As owner of Juniper Kitchen and Wine bar, Pete and I have known each other for quite a while now.  Juniper hosted Ottawa’s amazing “Dueling Chefs” events in 2010 and 2011, where I got to hang out with Pete (read: staying out of his way) in the kitchen for about a dozen Mondays each year.  When he proposed to Alicia, I was thrilled that they asked me to photograph their wedding at Billings Estate Museum, followed by a reception at his own restaurant.  The day was gorgeous from start to finish, and everything went as planned.  It was a great time, with great weather, followed by, of course, great food.

They were a ton of fun to work with, it was a great time, and I can’t wait for their wedding!

Here are some of my faves:

Here is a quick sneak peek from Charles & Jen’s beautiful wedding yesterday in Curran, Ontario.  More to come…!

One of my favorite things about being a wedding photographer is the great potential for clients to become friends.  This is often the case, and with Matt and Chelsea it was certainly no different.  Over the past year since we first met to discuss their wedding plans, I have gotten to know them really well, and they truly are amazing people.  They share a similar sense of humour, they love to spend time together, and they’re a ton of fun to hang out with.   Matt even invited me along (without my camera) to his bachelor party weekend in Wasaga Beach, where, aside from realizing that I’m way too old to behave like a “frat-boy”, I got to know what a really great guy he is, with some great friends.

Their wedding day was gorgeous.  It was a beautifully warm, sunny day (and not humid!) in Ottawa – as good as you could ask for.  Their ceremony and reception were both at the elegant Fairmont Chateau Laurier Hotel in Ottawa, an absolutely stunning venue.  The day went off without a hitch, and the party went on well into the night, with the dance floor often resembling clips of Electric Circus.  It was a great time, and I think the photos tell the story of their special day.

Dominique & Leigh’s wedding was a wild & fun-filled day, with threats of rain (and actual rain) most of the day, but it cleared-up at just the right times.  Dominique and Leigh opted for the “first look”, which I arranged to take place on the locks over the Rideau Falls in Ottawa, a really cool & private place for them to see each other for the first time on their wedding day.  It went-off without a hitch and it was beautiful.  After the first look, we made our way to the scenic Rockcliffe Pavillion in Rockliffe Park for the ceremony, followed by a beautiful reception at E18hteen Restaurant in the Byward Market.

It was a fantastic day and a gorgeous wedding.  Congrats!!

I think Matt and Chelsea were only back from their fabulous honeymoon in Hawaii for a day or two before I got a text message from Matt asking about a sneak preview.  Matt blames Chelsea for being super anxious to see some photos, but I’m not entirely convinced.  :)

Their wedding was amazing, and I can’t wait to share the full set.  In the meantime, I’ll hopefully keep “Chelsea” happy for a bit while I finish getting the wedding set completed with this gorgeous shot of the two of them on the back lawn of the Fairmont Chateau Laurier.

I met Charles in early 2009, when I was on my way to Holguin, Cuba to photograph Charles’ cousin’s gorgeous wedding on the beach.  I was really excited to hear that he met a great girl named Jenn and that they were engaged – and even more thrilled when they asked me to photograph their wedding in August of this year.

We started out at the Booster Juice kiosk at Billings Bridge Plaza in Ottawa, where Charles and Jen had their first date.  It’s always fun shooting in open public spaces, trying not to be conspicuous to the many bored security guards.  We stayed just long enough to get a few frames, and then headed across the street to the park along the Rideau River, where we spent the better part of an hour getting some really nice shots.  I can’t wait for their late summer wedding!