Holy Moly! 2018 Vancouver Island Wedding Industry Awards - (Winners!!)

2018 Vancouver Island Wedding Awards winners of Best Overall Wedding Photographers, Best Candid Photo, and Best Group Photo! Wew wew!

We clean up alright.

We’ve been living on Vancouver Island for about 2 and a half years now, and it’s been such an amazing experience. Matt was raised in a small town in northern BC, and Sayde grew up in the country in Southern Ontario, so needless to say: small town island life suits us very well!

Aside from the laid back, outdoor lifestyle of Island life, we’ve fallen in love with the community here. The wedding industry community most of all! Even though there are sooo many talented wedding vendors in Victoria area, and all over Vancouver Island, there is a huge sense of support, encouragement, and inclusiveness.

Every year talented wedding industry professionals gather to celebrate the year, enjoy a night out, and indulge in delicious food and drinks at the Vancouver Island Wedding Awards! As the day of the awards drew closer we got more and more excited to enjoy our first date night in 10 months. This year was our first year attending the awards show, and we could not have been more excited to see and mingle with all the vendors we’ve gotten to know.

As parenthood, self employment, and a career in the wedding industry have taught us: things don’t always go according to plan and you need to adapt and roll with it! Half way through the evening parenthood duty popped up I had to leave quickly to pick up our sick babe at the sitter, leaving Matt solo for the awards half of the evening.

I spent the rest of the night driving around to soundly keep our daughter asleep, until it came time to pick up Matt. A heavy armed Matt walked out to the car carrying three white boxes, three bottles of wine, and three envelopes. At first I thought maybe we won some door prizes, until Matt opened each box which housed a glass diamond: Best Candid Photo, Best Group Photo, and Best Overall Wedding Photographer. I ALMOST FELL OVER! Matt also told me that we also placed as finalists for Best Wedding Couple Photo and Best Engagement Photo.

I was instantly emotional for so many reasons..

This year was our wildest year so far; personally and in business! We welcomed our first baby in January, have had more weddings, and more travel than any year to date! This year of baby-obsession, challenges, lessons, excitement, and perseverance-through-sleep-deprivation has been our most fulfilling year, but in the haze of business its easy to second guess yourself and wonder if you’re doing the best job that you could be. Happy clients who love and cherish their photos is what we live and work so hard for as business owners, and these awards feel great to have acknowledgement that our photographs, perspectives, and creativity is translating with clients, other wedding professionals, and other creatives.

We’re so thankful to have the best, trusting clients! We can’t wait to finally have the time in our slower season to start posting more of the blogs from their weddings this year. Until then, here are our winning images!

2018 Winners of the “Best Candid Photo” award from the Vancouver Island Wedding Industry Awards

2018 Winners of the “Best Group Photo” award from the Vancouver Island Wedding Industry Awards

2018 Finalist for “Best Couple Photo” award from the Vancouver Island Wedding Industry Awards

2018 Finalist for “Best Engagement Photo” award from the Vancouver Island Wedding Industry Awards

For the “best overall wedding photographers” category, there isn’t any single image alone that wins this title…it’s more an assessment of the total of the work you produce, so for this photo we have simply chosen a few images as figureheads to represent the award. They are also some of our favourites of the year!

2018 Winners of the “Best Overall Wedding Photographers” award from the Vancouver Island Wedding Industry Awards

2018 Winners of the “Best Overall Wedding Photographers” award from the Vancouver Island Wedding Industry Awards

2018 Winners of the “Best Overall Wedding Photographers” award from the Vancouver Island Wedding Industry Awards

Matt had to accept the awards on his own since I was gone with our sicky babe, but I think he brought enough personality to the winners’ photobooth for the two of us!

We hope you love the images, and please get in touch if you’d like to discuss your wedding day photography, or anything else!

