sweet and small. It took place in Beau's Sisters' backyard which was very pretty.
Once the ceremony was done, we pretty much immediately headed down the street to the tree farm. I have done a few portrait sessions there, and even an engagement or two, but never wedding portraits. I only had 30 minutes to work with but I was super excited to spend that time photographing Laura and Beau at such a beautiful location. Suffice it to say, we came away with some epic portraits. It helped that they were both so natural behind the camera.
I then took the afternoon off, and returned to capture just a little bit of the reception and first dances. Out of all the weddings I have attended, Laura and Beau's probably had the most kids. I loved its, since I adore taking photos of children. I got so many great candid photos of kids interacting with the rest of the guests and each other.
Everyone then gathered around in a circle, lit their sparklers and watched as the happy couple did their first dance. It was quite the scene, and the sparklers were a nice touch. After the dances with their respective parents, it was time for the rest of the guests to let loose. It was then time for me to go.
As I mentioned above, I was only there for a couple hours total, but it felt like much longer because I got so many special photos. Laura and Beau were the perfect couple and I can just tell that they are going to continue to make each extremely happy!
Ashley + Isaac Wedding - River Valley Farm
River Valley Farm was host to Ashley and Isaac's wedding this past July. Even though I had photographed at this location twice before, this particular wedding was different in one significant way, it is where Isaac grew up. HIs parent's have been kind enough in the past to let only a few other couples use the venue so I was lucky enough to be a part of this wonderful location.
River Valley Farm was host to Ashley and Isaac's wedding this past July. Even though I had photographed at this location twice before, this particular wedding was different in one significant way, it is where Isaac grew up. HIs parent's have been kind enough in the past to let only a few other couples use the venue so I was lucky enough to be a part of this wonderful location.
Even though I was already somewhat familiar with the farm, I was excited to see how they set everything up, and low and behold, the ceremony took place right in from of the barn, which was the absolute perfect location. Before the ceremony took place, I arrived as Ashley and Isaac were just finishing getting ready and waiting for the guests to arrive. After a few candids and portraits of some of the family members I set up in the back field for Ashley and Isaac's first look. Some of my favourite photos came from that part of the wedding day.
Right after the first look, Ashley and Isaac wanted to get some portraits done while the guests arrived. We took the dirt road to this amazing canola field. One of the great things about shooting weddings in Thunder Bay is that I get to see all these hidden spots that I never even knew existed. I could have easily spent 3 hours with Ashley and Isaac but we kept it short and sweet. Regardless, it was not hard coming away with some epic portraits. Before we made our way back to the farm, we stopped for a couple quick photos on the dirt road as well.
By the time we got back some of the guests were starting to arrive, so we took that time to get all the wedding part portraits out of the way. Just like my weddings in the past at the farm, the backdrop is one of the best in the city so it was no brainer to do the portraits using that. As usual, we did all the combinations but the entire wedding party was a blast and we even mixed in some fun photos as well.
Probably my favourite aspect of this particular wedding was all the candid photos I was able to capture. It was a rather large wedding with at least a couple hundred people and a lot of space to work with. It was really hard narrowing it down to the photos I chose below. As you would imagine, the ceremony was beautiful. There was live music performed by some friends of the family which just added to the whole experience.
The reception took place in the barn of course and it was just as beautiful as the outside ceremony. Just as every other wedding I had shot here, the decorations were amazing. Even though my day was done at 9pm, I was still there long enough to capture some of the speeches and some more candid moment amongst the guests, as well as the cake cutting.
I was so happy to spend a day photographing Ashley and Isaac during their wedding day. There were so many great moments throughout the day and I'm just thankful that they chose me to tell their story.
Lorissa + Kyle Wedding - Fort William Historical Park
Lorissa and Kyle got married at the beginning of July and I was lucky enough to photograph their beautiful wedding. My day started with Lorissa and the rest of the bridal party, as well as some family members, at their house. I always enjoy the 'getting ready' photos because it gives me a chance to kind of ease into the day and also get more acquainted with the wedding party. Plus, there are always so many great candid moments to capture. This particular time was no exception.
