Ashley and Paolo’s wedding day at Fraser River Lodge was effortless. It truly was. I was in the middle of photographing three weddings in a row with Ashley and Paolo’s Sunday wedding being the last of the weekend. I woke up with a ton of energy, excited to see the two of them again and experience their day! Ashley was so “chill” when I arrived, with her friend Shay curling her hair, relaxing with some snacks in her robe. “I guess I should start my makeup soon, shouldn’t I?” she laughed. Ashley was calm as could be, an excited glimmer in her eye.

I walked over to the boys side of the lodge to see how their morning had been coming along. Paolo was full of energy and joy, making sure all of the last minute details were taken care of and staying busy to keep from being nervous. ;) When it was time for the First Look in the field behind Fraser River Lodge, Paolo waited with a huge smile on his face. Ashley giggled as she walked towards him, too. (I swear these two never stopped smiling!) Of course, their smiles only intensified when they saw one another! 

It was a hot, hot, hot day out in Agassiz at the lodge, but we did the best we could to take advantage of the mountain view (in the full sun!) and then seeking shade in the nearby orchard and beside some of the lodge buildings. Guests started to arrive as we finished portraits and given that at least half of the guests were Italian… it was hard to hide their arrival. ;) Loud Italian was spoken across the lodge deck, hugs and cheek kisses and arm squeezes abounded! A handful of Paolo’s family had traveled in from Italy, specifically for the wedding day, speaking little to no English. So special when family comes so far! (And good pick on the venue Ashley and Paolo… if your guests are going to come from afar, give them a view!)

The timeline of the wedding day allowed Ashley and Paolo lots of time to hang out with guests in between the ceremony and reception: which is always the best. (I love First Looks for this!) It was a blast to walk around the Fraser River Lodge deck and see so many friends and family talking to old friends and meeting new ones.

During the reception, a few of my favourite moments included Ashley reading out her thank you speech in Italian, while Paolo tried his best to hide his laughter at her accent. “It’s my wedding day, give me a break!” she playfully reprimanded him. Haha! Next, the ‘slideshow’ Paolo had made as a surprise to Ashley turned out to be a music video of his original song, Blue & Gold. 

Ashley was in almost immediate happy tears, overwhelmed and excited by his surprise. She kept turning around to kiss and hug Paolo and he hugged her and pointed back to the screen, “Don’t miss it!” When the music video finished, all of the guests stood to their feet and the applause was electric! 

It was the perfect entrance right into their First Dance as husband and wife. Of course, it was Ashley and Paolo style – an upbeat song and a quick invitation to the rest of their guests to join them on the dance floor.

A & P, your wedding was so, so much fun. We loved meeting your family and sharing in your day. Thank you for having us! Enjoy!

Make-up & Hair: Shay Topaze Hair Design
Bride’s Shoes: Harriet Wilde  
Bride’s Jewellry: BHLDN  
Bride’s Jewellery: Tiffany’s  
Dress Designer: Tadashi Shoji  
Dress Store: BHLDN  
Florist: Flowerella 
Bridesmaids Dresses: Propaganda @ Plenty  
Vest and Ties: Harry Rosen, Tip Top Tailors  
Stationery/Invites: Suited Brand Lab  
DJ/Band: Painted Frog Entertainment  
Cake Designer: Reddy Made Cakes  
Ceremony & Reception Venue: Fraser River Lodge  
Musician: Black Dog String Quartet  
Decorator: Champagne Dreams  
Favours: La Rinascente Imports