LOVE STORIES
Eli & Victoria - San Francisco City Hall Wedding
Vendors:
Flowers - Fresh
Dress: Sarah Seven
Hair & MUA - Lela Nguyen Hair & Makeup
Catering - The Progress
Officiant - Irene K
Venue - San Franscisco City Hall
Music - Ceremony - Bay Area Strings
Laura & Chris - Elopement Packages Vancouver Island
Vendor Credits:
Venue - Wild Renfrew Yurts
Wedding Coordinator - Rock Paper Square
Flowers - Apothecary Floral
MUA - Erin Bradley
Catering - Touque Catering
Officiant - Young, Hip, and Married
Kayla & Steve - Cape Spear - Newfoundland Elopement Photographer
There are so many amazing places to elope, and as a Newfoundland elopement photographer I want to help you choose the best location possible: somewhere that feels true to who you and your partner are, and makes your i-do dreams come true!
If you’re a fellow West Coast resident, then there’s a good chance that you haven’t heard of Cape Spear in Newfoundland, the easternmost point in Canada and North America. I did a styled elopement photoshoot out there and it proved to be a fantastic ceremony location; not only is it a wealth of natural beauty with rolling green hills and oceanside cliffs, but it’s also close to St. John’s, a city with plenty of great East Coast charm.
Ceremony Locations
As I mentioned before, Cape Spear is the easternmost point in all of Canada and North America. It encompasses the Cape Spear Lighthouse National Historic Site on the Avalon Peninsula, which makes it all kinds of dreamy. The peninsula has a similar feeling to many of the bluffs of Ireland, which lays just across the Atlantic Ocean; with vast rolling hills, and blue ocean as far as the eye can see, it’s an idyllic spot for a just-us wedding, but still remains accessible by road for anyone who is looking to bring some friends and family along. There are plenty of secluded spots that would make the perfect ceremony location. We would, however, recommend scheduling something in a warmer season, because St. John’s and surrounding area is known to be one of Canada’s foggiest and rainiest cities (unless that’s right up your alley, of course).
Accommodation
Cape Spear is roughly a twenty-minute drive to downtown St. John’s where there are plenty of great heritage bed and breakfasts, hotels, houses, and Airbnb’s available. I especially like the look of Ryan Mansion and Balmoral House Bed and Breakfast which are both a bit different from your average hotel, and have some great ratings!
Other Amenities
There are plenty of other amenities available in St. John’s, including several places for hair and make-up. If you end up spending any time at local pubs (especially Trapper John’s and Christian’s Bar), there’s a good chance you’ll get an invitation to become a real Newfoundlander with a ‘screech-in’ ceremony. It’s an unusual, and wacky, Newfoundland tradition that involves taking a shot of screech (a brand of rum), reciting a short song, and kissing a cod.
If you’re looking for something else to get up to during your stay, there are plenty of things to do, like whale watching, kayaking, or a hiking the nearby East Coast Trail.
Cape Spear makes an amazing elopement location; it’s got all the natural beauty and East Coast charm that would make for a perfect intimate wedding. As a Newfoundland elopement photographer, I hope I’ve encouraged you to think outside of the box, and outside of the province when it comes to the planning process!
Amee & Matt - The Fort Common Wedding, Victoria BC
Vendor Credits:
Venue: The Fort Common Victoria BC
Planner: The Good Party
Flowers: Brown’s The Florist
Catering: Little Piggy Catering and Toque Catering
Dress: Shades of White Bridal
Suit: Outlooks for Men
Makeup: Rachel Patterson Makeup Hair: The Ramble Rose
Rentals: Decorate Victoria // Trend Decor Event & Design // Wise Co
DJ: Request the Best DJ
Cocktails: Twist Victoria Donuts: Empire Donut
Callie & Zach - Bodega Ridge Wedding - Galiano Island, BC
Vendor Credits:
Venue and Catering: Bodega Ridge
Planner: Hailey Smith Heyday Events
Flowers: Gossip Floral
Videographer: Toast Wedding Films
Photography Assistant: Emma Rossum
Officiant: Randall Shields
Dress: Carolina Herrera, Claudette
Suit: Hugo Boss
Hair: Erin Bradley
Makeup: Erica Harris
DJ: Black Tie & Vinyl
Engagement Ring: Victor Barbone
Wedding Band: Jessica Seaton
Shoes: Frye
This wedding is featured on Rangefinder’s wedding of the week.