Lorissa and Kyle got married at the beginning of July and I was lucky enough to photograph their beautiful wedding. My day started with Lorissa and the rest of the bridal party, as well as some family members, at their house. I always enjoy the 'getting ready' photos because it gives me a chance to kind of ease into the day and also get more acquainted with the wedding party. Plus, there are always so many great candid moments to capture. This particular time was no exception.
Since it was very nice out, and hot, we were able to do a lot of the getting ready photos outside, which is always a good thing because there is so much more room, and light! With that being said, one of my favourite moments from this portion of the day was Kyle's gift to Lorissa ... and new puppy! Suffice it to say it was probably the cutest dog I have seen in a very long time and you can tell from the photos, Lorissa fell in love immediately
Once everyone was done getting ready, I headed over to the church to get photos of the guests arriving. It also gave me a chance to check out the church, which I had never been to before. It was a pretty big one an luckily so, because Lorissa and Kyle just about filled the whole place with their family and friends. The ceremony itself was quite beautiful.
After the ceremony, we took care of the some of the immediate family portraits as well as my usual array of candids. There were a lot of people as I mentioned above, which means plenty of opportunities for photos.
It was then time to head on over to Fort William Historical Park for the rest of the wedding day. Once everyone arrived and took a minute to regroup, we hopped on the shuttle bus and headed over to the Fort. That's where we got all the wedding party portraits done. It is by far one of the most beautiful locations in town to take photos, so I feel very lucky anytime I'm able to do so.
Even better was that Lorissa and Kyle left a lot of time for us to spend there, so we weren't rushed at all. After all the portraits were done it was time to head back to the main building where the ceremony would be taking place. There was still some time to spare so a lot of the wedding party and some of the guests used that windows to relax in the parking lot before everything began.
The final part of my evening was the ceremony itself. I was only there to cover some of it, but the time was I there, I managed to capture a wide variety of guest photos and of course the wedding party entrance as well as a couple speeches. As with most of the weddings I do, it went by very fast. I couldn't have asked for a more fun couple to follow around for a day in Lorissa and Kyle!
Maureen + Ryan Wedding
I didn't really know what to expect going into Maureen and Ryan's wedding, which took place this past weekend in their backyard. It was going to be a short wedding as they only had me for 2 hours so I knew I had to work extra hard to make sure I capture enough moments without really forcing anything. Well, lucky for me, a lot happened in that 2 hours and it may go down as my most unique wedding to date.
As soon as I arrived, I was greeted by a very inquisitive family dog who just wanted someone to throw his tennis ball. Sadly, I just didn't have the time to do so, instead I took a nice photo. I then made my way around the property a bit and inspected where everything would be taking place. As soon as I found the tent where the ceremony was going to be, I noticed a huge lifted truck painted green with skulls all around. Right then I knew, it was going to be a very different wedding.
I didn't really know what to expect going into Maureen and Ryan's wedding, which took place this past weekend in their backyard. It was going to be a short wedding as they only had me for 2 hours so I knew I had to work extra hard to make sure I capture enough moments without really forcing anything. Well, lucky for me, a lot happened in that 2 hours and it may go down as my most unique wedding to date.
As soon as I arrived, I was greeted by a very inquisitive family dog who just wanted someone to throw his tennis ball. Sadly, I just didn't have the time to do so, instead I took a nice photo. I then made my way around the property a bit and inspected where everything would be taking place. As soon as I found the tent where the ceremony was going to be, I noticed a huge lifted truck painted green with skulls all around. Right then I knew, it was going to be a very different wedding.
As guests gathered, I did my usual thing and took a lot of candid photos. Soon after, Ryan arrived driving a side by side towing his groomsmen behind them. He, along with the boys were all dressed up in very stylish came attire. That was the first of many firsts that day during any wedding that I had previously photographed. As everyone got settled and made their way to the tent area, the bridesmaids and eventually Maureen made their way toward the alter.
