Someone once said, “when true love comes, it is like flying upon wings above all else on the ground.” Wish we could properly credit the astute individual who came up with this… for sure it applies to WestJet pilot Mike and his beautiful bride, Jenna. Their July 2nd wedding could not have been any hotter… nor any lovelier. So many gorgeous touches woven into their Nor’Wester Reception and oh so many images to choose from.

Mike + Jenna *front-loaded* their photography session. This is a rather new trend in our industry, but one we think is way cool and totally conducive to low-stress, fun-filled, multi-location shooting. Even before they walked down the aisle, the Bliss team spent three hours clicking away at various different sites…. from a hangar at the airport, to a field filled with lupins to PACI. What it meant was breathing a collective sigh of relief prior to exchanging vows, and knowing they could concentrate fully on the step they were about to take. Front-loading is not a strategy for everyone; but if you can time it appropriately with your other vendors it sure allows us a bucket-load more time to get you all those shots you’ve been dreaming about.

To say this couple has been waiting patiently is an understatement. Mike + Jenna, we thank you for your patience and wish you a lifetime of flying high! p.s. Sam swears that if she would have flown WestJet last week her luggage would not have gone missing!!! {can you guess who the culprit might have been? lol} xo from the Bliss Team {Alvis, Sam + Melissa}

Laura realized she was completely in love with Scott when she couldn’t picture her life without him. And then there was a wedding! While this is über simplifying their story, we have to say right off the bat how thrilled we were to have been a part of this celebration. This couple literally rolled with the punches, including a solid dousing of rain, a spontaneous trip to the barn at Gammondale Farm for photos {thank you, Sue Gammond!!!}, and an all-out, bust-a-moves dance-a-thon… just to name a few. And not once did they shy away from any of our crazy ideas. This is, we feel, when we really get to shine as your photographer! Opening yourself up, showing your vulnerability, your goofiness, your overwhelm, your wild side… all of this comes off as the quintessential YOU and makes your imagery that much more authentic. So thank you for letting us do our thing while you did yours.

There are just three things left to say. 1) We wish this blog would have been published a week ago but wordpress issues got the better of us;  2) nurses are incredibly shy and have no idea how to let loose on the dance floor and 3) Scott, you’re one lucky man both in love and also in …. well, you know… er, how about we call it timing! We know you know what we mean! Glad to see you’re on the mend and to the pair of you, please enjoy this preview of your wedding day imagery. We couldn’t be happier for you! Here’s to a lifetime of continued adventure. xo {Alvis, Sam + Melissa}

Well, Jen + Nick, you’ve been waiting patiently and at last we are thrilled to finally share this special post with you and your family! Sometimes words do not do justice to bringing back the life and emotion of an event like a wedding. And in this case, there are just four superlatives we’ll throw at you to describe our impressions of your Big Day: hip. beautiful. whimsical. emotional.

We are honoured to have been a part of both your Ottawa Engagement session and most recently, your hometown wedding. In looking at these images, it will hopefully become clear why we do what we do {that is, focus on weddings}. Witnessing two people who are over the moon for each other; supported by a cast of genuine best mates, siblings and folks… it just doesn’t get much better. The fact is our Saturdays {and sometimes Fridays} are filled with such happiness and who couldn’t use a weekly dose of that?!!! It’s couples like you who keep us inspired and excited for every wedding that comes down the pipe.

Some stunning work done by our colleagues in the wedding industry. Maggie of Maggie’s Magicals outdid herself bringing Jen’s vision to life: the Fort William Country Club never looked better dazzling in a sea of crystal, soft lights, black linens and drapery offset with the softness of lavender. Speaking of lavender, the flowers were stunning and no real surprise that work was done by the Flower Shed. And finally, we will conclude this post with a poignant highlight reel from Jen + Nick’s wedding movie as shot by Curtis {and Steve!} of Apple Wagon Films.

Jen + Nick: thank you for putting your trust in us and we will see you soon for Valerie + Andrew’s wedding! xo {Alvis, Sam + Melissa}

Before we move to the reception portion of Jen + Nick’s celebration, I thought it would be nifty to see some of their colour scheme and vision pulled together in one collage. Behind every detail was Jennifer’s signature touch and it all culminated at the Fort William Country Club reception.

And please enjoy this highlight reel from the talented Curtis Jensen of Applewagon Films. Congratulations again, Jen + Nick!

Crowns. Smashing plates. A belly dancer. When Kaitlyn + John approached us to shoot their Big Day, their vision left us both inspired and eager! This is Bliss Pictures’ first Greek Wedding and we definitely hope it will not be the last. We will attempt to bring back some of the unbridled fun from this day, but as the old saying goes… you kind of had to be there!

