I will be having a boudoir marathon on April 7th and 8th. This will be the only time I will be holding a marathon until at least December due to a very busy wedding schedule. Contact me quick as spots tend to fill up fast!

Saturday: 9am, 10am, 11am, 1pm

Sunday: 9am, 10am, 11am, 1pm

Sarah's Key by Tatiana De Rosnay: (****). I couldn't put this book down. I finished it within 2 days...maybe less. Every page got better and better and every chapter drew me in more then the last. 

This book revolves around two characters. Sarah, a young Jewish girl taken during a little known round up of the Jews by the French police during World War II, and of Julia, a present day journalist investigating the events that occurred in 1942. During Julia's research, she stumbles upon information that uncovers a link between her and Sarah.

The Book of Negroes by Lawrence Hill: (***1/2). What I loved most about this novel was its thoroughly researched historical content as well as the inspiring strength of the main character. 

This book is about the slave trade in the 1700s. It chronicles the life of Aminata Diallo and her story from her birthplace in Africa to the many different owners and locations that she experiences throughout her life. It's a story of sorrow and joy and Hill's writing does a fantastic job of developing Aminata's character and drawing us into her struggles and triumphs.

The Book of Awesome by Neil Pasricha: (****). I have never laughed so hard while reading a book in my life! 

Pasricha is a regular guy with a regular 9-5 job who started writing a blog highlighting 1000 awesome things that happen on a day to day basis. He then wrote this book featuring a selection of his favourites; such as 'sleeping in new bed sheets', 'peeling an orange in one shot' or 'when someone lands on the hotel you just built in Monopoly'. 

I loved Pasricha's witty and sarcastic style of writing. This book definitely makes people appreciate the small things that life sometimes offers us.

I'd like to mention that virtually every wedding that I photograph, traditional family portraits are included. It's understandable that most people want these photos as they are great souvenirs and reminders of the important people who were there on your special day.

I'll start with the large group shots. Frequently I am asked to take a photo of everyone attending the ceremony. This is not a problem but there are a couple things that you must take into account in order for everything to work out smoothly. 

First, location is key. Church steps, balconies, hills, grandstands all make great places for photos like this.

Secondly, it helps tremendously to have the officiant or clergy announce the group shot so that everyone is aware that it is going to take place and heads to the right location. This way, we aren't wasting time rounding up missing guests.

Now onto family portraits. Given that there is only a limited amount of time allocated for all the photos, it's never a bad idea to designate someone to organize family members. Preferably, this person should not be in the wedding party but should be close enough to know everyone involved. 

Once the participants are organized and ready to go, I start with the largest group of people and work my way through progressively smaller groups. Example: 'Grandparents, siblings, parents, newlyweds'. 'Siblings, parents, newlyweds'. 'Parents, newlyweds'. Etc.

I should also mention that if there are any family members with special needs (i.e grandparents with limited mobility), I do my best to prioritize these photos. This also goes for children as they have short attention spans.

One final note, it is best to arrange a location as close to the ceremony site as possible in order to simplify transportation and timing. I generally choose some place with a nice back ground such as trees, a nice wall, open fields, etc. 

While every wedding is different, hopefully these guidelines help to streamline your day.

Location: Paradisus in Punta Cana, DR.

Dress: Angel & Tradition by Venus Bridal from Sinders Bridal

Shoes: Le Chateau

Suits: Le Chateau

Flowers: Paradisus

The other day, it was snowing and it seemed like it was never going to stop. But I took the time to look outside and took in the beauty that mother nature had brought upon us. The snow formed a white blanket on everything in sight and at that moment I thought, our home is beautiful, and I'll cherish it forever.

Location: Chateau Laurier/Museum of Nature

Dress: Made by Leanne's sister, Laura Burns

Shoes: Aldo

Flowers: MIll Street Florist

Caterer: Tulips & Maple

Check them out if you need any type of stationary for your wedding or event such as invites, programs, menus, thank you cards, etc. Here are just a few samples of their work!

Then we went on to some dinner/reception place settings, menus and meal choices.

And the geniuses behind all this amazingness:

A special thank you to Sage Designs for providing gorgeous flower arrangements!

Note* There are some boudoir photos in this slideshow so if there are any kiddies around maybe cover their eyes. Even though they are tasteful, I thought I'd warn you anyway ;)

Let's look back at some highlights from this past years weddings:

I'll be posting more slideshows covering past engagement and lifestyle sessions next!