Mark and Julia - September 24, 2006

Normally couples book with us up to 18 months in advance. Mark and Julia however, bucked the trend - they booked us three weeks in advance of their wedding! Fortunately we were available and happy to photograph their incredibly beautiful day. Julia looked absolutely fabulous in a very unique wedding gown; Mark looked equally great in a neutral suit and shirt - not too casual, not too formal - just right! The ceremony was held in the park area right outside the Sequoia Grill in Stanley Park. On the grassy hill where their 30 guests gathered, the ceremony overlooked the mountains, the ocean, and the amazing blue sky. After the ceremony and a photo session, it was back to the Sequoia Grill for an intimate dinner. Thanks to Julia and Mark for having us as your photographers!

Raff and Christine - Engagement Session

We were supposed to be doing Raff and Christine's engagment session around the Vancouver Library. However, we arrived to find a book festival taking place, which basically engulfed the exterior of the library! So, we compromised - walking around the Yaletown area, we found some great architectural backdrops. Christine and Raff were great to work with - easy going, fun, and of course very much in love! We're really looking forward to spending more time with these two on their wedding day next February!

Wendy and Mike - September 23, 2006

Yes, it is November and I am just blogging September weddings! But better late than never, right? I promise that the weddings we had through September and October will be worth the wait! We're starting with Wendy and Mike, who got married at the gorgeous Mayfair Lakes Golf Club in Richmond. We had a perfectly beautiful day - not a cloud in the sky - and an equally beautiful bride. We got a sneak peak at Wendy while she was getting ready at the River Rock Hotel, and she looked stunning. After the outdoor ceremony, we took off to a favourite local spot for Wendy and Mike. Along the river, the leaves had just started to change and complimented the red bridesmaids gowns nicely. After the photo shoot, it was back to Mayfair Lakes for the reception. It was a fantastic day and we thank Wendy and Mike for having us there!

Alison and Rod - Engagement Session

What greater fun than a photo shoot with a couple in love and their furry little buddy? Mikey the dog is Alison and Rod's furry little buddy, and they brought him along for their engagement shoot in Steveston Village. We had a great time walking around and shooting with the many varied backdrops Steveston has to offer. Probably the cutest shot was with Mikey in a tiny doggy tuxedo collar, perfect for display at Alison and Rod's wedding in November. We're really looking forward to their big day, as it will be our first where the venues will be decorated for Christmas. I'm very excited about shooting some interesting and creative images with Christmas lights and decorations - oh, the possibilities!

Pumpkins and reptiles and portraits - oh my!

You may have read our post about the plight of the Rainforest Reptile Refuge and their desperate need for donations to prevent closure of their facility (if not, see our posts below). Well, we've decided to put our money where our mouth is! We're organizing a fundraiser that we call "Portraits with Pumpkins." We will be doing mini portrait sessions by donation in the pumpkin patch at Farmer Bob's on Finn (9360 Finn Road, Richmond). The sessions will take place on Friday, October 20 from 2-5pm, and Sunday, October 22 from 11am-5pm. For a minimum $25 donation, you'll receive a mini portrait session with one of us and an 8x10 print of your favourite image. Additional prints can be ordered online from your own personal gallery. 100% of the proceeds will go the Rainforest Reptile Refuge.

So, just to recap what you'll receive:

-a professional portrait session at a bargain price in a beautiful countryside environment
-a custom enhanced 8x10 print of your favourite image
-that warm fuzzy feeling you get from helping out those in need

We are expecting to be very busy, so we are taking advance appointments. If you'd like to book a time, please contact us as soon as possible. And if you know someone who might be interested in "Portraits with Pumpkins," please forward this link to them.

Thanks for reading!

Karim and Femina - Engagement Session

I've met Karim on several occassions at weddings we've been covering - it seems he's a popular guy and as a result has a lot of friends getting married! Since moving back east, he met Femina and their engagement session was our opportunity to meet her for the first time. These two are just a fantastic couple, they are so easy and relaxed with each other and they are just very cool people. Since Karim is originally from BC and because they are getting married in Ottawa, they thought it would be neat to have their engagement session done here on the West Coast. And what location says "West Coast" more than any other place? Well, one of Vancouver's many beautiful beaches of course! In this case, we picked Locarno, and it did not disappoint! We had a great day with clear mountain, ocean, and city views - a perfect Vancouver day! Congratulations to Karim and Femina - we really enjoyed your session and getting to know you both better!