The backdrop for the ceremony was simply awesome, as Maureen and Ryan stood in front of his truck. As with most ceremonies these days, theirs was fairly quick, which I'm sure guests in general really appreciate. They soon sealed their vows with a kiss and it was time for another first for me. Out in the open field, they rigged a hay stay stack with some explosives. I was told, along with all the guests, to put ear plugs in. Admittedly, I wondered if they were really necessary. How loud could it be after all? Thank god I did. Andrew, who's wedding a photographed a couple years ago, set up with this monstrous rifle, and fired one shot into the hay stack. Then BOOM. The loudest explosion I have very heard could be seen off in the distance, with the ground and hay flying everywhere. It was really a site to behold.
Once the dust settled, we did all the family portraits. We used the backdrop of the open field along with a beautiful old barn for most of the portraits. Of course, we also took advantage of the big truck for a lot of truly unique photos as well. My favourite was definitely Maureen, in the back of the truck, holding the long rifle giving me one of the best bride poses ever. It was a fitting end to such a fun and unique wedding.
To be honest, that is what I love most about shooting weddings in general. I always have to be on my toes. A lot of the times I have no idea what is going to be thrown at me and I am constantly adapting to different situations. Thanks you to Maureen and Ryan for letting me be a part of their wedding day.
Shannon + Chris Wedding - River Valley Farm
Chris for the day. I had already photographed them a year earlier for their engagement photos at Lakehead University. Before we got the wedding site at River Valley Farm, my day started with the bridal party getting their hair and makeup done at La Moda.
Upon arrival, I immediately had my camera in hand and weaved my way in and out of the girls getting ready. Luckily, La Moda, is fairly spacious which allowed me to get some good angles and moments of the girls. After about 15 minutes or so, I then made my way across town to Fort William where the boys were gathered. They were already dressed so I just did my best to capture some of the interaction between all of them. I had about 15 minutes to work with again and I think I got some pretty cool shots.
Chris for the day. I had already photographed them a year earlier for their engagement photos at Lakehead University. Before we got the wedding site at River Valley Farm, my day started with the bridal party getting their hair and makeup done at La Moda.
Upon arrival, I immediately had my camera in hand and weaved my way in and out of the girls getting ready. Luckily, La Moda, is fairly spacious which allowed me to get some good angles and moments of the girls. After about 15 minutes or so, I then made my way across town to Fort William where the boys were gathered. They were already dressed so I just did my best to capture some of the interaction between all of them. I had about 15 minutes to work with again and I think I got some pretty cool shots.
The next stop after that, was back with the girls which were getting ready and Shannon and Chris's house. As you would expect, I got some getting ready photos, a few shots of the dress hanging outside and of course any pets I could find, which in this case was just their dog. The two cats decided not to come out. After Shannon gave her bridesmaids their gifts, which they absolutely loved, it was off to Vickers Park for the 'first look'.
For the first look, Shannon actually put them time in at the house to wear a very vintage and 'different' looking wedding dress over top of her actual dress, just to see Chris's reaction on the first look. I was even laughing as she was putting it on, as were the bridesmaids. Well, she didn't quite get the reaction she was expecting. As Chris saw her walking towards her at the park, he looked more confused then anything. Once she told him what was going on, he let out a smile and a laugh. I could totally see why he would be hesitant to laugh because, in the off chance that it was the actual dress. It was a genuine moment and one of my favourites of the day. Shannon then took it off and we redid the first look and it was just as good as the real first one.
I then packed up my stuff, hopped in my car and made the very beautiful drive out to River Valley Farm. The weather was threatening with rain all day but in the end, it all worked out and it didn’t rain at all. The sun even came out here and there which was awesome. As the guests arrived I wandered around the big property and took a whole lot of candids of pretty much everyone. That is my favourite part of the day, because it allows me to just sit back and become part of the crowd and document everything.
As the ceremony was set to begin, I got into position and made sure I some good photos of the wedding party walking with the backdrop of the barn in the background. It’s hard to picture a nice setting for a wedding. The ceremony itself was pretty quick, but I managed to still find some great angles and special moments throughout. Immediately after the ceremony, we got all the family portraits done, which then lead into all the wedding party photos. There are so many great backdrops at River Valley Farm but we just stuck the ceremony area where there were two enormous trees as well as a white picket fence overlooking the distant fields and mountains. It sure made my job very easy.