Intimate Spring Wedding at Stanley Park Pavilion // Hilary & Chris

Hilary and Chris host their intimate spring wedding at one of Vancouver's most iconic wedding venues, Stanley Park Pavilion // Victoria Wedding Photographers

It's iconic, it's romantic, it's timeless, it's subtly grand. Stanley Park Pavilion is one of Vancouver's most recognizable and desirable wedding venues. Plunked in the middle of Stanley Park in downtown, it feels like a remote destination. It's no wonder that Hilary and Chris wanted this gorgeous property to host their classic wedding. 

Hilary and Chris started for their day at Westin Bayshore, with views of downtown, Burrard Inlet, the North Shore mountains and Stanley Park.  After a sweet first look, we ventured over to Stanley Park, where Chris proposed, for photos before their intimate, indoor, standing ceremony by the pavilion's beautiful fireplace.  After the vows were exchanged, and the champagne popped, it was time to party!  A very special musical performance kicked off the celebration, followed by dinner and speeches and a whole lot of dancing!

Thank you Hilary and Chris for having us there to celebrate with you! We hope you love the photos! 

Thank you to our second shooter, Laura Scotten for your help that evening!

New Westminster Engagement Photos // Cathryn and Robert

We explore New Westminster's board walk and back alleys during Cathryn and Robert's engagement photo session // Victoria Wedding Photographers

Winter and spring are often chalk full of engagement sessions for us, and we've been riding the dizzying high we've gotten as we jump from one to the next!  It's an exciting whirlwind for us, and a huge moment for our couples as they plan their weddings whether their wedding is quickly approaching, or over a year away!  New Years Eve may seem like a long way off to some, but for Cathryn and Robert, who are hosting their Brix and Mortar wedding that day, we're sure it feels like it can't come fast enough!  Hosting an urban wedding at one of the most unique and romantic wedding venues in downtown Vancouver, an urban engagement session seemed very fitting for the theme! What a better place to do it than right in Cathryn and Robert's hood in New Westminster!

We met up with C + R on a sunny saturday evening, with clear blue skies and golden sunlight and they took us on a tour as we snapped pictures! We strolled through the brick alleyways, counted all the new and trendy cafes, and explored the boardwalk near the River Market for sunset. 

Thanks so much Cathryn and Robert for showing us a great time and so many of New West's new gems! We can't wait for your wedding

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!

Whonnock Lake Centre Wedding in Maple Ridge // Melanie and Matt

Melanie and Matt's intimate December wedding at Whonnock Lake Centre in Vancouver // Victoria Wedding Photographers

2017 was a fantastic year!  We travelled all around Victoria, Vancouver Island, Vancouver, BC, Canada, and globally to photograph some truly amazing celebrations.  It was so great to finish on such a high note, photographing Melanie and Matt’s intimate wedding at Whonnock Lake Centre in Maple Ridge.

 Late autumn weddings in Vancouver area always make us think rainy, foggy, misty delight, and always makes for a cozy warm indoor affair.  Melanie and Matt’s wedding was all of those things!  Whonnock Lake with it’s wooden beams strung with lights, the views of a mist covered lake, and floor to ceiling cathedral windows is the perfect place to host such an event.  We love weddings that end up taking place just before the cusp of holiday season, because they always seem that people are extra chatty, extra huggy, and extra emotional as they catch up with people they haven’t seen for a long time, meet new and interesting people, and celebrate the love around them.  It was clear that all Melanie and Matt’s loved ones and friends were having the time of their lives, and enjoying a memorable evening together: as we photographed the evening, it felt that we were photographing a big family reunion with so much closeness, photo booth fun, and dancing joy! 

Thank you Melanie and Matt for having us there to join your family and friends in such a personal and intimate moment in your lives. We hope you love the photos!

Thanks so much to Summer Rayne Photography for coming along to be our second shooter for the day! We appreciate your help and amazing talent!

Reykjavik Elopement in Iceland // Farrah and Lance

Farrah and Lance elope in Iceland at the Blue Lagoon, black beaches, with a sunset vow exchange at Seljalandsfoss // Victoria Wedding and Elopement Photographers

We met Farrah and Lance through our friend Emma of Emma McCormmick Creative, and were so excited when they told us that they wanted to elope in Iceland and have us there to take the photos!  Like all of our couples, Farrah and Lance had their own unique way of doing their elopement, and we loved photographing the whole experience.  Farrah and Lance had a not-so-secret elopement, and even had a handful of family members and friends along to share in the day.  A mini wedding! We  love it!  

