david + estelle {love story: ten years married}

I am so excited to share these with you. Estelle is one of my besties, and her hubby Dave is one of Steve's main man friends. (Boys don't call each other besties). I still remember, 11 years ago, driving with Dave to go look for the ring he was going to propose to Estelle. Teenage sweethearts to parents of one stunning little two-year old. I am so blessed...SO blessed to be part of their lives and so thrilled to commemorate their 10th anniversary with these photos. Dave, Estelle and Claire came for a weekend visit to Victoria in November, and it just happened to land on a day when the weather was chilly, but the light was perfect! Love you guys!

And, here's Estelle's take on why they chose to do an anniversary session:

I hate my wedding photos. I have for years. This is not a new phenomena brought on by swooning over others' more beautiful, modern photos on Pinetrest. I have actually never liked them. I have a beautiful leather bond album that I can not bear to crack open. I just get disappointed and more over frustrated.

 Why? I could write a list. In fact, I have many times over again in my head. But I won't make you suffer through it all ... just the main points.

 I don't have one nice photo of our ceremony. You know the most important part when we vowed to stay together in sickness, health, richer, poorer in front of our friends, family and God. They are all horrible. I should have known when the alternate, fill in photographer showed up with his brand new digital camera, giddy as we were going to be the wedding for him to test drive it out on. The result, out of focus, poorly lite, awful photos. Our portrait shots by the main photographer afterwards are not much better. Sure, they are better lite and are actually in focus but the poses are cheesy and awkward. The majority of them are shot indoors studio style. I just shake my head. Why?? I got married on a beautful sunny day in July. Not one drop of rain on my wedding day.

I am very grateful it is the actual photos that lead to disappointment and frustration. Not the marriage nor my choice of spouse. I would pick David Ian Greb all over again.

So for our ten year anniversary we decided to do something we had been wanting to do since getting our orignial photos back. Retakes.

I am so glad we did it. Our little version of rock that frock, trash the dress, photo retake session. Celebrating our love, commitment to one another and the milestone of ten years.

A huge thanks to Daisy at The Potting Shed for the beautiful floral design!

PS....huge props to my amazing husband who watched our collection of 4 children while these photos were taken....AND also took the beautiful scenery shots to accompany the post.

nathan + stephanie {new westminster engagement photography}

 

The day of the engagement session was forecast for rain, and as I waited to meet Nathan + Stephanie at the New Westminster Quay that's exactly what it was doing. Rain...blown sideways by uber strong gusts of wind. I was armed with a golf umbrella in one hand and my camera in the other; a little skeptical I could hang on to both. But, as this gorgeous couple walked up to greet me, I knew we would be fine. These two have sparkle, and, regardless of our settings (limited as they were to covered areas), I was confident my camera would eat them up. And then something awesome happened. As we were shooting in our first little nook, the rain stopped...pretty much completely. We seized the opportunity and I was able to see their sweet chemistry out in open skies. It only lasted for about 15 minutes, but we ran with it!
Nathan + Stephanie ~ Thanks for being such amazing, and optimistic troopers. We are so excited to meet up again for your March wedding...and hopefully a few less raindrops...