One of the best parts of being a Kelowna Wedding Photographer is that I get to travel all over the Okanagan for weddings and engagement sessions!
For Kiara & Ben’s Naramata Engagement Session, we four-wheeled it up the mountain in Ben’s jeep to this beautiful location on his family’s property. I get to see views and locations that I wouldn’t be able to see otherwise! How lucky am I??
We had so much fun and I can’t wait for their wedding in 2021!!
Gabby and Cam got married at one of my all-time favourite venues; Silver Sage Stables.
Guys! This venue is so incredibly beautiful. The barn and wood provide an incredible canvas for any wedding decor, the golden wheat field is the MOST beautiful (who doesn’t want to get married in the middle of a wheat field?!), especially in the evening during golden hour (just look below), and the whole property is surrounded by mountains. Any direction you look, there is beauty.
The beautiful thing about this wedding was…. well… everything. But what I love the most is when an incredible group of vendors come together to make a bride and groom’s dreams come true. I got to work with some of my favourite people of all time. Gabby, who is on Team Top Knot made the obvious choice in having Sara on board as her planner and decorator. Sara and Gabby are both two of the most incredible humans on this planet and I’m keeping them both forever (don’t worry, I’ll share!). The colour palette for this wedding was such a breath of fresh air for me! Let me tell you… I just LOVE it when I get to photograph at a unique venue with unique decor. It keeps the creative juices flowing and fills my heart with pretty warm fuzzies. Sara is a genius when it comes to providing something beautiful and unique for her couples. Petal and Vow provided the florals for the wedding party and reception and they were breathtaking! The bridesmaids carried floral hoops rather than bouquets – another favourite of mine!
Gabby and Cam opted out of having a first look and waited to see each other at the ceremony. I love this way of planning the day because the excitement and anticipation really get the tears and emotions flowing! After the ceremony, the light was so incredible beautiful. Wedding party and family portraits took place and then we ate the most delicious food from The Chef Instead. I’m not exaggerating at all when I say that this was some of the best wedding food I’ve ever eaten – and I’ve eaten at a lot of weddings! Not to mention, at the end of the day, we were sent off with fresh, homemade donuts. WHAT?!?! I don’t think that anyone except wedding vendors can understand how much of a gift that is!
After dinner we snuck out for a quick couples’ session with Gabby and Cam as the sun set. This is quite possibly my favourite part of the day, not only because the light is the most beautiful at this time of day, but also because the wedding couple get to spend a moment away from guests and just get to take it all in. They can have a moment to be together and not have to entertain their guests. They just get to enjoy the moment together. It’s a beautiful time!
Lindsay and John chose two beautiful Kelowna Wedding Venues for their Kelowna Wedding ceremony and reception. Evolve Cellars in Summerland is an incredible venue with one of the most stunning views in the area. Just look at their ceremony photos and you’ll understand. The Laurel Packinghouse is another beautiful venue – one of my favourite venues. As a Kelowna Wedding Photographer, I am fortunate to visit both of these beautiful venues several times a year.
The day started early with the ladies getting pampered by Dana England (make-up) and the ladies at Pomme Salon (hair). My incredible sidekick, Kaila, was hanging out with the guys while they got handsome’d-up! The ladies were quite relaxed which was a lovely treat! They spent their time laughing, eating, and gifting Lindsay a beautiful scrapbook – a tradition among friends getting married. Lindsay had a private moment to read a handwritten letting from John before getting into her beautiful Mikaella Bridal gown. Lindsay and her bridesmaids’ looks were completed with the most incredible and unique bouquets by Blue Sage Farm. If you’re looking for something different and unique… you need to contact Darquise. She’s incredible, as you can see!
Lindsay’s Aunt officiated the wedding ceremony which was a lovely personal touch. I’m all about the family and this detail made my heart so happy! Lindsay and John wrote personal vows for one another… another detail I love. I try to get to know my clients as much as possible during the planning process, but regardless of how much we talk beforehand, personal wedding vows give me another view into their love story. I feel so fortunate to be a part of these special moments.