The day started out dark, with rain clouds looming over Reykjavik and as far as we could see: we assumed that our lucky weather streak had run out.  Our only option for the day was to follow the road in any direction that might lead us towards any sort of light. What a great decision that ended up being!

Black lava rocks, topped with bright green moss is what covers most of the Reykjanes Peninsula where we decided to head.  At Blue Lagoon, the vibrantly blue pools of water cut a contrasting path through the green and black blanket. They're made all the more vivid by their stark white silica borders.  For Farrah and Lance's first look, it made for a very surreal setting, even as rain threatened to pour on them.  From there we headed east, where we were treated to black sand beaches; their grassy dunes stretching for thousands of acres. Here we found an absolute absence of people, and warm sunlight bursting through dense fog, creating an otherworldly and romantic atmosphere.  

Farrah and Lance had saved their vows just for Iceland, and they were hoping to be able to exchange them at a waterfall at some point through the day.  As the day wound down and the sun began to set, we made our way further east to Seljalandsfoss, stopping along the way to visit with some Icelandic horses, and trying to coax them into cuddles with the promise of apples. We made it to Seljalandsfoss just in time for a glorious sunset, which couldn't have been more perfect for Farrah and Lance's romantic vow exchange.

Thank you Farrah and Lance! We had such a great day with you and your squad, chasing the light, fishing for horses, and walkie-talkie-ing like truckers between our vehicles!  Congratulations to you both, we hope these memories last forever!

Golden Eagle Golf Club Wedding - Ashley and Mike

Ashley and Mike host their wedding at Golden Eagle Golf Club in Pitt Meadows and enjoy a helicopter ride with Sky Helicopters // BC Wedding Photographers

When we first met with Ashley and Mike to talk about their wedding, we learned a lot about them and how they met, their love for basketball and sports, and how they bond over light hearted competition.  At their wedding, it was fun to meet a lot of their friends and family who were all like a big team.  We had SO many laughs during bridal prep with Ashley, her gals, and brother that we immediately felt welcomed!

Their outdoor wedding was held at Golden Eagle Golf Club, the only place in the lower mainland that it didn't seem to be raining that day!  Guests watched on with big laughs, and happy tears in a fun, but sentimental ceremony officiated by Shawn from Young Hip and Married.  After their ceremony it was time for Ashley and Mike to enjoy their helicopter ride, and some private time by a mountain river bed. 

With their feet back on the ground, Ashley and Mike joined their guests for some speeches, drinks, dancing, and of course, basketball!

Thanks so much for having us their to meet your crew, and celebrate you day with you, Ashley and Mike. Hope you love the photos!

Fan Tan Alley and Beacon Hill Park Engagement Photos with Susan and Peter

Susan and Peter are getting married in gorgeous Southern California, but approached us because they wanted us to do their engagement photos in gorgeous BC.  We talked for a while about all the great places we could get together for their session; should we go to Osoyoos? What about Vancouver?  In the end, the day before the photo shoot, they made the last minute decision to come to gorgeous Victoria and make a little weekend holiday of it.  We were so excited!  Vancouver Island has some of the most amazing places to do photos, which still end up being quite private. 

We met at Fan Tan Alley downtown and immediately hit it off.  Peter and Susan had one-liner after one-liner and lots of funny banter that kept us on our toes, and hurt our stomach from laughing so hard.  We love to see couples who can effortlessly make each other burst out laughing and smiling.  We explored around the alleys for a while and then headed through Beacon Hill Park before ending our session with with some intimate time on the beach.   It was great shooting Susan and Peter in these iconic Victoria spots, on a gorgeous day before tourist season; it felt like we had the whole town to ourselves and we could capture Susan and Peter in their element.

