bride
My beautiful barefoot bride Michelle and her husband, Lucas basked under the sun as they said I do at her family cottage. This laid back day was fun and cozy surrounded by a small group of family and friends.
I'm finally getting around to blogging one of my favourite weddings ever for so many reasons. Perhaps because if I ever decide to marry myself this is exactly how I want to do it. Sam and Taylor created the most intimate, chill backyard wedding, full of delicious food, amazing music, and lots of love. This couples creative talents spread to the entire family, while Taylor's brother painted a portrait of the bride and groom throughout the party for guests to witness. They included all of the little details important to them that have molded into the people they are today. Sam and Taylor married themselves under string lights hung in the night sky surrounded by their nearest and dearest. "We don't need anyone with a power vested in them, or a piece of paper to tell us whether we are, or are not married to the one we love," says Sam. After committing to one another for a lifetime we snuck down to the lake and threw off our shoes. Sam dressed in a white lace minidress and Taylor in a blue suede suit, the two could care less about getting a little dirty to enjoy the most incredible summer night. The sky was painted pink as we played and danced in the water. They made their own rules, which ultimately made for the best day. I am so happy for you both and will forever be grateful I could be a part of this unforgettable night!
Megan and Josh created a timeless backyard wedding in the peaceful surroundings of Josh's childhood home. The day was sunny and warm, with a soft breeze blowing gently through the weeping willows overhead. Family and friends gathered to watch them take their vows. After the ceremony, they snuck away to enjoy some bubbly in the middle of a dirt road, just the two of them, relishing in the blissful celebration. Come evening, they sat together at their own table and soaked in all of the love from the day and created moments for just the pair to share. Megan and Josh did it their way and you could feel it. The mood was vintage, romantic, and relaxed and I was so happy to be a part of it.
I asked them how they knew they wanted to spend their lives with one another.
Megan said, "I knew early on...he felt like home. Everything was consistently so easy and natural. Our values and desires to live an honest, adventurous, and creative life, lined up right away. And he made me laugh all of the time, which was a bonus!"
Josh replied, "I didn't have to do or be anything other than myself. And that is how I knew. As someone who has spent many years travelling the world, it was nice to know that the person I was meant to be with, was in my life the whole time." (Megan and Josh were friends in high school and reconnected ten years later.)
Wishing you both ALL the love!!!
Dress-The Gown: thegown.ca, Hair-Amadao Salon: Amado.ca, Makeup: artistrymarieclaire.com, Wedding Coordinator and Flowers- Sarah Jane Events: sarahjanevents.com, Wedding Invitations-Speers Creative: speerscreative.ca
I know this wedding will be going down in the books as one of my favourites of all time. When the day arrived, the weather was moody, the clouds covered the sky and the wind was howling, a photographer's dream. The colours popped against the grey sky and wind blew the delicate fabric of the girls' dresses and hair, my favourite! The backdrop included tall pines and rich greens, and the leaves were just starting to turn.
I knew Jenna because she owns and runs Rustica, an adorable Italian restaurant in Orillia. I had never met Daniel, until their first look. It was evident that they had that kind of love everyone searches for. Their eyes lit up, and the magnetism between them was clear to everyone around them.
They first met in Australia, Daniel's homeland, while Jenna was travelling. They developed a strong friendship before Daniel decided to come to Canada and they began to share their lives together. I asked them both, "When was the moment you knew they were the one?"
Jenna, "Well, it was on the first day of his trip to Canada. It happened to be my massive family Christmas party. He was so wonderful with my extended family, my grandparents, parents and siblings. He even ended up sitting on my Dad's lap that night (my dad was 'Santa' for the party). I knew that we got along, as we had spent hundreds of hours talking (only a few actual days together in person at this point), but to see how he fit in with my family was what did it."
Daniel, "I knew Jenna was the one pretty early on, because I'd never met anyone that I could truly be myself with, and still have them be interested in me and excited. Jenna has this uncanny ability to be be able to read and understand people, her empathy is stronger than anyone else on this planet. As such, I imagine this is how she seemed to know me so well, also understanding me and how I work in my quirky ways. This was all evident while I was still living in Australia and she was in Canada, where we Skyped at least once a week, and these sessions were at least 3-4 hours every time. There was a true friendship that had started to blossom and I knew that the one I would be with for life, would be someone with whom I have this unwittingly strong connection. In my mind, there wasn't a single chance or a single universe where she wasn't the one."
I am so honoured I was asked to document this day for them. It was nothing less then pure magic. Thank you Jenna + Daniel xo
