Meghan & Jeff's Wedding at The Prestige Oceanfront Resort in Sooke

It's been a while since we shot a wedding in our own town of Sooke!  It's a hidden gem for outdoor, destination-style wedding venues, with a plethora of great places to experience, if you're the adventurous outdoorsy type.  Just one of the many reasons we love it so much!  For Meghan and Jeff, it was perfect place to host their wedding! 

Meghan and Jeff met up in Kitimat when Meghan started a career with the RCMP there.  They've since moved to Vancouver Island and built a house right here in Sooke!  Their wedding day, planned by the unbelievably talented Emma McCormick, was held at Prestige OceanFront Resort and was filled to the brim with personal touches.  Meghan's father, also RCMP, walked her down the aisle in his red serge uniform. Meghan donned her own boots for a while.  Pictures capturing Meghan and Jeff's relationship filled the entry-ways, a ping pong table was set up for guests to enjoy.  They had special guests "serenade" them with a hockey-themed wedding song. They were even presented a custom stained glass window made by Meghan's father.  For pictures, we stopped by Whiffin Spit, and then swung by Meghan and Jeff's about-to-be-completed home and snuck inside for some photos together.

We really loved being a part of Meghan and Jeff's day, meeting their friends and family from all over the country, and capturing so many special moments. And especially loved watching all their friends get wild in our photobooth!

Thank you to Meghan and Jeff for having us there, we hope you love and cherish these photos!

Craidelonna OceanEdge Wedding in Sooke - Genny and Dave

Genny and Dave Get Married at Craidelonna Lodge in Sooke // Vancouver Island Wedding Photographers

When we met Genny and Dave last year, we were excited at the idea of potentially shooting their wedding.  They were sweet, genuine, outdoor-loving, and lived in one of our favourite places to visit in BC, Sooke.  We also learned quickly that Genny and Dave loved fishing, and spending time out on the boat with their daughter, Hannah.  What a better place for a couple of ocean folk to get married than at Craidelonna OceanEdge Lodge, perched right on the edge of a hillside, with panoramic views of the sea, and access to a beautiful ocean beach.  We have always loved weddings at Craidelonna, and feel it's one of the very best wedding venues around Victoria, even on all of Vancouver Island.

When we arrived that day, many people were enjoying the views.  All the men hung around in the crow's nest, overlooking the ocean, chatting, toasting the occasion with tequila, and of course, chiding Dave about how he had to spend a saturday on land.  All the ladies spent time on the lower patio, catching up, drinking wine and admiring Genny's bridal dressing process.  What a beautiful and radiant bride and mom, Genny is.  With her beachy curls and sparkling gown, she could have been a mermaid. 

From the intimate and seemingly isolated location, custom decor, speeches and toasts from friends and family, and service from the warm Craidelonna staff (family, really), Genny and Dave's wedding felt incredibly personal.  Even their caterer, Toque Catering, incorporated Genny and Dave's own fresh caught crab and halibut into their delightful and creative dinner dishes.

Thank you so much, Genny and Dave for inviting us to meet your friends and family, and capture this special day!  We hope you love the photos.

Thank you for stopping by to check out our wedding photography. If you'd like to know more about our lives in BC, or as Pebble and Pine Photography, Creative and Modern Victoria and Vancouver Island wedding photographers, you can read About Us

Furry Creek Wedding - Kim and Kyl

Kim and Kyl Get Married in the Rain at Furry Creek Near Squamish // BC Wedding Photographers

When you live on Vancouver Island, and anywhere along the coasts of BC, much of your life is impacted by the ocean, the forests, the mountains.  It goes without saying that west coast couples love to incorporate those elements into one of the most special days in their life.  Kim and Kyl were definitely one of those couples, and found a venue that emulated all aspects.  Furry Creek Golf Course is perched on the side of a forest covered mountain, and its reach stretches all the way down to the waters of Howe Sound.  We couldn't wait to spend the day with Kim and Kyl, their guests, to watch as they exchange their vows, and explore the golf course!

On any given saturday Furry Creek would be packed with enthusiastic golfers, but as luck would have it, those famous west coast rains kept the golfers away.  Kim, Kyl and their guests had the entire venue to themselves, giving their wedding an exclusively intimate feeling.

A very special thanks to Kim and Kyl for trekking around the whole golf course, in the rain, the get all the great portraits that day! We hope you love the photos! 

Thank you for stopping by to check out our wedding photography. If you'd like to know more about our lives in BC, or as Pebble and Pine Photography, Creative and Modern Victoria and Vancouver Island wedding photographers, you can read About Us

Matt's Favourite 15 Highlight Images from 2015

2015 was a great year over here at Pebble & Pine Photography!  We had a year full of great clients who were willing to go whichever crazy places we asked them to, and with a smile on their face.  The weather cooperated for the most part, and when it didn’t it still made for some awesome dramatic rainy day photos.  Between Sayde and I, we shot over 53,000 images this year.  You can imagine then, how difficult it is to choose only 15 images each to sum up the year!  The images I’ve selected are just a handful of my personal favourites.  I’d like to extend a massive thank you to all the clients who put their trust in us this year, whether they are pictured below or not; I wish I could have included everyone!

