Wedding photography trends come and go – but backdrops of the Golden Ears Mountains have never gone out of style.
Brides and grooms are sticking to the beauty in our own backyard, said Maple Ridge wedding photographer Katie Lauren.
Her favourite place to shoot is in Golden Ears Provincial Park.
“You’ve get the forest, you get the beach, you get the mountains. You get a little bit of everything,” she said.
Another fave for the photographer is Swaneset Bay and Country Club because of the big bay windows that offer beautiful natural lighting – and the chandeliers.
However, Lauren listed many other venues, too, requested by couples for their wedding pictures. They include Allco Park, Whonnock Lake, and Pitt Lake.
One of the most unusual photo shoots for Lauren was a 1960s-style, elopement shoot at a pinball machine location. But, she said, most couples stick to the basics, because it’s intimidating to go somewhere “outside the box.”
Lauren has noticed that even though couples are staying away from big weddings with lots of guests, and leaning more towards elopements and smaller, intimate weddings – wedding parties are getting bigger. More challenging, explained Lauren, for the photo shoot.
Also, couples are more inclined to ask Lauren what time during the day offers the best lighting for wedding photos, and schedule the ceremony and after party around that time.
“Which is great,” said the photographer.
And, added Lauren, more emphasis is being given to the after-party when the couple is able to celebrate with family and friends.
She is also being asked to document a couple’s “first look or reveal” – when the bride and groom see each other prior to the ceremony.
One other favourite place Lauren loves to use as a backdrop for wedding shot is Bonson’s Landing and Osprey Village.
The community centre has open bay windows that are very pretty, she noted. And, she said, brides just love the village stores and setting. For one shoot she had about 10 people in a wedding party walk down the street together.
Although she has never had a couple jump in the lake for a photo during a shoot, she said, there are many local “dream” locations that offer dramatic backdrops for beautiful wedding photographs.
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Wedding photographer, Amanda Coldicutt, also Maple Ridge based, said that couples are opting for candid photos, as opposed to more formal photos where everyone is looking at the camera.
Coldicutt, who has been shooting weddings for the past 11 years, noted she is also being asked to shoot more “moody” photos, where the lighting is darker and there are more shadows.
“It’s a careful line you really have to tread,” noted the photographer.
“If they are too dark then they don’t print nicely,” she said.
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Coldicutt agreed with Lauren, that a lot of couples are holding more intimate weddings, with smaller groups – a result, she believes, of the COVID-19 pandemic.
She even had a couple get married whose parents didn’t even know about the wedding.
Her favourite places to shoot locally are in Golden Ears Provincial Park – South Beach along Alouette Lake and the Spirea Nature Trail, she said, are gorgeous. And she is usually shooting at Pitt Lake a few times during the wedding season.
Coldicutt says a lot of her business is from couples travelling to B.C. from Toronto, who specifically ask to shoot at Pitt Lake because of the water and mountains.
They are taken aback by the beauty in our own backyard, she said.
For more information about Katie Lauren go to katielaurenphotography.com.
And for Amanda Coldicutt go to amandacoldicuttphotography.com.
Have a story tip? Email: cflanagan@mapleridgenews.com
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