Kat & Jeff - The Hart House - U of T
I received an Instagram message from Kathryn just four weeks before her wedding, saying her photographer had fallen through. A stressful situation for anyone to be in, but she was cool as a cucumber. Kat, and her twin sister Liz, were close friends of mine in high school. She moved out to Toronto after uni and I ventured out to the west coast - as things go, we lost touch. But luckily the stars aligned and I had her wedding date free. I was super excited to be reunited with my old friend and document her special day.
Kat and Jeff designed their wedding to encompass what they love - architecture, art deco design, fine wine, and their nearest and dearest. Both the ceremony and reception venues were unique and had their own distinct vibe. The Hart House was a fitting place for a an elegant wedding and The Drake One Fifty was the perfect venue for a metropolitan soiree. After heartfelt speeches from both Kathryn and Jeff's twin siblings - that's right, they are both twins - the night continued with an epic dance party courtesy of the funk band Grooveyard.
This wedding is featured on Loversland's blog.
Vendors:
Ceremony Venue - The Hart House U of T
Reception Venue and Catering - Drake One Fifty
Wedding Planner - Love by Lynzie
Dress Store- Loversland
Dress Designer - Rime Arodaky
Suit - Suit Supply
Flowers - Leaf and Bloom
Makeup - Faces by Estelle
Band - Grooveyard
Melissa & Reno - Galiano Island Wedding
The first time I met Melissa and Reno we went for a cocktail and chatted about their Galiano Island wedding. I knew right away these were my kind of people! They told me the details of their plans - a pizza party rehersal, an oceanside ceremony that included their dogs, delicious catering, friends taking turns DJing, and dancing late into the night.
One thing that was really important to them was they wanted their friends and family to get to enjoy a weekend away, connecting with each other and taking in the scenery at the Galiano Inn - and for good reason. The grounds themselves were beautiful with lush gardens, a koi pond, and little massage huts hidden amongst the trees. Ah, a photographer's dream!
Saturday was calling for rain and it came. Living on the coast, the chance of rain on your wedding day is a possibility. Melissa and Reno didn't let it bring down their spirits. They were smiles all morning long. Marika, the planner and owner of Rock Paper Square, had everything under control. There was a rain plan in place and the team was ready to set up the outdoor ceremony if the rain let up last minute - and it did! Right under the wire, the rain stopped and the ceremony chairs were put out on the lawn, overlooking Active Pass.
I've said it before, I'm a sap at ceremonies and this had all the feels. Melissa and Reno were smiling ear to ear and holding hands the whole time. They read the vows they wrote each other and their loved ones cheered them on.
We snuck away to do photos partway through the cocktail hour. We visited some sandstone cliffs of a nearby park with the bridal party and then drove to the forest. I think I squealed a little when we drove around the corner and realized the whole park was enveloped in fog. Fog is one of my favourite things to photograph. It adds a layer of mystery and depth - perfect for portraits.
The night continued with a delicious meal and heartfelt speeches. Mother nature changed gears yet again and the sky light up with a vibrant pink sunset. And as promised, the dance party went late into the night.
Vendor Credits:
Venue and Catering: Galiano Oceanfront Inn and Spa
Coordinator: Marika from Rock Paper Square
Flowers: Trincomali Farms
Dress: Martina Liana from Blush Bridal Boutique
Suit: Outlooks for Men
Hair and Makeup: Heartwood & Co.
Jewellery: Violette Boutique
Cake: The Bake House
Officiant: Marcia Devicque
Transit: Tommy Transit
Donut Bar: Empire Doughnuts
Mid night Snack: Maria's Deli
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