The last part of the day was the reception which took place in the barn, and it was the perfect setting too. The reception was perfectly spaced out and Shannon and Chris really outdid themselves with the food. In total, there were 6 courses, if I’m not mistaken, and they were all prepared using different vendors and suppliers in the city. Every single course was really good, and I’m not just saying that. There was also an old couch set up by the desert table, so I suggested that anyone who wants their photo taken tap me on the shoulder and I would happy to oblige. As it turned out, almost every guest at one point or another wanted their photo taken on it. So it worked out perfectly! It goes to show you, you don’t always need a ‘photo booth’ necessarily.
Throughout the evening there were some wonderful speeches, the first dance of course and as always, special little moments in between that I simply had to look for and capture. All in all, it was such a fun wedding day. Even though I travelled to multiple locations through the day, I had absolutely no problem doing so as it kept things interesting and exciting. I am always thankful to shoot at River Valley Farm too because it is by far one of the nice locations in town. The Veurinks were very kind to let Shannon and Chris use it. Lastly, thanks to Shannon and Chris for choosing me to capture their special day. I’m truly honoured.
Below you will find a very sampling of some of the highlights from the day. Also, as I do with all my weddings, please take a moment to watch a short black and white slideshow.
Leanne + Peter Wedding
My first official wedding of the year was a short one for me, just 3 hours, but I came away with so many great photos, you would think it was much longer. Leanne and Peter decided to get married down at the Thunder Bay Marina. They live in the condo right on the water, so it made perfect sense. Before everyone made their way to the marina, everyone hung out in their condo, which gave me ample time to capture a lot of moments. It was a very laid back and easy going wedding. There was no first look, or anything like that, just everyone getting ready and celebrating before the actual wedding.
My first official wedding of the year was a short one for me, just 3 hours, but I came away with so many great photos, you would think it was much longer. Leanne and Peter decided to get married down at the Thunder Bay Marina. They live in the condo right on the water, so it made perfect sense. Before everyone made their way to the marina, everyone hung out in their condo, which gave me ample time to capture a lot of moments. It was a very laid back and easy going wedding. There was no first look, or anything like that, just everyone getting ready and celebrating before the actual wedding.
Since we were on the main floor, I was able to get a few quick family picks out on the front lawn. Then, once everyone arrived, we all made our way to the marina. It was a short walk, but it was yet another chance for me to get some good candid photos of the guests and of course, Leanne and Peter. The actually ceremony only took about 20 minutes, it was short and sweet. All in all I would estimate about 20-25 people in total. So it was a small and intimate wedding.
Once the ceremony was over, I pulled Leanne and Peter off to the side and captured some quick portraits of them down at the marina. I kept it very casual, with very natural portraits. It was easy on my part because they were both very relaxed, so the photos turned out really good. Once we were done there, we headed back to the condo, and eventually to the roof top patio for some family portraits. It was my first time in the condo that day, and It was great to see the view from the top floor. I always wondered what it looked like from up there. I would imagine, that has to be one of the best views in all of Thunder Bay. After the family portraits were done it was time to head on over to Bight, were the reception took place.
I only spent about 30 minutes at the restaurant but while I was there, I made sure I got some awesome photos of the cake, the rings and of course some candid guest shots. Before I knew it, my time was up and I was on my way. The wedding day for me went by so fast but I feel like I came away with so many great captured moments. Leanne and Peter were so nice and so was their whole family. Thanks as always to everyone for making my first wedding of the season such a fun one!
Please take the time to view highlights from the day below. Also, as I always do, I created a short black and white wedding slideshow with some of my favourite moments.
Jennifer + Robert Wedding
My last wedding of the season was actually the most interesting one of the year. It was a surprise wedding! Yup, my first ever surprise wedding. Usually when I shoot them, everyone actually knows exactly what is going on. In this case, Jennifer invited about 25 of her closest friends and family over, for what they thought, was going to be family portraits. Admittedly, I was a tiny bit nervous because I only had an hour and half to work with and I wanted to make sure I came away with a lot of great moments. Well, it couldn't have gone any better, as the photos turned out great.