Thanks for the hilarious memories Susan and Peter, and thanks for coming all the way to the Island to let us photograph you!  Hope you love the photos, here's a few of our favourites! 

Mystic Beach Engagement Photos with Kristi and Kyle (and Chase!)

Kristi and Kyle hike through the rainforest for their sunset engagement session at Mystic Beach

// Vancouver Island Wedding Photographers

We met Kristi and Kyle, along with their wedding planner Anouk, about a month ago to talk about their Oak Bay Beach Hotel wedding.  They told us about their life in Victoria, their wedding plans, and showed us pictures of their cute little dog, Chase.   We found them so endearing, especially the way they'd look in each other's eyes and immediately smile every time we asked them questions about their everyday life, and their relationship.  We are always drawn to couples who have a strong connection to each other that way.  When they told us that they had considered a place like Mystic Beach for their engagement photos, we almost fell out of our seats.  

Mystic Beach is one of our (one of most people's) favourite places to visit, and we've been dying to go there with a couple.  Within 10 minutes of weaving through the moss and fern coated forest, Kristi and Kyle's shoes were covered in thick mud, and Chase's tiny white paws were painted black.  To which, Kristi laughed and said, "Well, we're committed now! It'll totally be worth it!"  And she was so right.  Appropriately named, Mystic Beach makes most people feel as though they've stepped out of the forest and into a dream.  It often overwhelms people with a kaleidoscope of feelings which is why it's such a great place to photograph people there.  We had so much fun photographing Kristi and Kyle as they explored the beach, the waterfall, and ran around the beach with Chase, who was clearing feeling energized after being liberated from his leash! We finished off with a gorgeous hazy sunset by the waterfall, followed by our slow and tedious hike back to the cars through the pitch black forest.

Thanks, Kristi and Kyle, for being so adventurous and taking on this crazy excursion with us, for your engagement session.  Thank you for letting us try out some creative photo techniques with our lighting, and panorama style too!  We just couldn't wait to show you these images, and we totally hope they are worth the sore ankles and backs!  We're sooo looking forward to your wedding in September.

Thanks for checking out our blog!  If you'd like to learn more about us, please head over to our "About Us" section!

Tips for Looking and Feeling Awesome in Your Engagement Photos

Some great suggestions on how to look and feel amazing during your engagement photos, from Victoria Wedding Photography team, Pebble and Pine Photography.

Let's start with why we love engagement sessions so much!  We get asked a lot by couples if engagement sessions are a totally necessary part of getting married.  The truth is, they aren't.  You can get married without having engagement sessions and your marriage is still just as legal, haha.  However,  we've found that engagement sessions are so valuable because they are a great way for us to get to know our couples a bit more before the wedding.  It helps us to see how you interact with each other, get to know your dynamic as a couple, and how we can best make you feeling comfortable and confident in front of the lens so the wedding day is effortless and has a smooth natural flow to it.  It's also incredibly helpful and fun for our couples who are preparing for the big day.  It shows you how we work as a photography duo, how you feel being photographed, and help you to get more comfortable in front of our lenses, so that you have less to feel nervous about when your wedding day comes. 

 In our experience of photographing weddings, we've found that many of the couples we work with have not had professional photos done together before working with us.  They often have questions about how they can best prepare for the engagement session, so we've put together a handy little tips list.  That way, you can put your nerves at ease, and feel excited!

First and most importantly to remember; this is not a do-or-die list.  As with all advice, follow it to the degree that you're comfortable with, and that feels right for you!

Ability to move freely. 
Because we’ll be walking around, and getting the two of you interacting with each other, the ability to move around with ease is the best way to feel natural in front of the camera.  You want to make sure that you can wrap your arms around each other comfortably, and also be able to walk and sit down without worrying what your clothes are doing, or feeling restricted by them. We also love taking candid photos of you guys just spending time together, so the less you carry with you (purses, backpacks, etc), the more spontaneous the photos can be.  Some couples like to make sure they can keep their phones close by, or like to bring a small makeup/lip touch-up kit along which is totally fine. In those instances, we will usually just carry those things for you in our camera bags until you need them, so they don’t show through your pockets and clothes.

