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!

Victoria BC Sunset Engagement Photos // Jane and Nick (and Scout and Randall, of course!)

Jane and Nick's sunset engagement on their ocean property in Victoria // Victoria Wedding Photographers

You know us, we love any excuse to hang out with awesome people with awesome dogs to enjoy an awesome sunset.  It's even better when work involves all of the above!  Jane and Nick came up to Victoria from Seattle last week to enjoy a visit with family, and we stole them away for a glorious engagement session.  We didn't need to go far to embrace some epic Victoria vibes: we found the perfect romantic sunset setting right in the backyard!  

Last year we met Nick and Jane via Skype to talk about their upcoming wedding at Victoria Golf Club this year, and we couldn't wait to meet them and their pooches in person.  We were greeted with huge smiles from Jane and Nick, and lots of tail wagging from Randall and Scout. After some puppy play on the lawn, we headed over to relax on the adirandack chairs for a beautiful sunset.   Throughout the whole evening we were blown away by the natural, effortless connection and chemistry between Jane and Nick, and it was made all the more dramatic with the ocean breeze and warm sunset light.  We can't wait to see these two get married!

Lighthouse Park Maternity Photo Session in West Van // Lindsay and Darren

Lindsay and Darren explore Lighthouse Park during their maternity photo session in West Vancouver // Vancouver Island Maternity Photographers

Having photographed weddings for half a decade, we've gotten to know, and celebrated with so many amazing couples over the years.  We always love the opportunity to meet up with them again after their wedding to see how life has changed for them since they said their vows.  For Lindsay and Darren, much has changed in the two years since their Victoria wedding at Church and State Winery. One of those changes will come in the form of parenthood!  When they told us the news we were sooo overjoyed for them, not just because their baby is due just shy of a month before ours and we're super-duper biased, but because we think they'll make the most wonderful, caring, silly, and down to earth parents for a little human.  It was even more exciting when they asked us if we'd capture this little moment in time, to celebrate such a huge life milestone, and the adventure to come.  Oooobviously we were dying to it!

We met up in West Vancouver to explore the cliffs of Lighthouse Park, wandering around in the space between the glassy ocean and the blanketed sky.  We spent some time catching up on everything from the past two years, people watching, admiring the climbers, and holding our breath during those moments the sun rays fanned out through cracks in the clouds. 

Thanks Lindsay and Darren for letting us capture this special time!  We can't wait for you to meet your little one, and to become the awesome parents we know you'll be!