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

We drove through the serpantine roads of Sunshine Coast, talking about exactly how much dancing we should expect from a Portuguese-Brazilian-Italian wedding full of beautiful people. We were right! What an amazing celebration…

I was really excited Rob & I would be Camila & Dan’s wedding photographers at Rockwater Secret Cove Resort on the breathtaking Sunshine Coast of British Columbia also for a tiny selfish reason… My birthday would fall on the day after their wedding, August 1st. I knew it would be the bestest excuse to spend the day only with my best friend, partner, lover, and handsomest second shooter, in the serene surroundings of the resort grounds. Having that to look forward to made the weekend that much sweeter.

But Camila and Dan might have been looking forward to this Big Day even more… and it was finally here. I could sense their shallow breaths as the isle shortened between them. Greeted by the awesome marriage commissioner’s Greg Soohen’s encompassing smile, they trembled to exchange vows. At least I think they trembled. I have to confess, I get so wrapped up and emotional sometimes, that I hold my breath at least until they kiss. And then I just want to make them kiss over and over again… So I might be a bit off on the ‘trembling’ part

I’ll let the images below tell the story, but I do want to draw your attention to the tenthouse suites you’ll see towards the end - if there was a picture beside the word ‘romantic’ in the dictionary, it would have to be of these mind-blowing accommodations and ocean view. The only thing to annoy you during this paradise retreat would be the adorable racoons!!

Gorgeous views of Rockwater Secret Cove, Sunshine Coast, BCAscending to their oceanfront tenthouse… paradise.
I love this image… Shot through the glass pane of the front door to their honeymoon tenthouse suite.view portfolio |   let’s connect on facebook & twitter |   email katya

If you ever heard the story of Meghan & Andrew’s first kiss, you’d know they were destined to be together.

Although they grew up in the same town, they didn’t meet each other until university… and didn’t flirt till Andrew finally walked Meghan home one ‘fateful night.’ Their friends played a joke on them at the time, leaving them behind to making them walk … ahem, hike home from a party. Somehow they ended up in a muddy pumpkin patch on the side of the road, where they shared their first last kiss, covered in mud from head to toe (my imagination is running wild on this one, what a great idea for a photoshoot, hehe).

Their Vancouver Island Pacific Shores wedding left Rob & I breathless, we truly felt like family having spent the weekend with them. We were so glad to have arrived on Friday, the day before the wedding… It gave us a chance to drool over the gorgeous views of Craig Bay and Parksville, BC and even steal Meghan & Andrew away for a quick sunset photoshoot before their wedding.

It was perfect. Meghan must have spent hours lovingly creating the center pieces for reception tables, crafting boutonnieres and making sure the details were flawless - everything glowed with love.

Butterflies in my stomach and boombox on Rob’s shoulder, we prepared for Meghan & Andrew’s ‘first look’ at Schooner Cove Marina in Nanoose Bay … it was magical! (Although I was the only sentimental goon with tears in my eyes again) Time flew as we celebrated their love, roaming around the Yacht Club - there’s really not much to add - I can’t wait for you to scroll down so you can witness it yourself. I got a bunch of wood splinters in my hands and knees from shooting there, but it was all so worth it!!

I couldn’t resist sharing this adorable note from Meghan to the boys
View of Craig Bay Parksville BC from the bridal suite at Pacific Shores Resort & Spa (1-600 Stroulger Road, Nanoose Bay, BC - (250) 468-7121)I love this shot Rob took. I seriously need to give and get a hundred hugs a day…  so brides beware
The first look at Schooner Cove Yacht Club in Nanoose Bay… I get goosebumps just sitting here and blogging these special moments! I just love this. If I remember correctly, the tune at the moment is ‘What is love, baby don’t hurt me‘ and Rob is rolling his eyes at me I was debating whether I should post this since I kinda look like a beached whale here… But totally - don’t you want to know how I got those splinters? :) A quick nap before the ceremony never hurt anyone… That’s how hard I worked the groom!More beautiful reception details…view portfolio |   let’s connect on facebook &  twitter |   email katya

