I feel like I have said this all before, but nonetheless, I am going to say it again. I want to thank each and every one of our clients and everyone who reads our posts and supports our business. It truly means the world to us and none of this could be possible without all of you.
(Also, I will definitely be thanking you all again when I get the final tally on the Top Posts of 2016 when the year comes to a close in less than two days!!)
This year has definitely been an interesting one with respect to the rest of the world (and I’m just going to leave it at that), but here at Stephanie Beach Photography it has been absolutely phenomenal! We broke records left, right, and centre and it truly has been better than even my wildest dreams.
We were honoured to have captured 21 weddings this year, which is just insane when I think about it. When I started my business I hoped that it could support itself – that the money I earned would be enough to pay for my equipment, upkeep, expenses, and whatnot, but I didn’t really know if that was possible. If someone had told me it would be this successful right now and that I would have photographed 21 weddings (and so many engagements, portrait sessions and events) in one year, I just wouldn’t have believed them as they would have just been sputtering utter nonsense.
But it really is true and I have all of you to thank for it. So as a quick recap, I wanted to thank all of our wedding clients with another snapshot from their day (not that our non-wedding clients are any less worthy of thanks – it would just be an even longer post then, and let’s be honest, it is already terribly long).
Erica + Ryan
Erica + Ryan started off our year and what a fantastic start it was! An absolutely beautiful winter wedding set in the always lovely Perth (and Smiths Falls, and Westport). They bared the cold like absolutely champs and didn’t hesitate to pop back out for more shots after the sun went down (and the wind picked up even more). Their natural abilities in front of our cameras were second to none and only matched by their sweetness, and of course, their love.
Lisa + Joe
What a treat it was to capture the wedding day of someone I knew when he was just a tot. In fact, I have so many fond memories of family from both sides of this wedding day, and to top all of that off, Lisa + Joe had planned an absolutely stunning event! The immaculate planning and execution set the bar for all of our remaining couples, and it set it high! Plus, these two are just plain adorable together.
Renée + Jon
A couple truly after our own hearts! Renee + Jon had a mix of tradition in their wonderful venue of Strathmere Inn, and their own non-traditional tastes in the form of board games and cards during their reception. It sounds odd to some, but for introverts, homebodies and geeks like us, it was absolute heaven. Of course, the lovely couple themselves were complete perfection during the entire day (and afterwards too as we are now the proud owners of handmade Mittens of Dexterity from the bride herself).
Marie-France + Jonathan
Their wedding day was a busy day indeed, but it was oh so pretty and full of such fun and funny people. I am so excited for what is in store for this wonderful couple in 2017 as they grow their family and I couldn’t be more excited to be able to capture more milestones for them as they do.
Jennifer + Jeremy
If you wanted a relaxed, down-to-earth couple and wedding day, there is no better place to look than Jen + Jer. Their laid back, but still very well planned, wedding was wonderful and of course, the addition of their puppy Captain was a big hit too! They were also another example of what a small world it really is, as we learnt that Dave and Jeremy went to the same school and knew the same people growing up!
Ashley + Kurt
Another one of our couples who already know at least one of the great things in store for them in 2017! Ashley + Kurt’s wedding day was the prime example of how to incorporate a theme into your day without going overboard. The hints of 1920s glamour mixed with today’s styling was spectacular. And of course it helps that these two could absolutely rock any photo day or night!
Corrie + Kirk
If you kept an eye on the blog this past year, you likely noticed how often we found ourselves at Temple’s Sugar Bush as we were fortunate enough to shoot 7 weddings there this year. Corrie + Kirk were one of these 7 and I am oh so glad they were! Another couple with that geeky trait we love so much running through their veins, they incorporated some really great music into their day, which allowed Dave and I to play a fun little game of do you hear that?
Kristen + Todd
We apparently attract some pretty relaxed couples (relaxed is a relative term here as they are all still planning their wedding day), and Kristen + Todd were one of the great ones. Their day was a touch on the wet side, but they didn’t let that effect them one bit. Their entire wedding party put up with the dampness (and bugs – giant, country-sized bugs) to get some great shots outside before we moved indoors for their delightful ceremony.
Meaghan + John
My hometown area really is pretty charming and I got to see it all in a new light when we headed back for Meaghan + John’s wedding day. We ventured around some great areas and got to check out a new (to us) venue that had this heavenly brick wall (I was completely over the moon about it really!). Add to all of that the fact that these two couldn’t have been sweeter or more adorable if they tried and it was definitely an exquisite day.
Lindsey + Chris
Lindsey + Chris’ wedding was so unbelievably flawless, and to think the theme started with Chris’ love of cars (seriously, for another great example of incorporating theme into your wedding in an elegant fashion, check them out)?! These two sweethearts gave us the opportunity to capture some truly gorgeous images all while getting to spend the day with them and their absolutely wonderful group of family and friends.