Before we get straight to the good stuff, it’s important to give props to our second shooter, Mr. Sunny Kaura. Sunny flew in from Burlington to assist us with this shoot. He’s in the process of building up his photography portfolio, and should be credited for many of the images our bride + groom are about to see. And naturally because we had a second shooter, this blogpost ranks as our juiciest. There was no way to whittle it down to under 100 images lest we not do justice to retelling their story. So props to Sunny for his fantastic ideas and inspiring shots.

John + Kaitlyn have known each other since high school and if you ask Kate, she’s pretty certain he had one massive crush on her during that time. Eventually John went away to the US for football {he was a linesman for St. Cloud State} and years passed before a twist of fate and a pirate costume brought them together at a Halloween bash. Sparks were flying that night and though Kaitlyn confesses to have played a major game of hard to get, John won her over with his compassion, humour and generosity of spirit. {We can attest to this… dude, you’re one nice fellow!} Always up for some scheme, the two became inseparable and spent three blissful years travelling, hanging out and with John trying desperately to teach Kate the inner workings of football.

Before long, Kate found herself whisked away to Lutsen for a romantic weekend, where her spider senses were tingling when John — always petrified of heights — was easily convinced to ride the gondola up to the look-out. Never will she forget his words “Kaitlyn Natalie Coates, I love you more than anything else in life. Will you marry me?” And as we always say, the rest, is history!

So to our fantastic couple and their equally fantastic wedding party, thanks for giving us a glimpse into your world. We liked it. A lot! Here’s to many more years of bliss… with best wishes from your Bliss Team. xo {Alvis + Sam + Melissa + Sunny}

Sabrina + Ian have spent the last 6 years gazing into each other’s eyes. Ok, they’d probably roll their eyes at that one. But you get the drift! They were blissfully married on June 4th with 300 of their greatest fans cheering them on. Their’s is a simple love story… and we were privy to the abridged version which we’re excited to share with you!

Having met in high school, Sabrina + Ian became fast friends and eventually started dating. It took some time for Sabrina to quit with the playing hard to get strategy… but eventually she caved and they have been together ever since. In her words, it was as straightforward as this: “met the families. Got engaged. Were engaged for a year and a half. Bought a house. Got married. Moved in together!” Alrighty, then! And when they’re not hanging out and goofing off together, you just might find her out shopping and him on the golf course.

Sabrina: your family was so much fun {your mom rocked!} and they were so gracious to us. I think I’m still full from that incredible post-ceremony/pre-reception feast!! Both Sunny and I agree that we could not have asked for a more laid-back, open-minded couple. Thank you for putting your faith in the Bliss team. We hope you enjoy this preview of your wedding day imagery and look forward to completing your package! With best wishes…. Alvis + Sunny

As most of my clients will attest, it’s no secret I have a fascination with documenting the little details. In Sabrina’s case, everything could be described as luscious! The dress. The lace. Her smoky eyeshadow. The shiny, black, patent leather tuxedo shoes donned by Ian’s groomsmen.

After the St. Dominic’s marriage ceremony, it was off to a blockbuster three-part photo session with the wedding crew. We’ll call the fist segment “Wedding Party Rocks Some Colourful Umbrellas that were Kept on Hand [Just in Case]“. For this part of the shoot we booted on over to Mission Island. At this time I’d also like to send a huge shout-out to our special guest photographer, Sunny Kaura; who flew in from Toronto to spend a week with the Bliss Team to trade work-flow intel and partake in some mutual lens envy. Sabrina + Ian therefore had the pleasure of nearly double the images shot during their day; with Sunny capturing the majority of all the candid shots {we cannot wait for the happy couple to see!}. Sunny is in the early stages of his photography career and there is no doubt in my mind he’ll be impossible to book before long.

Then it was off to a secluded bay for some isolated shots of our happy couple. This part of the photo session we will dub “You Want Us to Go in the Water?? Really? Alrighty-then!” segment. Props to both Sabrina + Ian for throwing caution to the wind and walking right into Lake Superior.

Segment Three of Sabrina + Ian’s photo shoot we are affectionately calling the “How’s your Handicap at the Simpson St. Golf Course?” This section needs no further explanation. Applause to the confused drivers of Thunder Bay who honked and patiently moved on as we took a moment to pay homage to Ian’s beloved sport.

After brushing up on her caddy skills, Sabrina whisked Ian and the wedding party away to their 300 person reception at the DaVinci Centre. At this point all caution was thrown to the wind, cares were tossed aside and everyone just let loose. This was a group that knew how to have fun!

