Sarah & Beau's Winter Elopement in Montreal

My 2020 Wedding Photography season kicked off earlier than I thought it would when my longtime friends Sarah & Beau reached out to tell me they were going to make their longtime relationship Official by inviting their closest family and friends to attend a civil wedding ceremony in Downtown Montreal.

If you’re a Montrealer that went to University in the early aughts, you might have frequented a few of the local watering holes, like I did, and came across Beau Kavanagh and The Broken Hearted entertaining crowds. Finding this out was such a “what a small world” moment for me when I met Sarah on my daughter’s schoolyard. Our friendship is of the sort where we quickly hopped over pleasantries and engaged in personal conversation layered with a deep appreciation for each other’s wit & humor (much to our daughters delight in being allowed a lot more time on the playground).

For a wedding photographer who thrives in the details, walking into Beau & Sarah’s home and then their shop, Kavanagh Auctions is akin to winning the lottery. These two are eco-minded with a great eye for art, history and design. It feels a little like walking into a candy store or a Wes Anderson set design. That said, it was wonderful to balance out the abundantly detailed photographs with photographs taken inside their empty warehouse, flooded with that cool winter light that was especially cool that day.

Words give no justice to how honored I felt to be a part of this wedding day, finding myself choking back tears when they read their vows and I was not the only one! If you’ve ever considered a simpler ceremony and do not want to have it at the Palais de Justice in Montreal (which is… not the most aesthetically pleasing place to get married) then consider Mona Salehi Notary that has some quaint spaces to get married in front of a small host of family & friends.

The small reception afterwards was held at… and this is where I say again “what a small world!”…. my old Apartment that I had lived in almost a decade ago in NDG. I couldn’t believe it when I was given the address! I wolfed down about six date squares in which I was told that in B.C. they’re known as “Marriage Squares” , which if you think about that’s what I make too.

Enjoy this very arty, witty, emotional, family and love-filled wedding day. I couldn’t be happier for Sarah & Beau.

NOTARY & CIVIL CEREMONY VENUE Mona Salehi Notaire RINGS Elaine Ho FLOWERS Flore L’Atelier COUPLES PHOTO LOCATION Kavanagh Auctions

Intimate Fall Elopement with a Laurentian View

I am writing this on the eve of American Thanksgiving and it feels like the right time to post, as this elopement happened on the Tuesday after Canadian Thanksgiving up at the Eco-Spa Highland in Grenville Sur La Rouge.

I connected with this couple through the architect (of the design team artville interiors) that helped me re-design the ground floor of our home built in 1895. I loved having her be a part of that massive renovation (you need good people on your side for such a project) so I felt really flattered that she recommended me to Andrew & Holly.

Andrew & Holly found love on a resort when each were taking separate vacations and eventually wound up taking a vacation together at the Eco-Spa Highland. They loved the place so much that they decided to have their intimate wedding with their good friends present to participate in the nuptials.

It was a blustery, cool, sunny but cloudy but sunny day up in the Laurentians and I felt lucky to have such a wonderful set of lighting conditions during the peak colors of Fall. One of my favorite things to look at in life is how the sun chooses to fall on some parts of a hill — and they play on depth that can have from a distance.

It was a beautiful, relaxed and emotional wedding ceremony and when you are a party of four plus an officiant and a photographer — you are no longer a bystander but a friend humbled to be a part of such an intimate and special ceremony. I am truly grateful to Maria & Rob for introducing me to Andrew & Holly.

Happy Thanksgiving Weekend to all Canadians & Americans celebrating their love for each other.

The Best of 2018

Three weeks into 2019 and I have wrapped up and finalized all the photographs I took over the last year. Looking back, I realize just how much was done, how much I traveled, how much my kids changed, and how much I learned throughout.

It is really hard to single out the “best” and in this case, I wanted the photographs to give some sense of chronology and story. There is a mix of photographs from our big family trip to Nicaragua, my girls roadtrip to a friend’s place in Martha’s Vineyard, a quick weekend getaway to Boston, family vacations, … to the weddings, engagements, portraits, and corporate events I shot for work. Throw a few small vacations in the mix, graduations, new schools, big birthdays, the Spartan Race, an ankle injury, kitchen dancing… and somewhere in there I managed to read 22 books. You guys! Reviews remind you of all that you have done.

This year is looking to be a remarkable one again, I kick off my wedding season officially at the start of May heading to the Mount Stephen Hotel in Montreal - leading up to this we’re taking on some massive renovations to our 100+ year old home here that we’ve lived in for a decade. It’s time. Travel-wise we’re trying to keep it minimal, but already we know we’ll be in Ireland for a wedding in June; plus I am crossing my fingers for a cultural dose of portrait gallery fangirling in Paris & London in the Fall. We’re planning our family holidays as I type and you see? Already it is Christmas.

The good news is that if you are looking for a wedding photographer for the summer, I do have some spots that remain open… the best thing to do is to fill out this form here.

Until then, enjoy the year in review :)