Have ever considered having a winter wedding ? When I first started shooting weddings in Canada, I thought no one would get married between December and April but I sure was wrong. I actually grew to really enjoy shooting weddings in the winter because we get the most beautiful light reflecting off the snow and we don't have to fight with tourists over the streets of Old Montreal (a real bonus right here ! ^_^).

If you visited my blog before, you probably know how much I love photographing surprise proposals in Montreal. I had blogged before about this Fall Proposal in Square Saint Louis and this Summer Surprise Proposal at the Old Port Clock Tower. But this time, I got the chance the document this full on winter proposal. Juhan and noel had met during their studies in the United States but work had Noel move back to Hong Kong Whereas Juhan stayed in Atlanta. They both plan trips together on a regular basis and this time for their trip to Montreal, Juhan got ready to pop the question.

Living in Canada, winters can be very cold. And as much I love a beautiful snowy photoshoot, I wouldn't mind going somewhere warm once in while. So when Cindy and Greg asked me to have their engagement / pre-wedding photoshoot in Tampa, Florida in February, I was the happiest photographer ever.

I had never been to Tampa before and was very excited to discover this new city with my lovely couple. I arrived few days before our scheduled shoots and spend hours and hours walking and driving around the city scouting for the best and most unique locations. 

To my surprise, Tampa was a very charming city combining both the modern sky scraper filled business district and the laid back neighborhoods with their independent cafes and street art. And what really charmed me was the miles and miles of waterfront walkways overlooking the Tampa Bay. 

I consider myself lucky to live in the beautiful city of Montreal and have gorgeous French architecture available whenever I schedule a photo-shoot. But I have to admit, there is something special about Quebec City and especially Old Quebec. Chateau Frontenac, the old tiny cobble streets, the citadel... All of it gives me a feeling as if I am traveling in time. 

Brittany and Alex contacted me to shoot their wedding in Ottawa but when they mentioned that they live in Quebec City and would like to have their engagement photos there, I couldn't be happier.

Adelina and Dan contacted me last year to document their summer wedding at the Forest and Stream Club in Dorval. When Adelina first emailed me and mentioned that a previous friend in common from university recommended me to her, I knew right away that we will get along. I am blessed with amazing clients all the time (knock on wood!) but when they are referred by a common friend, I know that we are off to a good start :)

At our initial meeting, when I learned that the wedding will take place at The Forest and Steam Club, I got even more excited for it since this venue has been on my bucket list of venues i want to shoot at. The building itself is gorgeous with awesome decor that can be beautifully incorporated at the getting ready photos. And the big bonus; it has a gorgeous waterfront backyard. 

Rachel and Kevin live in Washington DC. and they often plans weekend getaways to other cities in North America. For this Montreal trip, Rachel came thinking it will be just a another one of their usual getaways but Kevin, her boyfriend, had other plans. They are to leave Montreal as future husband and wife to be.

I had never met Kevin before the proposal day, he reached out to me after seeing this previous surprise proposal in Square Saint Louis.  He wanted to surprise Rachel and have the proposal documented in secret. Kevin has already done his research on possible locations that are unique to Montreal. After arranging some secret phone calls and discussing it together, we settled on the clock tower pier in the old port.

It is no secret that I LOVE photographing engagement sessions; they are a great  way to get to know the couple and get them to practice being in front of the camera. It always make posing on the wedding day a lot easier. And most important of all , the couple has more flexibility when it comes to shooting location and time and that opens the door for the photographer to be more creative for the session. This session in particular has a killer location (Saint Joseph Oratory) and ideal shooting time (Golden hour at sunet).

Are you hesitating about eloping?

Don’t, just go for it!

As much I love a large celebration with a fun wedding party, elopements are slowly becoming one of my favorite type of weddings to photograph. I love how they allow me to focus on the coupe and their love in an intimate and relaxed setting.

When Doriane and Vincent first reached out to me to be their elopement wedding photographer, my answer was a big “Yes, Please!” As we met over skype and discussed how they envisioned their elopement to be, I knew they were exactly my type of clients.

Before every engagement photoshoot, I ask the couple to choose a location and a theme that reflects their personality and represents what they would do on a usual Sunday. Some would choose to eat out in a restaurant, some choose a mountain hiking excursion.  Dan and Adelina's typical Sunday is a stroll in the old port with their cute fluffy white Pomeranian doggy. So this is what we decided to do for their engagement photoshoot

I love dedicating my photography to all the happy moments in one's life, namely weddings, but I also enjoy  lifestyle and portrait photo sessions. One very special type of lifestyle photography I keep coming back to is collaborative fashion and lifestyle sessions with local bloggers. 

I had been following Heydahye fashion and OOTD posts on Instagram for sometime before I had the chance to work with her. She has a great sense of style and enjoys being in front of the camera as much as I enjoy being behind it :)

When Johnson planned his trip with Kelly from Florida to Montreal, he also planned a surprise proposal not to forget. He researched all the popular places in Montreal and decided on Square Saint Louis in the heart of the plateau to pop the big questions.

The Montreal Vieux Port (Old Port) is a favorite location for my Montreal clients but also those coming from the united Stated. When Muong and TK visited from California, they wanted a location with a special European flare and Architecture and this was exactly it.

This couple brought this engagement session to a whole other level by incorporating several cute and custom made props to make their photoshoot even more unique.

As the snow starts accumulating here on the streets of Montreal, I try to warm up by looking back at beautiful and warmer photo shoots I did. One of my favorites engagement sessions this year was with Samantha and Chris at the Mont Tremblant village during the most colorful month of the year : OCTOBER ! (Did I mention it is my favorite month ! )

The first ever wedding I shot was a Pakistani wedding and to this day, Pakistani weddings hold a special place in my heart !

I Love  every aspect of Desi weddings; colorful bangles, beaded Lehengas (Bridal outfit/dress) , gorgeous smokey makeup, Unique Baraat (groom entrance) , emotional Rukhsati (bride saying goodbye to her family), playful Joota Chupai (shoe stealing game) and unique diverse entertainment performances ! It is so hard from me to stop myself from dancing whenever I shoot Desi weddings :)

October is here !

That means Fall photography season is starting. Some would be surprised when I say that October of one of the busiest months of the season; the fall is very shorts and everyone wants photos with those beautiful colors but we have such a small window of good weather to catch those colors !

Jeff & Lucy timed their wedding perfectly to fall right when Old Montreal tree leaves turned orange. And Despite the windy weather, the couple braced themselves for the cold and  we had a blast shooting outside with the bridal party. 

It is no secret that Engagement sessions are my favorite type of shoots. They offer an endless array of possibilities when it comes to locations and themes. 

When Muong and TK reached out to me for their Engagement session, I asked them what do they like to do together. The answer was " Going out to eat and explore new restaurants and cafes" . Therefore we picked Cacao 70 as the location for their shoot.

A Big thank you to the staff at Cacao 70 Saint Catherine in Downtown Montreal for being so friendly and allowing us to snap these photos at their cafe. 

Every wedding starts with a unique engagement story. This winter I got to witness one of the most romantic proposal stories I will be telling for a long time. 

I never met Daniel before, but he approached me based on a recommendation from a friend we have in common (thanks Rina).