Sonia+Lee=Love!

What a day! Probably the wettest Saturday yet! But the verging-on-torrential rains didn't stop Sonia and Lee from loving every second of their wedding day! And these two are so in love - their speeches to each other were some of the sweetest we're heard.

Sonia had a gorgeous gown & shoes...

And she looked utterly fabulous.

Arriving in style at the church.



Love the look of her bouquet on the red leather seats of Adrian's classic Rolls Royce.




Sonia and Lee's and Sonia's adorable son Austin gets pulled up the aisle by the flower girl to a crowd of cameras.

A stolen moment during the ceremony...



And after...



When it rains, we find shelter!



The boys looking fine.

Terminal City Club all decked out for the reception thanks to the decor & design of Colin Upright.

And of course, club coordinator extrodinaire & sister-in-law to the bride, Claudia, helped with all sorts of details like moving this beautifully monogrammed cake in just the right spot!

The reception was filled with lots of laughter.

Not too many dry eyes during Lee's eloquent speech.

We had to be quick to snag this shot of Austin - he's one fast toddler!

Austin & Sonia's parents look on in the background while the couple enjoys their first dance.

Congratulations, Sonia & Lee! Thanks for dodging the raindrops with us!

Win a year of Wedding Inspirations!

This week I have been catching up on all my magazine reads. There are some really great articles and phenomenal new ideas that I can't wait to try out. No worries, I'll be posting about some of them very soon. In the meantime, while I was reading all these magazines I was inspired to do something fun. A contest!

It's very simple- click on the comment link below and leave your name & blog address or email me your name & email address at WeddingTidbits@gmail.com. I'll randomly pick, and then announce the winner on July 16th and that lucky person will receive a one year subscription to all of these magazines!

Want to increase your odds? Leave a comment on your favorite article or idea from one of the above magazines and I'll enter your name in twice! Good luck everyone!

Leah+Spencer=Buoyant!

A traditional shot... in an untraditional spot!

It's always fun to shoot a wedding at a new location! We were excited to be photographing Leah and Spencer's wedding at the UBC Boathouse - the first wedding ever held there!



This location is incredible - great architecture and stunning views of the city beyond the Fraser River. It's also a very meaningful place for Spencer & Leah. Spencer's there regularly at 5:00am(!) to coach the St George's rowing team. And he and Leah are both avid rowers - they first met through the sport. They wanted to select a spot that had personal meaning to them - to "come full circle" as Leah put it.

Here are a few quick favourites from their day!

The beautiful Leah gets ready...

While Spencer waits for her arrival at the church (with his new watch - a rehearsal dinner gift from Leah)

The lovely ceremony at the lovely heritage church the Minoru Chapel.

A warm welcome from the rowing team!

Okay, these are actually dragon boats...but they still look pretty cool! Love the leading lines in these shots.

We snuck outside when it was dark to get some cool shots with the lights of the venue and the city...

...before Leah & Spencer had their first dance as husband and wife.

Congratulations guys! have a wonderful time sailing in Greece!

Some of my favorite spring '07 photos

Picture 1, Amanda. This photo was caught during a moment of outright laughter during the ceremony. The wind was coming at just the wrong direction and Amanda's parachute, ummm, I mean- veil proved to be a constant source of laughter through the ceremony. Fitting, because Amanda was the most hilarious client I have ever had. She really should go on a comedy tour. She had me in stitches for nearly a year. Photo Credit: Impressions Photography

Picture 2, Traci & Steve. Ok, I know everyone does this shot, but there was something about Traci & Steve when they were spinning about. They were totally lost in each other- and it totally came through in this image. Photo Credit: Julie Goodacre Photography

Picture 3, Jim showing off his newly adorned ring finger to friends. Ok, hands down, this is the most memorable shot and it is SO Jim. Jim was one of those grooms who came to his wedding excited to marry his bride and totally ready to celebrate his marriage with his closest family and friends. Susan & Jim's wedding was just down right fun. Photo credit: Gigi Hamlett Photography

Thank you fabo photographers for sending me images!

Exploding M&M's

About 3 or 4 days before each wedding, most brides lose all sense of reality and begin to act like they have had a cocktail of Chai tea with a splash of CRACK. For me it is absolutely hilarious. I get asked the funniest questions and usually end up crying on the office floor trying to hold it together to answer them. This is the question of the year. It came in 2 days before the wedding.

BRIDE:Hey there.... Mom and I are debating on whether to go ahead and do the M+M favors tomorrow or wait until Friday.... Have you ever had problems with M+Ms exposed to air?
ME:
Ok, you have totally lost it. Bride, they are m&m's. Have you ever seen an m&m explode when exposed to air?
This is going on my "top 10 hilarious questions from brides who went over the detailed edge" blog post. Remind me to do that.

I'm going to have to do some research on the other 9...I have about 4o bazillion emails to sort through to find the best. Hey- if you're a planner and have a doozie to add to the list- post a comment or email me!

Mariage de destination or Nozze della destinazione?

Destination Wedding Anyone? I was recently interviewed by Budget Travel Magazine about destination weddings and they've published the article online. Italy and France are big draws these days...but I had to give Captiva the #1 ranking. Click here to read the article!

Italian Weddings – Overview

Few things in this world could be more romantic than a destination wedding in Italy. The country's natural beauty, rich cultural history, and fantastic food lend itself perfectly to a destination wedding.The country is quite easy to navigate, but having a specialist assist you could be a tremendous assistance, especially working with vendors.

Planning your season is crucial. We were there in early June and it was already starting to get warm, especially in the South. By July or August, we imagine it could be unbearable. But late Spring and early Fall would be particularly nice.

Italy has a rich and varied geography. Do you want a mountain wedding in the lake region or Dolomites? Or is a quiet Tuscan villa more your style? Do your research carefully and pick the style that suits your personality best.

We will review specific regions in future postings.