Sheraton Vancouver Guildford wedding

He took her hand. When no one was (supposedly :-P) looking, when no one was watching for a cute moment or a photo opportunity, when the world faded into nothing and all that existed was the two of them. He took her hand, she took his, and all it took was one glance…one kiss…one fleeting second of “just us” in the inevitable chaos of wedding day festivities to re-center, re-ground and then they were off again to celebrate with their guests.

While there are many reasons April & Brandyn are perfect for one another (their wedding party and family and guests would be quick to list the reasons!), the effortless togetherness makes it just that much more obvious.

In a day that was ran ahead of schedule (a 6am hair & makeup appointment might have something to do with that :-P) despite the hurdles of wedding month challenges, watching these two cherish one another and take the time to relish in their wedding day was a privilege and a dream.

April prepared for her wedding day in the very same room that her parents got married! How amazing! To not only grow up in a house so filled with memories but to then prepare for your own wedding in such poetic symmetry. I love it.

Remember how I said the ring bearer was the cutest? He walked in with bridesmaid Mom and groomsman Dad and absolutely knew he was stealing the show.

The elegance of a St. Matthew’s Parish Parish wedding is unrivaled.

When I went to “steal the rings” as I usually do during the reception, April thrilled my soul by requesting “one of your cool water shots”. So here we are: a wedding ring in a splash (or two) of water.

If you’re in the Lower Mainland and have never visited Fleetwood Park, here’s your official suggestion: GO! It’s such a beautifully elegant piece of earth! (Or, rather: maybe you shouldn’t go . . . I don’t want to share it. :-P)

Isn’t this a good looking bridal party?!

As if the whole “getting married” thing wasn’t exciting enough (it is! it is!), April & Brandyn also took their very first helicopter ride on their wedding day for a Sky Helicopter wedding portrait adventure! I just want to say: it takes work to settle into a helicopter wearing a wedding dress and it takes dedication to put on the headsets over such lovely wedding hair. But my my my it was worth it.

Soaring above the valley surrounded by mountains and clouds was absolutely mystical and then landing at the stunning beauty of Widgeon Lake (psst: it sure beat hiking 16km to get there :-P) was breathtaking. The mountains, the rocks, the lake, the clouds, the trees; such a magical beauty!

I mean, Sky Helicopter wedding portraits are always stunning . . . but the clouds here are just extra striking! And even more charming is the delightful way in which the rain started immediately after we were all cozied back into the helicopter.

Sitting in their Sheraton Vancouver Guildford wedding reception, April & Brandyn sat side-by-side and listened to the accolades of love and joy from their guests. Phrases like “perfect for each other” and “smart & funny” and “the best friend a girl could want” and “an example to me” were bandied around the room with gusto. Everyone knew it was all true, though: these two are simply lovely.

Between delighting in each other, caring so well for their guests, and taking the time to visit with each of their friends and family, they were proficient hosts and simply a joy to be around.

Watching them so romantically and elegantly dance the night away was such a highlight. I think they like each other. 😉

Let’s take a moment to acknowledge that this cake is not only gloriously beautiful, it was probably the best wedding cake I’ve ever tasted. (And I’ve tasted one or two cakes in my day. :-P)