So without further adieu, and in no particular order, here are 15 images that I love from 2015!

^ The clouds and rain chased us throughout this engagement shoot for the better part of two hours!  Charlene and Josh were troopers though, and it’s a good thing because their patience and determination culminated in this image near the end of the shoot.

^ Rob and Darlene’s wedding day was one of a kind!  With an unexpected medical issue keeping the groom in hospital until near dinner time, we lost pretty much all of the allotted portrait time that we had set aside!  With them living in Grand Prairie, and us in Vancouver, and the wedding being in Kitimat, it was nothing short of a miracle that we were able to fit in a quick portrait session before we all departed to our respective homes.

^ I’m a total sucker for silhouettes, and this is one of my favourites that I’ve ever shot.  I love the tones of the sky, the little hint of the sun popping between them, the reeds, the love in Jimmy & Esther’s pose.  Just perfect!

^ We started 2015 with a personal mandate to shoot closer, capture more smiles, more love.  One of the most intimate parts of the day is always the “first look”. We shot more first looks this year than ever before, and there was always great emotion to be captured!  Kyle and Heather’s first look had such big smiles and excitement, I love this adorable moment between the two of them.

^ This image from Travis & Kaylee’s wedding has just about everything that we love at Pebble & Pine!  Mountains, trees, ocean, a rustic red dock, thick cloud cover, and a couple that’s crazy about each other. So glad that we found a little time on their wedding day to sneak off to this remote spot.  Location scouting pays off!

^ Kim & Kyl’s engagement shoot was another example of not letting the rain scare you off!  We love to embrace a little sprinkle from above, as it can turn into awesome pictures like this.  With the city in the background for a touch of soft blurry highlights, the rain really sets off the image.

^ As photographers, we are always chasing light!  Searching out the best spots, yearning for that beautiful backlit sunset goodness.  Darren and Lindsay’s picnic engagement shoot had a beautiful golden sunset that lit them up in pretty amazing ways.

^ This image comes from Lindsay’s bridal prep portion of the day.  Her makeup had just been completed and she was checking it in the mirror.  I was out on the patio of the suite, shooting through the window, experimenting with reflections of the world behind me. I was pretty excited with how this came out, with the wash of blurred colours.  Definitely a favourite of the year.  It’s images like this that help me feel like I am still pushing my creativity to new places.

^ The cool thing about this image from Lindsay & Darren’s wedding, is the ambiguity of the blurred background.  Most people that I’ve asked have been unsure about what exactly they are looking at, which I love!  The reality of the image is that we were inside a barn, and the speckled background is light spilling through cracks between the angled slats of the wall.  With Lindsay & Darren being some-odd 50 to 60 feet or so from the wall, the blurred effect blends together the wall itself and the light spilling through into this gorgeous image.

^ Another from Lindsay & Darren’s big day…what made their day unique was that it took place during record-breaking windstorms which knocked out power to hundreds of thousands across the Vancouver mainland and Victoria area.  Many couples were unfortunate enough to have their weddings cancelled due to the wind, and while L & D’s venue did lose power, we were still able to capture some awesome images!  The wind created drama with Lindsay’s flow-y Truvelle gown, and I actually created an awesome gif from multiple frames shot in sequence.

^ Anton and Natasha got married in Mexico, but contacted me with the hopes of having a portrait session done here in Vancouver with some of the well-known Vancouver landmarks.  Sometimes shoots like these can be particularly challenging, as the popular spots with visible landmarks are not always in the best light, or the most accessible, and it’s tricky to find new and original ways to shoot them creatively.  For this image at Stanley Park’s Siwash Rock, I love the sliver of light across Natasha’s face from the last moments of sunset, with the large rock framing them.

^ Most of the weddings we shoot tend to be in outdoor natural spaces (which we love), so when we get the opportunity to shoot a wedding in the downtown core of Vancouver, it’s a bit of a change of pace for us!  For Pegah and Kyle’s wedding, we pulled out the lighting equipment for some post-dinner sunset portraits.  I love the tones of the city behind them in this one, the leading lines, and their intimate moment.

^ One of my challenges for myself this year was finding more unique and interesting angles on the “first dance” part of the night.  For this image at Pegah and Kyle’s wedding, I was shooting from behind the guests who were watching them enjoy the dance, and I love the way they ended up being framed in the gap, along with being able to see three of her bridesmaids’ faces as they look on while Pegah and Kyle dance.

^ I mentioned it above, but I’ll say it again…I’m a sucker for silhouettes!  During Aaron and Ramiza’s engagement shoot at Iona Beach, we were gifted with just a ridiculous sunset with awesome dark clouds and bright colours.  I asked them to walk up onto the grassy ridge and watch the sunset, and this was the resulting photo.

