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

One day, Natasha looked at the leftover Black Forest cake in her fridge and thought of this cute guy from law school. The next day she presented it to him in a tupperware container between classes. The next time Samir would buy a Black Forest cake would be to set a picnic on the gorgeous shore at Deep Cove, to propose.

Samir is so effortlessly romantic, Natasha - so adorable and quirky. It’s amazing to be around them. There’s such a quiet tenderness between these two souls, I want to call their love … classic.

My favourites from our Stanley Park session are definitely from the Brockton Point Lighthouse - I felt transformed to some place Mediterranean, this is what I imagine some island Greece would feel like… The light was so soft and delicious, the air - still and filled with love.

And the beloved Black Forest cake! They are lucky to have forgotten napkins - I would’ve been encouraging them to get much messier view portfolio |   connect with katya on facebook & twitter |   email katya

Yuliya wanted nothing to do with him. Sure, he was cute and Polish, but a workplace romance was out of the question. But Piotr was in no rush, he knew it would only be a matter of time before she gave in and melted into his arms. I love their playfulness… Piotr makes Yuliya glow, blush, and laugh as if they are on their first date.

Rob & I met these two at Cafe Select, Edmonton’s possibly most romantic restaurant. This is where Peter got down on one knee to ask his beloved woman to be his wife!

Yuliya nervously sipped a martini in the soft candle light. I knew we would have a blast! And so we did, strolling through the empty downtown streets… Here’s my beautiful man in action view portfolio |   connect with katya on facebook & twitter |   email katya

They met at a saucy Brazilian dance party back in 2005 … and the irresistible glances of each other they stole spiraled into a beautiful romance. I remember getting ready to meet them at a Starbucks on Robson Street to discuss their Big Day - I turned to Facebook to ‘creep’ on their profiles and get a better feel for their personalities. ‘Wow,’ I thought, ‘their last names alone (Dragonetti & Buzelli) are pure poetry!’

Vancouver’s Gastown ‘Blood Alley’ was our first chosen spot for engagement photos… Prepared to expect the unexpected, we danced and bathed in the warm evening light, until a melancholic junkie with a heavy French accent shooed us out. Ah, Vancouver, we love thee Having gotten over this little adrenalin rush, we took a stroll on the seawall for some more shots… It was so romantic and effortless!

I can’t wait to document their Sunshine Coast wedding in just 10 days!!

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Spontaneity is a wicked force that’s always seemed to guide my life,  and now often guides my business. I must confess, I’ve gotten pretty good at ‘planned spontaneity’ lately… and I get very excited when my clients match my enthusiasm with their efforts! Having booked me as their wedding photographer for their Calgary wedding this fall, Olga & Ryan jumped on the opportunity to meet me in Jasper for an engagement session, as Rob and I were going to be there to photograph a Jasper Park Lodge Wedding this past Canada Day weekend.

What a fantastic way to kick off Canada Day in such a gorgeous national park! We ended up at a beautiful riverfront near Jasper Park Lodge, where we took in the view, laughed, listened to beats of my boombox, and chased little Pippee around. There we were, two Ukrainian blonde women who love laughing loud… who also love their Canadian men!

I can’t wait to document their Calgary wedding this fall! And for now, here are a few favourites from our Jasper engagement session.Here’s one of my absolute favourites! And just to set your mind at ease, the landing was flawless!Sweet Pippee! It wouldn’t have been the same without her!And here’s Rob’s angle… Looks like a European street!view portfolio |   connect with katya on facebook & twitter |   email katya

They have been an inspirational constant for all their friends for longer than anyone can remember. I met Kim & Wes through mutual friends many years ago, and now that I think of it, even their names sound more melodic together: “Kim-and-Wes. Nice to meet you. Kim-and-Wes.”

They were my supporters and kind fans even before I became a full-time wedding photographer… I remember having a little underground Edmonton gallery show for friends that was more about wine & cheese than my art… I was so excited when Kim bought one of my black & white New York prints for a whooping $50. Shizam!

It’s such an honor to document the love of these two incredibly radiant friends…

Coming to Edmonton from Vancouver for their engagement session, I was excited to finally shoot in sunny weather for a change. Not! It poured all day, forcing us to walk around the gloomy U of A grounds in the rain. Naturally, I couldn’t resist asking Kim & Wes to jump into some puddles, walk through a bit of mud, lean against a few wet brick walls, and kiss under their umbrella…

I can’t wait for their Jasper wedding in a few short weeks!!

Here’s Rob’s sneaky shot … hiding in the bushes is always the cool thing to do.On our way back, we saw five rabbits chilling on the same small patch of grass… Of course we weren’t quick enough to utilize them all as a backdrop, but here’s one in motion!view portfolio |   connect with katya on facebook &   twitter |   email katya

We got them to laugh and kiss. Over and over again. And I’m positively certain it’s impossible to have more fun than we had, in the pouring rain and wind, chilled to the bone. Jamie & Jon are outrageously awesome. And it had nothing to do with the Grey Goose ‘martinis’ in sippy cups they brought along!

