What can I say about Brent and Steph's wedding day. It was such a blast and the day went by so very fast. I couldn't have asked for a more fun couple to photograph. Plus their entire wedding party along with the family were equally as fun and easy going. There were a ton of moments that I was able to capture and you can see a bunch of them below. But first, a little about my experience from the day.
My part of the day started at the Marina with the guys anxiously awaiting the guests to arrive. The ceremony took place at the Spirit Garden which is such a lovely location. It took about 20 minutes for the guests to start arriving so that gave the guys some time to loosen up with some drinks. Plus it was a pretty hot day so of course it was important to stay 'hydrated'.
In that time I simply walked around and just documented the guys interacting and talking. It also gave me a chance to scout the location, even though I have been there many times before. Although, this would be my first wedding to photograph there.
Once the guests started to arrive Brent snuck away for a while so he could spend some time to himself. The rest of the guys helped seat the guests and greet people. I think that is the way it should be and it was a great idea. I was able to get a whole bunch of candid photos of the guests arriving and mingling. Especially some with the kids as well.
Just before it was time for Steph to approach the area I hurried over to the path in behind the Spirit Garden to get some shots of those anxious moments. One of my favourite photos of the entire day was of Steph and her Dad just slightly peeking over the hill. It was only a split second but it's photos like that, that I absolutely always look for. And then just like that everyone took their seat and it was time for the girls and eventually Steph to make their way down the isle.
It all happened quite fast but I'm sure it felt like slow motion for Brent. With the Marina one side of the and all the guests on the other, Brent and Steph said their vows. It was a very beautiful ceremony and looking at the reactions of the guests, and often an emotional one. He would later get teased for it, but Brent had a few moments as well. I learned that this would happen on multiple occasions throughout the night. And there is nothing wrong with that. I think I even had tears a couple times on my wedding day.
Once the ceremony was over, everyone spent some time congratulating the newly wed couple. It was then off to the back part of the marina that overlooks Lake Superior. This is where I suggested we do the family portraits. It ended up being the perfect location as it wasn't very far from where the ceremony was and there was a nice low brick wall that everyone was able to stand in front of. With the Lake in the background it was the perfect backdrop.
We finished up there and then made our way back to the Spirit Garden to get some group photos as well as shots of Brent and Steph. The backdrop here was fantastic to work with as we used the logs on the hill. I also decided to take advantage of the chairs from the wedding that were still set up. It was then off to the central part of the marina to get some more portraits of the wedding party. It goes without saying that there are always going to be formal portraits, but everyone made sure to still have fun with and the result as some very natural looking portraits.
The gang then jumped back on the bus and before we made our way to Vickers Park, they made a pitstop at the liquor store. Yes, the liquor store. Hey, when you run out of drinks you gotta do something about it. Suffice it to say, I followed them in and was actually able to get a few good photos of them inside. Then.... it was off to Vickers Park for some more portraits. Not only was the weather awesome for their wedding, warm and cloudy, but Vickers Park was very green and the trees looked amazing. So that is what we used as a backdrop, the trees.
Some of the best photos of the day happened at Vickers Park. My favourite from this portion of the wedding was one of the group shots. I had Brent and Steph move forward about 10 feet in front of the rest of the group so that I can isolate them yet still see everyone else in the background. On my cue everyone was supposed to jump behind them as Brent and Steph kissed. It was great the first time around but just to be safe I got then to do it one more time. Well, the second time around, the girls jumped but the boys didn't, they just pointed and laughed. It was just such a priceless and spontaneous moment which I loved.
It was then eventually off to the Victoria Inn for the reception. I made sure to show up about 30 minutes early to get some photos of the decor and details. I have shot a few reception in the same ballroom but I'm always amazed how different and beautiful it looks each time I do it. Brent and Steph did an amazing job making it their own. As the guests arrived I continued to get my usual candid photos. Eventually dinner was served and the speeches began. I was able to get some good emotional moments from some of the guests and a bunch from the wedding party. And yes, I believe shed a few more tears at the reception, and there is nothing wrong with that!
After a nice photo slideshow which documented Brent and Steph's life, it was then time for the first dance. With all the guests watching on it was very sweet seeing Brent and Steph do their first dance. You could tell that they didn't even notice all the people around them watching on. Steph then had a dance with her father and Brent with his mom. The band then started up and everyone else joined in. Along with the guests dancing I was able to get a few good shots of the Steph and her grandfather dancing too. It was a very special moment. The cake cutting was the last thing to take care of and then my day was done.
As I mentioned earlier, it was a pleasure being a part of Brent and Steph's special day. There are too many favourite moments to mention which says a lot about the entire day. Just like I always do I would like to thank both of them for choosing me to document their wedding. I couldn't be happier with all the great photos I came away with and I just hope they like them as much as I do!
Before heading down to all the photos, check out 7 of my favourites converted to my vintage style. These are included in every wedding I shoot and each one is completely unique from the next. It's not everyone's cup of tea but for those who like this kind of treatment might think it's pretty cool!
Ceremony
Portraits
Reception
