A few frames from my iPhone…

Return, O my soul to your rest; for the Lord has dealt bountifully with you.
Psalm 116:7

For me, there are certain cities and places that stoke the desire to travel and Chicago happens to be one of them. The visit was over all too soon and back at the airport to come home, I entertained dreams of jetting off to some other city to explore…while all at once, I craved being back in the comforts of home. And so the battle against the travel bug, that which I thought had been squashed with our Europe travels, continues…so, where to next?! ;)

Thanks for everything, Ashi & Narissa xo!

To Kill a Mockingbird - I never had to read this book in high school, and was admittedly a little reluctant to start it. But, I loved this book! For me it was the kind you get immersed in, their world becomes yours for those moments you spend in its pages. Through the eyes of a young girl play out the themes of injustice and compassion and Scout with her wisdom and innocence pulled at my heart in each and every chapter. Now for the movie…

The Twelve Tribes of Hattie - I was hooked at the first chapter but somewhat disappointed with how the rest of the story unfolded. One heartbreak resulted in countless heartaches in the lives of each character, the eleven children and one of the grandchildren of Hattie. Spanning nearly sixty years, their stories were compelling and I found myself picking up this book at every spare moment I had. For all of this book’s tragic events, there is a thread of hope from start to finish and a theme of family and love, if not always felt by the characters themselves.

Happy reading & happy Friday!

I didn’t think these kinds of weekends existed anymore.

So I relished it while I could.

Lately life has been about births and birthdays, unanswered questions and the need for patience, writer’s block (that would be today) and new photography projects, spending more time at home and learning to be a better business owner. It’s been about leaning on God’s understanding and not our own.

What else?

Wedding bookings have nearly filled my 2013 calendar.
Witnessed the birth of a baby, a dear friend’s first born.
Dreamed I gave birth to an alien-looking baby.
Been treating my sweet tooth to much baking (some of it even my own).
Photographed a delightful styled shoot. To be shared soon!
Sleepless nights.
Really wish I hadn’t forgotten the salt in this morning’s blueberry muffins.
Wedding photos of mine were featured in print.
Barely keeping up with my Inbox.
Dreaming over house plans.
Made my first Anthropologie purchase.
Love seeing Kelsey Breanne’s Europe Instagrams pop up on my feed.

And if my iPhone could tell you what life has looked like as of late, it would look a little like this…

Find me on Instagram! Happy Monday Tuesday :)

Last week, I had the opportunity to document a gorgeous, skillfully and lovingly crafted styled shoot at East Van Studios. Amy of All & Sundry Collective coordinated the affair and invited me to shoot and in preparation for this, I called on my sister. For the most part, I’m accustomed to photographing couples/weddings in various elements, but not often do I find myself in a studio space. I like to draw inspiration and creativity from natural environments, so to shoot with a blank canvas is a challenge…a good challenge. My goal is to always push myself and my work and this was one way I could do so.

My newly engaged sister Whitney, and her pretty face, helped me warm up. I’ve always been drawn to clean portraits and the beautiful simplicity of them and especially after this quick shoot, I think I’ll be experimenting a little more with those in mind…as for the styled shoot, I look forward to sharing as soon as I can!

“It was our favorite part of the day, this in-between time, and it always seemed to last longer than it should—a magic and lavender space unpinned from the hours around it, between worlds.”

What a crazy joy and honor it was to be there (though I will keeping my business focus on weddings, and saving these occasions for close friends & family!).

Bonny, your strength, your bravery and your calm determination was amazing. I’m so proud of you and so incredibly happy for you and Adam and your sweet little man Theo. Much love to you all!

See Adam & Bonny’s maternity photos here…how fun it is to now look back at those photos and know that a sweet little boy, little Theodore, was in there…and remember the name game? Take another look at the list of boy names and the second letter of each name spells…Theodore :)

Like from that time we went snorkeling at Makena beach and not even hours after we left, there was a shark attack. Or from the day we spent cruising and exploring down the road to Hana and all the way back around the other side of the island. And from the time, on our last night, there was the tsunami warning, sirens whirring, and we had to “vertically evacuate” only to watch what was supposed to be the tsunami, turn into some sort of big waves.

