Being a wedding photographer, sometimes it feels like I have the priviledge of making lifelong friends with just the click of a shutter. From the first moment a bride contacts me with her heart a flutter; ideas pouring from her fingertips onto ourContact Usform, to the interactions back and forth by email which always remind me of giddy schoolgirls passing notes in class about a boy they liked.
I get to go on coffee dates, have a fun filled evening of appetizers and drinks, chat about “the details” and reminise on how our men proposed. It warms my heart every time a bride first contacts me to the moment I deliver her images; we become kindred friends.
Denika contacted me the winter of 2013 after viewing my work with her uncle, a fellow photographer and friend. While I was busily planning my own wedding and knee deep in preparation to move to Yellowknife, Denika knew I was going to be living in her home town and it made her decision a simple “Yes!”
I was truly honoured to be asked to be a part of this magical moment in Denika’s life, and have her as my first Yellowknife bride.
Shawn and Denika have been together for 5 years; what an amazing journey they have made thus far: Denika told me that she had started planning her wedding a year previous to this date when they found out they were expecting their beautiful baby girl. On July the 26th 2013, she went into labour and on the 27th little baby Kaiyer was born into this world.
Denika went on to say “July 26th of this year [2013] I went into labour, so we felt a life event was fitting for next year as well.”
So, on the very day her life changed one year previous, Denika woke again with joy and anticipation. Today, she would marry the man whom her soul loves deeply.
This is Kaiyer, who just a day after their wedding would turn 1. With a wedding and a birthday planned all on the same weekend; Kaiyer, mommy, and daddy had one BIG weekend planned.
Shawn and Denika bought one another gifts, and as Denika opened a small box she made a giddy sound. Shawn had bought her a beautiful double strand pearl bracelet. Shawn was equally impressed by his wife’s gift to him, a stunning Bulova watch.
Denika wanted her bouquet to hold something old, a memento. The lace wound around her bouqeut was from her mothers original wedding dress. I absolutely adore when brides incorporate their past into their future!
As the bridal party waited for the geusts to arrive, Denika and her bridesmaid (and man of honour) sat in the sheer tent that stood at the top of the aisle. A little mummy and me time with Kaiyer was needed, and snuggles followed.
Yellowknife is a curious place, especially for a BC grown girl like myself. I’ve heard at least 80% of the year is winter, which isn’t the worst thing in the world when you love the clean crisp shade of white lying like a blanket over everything (that is until your fingers freeze even with gloves). There are roads made of Ice, Skies full of Aurora, and a community that is much more like a family then anything I have yet to experience. In fact I had made some amazing friendships through a photography page for the NWT long before I moved here. One of those photographers was a man named Lee Sacrey.
Lee’s niece was in preparation of her wedding when she went to her uncle for council for her wedding photographer. After multiple people sent their portfolio’s in I was blessed to be contacted by Denika, the excitement in her voice was akin to my own as the wedding was just around the corner for Ian and myself.
When Denika and Shawn asked me to be their wedding photographer I counted it as an honor, they are my first Bride and Groom North of 60 and I cant wait to tell their story.
Here are just some of my favorite pictures from their Engagement Session yesterday. We had to fight strong winds and harsh light, but I couldn’t be more in love with the result.
