I have to hand it them, though. It was –2 degrees Celcius and like true models they stuck it out making it look natural like it was at least 10 degrees while wearing beautiful Chinese clothing. (Man, that was a mouthful!) But the challenge only brought them closer together to keep warm and naturally have the camera capture their love for each other.

We shot this session at Milne Dam Conservation Park in Markham. With that amount of space, it was great to also have their cute dog, Panda, join in the fun. We were blessed that it snowed lightly, as if we were on a movie set. So all the snowflakes you see in these photos are certainly real!

All in all, we had a great time and I’m looking forward to shooting their wedding later on this year!

With Vishala and Zack, it was my first time to do a Skype interview and boy, was it ever fun! We had such a great talk and we certainly got a sense for each other’s personalities. I was only humbled to have known not too long after that they had chosen me to photograph their beautiful wedding at Le Jardin.

Just as you see TV/movie personalities on screen, sometimes they may be easy to miss in person. Vishala and Zack mentioned that they weren’t too sure whether they were going to make it to a wedding that I was shooting (that’s how I got the connection). As I was setting up some of the friends’ formal portraits with the bride and groom, I was asking “this lady in a blue dress” to move here and there. Shortly after, “that lady” approached me with her fiancé and it was both Vishala and Zack who ended up making it to the wedding!!! Another first … embarrassment that I hadn’t recognized her! Shame!

Finally, their own wedding day came and it was such a beautiful and sunny day! This being my first Hindu wedding, I was only anticipating it to be very colourful and lively. Surely enough, I couldn’t stop taking photos of all the intricate details: the decor, the canopy, the cushions, the drapery, the jewellery and of course, the beautiful dress! Although I had to be keen to watch how the ceremony played out, I felt welcomed and at ease by the pandit and all the family who ushered me in as one of their own. It was certainly a joyous celebration that you couldn’t help bop to the beat of those awesome drummers. Both Vishala and Zack were radiant and filled the room with their new love in marriage.

So as my first Skype interview, first embarrassment and first Hindu wedding, it was great to have been a part of Vishala and Zack’s lives! Hope you enjoy these moments of celebration.

I’m sure you’ll agree that Michelle was a beautiful bride wearing her mother’s wedding dress! Of all the wonderful details that were put into this wedding, this had to be the most moving. Alongside her spiffed-up groom, Dan, his vibrant personality made the day go on with happiness and joy. I love his expression before Michelle walked down the aisle.

From the Elora Road Christian Fellowship Church, we headed on over to another sentimental location where Dan had proposed to Michelle, the Bauer Kitchen. What made this the highlight of the day, was that the waitress who helped Dan conspire the proposal happened to work that afternoon. Of course, tears gushed out in joy to see it come to fruition. And the celebration continued on at Bingeman’s Embassy Room.

When you end the year on that note, only better things could come…and they already have!

Hope you enjoy these memorable moments!

They wanted an autumn photoshoot and the challenge about shooting in this season is the sparsity of sunny days. “Always trust the client”…is what good business ethics call for, right? Well, Ashley was spot on! Despite having to post-pone our original date due to rain, with last minute arrangements for a Thursday, this photoshoot was as successful as me at McDonald’s (don’t judge!).

With a bright and sunny afternoon, the colours of the leaves at Lynde Shores Conservation Area highlighted the wonderful love Ashley and Joel have been sharing. These two were really fun to shoot: open to creative ideas and poses as we walked around the area. Truthfully, I did less directing and just captured their natural-selves enjoying the time they were having with each other. Well, I can’t wait to see them again on their wedding date. In the meantime, I hope you enjoy these wonderful moments of engagement.

Now, I don’t want to embarrass Steve but he said one poignant thing that surely proved true love. As the schedule was tightening with my time with the guys, I was trying my best to get in as many shots. Steve mentioned that he’d rather have me get back to the ladies so that Andrea could have more captured moments. So sweet and selfless! Those are the characteristics of a great husband.

