Monique and Drew - June 30, 2006

On bright and sunny June 30 we were there to document Monique and Drew's big day! The bride looked absolutely radiant in an amazing pale pink gown, and the groom was equally handsome in a beige suit and pink tie which matched the bouquet. The ceremony and reception took place at the Royal Vancouver Yacht Club, a beautiful venue right on the beach. Kim Randall was Monique and Drew's marriage commissioner, whom we recommended - because she also married Chris and I! At the reception guests were asked to write limericks about the couple in order to get them to kiss, and as you would expect, there were some very original and amusing compositions! Throughout the evening everyone watched the sunset through the wall-to-wall windows facing the water and mountains. It was a gorgeous day and we were happy to be a part of it!

Wendy and Mike - Engagement Session

A couple weeks ago on a beautiful sunny evening I shot Wendy and Mike's engagement session. This session had several "firsts" for me: it was my first session with a couple and their dog, it was my first session to take place partly on a boat, and it was the first time I have ever been bitten by fire ants! We started off at a local beach where Wendy and Mike's boat waited for us at the dock. Their dog, Brandy, was thrilled to go into the water and race around the beach with all the other dogs - fortunately we managed to get her to pose for a few shots! I also suggested walking into a nearby field where the light was perfect - I had only shot a few frames when I felt a stinging on my foot. Stupid me, I'd worn flip-flops and figured I'd walked into stinging nettles. A minute or two later, another sting - I looked down to see my foot covered in tiny red ants! Yikes! It was at that point that I freaked out and went for the water to try and take the burning out of the sting. Getting stung by fire ants is not cool, and the welts that formed within minutes were not pleasant. Luckily, Wendy and Mike were wearing shoes, so no stings for them! We made our way to the boat which Mike drove around the river - the sun was going down and the light was amazing. These two are water-lovers (actually, that's somewhat of an understatement!) so being on the boat was totally natural for them. In the end, I think we got some beautiful images and I had a great time - fire ants and all!

Published in Real Weddings magazine!

Yippee! We have our first-ever published wedding in Real Weddings magazine, on newsstands everywhere right now! We are so excited to have our work displayed in such a beautiful publication. The article is on Farzana and Hanif's wedding, which we had the honour of photographing on August 13, 2005. The story accompanying the images is wonderful, as it details how they met and fell in love. A very special thanks goes out to Farzana and Hanif, who gladly allowed us to submit their images to Real Weddings - we sincerely appreciate your willingness to share your story - thank you!

The Best Pizza Ever

So normally I don't post this kind of stuff on the blog, but I just gotta tell everyone about this awesome pizza I have discovered. I love food, and pizza is probably one of my very favourite things to eat (right after chocolate) - but I digress. If you want some original, delicious, creative pizza, go to Steveston Pizza Company. They have a location here in Steveston of course, and one opening soon in PoCo. The thin, tasty crust is made with organic non-bleached flour and baked to perfection. The pizzas themselves are works of art; check out the Japanese Journey pizza, with wasabi-teriyaki chicken, Enoki mushrooms, Hokkaido Camembert cheese (who knew there was a Camembert cheese from Japan?!), and sesame seaweed julienne. There's also the usual favourites, such as Hawaiian and a meat lover's, which is actually called the "Caveman" pizza at Steveston Pizza Company. Other original pizza names from their menu, with equally original toppings: The Ketubah, the Journey of Mystery, the Fifth Element, and the Fire, Wind, Earth, and Water pizzas. How fantastic is that? My personal favourite is the West Coast pizza - so incredibly tasty! Check them out at www.stevestonpizza.com.

***Disclaimer: This is not a paid advertisement. I am simply a happy customer who wants to spread the word about great pizza from a local company run by a very talented and inspired chef. Blue Magnolia Productions takes no responsibility for those who may try pizza from Steveston Pizza Company and become hopelessly addicted. :)