Our poor, neglected, lonesome blog. Fret not, little one. We’ve lifted the 6-week long blogging embargo and are finally back. Our excuses are many, namely life getting {happily} in the way and our focus being on family after an insanely busy 2010. But this post is not about us per se: it’s about you, and the possibilities that lie just ahead of our camera lens.

Speaking of possibilities, when planning your wedding one of the most critical decisions you make will be your photographer. Trust us on this one — it is a decision that will have a lifelong impact on your story for years to come! When we were married nine years ago in Costa Rica, we were naively much more concerned with logistics of the resort, who would preside over the ceremony and of course our guests… all important details. But while we did hire a photographer we clearly did not do our homework and the end result was nary a photo that we liked. To this day there is no album to show our daughters… just a few cute but non-professional images taken by family members. {Note: one of the most influential deciding factors for creating Bliss Pictures and tailoring our photography offerings exclusively to suit the wedding industry was directly related to our own experience or rather lack thereof on our wedding day!}

So consider this blog entry our public service message to all newly engaged’s out there: make an investment in a photographer {and cinematographer} that you believe can best represent the love you share and your values. It may not be us or even the next guy… just do your homework because there’s really no dress rehearsal for your wedding day imagery.

But I digress! Here is a couple that DID do their homework and to our good fortune, booked their October wedding with Bliss Pictures. Autumn + Chris were all about the meaningful personal touches and to this day we are still in awe of this bride’s ethereal beauty. Her dress was handmade jointly by she and her mom. Her bouquet was of stunning antique brooches and had to have weighed easily more than ten pounds! By contrast, Autumn’s wedding party carried bouquets of feathers… another homemade touch.

And so for this couple who fell in love through a fortuitous introduction in Toronto, their wedding day went off without a hitch. There was plenty of guinness flowing at their Valhalla Inn reception {decorated by the talented April of Silk + Cedar} as was illustrated by the spontaneous erruption of Ukrainian Dancing in tribute to their love. Perhaps the one detail that remains most memorable was our couple’s creative strategy for having their guests convince them to kiss. Oh “Mad Lib”, you never fail to leave us in stitches! For those of you considering this game and feeling simultaneously confident that your guests will go easy on you, consider this your fair warning!

Autumn + Chris: congratulations again on your marriage… and thank you for including us in your Big Day. You did your homework and we hope you feel it paid off. xo — Alvis, Sam + Melissa

Yikers, it’s been ages since we posted. What’s new, you ask? Hmmmnnn… basically since January we’ve been knee-deep in editing, meeting with new clients and most recently some sugary white powder sand! Last week we had the privilege of spending 7 days of fun and sun with wedding planner *extraordinaire* Bethanie Foster and film-maker *guru* Martin Kramer as they exchanged vows before 30 of their nearest and dearest in Punta Cana.

February 1st 2011 was all about letting someone else take the reins for our detail-oriented bride. And yet in true Bethanie-style, every single aspect of the week-long celebration was executed with panache and included her warm signature touches, from the lovely custom-created welcome beach bags to the handmade wedding lanterns and table décor. The backdrop for all this splendor was Punta Cana’s stunning Majestic Colonial Resort, and let us be among the first to give it an exuberant two thumbs up! Every corner of greenery was meticulously manicured. The entertainment rocked {as did the *Spice Girls*, during their memorable rendition of “It’s Raining Men” on Karaoke Night!!}. And the rooms were downright dreamy. But best of all, was the beach. And we’ve seen a beach or two in our lifetime, but this one ranks at the top for its overall perfection. For Sam to actually go in the water, you have to realize it’s gotta be something special. Ahhh……can still feel that sand squishing between our toes.

But I digress. Back to our happy couple! Performing their 3:00 p.m. ceremony was none other than Jeremy Landon, another brilliant film dude {we know from experience!} who layered in just enough of his clever personality amidst the moving vows. All in all, the entire thing went off without a hitch; not even overshadowed by the two-hour late missing bridal attire. Other highlights we won’t soon forget include the incredible ring box handmade by Chris {Bethanie’s Dad who was also celebrating his official retirement from the police force}, and the look of pride on nephew Collin’s face as he walked down the aisle with it grasped firmly in his tiny hands.

And so without further ado, we are excited to post this blockbuster sneak peek of imagery from your Big Day, Bethanie + Marty. We were honoured to have been asked to represent you… both as clients and as friends. There is only one more thing to say, rustle yourselves up a Mamajuana and drink up! Here’s to married life… may it be as sparkling as that ocean we already miss. Ok, that was a little hokie, but it comes from the hearts. With much love and affection, xox — Alvi + Sam

p.s. I lied // There’s always one more thing left to say, or as Sam says, that infamous *last word*. Bethanie: you are a BEAUTIFUL bride. But what’s coolest is you have no idea that you are.

