Forty-eight hours ago, on June 27th, I was beginning my twelve-hour photography coverage of Grace and Kai's wedding day. I had been scratching my head all week as to why I would decide to shoot an all-day wedding, drive home and then get on a plane only eight hours later to California for ten days. I thought I was crazy. However, when I arrived to Grace's hotel room the morning of the wedding and was met by her huge smile and her calm demeanor I remembered... this was why. Grace and Kai are two of the sweetest, most loving, most generous, most selfless people I know.

Individually, they have the ability to change the atmosphere of a room: they bring a certain calmness. Together, they are a compassionate couple that I can confidently state will be showing God's love and peace to all those they encounter for years to come. Friends for fifteen years, dating for ten: this day has been a long time coming. And now it has come and gone. Grace and Kai, you both make me feel so welcome and so loved in your presence. I've so enjoyed getting to know you over more than a couple of coffee meetings, our engagement session together, and spending your wedding day with you.

Thank you for how you selflessly think of others... constantly. From providing myself and my two assistants, Laura and Camille, tuna sandwiches and bottled water for lunch (so unexpected!), periodically asking if we need anything else, refusing to worry or stress about any aspect of the day, blessing us with a thank-you card at the end of the evening. It was your day, but you made it about those who supported you as a couple. What an example you two are! I wish you a lovely time in Victoria and an even lovelier time during your honeymoon to Hong Kong this Fall. Love, J.

We share a love for "doodles." Darren & Laura have a three-year-old ball of Goldendoodle energy named Gallagher. I, of course have my love Taylor, a six-year old Labradoodle. We share a love for blogging and writing. Darren has a widely-recognized blog called Timing and Delivery that reviews services all across the country: specifically Vancouver, Calgary and Toronto. If you've never checked out his blog I encourage you too, his writing always makes me laugh! (You can check out these posts specifically: 1, 2, 3) We share a love for running outdoors: one of Laura's favourite pasttimes is taking Gallagher for a run through the trails and forest on the UBC Endowment Lands.

I arrived to their engagement session and greeted Laura and Darren with a hug, not a handshake. Handshakes are for first meetings; not for someone who is going to spend your wedding day with you. I feel so comfortable with Laura & Darren because we've had a lot of opportunities to spend time together already! Namely, in January, I photographed Laura's 30th Birthday party at Cobre Restaurant in Vancouver. Before her birthday party, I met them at their apartment where we chatted about all things wedding and photography and blogs and business. Laura also treated me to a pretty dang great cup of coffee at the very chic 49th Parallel a couple weeks after her party.

I am ridiculously excited for their wedding. Crazy excited. Every wedding is beautiful in its own way: every couple has their own style, their own vibe, their own flavour. I can walk into a beautiful reception room and think, "Holy cow, this is AMAZING"--but it's not always going to have the same "vibe" I want my wedding reception to have. That's why I LOVE style and I LOVE weddings! Personal taste. Saying all this to say, every detail Laura+Darren have talked about for their reception is blowing my mind. I cannot wait for their September 4th wedding... the rest of you will just have to wait and see! :)

I loved their outfits they wore: my couples have great style. Laura called Darren her "stylist" in an email dicussing the session: Hah! :)