Janine and Chris came from California for their intimate wedding at Sooke Harbour House in July. They’ve been married before, but that doesn’t make this wedding any less special. There was such a unique joy about this day, starting with Janine dancing down the aisle to meet up with her dad for a sweet moment before twirling about with Chris at the end. There were some sad, sweet, and funny moments at the reception, leading into some energetic dancing. Janine’s father’s girlfriend caught the bouquet (with a little help) and then he got down on one knee and proposed, which just added to the happiness of the day.

Buckley’s – it tastes awful, but it works.

Venue/catering: Sooke Harbour House
Flowers: A Sea of Bloom

Lindsay and Kevin had an intimate wedding out at Sooke Harbour House in October. The rain managed to hold off for most of the day, but it was still really dark out the whole afternoon. The couple and their guests were all about the fun and celebration though, so it didn’t bother them.

Lindsay put a lot of effort into creating a beautiful reception setting, including vintage china and a combination of lace and burlap, which went perfectly with her shabby chic dress from Etsy (and gorgeous back tattoo).

This was the first time I got to see a handfasting done as part of the wedding ceremony. It was really sweet with each of their family members adding a ribbon over their clasped hands.

Kevin got custom decals made for the back windows of their van, featuring each of them making a face, which they happily demonstrated for me. The portrait session was similarly goofy, but still adorable.

Another August wedding here – Lori and David’s intimate celebration at Sooke Harbour House. This is such a great cozy and classy venue for a small wedding. We only photographed a few hours, but it was packed full of laughter, fun, and sweetness.

This is what happens when you’re forgetful, but also good-natured and laid-back:
Parents and Lori and David walk from the building, down the aisle, and to the front.
“Oh, we forgot the rings!”
David goes back to get the rings from their room.
The crowd decides that the processional should happen again, this time with the rings.
Lori and the parents go back to the building.
David and Lori kiss and do the processional again, this time with the rings.
“Oh no, I forgot my flowers in the fridge!”
Everyone laughs and proceeds with the ceremony.

I love that story because it reminds me of what’s really important at a wedding, and it’s not the flowers. Lori and David know this and while their wedding was beautiful, what really mattered was that they got married.

Venue: Sooke Harbour House
Florist: A Sea of Bloom
Hair and make-up: Outshine Salon & Spa
Cake: Cakes Galore