Melanie + Aria (and me!!) @ Lisa Marie Photography

Sep

05

2012

Melanie + Aria (and me!!)

Weddings Posted by Lisa / 0 comments

SO this wedding blog, well its probably not going to be like other wedding blogs. 1st, I’m not exactly like all other wedding photographers, and 2nd Melanie, Aria and I have a very special story. This wedding blog should be like 10 blogs with so many different angles but since this is my web site and my blog I’m going to do what I think is best to tell the story as I know it :)

I thought long and really hard about how I was going to present myself this year, this 2012 season was going to be all about really establishing myself as a wedding photographer. My technical skills were ready and I felt very confident that this year was my chance to prove myself. I was going to try and maybe get published, just like I see so many of my colleagues do in the wedding magazines, and blogs. So I thought… (for a second or two) and don’t get me wrong, THAT would be amazing :) But the more time went on, I realized that, well first off, I just don’t have a lot of time to seek out and even figure out how you go about doing that, submitting all these weddings in a certain format, theme, etc etc. So then I figured, I should still blog, I would just do what I know, be who I am, and share my wedding journeys the only way I know how. In my own words, and in my own time!

As it turns out, and to my surprise, I don’t want to seek out a certain clientele for profit. No matter who believes this. I want a certain clientele that appreciates what I bring to one the most important days they will have. I say this to every bridal meeting I have, and I truly believe this. If you do not feel that your wedding photographer will not only compliment your day but enhance it, if you don’t feel truly comfortable then you need to find someone else. TO ME, comfort level and connection come first, and then skills come second. You can’t get the images and moments I believe you would cherish most, if you are not feeling the best, inside and out. You may end up with SPECTACULAR images, yes, but if you have no connection to them, I just don’t see the point. Not on a day when its all about love. BUT that’s just me. AND if you don’t agree, and you want the name that comes with so many amazing well known photographers (whom I happen to love as well) then I am not the photographer for you! Easy peasy :)

So here is “our” story, my Melanie and Aria……

On November 15th, 2011 Melanie emailed me after seeing a family session I did for a friend of hers (thanks again Cristina!). She was inquiring about engagement photos. We chatted back and forth via email and she explained to me that her and Aria had met at a Vancouver Canucks game at Rogers Arena and was hoping to do the e-session there. I was super excited as they sounded like lots of fun, so we booked for December the 10th, just a few weeks later. Well as my story goes, about a week after we booked I came down with pneumonia, and not your typical pneumonia, but a very bad case and got quite sick, was in ICU for a few days and was consequently put into a medically induced coma. This happened crazy fast and at the time I was unable to contact any clients and post pone sessions, Melanie and Aria being one of them. Thanks to Facebook and my iPad I was able to make a post on Facebook explaining that I was very sick in hopes that everyone got to see. As it turns out, they did :) When I was released, I got in touch with Melanie and Aria, who to my surprise since they had never met me, were willing to wait for me. They were willing to wait until I was recovered… In Melanie’s words

We really want you to do it, so we will wait for you to get healthy :)

WOW, (sniff) and know what? They waited. And I’m happy to say we finally got to make it to Rogers on February 12th, 2012 and we had an absolute blast. Melanie and Aria were up for anything and I have to say, completely hilarious! Aria has the most amazing expressions and Melanie is an absolute doll.

During the sessions they told me how they were actually going to ELOPE this coming June! How exciting?? They explained they had booked this resort on the Sunshine Coast called The Rockwater Secret Cove Resort. How it was just going to be the 2 of them and they had this really cool tree house suite, it sounded amazing! Then at the end of our session, they wondered if I would possibly consider coming to the resort and shooting the elopement for them. Hmmmmm, this was a NO brainer for me, and I was SO honoured to be asked to be part of something so intimate and so personal.