After the ceremony, we headed to the Laurel Packinghouse and spent more time taking pictures around downtown (I love having lots of time for portraits!) Then we filled our bellies with a delicious dinner from Deli City, listened to speeches, and partied the night away!
Enjoy these images and I apologize in advance for the amount included in this post (NOT!). It’s not my fault that Lindsay & John and everything involved in their wedding day, was so beautiful!
There are many things I love about Natashia & Tyler. They’re easy-going attitude is at the top of that list. Throughout the entire planning process, when I asked how things were coming along they never had a single complaint!
They didn’t bat an eyelash when one of their flower girls decided that she just didn’t want to wear a flower girl dress that day. She wanted to wear her regular dress that day. Tyler didn’t even notice! Tash simply said “That’s her. Let her be herself!”
The day started with Tash and her ladies getting ready together in a condo overlooking the Okanagan Lake. Tyler’s day started with beers and buddies at home. Tash wore a beautiful Alvina Volenta dress purchased from Cameo & Cufflinks in Calgary. Many of my brides have purchased their gowns from this store, and I have loved them all! Tasha’s dress was beautiful, unique and elegant – all characteristics of Tash herself. I thought it perfectly suited her!
Tash & Ty decided that the ceremony site at Gallagher’s Canyon was the perfect location for their ceremony, and it really was! The view is incredible! Immediately following the ceremony, friends and family gathered for a group shot. I normally wouldn’t note this in my story-telling of the wedding day, however… I feel like it needs to be mentioned because everyone listened SO WELL! It was probably the fastest I have ever seen guests assemble for a group shot! I think they all owe themselves a pat on the back!
After the ceremony, cocktails and portraits, we headed back to the Fish and Game club where the reception was held. The room was decorated beautifully with florals by Joan Cochrane, DIY decor, as well as decor from Glitz & Glam. Guests were sent home with real maple syrup, courtesy of Tash’s dad. He harvested (is that the right word?) and bottled it all!
During the cocktail hour a crazy thing happened! A helicopter landed on the property to deliver a special gift, unbeknownst to Tyler. Well, the gift was too large to deliver by helicopter, but the key to his brand new snowmobile was! Tash officially wins the “Best Wedding Gift Ever” award!
After that giant surprise, dinner was had. Deli City served delicious food, as always!
One of my favourite parts of a wedding day is the speeches. Speeches give me a window into the lives of the couples I am lucky enough to photograph. The truth is, I knew that Tash and Ty were special people from the moment I met them, but I didn’t realize how special until I heard the speeches delivered by friends and family. They are truly two of the most kind-hearted people and I feel incredibly privileged to have been a part of their wedding day!
Enough of the mushy stuff, you want to see the images!
Kate and Cody decided to have a destination wedding in the Okanagan at beautiful Gatzke Orchard in Lake Country. The day was hot (real hot!), sunny (the perfect light!), and fun!
The bridal party got ready at separate private residences. Both Kate and Cody were exceptionally calm and excited to see each other as Kate walked down the aisle. Kate’s Mom and Dad were incredibly proud to walk their only child down the aisle and the love they have for their little girl was written all over their faces, all day! Dani Coey sang as Kate walked towards her groom. Kate’s florals by Lavender and Lace Floral Farm were beautiful, as were the bridesmaid’s bouquets.
Gatzke Orchard’s ceremony location is a beautiful spot, overlooking the lake. Despite it being incredibly hot during the ceremony, Marjolein Lloyd moved the ceremony along perfectly, as she always does! Guests and the wedding party were so happy to move into the shade and have a cold one after the ceremony. Thankfully, orchards have lots of trees. Lots of trees = lots of shade!
The reception was a great time with lots of food, drinks, hilarious photos of Kate and Cody as kids, touching and funny speeches, and DANCING!