Wear the clothes, and do the hair and makeup style that make you feel like the most confident, comfortable, and vibrant version of yourself.
Keep in mind that when you look at your photos later, we want you to feel like your photos are a reflection of your true self, not a costumey version of yourself.
Our best advice is to not wear clothes, or get hair and makeup done to an extreme or style that feels unnatural or uncharacteristic of you. The best way to look good on camera is to feel like yourself! 
Brides who are planning to have hair and makeup done at the wedding often opt to have some hair and makeup for the engagement session, to see how it feels to be photographed with it done.  Typically it’s slightly more toned-down, and less formal than it would be on the wedding day.  The best way to look good on camera is to feel like yourself! 

Decide on a location you love and feel comfortable in.
We encourage couples to choose a place of significance to them, and a place they feel comfortable in.  We love engagement sessions to tell some kind of story and have a flow to them, so that you don’t feel like you're just standing in front of the camera posing the whole time. If you're in a place you love and are excited about, you'll feel more at ease in front of the camera.  This way we can get you interacting with each other to really capture your personalities, and your dynamic together.  A lot of couples choose walks on the beach or the woods in areas they like, or decide they want to have a date night, like a wine-and-sunset picnic somewhere.  Other couples choose to have their photos taken doing a hobby they enjoy doing.  We like to chat with our couples about ideas that work best to reflect their life together.

Match your engagement style vibe to the atmosphere and style you’ve planned your wedding. 
Weddings nowadays have become less of a traditional mould, and more of an expression of your relationship.  Chances are, you’ve planned your wedding to reflect your personalities, your style and taste, and of course your eccentricities.  We recommend matching your engagement style to fit amongst the same general style of your wedding, and your own personal style.  Some couples consider themselves more outdoorsy and adventurous. Some couples vibe with boho, whereas others are more modern and edgy, etc.  So to avoid feeling uncomfortable or inauthentic to yourself, we usually recommend couples dress in what Matt refers to as, “casual plus, or better".  It's a spruced up version of your own real, personal style.  For example, a couple we shot last year, during a beach sunset, described their outfit choice this way, “we chose outfits to that we would wear to a beachfront patio, on a night out for dinner and drinks with good friends we hadn’t seen for a long time.”   

Complement each other’s style. 
This is not a suggestion to wear a matchy-matchy couples onesie outfit, though that would be hilarious. We do, however, recommend your clothes complement each other’s style and scale of formality. We’ve found most couples have a similar style anyways, but we just throw this in as a tip.  For example, if one of you is in a suit jacket, the other might not want to wear those oh-so-cozy LuLus and gym top.  Or, if one is in a brightly coloured, patterned summer dress, the other probably wouldn’t be rocking the Johnny Cash all-black-from-head-to-toe look.  You're both individuals, but these photos show how you complement each other as two equal parts of a whole.

Play off the season and location.  
This all goes with the goal of feeling comfortable and natural in your surroundings. We want you to dress and feel awesome for the weather, and location you're in.  Heels aren't always the best shoe choice for snowy mountains or sandy beaches. If you're planning to rock a strapless dress at the top of Cypress in the winter, bring along a cute jacket to wear.  If you're planning a romantic summer sunset on a hot beach, leave that parka at home and wear layers instead. 

I know, I know! This isn't one of Andrea and Eddie's engagement photos. But we love their use of vibrant colour and eccentric prints to show their personal style. Don't be afraid to be bold, friends!

Don't shy away from bright colours or prints, but avoid fluorescent neon materials. 
Bold prints and vibrant colours can be a great way to show your personal style, but be weary of fluorescent and neon.  Think Olivia Newton John in her 80’s aerobic leotards.  While these types of colours are mostly seen in workout and road-worker attire to promote visibility and road safety, they have started to pop up in regular style as well for a visual punch.  Great in real life, but these fluorescent and neon colours are so reflective that they’ll reflect their own colour onto your skin in photographs.  If these colours are on the front of your shirt, they will often cast their colour up onto your face and your partner’s, even on a cloudy day. (We’ll have a photo in the blog to show an example of this effect.)