With a beautiful wedding and reception all celebrated at the Glen Erin Inn, everyone in attendance had truly enjoyed themselves. Andrea was a stunning angelic bride enjoying herself alongside the stylish and chiq groom, Steve. Having shmoozed with friends and family, this was one wedding they had all been waiting for. Hope you enjoy these “highlights” of Andrea and Steve’s wedding, as they were smothered with love! (And I quoted the word ‘highlights’ because sooo many great moments occurred that it was hard to narrow them down…so please bear with me!) Thank you, Andrea and Steve, for letting me witness your wonderful celebration!

It’s great to know that there are programs in the nieghbourhood for stay-at-home parents to break up the mundane schedule of the day and aid in our young children’s skills. Having attended one of them, introduced me to this wonderful family: Alice, Andrew and Kaileigh.

In the wedding photography business you meet two people who love each other so much that they become one. In the family photography business you meet a couple who love each other so much they become three (or four or five or six…!)!

Shooting in the fall season is always tricky with unpredictable weather. But this day, Mother Nature provided beautiful sunlight to illuminate, not only the changing colours of the leaves, but the love shared between these three. Just in time for Hallowe’en, Kaileigh fashioned her ever-so-cute pumpkin costume. We had such a great time in the forest, the playground and at their home that it was great to capture the natural bond they all shared. Kaileigh, you are so blessed to have two wonderful and loving parents that there is no doubt they will keep you smiling forever!

You may remember their fun baseball themed engagement shoot. This day was certainly a Grand Slam with joyous emotions running high and everything falling into place, as per the playbooks. The reception at the Borgata was a culmination of surprise singing numbers, the groom’s talented family band and non-stop dancing by all the guests. You will love how their centerpieces showed a personal touch, being teachers themselves. This was an “A++” event and I wish the both of them many continued blessings in their new curriculum as husband and wife!

Marie and I had set up this photoshoot because she wanted to update her family photos. Because of the busy schedule during the week of my cousin’s wedding, it was challenging to set aside time to shoot it. So, on the night of the wedding rehearsal, the entire family had gone to Mandarin in Mississauga and this was the window of opportunity! I must say, this Mandarin had beautiful landscaping around the parking lot.

It was really fun photographing this family because they are all about love and laughter. Thank you, Solivios, for allowing me to capture this stage in your lives. Marie and Jesher, ya dun well, raising K-Bear to be the handsome young man we know him to be! Until the next visit…

(This first picture was taken four years ago.)




    



    

Yes, these two love birds were born to be wild and born to find each other in marriage. We had set out to shoot in Guelph (where the wedding will also be set) and picked a very cool area at Goldie Mill Park. “The Goldie Mill ruin has thick stone walls, with double-reinforced stone lintels, … which was procured from the mill property.“1 I felt like I was out of the country and in a place like Greece! With this awesome backdrop, Michelle and Dan were so much fun to photograph as we went from intimate fashion shots to fun and active poses on a nearby jungle gym. It was great to work with them as they, too, had brought their own ideas (one of my favourites was the “heart-hands”). I love how they were just open to anything which shows how easy going and wonderful their marriage will be! Can’t wait to see them again on their wedding day. Until then, here are a few pics to enjoy!

Ashley, one of my choir buddies, is a good friend of Marissa and she had a considerate and creative idea of giving this engagement session as a gift for Marissa and Basel’s wedding. Alas, I don’t get to take the trip to Jordan, where the ceremony will be but this session was good enough for me!

We had chatted on the phone prior to meeting up and I could tell right away that I was in for a treat. They had opted for U of T (St. George Campus) and this was going to be a challenge for me as I had shot at this location twice already. However, having had the chance to explore the campus more, pushed my creativity and spots that I hadn’t used just came out of the woodworks…literally in some cases. This was a great combination of subject and background as they both relived the scenes where they first met.

Could I tell you how easy they had made it for me? With a beautiful summer dress and stylish men’s attire to match, I felt I was shooting for Prada, Banana Republic or Zara. Somehow, I felt they had modeled before and they lied to me and said they hadn’t <wink!><wink!>… haha! Whether they did or not, these two sincere souls had posed enchantingly so as to capture these precious moments before considering themselves husband and wife.

Ash, thanks sooo much for this opportunity! Marissa and Basel, it was such a pleasure to meet you and consider you as friends. Wishing you the bestest of times on your upcoming wedding!