They call each other ‘dear’ in the most tender way I’ve ever heard, and they are still in their early twenties… How beautiful is that? If you were to meet Mandy for the first time, you wouldn’t think to ask her how she’s doing - her glowing smile and gorgeous blue eyes sparkle with such brimless joy, dimming any crowd. And if you didn’t remember her name, you would have to say ‘that sweetheart’… Their wedding was perfect. Rob and I woke up at 4 am on Saturday morning to do the Jasper - St. Paul drive of about 6 hours from Kim & Wes’ wedding. I slept most of the way, while Rob happily listened to his iPod and loaded up on Pedialite and Redbull. I had missed the prairies… You would think the lovely town of St. Paul didn’t have much to offer, but check out the treasure spots Mandy and her mom scouted for our bridal portraits! If it wasn’t for the huge hungry mosquitos eating us alive in the fields and barnyards, I wouldn’t want to leave!! And I couldn’t say enough for their awesome bridal party… Hello beautiful people! We danced, we laughed, we cared not about biting the dust

Mandy & Tom, I adore you guys. To pieces. I pray that the love in the images I’ve created does your LOVE justice.This gorgeous bouquet was an inspiration from my couture bridal shoot last year…
I love this one… It felt like the walls were about to cave in!
Rob found a little girlfriend on the dancefloor… She must have been 4 going on 19. Here’s his ‘flirty’ face…view portfolio |   connect with katya on facebook & twitter |   email katya

The first time I met Leah & Andrew was in their beautiful Gastown home and I was wearing an inexplicably ugly sweater from Value Village… made explicable only by the theme of this merry gathering - a Christmas ‘ugly sweater’ party my girlfriend Polina dragged me to, whom you may remember as the bride from my favourite wedding in Blue River, BC last summer.

We drank copious amounts of red wine and discussed Leah & Andrew’s engagement… needless to say, passing my business cards around was the last thing on my mind! Thankfully, my ugly sweater and loud laughs didn’t stop these two from choosing me to be the one to document their wedding!!

For our engagement session, we decided to pay tribute to their love of our beautiful city of Vancouver in morning light… Catching the crisp drowsy 6 am light seemed like a great idea - that would be a first for me, the night owl. Two alarm clocks chirped simultaneously in my apartment and minutes later I was in my Starbucks for a grande soy latte. Leah & Andrew looked amazing! We started our shoot at the English Bay Laughing Statues - don’t you think we did them justice?!

I’m so grateful that they gave me a reason to wake up and experience ‘my hood’ this early - Stanley Park is nothing short of magical this time of day… The serenity and silence, fresh forest scents, birds singing - it was perfect. I’m also incredibly grateful they are giving me a reason to come back to Vancouver at the end of August after my move back to Edmonton… I can’t wait to document their wedding! view portfolio |   connect with katya on facebook & twitter |   email katya

It was finally around the corner. Actually, around breathtaking bends of mountaintops, lakes, and forests on the way to Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge, a magical getaway and the perfect setting for Kim & Wes to finally exchange their vows. Rob & I arrived the night before, just in time for Canada Day celebrations with the dangerously fun bridal party and guests… Luckily, we managed to sneak out of the rowdy pub early enough to look around, get settled and devise a plan for their gorgeous golf course wedding.

I’ll have to admit at this point, Rob & I had way too much fun driving the golf cart around while getting some fun shots of the boys playing golf!! I’ve never really had an interest in learning to play (I would most probably hurt myself, innocent bystanders, damage property, and burst my tiny patience bubble within minutes), but I think I might give it a try after this experience afterall … sometime. It was so much fun, in fact, that Rob came up with a plan of blindfolding Wes for the ‘first look’ and driving them to a stunning lake-side location somewhere … a golf cart ride away. It was brilliant!