Rob & I were rushing to get back to Vancouver from Sasquatch music festival that day, crossing the border with all of our camping gear and coolers taking up the back seat… As we got closer to home, my hopes of shooting in sunshine vanished completely. What were we gonna do?! What we always do. Rock it out!!

Jamie & Jon are kind, quirky, and so gentle with each other… [Jamie rolls her eyes here]. I also love that we got enough inside jokes from our time together to feel as if we’ve know each other for ages. I can’t wait to document their vows in a couple of weeks!!

I love this shot Rob took… Love it! So effortlessly fabulous, Jon!view portfolio |   let’s connect on facebook & twitter |   email katya

Having met Sherman at the Vancouver Wedding Fair this January, I quickly learned that he had two great passions that made him glow like a big bright light bulb - photography and his sweetheart Phikyin (Yin). We talked shop for a while, and I was honored to learn that although I was already booked for their special day, Sherman wanted me to document their love with one of my signature engagement sessions. Oh how I wish I could split myself in two and shoot their wedding, they are such a fantastic warm couple!

Sherman & Yin met at a party nearly five years ago and shortly after embarked on a journey of one of those impossible-to-sustain-long-distance-calling-Skyping-emailing-air-miling-relationships… Which eventually led to one of those perfect Paris vacations, where anxious Sherman proposed to Yin at the gardens in front of the Louvre! I personally thought it would have been a grand idea for all of us to fly back to Paris for the engagement session - for extra sentimentality and authenticity But instead we settled on Vancouver’s gorgeous VanDusen Botanical Garden. Doesn’t this look like a scene out of Alice in Wonderland?!If you can’t make your favourite girl laugh … twirl her! It never fails! This is one of my favourites of these two…After VanDusen Botanical Gardens, we headed over to my favourite Vancouver neighborhood (my 15th floor little precious apartment overlooks this view). Sherman & Yin definitely share this love for Vancouver and it shows!Rob & I were coming back from an amazing weekend in Tofino this day, tired and happy. Here’s a glimpse of him shooting over my shoulder!view portfolio |   let’s connect on facebook & twitter |   email katya

Liz & Ashley met and fell in love at Lethbridge College back in 2003. Since then, their faith in each other is pretty much unshakable. I loved every moment of our engagement session at Vancouver’s beautiful Jericho Beach, a place of special significance to their love story. We walked along the beach in anticipation of the sunset, hung out on the pier, and even worked up a little sea sickness! As I crawled around looking for cool angles, an adorable baby seal bobbed its head out of the water. How awesome is that?!

We also had the pleasure of having a great ‘dj’ working my boombox - my best friend Polina came along to assist me on the shoot. If that hot lawyer career doesn’t work out for you, Polina, I always have the position open for you!

Here are a few of my favourites from our time together… I’m can’t wait to document their wedding next month! What a gorgeous view… I love Vancouver! See that little dot in the bottom left corner? Yes, that is our little baby seal!
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They make each other laugh like two best friends sharing ridiculous secrets. They are lovers … of wine and New York streets. And when it comes to each other, there is unspoken magic.

Sarah & Matt were the first couple I met with after my Vancouver Bridal Show this past October, to share the excitement of their upcoming August wedding, where I would be documenting their love. And we just clicked. I felt like we were friends who haven’t caught up in a while and were giddy for each other’s new beginnings. It was so amazing to see them again this week for our Granville Island engagement portraits! We laughed, soaked up the sun … and just when I thought nothing could be more perfect, a beautiful bottle of Burrowing Owl Estate Winery Pinot Gris appeared, with three sparkling wine glasses! Thanks to Sarah & Matt, this winery is now among my coveted romantic get-away spots… It was also the very spot Matt asked Sarah to be his wife - and something tells me the sweet memory will always make their heads spin with every new bottle of this tantalizing wine.

You guys are incredible and inspiring, I can’t wait to share more beautiful moments and capture more memories with you!!view portfolio |   connect with katya on facebook & twitter |   email katya

No words can describe the incredible feeling of doing what you love in a place that’s nothing shy of paradise, or paraiso … of Tulum, Mexico. Every moment with Michelle & Brett has been a force amplifying my experience both as a photographer and as a human being.

We ventured out to catch the glowing sunset at Playa Azul beach and document their love with an engagement beach session. I’ve been so fortunate to travel to some amazing places, but Tulum still remains at the top of the list… Where else can you find such perfect harmony of nearly deserted beaches, delicious cloud-like sand, tender warm waters of all shades of turquoise blue, and stillness inspiring and nurturing your soul?
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