Laura and David’s wedding at Linden Gardens in beautiful Penticton British Columbia was an experience I’ll legitimately never forget. Getting to travel to the west coast of Canada to photograph a dream wedding completely on analog film was something truly special for me as both a wedding photographer and just overall creative individual who values creative fulfillment in my role as a photographer. It’s no secret that I shoot film and it’s a big part of my process as a photographer and being in a situation to shoot analog film for a wedding in the Okanagans is a sort of dream recipe for the perfect wedding photos.
The bride and groom had reached out to Brian to shoot a Super 8 wedding film (coming soon!) and they wanted wedding photos that had a similar look and feel to the video so asked us to also shoot their wedding photos on film. They both described their deep fondness for the photos they’ve taken over the years on their film cameras during road trips or special moments throughout their relationship and how those photos always evoke a deep sense of nostalgia and represent an indescribable but tangible feeling that perfectly encompasses a moment in time. It’s amazing that analog film has such a deeply rooted stamp on people’s lives and how they perceive their own memories. It’s cool to have this level of emotional layer to the element of shooting film beyond the notion of it being a cool and trendy thing, as an analog wedding photographer it’s always been my preferred medium because it’s something I believe in and value in my own personal life, similarly to Laura & David.
I was especially excited to work with Laura and David as they both are the kind of effortlessly cool people who have incredible taste and just have the most down to earth attitudes you could ever come across. I was so blown away by Laura’s look and I instantly fell in love with how fashion forward her dress was and how ahead of the wedding trends her overall look was. It was anti-bride without going too far, it was anti bride because Laura went in a new and fresh direction through subtleties and detailed aesthetic. David’s timeless 1950’s rock n’ roll groom vibe was the perfectly compliment to Laura’s natural beauty that elevated simplicity to an otherworldly place that fit perfectly with the incredible surroundings of the Okanagan.
Linden Gardens made for an incredible setting as the flowers, foliage and and natural green space engulfed you at every turn giving you a surreal escape from the traditional mountains of BC. The ceremony was intimate as family and friends from Alberta, Toronto and the U.K. gathered to watch the bride and groom exchange vows beneath a ravishing tree. There were few dry eyes in the house especially after the groom’s father read the lyrics of Wild, Wild, Wild Horses in homage to it being David’s favourite song (and a fitting reading for a wedding).
The atmosphere at Linden Gardens post ceremony was not unlike an elegant garden party. Maybe it was all the British accents, or maybe it was the fact that everyone was drinking beer / wine with a side of chips, like potato chip chips, it was honestly amazing and there was a carefree and warm energy that surrounded everyone and it made for some great moments, and this wedding wasn’t short on moments. Tearful speeches, a hilarious cake-cutting that featured a wedding cake that Elvis himself would be proud to have at his own wedding and my personal fav as a Calgary girl myself, classic line-dancing and cowboy hats!
Are you even really from Alberta if your wedding does’t feature these two staples? It was truly a melting pot of cultures as the bride’s side of the family and childhood friends did their best to teach their British counterparts how to appropriately tip a cowboy hat and the basic 1-2-3 of line dancing. The cherry on top was when Laura’s friend sang a legendary tune by Canada’s darling Shania Twain, we weren’t quite in hoe-down territory but I definitely felt some childhood nostalgia during those moments.
The bride and groom took advantage of the golden hour light to take a moment to escape and enjoy the sight of the Okanagan desert at sunset. Once we made our way back Laura swapped into her late-night look and turn a few more heads with her impeccable sense of fashion (I love Laura, if you can’t tell already). Analog film was the perfect medium to capture the feeling of all of this; the fleeting chaos, the spontaneity and the indescribable feeling of being there, in the moment.
We were incredibly excited to be working with such a like-minded the couple with a vision we really vibed with and believed in that having the opportunity to do that in a breathtaking part of the world like British-Columbia really pushed this wedding to another level and added to what is already the most unforgettable year of my career as a wedding photographer. Although the sights of distant mountains are hard to beat I would’ve be fine taking Laura & David’s picture anywhere because ultimately felt as if we were taking pics of old friends getting married. A beautiful experience and something I’ll remember for the rest of my life. Luckily I have a mountain (no pun intended) of film to look over whenever I want to transport myself back to a warm summer’s day in BC.
Wild, Wild, Wild Horses by Andrew Savage
Like a strandbeest mocking the slow motionless
Wild wild, wild horses I've
Broken into gallop too
Like the feeling of a dream felt too by accident
Stirred awake just as lazily, so now I know
Comb the cloud to get back through
Starving
What it feels like mostly, feeding someone else your heart
From a distance
Feeling like a fool and picking all those thoughts apart
Is it wrong that all I think about is you these days?
Did they drag me off, or did I gladly run
Fast and free into your grips
You can try on words like outfits, but you can't wear gloves
Picking up the shiny shards of all the plots
Falling from our clumsy lips
Alice
Listen to me closely, hear my words and feel something
I don't see you
As much as I need to, and I need to know what that means
Motel benches longer than the trees that died for them
At opposing ends, bow your head and I'll
Fill your glass and not your ears
Promise always, that's a long ways, and the world is big
But your eyes are too, plus I'm a little drunk
And I know what I want
I didn't always know, no, it's taken years
Darling
Take your dress off slowly, I've still got one eye open
In the morning
Wake me up and hold me, before you start shivering
Got to
Got to let you know this, take these words and know they're true
Eu te amo
Eu te amo tanto and I'm, not quite sure what to do