^ Tanya & John were one of our most fun-loving couples this year, so it was only suiting that we did their engagement photos at an amusement park!  The story behind this image is that the amusement park we chose was a very small mobile park in the parking lot of a mall, and PACKED with people!  It was challenging to find angles that didn’t show the mall or parking lot but still had a lot of colour and fun.  This was my favourite from their shoot, and one of my faves of the year overall.

So there we have it….15 of my favourite images shot in 2015!  Thank you again to all of our awesome clients, and here’s to hoping 2016 is just as fantastic.  Stay tuned, tomorrow is Sayde’s favourite 15 images of 2015!

For more of our work, please check out our website, facebook page, instagram, or head back to the main page of this blog!

Richmond Wedding Photography - Ramiza and Aaron

Ramiza and Aaron Celebrate Their Western Wedding in Richmond // BC Wedding Photographers

We got to see a lot of Ramiza and Aaron this year, since first meeting in January!  As part of their marriage, Ramiza and Aaron wanted to celebrate both their heritage’s traditions for weddings.  That meant we got to shoot four days of celebrating with this incredibly sweet and thoughtful couple!

Welcome to Part One of Ramiza and Aaron’s Wedding Celebration!  The first on the celebration docket was Ramiza and Aaron’s western wedding in Richmond.  We loved how they chose to marry at their local church, just steps from their house. It seemed so personal and welcoming.  Antics ensued with the boys getting ready sans hairbrush , and parading to the church together, to the sounds of congratulatory horn honking. Upon seeing Ramiza in her ballgown, her jewels, and hair and makeup, our jaws dropped. She was truly a regal vision!  After the ceremony, we headed over to Steveton for photos, and then over  to The Paradise Banquet Hall in Surrey for the reception. After some silly reception games, lovely and hilarious speeches, traditional cake cutting and first dance, it was time to hit the dance floor! And this group knew how to hit that dancefloor. Ramiza even surprised us all when she tore off the puffy tulle ballgown skirt to reveal a sexy lace mini dress underneath, to effectively bust out dance moves. All. Night. Long!

These are some of our favourite moments from the day! Stay tuned for Part Two of Ramiza and Aaron’s Wedding to see the events of their Indian ceremonies!

Thank you for stopping by to check out our wedding photography. If you'd like to know more about our lives in BC, or as Pebble and Pine Photography, Creative and Modern Victoria and Vancouver Island wedding photographers, you can read About Us

Richmond and Surrey Wedding Photography - Ramiza and Aaron's Indian Wedding

We hope you got a chance to see Part One of Ramiza and Aaron’s wedding blog post, where we shared photos from their western wedding!  Now we’re excited to share their Indian wedding celebrations.

This is something we are so excited to share, as Ramiza and Aaron’s were the first Indian wedding traditions we’ve ever photographed.  It was so touching to be part of these events with Ramiza and Aaron.

First, we met up with all the women at Ramiza’s parents home in Surrey for Ramiza’s mehndi party.  What a treat, to be a fly on the wall during this tradition of beautifying the bride.  It was quite a setting to see – the concentrated stillness of the women creating these intricate mehndi designs, the buzzing chatter of women being painted, and of course, the laughter and glee of dancing to celebrate Ramiza’s happiness.

The following night we met back up with them for their intimate marriage ceremony.  Everyone donned their beautiful wedding attire to partake in ceremony traditions, prayers, marriage blessings, guest photos, and the most delicious homemade cuisine EVER.

On the third day, it was time to celebrate!  Ramiza and Aaron and their guest met again at the Paradise Banquet Hall in Surrey for their reception, speeches, photos, and dancing to celebrate their union.  What an amazing weekend!

Congratulations of your marriage Ramiza and Aaron, and thank you for involving us in all your fantastic celebrations.

Here are some of our favourite moments!

Thanks for checking out Ramiza and Aaron’s Indian Wedding!  To see more of our work, check out our website, and follow us on Instagram and Facebook!  Thanks also to Scott Johnson for joining us to capture some of these images.

Milner Chapel & Centennial Lodge Wedding - Halyna and Jason

Halyna and Jason's Vintage-Inspired Wedding in New Westminster //  Vancouver Island Wedding Photographers

Our first glimpse of Halyna was at back in January, at our booth in the “It’s My Wedding” Fair.  Along with her bridesmaids and mom in co-ordinating shirts, Halyna leapt into the photobooth to give it a whirl!  She probably wasn’t expecting to be the winner of our wedding giveaway at the time, but at the end of the weekend, we pulled her strip of photos out from our bucket of 200 entries!

When we got to sit down with Halyna and her fiance, Jason, we learned all about this beautiful blonde and handsome brit, their story, and their autumn wedding plans.

