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. :)

Elmira and Anthony - Engagement Session

This is going to sound so cheesy, but if you look up "cute" in the dictionary, there should be a picture of Elmira and Anthony there - you would need no further definition! These two are bubbly and very much in love, and we had a great time with them at English Bay. Despite the crowds of people, these two were totally relaxed in front of the camera and just did what they seem to do best - laugh and smile at each other! Elmira and Anthony are getting married in August, oddly enough at the same place where Chris and I got married - Richmond City Hall! Ah, the nostalgia!

Rahim and Sheheen - Engagement Session

Rahim and Sheheen wanted to do their session at a place that had personal meaning for them, so we went to UBC where they both studied, met, and fell in love. I've never really walked around UBC before, but it was so neat to see how many different photo opportunities the area offers - there's cool architecture, beautiful gardens, and all sorts of interesting little spots here and there. Rahim and Sheheen are getting married in July, and their event promises to be very unique. They are getting married at a beautiful mosque, which we've worked at before - but never at night! Their ceremony is at 8:30pm, so the whole place will be lit up and sparkling - we can't wait to see it!

Megan and Steve - Engagement Session

Often engagement sessions can be a little awkward for our clients, which is totally understandable because it's the first time they've really been in front of a professional photographer. Megan and Steve were the complete opposite! These two were laughing it up and having a great time in front of the camera with barely a word from me - and as such, we were able to capture some great images which I think reflect their easy-going personalities. Megan and Steve's wedding is in July, and it sounds like it will be very classy and very colourful - did I mention their theme colours are raspberry and orange? Looking forward to it!

Melina and David - May 20, 2006

May 20 was Melina and David's big day, and we were there to capture it! Having experienced the wacky and fun-loving personalities of these two at their engagement session, we knew their wedding day would have some surprises - and we were not disappointed! I think my favourite surprise was during the ceremony, when David was asked by the pastor "Do you take Melina to be your wife?" He answered (actually, yelled) an emphatic "I DO!" while sending his fist up in the air Superman-style! (see image below) On a more serious note, Melina looked seriously gorgeous. Her dress was taffeta and lovingly made by her aunt, a professional seamstress. It was a truly beautiful and unique creation of ivory with accents of gold, and Melina looked totally radiant in it. After the photo session it was off to the reception, starting with a traditional tea ceremony. Amongst many other touching gifts, Melina and David received a lot of "bling" (their words, not mine!) from family. We had a wonderful time documenting their day and we wish them both the very best!

Monique and Drew - Engagement Session

Just like Steveston (see Christa and Kevin's engagement session below), we've photographed in Gastowns' Gaoler's Mews several times. Again, we found some new angles and ideas for Monique and Drew's engagement session in May. These two are a little camera shy, so it was great that we had this area all to ourselves! Monique and Drew are a couple very much in love (it's quite obvious by the way they look at each other!) and it was a pleasure getting to know them better at their session. Monique has some seriously striking blue eyes that just sparkle in the photographs - I'm sure they will look even more luminous when she sees Drew on their wedding day in June!

Christa and Kevin - Engagement Session

In May we did Christa and Kevin's engagement session in Steveston. This area holds personal meaning for these two because it was the location of their first (somewhat official) date. We had a beautiful day to wander around Steveston and find some cool and interesting locations. We've shot lots of times in this area, but everytime we're there, we find new spots! The place is constantly changing which keeps it fresh and exciting for photo sessions! During their session, we also got to hear more about Christa and Kevin's wedding this July - there are going to be lots of personal touches and a great influence of their personal style throughout their big day! They've put a lot of thought into the details and we're really looking forward to seeing the results!

Brides 2005 Slideshow

Finally!

After promising to create and post this slideshow many months ago, it is now ready! Back in January, I had an idea to do a slideshow of all our beautiful brides from last year. The inspiration was actually a U2 song, called "Original of the Species." The song made me realize how original and unique each bride is, and how beautiful they all are in their own ways. We are just so privileged to capture couples on one of the most important days of their lives; it's just amazing to see and feel the love in the atmosphere. We are richer in our own lives because of all of you. Thank you!

Enjoy the show!

Original Brides 2005

***Please note that I am not much of a techie when it comes to movies for the web - therefore, the file is quite large and will take about 4-5 minutes to load over a DSL/Cable connection. Please do be patient - I promise it's worth the wait!

Cyrus and Anita - April 22, 2006

On April 22, Cyrus and Anita got married, and we were there to capture it all! We had a beautiful day for their wedding, but the sunshine was deceiving - while shooting at Locarno Beach with the bridal party, it was entertaining to hear the bridemaids scream each time the very, very chilly wind came up! It was an absolutely bone-chilling wind, but that didn't stop Cyrus and Anita from smiling - or maybe that's just because they were holding each other so tightly to keep warm! We then proceeded to Gastown where we had the opportunity to shoot in front of a very cool billboard (see the "Chill" photo below!) At the reception, personal touches were everywhere! The theme of pink and chocolate was carried through everywhere, from the beautiful hanging paper lanterns, to the orchid centrepieces, to the funky name cards. A very special touch: in a lovely folded card on each table was a story about a trip Anita and Cyrus took to Thailand. While travelling and teaching English, they helped out at a place called Highland Farm Gibbon Sanctuary. What's a gibbon, you ask? It's a species of small ape, and the people at Highland Farm have dedicated their lives to helping these animals. The story of this farm is amazing and moving - www.highland-farm.org if you'd like to check it out. Because Anita and Cyrus were so touched by their time at Highland Farm, in lieu of wedding favours they made a donation to the organization. How cool is that? These two are class acts, and we felt truly privileged to be part of their day!