It was such a JOY to celebrate with S + A back in December! They had the sweetest winter wonderland wedding; it even snowed on their day for just a few minutes...the only snow we had all December.
Getting Ready
We started the day off by capturing the bride and groom getting ready. When we arrived at the girls’ getting ready location, we captured the finishing touches on hair and makeup. We used the bride’s green tablecloth for a festive flay lay of all her details. She had all her accessories gathered in a box for us when we arrived, which was such a help to save some time and be able to get these photos right away! She even had her dress and veil hanging up for us when we arrived too so we could get right into getting the detail shots!
Before all the girls got dressed, we took some ‘slumber-party’ inspired photos with all her bridesmaids in their robes sitting and laughing with each other on the bed. It was such a perfect, movie moment.
Once she was in her dress, the bride posed with the Christmas tree and looked out the window to see the only couples minutes of snowfall that the day held – that moment was pure magic! Something out of a Hallmark Christmas card, for sure.
The groom and groomsmen got ready that morning at his parents’ home. We captured his details against a wooden background; these turned out to be some of our favourite groom detail photos yet. The choice of all black accessories made for really dramatic and masculine shots.
The groom was also wearing a custom-made suit so we made sure to capture all the cool, intricate details on his jacket as well.
The groom had such a sweet moment with his mom while she helped him put on his watch. We love being able to inspire and capture these kinds of family moments.
Wedding Ceremony
S + A had a traditional Catholic ceremony at St. Augustine’s Parish in Vancouver. The church was decorated minimally because it already had SO much character with the unique architecture. There were arches running on both sides of the sanctuary and stained glass windows that cast in beautiful, natural light. I could truly go on and on about all the beauty and history inside this building.
Photos
We had planned to go to the beach for photos after the ceremony, but it was raining so instead we found beautiful spaces inside the church for bridal party photos and bridal portraits. We had so much fun playing around with the indoor architecture and lighting! We made good use of our flashes and got some seriously cool and dramatic shots of them inside the building. And, of COURSE, we had to get some umbrella photos outside the church as S + A were leaving in the rain for the reception hall. These effortless photos of them coming down the church stairs in the rain are some of my favourites from the whole day. They’re a beautiful and accurate representation of the day. Very "Old Hollywood", especially with the black and white edits.
S + A also chose to exchange private vows after their ceremony, with just each other and our team there to capture it. They sat in one of the church pews after all their family and guests had left and shared their heartfelt vows privately. We SO recommend planning for some kind of private moment like this either before or after your wedding ceremony. Exchanging promises or letters is such a great way to have a private moment just for yourselves on the day. The day flies by so it’s great to take this moment to slow down and remember what it’s really all about- your union.
Wedding Reception
The ceremony was in Vancouver, but S + A had their reception at the Fort Langley Hall. They chose this venue because it’s their tradition, every Christmas, to visit the Fort Langley Hall and take an annual selfie in front of the Christmas tree in the courtyard there. So, before their entrance into the reception, we took a few minutes outside in the rain to capture their selfie and some fun moments with their bridal party and some sparklers!
The hall was decorated in the most perfect, wintery aesthetic. Everything was either gold, white or burgundy, with lots of greenery and red and white flowers to match the bouquets. The candles added so much to the cozy, festive feeling of the whole evening.
The bride and groom did their first dance and their parent dances, and then they had a “family dance” where they each danced with one of their sons! It was such a sweet moment and great way to include their kids in the day.
Instead of the traditional bouquet toss, the bride did a teddy bear toss at the reception which was so cute too!
Aesthetics
We LOVED the colours and inspiration for this wedding. Everything was so cohesive and festive. The bridesmaids wore all different styles of burgundy velvet dresses with matching fur shawls. The guys were in black suits with hints of burgundy. It was so elegant. The florals complimented the outfits so well too: white, red, and light pink roses with lots of greenery. The perfect Christmas bouquets, if you ask me.
The Fort Langley Community Hall was a great reception space for a festive wedding like this. The space lends itself well to events with a warm, cozy, candle-lit aesthetic. Especially in December with the huge Christmas tree in the courtyard to reinforce the holiday feeling!
Summary
S + A had the an amazing winter wedding day. The weather wasn’t what we had hoped for, but we were able to change plans and get incredible photos inside the church using the stunning architecture. The newlyweds braved the rain and cold for a few moments before dinner to get some sparkler photos in front of the Fort Langley Community Hall Christmas tree which was a highlight too. :) We felt so honoured to be included in their day!
The Team
Venue: St. Augustine’s Parish and Fort Langley Community Hall https://staugustineschurch.ca and https://fortlangleycommunityhall.com
Coordinator: Thistle and Thorne Weddings https://thistleandthorneweddings.com
Dress: Everything But the Groom https://everythingbutthegroom.ca
Hair + Make-Up: Be Flawless Beauty Bar https://www.beflawlessbeautybar.com
Flowers/Decor: All Occasions Décor https://aodluxuryevents.com
Cake: Hella Baked Gudz https://www.instagram.com/hellabakedgudz/
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