The Milner Chapel in Langley seemed a perfect place to host their ceremony, with the men in their suits, and Halyna in her romantic lace dress.  The cozy quaintness of the chapel created such a welcoming atmosphere for in-town, and out-of-town guests to congregate.   After that, it was off to Queens Park in New Westminster for some photos, and the reception. But first, was a quick stop at a British Pub for the gang to have some post-ceremony, pre-dinner cheers.

The reception was filled with clever kissing games, gorgeous homemade decorations, and of course, delicious food and shots of vodka. The speeches were all so touching and heartfelt, and the dancing was was! What a wedding!

Thanks so much to Halyna and Jason for having us there to be part of our day! Enjoy the photos!

Thank you for stopping by to check out our wedding photography. If you'd like to know more about our lives in BC, or as Pebble and Pine Photography, Creative and Modern Victoria and Vancouver Island wedding photographers, you can read About Us

Fairmont Pacific Rim and Stanley Park Wedding - Pegah and Kyle

Pegah and Kyle's Western and Persian Wedding at Fairmont Pacific Rim and Stanley Park // BC Wedding Photographers

We were introduced to Pegah and Kyle by Kiri, a fantastic wedding planner at DreamGroup Productions, whom we worked with last year.  Pegah and Kyle travelled to Vancouver to have their wedding at the Fairmont Pacific Rim, and having only spoke to them over Skype earlier in the year, we were excited to meet these two in person!

With a beautifully decorated sofreh, marble pillars, and big bright windows, Pegah and Kyle’s ceremony site was the perfect spot for their intimate first look, before their guests would arrive.  We couldn’t get over the smiles on their faces as they took each other in, and the way they hardly took their eyes off each other for the rest of the day – stealing glances here and there, and whispering to each other during their ceremony.  After a few intimate moments together, we heading over to Stanley Park to take some lakeside photos within the park.  With lily pads, willows, and ducks swimming about, the small lake was the perfect ambience for Kyle and Pegah, who looked like they were a Renoir come to life.

Pegah and Kyle rejoined their wedding party, family, and friends back at the Fairmont to host both a civil and Persian ceremony.  This was our first time photographing a Persian ceremony, which was such an honour.  The intricate details of each item of Pegah and Kyle’s sofreh were easy to admire.  After blessings, singing, and many congratulations, Pegah and Kyle and their guests made their way to the reception for speeches.  We loved getting to be a fly on the wall for the speeches that evening, the traditional knife dance, their shoe games, and of course, their moves on the dance floor.  We are pretty sure that Pegah and Kyle hold the record for having the most guests on the dance floor at one time.  It was evident by their celebrating, that each and every one of Pegah and Kyle’s guests were over-the-moon excited for this couple’s marriage to each other!

Thank you Pegah and Kyle for having us there to join in your special day! Enjoy the photos.

Some amazing wedding vendors featured:

Planner: Kiri Mcleod at DreamGroup Productions
Venue: Pacific Rim Vancouver
Dress: Designer – Augusta Jones,  from Bisou Bridal
Videographers: Memento Films
 Hair and Makeup: Atefeh
Florist: Sunflower Florist
Decor: Eclat Decor

Thank you for checking out our wedding photography.  If you'd like to know more about our lives in BC, or as Pebble and Pine Photography, Creative and Modern Victoria and Vancouver Island wedding photographers, you can read About Us.

Burnaby Mountain Rose Garden Wedding - Tanya and John

Tanya and John's Wedding at the Rose Gardens on Burnaby Mountain and Reception at The Burnaby Rowing Club // BC Wedding Photography

You probably remember Tanya and John’s fun carnival engagement, where followed these two around from ride to ride, game to game, cotton candy to cotton candy.  We knew from their love of bright colours, the whirlwinds of laughter, and their sense of adventure, that their wedding would be a blast.

Tanya and John got married at the rose garden on Burnaby Mountain, with views of the Burrard Inlet, and downtown Vancouver. With the roses in full bloom, and bridesmaids in bright pink, even this overcast day seemed bright and cheery!

In true Tanya and John style, following the ceremony, we headed over to Deer Lake Park to take a ride on the carousel, and explore the park.  After that, we joined their family and friends for the reception festivities at the Burnaby Rowing club, where Tanya’s hard work shined. She had done an amazing job creating the atmosphere for her own reception by handmaking all the decor, right down to making the cupcakes for her delicious dessert centrepieces.  Filled with dancing, partying, and lots of laughter, and views over Burnaby Lake, Tanya and John’s wedding was one to remember.

Hope you enjoy the photos!

Thank you for checking out our wedding photography.  If you'd like to know more about our lives in BC, or as Pebble and Pine Photography, Creative and Modern Victoria and Vancouver Island wedding photographers, you can read About Us.

Rainy Stanley Park Engagement - Kim and Kyl

Kim and Kyl Brave Rain to Enjoy Stanley Park in Their Engagement Photos // Victoria Wedding Photographers

Autumn is a pretty wonderful time of year in Vancouver.  Mother Nature offers up a smorgasbord of weather possibilities.  On warm days, the sun can shine through changing leaves like stained glass.  On rainy days, the mist rises up from the mountains like steam from the mugs we cozy up with on days like these.  During Kim and Kyl’s Stanley Park engagement session, we were treated to the entire buffet.

