Hey, I'm Meg, welcome to my little corner of the cybersphere!
I'm a Fraser Valley wedding & lifestyle photographer (est. 2014) based in Langley, just west of Vancouver BC.
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Emily & James are so sweet. I first met with these two in May of LAST year to discuss their May 2018 Maan Farms country farm winery wedding and I instantly adored these two. They are so wholeheartedly genuine in their interactions and their kindness for others that I knew I wanted to be a part of their day. When they told me they were holding their wedding at the beautiful Maan Farms in Abbotsford I was so happy.
The venue has everything you could want for a beautiful rustic wedding in the country, while still being close to the city. It even has a winery on site (their berry/fruit wine is to die for!)!
James and Emily: A Love story
These two have the cutest story. Meeting back in 2015 way up north in Churchill, Manitoba. My mom’s side of the family hails from around Manitoba so I was instantly drawn in to their story. Exactly HOW far north is Churchill?? Given the fact that these two met & work at Lazy Bear Expeditions/Lodge – which caters to Polar Bear & other Arctic wildlife adventurers – I’d say it’s pretty far north! James & Emily fell in love while working at the Lodge so it’s appropriate that these two plan on returning here to work after their wedding.
A Maan Farms Country Farm Winery Wedding
After patiently waiting what seemed like forever (I mean, it was a whole year after all 😉 ) – their day was finally here! Little did we know all the surprises this day had in store for them. With the threat of a WestJet pilot strike in the air the days before the wedding, James & Emily didn’t know if most of their relatives (who were booked on WestJet) would make it to the wedding on time. Take into consideration a bridesmaid with a painfully busted ankle and you’ve got a fun day! 😉 Already throwing a wrench in their plans, they were beyond grateful when everyone was able to make it.
A little peek into my day… typically when I show up to start shooting a wedding I’m always early. I like to walk in at least 5-10 minutes ahead of when my brides are expecting me to help set their minds at ease. BEFORE that, what most people don’t know, is I actually arrive 20-30 minutes before this.
What do I do?
It ranges from absolutely nothing, to eating lunch to lint rolling myself (I have two white cats – they come with me EVERYWHERE) – anything I need to do to prepare for the day. And so on this day, as my start time approached, you could find my second shooter, Emily, & I huddled in my car stuffing our faces with Subway. Suddenly we look up to see, to our horror, a fire truck & ambulance pull up. We hurriedly grabbed our things and got the low down – groomsman down with an allergic reaction. He was okay but allergies are not something to mess around with!
Now really, on with the day
First of all, despite the crazy start, the day went off without a hitch, but naturally, that’s not to say there wasn’t more fun to be had! Speaking of special moments, their ceremony was so touching – in fact, James’ reaction upon seeing Emily walk down the aisle brought tears to everyone around, and of course, hearing them exchange vows was equally moving.
Then came the fun part – our bridal party portrait time was unexpectedly crashed & photobombed by a rogue goat who, believe it or not, seemingly adopted our group. Hilariously, he proceeded to follow us around – too cute! So really, from the crazy start to the day, plus the goat adventure, all the way to the incredibly moving & hilarious speeches that had us fighting tears at the reception — and oh yes, did I mention the GIANT trampoline?!
In the end, I had such a fantastic time capturing this day for these two. And honestly, it’s no wonder I’m absolutely nuts about clients planning a Maan Farms Country Farm Winery Wedding.
The gallery from Mann Farms
I wish you both nothing but the best as you embark on this next adventure in life together. Congratulations James & Emily!
Here’s a curated gallery including a selection of my favourites from their Maan Farms country farm winery wedding day.
Getting Ready
Ceremony
Bridal Party
Bride & Groom Portraits
Sunset Portraits
Reception
First Dance
thank you so much to my second shooter, Emily, for this shot of myself with the beautiful bride & groom – it was so great working with you two to capture your day!! <3
All Photos here by Meg Kristina Photography.
Second Shooter: She Wild By Em Rose Photography
Venue: Maan Farms Country Experience & Estate Winery
Florist: Vaandrager Nursery
Dress: David’s Bridal
Officiant: Gloria Adams
DJ: Wailin Dalen
Want to see more of James & Emily? Click here to check out their snowy mountain winter engagement session.
Loved this Maan Farms Country Farm Winery Wedding Story?? Click here to discover more Weddings on The Blog!
Want to Learn More about Wedding & Engagement Pricing & Info? Click here.
photographer for the authentic & adventurous
Romantic VanDusen Garden Waterfall Proposal
Proposal Story
Nothing can beat a Romantic VanDusen Garden Waterfall Proposal. I LOVE shooting Proposals! There is something so raw, so powerful when you get someone in front of the camera immediately following an engagement. It is so rich in emotion & excitement – my heart can hardly handle it! When you add in the fact that these two have been in a serious long distance relationship taking turns traveling across the states to visit each other, it makes it that much more special to be able to capture this for them. I’ve done long distance and it is tough – FaceTime is a god-send for sure – so I have a small idea of what these two have gone through and I am over the moon happy for them!
