Intimate Wedding at Wild Renfrew and Botanical Beach in Port Renfrew // Holly and Alessandro

Holly and Alessandro host their nearest and dearest at Wild Renfrew for their wild and intimate Botany Beach Wedding Ceremony // Victoria Wedding Photographers

Since moving to Sooke on Vancouver Island a couple years , Port Renfrew quickly became one of our (if not our most) very favourite places.  A quiet, rugged, wild, and mysterious pocket of coast line takes the breath away of every visitor. Winter storms are dramatic, wildlife is abundant, and the landscape is humbling. Our first trip there was a cold and grey November day as huge green waves crashed against layers of black angular lava rock. Like liquid glass colliding against a book of razors. We could only stand there and stare, mouths agape. Just around a bend from there, a short hike through twisted cedars, sitkas and firs, is a smooth refuge of flat beach, sheltered from ocean winds and pock marked by tide pools that teem with sea life.  One doesn't need to wonder why Holly and Alessandro, geologists, would choose this on all places to host their family for their intimate wedding. 

Holly and Ale got ready for their day at the Wild Renfrew cabins, overlooking the Port of San Juan, and mountains filled with new and ancient growth forests.  As a small group, their friends and family walked down to Botany Bay and gathered closely for their ceremony officiated by an inviting and humourous  Port Renfrew local Reet Buckler.  Eagles soared overhead, sea lions played in the kelp bed, and waves crashed rhythmically on the rocks.  After the ceremony and champagne, we stole away with Holly and Ale to explore the coast more for some adventurous portraits.

Thank Holly and Ale for having us there to be a part of your beautiful, natural, an intimate day. We hope you love the photos!

Intimate Spring Wedding at Stanley Park Pavilion // Hilary & Chris

Hilary and Chris host their intimate spring wedding at one of Vancouver's most iconic wedding venues, Stanley Park Pavilion // Victoria Wedding Photographers

It's iconic, it's romantic, it's timeless, it's subtly grand. Stanley Park Pavilion is one of Vancouver's most recognizable and desirable wedding venues. Plunked in the middle of Stanley Park in downtown, it feels like a remote destination. It's no wonder that Hilary and Chris wanted this gorgeous property to host their classic wedding. 

Hilary and Chris started for their day at Westin Bayshore, with views of downtown, Burrard Inlet, the North Shore mountains and Stanley Park.  After a sweet first look, we ventured over to Stanley Park, where Chris proposed, for photos before their intimate, indoor, standing ceremony by the pavilion's beautiful fireplace.  After the vows were exchanged, and the champagne popped, it was time to party!  A very special musical performance kicked off the celebration, followed by dinner and speeches and a whole lot of dancing!

Thank you Hilary and Chris for having us there to celebrate with you! We hope you love the photos! 

Thank you to our second shooter, Laura Scotten for your help that evening!

Whonnock Lake Centre Wedding in Maple Ridge // Melanie and Matt

Melanie and Matt's intimate December wedding at Whonnock Lake Centre in Vancouver // Victoria Wedding Photographers

2017 was a fantastic year!  We travelled all around Victoria, Vancouver Island, Vancouver, BC, Canada, and globally to photograph some truly amazing celebrations.  It was so great to finish on such a high note, photographing Melanie and Matt’s intimate wedding at Whonnock Lake Centre in Maple Ridge.

 Late autumn weddings in Vancouver area always make us think rainy, foggy, misty delight, and always makes for a cozy warm indoor affair.  Melanie and Matt’s wedding was all of those things!  Whonnock Lake with it’s wooden beams strung with lights, the views of a mist covered lake, and floor to ceiling cathedral windows is the perfect place to host such an event.  We love weddings that end up taking place just before the cusp of holiday season, because they always seem that people are extra chatty, extra huggy, and extra emotional as they catch up with people they haven’t seen for a long time, meet new and interesting people, and celebrate the love around them.  It was clear that all Melanie and Matt’s loved ones and friends were having the time of their lives, and enjoying a memorable evening together: as we photographed the evening, it felt that we were photographing a big family reunion with so much closeness, photo booth fun, and dancing joy! 

