A few weeks ago, I had the best adventure of the year so far, travelling to Whistler to photograph Sara and Paul's incredible mountain wedding. It was more than a bit mind-blowing. After four days of awesomeness, my memory cards were full, my shoes were worn out from hiking and dancing, and my hands hurt from high fiving.
I met the not-yet-engaged Sara and Paul in Italy last fall at Curt and Laura's wedding. Later on their trip, on the Amalfi Coast, Paul proposed. After seeing my photos from the celebration in Italy, Sara floated the idea of me coming to Whistler, and I jumped at the chance.
Held over four days at the beautiful Edgewater Lodge at the north end of Whistler, Sara and Paul's wedding saw friends and family come from across the country, around the world and just down the road in their hometown of Vancouver. Thursday and Friday were filled with a whole lot of outdoor sports, some bouquet-making by Sara (so crafty!) and a bbq and campfire jam (Paul's a dynamite string player, and many of their friends are musicians). Saturday dawned a bit rainy with some wild, shifting mountain weather, but right on cue while Sara and Paul were saying their vows, the clouds parted and the rest of the day was beautifully sunny. A ridiculously picturesque ceremony led into an incredible dinner prepared by Edgewater's stellar kitchen, and then things got perfectly rowdy with a sweet, sweaty dance party.
The real highlight of the weekend for me was our "day after shoot." Before the trip, knowing I was going to have the unique chance to photograph amidst the mountains, I convinced Sara and Paul that they should get dressed up again on the Sunday, and scouted out a few locations online where we could hike in to some incredible vistas. Nothing seemed ideal though - either it wasn't "mountain-toppy" enough, or the amount of work to walk there would be challenging. A sudden brainwave led me to Blackcomb Aviation, and with the help of some of Sara and Paul's good friends, we gave them a photo location that matched the magic of their wedding the day before.
A huge thanks to Sara and Paul for trusting in me and my photos enough to take me across the country. The mountains are a big part of my soul, and it was enormously refreshing to be back among them. Also a huge thanks to my second-shooter for the weekend, Ross Willard. Ross worked with me a few summers ago as my second shooter, and he's an insanely fun person, amazing photographer and great friend. It was a treat to work with him again.
Venue - Edgewater Lodge
Band - Mountainhound
Helicopter - Blackcomb Aviation