A good night sleep, proper meals, and lots of water! 
This is just a general rule for day to day life, but it applies to the day of your photoshoot as well.  If you’re nervous the night before, try to hit the hay early to make sure you’re not tired the evening of your session. If you’re busy with hair and makeup on the day of, make sure to allot time for food and water through the day of your the photo session.  It’s the best way to look vibrant, feel refreshed, and stay excited through your photos together. Plus, as we all know, it’s hard to smile and feel lovey when we’re hangry. 

These are some of our prep / attire tips. But again, only follow these to the degree that you’re comfortable with, and don’t feel restricted by.  We usually spend a few minutes at the start of each photo shoot to let you guys know what expect so that you know how to interact with each other and the camera during the photoshoot. We’ll shake out all those nervous, awkward feelings at the start so you guys can feel awesome in the photos! 

Feel free to check out some other blogs here:

Hawai'i Vacation Scrapbook - Wedding Photographers do Maui!

Mahalo!  We are back from our vacation in Maui!  No, this holiday was not to shoot a wedding, or landscapes, or our honeymoon. This holiday was for disconnecting, and spending some time with family, to celebrate Matt's father, Brad's, 60th birthday.  We're thankful that we get to travel so much for weddings and photoshoots, and we've seen a lot of incredible places as a result, much of our travelling lately has just been to get to know our new turf on Vancouver Island.  So, some down time with the Neumann side of the family was going to be an awesome, and different, type of trip for us.  We had been excited for this trip for eons it felt like: and just like that, it came, and was over before we could even raise our cameras to take photos.  The best part about this trip in particular was leaving the cameras in the bags, and getting to spend quality time with family members.  As you can imagine, in the busy wedding season, we often only get to see them when we are crashing in their spare rooms so that we can be close to the wedding we're shooting the next day.  Some of the best parts of the trip weren't the grand adventures, but just hanging by the pool with them until after sunset, playing jenga around the dinner table until everyone was too exhausted to carry on. 

We've put together a little scrapbook blog of photos just to show you some of the things we saw and did: lots of sunsets by the pool, trekking up the Haleakala volcanic crater, driving the windy and lush Road to Hana, snorkelling all over Maui (we didn't see sea turtles, but saw so many huma-huma-nuku-nuku-apuaa), waterfall hiking, whale watching, watching surfers, and trying to keep Matt's porcelain skin from burning to a crisp.   He also took the opportunity to work on his vacation beard, which seems to have also traversed the Pacific Ocean and is currently resisting his razor's edge as we make our way back into our normal routine.  

Enjoy the photos! 

Minoru Chapel and UBC Boathouse Wedding - Phil and Bernice

Phil and Bernice's Masquerade Wedding in Richmond  // BC Wedding Photographers

When we met Bernice and Phil, we talked a lot about their love of all things quirky and creative.  At their engagement session, they brought along their homemade Bomberman cosplay costume to get silly with.   It should come as no surprise that Bernice and Phil wanted to do something creative and unique for their wedding.

The day of their wedding came in the middle of a Vancouver snow storm. It was such a great time for us to visit from Vancouver Island - it was a winter wonderland!  A blanket of snow on the ground, and billowy snow hugging bare branches, a hedge garden sprinkled gently.  With the Minoru Chapel perched close by, it was a perfect scene for their first look. 

After a cozy and intimate ceremony, Bernice and Phil, their bridal party and guests headed over for a tea ceremony, and dinner at UBC Boathouse. 

As a special surprise for their guests, Phil and Bernice's evening had a masquerade theme.  During the reception Bernice, Phil and their guests guests all donned a colombina mask, enjoyed some live music, and dined by candlelight.  

Thank you to Bernice and Phil for having us along to enjoy your unique and wonderful wedding!

