When in Greece!

Two of my favorite Canadian wedding photographers tied the knot in Santorini, Greece last month! I've been following Rob & Lauren's blog for quite some time now, and I have to say I really enjoy their style and approach in capturing an image.

How beautiful are these shots??!!

p.s. can you believe they took their own wedding shots? Just Fab...

NOLA revisited..

Since our little stint in New Orleans (what I thought was to be our engagement trip), I've always fantasised about having a destination wedding there. The French Quarter is so beautiful and the food alone would be worth the trip. Everybody is so accommodating! Having said that, planning a destination wedding and having to deal with the logistics of getting 135 people down there in the first place isn’t something we had in mind. I think we're a little too laxed to pull that off. but a girl can dream right?

I think we might have a New Orleans inspired wedding here. At home.

Here are a few photos that have inspired me to keep dreaming..

via flickr

via Michael Caswell Photography

via Crosspollination

Real Weddings: A Caribbean Dream

Last month, the better half and I attended our friends Destination Wedding extravaganza in Cayo Coco, Cuba. Besides a few minor setbacks, everything was perfect for the Mr. and his Mrs.

I am very grateful the Mrs. agreed to spill the beans and give us her take on planning the big day. If you're flirting with the idea of having a wedding abroad, this should give you a few ideas on what to expect during the planning process.

enjoy!

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Why a destination wedding?
We wanted something casual, less formal and definitely something different compared to all the weddings we had previously been to. (basically all the same except: remove and insert new bride and groom) We also didn’t want a huge affair with tons of people in Ottawa, we just wanted our closest family and closest friends. We were able to hang out with everyone all week and actually spend time with them on the resort. We love the beach and we love to travel, it just made sense to do it somewhere down south.

How did you find the experience of planning a destination wedding?
Because the agency was very unorganized, I found it really stressful. There were times where I was fine with everything but then she would screw something else up and then I would have to go back in and do damage control. Other than the agency, the coordinator on the resort was amazing...he really came through for us. Everything was simple, and amazing.

Tell us about the Travel agency?
How did you find them?
We were referred to this travel agency. We met with them and all seemed okay - until we booked it. One month later, our travel agent quit to work in the public service and we were left with the GM who quit 4 months later. It was one thing after another. Un-confirming our guests, losing credit card information and failing to tell us really important details. I would highly recommend to really research your agency before going with them, SUPER IMPORTANT. (be sure to ask for referals!!)

Describe your thoughts on the day of the wedding.
Was it everything you'd hope it would be?
It was definitely all that we hoped for. It was simple, it was elegant, it was casual and it was tropical. That’s all we wanted and that’s what we had...it was perfect. We were both calm the day of the wedding, no stress, no cold feet. We were quite calm and just enjoyed the day. it flew by! […] we wouldn’t have changed a thing! Our families and friends were there to share this day with us and we couldn’t have been more happy and grateful.

Would you recommend the resort, getting married in the Caribbean to anybody?
I would most certainly recommend it to others. We had such a great time and the location was perfect. The spa that did my hair was fantastic as well. People from the Caribbean are more relaxed and may not be able to provide EVERYTHING you want, so consult with them before you book. For the most part, they will do everything in their power to accommodate you and your guests and make the day one to remember. BE OPEN MINDED. 2 hours before the wedding ceremony a water main broke which resulted in water being shutdown across the whole resort. My groom and some of the groomsmen had to shower with bottled water!!! But what can you do? It was really funny at the time!

Any tips for couples considering going the destination wedding route?
BE OPEN MINDED, the things that happen not as planned, end up making great stories for later on!

revisiting vegas..

So I've been thinking.. is a Vegas wedding too cliché?

Should have..

Johnathan Canlas via Snippet & ink

The one at the Beach...

via Aloha Island Weddings

Let the official Cuba hoopla countdown begin!! We are so excited to be spending a week at a beautiful resort in Cuba to witness our friends getting hitched on the beach in less than 45 days.. We can only hope for fantastic weather, the fruitiest of fruity drinks and awesome times...

Now if I could only find a bathing suit...

Weddings à la plage

Images from Couture wedding studios

I wonder how many takes it took to get this shot just right...

We're going to a wedding in Cuba next May.. I hope we get to see this in action... so cool!!

My.. ohhhhh my!!!

Wedding Photography by Tec Petaja

One word... Amazing.