A beautiful First Nations wedding.

So I don’t know if you’ve noticed but there’s been a real lack of wedding photos on this blog lately.  And it’s certainly not because I haven’t taken any.  I’ve got loads that I totally love and adore but because I have hopes debuting them elsewhere, I’ve been keeping them under wraps.  Which has been hard.  Really hard!

Especially with Michelle & Ramses wedding.

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Back in June, Michelle and Ramses had a traditional First Nations wedding.  They married on the summer solstice, at the edge of Georgian Bay on the Cape Croker Indian Reserve.

Now, I’ve been to a lot of weddings and of course, all weddings are beautiful in their own way.  But this wedding… wow.  It was poetic.

I’d never been to a First Nations wedding so I didn’t know what to expect.  Thankfully, Michelle and Ramses were kind and patient enough to explain all the details and rituals, both big and small, of which there were many.  Everything had symbolism and meaning.  And there was a real emphasis on the communal and familial aspect of weddings.  For example, just prior to the ceremony, the men and women went into separate tents.  The women shared with the bride their stories or lessons they’d learned about marriage and what it means to be a wife while the men would do the same with the groom.  It was at times hilarious but also sweet and sincere.  And I totally cried.

Anyway, if you’d like to see and learn more about Michelle and Ramses unique wedding celebration, go check it out on The Wedding Co.’s blog!

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Beach day!

Feeling blessed with lake water in my hair and loved ones by my side.

The sun & the moon over Georgian Bay on one glorious summer day.

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Summer is my favourite time of year.   I love the hot weather and endless sunshine.  Swimming in lakes & oceans & rivers.  The grit of sand between my toes.

But as a wedding photographer in Canada, summer also means working.  A lot.

Last year, I learned the hard way.  I worked ceaselessly from May until October and didn’t reserve even a single weekend for myself.  By the time September came, I found myself bewildered and sad, wondering: where the did my summer go???

Determined to not repeat my mistake, we booked a mid-season mini-vacation at one of my favourite summer spots on Georgian Bay.  While it wasn’t as relaxing as I’d hoped (both Husbo and I ended up working for parts of our trip), I am definitely more refreshed than I would’ve been without those few stolen days by the bay.

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