Weddings | Bayshore Photography

February 1, 2012

Lorraine & Nathan’s Remembrance Day Wedding!!! – Cambridge – Parry Sound Wedding Photographer

Filed under: Weddings — Tags: Royal Botanical Gardens, Wedding Photography — johnbrisbane @ 8:15 am

Remembrance Day, November 11, 2011, will always have a special place in Lorraine and Nathan’s hearts. It was their wedding day!

I first met Lorraine and Nathan early in the summer of 2010 when I did their engagement photos at the family cottage and diving rock on Lake Shebeshkong, a short distance from my Georgian Bay/Parry Sound studio. Some of the couple’s favorite images from that session ended up in a custom designed guest sign in book I did for their wedding day.

Fast forward 1+ years and we were gathered in Hamilton for Lorraine and Nathan’s wedding. Lorraine and the gals in the wedding party got ready at Lorraine’s folks place on Hamilton’s “Mountain”, about a 40 minute drive from my Cambridge studio. You can never be sure what weather you will get in mid November and as it turned out the day was cold, with scattered showers mixed with snow flurries and the occasional glimpse of the sun. I worked with the girls a bit and then caught up with the guys who were getting ready about a 10 min. drive away. Soon I was back with the girls as they were putting on the finishing touches. One of my favorite images from that part of our session was one we took in the front hall, just before we headed out the door. Lorraine with her two pet ferrets.

As we were doing most of the wedding party and couple images before the ceremony we did a “first look” session at a nearby park at a spot we had picked out a few weeks earlier when we had done a walk about of the key sites. We followed that with some shots of Lorraine and Nathan with the parents and the wedding party. Lorraine had outfitted the wedding party with red umbrellas, to help ward off the rain and snow so we used them and the park playground equipment for some of the images.

Then were were off to the Royal Botanical Gardens, in nearby Burlington. I had photographed a wedding at RBC earlier in the year and was familiar with many of the indoor and outdoor backgrounds it offered. As well, we had scouted out several spots when we had done a walkabout a few weeks earlier. We quickly discovered a lot had had changed in those few weeks, most significantly the leaves were nearly all down and the remaining fall flowers were finished. Not to be deterred we started off in the Mediterranean Gardens and the warm, indoor location proved to be a great spot with lots of exotic plants and color. Then we headed outdoors and did a bit of a hike, cherry picking some of the spots on the grounds that offered some interesting backdrops. We made good use of the long tall grass and wooden walkway through the forest.

The ceremony and reception was at the Olympia Banquet Centre on the east side of Hamilton and it too proved to be a great location. A nicely decorated ceremony area with gentle, low level lighting and a huge. well appointed, main reception hall brought everything nicely together.

Nathan’s Grandfather put a special touch on the day. He had served in World War II and was proudly wearing a striking array of medals. Very fitting for his grandson’s Remembrance Day wedding!

Near 10 in the evening as I was getting ready to leave and the dancing was going strong I was impressed to see Nathan’s grandfather dancing up a storm.

The last shot I took that evening was of Lorraine and her maid of honor, Alyssa, just outside the entrance to the reception hall. They were with their mothers, who just happen to be twins. Suddenly Lorraine and Alyssa, looked over at each other, grinned, nodded, and then swept their mothers off their feet!

January 4, 2012

Jenn & Brent’s Muskoka Wedding – Parry Sound – Wedding Photographer

Filed under: Weddings — Tags: Muskoka Wedding, Parry Sound, Wedding Photography — johnbrisbane @ 7:28 am

It was October 15th, the weekend following Thanksgiving and the weather did not look promising as I headed over to Gravenhurst to photography Jenn and Brent’s wedding. I first met Jenn and Brent well over a year before when they had booked me to do capture their special day. At the time they both were working at the Rosseau Marriott, near Minett. I photograph weddings at the Rosseau, quite often and I was happy that when it came time to choose their wedding photographer, Jenn and Brent chose me.

As Jenn had a number of last minute work commitments I met with Brent and one of the members of the wedding party in Gravenhurst a few days before the wedding and we did a walk about of the ceremony site at the Regatta and Residence Inn – Marriott in Gravenhurst where Jenn and Brent were getting ready the day of the wedding. We found some amazing Muskoka backdrop spots for post ceremony images of Brent, Jenn and their wedding party. As the weather forecast was not looking great for the wedding day we also scouted out several indoor sites that we could use if the weather prevented us from doing the outdoor shot we had planned. As luck would have it that proved to be a very worthwhile expenditure of our time.