The forecast had been calling for rain all week, and apparently the rest of Vancouver knew about it, and was seeking shelter in cozy apartments, or foggy-windowed coffee shops.  We had the entire park to ourselves, save for a couple runners, faithful to their practice, and a few late-season tourists scouring for that perfect autumn-red maple leaf to bring home as a souvenir.  We met Kim and Kyl while the sun was still peeking from behind the clouds, and the four of us remained collectively optimistic that the rain would hold off.  It didn’t.  And, it didn’t matter a bit. Kim and Kyl did more than just grin and bear the elements, they fully embraced the rain and the chill. As we moved around the park, they spent the shoot keeping each other warm and making each other laugh and smile… even when we took the umbrellas away from them!  Every time we asked if we could experiment with a shot, their response was, “Ya totally, let’s do it. We’ll give it a try!”  We love when our couples trust us this way, even when we ask them to stand right in front of a puddle, while one of us jumps into it, kicks and splashes water around, and the other takes a photo.

Thanks Kim and Kyl for being such troopers, we had so much fun tossing leaves around, and strolling in the rain with you! Enjoy the photos.

Thank you for checking out our wedding photography.  If you'd like to know more about our lives in BC, or as Pebble and Pine Photography, Creative and Modern Victoria and Vancouver Island wedding photographers, you can read About Us.

Pan Pacific Wedding in Downtown Vancouver - Justine and Devon

Justine and Devon's Rooftop Wedding at the Pan Pacific and Stanley Park in Vancouver // BC Wedding Photographers

If you follow our blog, you know we shoot a lot of weddings in remote locations which are often surrounded by trees, or overlooking the ocean, or have incredible mountain views.  The wonderful thing about Vancouver is that there are a lot of great venues to host weddings, where you can have all of the above!  When Justine and Devon told us their wedding would be downtown, on the rooftop patio of the Pan Pacific, visions of their wedding overlooking Stanley Park, the North Shore mountains, and the Burrard Inlet swam in our heads. This was an exciting adventure for us, because we got a taste of what shooting on the big glass jungle is like, at a venue that was perfectly suited for our city loving couple.

The warmth and sun were out in full swing for Justine and Devon’s wedding, which was perfectly fitting for their pool deck ceremony, and the forest of purple flowers that surrounded them and their guests. As Justine walked down the aisle, even the hotel guests stopped everything they were doing just to stand and stare at how beautiful she looked, mouths gapping open between claps of congratulations.

After a gorgeous ceremony the bride, groom and their dapper wedding party piled into the limo to jet off for photos. The first stop was a must-have photo at Justine’s favourite Vancouver store – Louis Vuitton.  Afterwards we ventured over to Stanley Park where the sun shone through freshly changing leaves, and light up the glass buildings in the city behind them.

After our trip to the park, we returned to the Pan Pacific to join family and friends for dinner, speeches and dancing – where Devon had a few hilarious tricks up his sleeve during the garter toss.

Hope you enjoy the photos! Congratulations to Justine and Devon.

Vendors we loved from Justine and Devon’s wedding:
Venue: Pan Pacific Hotel
Justine’s Dress: Martina Liana
Florals: Roa Designs

If you liked Justine and Devon’s Stanley Park and Pan Pacific Wedding, you can see more of our work on our FACEBOOK, and INSTAGRAM.

Thank you for checking out our wedding photography.  If you'd like to know more about our lives in BC, or as Pebble and Pine Photography, Creative and Modern Victoria and Vancouver Island wedding photographers, you can read About Us.

Campbell Valley Park Engagement - Mikaela and Colin

Starbucks and Pumpkins Fall Engagement Photos // Vancouver Wedding Photographers

We met with Mikaela and Colin earlier this year at the It’s My Wedding Show in Abbotsford when they were in the early stages of wedding planning.  We chatted a little bit about their engagement, a little about their ideas for their winter wedding, and a little bit more about the Canucks and the Penguins.

We were looking forward again, to meeting up with them for their engagement session at Campbell Valley Park in the early days of autumn.  We explored some of the trails, coffees in hand, and admired the warm fall weather, and the first signs of leaves changing.  What a gorgeous evening spent with these soon-to-be newlyweds!

Enjoy the photos!

Thank you for checking out our wedding photography.  If you'd like to know more about our lives in BC, or as Pebble and Pine Photography, Creative and Modern Victoria and Vancouver Island wedding photographers, you can read About Us.

