I had already photographed Chloe and Marco’s engagement session at Stanley Park, so their wedding at St. Clare of Assisi Parish in Coquitlam was our second time working together. They knew how I worked, and we had already built a sense of trust. We weren’t starting from introductions on the wedding day.
For couples wondering what an engagement session adds beyond another set of photographs, this is a practical part of it. You get to work with your photographer before the wedding. Chloe and Marco could arrive knowing who would be behind the camera, and I could pick up from our earlier session rather than start from scratch.
At a wedding, the veil is one of the moments I always watch for. The first man to love Chloe lowered it over her, and later Marco, another man who loves her deeply, lifted it at the altar. These two gestures belong together in the story: one man covering her with the veil, another uncovering her face. For me, this will always be one of the most important moments to photograph.
The church itself gave the photographs their setting. Inside, the stone altar and wooden ceiling framed the couple; outside, we used the nearby garden for a few portraits. Keeping the locations close meant the photographs stayed connected to their ceremony at St. Clare of Assisi.
Our photography coverage was two hours: the church ceremony, a few group photographs inside, and some portraits just outside. That was the scope of this particular booking, rather than a full day of coverage. Knowing each other beforehand helped us make the most of that short time.
Church: St. Clare of Assisi Parish, 2888 Delahaye Drive, Coquitlam, BC.
Makeup & hair: SIUGO Makeup | Hairstyle — @siugomuah.