When I arrived at the Marriott in Gravenhurst the rain and wind showed no signs of backing off, even a little bit. Jenn and Brent refused to let the weather put a damper on their day and were happy and upbeat. I worked with Jenn, her sister’s and mother, the flower girl and ring bearer as they were in the later stages of getting ready and also caught up with Brent and the guys for some shots of them.

The ceremony was on the back deck at the Regatta, overlooking a scenic part of Lake Muskoka and Gravenhurst’s wonderful waterfront. Fortunately the outside deck has two tiers with the top deck providing sufficient protection from the weather over the bottom deck that the outdoor ceremony could still be a reality. As the ceremony ended and we moved on to the family images the weather worsened and we were faced with 90 km per hour winds and hard, driving rain as we finished the family shots. After a brief consult we loaded the wedding party, and Jenn and Brent into the stretch limo and headed over to the Marriott where we used their well appointed interior for our session with Jenn, Brent and the wedding party.

The reception was in the Sagamo Banquet Room at the Regatta and everyone was in high spirits when we joined them. After getting coverage of the grand entrance and key speeches I packed up my gear and headed out into a torrential downpour and I recall thinking how Jenn and Brent’s positive outlook had shone though all day long reminding me yet again of the power of love.

December 24, 2011

A Holiday Wish from Bayshore Photography

Filed under: Landscape Photography,Portraits,Weddings — Tags: Georgian Bay Landscape, Kitchener Waterloo, Parry Sound, Portraits, Wedding Photography — johnbrisbane @ 8:32 am

Grace and I wish you and yours a very happy, safe and healthy Holiday Season!

November 15, 2011

Ann and Darcy are Married at Historic Ellis Pioneer Chapel – Cambridge – Parry Sound Wedding Photographer

Filed under: Weddings — Tags: Cambridge, Kitchener Waterloo, Wedding Photography — johnbrisbane @ 7:40 am

It was perfect fall day when Ann and Darcy said their vows in Ellis Pioneer Chapel early in October. The chapel was a great fit for Ann and Darcy. They both love travel and historic settings.

I got to know this pair pretty well this past year. We did their engagement shoot many months earlier when we used some of Cambridge’s historic settings in Hespeler and Galt as a backdrop. We used Ann and Darcy’s favorites from that session for their custom designed sign in book.

Darcy is a real romantic. He actually proposed to Ann in the middle of London Bridge (Yes, The London Bridge in England!), in the middle of a rain storm, no less!

Another great fit for this pair was the old ruins out at Savanah Golf Links on Old Cheese Factory Road, near Cambridge. But I’m getting a bit ahead.

The day of the wedding I caught up with Ann and the gals at Ann’s parents’ place in Hespeler, as the girls were getting ready. Ann’s mom had done a super job of preparing the master bed room and living room and we used them to get some great shots of Ann, her folks and the gals. Then we were off to historic Ellis Chapel in Pushlinch Township. Built in 1861 this old stone church, with wide plank floors, large, windows and nice grounds is a great spot for weddings. After the service we did the family shots on the chapel grounds and then headed over to Sopher park, in Cambridge for the wedding party shots. While Sopher park has some great gardens we opted to do most of the images using some of the more rustic settings and worked our way along the creek bed to that back end of the park where we had scouted out some interesting spots a few weeks earlier.

The reception location was another great fit for this couple. Savanah Golf Links sits on a large, beautiful piece of rolling, property near Cambridge. We had made arrangements to do the couple alone shots at the old stone ruins on the property and as cocktails were well underway Ann, Darcy and I were escorted over to ruins the by Savanah’s Golf Marshal. As the sun settled low in the sky Ann, Darcy and I had a blast creating some special images using the old stone ruins as a backdrop.

We finished things off with photo coverage with the Grand Entrance, the couples’s first dance, and some images of the speeches and folks enjoying themselves, as the evening sun disappeared behind the old ruins. A great ending to a perfect day.