Beach House Restaurant Wedding in Victoria - Tamara and Mike

Tamara and Mike's Sunny Outdoor Beach House Wedding on Vancouver Island // Victoria Wedding Photographers

When couples plan their summer wedding on a beach, they are usually dreaming of sunny days, warmth, gorgeous blue waters that stretch on forever, and being surrounded by friends and family who are excited to have a good time. That’s exactly what Tamara and Mike got on their big day. We all know how gorgeous Victoria can be in the summer time, and that's exactly the kind of wedding day they had. The sun couldn’t have been brighter, the weather couldn’t have been warmer, and the ocean in front of The Beach House Restaurant where they married, could not have been more breathtaking!  

Surrounded by their eager and excited wedding party, Mike and Tamara had their suspenseful and emotional first look on the rooftop of their hotel overlooking Victoria.  After that, we journeyed to a cliffside park for some gravity defying pre-ceremony photos on the rocky edges of the shore – special kudos to Tamara who gracefully maneuvered the cliffs in 6 inch heels!

Tamara and Mike’s beachfront lawn ceremony was followed immediately by a delicious summer dinner in The Beach House Restaurant just north of Victoria, hilarious speeches from friends, heartfelt stories from family, and of course, outrageous partying.

Thank you for checking out our wedding photography.  If you'd like to know more about our lives in BC, or as Pebble and Pine Photography, Creative and Modern Victoria and Vancouver Island wedding photographers, you can read About Us.

Church and State Winery Wedding in Victoria - Lindsay and Darren

Lindsay and Darren's First Look at Brentwood Bay Resort, Photos at Woodwynn Farms, and Wedding at Church and State Winery // Victoria Wedding Photographers

When we met up with Lindsay and Darren for their engagement shoot this spring, we could tell their big day was going to be a special one.  Having brought along a few props to use during their engagement photos, it was clear that Lindsay and Darren not only had an eye for detail, but a knack for making details very personal.  We could NOT wait for their wedding at Church and State in Brentwood Bay.   It has to be one of the very best wedding venues in Victoria, probably one of the best wedding venues on Vancouver Island!

 When their big day arrived, that part of Lindsay and Darren’s personalities shone from start to finish; with how they prepared their day, their use of personal items, thoughtful tokens from and for their loved ones, personal typer-writer note cards, their unique vows, their silliness, and how they hosted their friends and family.  They truly did everything they could to make sure their guests felt comfortable, welcome, and excited.  That’s what we think weddings are all about.

The morning of their wedding day, every shade of blue painted the horizon.  The sun peeked through the clouds, but the rain was threatening.  Little did anyone know, a record-breaking windstorm was headed our direction, and the power would go out at their ceremony and reception site at Church and State Winery.  By the time Lindsay and Darren were ready for their first look, the rain had started and the wind picked up.  The moment Darren turned around to see Lindsay, and both their faces lit up, everyone forgot about the weather.

That’s the beautiful thing about love, and about weddings.  It’s natural to fret a little about the skies beforehand, but when the day arrives, the weather pales in comparison to the moments you’ll share with the company you have.   Lindsay and Darren’s wedding was a perfect example of that.  You couldn’t hear the wind over laughter.  You couldn’t feel the rain amongst the warmth of friends. You didn’t notice the loss of electricity when you were surrounded by intimate candle light. Their day was truly spectacular!

Congratulations Lindsay and Darren. Thank you for having us there to photograph your day. “We’re so glad you chose us.” ;)

Lindsay and Darren incorporated so many great, hard working local Vancouver wedding vendors, and Vancouver Island wedding vendors in their day, and we’d love to give a shout out to a bunch of them featured!
Venues: Church and State Winery, Woodwynn Farms
Florist: Rook and Rose
Cake: Coastal Cake Company
Hair and Makeup: Ma-Luxe
Gown: Truvelle gown, from The White Peony
Jewellry: Catherine Hartley
Groomsmen Ties: Beauxties
Officiant: Bobbi Salkeld of ‘Young, Hip and Married’
Music: Cole Schmidt

Thanks so much for having a look at Lindsay and Darren’s Vancouver Island Wedding at Church and State Wines. If you’d like to see more of our photos,  follow us on Facebook, and check out our feed on Instagram.

Thank you for checking out our wedding photography.  If you'd like to know more about our lives in BC, or as Pebble and Pine Photography, Creative and Modern Victoria and Vancouver Island wedding photographers, you can read About Us.

Outdoor Kitimat Wedding at the Rod and Gun Club - Darlene and Rob

Rob and Darlene's Kitimat Wedding and Second Day Photo Shoot // BC Wedding Photographers

If you saw our last blog post, you know we went up to Kitimat for a couple weddings, and to visit Matt’s hometown.  Darlene and Rob were first on our list.  We love shooting weddings where we get to run into familiar faces, and catch up with the couples of weddings we’ve photographed in the past.  Rob is the brother of Mike, of Mike and Lindsey, who got married in Sooke 3 years ago.  He’s also the cousin of Philip, of Philip and Crystal, who had their wedding in Whistler last year.  I guess you can say that we love ‘Keeping Up with the Campbells!’  If Darlene and Rob’s wedding was going to be anything like their kins’, we were in for a treat.  They did not disappoint!

