Katya Nova Photography » Vancouver Wedding Photographer | Destination Wedding Photographer | Lifestyle Portraits { Intimate Narrative Documenting Your Love }

It’s time for me to share the news of my most special and anticipated day of the summer - August 1st. It’s always been a little special, as it is my Birthday. But this year it’s also the day my best friend Polina is getting married!! They’ve always been one of those couples that Polina’s single girlfriends dream of being in and treat as a paragon. Rightly so.

I remember a wonderfully incoherent phone call from Polina - something about a surprise trip to Vegas from Justin, romantic dinner, the perfect Italian vino, tears, and a shiny diamond… ‘congratulations’ from strangers… We cried and laughed. 

For the engagement portraits we decided to pay tribute to the place where Polina and Justin met … and spent many diligent hours … University of Alberta’s beautiful Rutherford Library.

Thank you for letting me be such a big part of your Day and your life. I promise not to be a Photozilla!

I was really looking forward to a day with the Schultz sisters. I first met them at the Dine for the Cure fundraiser a few months earlier, and was thrilled to have the opportunity to capture their timeless talent and youth. 

I would have loved to say that I was the one ‘playing it by ear,’ but Samantha and Emily were the ones who did, literally! My favorite moments of the shoot came when I found gorgeous tall grasses of St. Albert Botanical Gardens, and motioned them to take turns ‘hanging out’ there with their guitar and percussion. I crouched, breathless, as they improvised a duo… Right there, in the tender setting sun. 

The Schultz sisters are magical. I’ve never seen sisters smile at each other so hearily … so lovingly. As if there is a tiny secret exchanged every time they do. Check out their amazing music at www.samanthaschultz.com!

Kathy and Rob are contagious. Well, their love is. From the moment I met them at Rob’s Three Bananas Cafe, they felt like family. Rob won me over with a delicious latte he made me, and Kathy - with her equally delicious smile. Rob’s cafe is at the center of Churchill Square, and since Kathy worked for the city, she was bound to come in to deliver some news on upcoming events. That was that. If you scroll down to the final photograph of this post, you will see the very tile where Rob lured Kathy to and got down on one knee. It was so incredible to share this Happy Beginning, as they spontaneously recreated the magic … 

I look forward to documenting your Love in a few short months! And here are a few more wonderful moments from Kathy & Rob…

There was a gorgeous woman sitting next to me, on a grey plastic chair, vibrating with contained energy. Keith Ferrazzi, a noted speaker and author of his new New York Times Bestseller “Who’s Got Your Back” was about to speak in the intimate conference room of 92 St. Y in Manhattan, and we were in the first row. I’m so happy he encouraged each person in the audience to turn the perfect stranger next to us and take turns sharing our dreams and goals. Really share! My eager shoulder turn was warmly received by none other than the fabulous Donna Sirianni. A few moments later, I was blown away by her dream. One she’s made a reality in producing a brilliant work, a film called My Wish. Supported by the wonderful and talented people she’s surrounded with, Donna brings My Wish to a theatre near you!!

“What happens when an ORDINARY person decides to manifest … an EXTRAORDINARY dream?” 

Please visit   http://www.mywishthemovie.com. Dream Big, Friends…

She had a bridal glow that parted the clouds and singlehandedly changed the weather forecast, holding up the rain that we anticipated all day… Everything was perfect, even despite THE wedding shoes being stolen out of her brother’s car! 

I will now let my images take over and tell the story of their special day… Thank you for letting me document your Love!

She is a jewel… a spunky, gorgeous, soulful, and talented one. Her eyes are always full of laughter, and I’m not quite sure which is bigger, her voice or her heart.

Krystle Dos Santos has been singing for as long as she could speak, and recorded her first album in 2007 - please visit www.krystledossantos.com to experience her passion in her tracks (my favorite is #8, One For Me). She is currently working on her next album and is about to tour beautiful British Columbia in July!

Check out some of my faves from our recent Lifestyle Portrait session!

I’ve been blessed with the best parents in the world. I didn’t follow in their footsteps when it came to a career in the medical field, but perhaps it’s the love I’ve grown up around that will make me a great Wedding Photographer. 25 years after saying their vows, they are full of life, spunk, kindness, and love.

Here are some of my favorites from a Sunday afternoon at a nursery on the outskirts of the city:

The Big Day! I arrived to find myself more jittery than Nikolina. She was so radiant and collected! For some time, at least… According to a Serbian tradition, the groom and his handsome ‘gang’ comes to ‘buy’ the bride and take her to the church - he came not only prepared, but also early!! The bargaining went pretty smoothly, and everyone broke out into a dance, generously passing around a potion in a beautiful wooden flask. Following a beautiful church ceremony, came more dancing, under a shower of candy and coins.

The lavish reception left everyone breathless. Literally!! 

The Beginning!