When Elizabeth Messina hosts a photography workshop, you can be dead certain that the ambience, lighting, and details are going to be on point. Here, workshop attendee Maru Photography of Vancouver shares a collection of moody images that exude an old world appeal in a new world setting. Photographed at Sunstone Winery in Santa Ynez, California, the inspiration captured could be executed beautifully at a number of Canada's own wineries or perhaps on a private estate. Russian olive trees are plentiful across the Canadian landscape which would make for a perfect substitute in the absence of more traditional species. And of course, roses are in no short supply....
Read MoreIf there's a Vancouver setting I love most for its ability to host an outdoor wedding without a backup rain location, it's Hycroft Manor. Elegant and photogenic both on the inside and out, with an enormous portico offering protection from the elements yet still affording opportunities for naturally lit photographs, Hycroft Manor is an ideal setting for a wedding that blends nature and elegance at the heart of one of North America's most vibrant cities. During Vale + Vine's celebration week marking 50 posts, and almost 3 months of life online, I couldn't be more pleased to feature Julian + Thanh's wedding photographed by Adrian Michael, who has so generously supported Vale + Vine throughout its beginnings....
Read MoreNatural and bespoke, this Okanagan wedding encompasses a rich breadth of beauty and emotion. As I sifted through these lovely images from Jenna Hill Photography, I couldn't help but wonder what it would be like for someone 75 years from now to stumble upon this collection--bound in a handcrafted album or lovingly set in a keepsake box--and spend an afternoon reflecting on the love shared here, the beauty of Zoe + Scott's wedding day, and the artistry that allowed these moments to be captured and preserved. But that nostalgic thought isn't likely to become a reality if these images don't find themselves printed and preserved...which is not something we do enough of these days....
Read MoreThe vibrant colours, the bride's radiant smile, and Jennifer Blair's warm, emotive images, are singing out to me of all that is merry and bright in the wedding world this Christmas season. I'm always so impressed when elegance and warmth are blended well, and Nicole and Jonathan's celebration really makes that marriage of characteristics appear seamless.
Read MoreI love when creative visions come to fruition and are revealed in ways I wouldn't have imagined, so when a Manitoba wedding with a distinctly European flair made its way to my inbox, I was more than curious. Sandra and Chad's Parisian-inspired wedding day was full of luxurious style, a succinct colour palette, and settings that emanated an old-world feel. From the bride's lace Maggie Sottero 'Madrid' gown and flattering neo-classically-styled bridesmaid dresses, to the architectural ruins of a Trappist Monastery and historic elegance of the Fort Garry Hotel, this wedding feels positively continental. Of course it doesn't hurt that the bride, Sandra, seems to possess a certain je ne sais quoi which lends an aura of beauty and mystique to the entire event. What a lovely day, immaculately planned by Amanda Douglas Events and elegantly captured by BLF Studios.
Read MoreLast week Blush Wedding Photography was featured here on Vale + Vine, but Kristy's images of the cranberry farm engagement session were just a little teaser and hopefully left viewers wanting to see more. Kristy and I met at Jose Villa's photography workshop in Mexico 3 years ago, and since then I've loved watching her flourish in her work--last month, Blush Wedding Photography won Best Wedding Photographer in BC, an honour extended by the Canadian Wedding Industry Awards. Kristy's photography often features a flair for the exotic, which is no surprise seeing as how she and her husband are true globetrotters--Kristy has traveled to over 50 countries. With that in mind, I'm excited to start off the week with an exotic styled shoot perfect for brides planning destination weddings or planners and stylists needing a little inspiration for their clients' spring weddings. Because as planner friend Nicole Sihlis of Created Lovely recently noted, "Whoever came up with the term 'off season' forgot about planners"...so true!
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