As far as Jui knew, they were simply on a week’s vacation together – splitting their time between Vancouver & Seattle before parting ways again. Little did she know…
One of the BEST parts of photographing engagements like this is that I don’t do just that. When you contact me to photograph your proposal I also provide planning services automatically included! From the start I help you with scheming, timing, location, logistics, optional add-on’s like champagne, etc! I’ll admit, I think I have more fun helping to plan than my clients sometimes do. 😉
From the start, Avi had the always-stunning VanDusen Botanical Garden in mind as one of his preferred locations and I’m so glad that’s where he decided to go with! I gave him variety of options within the gardens and Avi decided on a Romantic VanDusen Garden Waterfall Proposal. If you’re looking for an ideal proposal or portrait location, VanDusen really does have so much to offer and is one of my favourites!
Avi couldn’t have chosen a more perfect place & time of year to pop the question – EVERYTHING was in bloom and it was absolutely gorgeous within the gardens. I could’ve shot for hours on end but these two had a fancy dinner reservation in downtown Vancouver that they had to run off to! During our initial phone consult, we’d narrowed down the proposal location to a few areas and eventually decided on the waterfall. They came around the corner to walk across the rock bridge at the top of it and that’s when, just as they were about to cross, Avi dropped to one knee. The sound of the rushing water kept what was said to just the two of them but no words were needed.
As if a proposal while on a romantic getaway with your long-distance love isn’t perfect enough, Avi had another surprise up his sleeve. Jui’s sister, who had flown in earlier in the day (also from the States!), was there to celebrate with them and surprise the heck out of Jui before flying out the next morning. It was THE BEST, you guys!! The look on Jui’s face when she saw her was pure shock & joy – even better, she was able to FaceTime family from far away in for the moment as well.
We stole away for a quick mini-engagement session on the grounds of the Botanical Gardens and it was beyond beautiful. Vancouver was showing off for these two!
Testimonial
Here’s a little comment from the happy couple about the highlights of their trip:
“We had such an awesome time in Vancouver and Seattle! We loved the waterfront and walked around Stanley Park. We also took a cruise around the bay, which was beautiful. We spent time in Lynn Canyon Park and at Capilano. In Seattle, we hung out a lot around Pike Place Market and snacked our way through the city. It was a great week together!
These photos are so beautiful, and you really captured such a special moment for Jui and I so well. I can’t thank you enough for your help, kindness, and awesome service!! I’m so excited to share these photos with our friends and family.”
It really was such a privilege and pleasure to meet these two and be able to capture this for them. Have I mentioned yet how much I LOVE getting to be a part of proposals?! Loveeee it!
Here’s a few of my curated favourites from their Romantic VanDusen Garden Waterfall Proposal & Vancouver engagement…
Gallery
Proposal
Engagement Portraits
All Photos here by Meg Kristina Photography.
Loved this Romantic VanDusen Garden Waterfall Proposal Story?? Click here to discover more Engagements & Proposals on The Blog!
Want to Learn More about Wedding & Engagement Pricing & Info? Click here.
photographer for the authentic & adventurous
Booking Now for Select 2018 & ALL 2019 Weddings, Portraits & Events.
I LOVE Fort Langley! The historic buildings, bookstores (like Wendell’s), amazing bakeries & bistros, the Pub and more make it the perfect spot to spend a free morning or afternoon exploring for your engagement photographs! One of my favourite parts about living here (though I live on the other side of town) is being so close to the Village down by the river. That’s why I am so in love with any opportunity to capture a Fort Langley Sunset Engagement.
Last winter, when I met Colleen & Dominic, I remember thinking just how sweet & kind Colleen was. Along with Dominic’s sarcastic sense of humour (raise your hand if you’re sarcastic like me!), these two really seem to balance each other out and compliment one another. I’m so excited to photograph their upcoming autumn wedding at Morgan Creek Golf Course!
When it came time to planning their engagement session, we had initially been hoping for Stanley Park. But planning a session in late winter in the Lower Mainland can sometimes be easier said than done! Many times from January-April, sessions tend to get rescheduled if the weather really isn’t behaving, especially when there’s an adorable little pup involved!! I’m such a dog person (& animal person in general!) and so I always love getting to meet my client’s pets. Eventually we lucked out after moving the session to Fort Langley Village with a beautiful day that gave us a gorgeous golden hour and glowy sunset engagement session for these two!!
The Engagement Session
I had so much fun exploring with them! We started our adventure by wandering down to the Fort Langley Community Hall. Any Riverdale or Once Upon a Time fans out there? You’ll recognize the historic yellow building from quite a few episodes as well as being in featured in other tv shows. We lucked out with a British bus there as well so of course we took advantage of it! From there, we headed down to check out the old CN Train Station in Fort Langley. This is one of my favourite locations around Langley – the sun filters into this spot SO beautifully! After that, we decided to finish up our session down by the water and among the beautiful spring blossoms. I loved getting to know these two more as we explored!
Gallery
I can’t wait to capture their wedding this fall. Here’s a look at my curated favourites from our time together during their Fort Langley Sunset Engagement!
