The Not-Going-To-Run-Away Bride ~ Hilary and Phil’s Wedding
Posted on May 18, 2012 at 9:00 am by Liz · No Comments
Hilary and Phil are such a friendly couple. They were so much fun to work with, and really enjoyed their whole wedding day. As you will see from their photos, these two are very much in love. Hilary’s friends teased her about the possibility that she could be a runaway bride, but as soon as she saw Phil, it was evident that the only direction she was running was down the aisle.
Their wedding was held at the Bean Town Ranch, and the beautiful setting made for a fantastic backdrop to a day of fun, family and friends. The couple tried to remain as relaxed as possible in the planning of their wedding, and kept this attitude during the day as well.
Hilary and Phil married on a sunny day in June of 2011. They are now settling into their life together.
I asked Hilary and Phil about their wedding day and here is what they had to share:
Which one moment will last for each of you forever?
Hilary: I’m kind of a runner when it comes to commitment. People were making jokes and taking bets right up until the wedding day about whether or not I would make it down the aisle. One friend even made a special effort to make sure her gas tank was full in case we needed a getaway car. I will never forget turning down the aisle, seeing Phil and feeling the urge to run turn into a pull to walk towards him. I will always remember feeling completely calm and certain at a time when I expected to have a panic attack.
Phil: I liked all of the moments when we were “alone” and no one could hear us, like during our carriage ride or even during dinner when we could whisper.
Best advice for future brides/grooms?
Buy a dancing dress for the reception! My beautiful princess dress brought a great deal of delight, but I LOVE dancing and I feel like I couldn’t do it to the max because of the weight I was carrying around.
Also, try not to sweat the small stuff. We looked at our wedding as a chance to celebrate with our favourite people instead of an opportunity to showcase our party planning skills (which are poor). We only put as much effort as we wanted to (centerpieces were stressful so we didn’t have any) and we think it turned out beautifully.
Best wedding related decision?
Our photographer, Liz Bradley! That seems like a suck up, so if you want our second best decision, it was having the ceremony and reception at the same place. It simplified the day SO much.
What was the funniest memory from your wedding day?
Phil and I were sitting on the bench on our private island having our pictures taken when we saw the horse drawn carriage heading from the ceremony site to the parking lot. At first it looked normal and harmless until we noticed that Phil’s 3 year old nephew was hanging out alone in the back. Right when we saw him we noticed that his father was sprinting after the carriage at top speed.
What is your favourite image from your wedding day and why?
This is the hardest question. There are some dance floor pictures that make me smile every single time. They remind us that we were right to have a smaller guest list and only invite people we really like. Our favourite picture of us would be one of the ones when we were standing on the island. They’re absolutely beautiful shots with the water and the tree, but you can also look at them and see how much we love each other.
Wedding Songs
Hilary: “This one is funny because our music ended up all in the wrong spots. My fault I guess for not being more organized! This was the plan…”
Entrance to Reception – “All I Want Is You” by Barry Louis Polisar
First Dance – “The Luckiest” by Ben Folds
Mother/Son + Father/Daughter Dance Father/Daughter – “The Way You Look Tonight” by Rod Stewart
Others – My friends specially requested that the DJ play for me “The Creep” from Saturday Night Live
Vendors
Ceremony and Reception Location – Beantown Ranch
Officiant – Rob Campbell
Wedding Dress – Maggie Sottero
Bridesmaids Dresses – Alfred Angelo
Suits – Moores
Rings – La Maison D’or
Flowers - Weekly Flowers
Hair – Josee Leonard
Makeup – Ottawa Makeup Artists
Caterer – Beantown Ranch
Cake/Cupcakes – The Flour Shoppe
DJ – Derek from First Quality Sound
Photography – Liz Bradley from elizabeth&jane photography!
Have a wonderful day,
Liz – Contact Me, I would love to speak with you!
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Love, Laughter and Forever After ~ Claudia and Mike’s Engagement Session
Posted on May 17, 2012 at 9:00 am by Liz · No Comments
Claudia and Mike’s engagement session was a bit of a balancing act, with the couple climbing into the branches of a tree and balancing on a fantastic sloping wall, but their marriage is sure to be sturdy.
As soon as you meet Claudia and Mike you can tell how much they love each other. It was easy to capture their chemistry because they are so comfortable together.
The whole session was filled with laughter – they just have so much fun together! I didn’t need to remind them to smile because the grins never left their faces.
The couple married in September 2011. The photographs from that day are still to come, but for now enjoy the images from this lovely day in June 2011 outside of the Museum of Civilization.
Have a wonderful day,
Liz – Contact Me, I would love to speak with you!
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Baby G.I.Joe ~ Garrick’s Newborn Session
Posted on May 16, 2012 at 9:00 am by Liz · 2 Comments
Nothing prompts a smile quite like a newborn baby. Sarah and Ben were certainly smiling when I photographed their 6 day old son Garrick.
Garrick was a little young for smiles, but that was quite alright because every other expression he made was adorable! As with most new babies, he was happiest sleeping, so I was able to get some great shots of him snuggling into his beaming parents.
Say hello to Baby G.I.Joe – Garrick.
Garrick just turned one last week so let’s send out some birthday wishes to him and his family!
Have a wonderful day,
Liz – Contact Me, I would love to speak with you!
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Evening Light and Love ~ Stephanie and Jeff’s Engagement Sneak Peek
Posted on May 15, 2012 at 3:22 pm by Liz · No Comments
I am so happy that the weather has warmed up and that I can once again begin to schedule sessions in the evening. This is one of my favourite times to shoot, as the sun is setting and the warm day is cooling off a tad – and that was exactly how it was last night for Stephanie and Jeff’s engagement session along the Ottawa Parkway.
While the pink blossoms were falling off the trees gently around us, these two followed me through tall grasses while we “off-roaded” and I am so happy with the images we were able to capture.
I am so excited about Stephanie and Jeff’s upcoming wedding at a brand new wedding location in the Gatineau Hills called Le Belvedere. These two are such wonderful people and I just can’t wait to capture their wedding day with them.
Have a wonderful day,
Liz – Contact Me, I would love to speak with you!
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Sunsets and Lilacs ~ Jia and Wada’s Engagement Session
Posted on May 14, 2012 at 9:00 am by Liz · No Comments
Last May I had an engagement session with the beautiful couple Jia and Wada around downtown Ottawa. It was a gorgeous day full of lilac blossoms, greenery and a picturesque sunset, but nothing was more lovely than the couple themselves.
These two radiate with happiness whenever they are together, and I felt so lucky to be there to capture their love and the beginnings of their life together.
Jia and Wada married in July of 2011 in a beautiful tea ceremony at Wada’s family home. I’ll post the images and memories from that day soon, but for now get to know the couple by looking back on this great day.
Have a wonderful day,
Liz – Contact Me, I would love to speak with you!
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