The days were spent in the sun, on this beach or that, and the evenings were spent in the kitchen and around the dinner table until bedtime called. We swam with the fish, we celebrated, we sipped, we ate well, we even garage sale’d, and altogether Hawaii was made all the sweeter in my mind. Thanks for having us, Megs & Trev.

Shane and I spent a long weekend at the home of my cousin/favourite-ever graphic designer Kelsey, and her husband Chad. Once just long-distance cousins and sometimes pen pals as kids, we now email regularly and sometimes daily and I enjoy Kelsey’s friendship more than ever. It’s what makes these trips out to Manitoba so fun and so special. That and having husbands who love our family too.

Kelsey and Chad, thank you for your warmth and welcome! See you again soon xo.

Shane stayed at the hospital with me and we sat with my aunt, the soon to be Grandma. Megs and Trevor arrived shortly after, followed by more family, and we waited. Until a nurse came by with the news that all was well and a healthy baby of 9 pounds 9 ounces had been born! The doctor who had performed the surgery appeared and invited me and my camera to recovery, where I laid eyes on a little bundle of pink skin and damp, downy hair in the big strong arms of its daddy. “Look at this guy!” It was a boy. Then the nurse placed him on Courtney’s chest and I had a few minutes to photograph this very new, very sweet family.

Once out of recovery, everyone was welcome to join Courtney and Steve and their little one back in their room…for the gender reveal and a true first birthday party! So welcome little Koah Michael, whose name has the best meaning: “brave, bold, and fearless.”

Here are a few other things I’ve come to love/realize/learn/grow to appreciate/etc in twenty-six years…

1. I hate raw carrots but throw them in a juicer with an orange and I’m in love
2. Fresh flowers make me happy
3. As does Tiramisu
4. Life is too short not to reconcile broken or fractured relationships
5. Life is too short to spend time with people who bring you down
6. I’ve learned to make time for a good book
7. It is possible to have just as much fun at home with your husband doing nothing special, as visiting some far off country
8. Your family can also be your closest friends
9. God is actively in control of our daily lives
10. I love my husband more today than I did a year ago
11. Cheese and wine is a perfectly acceptable and complete meal
12. It is important to say the words I’m sorry
13. Watching too many episodes of Grey’s Anatomy is bad for my emotional health
14. Sometimes the things that scare you the most will reap the most reward
15. I’m like my dad in that I need time to process decisions or changes to the plan
16. Just because you’re older, doesn’t always mean you’re braver
17. Marriage is as hard as they say, but it’s also as wonderful, too
18. Quality time is my “love language” (but you could also say the same of chocolate)
19. Comparison really is the thief of joy
20. It’s okay to admit you like watching The Bachelor
21. I used to wonder why I ran from great guys until I realized I was running to the one who would be the greatest
22. Some mornings I crave tea more than I do coffee
23. Eye shadow primer is a lifesaver and a must
24. Sometimes, “you just need a hug” (Shane taught me that one)
25. The words you say can bear more weight than you might realize
26. I will never be without hand lotion and Blistex in my purse

Thank you to those generous, thoughtful, loving and fun ones in my life who made my birthday special xo!

I’ve also enjoyed being able to focus on other aspects of the business while not shooting so much: updating my website, submitting weddings, getting organized ie creating charts and spreads for blogging, to-do lists, etc, and running a contest!

This next wedding season is slowly peeking around the corner with the promise of engagement sessions coming up, and the first wedding of the year in February. Wedding bookings are rolling in and I find myself feeding off the excitement of the newly engaged brides and grooms. I’m also thrilled to see some really important girls in my life become brides and wives themselves!

And if all that isn’t enough…any minute now I could be called to the hospital to photograph my cousin’s first baby delivery! So wish me luck, say a prayer for her, and keep watch for some super cute newborn photos.

Photos taken with my iPhone using the VSCO camera: nothing like the clean, white pages of a new notebook to get motivated; apple crisp for two; where I go to be most productive; foggy winter sunset, the kind that makes me wish to live on a hilltop.