Darlene and Rob hosted their intimate, outdoor ceremony along the Kitimat River, at the Kitimat Rod and Gun Club.  The early-evening light, and the views of the mountains and riverbed really set the mood.  We love when couples involve their children in their ceremonies, and we have to say they their son Riley was an incredibly dapper, dinosaur-clad ring bearer, and little brother Casey made a wonderful supervisor-of-the-ceremony-events.

After the ceremony, it was straight into dinner and dancing with their guests – partying late into the night and creating some pretty raucous memories in our PebbleBooth.

We got to do a fun and intimate second-day shoot with Darlene and Rob.  We still can not get over how gorgeous the two of them looked that day – two lovers, on a mountain, amongst the trees, overlooking the ocean at sunset.

Thank you for checking out our wedding photography.  If you'd like to know more about our lives in BC, or as Pebble and Pine Photography, Creative and Modern Victoria and Vancouver Island wedding photographers, you can read About Us.

Outdoor Rainforest Wedding in Kitimat BC - Kaylee and Travis

Kaylee and Travis Get Married in The Mossy Forest in Kitimat at Minette Bay // Victoria Wedding Photographers

We took a trip up to Kitimat, BC recently to visit Matt’s hometown roots, and to shoot two very beautiful weddings.  Kaylee and Travis were one of our couples that week, and their story is one we truly love.   Kaylee spied Travis for the first time while he was playing a gig with his band.  She told us that the minute she saw Travis’ cape dangling from his shoulders while he was up on stage, she knew he was someone she wanted to know.  It wasn’t a surprise that Travis’ outgoing personality would draw Kaylee’s attention, since she has been a long time lover of cosplay, and has an astonishing gift for creating costumes.  It shouldn’t come as a surprise then, that Travis proposed to Kaylee, in costume, at an Anime Revolution convention.

On the day of the wedding, with the threatening rain, Kaylee and Travis were calm and casual.  The rain didn’t bother them, and they intended to do their outdoor ceremony regardless.  The rain worked out for the better, in our opinion at least.  Mossy forests glow green when they are dampened, distance mountains turn blue, and hovering mist creates a dramatic backdrop, perfectly accentuating Kaylee’s purple hair and white gown, and Travis by her side.

Following some intimate photos in the woods, and by the water, Kaylee and Travis met up with their guests for what would be a hilarious, touching, and memorable reception.  It was evident that their guests and wedding party put a lot of effort into creating speeches, and a slideshow that perfectly represented Kaylee and Travis’ life together.  Even their anime-proposal was printed on their guitar pick favours, a perfect blend of two aspects of their lives.

Congratulations, Kaylee and Travis! We hope you enjoy the photos!

Thank you for checking out our wedding photography.  If you'd like to know more about our lives in BC, or as Pebble and Pine Photography, Creative and Modern Victoria and Vancouver Island wedding photographers, you can read About Us.

Jericho Beach Engagement - Hayley and Kyle

Hayley and Kyle Get Silly During Their Sunset Jericho Beach Engagement // Vancouver Island Wedding Photographers

We met with Hayley and Kyle at Jericho Beach to do their sunny and fun engagement photos, because it’s one of Hayley’s absolute favourite places in Vancouver.  Being from the Toronto area, where their wedding will take place, Hayley and Kyle wanted their engagement photos to reflect their new life in Vancouver.   We started off the shoot by meeting their pooch, Hunter, swinging on swings, and jumping on logs!   At sunset, we headed over to the waterside for a gorgeous view of downtown Vancouver, where Hayley and Kyle donned their Vancouver Canucks hats with glee – a playful nod to their Toronto-loving kin!

Thank you for checking out our wedding photography.  If you'd like to know more about our lives in BC, or as Pebble and Pine Photography, Creative and Modern Victoria and Vancouver Island wedding photographers, you can read About Us.

Stormy Steveston Engagement - Char and Josh

Charlene and Josh Outrun a Storm in Steveston During Their Engagement Photos // Victoria Wedding Photographers

Last week was our first time meeting Charlene and Josh in person.  We got to know a little about their story over a Skype chat a few months ago, and learned about their elaborate and fun proposal.  A day long proposal to be precise.  The day he popped the question, Josh sent Charlene on an Amazing Race style scavenger hunt.  With a friend in tow to document the adventure, Charlene was sent from place to place, from clue to clue, to end up at the Capilano Suspension bridge where Josh was waiting… to trick her with a bracelet.  Later that evening Charlene and Josh met up with family and friends at their church, where Josh proposed (for real) in front of all of them!  We loved the story.  An adventure proposal?!  How amazing is that!  Charlene and Josh sounded like a couple we wanted to get in front of our lenses.