November 2, 2011

Amy and Jon Married at Kellerman’s – Parry Sound Photographer

Filed under: Weddings — Tags: Muskoka Wedding, Parry Sound, Wedding Photography — johnbrisbane @ 6:47 am

Amy and Jon had a beautiful day for their September wedding at Kellerman’s resort near Parry Sound. The fall colors were near their peak and the weather co-operated with a wonderfully cool but sunny day.

Amy and the gals got ready in one of the resort’s cottages while the guys did the same at another nearby cottage. The ceremony was on the large sand beach overlooking Otter lake, making for a great setting. We did the family images immediately following the ceremony and then went to the far end of the resort property to some spots we had scouted out when we did a walkabout of the area a few weeks before.

We were able to get some great images that captured the northern feel that Amy and Jon were looking for and then headed back to the cocktail party, which was well underway.

I stayed late into the night covering the dinner, speeches, and dancing. I was able to sneak Amy and Jon away from the dinner just as dusk had settled in and we got some images of them on the dock in those precious 5 minutes of special light, just after the sun had set.

DJ Dave from Encore DJ Entertainment did a great job of keeping everyone up dancing. After darkness had settled in Amy, Jon and I skipped out again for a few minutes for some late night, outside shots. When I left late that night after covering the bouquet toss and garter removal, the party was still going strong and it was clear that the dancing was going to continue well into the night.

October 19, 2011

Stephanie and Mathew – Married at the cottage – Parry Sound Photographer

Filed under: Weddings — Tags: Parry Sound, Wedding Photography — johnbrisbane @ 11:05 am

Stephanie and Mathew live and work in Southwestern Ontario but as often as possible they make the trip up to the family cottage on Lake Isabella, near Orrville and Parry Sound, ON. This couple’s attraction to the Parry Sound area made their choice of a venue for their September wedding easy… The family cottage.

When I arrived the final touches were being made to the reception tent decorations and black and white Japanese style lanterns were hanging in the pines that surrounded the cottage. I found a nice spot in the pines for some shots of Stephanie’s dress and then focused on some images of the rings, garter and flowers as the gals helped Stephanie into her gown. Mathew chose a new pair of black and white converse running shoes for his wedding day footwear and Steph surprised him when she lifted her gown and showed off her matching pair of runners.

The ceremony took place on a deck overlooking the lake and as guests enjoyed cocktails we worked our way along the shoreline getting shots of Stephanie, Mathew and their parents and wedding party. Even though we had some pretty cool weather for several days before the wedding Steph and Mathew were quick to toss off their sneakers when I asked them if they would like to do some in water shots.

September 20, 2011

Heather and Peter’s Lovely Cottage Wedding – Parry Sound Wedding Photographer

Filed under: Weddings — Tags: Parry Sound, Wedding Photography — johnbrisbane @ 7:17 pm

Heather and Peter live and work in Calgary, Alberta, but they choose Heather’s parent’s cottage on LeBrash Lake, near Parry Sound Ontario for their wedding in early August.

The day was warm and sunny, and last minute decorating of the tent was still underway as I arrived at the cottage. The gang from “Now thats Catering” were busy working their magic and guests were gradually drifting in. I got busy with some shots of the dress, rings and other key components of the day and then joined Heather, Peter and the rest as they began working on their finishing touches.

After a wonderful outdoor ceremony we got the family images underway and then made our way through the woods to the lake shore, doing a range of wedding party and newly married couple images as we went. A short boat ride took Heather, Peter and I to a secluded part of the lake were we captured a wide range of images of Heather and Peter, alone, as a married couple images.

Following cocktails and some socializing with family and friends the couple enjoyed an incredible reception dinner. As I left, the tent was filled with laughter, which I am sure continued well into the night.

September 13, 2011

Joanna and Behn are MARRIED!!! Cambridge-Parry Sound Wedding Photographer

Filed under: Weddings — Tags: Kitchener Waterloo, Royal Botanical Gardens, Wedding Photography — johnbrisbane @ 12:33 pm

Joanna and Behn choose the Royal Botanical Gardens, in Burlington, Ontario for their wedding this past July, and a great choice it was! Lots of interesting gardens, several water features, and even a woodland boardwalk. When we met to do a walkabout of the site serveral weeks before the wedding I was surprise and pleased with the diversity the venue provided.

