Sheheen and Rahim - Day After Session

Sheheen and Rahim were having a luncheon with family and friends the day after their wedding, and so decided to have us do a quick session with them and their bridal party in downtown Vancouver. Everyone looked very fabulous, especially Sheheen in a gorgeous ivory and pale gold dress. Rahim had Darryl, his other best man, with him for this day (Rahim's friend Amin got to be best man on the wedding day) - I thought this was a great way to share the honourary position with two close friends! After the session Sheheen and Rahim went to the Fish House in Stanley Park, where their guests awaited their arrival. Thanks again to Sheheen and Rahim for having us along to document your two special days!

Last-Minute Schedule Opening!

Hi everyone,

Due to some recent scheduling changes, we now have Saturday, September 2, 2006 available for one lucky couple! If you are getting married that day or you know someone who is, we're your photographers! Please contact us by email or phone via our website, www.bluemagnolia.ca

Christa and Kevin - July 22, 2006

Christa and Kevin got married on the hottest day of the year (so far) - yes, it was toasty, but in a full wedding gown and black tux these two braved the heat! Quite honestly, I think they were so overwhelmed with love for each other that they could have been on the surface of the sun and not noticed! Okay, maybe that's cheesy, but these two really were full of joy and it was such a pleasure to photograph them and their entire bridal party. After the ceremony in Richmond, we proceeded to a few nearby locations. One was a very uneven field, which was not easy to traverse in the shoes Christa was wearing (see the pic below and you'll know what I mean!) Somehow all six bridesmaids (who were wearing high heeled shoes as well) managed to make it into the field too - we really appreciated their efforts, and I think it paid off in the photos! We also stopped at a local beach, where I ended up rolling around on my stomach on the sand to get the beach shot posted below (I'm sure the locals thought I was nuts!) After the photo session, we stopped at the Radisson Hotel for reception photos. The room looked absolutely beautiful! We had a fantastic day with Christa and Kevin, but the best part was the email I received from Christa after we posted their online highlights gallery - it read "I LOVE THEM! I LOVE THEM! I LOVE THEM!"

Thanks again to Christa and Kevin for having us!

Steve and Megan - July 15, 2006

Whew! We are seriously behind on our blog posts, so I will try and add lots more this week! But to start off, we had the honour of capturing a VERY (and I cannot understate this) colourful wedding! Megan and Steve's theme colours were raspberry and tangerine, and this was reflected in everything - from Steve's Holt Renfrew tie and socks, to the beautiful gerberas everywhere, to the tablecloths, to the menus - dare I say, it was a visual extravaganza! Megan and Steves' personalities truly matched their colour scheme, as they were vibrant and full of life well into the evening. Their wedding was held at the Capilano Golf Club (where our own Prime Minister Trudeau got married!) - it's among the mountains and absolutely beautiful. The club itself was built in 1912, and it has such an antique charm - combined with Steve and Megan's wedding decor, it made for a very funky and stylish event! One last detail: instead of a cake, Megan and Steve served DQ Dilly Bars - fun! Thanks again to Megan and Steve for having us document their day!

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. :)