Amy + Michel
It seem that every year we capture at least one wedding of a friend or family member. This year we were lucky enough to get more than one of these, but Amy + Mike’s was the first we had on the books and I am so happy that we got to be a part of their wedding day. They are beyond words perfect for one another and getting to capture all of that on film for them was a real honour.
Karen + Jay
What can you say about Karen + Jay? These two people are without a doubt the kindest and sweetest out there and truly are the salt of the earth. The love they share for each other is only (nearly) matched by the love they have for their friends and family. To say it was an honour to be able to capture their day would be 100% an understatement and I am so grateful that they found and chose us as their photographers.
Crystal + Greg
We really do get to work with the very best couples. Not only were Crystal + Greg absolutely wonderful to work with, but their friends and family were too. We had an absolutely blast with their wedding party who are honestly some of the funniest people we got to be with this past year. It was so touching and special to see the love within this new family, and incredible to be able to capture it all for them.
Kristin + Eddie
Kristin + Eddie’s wedding day was pretty much the definition of having a Plan B for your wedding. It poured pretty much the entire day through (thankfully with a teeny break for some outdoor photos), and yet it didn’t seem to bother anyone. These two could shine pretty much anywhere and in any weather, so a little rain couldn’t spoil there day.
Christine + Jason
I had such a hard time writing the original blog post for these two. This wasn’t because their day wasn’t interesting, on the contrary, Chris + Jason’s wedding was the most unique we have ever been a part of (and this will likely be a true statement for a long, long time, if not the rest of time). It was difficult to write because nothing was ever enough to express just how much they mean to us. When the bride is your very best friend, who has (and continues to) given you so much and always been there for you, expressing all of that in a matter befitting her, such a charismatic and well-spoken person, can be troublesome. Writing down the words that truly show how genuinely happy I am that two people as caring, thoughtful and utterly wonderful as them, have found each other took me longer than usual and to be honest, I still don’t think the words did the entire situation justice. I love them to pieces and getting to document their wedding days was without a doubt, a highlight of my photographic career and I can’t think of any other way I would have wanted to spend these days with them.
Jenna + Tim
Getting to capture Jenna + Tim’s wedding day was such a treat for us. Not only were they the second wedding of this family we have captured, but they had planned such an elegant and enchanting day. From the gorgeous venues to all of the wonderful traditions they incorporated into their wedding day (and of course, their pup Archer), their wedding was complete perfection and could only be topped by the lovely couple themselves.
Samantha + David
It isn’t often that I get to toss around my true sarcastic self on wedding days as most people don’t get my unique and odd sense of humour. And that is what made Sam + Dave’s wedding day extra special for us, as they really got it and threw it back just as often as I dished it out! Of course these two had so much more to offer than sarcastic quips. They are some of the sweetest people I have ever met and surrounded themselves with some truly great people. And then there was that dress – absolutely divine!!
Mandi + Marc
I love kids, and kids at wedding are even better. All dressed up and super excited about getting to be a part of it all – it’s so fantastic. Mandi + Marc included not only their wonderful children but pretty much every kid in their family on their wedding day, and we loved it! And the cherry on this scrumptious cake – these two, beyond words stunning, kind, and super fun people.
Jessica-Lynn + Colin
Jessica + Colin’s wedding day was one where I had such a great time that I completely lost track of time. Thankfully Dave had my back and kept us on schedule, but had he not, I would have photographed this amazing couple (two of the most genuine and sweetest people ever) and their wonderful wedding party all day long – although then I would have missed out on that brownie cheesecake and that would have been very sad indeed.
Katlyn + Steven
Kate + Steve’s wedding seemed to have been brought to us by the magic of umbrellas, towels and the fact that photographers don’t have to be dry to use their cameras. We loved every single minute of this wedding, including the rain (and gorgeousness that came with it), wardrobe malfunctions (and the people who embraced them), well-timed priorities (refreshments are always a priority) and absolutely hilarious speeches (seriously, some of the best of the year)! But most of all, we loved these two. Their calm demeanor, seemingly complete trust in us, and of course, 100% adoration for one another was perfection.
Christiane + Adam
The last wedding of the year is always a bittersweet one. But there couldn’t have been a better wedding, or couple, to end this amazing year with. Christiane + Adam had not only planned an absolutely marvelous wedding day, but they were also just the greatest couple. With such warm hearts and kind spirits Christiane + Adam are the kind of people that make you happy just to be around.
This time last year I was looking on to what I thought was going to be a great year, full of some truly wonderful weddings. Little did I know that we were going to get to be a part of some of the loveliest weddings with just the bestest couples ever!! And now I can only hope that 2017 is just as fantastic, as I know we have even more wonderful couples planning their days and we are just lucky enough to be a part of them too.
As a P.S. – sorry for the gushy-mushiness of this post and for all of the clichés and same old phrases that every other photographer is spouting right about now.
P.P.S – Also, these wedding days would not have been possible if not for the vendors involved in each one, so definitely check out the original posts to see those lists.
