Sylvana & Travis' Romantic Forest Fairytale Wedding in Niagara :)

 When we first met with Sylvana & Travis, she described her vision for their wedding day as a "forest fantasy", and I knew right away we'd get along very well :) In spite of rainy forecasts, when the day finally arrived, it was absolutely perfect.. it didn't hurt to have a couple of stunningly landscaped locations, and one of the sweetest couples you've ever met :) Here are some of my favourite images from their big day..

 We started the day off with Sylvana & the girls getting ready at White Oaks Spa & Resort - I loved all the flowers and sparkle woven into Sylvana's & her bridesmaids' hair!

 As the location for their "First Look", Sylvana had the perfect suggestion - the Blessing Bell of Marriage in the garden of the spa :)

Fall is always my favourite time of year, but this garden was one of the most spectacularly
autumnal places I've ever been!

 I loved that the groomsmen were hamming it up while we were just photographing their socks! And along with all the gorgeous colourful flowers, Sylvana's bouquet had cinnamon sticks
and pine cones - how awesome is that?!

  

For the family photos, we headed over to Club Roma, where the ceremony

was taking place - also stunning!

 The setting for the ceremony was absolutely a forest fairytale :)

Hard to beat the level of enthusiasm of these flower girls!

 This wine cask was the perfect setting for Sylvana & Travis' invitation set! I really love their birch bark cake and foresty centrepieces :)

The ceiling in the reception hall was a starry night sky - complete with the occasional shooting star!

 Photo booth fun!

Sylvana & Travis: we had such a great time photographing your wedding, and we hope that the rest of your lives together are touched with the same fairytale magic as your wedding day was! Thank you so much for having us there to be a part of it :)

xo

Jessica + Norman

Kate & Duane's Fairytale Garden Wedding :)

Kate & Duane both grew up in Ontario - and that's where their families still are - but they are currently living in a small town in the mountains in BC.. so although theirs was a "destination" wedding, the destination was Kate's childhood home and the beautiful garden surrounding it. I actually remember sitting on my bed in a Tuscan farmhouse emailing Kate to confirm all the details while we were in Italy earlier this summer. Even from such a distance, I loved the description she gave of the simple, intimate day they were planning to celebrate with their close friends and family. But no matter how perfect Kate & Duane's wedding sounded like it was going to be, it was in reality at least ten times more perfect :) This was the best kind of wedding - the kind where you've got a beautiful setting, pretty details, and gorgeous weather.. but most importantly you've got two people who are - quite simply - completed by being in the presence of each other. What a joy it was to witness this incredible day..

 We did a "first look" before the ceremony - I loved how excited Kate & Duane were to see each other on their wedding day!

 

If Kate's parents ever decide to leave Hawthorne House, I hope they call me before putting it up for sale! The home is so full of history (there's even a book written about it!) and the surrounding gardens are absolutely enchanting.. It was a fantastic backdrop for some really magical images :)

I'm so in love with this image!! It actually took my breath away when I first saw it..

 I also loved the foresty theme throughout the details.. like this beautiful mossy bird's nest for Kate & Duane's rings, and the super-original thumb-print signing tree :)

 What a perfect setting.. !

 (how cute is the flower girl taking a break to examine the grass?!)

 LOVE these pretty rustic and vintage details - the tag on the cookies says "Bear Hugs" :)

 We snuck (sneaked?) the happy couple down to the water at sunset - I love these last glowy images..

Kate & Duane - I don't know what to say other than Thank You. Thank you for sharing your home and  awesome families with us, thank you for a beautiful day, and most of all - thank you for the honour of allowing us to capture in images the magic that you so clearly carry in your hearts :) We wish you many years of a happiness that glows like your wedding day did!

xo

Jessica + Norman

{We absolutely *love* photographing intimate and alternative weddings :) If you've got one in your future, please get in touch!}

Tracey + Paul's Awesome Mini Putt Engagement Session

I first met Tracey when she and my sister were in college together over a decade ago, so in a way I feel like I've watched her "grow up". The two of them had their first "real" jobs together, and I even saw Tracey and Paul buy their first house (I wasn't spying - it was on Property Virgins!). So not only are they are great (and very photogenic) couple, but it's really exciting for me to be a part of them taking this next step in their lives together. They also both have a fantastic visual sense, so I've really enjoyed discussing the details of their upcoming golf-themed wedding :) To tie in with this, we headed to a mini putt for their engagement shoot..

 they even brought a blue plaid blanket to tie in with the wedding colours and the golf pants the guys will be wearing.. it really was perfect to have since we were doing these shots in between hail storms and pouring rain last weekend! (though you'd never know it from how cozy they look..)

Tracey & Paul - thank you for braving the elements with us! You guys were adorable and we can't wait to photograph your wedding in November!

xo

Jessica + Norman

{We love engagement sessions with a fun theme! If you're recently engaged and want a unique engagement session, please get in touch!}

Special thank you to Within Range Mini Putt for being fantasticly accomodating and a great place to shoot an engagement session!