Victoria BC Wedding Photography Archives - Page 2 of 6 Documentary Photographer Lara Eichhorn

Megan and Joe are Married

December 4, 2016 by Lara Eichhorn Leave a Comment

Megan and Joe were married at Sea Cider at the end of August. I was really looking forward to it after a fun engagement session with them and their dogs in the winter. I wasn’t disappointed. The day started with the girls getting ready at The Magnolia Hotel, where there was a lot of laughter and a few tears. Megan and I headed over to the courtyard at The Empress to have her first look with Joe, which was the start of the two of them smiling hugely all day. The wedding party were good sports about the ridiculous heat that day and we took some fun photos of all of them before heading to Sea Cider.

The couple are big animal people, which made me fall for them all the more, starting with Megan’s shirt during getting ready that read “I just want to drink wine, save animals, and take naps” and continuing with portraits with their dogs, dogs in the ceremony, and their table numbers being great photos of their two dogs and two cats with actual numbers (seriously, my fave table numbers ever). They also collected money to help animals instead of having people clink their glasses to get them to kiss – the bigger the donation, the better the kiss – which ended up being a ton of fun.

They’re also very close to their family, including their parents and grandmothers throughout the day. Megan had both of her parents walk her down the aisle and they surprised two of their grandmas by having them sign the registry as witnesses. Megan’s other grandma made them a pinata for the reception and Megan gave her her bouquet during the couple’s toast, which was very sweet. The photos clearly tell the story better than words here. The reception was full of Joe dancing with his niece and nephew – how sweet is that? Most of their guests tore up the dance floor for a while before heading outside for a sparkler exit at the end of the night.

The next two photos are by Gwen.
The following photo is by Gwen. The best man surprised them by pulling out a ring pop instead of the ring during the ceremony. The officiant looks unamused, but I think he was laughing internally. He also loved the bum grab during the kiss later on.

Some of the detail photos below are by Gwen. The couple DIY’d so many great details, including lanterns that Joe built. The pie bar looked pretty amazing.

Venue: Sea Cider
DJ: Soundworks Entertainment – Spencer Looysen
Caterer: Toque Catering
Florist: Julia Norman (bride’s friend who grew the flowers in her garden)
Hair: Danielle Bennett Hairstylist
Makeup: Laura McLaren (bride’s friend)
Pie bar: Toque Catering/Lone Tree Bakery
Officiant: Iain Hooey
Bride’s dress: Maggie & Shirley from Tres Chic Bridal Boutique
Bride’s hair clip: Blossom Beach
Bride’s shoes: Le Chateau
Groom’s shirt and shoes: Calvin Klein
Groom’s pants and vest: Joseph Abboud from Moore’s
Popcorn for favours and popcorn bar: Kernels
Getting ready location: Magnolia Hotel and Spa
Transport: LA Limo and Wilson’s Transportation
Groomsmen clothing: Moore’s
Bridesmaids’ clothing: Bliss Gowns and Events (Nanaimo)

Dawn and Dominique are Married

October 14, 2016 by Lara Eichhorn Leave a Comment

So, I had this blog post prepped ages ago, but then got caught up in wedding season. I’m excited to finally share it with you!

Dawn and Dominique were married at the University Club at UVic in mid-July. One of the things that stood out the most to me was their style (and the second was the dancing, but we’ll get to that later). Dawn and her daughter had gorgeous floral crowns made by Poppies, which I later learned is a Ukrainian tradition. The crowns were perfectly complimented by colourful bouquets and bridesmaids (and groom’s woman) dresses. The flower girl was a bit grumpy at first, which led to some adorable pouty photos, but she perked up on the dance floor.

The reception was full of funny and touching toasts and even some singing, including the bride singing to the groom, which had more than a few people crying. The dance floor opened with a Ukranian dance troop performance followed by parent dances and a choreographed first dance. The couple’s dancer friends tore up the dance floor along with their families, especially the formerly grumpy flower girl. Dawn and Dom later made a costume change and wowed the crowd with a salsa performance. This day was so joyful and vibrant, which I think comes through well in the photos. I’ll get back to editing and let you enjoy the images.

