So our engagement session with Sandra and Mark this past Saturday had a new element for us–it was the first time we’ve met this awesome couple face to face! You see, Sandra and Mark live in Edmonton, Alberta and hired us through a combination of website, email, and telephone! The coolest part? We’ll be capturing their wedding memories in beautiful Montego Bay, Jamaica! Neither Brian nor I have been there yet, so that makes this amazing opportunity that much more exciting for the two of us.
Sandra grew up in the Ottawa Valley, and Mark is a fellow Nova Scotian, so that should give you any idea of how much fun these guys are! We thoroughly enjoyed meeting them, spending an afternoon with them, and are so very happy that we get to go adventuring together in new parts of the world this winter. I hope you enjoy their images as much as we enjoyed making them!

Photography by Brian & Ivanette Hargreaves

Blog post by Ivanette.

We were really excited when Jean and Roland told us they wanted to do their engagement session at the MacKenzie King Estate because that is where we had our own done last summer.  We haven’t been back in the past year, so we were looking forward to revisiting some great memories and making some new ones.  The grounds of the estate have breathtaking gardens, and Mr. King obviously had a quirky sense of design, as there are some pretty cool building remnants to delight any photographer…

Jean and Roland’s is the first wedding we booked for this year, and it’s for 10-10-10 which we think is going to make for some spectacular good luck and fortune for these two in the future!

Roland, although not the most nature loving guy we’ve met, was a great sport and despite the heat, didn’t complain once about climbing trees, getting dusty, or the miles and miles we made him walk…we even convinced him to get a little wet at the lake!

Jean has a beautiful calming sense about her, and yet has an infectious curiosity and willingness to try anything–I love that about her!

My brain almost blew up when Brian showed me this image–straight from the camera! This photograph is actually the perfect example of the brilliance of our relationship; sometimes, I relate an idea to Brian and then he makes even the coolest of ideas in my mind’s eye look bland by knocking the shot out of the park–with some lighting assistance from moi, of course!

We are really looking forward to Jean and Roland’s wedding this fall; stay tuned for more of this awesome couple!

We initially met Karina and Roberto at the Ottawa Wedding Show in March, and it was vendor/client love at first sight!  We had an amazing, effortless connection right from the start, and their consultation appointment at our home studio felt more like a visit with old friends! Much of their 2 hour visit was spent learning about their interesting, international love, their respective families,  and the gorgeous country of Venezuela, where they grew up and met.

Roberto first came to Ottawa for school years back, and once back in Venezuela with the beautiful Karina, decided to make the adventurous move to Canada a permanent one. In the process, he once again was separated from her for a time while they made all the necessary arrangements for her move.  Karina finally made her way to Ottawa…during the winter!  The Ottawa International Airport set the scene for their loving reunion, and we all agreed that it was one of the perfect spots for their engagement session.

Also a necessity?  Their precious golden retriever, Goldie!  Dog people are a special breed of their own, and these two are no exception-they arranged a special doggy flight complete with stopovers, naps, walks, and yummy treats for her from Venezuela so their family would again be complete in Canada!  Once we met Goldie, it was pretty apparent she is once awesome pup-despite the 40 degree heat, she sported a big pink bow with pride and even met a few boy dogs at the park, as any hot Latina would!

I know I always rave about how amazing our clients are, but I REALLY REALLY mean it this time Karina and Roberto are two of the friendliest, kindest, truly beautiful people Brian and I have met along this journey, and it is with an immense amount of pride that we can share in their lives and present our images from their session… 

What would a Latin engagement session be without a little dancing?

The falls at Hog’s Back park reminded Karina and Roberto of a city park in Venezuela, making for another special connection to their new home.

How amazing are those blue shoes?!?!

We LOVED spending the afternoon with Karina and Roberto, and I cannot wait to photograph their wedding in September–in getting some of the details on Sunday, this one is going to knock everyone’s socks off!  Now, off to learn some Spanish in preparation…

Kristin and Clyde will be getting married in September, so we got together this past weekend to shoot their engagement photos. It is always great fun having a couple who were so excited about their shoot–they wanted their photos done at Kristin’s family hunt camp near Pembroke, which, at a whopping 1200 acres, gave ample opportunities for great photos!

The Shaw family raise highland cattle, and although they weren’t really keen on having their photos taken, provided an awesome setting for these:

The barns and hay bales were rustic and awesome!

Donald’s Lake is a tribute to Kristin’s grandfather, and little touches of their history, like the “Shaw 2000″ imprint on the perimeter made for images the family will be sure to treasure.

We finally got Kristin and Clyde’s pointer to sit still for a split second to snap this one, which is my favorite shot from the day.