My last wedding of the season was actually the most interesting one of the year. It was a surprise wedding! Yup, my first ever surprise wedding. Usually when I shoot them, everyone actually knows exactly what is going on. In this case, Jennifer invited about 25 of her closest friends and family over, for what they thought, was going to be family portraits. Admittedly, I was a tiny bit nervous because I only had an hour and half to work with and I wanted to make sure I came away with a lot of great moments. Well, it couldn't have gone any better, as the photos turned out great.
It was of course, all indoors at Jennifer and Roberts house. When I first got there, Jennifer gave me the scenario for the evening. I walked around snapping candid photos of the guests and then when it was time, Jennifer and Robert snuck away to get ready quickly. I was to gather all the guest into the living room and tell them to get ready for 'family portraits'. Once everyone eventually made their way into the room, that is when Robert first entered and then Jennifer. The shock on almost everyone's faces was priceless. I think I got quite a few great expressions too. I think I even heard some 'I told you so's' too. A few guests had a feeling of what was going on I presume. All in all, it was such a unique experience for me and I was happy to be a part of it.
I must say, it was a bit challenging to photograph because we were all gathered around the tree in Jennifer's living room. Don't get me wrong, she has a lovely house and it has a ton of space, but when 25 people are in one room it's not the most spacious scenario. Luckily, there was a hallway that looped around the living room and I was able to run around it without interrupting the ceremony. The ceremony itself only lasted about 20 minutes, then we did some quick portraits and everyone congratulated the bride and groom. It was a very laid back wedding which made for some truly natural moments. Before I left, I made sure to get a few photos of Jennifer and Robert in front of their wonderful cake and also a couple shots of the rings.
I couldn't have asked for a better way to finish off the wedding season. I really can't wait for next years wedding season to get there. Thanks as always to Jennifer and Robert for letting me be a part of their special day.
Jesalynn + Chris Wedding - Fort William Historical Park
Jesalynn and Chris celebrated their wedding just under a month ago and I was lucky enough to be chosen to photograph it. My day started at the Lakehead Unitarian Fellowship Church which is where the ceremony took place. It's a very small church but it was the perfect venue for an intimate wedding. It was a also a great place to photograph a ceremony because it had huge a lot of windows that let in a ton of natural light, which made for some good dramatic shots.
Jesalynn and Chris celebrated their wedding just under a month ago and I was lucky enough to be chosen to photograph it. My day started at the Lakehead Unitarian Fellowship Church which is where the ceremony took place. It's a very small church but it was the perfect venue for an intimate wedding. It was a also a great place to photograph a ceremony because it had huge a lot of windows that let in a ton of natural light, which made for some good dramatic shots.
As I waited for Jesalynn to make her way down the aisle, I roamed around and captured a ton of candid shots of the guests and the groomsmen. Once Jesalynn was ready to do the walk, all the guests rose up and watched as she made the walk. I was able to go about anywhere in the church which was awesome for angles and to also be as discreet as possible. I'd like to think I'm pretty quite on my feet during a wedding but maybe I'm completely wrong! I hope not.
Once the wedding was over, Jesalynn really wanted to get a large group shot outside the church and that was exactly what we did! Even though it was very, very cold out. It ended up being one of my favourite photos of the day.
Jesalynn and Chris both work at Starbucks so they had the great idea of heading over there after the ceremony to get some truly unique and fun photos. I say we spent about almost an hour there and it was totally worth. I absolutely love when wedding couples are willing to go to public places like that.
It was then time to head to the reception which was at Fort William Historical Park. I have done many weddings here so I know how beautiful the room is there. It's very easy for a photographer like me to walk around freely and capture a ton of moments. I mixed in the usual candids with some more portraits of the groomsmen and bridesmaids with Chris and Jesalynn. I didn't spend the reception with them, but I did manage to get the first dance photos and some of the speeches. Also, Jesalynn was kind enough to feed me dinner so I got the chance to have some amazing food. Overall, the entire day was very laid back but super fun. Both Jesalynn and Chris are probably two of the nicest people I have ever met and I am so thankful I was able to be a part of their wedding day.