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

Westwood Plateau and The Pear Tree Wedding - Inna and Kevin

Inna and Kevin's Intimate Elopement-Style Wedding in Burnaby // Vancouver Island Wedding Photographers

We're ringing in 2017 by doing some time travelling!  All the way back to 2016.  We have the technology!

Today we're reminiscing about that time we travelled from Victoria to Burnaby for Inna and Kevin's wedding at Westwood Plateau.   With the club closing for winter, Inna, Kevin and their dozen guests had the entire venue to themselves, and cozied into a window-filled room to exchange vows and rings. 

After the ceremony, we all headed to a place very special to Inna and Kevin, The Pear Tree Restaurant, in Burnaby.  Known for their fine dining experiences, the staff treated all its guests to a bouquet of courses: each innovative, intricate and flavourful.  After each delectable course, toasts, laughter, and vodka flowed through the room.

Thank you Inna and Kevin for having us there to celebrate your love with you and your loved ones!

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

Whonnock Lake Lodge Wedding - Minna and Trevor

Minna and Trevor's Intimate Wedding at Whonnock Lake in Maple Ridge // Vancouver Island Wedding Photographers

Today we're sharing some of our favourites from Minna and Trevor's wedding at Whonnock Lake Centre.

We were so honoured to be there to capture Minna and Trevor's big day with them, and their family and friends.  For those of you who know what the Vancouver area is like in the winter, you know we get rain.  A lot of it.   With the rain pouring down the wall of windows of Whonnock Lake Centre, and the sun setting low into a nest of mist and cloud,  Minna and Trevor hosted one of the most intimate and cozy weddings we've had the pleasure of shooting.  Underneath a canopy of lanterns strung from the wood beams, they and their guests danced and drank the night away. What a celebration!  

Thank you Minna and Trevor for having us there to capture it.  Thanks for standing in the rain while we did some photography experimentations on you!  You're such great sports.

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

Golden Eagle Golf Course Wedding - Candy and Tim

Candy and Tim's Outdoor Wedding and Helicopter Ride at Golden Eagle Golf Course in Maple Ridge // BC Wedding Photographers

We had the pleasure of photographing a wedding at Golden Eagle Golf Course a couple years ago and really loved the experience.  When Candy and Tim approached us about their wedding this year, we were excited to come back from Victoria to capture it.  They seemed like a couple who was perfect for each other, and it would be so great to spend a day with them at such a neat place. 

We loved all the personal touches that Candy and Tim put into their wedding were really superb and cheeky.  Being pharmacists, Candy and Tim handed out large prescription bottles for their guests to 'fill' at their candy bar.  They also had all their guests fill out a prescription pad with marriage advice for them to read through in the future. 

With all the excitement of the day, it was nice for Candy and Tim to have a few minutes alone together, to step away from all their guests and absorb the day.  They did this by taking a helicopter ride to a remote riverbed in the forest, just the two of them... and Matt. While they were away, their guests enjoyed their time putt'ing around the greens and listening to Candy's sister play beautiful music on the guzheng. 

Upon their return, it was time for the celebrations, with amazing speeches and stories about the couple and their relationship, they finished off their evening with dancing and sparklers.

Thanks Candy and Tim for letting us be part of 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

Centennial Beach Engagement Session - Bernice and Phil

Bernice and Phil Get Silly at Centennial Beach in Richmond During Their Engagement Session //  Vancouver Wedding Photographers

We've been waiting eagerly for Bernice and Phil's engagement session and their upcoming wedding for some time now!  They're quirky, animated, and so fun to be around. Their smiles and laughter are contagious.  We were so excited to come to Richmond from Victoria to photograph them!

We met up with Bernice and Phil around Centennial Beach in Richmond for their engagement session.  It was windy and cool that day, so we opted to start our session in a more sheltered area, amongst some gorgeously coloured autumn trees.  After a bit of walk through the trails, we made our way to the beach to play on the logs and race down the shore.

Phil and Bernice enjoy cosplay, and it only seemed right to pull out their homemade, expressive BomberMan heads to have some fun! We were so impressed with the way Phil and Bernice embrace doing things their way - from the custom engagement ring, their enthusiasm for cosplay, and the unique details they are putting into their wedding.  We're so looking forward to their December wedding!