Venue: University Club at UVic
Florist: Poppies Floral Art
Hair and Makeup: Jenna from Salon C
Cake: Origin Bakery
Officiant: Wendy Wawrysh
Groom’s Suit: Moore’s
Photo Booth: Four Frames Photo Booth
Dancers: Veselka Ukrainian Dance

Selena and Lance are Married

August 12, 2016 by Lara Eichhorn 2 Comments

Selena and Lance were married on the July long weekend at Olympic View Golf Club. I was really looking forward to it because their engagement session was so great, and they did not disappoint. These two actually met back in high school, but didn’t find each other again until recently. Turns out, they were meant to be. How romantic is that?

Their wedding party was a ton of fun and the girls were so sweet and emotional while getting ready. Selena and Lance both wrote a letter to the other to read before the ceremony and both teared up while reading them (and in Selena’s case, while writing as well). The ceremony was similarly emotional, including sweet personal vows and a ring warming ceremony, with a bit of comic relief provided by a strong wind that felt like an earthquake up on the hill.

I don’t photograph a lot of golf club weddings but I loved that this club had meaning to the couple because they golf together. During the wedding party portraits, we came across some guys playing golf who let the groom and groomsmen hit a ball each with their clubs. There was also a putting game at the reception to see who would get to have dinner first. The playful vibe carried through with a “two truths and a lie” game about the wedding party, a Motown performance by a group of guests, a fantastic choreographed first dance, and an interesting take on the parent dances (switching partners three times so that everyone could dance with one another).

Selena and Charming Decor created a sophisticated atmosphere decorating the ceremony and reception areas with French flair, since Selena is a French teacher. She initially mentioned that she was envisioning a ‘French cafe at night’ style inspired by Van Gogh’s ‘Cafe Terrace” and I think they did a great job of creating that vibe. More decor photos to come at a later date, but for now you can check out the fun that the couple and guests had.

Venue: Olympic View Golf Club
Decorator and Florals: Franziska Castioni, Charming Decor
DJ: George Nielsen, All Night Long DJ Service
Hair: Atmosphaire Studio
Makeup: Sonia’s Artistry
Cake: Schur to Please
Officiant: Sherry Lynne Easthom
Suits: Moore’s
Wedding Dress: Shades of White
Limo: LA Limousines

Sara and Michael are Married

December 17, 2015 by Lara Eichhorn 1 Comment

When I first met Sara and Michael, I thought they seemed kind of shy and reserved. He is a librarian after all (though judging by other librarian clients, I should know better). They were pretty chill at their engagement shoot. But their wedding involved some spectacle: a choreographed first dance to “You’re My Best Friend” by Queen, awards for the guests in various categories, and lots of wedding party photos with some semblance of jazz hands. I was pleasantly surprised.

Sara had a gorgeous dress that had her looking like a princess, but not one of those super vain princesses of course. Unfortunately, the rain forced us to move the first look location to just outside the hotel and the portrait session involved several umbrellas. But the yellow umbrellas were on theme and Sara kept warm with a beautiful shawl that Michael made for her. The rain also made for some gorgeous skies in Sidney for the portraits.

This wedding was very “them” in other ways with friends officiating, baking, decorating (including basically building a chuppah on the spot), and styling hair. I love it when everyone comes together to make an event happen.

Venue: Sea Cider
Caterer: Truffles
DJ: Chris Poynter
Hair: Joe Verde
Cake: Katie Peers
Officiant: Pamela Rice (friends officating Darwyn and Hedy)

Colleen and Jason are Married

November 11, 2015 by Lara Eichhorn 3 Comments

Colleen and Jason got married in mid-August at a private clubhouse overlooking the ocean. It was a fun, relaxed wedding with their closest friends and family.

For the portraits, we headed back to Finnerty Gardens, where we did their engagement photos. It was fun to revisit the birch trees in a different season. The reception was a bit of a whirlwind of emotion, with Jason and Colleen going from laughter to crying within minutes. Emotional speeches were broken up by funny stories and singing.

These two have a great sense of humour. The best man reentered the reception in an orange suit and told a story about Jason wearing the orange blazer (a la Dumb and Dumber) at his wedding. Jason’s reaction was priceless. Their first dance was to “Safe and Sound” and they did a choreographed disco dance, which they had the crowd participate in. I love how engaged their guests were during the dances, with smiling faces, instead of cell phones, showing in the photos.

