When I came across this floral arch I was transfixed...and then promptly swept off my feet and transported to the English countryside where I swear this wedding could have taken place. In fact, Kira and Brendon's September wedding took place in British Columbia's Okanagan Valley at Kelowna's Mission Creek Country Inn. Could have fooled me.
Read MoreEarlier this week on Vale + Vine, I featured an exotic West Coast inspiration shoot by Blush Wedding Photography that incorporated lush botanicals and had my imagination wandering off to some far-flung tropical destination. So I found it utterly striking to see Adrian Michael's West Coast inspiration shoot styled with a completely different look and feel--one that conjured up an intimate beach-side ceremony or elopement, with a luxurious Tofino lodge or cozy B+B to duck into as an evening storm rolled in. I love the contrast between the two shoots and how similar environments can inspire completely different styles for two very different types of brides.
Read MoreThere is so much that draws me in to this Mount Seymour engagement session by Vancouver photographer Nadia Hung. From Ksenia's Russian-style hat and red leather gloves, to the falling snow and the deep hush that comes with it--all of the elements keep me returning to the images for another look. I love that Kevin and Ksenia seem to be enveloped not only by their cozy plaid blanket and snug textured wardrobe, but by nature itself, ensconced in the solitude and depths of winter, warmed by their love for one another. Simplicity, style, setting...they all work well together here and Nadia captures both the emotion and environment so well. I am really excited about featuring more of Nadia's stunning photography here on Vale + Vine.
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!
Read MoreI decided to end the first week of Vale + Vine's soft launch with a feature of my own to remind myself, and share with my first viewers, why I've embarked on such an enterprise. I have spent the past five years living in California fine-tuning my photography business, becoming a part of the fine art wedding community, and returning to my roots as a film photographer. Throughout these years, I've noticed a slow trickle of the fine art influences beginning to influence the wedding industry in Canada, and I've wondered what would happen if more Canadians embraced this aesthetic--not just in terms of photography, but in terms of the entire wedding experience.
Read MoreWhile I am Canadian through and through, I certainly don't mind celebrating Thanksgiving twice over (though I do start playing Christmas carols mid-way through November…I just can't wait). Seeing as how I married an American, it seems only fitting that we end the harvest season with a meal of Thanksgiving. That being said, I wanted to keep things short and sweet today (well, more tart than sweet) and share a few spectacular frames from Kristy Ryan's engagement shoot in a sea of cranberries. Kristy Ryan of Blush Wedding Photography photographed Mike + Julie's engagement photos at a cranberry farm in British Columbia with breathtaking results and I love that they're making an appearance here on Vale + Vine. Happy Thanksgiving to my American family and friends…and let the Christmas festivities begin in earnest!
Read MoreWith mind-boggling snows blasting the east coast, I have to say that out west I'm feeling a twinge of winter envy. That being said, this cozy winter session photographed by Christie Graham on a sunny winter's day in Pemberton, British Columbia, will more than suffice!
There are so many elements I love about these images: the bride's iceberg-blue gemstone, the emphasis on texture and sunlight contrasting the cool tones and frosty landscape, the couple's natural embraces so tenderly captured by Christie whose fingers were no doubt laced with a chill, But the aspect that I truly admire the most about this selection of photographs is just how wonderfully uncluttered they are.
Read MoreWhen one's career centres on photographing and staring at weddings all the live long day, sometimes imagery can become...predictable. In a society saturated with images, it can be easier to copy ideas than it is to harness inspiration and create original content. I'm not saying every bride has to be a creative tour de force, but there are tools to help one from being overwhelmed by the endless variety of options.
Last month at Joy Thigpen's Creative Direction and Styling workshop, Joy talked about the use of specific words to help determine which ideas would fit into a wedding's overall aesthetic. She provides clients with a list of words, and from that list the couple picks out ones that resonate with their vision the most. The list is then whittled down to about 8-10 words. If an idea doesn't fit within that list of words, it's easily eliminated. This concept provides the couple with a framework to help them avoid stress and encourage creativity. Try it yourself or ask your stylist, planner, or photographer if they offer creative direction for weddings.
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