I remember how she stayed up hours with an inhuman amount of patience helping me with my homework, specifically Urdu. I remember when she made an entire platter of food because I told her at the last moment that I was supposed to bring food to a gathering and never complained. I love her everlasting optimism which has seen her through some ridiculously difficult times I’ve put her through (And by difficult, I mean you want to bang your head against the wall because you’re just that mad difficult). I love her dedication towards education and work ethic, one that has been an inspiration.

Over my entire life, my mother, like so many mothers out there has a tendency to nag, yell, embarrass me in front of my friends, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.

Now, the awesome thing with what I do is that I get to be with so many couples on their wedding day. I get to see the start of their marriage. Some of them have started new families! To every last one of them, happy Mother’s Day!

And since I had the amazing privilege to photograph both of her children

My very beautiful mother

Now I’m assuming my mom is reading this. To her and the entire world, I would like to point out one fact. Between my sister and I, despite the grief I’ve put my mother through, I think she prefers me. Case in point, photographic evidence of my sister’s interaction with my mom.
Sarah not respecting the rules of shotgun and trying to shove mom away

Sarah trying to choke my mom to get to the inheritance early

Jokes aside, I’d like to end this post on a more serious note. Women, or rather strong women have been a defining characteristic in my family. My grandmother is the most astounding person I know. Her zeal and determination towards what she thinks are virtues of the highest importance (pursuit of knowledge and perfection) has taken her from a rather modest background to raising three children in the 50s and 60s while attaining her Masters in Physics, and being the best in her class. She recently underwent an extremely serious operation, and recovering well. Never letting something as trivial as an open heart surgery slow her down, she pressures my uncle and father to do better, even if it is finding fruit

Happy Mother’s Day!

Joanne and Scott are just perfect for each other.

Scott is my massage therapist, and that’s how we first met. After getting to know him a bit, he asked if I would be open to shooting a wedding in Mexico. I distinctively remember saying something about being open to the idea, while my mind was screaming YES! I then got a chance to meet his fiance Joanne, who after just a minute of knowing her, I felt my excitement about the possibility to photograph their wedding go through the roof, wherever in the world they decided to have it. Joanne posses the qualities that makes her instantly likable to everyone. Her energy and enthusiasm to everything in her is truly remarkable, and Scott compliments her perfectly.

On a more personal note, photographing this wedding has been an experience I won’t be forgetting anytime soon, and I’m sure Caitlyn too. While it was definitely amazing to go to Mexico to shoot this wedding, the experience would have not been half as great if it wasn’t for the company there. It would be remiss if I failed to mention how unbelievably privileged I was to spend the entire week with Joanne and Scott’s friends and family. I got to go snorkeling with the maid of honour, toss a football in the pool with the best man and the groomsman, play pool volleyball with the groom, on his wedding day, have dinner with the parents at an Italian restaurant, and so many other things. For that, this has been a trip unlike any other I’ve taken, and to Joanne and Scott, Caitlyn and I would like to thank you for the opportunity to photograph your special week.

One more thing, Joanne and Scott aren’t completely traditional. They possess an extremely playful side, a trait I’m happy to say extends to their friends

I suggested that I take pictures of them riding on the roller coaster. Thankfully the fairground authorities didn’t seemed to concerned about such trivial matters like safety, so with my body unstrapped to any safety harness, I had one of the most thrilling rides of my life!

Caitlyn bravely stayed on solid ground, snapping this shot of me

However, I am really thankful that I even got to take these pictures. On top of being such an amazing couple, Stephanie and Michael were more then try out something different. As individuals, they each have some special quality about them. To try to define what that quality is would be to try to explain why a stroll on the beach during a cool summer evening is relaxing. It was an awesome experience to do this engagement session, and a memory I shall cherish. Thank you guys!

And then you add the fact that we were photographing Megan and Ben, it was amazing. Megan is one of the sweetest people you’ll ever meet. And it’s a joy to see her marry a gentleman like Ben. They complement each other, in a way that makes the single folks (like me!) envious. They care for each other so dearly, I felt so happy to be there on their wedding day.

Oh, and an interesting passion of Ben – his Chevy Silverado. This machine was modified to over 1100 horsepower! When he drove it, it sounded like a jet engine, and I was told it could beat a Corvette from 0-60. He gassed it, and while we didn’t have a Corvette for an official drag race, I believe it. Now you’d imagine that a big heavy truck would be terrible with gas, with an engine as powerful as it is, it would get single digits miles per gallons, or high double digits litres per 100/km. You would be wrong, at 24 mpg, or 9.8L/100km. That’s as good as a minivan with 1/5 the power and less weight! (Sorry the car freak in me had to get this out there).

Fast forward to the engagement shoot, and I had a chance to meet Marilyn and Carl in person. And they’re the type of couple that Hollywood tries to but fails to portray. To Marilyn and Carl, it’s not only about the passion, laughter and fun times, it’s the sheer dedication, commitment and shared sacrifice that makes them work. In short, their engagement session was a joy to capture and left me waiting impatiently for their wedding.

Which is where he met Anna!

Back in Montreal, Anna and Jason are an amazing couple, and it was such a pleasure and privilege to photograph their day.

The wedding was planned to be in a tent on Jamie’s grandparents backyard facing the water. The family spent months preparing the area, from the landscaping, setting up the tent, to Jamie’s dad care of the flowers to bloom on his daughter’s big day. While they prepared for sun, rain, and a bit of cold, the weather was absurdly cold for early October. And a decision was made to move the entire wedding to a comedy club that had never been prepared for this sort of event, the day before the wedding! I saw the venue before and after the transformation. It was a combined effort of family and close friends. The result was beyond amazing, and a true testament of how a close family can pull through ridiculously difficult tasks together.

Congrats Jamie and Justin! Thank you for sharing your exceptional day with us

And onto the pictures. I decided to try something slightly different and focus on black and white (especially after Jamie requested more!)

Now there is a delightful tradition involving this cake. The bride picks up the top ring, the number of rings that stick with the top ring will indicate how many kids the new couple will have. And here is what happens

That’s eight rings there Anna
I asked her mom if she rigged the cake for that many rings, she replied that she only rigged for three. Fate intervenes!