Loved this Fort Langley Sunset Engagement Session?? Click here to discover more Engagement Photo Sessions on The Blog.
Want to learn more about Wedding & Engagement Pricing & Info? Click here.
Planning Your Family Wedding Portraits
Their Importance
Weddings are an exciting and emotional time – not just for the couple but for their loved ones as well – their family & friends. Planning Your Family Wedding Portraits however can get overwhelming. Everyone has come together to celebrate this union as they have watched & supported you on your journey up to this point. That’s exactly why however including family portraits on your wedding day is SO important. It reminds your family how important they are to you on this day in your life but it also becomes a precious memory that your loved one will cherish for years to come. (It can be also be a great gift opportunity as well!)
Where to Start
With all my wedding clients, I always ask for a list of family groupings you’d like photographed. Typically this portrait time happens immediately after the ceremony. It can be easy to have the officiant announce at the end of the ceremony to have all family stay behind or to go to a certain area for portraits. This can also be pre-arranged and included information on the invitation or wedding website! I find that a little direction really helps alleviate a LOT of frustration & unnecessary delay and confusion from your family members. Without a bit of a plan, people can wander off, causing huge delays that quickly make it an unpleasant experience for some. This can help ensure the entire experience of the day is stress-free and focused on celebrating your union!
Timing
We usually set aside 20-30 minutes on the timeline of the day for these family portraits. This allows us to have up to around 20 different groupings but I find usually anywhere around 15 can be ideal. Groupings will vary as each family is unique!
Groupings with a lot of people can easily take up to 5-10 minutes each and if you have multiple big groups, we can quickly go into your valuable Bride & Groom/Bridal Party Portrait time or your cocktail hour!
Keep in mind, I will always try to give you a variety within certain groupings when time permits. For example, if you had listed a Siblings grouping of: “B&G (Bride & Groom) + Siblings” if time allowed I would then also break down that grouping into each individual sibling with the B&G, & so on. So if you have B&G + Bride’s Parents, you will always get an individual shot of just the Bride with her Parents, etc.
Picking the groupings can get overwhelming, especially if you have a large extended family and want to include the majority of them! I’ve included below a basic template you can use, but keep in mind everyone’s family has different dynamics and this list can look very different depending on who you want included!
In your Final Details Questionnaire that I send to all my couples, I also ask that you include the names of the family members alongside the groupings. This is so that when there’s a large group of family members standing by during this time, we can easily call people by name when it’s their turn without delay.
Family List Template
Here are my recommendations for your Family Wedding Portraits List below:
1. Bride + Groom + Bride’s Parents
2. Bride + Bride’s Parents
3. Bride + Bride’s Mom
4. Bride + Bride’s Dad
5. Bride + Groom + Groom’s Parents
6. Groom + Groom’s Parents
7. Groom + Groom’s Mom
8. Groom + Groom’s Dad
9. Bride + Groom + Bride’s Siblings
10. Bride + Bride’s Sister(s)
11. Bride + Bride’s Brother(s)
12. Bride + Groom + Bride’s Parents + Bride’s Siblings
13. Bride + Bride’s Mom + Bride’s Sister(s)
14. Groom + Bride’s Dad + Bride’s Brother(s)
15. Bride + Groom + Groom’s Siblings
16. Groom + Groom’s Sister(s)
17. Groom + Groom’s Brother(s)
18. Bride + Groom + Groom’s Parents + Groom’s Siblings
19. Bride + Groom’s Mom + Groom’s Sister(s)
20. Groom + Groom’s Dad + Groom’s Brother(s)
21. Bride + Groom + Bride’s Parents + Bride’s Siblings + Groom’s Parents + Groom’s Siblings
22. Bride + Groom + Bride’s Grandparents
23. Bride + Bride’s Grandma(s)
24. Bride + Bride’s Grandpa(s)
25. Bride + Groom + Groom’s Grandparents
26. Groom + Groom’s Grandma(s)
27. Groom + Groom’s Grandpa(s)
28. Bride + Groom + Bride’s Grandparents + Groom’s Grandparents
29. Bride + Groom + Bride’s Parents + Bride’s Siblings + Bride’s Grandparents
30. Bride + Bride’s Mom + Bride’s Sister(s) + Bride’s Grandma(s)
31. Groom + Bride’s Dad + Bride’s Brother(s) + Bride’s Grandpa(s)
32. Bride + Groom’s Mom + Groom’s Sister(s) + Groom’s Grandma(s)
33. Groom + Groom’s Dad + Groom’s Brother(s) + Groom’s Grandpa(s)
34. Bride + Groom + Groom’s Parents + Groom’s Siblings + Groom’s Grandparents
35. Bride + Groom + Bride’s Parents + Bride’s Siblings + Bride’s Grandparents + Groom’s Parents + Groom’s Siblings + Groom’s Grandparents
I hope this helps give you a starting point to know how to map out this part of your wedding day and helps you in Planning Your Family Wedding Portraits! Have any advice or must-have groupings?? Please be sure to comment below with your own experience!
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photographer for the authentic & adventurous
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