I’ve shared how special Kim & Wes are to me in their engagement session post, but I really don’t think words could do justice to how grateful I am for having shared their wedding day so intimately. Thank you for filling my heart with so much joy, guys. And for treating us like family.

How cool is this? Not sure if both of them find it amusing though!
More golf cart fun - Rob hanging off the side on the way to our ‘first look’ spot. Yep, he lives on the wild side like that!
The ceremony on the Jasper Golf Course was so touching … but this moment really pushed me over the edge.These ladies were too much fun. Legendary fun!
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I giggled at the sight of Rob carrying the lovingly arranged bouquet bouncing in a beautiful vase that Megan & Cam brought to our St. Albert Botanic Park engagement session. Just in case there wasn’t enough love in the air among the four of us … there was a bottle of delicious champagne and soft strumming of Cam’s beloved guitar. It was perfect. I couldn’t say enough about the tenderness, love, and respect between these two - I only hope my images would speak volumes!

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Jamie is so easy to love. Every time I see her, I just want to squeeze her and plant the biggest smooch on her cheek. I couldn’t resist, having walked into her Mariott Renaissance Hotel bridal suite. Wow. The traditional ceremony at the St. Joseph the Worker Catholic Parish was so touching. Jamie was now a step away from Jon, gently holding on to her dad’s arm. A heavy single tear overwhelmed her radiant face. I welled up at once… thank goodness for autofocus!

Jamie & Jon’s creative bridal portraits are very special to me, as we spent most of the time shooting in and around my building and my English Bay neighborhood. After stopping for bubble tea, we made ourselves comfortable in the small cozy park beside my building and rocked out to the boombox beats. We then went on to the seawall, to entertain rollerblading/biking/jogging traffic! I’m so grateful for Jamie & Jon’s trust. They really pushed their boundaries for me… and for kissed lots in public!!!

Their beautiful reception at the Mariott Renaissance Harbourside Hotel came alive with the live performance by Checo Tohomaso, an incredible wedding singer who poured his soul out with a bit of soul and jazz. He once sang with the Commodores and Lionel Ritchie, and now was gracing us with his passion and funk!

It was also so much fun to work with the awesome videographer, Dennis Bauyon… We didn’t bump into each other even once

Jamie & Jon, you rock. Thank you for making it so effortless to capture your love. Rob & I look forward to laughing with you over wine soon!

Here’s Rob breathing down my neck for this shot… Love love love. Here’s my favourite sushi comfort food place, with an alluring name ‘Yummy to Go,’ just across the street from my sweet English Bay apartment. Jamie & Jon waiting for their bubble teas…Who could say ‘no’ to a gorgeous bride on her wedding day?! Certainly not this bus driver!1133 West Hastings Street
Vancouver, BC V6E 3T3
(604) 689-9211

Here’s the wedding singer Checo Tohomaso, shaking up the guests… He sang a few Lionel Ritchie songs that my dad used to play when I was a little girl and didn’t understand a word of English. Oh, so good I was melting!

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Romana & Jon felt like family from the very moment I stepped into their beautiful home. I traveled back to Edmonton for the weekend, excited to document their love… Little did I know, every wedding photographer’s nightmare was awaiting me! It was the evening before their Big Day and I had been fighting what I thought was a devious stomach bug. So devious, in fact, that minutes into my Friday night Creative Bridal photo session, my poor clients had to drive me to the emergency. Laying on a stretcher in the hospital hallway for hours wasn’t so bad afterall, with a bit of morphine and Rob’s presence - he would hold my hand, then diligently scroll through my Facebook & Twitter messages to see if any Edmonton wedding photographers were available and kind enough to cover for me. I was so overwhelmed by the responses!! It’s really amazing to see so many colleagues in the wedding photography industry come forward and offer their help and talent. It must have been so stressful for Romana to log on to Facebook and see this heated discussion on my page! But about an hour later, Shaun Scade from Scade Photography along with Harvey Miedreich of Love Bucket Photography kindly offered to substitute my eyes. Thank you, thank you guys for doing such an incredible job. It was so special to edit the photos your took and process them with some of my own love.