We know you’re possibly growing weary of our chronic {and oh-so-effusive!} giddiness over posting each of our wedding couples, but really, we just can’t help it. We surrender already! Case in point: Kaisa + Kevin. Two of the kindest, most sincere individuals to grace our camera lenses this year. You know that kind of inner beauty that radiates? Yup. They’ve got that in spades. Here’s their story.

Kaisa + Kevin, both originally from Thunder Bay now living in Edmonton, approached us about 18 months ago. When we first spoke I was secretly crossing fingers and toes that all would go well because they just sounded like the nicest people on the planet. And by nice, I also mean non-stressed and excited. Needless to say when it was all systems a-go we were pretty stoked!

Kaisa is the youngest of four sisters and had the great fortune of being introduced to Kevin in their adolescent years while he worked at the Gap. Her sister Leena set out on a mission to play match-maker when Kaisa was clearly smitten upon first sight. Time passed, lunch dates with mutual pals at Mcdonald’s ensued and {finally} Kevin mustered up the nerve to officially make Kaisa his girlfriend. It was October 29th, 2000. Since that time he has had to work very hard to prove himself to Kaisa’s protective father {especially with her being the baby of the family!}; it took many a fishing trip and lots of work around the house to demonstrate his worthiness!

Over the past ten years K + K have been through all the challenges young couples face. Break-ups, getting-back-together, more break-ups. Yet they always seemed to find their way back to each other. Fast forward to 2007 while Kevin was in Calgary for school, he came home to TBay for a visit and the two of them made what has been their most strategic {and possibly gutsy!} decision to date: to drive across the country and move to Edmonton together. No money, no job, no place to live…. nothing but a whole lotta love!

But back to their Big Day. And what an incredible day it was… complete with the coolest prop we’ve had to date: Kevin’s parent’s 1965 classic Mustang, fully restored and buffed! This was the same car his mom and dad were married in… if that’s not a fitting and honourable symbol I don’t know what is! In preparation for their actual wedding shoot I did quite a bit of scouting {which loosely translates to: getting lost//more driving//knocking on doors//and asking very kind farmers if we could kindly make use of their stunning property}. I stumbled upon this incredible, idyllic setting that was rich with texture and rotting woods and thought to myself that it would be the most killer backdrop for their vintage-feeling photo session. I think you will see what I mean when you view their images.

But that’s probably enough text for one night…. please enjoy this sneak peek and our heartfelt congratulations go out to you, Kaisa + Kevin. One final note: it meant the world to me when my phone rang at 1:00 am as I was walking up the stairs in my house to call it a day. It was our happy couple… calling to express their gratitude. This little gesture has stuck with me and meant so much! –xo Alvis, Sam, Melissa, Jeremy

Most of us fear the dreaded Monday. The word *manic* seems to come to mind (at least in our world!). But for Kathleen + Cody there was nothing but blissful anticipation happening on Monday, September 20th. You see, in their world a marriage was taking place.

If you don’t have the pleasure of knowing Kathleen personally, we can attest that this is one amazing woman. In addition to being supermom to Mariah (aged 4) and Colton (age 1), Kat works full-time as a nurse and also managed to plan an incredibly beautiful, intimate wedding at the White Fox Inn… all while juggling the everyday curveballs life throws at us. September 20th was also remarkable as in true multi-tasking fashion, it happened to be her 24th birthday {which, if you ask us, is a great strategy for ensuring those important dates are less at risk for being forgotten!}.

Kat + Cody’s wedding had all the right ingredients to make for perfect picture taking: a beautiful bride, mischievious and adorable scene-stealing flower girls, a groom who is clearly ga-ga {and whose mother melted us with her wistful expressions}, nervous jitters, and lest we forget, killer shoes! So, without any further ado, we’ll let the images tell the story themselves. To the happy couple: we wish you a lifetime of continued happiness and we will eagerly await the arrival of your new little girl this Spring. God bless! –xo, Alvis, Sam + Melissa

Your wedding day is on the horizon. And it’s not just about that “to-have-and-to-hold” moment. On this Big Day, you will be your most beautiful: an exquisite reflection of inner joy, excitement, love. We wanted to post a sneak-peek of the SNEAK PEEK from this wedding we shot last weekend {thank you, Autumn + Chris…your real turn will be coming up in a few weeks}. Autumn’s dress, lovingly hand-made by her mother, inspired the look, tone and feel of these images. And we are posting them to inspire you.

Your day is coming… Please visit us at this year’s Wedding Wishes Show; next Sunday, November 7th from 11:30 am until 4:30 pm. We’re excited to hear your plans! Look for us at booth #40. –The Bliss Team {Alvis, Sam, Melissa}