Thanks for all the laughs, Bernice and Phil! We hope you love the photos as much as we do.

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

Cannon Beach Wedding in Oregon - Paula and Cameron

Paula and Cameron's Destination Wedding in Cannon Beach Oregon // Vancouver Island Wedding Photographers

It had been a while since we saw Paula and Cameron: their Sea to Sky Gondola engagement session was way back in March, so their September wedding at Cannon Beach felt like it was going to be eons away!  We were giddy when September rolled around and we were hitting the road from Victoria to Oregon for their wedding. 

We were also excited to visit Oregon again, and specifically a place that holds a lot of emotional value to us as well!  We got engaged at Cannon Beach, so our hearts were a'flutter at the idea of photographing Paula and Cameron exchanging their vows at the same place. 

It was a true event!  For their ceremony, Paula and Cameron picked a secluded area on the northern end of the beach, away from tourists and beach-goers, accessed by a long narrow trail through the beach grass with lead to a clearing of fine sand, surrounded by a circle of beach grass, overlooking blue waters, and cliffy rock formations. What a treat to watch the expression on their guests faces as they stepped out on to the beach to watch Paula and Cameron's ceremony.

After a gorgeous ceremony we wandered the beach with Paula and Cameron, and followed them up to their reception venue, HayStack Gardens at SurfSand Resort.  CC of Roa Luxury Floral Designs happens to be a family member to these two, and created such a gorgeous, airy, beach garden atmosphere for Paula and Cameron's reception.  What a creative and beautiful scene! 

With games, cocktails, dancing, and Pebblebooth fun, we followed the antics into the night, even finding a few minutes to sneak the newlyweds off as the sun set.  When the night crept in, Paula, Cameron and their guests headed down to the beach to round their day off with a midnight bon fire, chatting, and music.

Thank you Paula and Cameron for inviting us along to be part of you wedding 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

Vancouver Elopement at Spanish Banks - Elizabeth and Doug

Elizabeth and Doug Elope at Spanish Banks in Vancouver // BC Wedding Photographers

It's not every day that we get to shoot an elopement on the beach right here in Vancouver!  While the idea of eloping may bring visions of Mexico or Costa Rica, for Elizabeth and Doug the beach of choice was Vancouver's own Spanish Banks.  Beautiful in its own right, with views to the mountains and city, it made the perfect backdrop for them to get married with only their moms and a marriage commissioner present.  As they said their "I do's", the hubbub of action at low tide continued around them, complete with a couple dogs who were keen to say hi and see what we were up to.  

Elizabeth and Doug were considerate enough to bring a cupcake for the marriage commissioner as it was also his birthday that day!  After signing papers on their backs, a bit of celebratory champagne for all, this adventurous couple splashed around for some fun portraits.  What an awesome day to capture this elopement at Spanish Banks.  Thanks again, Elizabeth & Doug!

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

Lighthouse Park Engagement - Katrina and Brian

Katrina and Brian Have Fun Hiking Around LightHouse Park in West Vancouver // Vancouver Island Wedding Photographers

We met with Katrina and Brian while ago to talk about their Camp Fircom wedding, which they were planning no short notice. Four months of planning to be exact.  We learned a lot about them, from when they first met in Phoenix, all the way to their move to Vancouver.  Above all we learned that Katrina and Brian are an adventurous couple: they hike, they camp, they've climbed, you name it!  It only made sense to do a bit of hiking during their engagement session.  They told us about a hike they enjoy around Light House Park, and we thought it would be perfect to go and walk it with them.

As we made our way to the cliffs, waves crashed on the rocks, clouds danced in the sky and sun began its slow dip behind the mountains.  We clicked away with our cameras as Katrina and Brian explored around many of the embankments, in the hunt for the perfect view. 

Thanks so much to Katrina and Brian, for the fun evening, and of course, your infectious smiles and laughter! 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