Mike and Nikki are a lovely couple whom I met through a family member, after she referred them to me for wedding photography. But here's the thing, weddings are not really my gig. Don't get me wrong, weddings are beautiful, full of love and typically involve a plethora of gorgeous things to photograph, but I would rather leave it to those phtographers who truly enjoy the stress and pressure involved with getting the perfect shots on the perfect day. One chance, that's all you get. Gulp. However, after talking to Nikki on the phone and seeing pictures of their venue, I knew I would regret not photographing this wedding. Mike's Uncle Ken and Aunt Judy had generously offered the use of their stunning backyard, which is surrounded by a vineyard and featured an immaculate (vacuumed) lawn, a garden that boasted flowers chosen to coordinate with the bridal colours and a fantastic stone terrace on which to have the ceremony! It was an intimiate backyard wedding with a very personalized and loving touch.
And so, I took on the challenge of my second-ever wedding, bringing along my friend (and budding photographer) Terri-Lynn Penney to help me out and to snag some shots from a different angle. Thanks Terri-Lynn for tagging along!
The bridal party was really great, mugging for the camera and listening to my crazy directions. The girls even put on their rubber boots and grabbed some umbrellas (brought along "just in case") and made me laugh so hard with their posing I could barely shoot!
I asked the "big, strong" groomsmen to lift our tiny bride, receiving the response, "No problem!". Here is the result: a near disaster!
Nikki mentioned that she wanted a night shot of the tent, with the candle light and chandeliers glowing as the sun set. This was the last shot of the day and well worth the wait! If you look closely, you can see the new Mr. and Mrs. Lavell giving their thank-yous.
Thank you so much to Mike, Nikki and their wonderful friends and family for allowing me to share your beautiful day.
~Mandy