One of my last weddings of the year took place earlier this month with Courtney and Braden. It was at, what I think, is one of the best spots in town, Stepstone Centre. The last time I had shot a wedding there was around 5 years ago. So I was very excited to do so again.
My day started just after noon, with the girls getting ready. This took place in a beautiful little guest house. I made sure to capture some initial photos of Courtney’s gorgeous wedding dress. After that, it was just a matter of getting unique and fleeting moments. Before the girls were all dressed up, we stepped outside and got a nice group photo of them, and then a short while later, one where they were all in their wedding attire.
As with most of my weddings, the atmosphere was pretty laid back, with a little bit of nervous energy. That energy got a little bit more intense as they did their first look though. I could just feel the happiness and I hope that I was able to convey that with some of the photos.
Because the ceremony was still a couple hours away, we actually hung out for a bit and then did all the wedding party photos in the forest. It was so nice not to be rushed or in any hurry. Plus, it gave everyone a chance to just enjoy the day. Once were done doing the photos, I spent some time getting detail photos of the venue and decorations.
As guests started to arrive, I did thing, and documented the day as I saw it. Outdoor weddings are always a pleasure to photograph, but with constantly changing light, I did have to work my angles and look for the best ones. But I love that challenge, and it’s one of the things that makes weddings fun for me. The unpredictability.
The ceremony was so beautiful! It went be fairly quick for me, but it was a short ceremony, which I think is a good thing. I don’t think many people these days want to sit through a long drawn out ceremony. The violinist they had playing set the mood perfectly.
Courtney and Braden also hired a caricature artist for after the ceremony and also at the reception. I obviously made sure to get some good photos of him showing off his amazing talent with couples throughout the day. Just like before the wedding, after the wedding was spent mingling with guests and enjoying the beautiful day. We did a few family photos while everyone was gathered together. I’m sure those photos will be much appreciated.
The reception was just as fun as the previous part of the day. The speeches were amazing, and there were a ton of laughs and also happy tears. Receptions are where I really capture a lot of pure moments, and some of my favourite photos were captured during this part of the day.
Just before my time was up, Courtney and Braden followed me to the dock on the river to get a few photos of just them. It was the perfect end to a very eventful day for me. I’m so proud of these photos and I truly hope Courtney and Braden enjoy them as much as I do.
Lastly, throughout the day, I managed to capture a some video clips here and there. You can view that highlight film below. Neither of them asked for it, or even expected, but I always try and surprise couples when I can!