A Shout-Out to the Rainforest Reptile Refuge

Hello everyone,

Well, this is our very first Shout-Out! (see post below this one) We wanted to mention an organization that is dear to our hearts, and motivated the beginning of our Shout-Out posts. The Rainforest Reptile Refuge is located in Surrey, and they take in unwanted reptiles, amphibians, and other critters that are not handled by other humane societies. On Global news this evening, the Refuge stated that they are running out of money to take care of these animals, and if they don't receive some serious donations they will have to close by the end of November. This really is a great organization - I have personally toured the facility and it is truly amazing. The next time you consider making a charitable donation, consider the Reptile Refuge - I know they will appreciate every penny! Thanks for reading.

The Start of Shout-Outs

Hello clients, friends, and family,

Up until this point, our blog has been primarily about our work - and it will stay that way. However, we've toyed with the idea of bringing in some personal projects and ideas, and now we've decided to do it in the form of "Shout-Outs." Shout-Outs will appear from time to time on our blog, and they'll be about people, organizations, and ideas that we believe in and that we think deserve a shout-out, so to speak. We hope you will enjoy these new posts, and that you will find them interesting and maybe even inspiring.

New Website, New Name, New Look!

Finally our new website is here! If you've reached our blog from our website, thanks for checking it out! We hope you enjoy the new images and our new colour scheme. Having said all that, there are still a few areas that are under construction, but we'll have them finished soon. We've also changed our name slightly from Blue Magnolia Productions to Blue Magnolia Photographic - rest assured, everything else is still the same - we're still Laura and Chris Millin, and we still love photographing great people and great moments! Thanks again for visiting!

Andrea and Chetan - August 19, 2006

At every wedding, there are always a few glitches. But at Andrea and Chetan's wedding, I think they had more than their fair share! From a very late hairdresser to our photo area being taken over by another wedding ceremony, there were a few bumps along the wedding day road. With grace and style, Andrea and Chetan took it all in stride and we proceeded to share a fantastic day with them. Andrea and Chetan actually live in New York, but decided to have their Catholic ceremony here in Vancouver for Andrea's side of the family (a week later, they had a Hindu ceremony for Chetan's family back in the States). When Andrea walked up the aisle at St. Augustine's, she looked truly radiant. Throughout the ceremony they exchanged smiles and those "I love you" looks. After family photos and numerous attempts to get a shot of the flower girl with the bridal party (see the image below of her running away!), we went to another location for the photo session. Afterwards the fun continued at the Arbutus Club, with heartfelt speeches from family and friends. The first dance and father-daughter dance were also touching, but the highlight came when Andrea and her former sorority sisters hit the dance floor to Tina Turner's "The Best" - I have honestly never heard anyone sing along so loudly as those gals did! Thanks again to Andrea and Chetan!

Priya and Blair - August 18, 2006

Priya and Blair's day was beautiful - not because of the weather or the clothes or the reception decorations (although all of those things were fantastic) - it was beautiful because of the outpouring of love you could feel from all of their family and friends. It was a day full of good thoughts and positive energy, directed towards everyone but particularly Priya and Blair - it was a wonderful atmosphere. Adding to the good vibes was a very unique wedding ceremony; half Christian, half Hindu, to respectively honour Blair and Priya's backgrounds. It was just really neat to watch different pieces of the ceremony come together, we have never witnessed anything quite like it. The ceremony also involved a great deal of partcipation from family members, which added to the feeling of togetherness. The light was amazing at Morgan Creek Golf Club that day, perfect for the ceremony and the photo session afterwards. Blair and Priya hit the dance floor after dinner and speeches, and partied well into the night with their many guests. Congratulations and thanks for having us photograph your day - it was an honour!