(And that’s me exactly when they asked, so lucky to have had a photographer with me at the time!! ;)

So June 9th, 2012 was the date and just a week before I was to head out, I made a split decision to head up a few days early. I was super behind in editing and had a few days free and REALLY needed a little time away for a few reasons. To be honest I had not stopped going since I got sick, never wanting to look back to that scary time. The recovery was rough both physically and mentally and I just wanted to pretend it never happened. I had never gone anywhere alone like that like most moms, and felt VERY guilty for going, but at the same time I knew I was not doing anyone any favours staying and stressing out over my lack of time and pile of work. So, I went…. I headed to the ferry, it was torture trying to get out of town for a few days, I got all the way to Vancouver when I realized I forgot my key board and mouse for my computer (which I needed SO BAD), I turned around, missed the 1:30 ferry, got home and RACED (within speed limits of course??? eh hem…) and actually MADE the next ferry by 2 MINUTES!! There was no turning back after that boat left, it was like exhaling. I was determined to make the most of this trip or die trying. I had 40 mins on the ferry and did some damage at the gift shop. I bought a wicked rain coat (just in case right??) some nice lotion, (not sure why lol), and a CD of relaxing celtic music (I was going to try anything), the book “The Happiness Project” and of course candles! Its funny to arrive on the sunshine coast, I don’t remembered ever going before, and its like another planet. Instant calm, and fresh air. First stop! Beer and Wine store, (what? Its a mom/work retreat??) Then grabbed a few groceries and arrived at the resort around 6:30pm. I was greeted by some amazing staff, who went above and beyond to make my stay exactly what I needed, bringing in a special desk for my massive iMac (no lap top at the time). My room was ADORABLE, the sweetest set up I could have asked for. Right next to the main hotel, right beside the pool and SPA (YES!!), I had a little fire place in front of my bed, and of course a HYDRO THERAPY TUB!! made for 2, but just for ME!! First thing I do at any hotel is make myself at home, I unpacked and set up my new little home for the next 4 days. I was giddy, guilt was ALMOST gone…. I went upstairs had an amazing dinner, had a luxurious bath, started MY Happiness Project, drank a little wine and turned on my fire place and fell asleep.

Over those few days, I worked, HARD. I tried to find balance. I got up, and started working, I ordered breakfast, had a bath, read and I worked. I would take a walk, and work. I would go for a massage and then dinner and then work LATE. I did that the first 2 days, but on day 3 it was raining and I got a little carried away and worked the entire day away and into the night, and I started getting anxiety. I knew I was blowing the whole point of coming up and trying to unwind. For some reason i think I have to finish everything before I can do that. I know it will never all get done, I should know that by now right?? 3 kids, a house, a few businesses thrown in the mix, nothing is ever done! I knew my bride and groom were coming the next day, I had one day to myself and then I was shooting the wedding and leaving the same day. So I phoned my husband and told him how I was feeling and he suggested I stay one more night. I don’t know why I never thought of that, but that’s what I did. That night and the next day I wrapped up all the work I came up with, I was UP TO DATE!! Just before Melanie and Aria arrived I went into their room and was able to grab a few pics for them of the tree house suite they booked and then after they got setting in I was there to greet them with a surprise sun set champagne toast photo shoot, (clearly I was so excited to see them!)

After the shoot, we went our separate ways for the night and the next day I was SO PUMPED! I was relaxed and ready for this wedding. Melanie and Aria are two of the most amazing people, both so kind and so in love. They both realize what is important to them and it shone through on this most special day that I had the privilege to witness.

I had some life changing moments when I was away. I came wound up tighter then you can imagine. I can’t say enough of what the staff at Rockwater did for me, in the Spa, in the dinning room and just how they all run that place. And then to be a part of such love and peace, it changed me. I am truly blessed to have had Melanie and Aria choose me, and I hope they know how much I adore and appreciate them.

THE END!! (yeah right!)

NOW, what I forgot to mention in all this LOVE and AWESOMENESS is the PARTY!!!

Of course just cause you elope does not mean you don’t get to party!! Melanie and Aria have 2 amazing families and a gazzilion friends who love them so there had to be a party :) SO it was off to Granville Island on July 6th with my assistant Megan to continue what they started…