Thank you Melanie and Matt for having us there to join your family and friends in such a personal and intimate moment in your lives. We hope you love the photos!

Thanks so much to Summer Rayne Photography for coming along to be our second shooter for the day! We appreciate your help and amazing talent!

McKenzie Bight Engagement Photos // Amanda and Alex and puppy, Kenzie

Amanda and Alex (and their puppy Kenzie) explore the trails at McKenzie Bight in Victoria during their engagement photos // Victoria Wedding Photographers

If you know us (or even just passed us on the street haha), you know we're crazy about dogs. You can imagine the excitement we had this month when we photographed not one, not two, but three engagement sessions in a row that featured our couples' furry best friends!  Our most recent were Amanda and Alex, and the new addition to their family, Kenzie, who was named after one of Amanda and Alex's favourite Victoria trails, and the location of our engagement session with them: McKenzie Bight Trail.

With the rain storms that have been pouring down on the west coast lately, we ended up hitting the sunny-autumn-day-jackpot on our photos with Amanda and Alex.  It was fun to get to know Alex and Amanda as we explored around the trail that these two have grown so fond of,  and to watch as sunlight filtered through the leaves, as their puppy dashed around up and down the trails, and as heaps of seals floated around the base of a river waiting for fish as the sun dipped behind the hills.  Amanda and Alex have such a great connection, and have so much fun together that we just can't wait for their Metchosin wedding at Pearson College next year.

Thanks so much for spending a fun afternoon with us, Amanda and Alex! We hope you love your photos as much as us!

Foggy, Rainy, Puppy-y Engagement Photos at Mount Douglas // Melanie and Matt

Melanie, Matt and their puppy Nova explore Mount Doug in Victoria during their rainy engagement session // Victoria Wedding Photographers

With Melanie and Matt's December wedding fast approaching, we were so happy to hear they had a bit of time to take for themselves to visit friends in Victoria!  What a perfect opportunity for us to do some engagement photos with them, and meet their sweet puppy, Nova.  Having photographed at Mount Doug in the summer, we thought it would a great place to go with Melanie and Matt. We daydreamed about sunkissed autumn leaves trees at the base of the mountain, and miles and miles of stunning views at the top, that they could experience as out-of-towners.  Well, everything works in theory! Ha ha ha! The fog and mist rolled in creating a very dramatic atmosphere around the whole mountain, which was pretty amazing to take in. We were pretty excited for the images it would create.  The rain followed shortly after; starting up the second we took the lens caps off our cameras.  Being outdoor wedding photographers on Vancouver Island's wet coast, we've gotten comfortable working in all types of weather, but we were so glad to see how easily and enthusiastically Matt and Melanie embraced the rain and fog!  They were all laughs and giggles as their puppy dashed through puddles, and as their clothes became drenched in rain drops.  Even with the dense fog at the top of the mountain, we were still able to take in some spectacular views as tree tops and hills jutted out here and there through the mist. It created an isolated feeling, blanket-like atmosphere: perfect for enjoying some cuddles under their umbrella together!

Thanks Melanie and Matt for dancing and skipping in the rain with us, and bringing silly sweet Nova along for us to meet.  We're excited for the wedding!

Reykjavik Elopement in Iceland // Farrah and Lance

Farrah and Lance elope in Iceland at the Blue Lagoon, black beaches, with a sunset vow exchange at Seljalandsfoss // Victoria Wedding and Elopement Photographers

We met Farrah and Lance through our friend Emma of Emma McCormmick Creative, and were so excited when they told us that they wanted to elope in Iceland and have us there to take the photos!  Like all of our couples, Farrah and Lance had their own unique way of doing their elopement, and we loved photographing the whole experience.  Farrah and Lance had a not-so-secret elopement, and even had a handful of family members and friends along to share in the day.  A mini wedding! We  love it!  

The day started out dark, with rain clouds looming over Reykjavik and as far as we could see: we assumed that our lucky weather streak had run out.  Our only option for the day was to follow the road in any direction that might lead us towards any sort of light. What a great decision that ended up being!