Venue: Wedgewood Estates Clubhouse
Caterer: Cook’s Day Off
Florist (bouquets, bouts): Fox Gloves Flowers
Hair: Danielle Bennett Freelance Hairstylist
Makeup: Alexandra Forman Artistry
Videographer: Evergreen and Bound
Cake: Pure Vanilla, Dairy Queen, Victoria Pie Company
Officiant: Eugene Rubin
Dress: David’s
Shoes: Walmart and Payless

Sarica and Mukul are Married

November 3, 2015 by Lara Eichhorn Leave a Comment

Sarica and Mukul had their third wedding celebration at Sea Cider in August. Yes, third. They had a small civil ceremony followed by a big wedding in India earlier this year. This wedding was a chance to celebrate with all of their family and friends in Canada. The day was just jam packed with events, great DIY decor, and a lot of personality, resulting in a crazy amount of photos.

I loved Sarica’s choice of colour palette and how colourful all the decorations and clothing were. A family friend put together all of the flowers, which looked gorgeous. Of course, there was some gold glitter mixed in with the orange, hot pink, and turquoise. Sarica also made some colourful bow ties for the groom and groomsmen.

Sarica’s father officiated the wedding, which added a sweet personal touch. I love how smiley he is. During the reception, they played a video from their wedding in India and there were definitely some tears flowing in the room.

They had a cookies and milk bar with homemade cookies and some lawn games to keep guests busy while we were taking portraits. A bunch of activities were planned for in between the toasts including custom bingo cards and a hula hooping contest for the bingo winners. Instead of people clinking glasses for the couple to kiss, they had a “kissing bag” full of Hershey’s kisses. If the guest pulled out a certain colour of kiss, Sarica and Mukul had to kiss; otherwise, the guest had to kiss someone. They also played the shoe game, which was cute and funny as usual.

The first dance started out slow, but evolved into some great Bollywood-style dancing. Sarica’s friends from university were her bridesmaids, known collectively as the “math girls”, and they taught many of the other guests some Bollywood dance moves, which made for a lively dance floor. The couple and wedding party also danced into the reception for their grand entrance. Overall, it was a very lively and colourful day.

Venue: Sea Cider Farm & Ciderhouse
Caterer: Truffles (great vegetarian food)
Florist: Friend (flowers ordered from Van Isle)
Cake: Ruth and Dean
Officiant: bride’s father
DJ: Soundworks Entertainment
Hair: Robin Achterberg, Parlor Hair Boutique
Makeup: Carly Flint
Videographer: Paper Heart Films
Bride’s Dress: Wtoo (style: Agatha)
Bride’s Lace Top: Tara Power from Grumbly Owl Designs (custom)
Bride’s Jewelry: Kate Spade
Groom’s Suit: Alpha Suit (custom)
Bowties: handmade by bride

Janette and Hector are Married

October 21, 2015 by Lara Eichhorn 2 Comments

Janette and Hector got married at the beautiful English Inn in early August. They met in Mexico, where Hector is from, and added some Mexican touches to their Canadian wedding. His family made Mexican paper banners, which were hung up in the gazebo where the ceremony took place. They played Lotería, which is kind of like Mexican bingo. And an extra fun surprise was line dancing to the Spanish version of Achy Breaky Heart. They also gave Mexican favours to the Canadian guests and Canadian favours to the Mexican guests.

I loved how colourful this wedding was. I wasn’t sure all the red, yellow, and orange flowers would go with the different blues of the bridesmaids dresses, but they ended up coordinating really well. And they reminded me of the bright colours on the Lotería cards and Mexican illustrations on the table numbers. The bright colours set the scene for a very cheerful crowd and some energetic dancing.

Venue: The English Inn
Wedding planner and/or decorator: Blue Lily Events
DJ: Island DJ Services
Caterer: Food For Thought
Florist: Kenmar Flower Farm
Hair: Robyn at Fish Hair Salon
Makeup: Erin Bradley
Cupcakes: Schur to Please
Officiant: Lura McCallum
Bride’s dress: Shades of White

Laura and Daniel are Married

October 14, 2015 by Lara Eichhorn 3 Comments

Laura and Daniel got married on a Tuesday at the end of June. The day was brutally hot, but they managed to look glamorous anyway (check out her open back dress). The ceremony and reception took place at Kildara Farms, which is a gorgeous spot for the wedding and portraits. The morning was fun with lots of candids of Laura and her wedding party.