“Lumberjack chic” isn’t just a random blog title–both families own lumber companies, and Clyde and Kristin are integral in their respective family businesses. It was important to them to integrate the stunning trees into their photos, much as they are every day of their lives.

I had an amazing day working with Kristin and Clyde, and I am really excited for their big day in September!

We first had the opportunity to meet Heather a few months ago at a Starbucks in Ottawa for an initial consultation. She had had a long day interviewing vendors for their wedding, but despite us being the one of the last meetings of the day, that “connection” we all hope for with clients was evident from the get-go. She told us about her chance first meeting with her fiance Tom, and even while regaling us with the hilarious details, her genuine love and adoration for him shone through.

Last night we had the honour of attending the grand opening of Ashton Station Bridal which is located a short drive west of Ottawa in Carleton Place. As you may know there is another prominent bridal shop located in the quaint town, however Ashton Station Bridal is much different. They are the only Rivini exclusive boutique in the world.

They are located at 17A Albert St, Carleton Place, in a historic church. They have done an amazing job of renovating their space to create the most relaxing wedding gown shopping experience! From the antique doors that were formerly part of Luigi’s childhood home, to the charming architectural touches,  it’s an amazing space.

The concept at Ashton Station Bridal is also different from most bridal shops. They are open by appointment only. During the two hour appointment, the bride and her entourage are the only ones in the boutique, receiving the utmost care and attention from the shop owners. We love this concept, because it’s based on personal service, much like our philosophy.

 

 

Photo compliments Ashton Station Bridal

Penny and Aaron are a great, down to earth couple and we are looking forward to their wedding in Cobden this June. For a change, with Penny and Aaron we simply ventured around the neighbourhood that they live in to capture images that were meaningful to them. Here are a couple photos from the day:

As some of you may remember, approximately a month ago we posted an ad looking for a couple to photograph as part of our profile video; as creating a video of how we work is very complex and time consuming, we didn’t want to take time away from one of our actual weddings, and we figured why not help somebody out in the process? So we ran a contest asking people to tell us why they would like to have their wedding photos retaken. We were expecting a few applications, however in the first week, with a simple post on Facebook, we had over 10 couples apply. We were initially surprised at the number of people who weren’t totally happy with their photos, and it was a hard decision because many of the stories were compelling. In the end we chose Heidi and Travis, who were married in September 2009. With the excitement of the day, the photographer captured some nice images, but Heidi and Travis didn’t have any photos of them alone that they liked. We hired Leslie Ann Hook to re-create Heidi’s hair and makeup, and the video was shot and edited by Sylvain and Caroline of Reno Video Productions. We posted the video earlier this week, and would like to give you a chance to see some of the photos we captured for them.

By Emilia @ Lilac Lingerie

Comfort first

On your wedding day, lingerie style is a matter of personal preference. Plenty of options are available to be provocative and daring, conservative and stylish, or gentle and elegant under your very special dress.  The most important thing for every bride, is comfort.

Most likely your dress will require an unusual bra.  Perhaps strapless, back-less, deep plunge, add-a-size push up or maybe you would even opt out for a corset-like support. All this would mean that you will not be in your usual bra-comfort zone. To ensure success on your special day, test-drive the bra ahead of time under an everyday dress of a similar kind. You will be able to assess in a few short minutes if this is the right bra for your special day. You should feel both supported and comfortable.

The same goes for the bottom piece. Make sure it is comfortable – not too tight and not too loose.  To avoid the visible panty line, wear either a thong, seamless panties or briefs. You know yourself best; listen to your years of experience in your own body.

With confidence

Lingerie is the first thing to touch your skin and the last to leave. The confidence boost you would get from wearing a wonderful, stylish piece made from quality fabric will be powerful.  On your wedding day, extra self-confidence will be welcomed!

Your wedding day lingerie is the one thing you would buy only for yourself. No one will be seeing it at the reception or during the ceremony. It is only for you. Take the time to choose it well and wear it with confidence because you feel pretty, daring, stylish, romantic, elegant, or unique in it.

You will feel special and create a bit of a mystery for your groom.  A perfect way to start sharing your life together!

Lilac Lingerie is a new lingerie boutique coming to Ottawa. Connect with Emilia on Twitter @LilacLingerie and stay tuned for a brand new website at www.lilaclingerie.ca.

As promised, here are some more images from Amanda & Trevor’s gorgeous wedding at the Westin Hotel in Ottawa. I’ll start off with a few stunning images of when Amanda and her father, got to see each other for the first time on her wedding day. Murray, commonly know as little Mur since Trevor’s father shares the name, had refused to see her dress prior to the wedding. Amanda waited anxiously for her father to arrive. They got to share a little bit of time together before the ceremony: