Christina and Paul - Elbow Falls Engagement

They met online (plenty of fish) - Paul loves to fish so I'm sure it had something do with with why he chose that site.  Christina wasn't looking for anything serious, but after chatting online a few times, they decided to meet in person.  A date at Milestone's and some fun at Shanks where he kicked her butt in a game in mini golf and they've been together ever since.

I love their proposal story - and how Paul's daughter Taylor was included.  Christina was at home studying for a final exam the next morning.  Paul and Taylor were downstairs making dinner and Taylor came up to the office and asked Christina if she was going to marry her Daddy.  This question wasn't unusual as she had asked multiple times in the past.  Christina said yes and told Taylor that they'd probably get married one day.  Taylor seemed satisfied with the answer and went downstairs and told Paul the answer.  A few minutes later she came back upstairs, by this time Christina was a little annoyed as she was trying to focus on her studies.  Taylor said, "Daddy says that if you're going to marry him you have to wear this."  At that point she handed me the box with my engagement ring in it. Christina ran downstairs and heard Paul ask her if she would marry him.  She said yes and there was no more studying that night!

I had a great time with Paul, Christina and Taylor at Elbow Falls last week.....after 3 postponements due to rain we grabbed the first nice day we found and spent a good amount of time together before the rain started to fall again!!  I'm looking forward to spending time with them all in July!

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Sometimes first impressions are wrong!- Carol and Vince Engagement Session

My first meeting with Carol and Vince had me walking away thinking that they were a lot of fun to be with and that they were quiet and reserved. Boy.....was I wrong!  Not on the fun to be with part because I had a great evening with them, but on the quiet and reserved part!  I had planned out in my head as to how I was going to approach their photo session and get them to relax infront of the camera.  No such worries!  From the moment I caught the first image to the very last they were comfortable, relaxed and enjoying their time together.

I always like asking my couples how they met and how they got engaged as it gives them a little time to reflect on their relationship and why they fell in love in the first place.  Sometimes planning a wedding can take over every waking moment and it's nice to take a step back and just spend time together.  And that's what I hope to do with these engagement sessions, provide some time to get close, relax and have a good time.

Carol and Vince met online and dated for a couple years before Vince decided that it was time to make things more permanent.  One morning the beach in Victoria, Vince pulled out a ring and asked Carol is she would be his forever.  Carol said yes and I'm certain flashed her gorgeous smile at him right before she jumped into his arms.

These two were so much fun to spend time with, I had to laugh at their failed attempts to call a rabbit over in the middle of our shoot and I sooooo enjoyed capturing Carol's laughing face (just beautiful!).  I'm really looking forward to their wedding this September and watching them commit their lives to each other.

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I am soooo in love with this set of images....I could have posted one of them laughing at me as I was oooohing and awwwing while trying to shoot.....just gorgeous!!!!

Words cannot express how much I LOVE this image!!  Aren't they just gorgeous?

Does she not have the greatest shoes?  I could not wear them because I'd fall all over the place, but this girl makes these shoes WORK!!!

Carla and Carlene - Calgary lifestyle photography

Carla was the winner of the Valentine's Day Contest this year.  She decided to use the photos to spend some time with her Mom Carlene.  We had one day to shoot these photos and since it was the end of May/beginning of June you can imagine what it was like......wet, cold, wet oh...and it was cold.  Carlene and her husband had been on the East Coast and then Manitoba to visit their sons and were now on the final leg of the trip home to BC.  She and Carla squeezed this photo shoot into the little time they had for which I'm thankful!!

Carla and Carlene prevailed and we spent quite a bit of time outside trying to find shelter with some good light....and we did!  It was fun watching them hang out together trying to stay warm AND look warm and comfortable.  It's always fun to capture mother-daughter images as you tend to see how they are alike in the moment.  I enjoyed comparing their smiles, mannerisms and laughter through the morning.  I'm certain they hit up a coffee shop on the way home and had some more time to share stories.

Thanks Carla and Carlene, it was a great morning!

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For Keeps - wedding guest book/album

It's been almost 18 years, but I still find myself heading to my wedding albums at least a couple times a year, just to remember that day.  It will be forever ingrained in my mind, but over the years a few things are fading....HEY!...that happens as you age you know, things fade (I sure wish it was crows feet, but hey, can't be choosy I guess.).  I will stop to look at a specific image and will be taken back to that moment, and quite possibly even remember what was being said at the time....(selective memory people!!!).  One thing I don't think I've done but once is flip through my guest book.  Yes I still have it and it has it's special place in that box under the stairs, who knows I may need it sometime to compare handwriting or confirm that a specific person attended our wedding.  It may come up in conversation sometime and a girl has got to be prepared for anything!!

This is why I love the guest book album....images taken from your engagement session put into a guest book that can be signed on your wedding day.  I was excited to see Reava and Steve's album at their reception and dance.  It was great to see guests taking time to flip through the album, read Reava and Steve's answers to some questions, find out how Steve proposed and pick out their favorite image to sign by.  Some guests just sign their names, others leave a message of congratulations or piece of advice...it's a great way for your guests to have another lasting part of your wedding day.  Because chances are pretty good that you'll pick up that album and flip through it in the years ahead.

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The luck of the Irish - Paula and Barry are engaged!

Paula and Barry met through mutual friends at work and Barry must have made quite the impression because Paula was intent on making sure he joined a group of them on St. Patrick's Day.   According to Paula a few of her friends were quite insistent that Barry join them.  It wasn't the luck of the Irish that turned Barry's head, but I'm thinking that it was Paula's gorgeous smile.

10.10.10......Paula came home from work, opened the door and found Barry in a suit kneeling with a ring!  Of course Paula said yes, they celebrated over dinner that Barry had made.  Later they cracked open a bottle of Dom Perignon and celebrated with friends whom I know will be partying with them this August.

I had a great time wandering around Canmore's parks with these two. In spite of spending two summers there I was surprised at the locations they took me to.  It took all of 5 minutes for these two to warm up to the camera and we were off.  I enjoyed watching them interact, it's always fun to see how couples behave with so few people around and one of them being a virtual stranger....but I always walk away having made some new friends.  And Barry totally spoke Garth's love language by mentioning the possibility of a round of golf the morning of the wedding....Garth was certain that he could fit his camera in his golf bag somehow!

We are looking forward to spending the day celebrating with Paula, Barry, their family and friends in August and know it's going to full of fun!

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Paula your gorgeousity oozes off this image....gorgeous!

I'm sooooo excited to shoot in Kananaskis in August!