I must admit, I tear up a lot listening to my couples’ stories, vows, and words of love. Jon’s proposal to Romana is so far the most touching one I’ve heard… One Saturday morning he greeted Romana with a single rose and asked her to get ready to spend some time outside. She secretly got excited, thinking she was about to get a puppy! By the time she was ready, Jon had left the house… Having gotten into her car, she found a dozen roses, a GPS, and a note with some instructions - to follow the address in the GPS and only text message instead of calling Jon for more clues. She sped around the city, first to Edmonton’s Tipton Park, then Emily Murphy Park (for which Jon’s clue was “one of Canada’s feminists…”), and finally to the last park, where she was to embark on a treasure hunt for something special under one of the picnic tables. There she was, in her high heels, sobbing with excitement, cheered on by picnicking bystanders. The last clue prompted Romana to open the trunk… Really, after all that?! Moments later, she let out a shriek they both wouldn’t forget … none other than Jon himself popped out of the trunk. And then he popped the question, as soon as he was safely standing on one knee in front of the love of his life.

Wishing you endless happiness from the bottom of my heart!!

Their beautiful ceremony took place at St. Josaphat’s Ukrainian Catholic Cathedral in Edmonton (10825 - 97 St.)
Ukrainian Hall Edmonton Receptionview portfolio |   connect with katya on facebook &  twitter |   email katya

It was the night before the wedding. I sat in Yuliya’s hotel room, catching up on Facebook life and watching the bride-to-be put finishing touches on wedding favors. Her beloved friend and bridesmaid Esin was reading a book in bed, half asleep. Yuliya fluttered about, periodically pulling up Yutube videos of her favourite Rammstein songs. That’s our Yuliya.

This wedding was very special to me, as I still remember making morbid jokes back and forth in a university chemistry lab with her some years ago … (I seriously had no clue as to what I was doing!) Yuliya is so easy to love. Her sense of humor, her integrity, and the ever-so-charming ‘no bullshit’ approach to life are infectious. I’m sure Justin would list a million other things. Things written in his silence in every glimpse at her.

My favourite memories from the day as I think of it now are getting soaked to the bone right before the ceremony during our ‘first look’ photos. Oleg and Anton did a great job holding the umbrellas for us, but I jumped around Yuliya & Justin like an Easter bunny, until it was simply too late for an umbrella. My boombox didn’t survive the day either, but it was all worth it!

The gorgeous Kelowna landscape was the perfect setting - the ceremony and reception took place at the Summerhill Pyramid Winery, opening up to a stunning view of the lake and mountains. We even got a chance to sneak down to the vineyard for some portraits after the rain…
I love this picture almost as much as Yuliya loves Baileys… Summerhill Pyramid Winery, 4870 CHUTE LAKE RD Kelowna, British Columbia V1W 4M3.

Beautiful and serene after the rain…
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These two made my head turn as they strolled by my booth at the Vancouver Wedding Fair this past October. ‘What a stunning couple,’ I thought, waiting for eye contact. A few hours passed and Sherry & Matt came up to my wedding photography booth ready to book… Time flies so quicky! It was just fall when we met for their Vancouver Stanley Park engagement session, and now their Big Day came with the luscious May bloom of Langley Golf Course.

Matt gave Sherry free reign for the wedding details, as long as her wedding dress was white and there was a tiara on her head… Well, ‘if the man is the the head, the woman is the neck’, they say! Sherry was sooooooo gorgeous in her pink gown and veil…

I must say, the bridal party was an absolute riot! They made me laugh so much I’ve had to straighten their portraits in post-production

And a special warm thank you goes out to ALL of Sherry & Matt’s parents, for making me feel so welcome, for making me tear up with nostalgia and joy, and for being so incredibly inspiring.

Sherry and Matt, you guys are amazing and will make ridiculously beautiful babies. Enjoy my favourite moments from the day!

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