Lacey + Andy Wedding
This past October saw another fun filled wedding with Lacey and Andy. They were such a fun, happy couple to photograph. Every time I turned around to take a photo of them or even someone else, they were always laughing and smiling. You could just feel the joy the whole day. It really came through in almost every photo I took that day.
I met up with both of them in the early afternoon at the Victoria Inn. We weren’t there long but I did manage to get some photos of them getting ready and before we all headed off to Vickers Park. Once we got to Vickers Park, Lacey and Any did a bit of housekeeping, to make sure everything was in order and then we spent some time getting the wedding party portraits done. Vickers is such a beautiful location and the weather was so nice for an October afternoon.
This past October saw another fun filled wedding with Lacey and Andy. They were such a fun, happy couple to photograph. Every time I turned around to take a photo of them or even someone else, they were always laughing and smiling. You could just feel the joy the whole day. It really came through in almost every photo I took that day.
I met up with both of them in the early afternoon at the Victoria Inn. We weren’t there long but I did manage to get some photos of them getting ready and before we all headed off to Vickers Park. Once we got to Vickers Park, Lacey and Any did a bit of housekeeping, to make sure everything was in order and then we spent some time getting the wedding party portraits done. Vickers is such a beautiful location and the weather was so nice for an October afternoon.
After Vickers, Lacey and Andy wanted to get a few quick portraits at Kam Park, which is always a great location that I don’t think a lot of people, especially weddings, even consider. By that point I already had a ton of photos and we hadn’t even gotten to the ceremony portion of the day yet. By the time we got back to Vickers Park, guests were beginning to arrive so I went into full candid mode, just capturing moments between guests and the wedding party itself.
Shortly after, the ceremony began and of course there were tears but also a lot of laughter, because that’s what Andy and Lacey are all about. It was a very intimate ceremony with all the guests gathered around the happy couple in the middle of the park. It was a photographers dream, because I could just roam around wherever I liked not having to worry about really getting the way.
Once the ceremony was done Lacey and Andy were congratulated and we got a few more important family member photos. The Columbus Centre was the next stop and where the reception took place. This was the first time I had photographed here and it was really a nice venue. Plus, the food was amazing! Lacey and Andy had a neat little photo printing station set up for guests and a few other details spread out that really made the ceremony unique. Instead of a receiving line, they just decided to mingle around the room with guests which was perfect, because it allowed me to get some great photos of everyone before the dinner and everything else actually started.
The speeches were done while dinner was served which really kept everything moving. Honestly, every speech was quite entertaining too. Once of the funniest things I saw that night was everyone gathered around the TV in the lobby watching the Blue Jays game. They did end up wining too, so what more could you ask for. My night ended after the garter toss, which, by looking at the very last photo I posted on here, got quite the reaction.
I couldn’t have asked for a more easy going and fun wedding couple to photograph. They made my day so easy and I had such a great time following Lacey and Andy around for the day.
Heidi + Rob Wedding
As the wedding season winds down for me, it's easy to look back on the year and really appreciate all the amazing couples I had the chance to photograph. Case in point, I was lucky enough to have the opportunity to document Heidi and Rob's wedding day. My day started in the early afternoon at the Prince Arthur Hotel where Rob and the guys were getting ready.
When as I arrived, I was great by all the guys, all of whom I was meeting for the first time. I'm a pretty easy going guy so after the quick introductions I just settled in and started taking a ton of candid photos, along with some detail shots. Shortly after I arrived, Rob's father showed up for a bit and helped him prepare for his big day. I came way with so many good photos from that part of the day.
As the wedding season winds down for me, it's easy to look back on the year and really appreciate all the amazing couples I had the chance to photograph. Case in point, I was lucky enough to have the opportunity to document Heidi and Rob's wedding day. My day started in the early afternoon at the Prince Arthur Hotel where Rob and the guys were getting ready.
When as I arrived, I was great by all the guys, all of whom I was meeting for the first time. I'm a pretty easy going guy so after the quick introductions I just settled in and started taking a ton of candid photos, along with some detail shots. Shortly after I arrived, Rob's father showed up for a bit and helped him prepare for his big day. I came way with so many good photos from that part of the day.