Amsterdam
Where we stayed: Hotel Central Park this was the tiniest hotel room! location was okay, though cool because it was in a residential area…between getting the okay for our standby flight from Vancouver to actually boarding, we had only minutes to book a hotel!
What we ate: My friend Lesley recommended Cafe Papeneiland and I will pass this gem on to you! It’s a great little bar that dates back to the 1600′s, the kind the locals hang out in, and one that serves amazing apple pie. Have a slice with an Amstel beer. Make sure you also visit the Starbucks concept store, it is unlike any Starbucks you have seen before!
Highlights: Our time here was brief and we chose not to visit the many museums Amsterdam boasts (next time, I think I’d change that) but we very much enjoyed walking up and down the canals and taking in the scenery.

Rome
Where we stayed: Hotel Colosseum great location as it was easy walking distance to the Colosseum (surprise), the building was neat and full of character inside, good size room and breakfast was included.
What we ate: Beware of the cafes and restaurants near any tourist attractions, they will surely overcharge you. Many places will add a cover charge and then, because you’re Canadian or American, will ask for a tip as well. Locals don’t tip though – it’s not an expected custom as it is here – other than perhaps rounding up and leaving a few coins (this is true throughout most of Europe…I believe). Another money saving tip: drink your espresso at the bar like the locals. Italian cafes sometimes have a “banco” price (stand and eat your panini or drink your coffee at the bar) and a “tavolo” price (sit down at a table and eat). With all of that said, we discovered the best little restaurant while walking around in Trastevere, which I mentioned in this blog post. The owner himself greeted us, a lovely old Italian man, and we were treated to some amazing pasta (the kind worth traveling for). Shane had his beloved gnocchi, and I a bowl of carbonara accompanied by some good, cheap red wine. Definitely pay a visit here, Restaurant Alle fratte di Trastevere.
Highlights: Trastevere was a favourite neighbourhood to wander through…it was quiet and beautiful and I wish we had arrived there earlier in the day. We visited the Capitoline Museums (buy a Roma pass!) which were fun to walk through, but the highlight for me was the rooftop patio out just beyond the cafe, and the view it boasted. That, and their freshly squeezed orange juice! All around, I thoroughly enjoyed the feel of the city and its ancient and sometimes colourful architecture.

Siena
Where we stayed: Hotel Athena it was within the city walls so location was amazing, stunning view of Tuscany, large room but tiny shower, and we enjoyed the best included breakfast.
What we ate: Gelato! And Grom offered the best. Rich tasting, using only fresh, in-season fruit and no artificial additives, this stuff is to die for. Two visits a day was a must. Try the Caffe Espresso with the Tiramisu. I was also excited to discover my favourite drink from a previous Italy trip, Bellini (the original!).
Highlights: We enjoyed the slower pace and spent our time simply walking Siena’s charming streets, and admiring the views of Tuscany and all of its medieval enchantment.

Florence
Where we stayed: Benivieni Hotel great location as it was only two small streets over from the Duomo, spacious room, delicious breakfast included – mini paninis, melt-in-your-mouth croissants -, friendly staff. Only downside was was some street noise at night.
What we ate: We were ecstatic – yes, ecstatic – to find another Grom, and on the same street as our hotel. By this point in our trip, we visited fewer restaurants and picked up paninis – affordable and delicious.
Highlights: So many…climbing the Duomo was surely up there but be forewarned, the heights may make you squeamish (as they did for me!), and it is quite the hike. Oh, but it’s worth it. One of my favourite points in our entire trip was sitting on the steps at Piazzale Michelangelo as the afternoon sun sank low in the sky, with the city of Florence spread out before us. Grab a drink and enjoy. One more: a quick day trip to Fiesole, a pretty, neighbouring hillside town. Make the walk up to Convento di San Francesco…it’s beautiful. And you might even see Florence in the distance.

Paris
Where we stayed: Lenox Montparnasse Hotel good location as there are several metro stops nearby, lots of food options nearby including a street lined with crepe cafes(!), tiny but charming room, no breakfast included.
What we ate: Josselin’s Crepe…there are crepes, and then there are crepes…here you’ll get the latter and then some. So good!
Highlights: A trip to the top of the Eiffel Tower at night, and then watching it glitter in the distance as we made our way back to the hotel. The following day, Sunday, we visited Notre Dame and mass was just ending. The building itself is breathtaking but our visit was made all the better by observing the tail end of the service. One final highlight…flying home on Air France and scoring business class upgrades. A fun, classy end to a wonderful trip.