I loved the sweet and funny vows Laura and Daniel wrote for each other. Part of Laura’s vows were “I promise to be less grumpy when I go to bed and when I wake up”. I’m not entirely sure if this is serious, because if you’ve met Laura, you’ll think she’s the happiest person you’ve ever met. I overheard a guest telling her that he needs a photo of her laughing, because it instantly cheers him up. She’s definitely one of the smiliest brides I’ve seen.

Laura and Daniel are film geeks and their wedding had a bit of a movie theme, with each table being named after a movie and decorated with film strips. In order to get them to kiss, the guests had to stump them on movie trivia. If the guests did stump them, they got to choose a DVD from the DVD table, which was made up of duplicate DVDs that the couple had when they first moved in together. The story was that they decided to keep the duplicates, in case they ever moved out on their own again. I thought giving them away at the wedding was a sweet symbolic act of commitment.

Somehow between the engagement and the wedding, I forgot that they were swing dancers, so their awesome dance moves took me by surprise. The first dance was a simple slow song, but when Daniel came back inside wearing suspenders, I knew it was on. Their friends, including lots of little kids, also had a ton of energy on the dance floor, which resulted in some of my fave dancing photos of the year.

They did a unity ceremony with rum and Coke. It was pretty cute.

Venue: Kildara Farms
Caterer: Toque Catering
Florist: Kenmar Flower Farm
Hair: Salon Felice
Make Up: Erin Bradley
Officiant: Reverend Anna Constantin
Bride’s Dress: Victoria Bridal Boutique

Cora and Joshua are Married

June 12, 2015 by Lara Eichhorn Leave a Comment

I was really looking forward to Cora and Joshua’s wedding, after their fun engagement session at Legends Comics and Books. They added a lot of personal details to their wedding, including some geeky comic book themed touches for Joshua, while still keeping things classy to work with the style of the Empress Hotel.

Like during the engagement, Cora and Joshua were full of smiles, and some people even got a little (or a lot) emotional. I loved how they kept the guest list small, creating a more intimate feel for the wedding and allowing them to actually spend time with their guests.

Cora clearly loves sparkle, as do I, as evidenced by her shoes and the brooch bouquet she made herself (seriously, how awesome is that?) – thanks to Gwen Ewart for the bouquet photos. I also adored Cora’s short-sleeved dress, which couldn’t have been more perfect for her.

The next few photos are the getting ready photos I live for: the bridesmaids fanning Cora with anything they could find (like a tissue box and package of nylons), Cora checking out her brother’s fancy tux, and Cora and her brother swaying gently to calm her down before the ceremony.

Thanks to Gwen Ewart for most of these detail photos (except the cake topper close up). Many of the details were hand made by the bride, including the paper flower centerpieces and comic-themed table markers. I love the Batman and Wonder Woman cake toppers.

Ceremony Venue: St. Ann’s Chapel
Reception venue, cake, and catering: The Empress Hotel
Bridal party bouquets: Kenmar Flower Farm
Hair and/or make-up: Fish Hair Salon
Officiant: Iain Hooey
Bride’s dress: Victoria Bridal Boutique – Moonlight collection
Bridesmaid’s dresses: David’s Bridal

Kristine and Travis are Married

June 11, 2015 by Lara Eichhorn Leave a Comment

I was so excited to hear from Kristine about her plans to marry Travis in Victoria this past April. I met them both back in March of 2012 when they were in town for Travis’s brother Jonathan’s wedding to Alexandria. Jonathan and Alex were the last people I expected to get a referral from, since they live in the Northwest Territories, so this was an awesome surprise.

Kristine and Travis had their wedding ceremony, following by a brief reception, at St. Ann’s. They added a bit of Scottish flavour with the exchanging of tartans, and one of the guests even wore a kilt. We took a few quick photos in front of the chapel, before a horse and carriage whisked them away.

For the garter retrieval, they blindfolded Travis and led him over to a bench where Kristine sat next to a guest in a kilt. Of course, he went for the exposed, hairy leg first.