The more weddings I do, the more I realize they aren't following the traditional structure. For Rob and Heidi's wedding, they wanted to do a first look, which took place at Waverly Park and then all of their portraits as well. I'm hoping more couples continue to do it this way, because it really does leave more time for all the formal (and candid) portraits. Plus, it usually gives the bride and groom a bit of a break from the day and it allows them to spend just a bit of time together 'alone'.
At Waverly Park, we did the first look photos as I mentioned above, and then it was a no brainer to get some photos in front of the law school. Prior to the wedding, Heidi asked if it were a good idea to get some smoke bombs, and I immediately said yes, of course. Well, we put the first couple ones to use in park as you can see from a couple of the photos below. This was my first time shooting with smoke bombs so it was a learning curve for me. I think it worked out pretty good though.
Once we were done at Waverly Park we headed to the back alley off of Court Street. That may sound a bit odd, but it's actually pretty darn cool. All the walls have graffiti on them and it's just overall a very unique backdrop. Luckily we saved a couple smoke bombs so we used them up in the alley. By far, some of my favourite photos came from this portion of the shoot. I will definitely be suggesting other couples to potentially get smoke a smoke bomb or two. I have so many ideas now, after Heidi and Rob's wedding.
The last stop for portraits, was Heidi and Rob's new house that they just recently moved into. They wanted some photos in and out of the house, which I thought was the perfect location because it obviously meant so much to them. It was such a beautiful house too. It almost impossible not to come away with some great photos. I could have easily spent an hour in their just photographing their actual house, because it was so nicely decorated!
The ceremony took place at The Red Lion, which is a restaurant/bar downtown. Downtown Thunder Bay is continuing to get more and more great venues and The Red Lion is right up there as one of the coolest ones. I was so excited to get the chance to shoot a wedding inside of it. The way they had it all set up and decorated set the perfect mood for the ceremony. Everything was just so laid back and casual that it really came through in the photos. The funky atmosphere totally suited Heidi and Rob too.
Lastly, the reception took place at yet another amazing venue, Bight Restaurant & Bar. I have been to Bight a few times before but never to shoot a wedding reception. Upon entering the reception, Heidi and Rob had a photo station set up where they took photos of the guests with Instax Mini 8's. The resulting photos were placed on a wooden frame. The guests had fun getting their photos taken and it was really great idea, one that I see more and more couples doing. Of course, later in the evening, I still surprised Rob and Heidi with my own prints from the day. :)
Just like the ceremony, the reception was laid back too. Speeches were mixed in with dinner and drinks so all the guests could mingle and have a good time during the entire night. The dancing took place in the adjoining hallway which also served as the perfect place for guests to hangout. The entire day just flew by, mainly because I had so much fun, and Rob and Heidi were such a blast to photograph. Please be sure to view the photos below, but not before you watch a short black and white slideshow showing some of my favourite photos of the day.
Alexa + Shawn Wedding - Mine Centre
Ok, so where to start? Officially Alexa and Shawn celebrated their wedding at the begging of October but it really did feel more like an adventure! The wedding took place in Mine Centre, and the reception in Fort Frances, which is 45 minutes away. Since the wedding was out of town, my wife Anne joined me and we made it a little getaway at the same time. I am so used to doing weddings alone here in town that it was so great having my wife join me for this one. Plus, it gave her a chance to relax while I shot the wedding on the Saturday.
Ok, so where to start? Officially Alexa and Shawn celebrated their wedding at the begging of October but it really did feel more like an adventure! The wedding took place in Mine Centre, and the reception in Fort Frances, which is 45 minutes away. Since the wedding was out of town, my wife Anne joined me and we made it a little getaway at the same time. I am so used to doing weddings alone here in town that it was so great having my wife join me for this one. Plus, it gave her a chance to relax while I shot the wedding on the Saturday.
Alexa gave us very easy instructions from the get go on how to get to Mine Centre which is right off the highway. That didn't stop us from missing the road to the house which was so easy to spot. We eventually realized our mistake and made it to Alexa and Shawn's house and the eventual wedding venue. Right away I got excited because I was able to quickly see what I would be photographing the following day. Since we arrived in the middle of the afternoon it gave us a chance to settle in at the beautiful cabin down the road that we stayed at that night. I can't thank Alexa enough for putting us up at the cabin right on the water, we couldn't have asked for a more beautiful location. Suffice it say, we immediately unpacked our stuff and sat on the dock for a bit.