 

Isaiah 40:28-31

He does not faint or grow weary;
his understanding is unsearchable.
He gives power to the faint,
and to him who has no might he increases strength.
Even youths shall faint and be weary,
and young men shall fall exhausted;
but they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength;
they shall mount up with wings like eagles;
they shall run and not be weary;
they shall walk and not faint.

And you know what, he kept his promise for the days to come were exactly that – though I had been exhausted, I ran and was not weary. The Lord renewed my strength and we had a most amazing week documenting and celebrating a beautiful couple and the coming together of their families. In the most beautiful of locales, too.

When we got home, feeling completely inspired and immensely grateful for our experience, I randomly flipped open my Bible and here was this passage:

Psalm 34:4-7

I sought the Lord, and he answered me
and delivered me from all my fears.
Those who look to him are radiant,
and their faces shall never be ashamed.
This poor man cried, and the Lord
heard him
and saved him out of all his troubles.
The angel of the Lord encamps
around those who fear him, and
delivers them. 

If that isn’t a lesson in trusting in God, I don’t know what is! It’s still a continual process it seems, a back and forth of me trying to take control of things and then releasing that back to God…but I’ll look back on this and remember that he never leaves, and has no limit to his powers. Especially as we dive into this new year of exciting, busy times ahead!

The Rules of Civility by Amor Towles: I loved, loved this book. It quickly drew me in and had me hooked until the end, lost in the world of the strong, witty and relatable main character, Katey. I adored the style of writing and the feel of New York in the 1930′s that it depicted. It’s an altogether fun, worthy read and will have you craving a dirty martini…

The Casual Vacancy by JK Rowling: It took until about the halfway mark for me to begin enjoying this book. As it carried on, I became more attached to it and by the end, when I was fighting back tears, I was glad to have read it. Still, only pick up this book if you have lots of time on your hands to read it! The characters are many and detailed and a guide would have been handy and made for quicker reading. It has to be said that JK Rowling is an extremely talented writer just based on the fact that she could weave all of these characters and their lives together (is there even a main character? We didn’t think so.) Though a couple of us agreed that we got tired of hearing of teenage boys’ fantasies and selfish ways. Overall, the story is believable and not full of fluff, which I appreciate in a book, and honestly, any book that has me reaching for a kleenex is decent in my eyes.

Little Bee by Chris Cleave: We read this one earlier last year and it remains a favourite of mine. The writing style of Chris Cleave hooked me from the start with his unique descriptions and vivid storytelling. He flips between the point of view of Little Bee, a Nigerian refugee, and Sarah, an English woman with a young son, Charlie, who is completely funny and lovable and stole my heart. It is intense and heartbreaking at times and endearing at others, a book that I would highly recommend and yes, kleenex will be required.

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak: To continue with my apparent theme of crying, this one…had me sobbing as the book drew to a close. So you know it’s a good one! I admit I wasn’t a fan at first, with the narrator of the story being “Death” and the beginning quite dark and morbid. But as you follow Liesel, a German foster girl, and her life during World War II, you realize it’s not a dark story at all. I think I can say every one of us in our book club loved this book…and I think you would, too.

You can see more from our time in Europe here:
How about Europe?
Amsterdam
Rome
Siena
Florence

This was my second trip up the Eiffel Tower but it proved to be more magical than the first

We ducked into Notre Dame to warm up and dry off and were met with the conclusion of Sunday morning mass. It was quite a sight and the breathtaking architecture of that incredible building made it our favourite church and made it difficult to leave…

Our friend Bryan had been spending the year doing missionary work outside of Paris and so it was fun to meet up…
and he kindly took this touristy snap of me and Shane :)

I’m oh so pleased to say that we’ll be lucky enough to revisit Paris this October! Not only that, but we’ll be photographing a wedding! This may be a long shot, but if you happen to live in the area or be visiting the area at that time, drop me a note if you’d like to join us for a shoot! I’ll keep you posted as our travel plans progress…hoping to say hello to the south of France as well :)

Happy Wednesday xo!