The day of the wedding was like much of the rest of July 2011; clear, sunny and wickedly warm. Joanna and her maid of honour, and brides maids got ready at Joanna’s mother and father’s home in Waterdown and we did many of the images inside to escape the heat. The stretch limo Joanna’s mother and father had surprised her with the day of the wedding took the girls to their hair appointments, and then to the RBC where the guys and guest were waiting in the Royal Court for ceremony.

Following the ceremony we used the Rose Garden, reflection pond and many other areas of the RBC for the family, wedding party and couple alone images. I have seen a lot of maids of honour in action at weddings I have photographed and I have to say that Joanna’s sister was one of the most attentive and helpful I have ever seen. We were exceptonally thank for to her for keeping us supplied with water as we were did the couple alone shots throughout the RBC grounds.

I’ve included a small selection of images from Joanna and Behn’s special day below.

September 6, 2011

Leanne & Rick – A Georgian Bay Wedding – Parry Sound Wedding Photographer

Filed under: Weddings — Tags: Georgian Bay Wedding, Parry Sound, Wedding Photography — johnbrisbane @ 11:21 pm

Growing up in Parry Sound, Leanne found that water, canoeing and kayaking became a huge part of her life. So, when she and Rick decided to get married it was only natural that the wedding would be near water. The perfect location proved to be the Stanley family cottage, which sits on a wonderful part of Georgian Bay, just north of Snug Harbour overlooking part of Franklin Island.

On a bright, hot, July day I joined up with Leanne as she was getting ready at a long time family friend’s house not far from her folks cottage. We captured a range of shots of Leanne, her mom, and the girls getting ready and then, as Leanne has been part of the Canadian championship dragon boat and outrigger canoe teams for several years, we made sure to get some shots of her by a canoe with Georgian Bay in the background.

Leanne and her gals arrived at the wedding site by pontoon boat and her father walked her up the long rocky pathway from the dock to the ceremony site which provided a dramatic, sweeping view of the Bay.

After the ceremony and family photos we did a large group shot of everyone who attended the wedding. While this can sometimes take some time to set up, it worked out well for us this day, as everyone moved into quickly into position and I was able to get some height by perching on a nearby rock outcrop and shooting to get the Bay in the background.

As the guest enjoyed cocktails Leanne, Rick (an athelete in his own right, with several triathlons under his belt), the wedding party and I hiked up and along some of the nearby rugged Georgian Bay shoreline for a range of images. In the close up image of the rings, you’ll notice that this pair had some very special rings. Leanne’s wedding band was custom made with wave designs encircling it while Rick’s ring has some Hawaiian wood built into it. Leanne had been competing in Hawaii and brought the wood back from there specifically to have it built into Rick’s ring.

Following a great meal catered by “Now that’s Catering” Rick and Leanne had their first dance on the deck overlooking the Bay just as the sun was starting to settle low in the sky.

August 16, 2011

Julie & Michael’s Muskoka Wedding – Parry Sound, Muskoka Photographer

Filed under: Weddings — Tags: Lake Joseph Wedding, Muskoka Wedding, Parry Sound, Wedding Photography — johnbrisbane @ 8:36 am

Juile and Michael’s Muskoka wedding at Delta Rocky Crest on Lake Joseph was a fantastic event. I first met this high energy, high achieving couple over a year before when they booked me to shoot their wedding and engagement session. Following the engagement session last fall, we used some of their favouite images to create a custom designed sign in book which proved to be a big hit with the guests.

Julie and Michael had their heart set on a Muskoka wedding and the surroundings and facilities at Delta Rocky Crest proved to be a great fit for them and their guests. Julie and her gals got ready in one of the resort’s suites while Mike and the guys got ready in one of the house sized condo units. The ceremony, like most I have shot at Rocky Crest, took place on the dock, which provides a long sweeping view of the upper end of Lake Joseph. Michael and the guys arrived at the dock via speed boat.

Following the ceremony, we did most of the family images on the dock, and then headed over to the golf course for the wedding party shots and finished off at the far end of the small lake at the back of the resort. This spot is a favouite spot of mine for the couple alone shots, as it provides a private setting with a very northern feel to it. Afterwards, we headed over to the reception where everyone was dazzled by one of the most elaborate and energetic Grand Entrance intro/dances I have ever seen.

When I left well, into the evening. the energy level was still very strong and I had no doubt things were going to continue very late into the night. The next afternoon Julie and Michael headed off to a two week honey moon in Spain and Italy.

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