Black lava rocks, topped with bright green moss is what covers most of the Reykjanes Peninsula where we decided to head.  At Blue Lagoon, the vibrantly blue pools of water cut a contrasting path through the green and black blanket. They're made all the more vivid by their stark white silica borders.  For Farrah and Lance's first look, it made for a very surreal setting, even as rain threatened to pour on them.  From there we headed east, where we were treated to black sand beaches; their grassy dunes stretching for thousands of acres. Here we found an absolute absence of people, and warm sunlight bursting through dense fog, creating an otherworldly and romantic atmosphere.  

Farrah and Lance had saved their vows just for Iceland, and they were hoping to be able to exchange them at a waterfall at some point through the day.  As the day wound down and the sun began to set, we made our way further east to Seljalandsfoss, stopping along the way to visit with some Icelandic horses, and trying to coax them into cuddles with the promise of apples. We made it to Seljalandsfoss just in time for a glorious sunset, which couldn't have been more perfect for Farrah and Lance's romantic vow exchange.

Thank you Farrah and Lance! We had such a great day with you and your squad, chasing the light, fishing for horses, and walkie-talkie-ing like truckers between our vehicles!  Congratulations to you both, we hope these memories last forever!

Snaefellnes Peninsula Iceland Elopement // Meagann & Neil

Meagann and Neil elope amongst basalt columns, waterfalls and lava fields in Iceland // Victoria Wedding Photographers

 

In our experience photographing three destination elopements in Iceland, on back to back days, we took away so many highlights to reminisce about.  We loved getting to know our couples' different personalities, how they met, and what their lives were like back home, away from this dreamland.  One thing we weren't (but should should have been) expecting was the way all three of our couples would plan and execute their elopement in their own special way.  It only magnified the romance factor of an already romantic way to marry, and we felt it gave us an even more intimate look into the couple's relationship dynamic.

If you read Jessika and Mack's elopement blog from the day before, you know that they had legally married in their home state of Colorado a few days before they left for Iceland.  They had exchanged their wedding rings, but saved their vows for their big day Iceland.  As well, Jessika's wedding dress made it all the way to Iceland without Mack seeing it, so they could get ready the traditional way; without the groom seeing the bride, even though they were going to be in the same apartment at the time!   

The following day we met with Meagann and Neil at their hotel to start the day at their Reykjavik hotel, where they'd get ready together to share the anticipation and excitement of the day.  We found it so romantic that Neil would be the person to help Meagann into her wedding gown (insert 100 heart-eyes emojis), before they looked each other up and down with huge smiles, and headed out the door.  Meagann and Neil also legally signed their marriage papers in their hometown in Ontario, where they had exchanged vows and wedding bands.  The unique twist that we love, is that while the two had their wedding bands, Meagann had not yet seen the beautiful custom sapphire engagement ring that Neil had made just for her.  What a treat for us to get to see her face as Neil opened the little wooden box for her during their ring exchange ceremony. And what better place than an isolated area of the Snaefellsnes Peninsula; at the foot of a waterfall, and overlooking an endless field of bright green, moss-blanketed lava, veined by a river speckled with swans.  The warm light shining through overhead clouds, and the misty wind that danced through Meagann's hair and gown only added more drama to an already dreamlike day.  After their ring exchange, we explored more of the Snaefellsnes peninsula area, that Meagann and Neil had fallen in love with their first few days in Iceland.  They showed us areas that we hadn't had the opportunity to explore on our first trip to the area, and it felt like casual day out adventuring with friends as Neil pointed out all the quaint homesteads he was for sure planning to retire to when it came time.  We took in the impressive basalt column cliffs, took a drive through the incredible Berserkjahraun (mad-man's lava field), and they finished the day with some beachside cuddles at Djupalonssandur (the black lava pearl beach).

Thank you Meagann and Neil for letting us be the ones to peer in and capture such an intimate and personal milestone in your life.  We had so much fun driving around an area of Iceland that meant so much to you, and hope these photos hold a life time of treasure for you!