So this post is as much of a personal journal entry as it is a post for those brides who may wonder what we wear to a wedding or how we work, etc, etc. It’s a fun way to share what goes on behind the scenes as Shane and I work together documenting incredible wedding days and each other, at our best and sometimes at our worst. Because it’s not always as lovely as it sounds. The day is intense, and often full of blood, sweat and tears, minus the blood part. Except! That one time my other second shooter had a mishap with a saw and her hand of all things. She was okay but clearly unable to shoot so, my gracious and ever helpful husband came straight from a meeting to help. Which makes this also a thank you to Shane for always being there to support me in a myriad of ways. And a lesson in using dangerous weapons on the day of a wedding…I kid! ;)

Besides providing water, moral support, and strong arms with which to carry bags, Shane is excellent with posing suggestions…
and the above resulted in the below and a few of my favourite wedding photos…perhaps ever…

If you let me whisk you away briefly during your reception to snag some lovely sunset photos, I will love you forever…

Our mantra this day, the hottest wedding day EVER, was “smile through the sweat”…because it was still a truly beautiful day…

The Virgin Islands. They stole my heart. I promise this was the only time we ever wore our bathers while
photographing the bride and groom…I mean, we were on a yacht! The first time we got a beach break in the middle of a wedding day.

10 points if you can spot the photographer…

We were lucky enough to get to work with the guys of Wedding Films by Cassiar on a couple different occasions. Brides, book them now!

That’s me. Shooting from the helicopter. With no door. Enough said.

We joke that Shane ought to be a pet photographer (true story: once when going through an engagement session we shot together, I came upon a photo of a squirrel). But he’s just too good at the more important stuff, like keeping the guys laughing during portrait time:

We introduced the CheddarBooth to our brides and grooms last year and the rave reviews it got were more than we could have hoped for.

(The day Shane joined me last minute, hence the jeans). He takes wedding dresses more seriously than some girls…and I love him for it.

I may Instagram you, but I promise to never put down my camera. The real one! Or let you see what I’m doing.

Do I look like a creeper? No more than Shane would’ve looked peering through the window! These became a few more of my favourite wedding photos ever…

I will never let a strange man touch one of my brides again. Ever. We were all a bit put off when this guy came running over with this FABULOUS idea for a photo (everyone pick up the bride? Now that’s original)…and we were all too nice to say “no thank you.” Next time, I’ll be prepared…

I swear to scare away spiders for you if they happen to get caught in your stunning lace gown.

My super handsome second shooter, who I know just loves to stand in when I test the light and my exposure
(the forced smile says it all)…but then it’s time to exit the shot, okay love? ;)

Why do I stand like this?

He takes care of wedding dresses and ties and well, nothing escapes his attention to detail…

The definition of professional photographers. C’mon, we’re just testing out the light!

When it came time for Manolo to pop the question, his plan was this: to redeem a coupon Whitney had given him for an indoor picnic. Well, Whitney has a tendency to go all out in her planning and crafting (she was my maid of honor, so I know first hand!) but little did she know, she was actually doing so for her very own proposal…

“I knew when it came time for Manolo to propose, that he would put a lot of thought and creativity into it and make it a surprise, something he has proven to be very successful at. It was his perfect plan for me to be so wrapped up in planning my own surprise “indoor picnic” for him, that I was completely unaware of the fact that he was also planning something very special, our engagement. I walked into his apartment to find it completely transformed into a romantic, rustic and oh so cozy indoor picnic spot complete with a photo timeline of our relationship. I slowly made my way down the timeline, and when I got to the end it said “engagement”…I turned around and Manolo was already on his knee holding out a ring:

‘I just want to tell you that I love you so much, and that you are the love of my life. This ring means to me forever and I hope it means the same for you.”

I couldn’t believe it was happening! I was in shock and Manolo was slightly nervous, so I might have had to remind him to ask the question before eagerly slipping the beautiful ring on my finger. I said yes! Of course :)’

The family was lucky enough to get to crash their romantic picnic afterwards in celebration and I had my cameras to document the joy and the details…

To Whitney and Manolo, we are SO excited for you! It’s been amazing to see God work in you both and see your relationship grow and while you, Manolo, have long felt like a part of the family, we can’t wait to see it made official. Love you two!

Florence gave us all this and more, as did its neighbouring hillside town of Fiesole. Until we meet again, Tuscany…