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One fall morning Donovan went on the internet and found a beautiful woman to message. His message was straight to the point, asking if she’d be interested in meeting up for a pint. As the evening came, a message popped back up and they made arrangements to meet the next day.   With online dating, there’s a lot of mystery to the first meeting. After a pint of beer and good conversation, they called it a night. Donovan was anxious to message Michelle the next day. A few days later they were set to go quadding, one of Donovan’s favourite activities, and from there started dating.  After two years, Michelle and Donovan travelled down to Colorado for Michelle’s friend’s wedding. Figuring the mountains would have been a perfect place to propose, Donovan’s dad suggested they visit one of the tallest mountains in Denver which was known for its scenic views. They began driving the route, only to find that access to the mountain was closed for another few months.   A bit panicked and even more nervous, Donovan had to think of a backup plan. He tried taking her to different spots but when none of them panned out, he decided to call it a day. With plans on leaving the next day, Donovan felt he was running out of time. He woke up eager to get going and suggested they go to Downtown Denver. A bit taken back by this (as Donovan claims he’s allergic to the city), they rushed out. He struggled to find a good spot amongst the corporate buildings and took Michelle in zig zags until she finally demanded they just go to the airport. They were walking back to the car and Donovan knew it was now or never and so he got down on one knee and proposed. Although extremely shocked, Michelle said YES.    Luckily having been a part of a few friend's weddings and my sister's right before, I had a lot to work with. (The joys of getting married after everyone else :)) (I may have also hired the same wedding coordinator that my sister hired and she saved the day!) As Donovan works out of town most days in the month, I looked after the planning. and we'd take care of things together that needed both of our input when he had days off. In true Donovan fashion, he also decided to build a brand new shed or "mini garage" from scratch which consisted of chopping trees, getting permits, digging, lots of sawing, hammering, shingling etc etc a few months before. So yes, you can tell where his priorities were.  
Probably like most, the day was a whirlwind of fun and we both had such a blast; we didn't want it to end. For Michelle, taking the advice someone else told her, which was to stand back and enjoy the moment part way through the reception was a highlight. It was seeing everything come together and watching our guests have a good time. Many friends and family had traveled over and there was a palpable feeling of love and joy from everyone (even the most redneck of Donovan's friends!) Practically all of the bridal party and some of her family lived elsewhere (such as her sister from Germany and her brother from San Francisco) and Donovan's family came from out east and some hadn't seen each other for more than 10 years.         
  For Donovan, he enjoyed our first dance since we had listened to the wishes of Michelle's mom and taken dance lessons and managed to create something that was a good mix of our personalities. Donovan graduated from knowing one awkward dance move "the Dono" to actually putting on a performance (and he enjoyed it!) It was also a surprise to most guests, especially his family.
 And last, but not least, we can't forget our amazing vendors. Rebecca Koziak from High Culture was our Coordinator and was awesome at keeping everything organized and making sure I stayed sane.
Astrid Woodard from Eclectica Beauty for my makeup. Also Kirsten Schriever who assisted with makeup and let us use her super cute and chic ice cream shop for our photos. Justine Dreger from Beyond Jane Beauty and Studio Mi for my hair, Black Gold Limos Richard and Sam from Divinity DJs Marriott at River Cree and Resort Gloria from the Art of Cake Of course Virginia who was so much fun and has been part of practically all of our group's weddings :) I definitely have a soft spot for dads when I'm taking family photos. They quite often aren't too keen on even doing photos, but I always get super sweet connections with their kiddos. Here are just a few of the dads that have graced me with their presence over the years.          Last, but not least, my own dad with my baby girl <3  This adorable little family had the most perfect living room with light that just made me swoon. That being said, little Harper could light up any room all on her own with that smile. They let me hang out with them for a little bit one lovely Spring afternoon.            |
AuthorChocolate obsessed, mama of two who loves to take photos. Archives
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Edmonton and area portrait, branding and event photographer.
780-288-5533 | info@ginquistphotography.com
780-288-5533 | info@ginquistphotography.com