Since Charlene is currently doing her residency in Minnesota, we decided it would be a great opportunity to do their engagement photos when she came back in the summer for a week.  We had a date picked to meet up in Steveston for a candid picnic themed engagement session.  The day we picked was rainy and dark.  All.  Day.  Long.  So, we picked our back-up date and that was it, we would do it rain or shine!  The day rolled around and it seemed we were going to have a little bit of both: rain and shine.  Like troopers, Charlene and Josh braved it all.  When we got to Steveston the sky along the horizon looked promising, but the large black, wet looking cloud above us was threatening.  We walked and talked with Charlene and Josh (and some curious swans), trying to keep ten steps in front of the rain, quite literally.  The looming rain was never able to keep pace, but created such a unique setting for Charlene and Josh’s outing in Steveston.  We’re always so grateful that we get to shoot so many couples who are willing to roll with the punches, and embrace the unknown!  Afterall, that is one thing marriage is all about.

Thanks Charlene and Josh for being so adventurous, we think it totally paid off!  We can’t wait to see what happens on your wedding day, and be there to capture what will surely be an adventure.

Thank you for checking out our wedding photography.  If you'd like to know more about our lives in BC, or as Pebble and Pine Photography, Creative and Modern Victoria and Vancouver Island wedding photographers, you can read About Us.

Wedding at Shaughnessy Restaurant at Van Dusen Gardens - Esther and Jimmy

Esther and Jimmy get Married at Shaughnessy Restaurant at Van Dusen Gardens in Vancouver // Victoria Wedding Photographers

We met up with Esther and Jimmy around this time last year, to discuss their wedding.  They told us about their laid back lifestyle, how they met, and some of the unique details of their wedding.

We were excited from the start: not only are Esther and Jimmy easy-going and easy to talk to, they planned on doing a few things at their wedding that would be entirely new experiences for us.  By the time their wedding day came around, we were bouncing in our seats.  Jimmy and Esther were hosting their wedding at iconic VanDusen Gardens, in Vancouver, a first for us, they were doing a first look which we love to do, and they’d be playing door games before the wedding.  All of these elements were going to make for a beautiful, sentimental, and fun-filled day.  Needless to say, easy going Esther and Jimmy kept us on our toes!

If you’re not familiar with Chinese wedding traditions, door games are something you should definitely know about!  The morning of the wedding Jimmy sent his handsome groomsmen to retrieve his stunning bride, Esther.  However, Esther’s bridesmaids weren’t about to give her up so easily.  Presented with obstacles, Jimmy and his groomsmen had to complete a series of challenges, to the gleeful delight of the bridesmaids (and to us capturing it).  These challenges included everything from rapping on the spot, to tasting a variety of questionable ‘candies’.  The games finish with groomsmen bribing the bridesmaids for the bride, a few aching stomachs (for the groomsmen – from the food, for the bridesmaids – from the hilarity), and of course, with one very green mouthed groomsmen.  Victorious, Jimmy headed outside to see Esther, in her wedding attire!

After a beautiful and intimate first look, it was off to Shaughnessy Restaurant at VanDusen Gardens to meet up with family and friends for the wedding and photos. With quests traveling all over the globe for the day, table-to-table cheers and toasts, and occasional roaring chants of “Fiddy! Fiddy!”, Esther and Jimmy’s wedding reception proved to be beautiful, heartfelt, and so entertaining!  Hope you enjoy the photos.

Vendors we loved from the wedding:

Venue // Shaughnessy Restaurant // VanDusen Gardens
Ether’s dress // David’s Bridal
Sash // Davie and Chiyo
Jimmy’s Suit // Moore’s
Bridesmaids // Autoalive
Makeup // Anita Ho
Hair // Cathy Nguyen
Officiant // Verna Magee Shepherd
Flowers// Sky Florist
Cake // BlueBird Cakery

Thanks for stopping by! If you like our photos,  follow us on Facebook! 

Thank you for checking out our wedding photography.  If you'd like to know more about our lives in BC, or as Pebble and Pine Photography, Creative and Modern Victoria and Vancouver Island wedding photographers, you can read About Us.

A Gastown Engagement Session - Justine and Devon

Justine and Devon's Flirty Romp Around Gastown During their Engagement Session in Downtown Vancouver // BC Wedding Photographers

Time for a switch up!  If you follow our photography, you know we shoot a lot on pebbly beaches, on island cliffs, in the great woods, and in grassy fields. It was about time we showed you what we can do in the glass jungle of Vancouver.  What a more perfect couple than Justine and Devon, who love city vibes, and will be getting married downtown this year.

We met up with Justine and Devon on a gorgeous evening, just outside of Gastown, to start their engagement session.  We wove through the neighbourhood of cobblestone streets and decorated alleys, pausing here and there to capture sweet and quiet moments of Justine and Devon together.  We finished off down by the ocean with a romantic stroll through Crab Park, with views of moonlit mountains, and the city lights twinkling like stars behind them.

Thank you for checking out our wedding photography.  If you'd like to know more about our lives in BC, or as Pebble and Pine Photography, Creative and Modern Victoria and Vancouver Island wedding photographers, you can read About Us.