Before we knew it, it was time to head into Fort Frances for the dinner that evening for family. Just before we arrived at the place it was being held, we saw some intense fog on the country road and knew we had to keep driving a bit more to get some epic photos. If you want to see some photos from that short experience, check out my personal blog.
After that, we made our way to the dinner. The food was really good and it was also nice to see Alexa and Shawn again, as well as their family and friends. Once everyone was done eating, Alexa and Shawn opened some of the gifts. Of course I made sure to get some photos. As it wrapped up, Anne and I made the drive back to the cottage to relax.
The next day, which was the wedding was a whirlwind of a day. I pretty much on my feet the whole day, just like everyone else, and it went by so fast. I started with the getting ready shots of both Alexa and Shawn, which then led into the first look and eventually the ceremony. This all took place right along the gorgeous lake, and it ended up being the perfect day. Although, I would have preferred if it was a bit cooler, but then again, I'm used sweating constantly during summer/fall weddings.
When the ceremony was finished, Alexa and Shawn and the rest of the wedding party and immediate family formed the receiving line. This gave me a chance to just walk around get even more candid shots of the guest. We also did some family portraits while everyone was gathered and one of my favourite shots of the day was an overhead photo of absolutely everyone releasing balloons into the air. It's not often I have the opportunity to get up high over the guests like that.
As the guests dispersed we just kept going. Next up were the bridal party portraits which we drove a couple minutes down the road to, at an empty field with bales of hay. As you would expect it was the perfect location to do the wedding party portraits. Not only as the grass nice and high, but we were able to use the hay bales and the sun was in perfect position, slowly setting in behind the field.
Because we had a little more time, we managed to actually head over to where Anne and I were staying and get some more portraits on the dock. I could easily spend hours shooting portraits so it was nice that they left enough time to go to a couple different locations. Once we were done those the wedding party left and I went inside grabbed my stuff and Anne, who had already packed everything up, and we headed off the Fort Frances. What came next was probably the scariest moment of my wedding photography career.
So, I though we were making good time because we left right away but I was a bit worried because the portraits at the dock did run a bit long and we only had about a half hour to get to the hotel because the reception started at 6. Only the drive takes about 40 minutes. As soon as we arrived at the hotel we checked in fairly fast and eventually found our room, I did the quickest change of clothes, didn't even shower, packed my bag, and headed out the door down the hall to the reception. It was probably the quickest I had ever gotten ready.
As I made my way to the reception I expected people to be making their way in and maybe the wedding party would be arriving too. Well ... as I walked in, absolutely everyone was in the seats, the lights were dim and Alexa was doing her dance with her Dad!!! My heart literally sank. I missed the first dance between Alexa and Shawn. I froze for a moment but then immediately grabbed my camera and just started taking photos. That's all I could do. Shortly after the Mother and Son dance Alexa came up to me and I apologized profusely. Never have I ever missed an important moment like that during a wedding. I actually pride myself, especially being a one man show, on being able to capture all those really important moments. In the end, Alexa had thought I was already there and that's why they started the first dance. She completely understood, I think, and they just redid the first dance again later in the evening. Wheww. I think I still have panic attacks about those few minutes though.
The rest of the reception went off flawlessly and I got so many great photos. And yes, that included the 'first dance'. I must say too, the food was amazing, and, Anne and I were pleasantly surprised by the 'second meal' later in the evening, which was also extremely tasty. It was very long day but it didn't feel like it because I had so much fun. It also helped that Anne joined me of the reception and we sat at such a fun table too. I couldn't have asked for a more easy going and sincere couple in Alexa and Shawn. I think the turnaround on this wedding for photos might be a new record for in just over 3 weeks especially with how many weddings I have had this summer, but I was very anxious to go through all the photos and eventually present them to Alexa and Shawn. I just hope they like them as much as I do!
