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Olga eventually got a new job and was leaving the office & finally their relationship status could be made public. Otto officially kissed her in front of all their colleagues, people were surprised to say the least.

As per Olga, “it was pretty funny and challenging to hide your love and to show your feelings only with the glance.”

Olga & Otto moved to Canada, have now been married for about 4 years and have an adorable son. They do not work in the same office anymore.

Everyone has a story.

My husband is a writer and I am a photographer. We have a pretty interesting story so far and one day soon I’ll share a little more about us. I live and breathe my day thinking about what the next great picture is going to be. I see photographs as I pull up to my coffee window to get my daily latte. Hmm… that could be the next profile facebook pic actually…ha ha

Olga came up with the great idea of having a photo shoot done in an office similiar to where they met so many years ago. We shot the day before Valentine’s Day & since it’s February and cold outside – I welcomed the idea of a challenging location of flourescent lights & reflective glass. Music credit thank you to Chris Isaak for such a fun song that never gets old. Check out their slideshow of their photoshoot below…

But there is one thing that comes to mind. Watching my husband teach my 4 year old son to skate on our lake made all my winter blahs go away – at least for a little while. It’s definitely a hot chocolate kinda day – stay warm everyone!

I don’t often blog about my family but I thought it only fair since I have the honor and joy of sharing in other people’s lives and loves on my blog that I should one day share my greatest love.

How we met is one of the most coolest things that has ever happened to me.  We met 3 times before I even knew his name.  If this wasn’t fate, I don’t know what is or would be.  I was living in Vancouver at the time as a fabulous singlet that was ready to go party up in Whistler for the weekend with my incredible and best friends in the world. I was waiting patiently for my friend Gspot, her nickname – real name should remain anonymous for now… in my black 2 door Acura Integra (very cool for the late 90s in my humble car connessieur opinion) on an early October mid-morning.  I spotted 3 guys getting out of a very old and large Mercedes and I must admit I was immediately smitten by the 6 ft something hunk of man that sauntered ever so casually near my car.  He only asked me what my licence plate meant. It was a personalized plate “K BA” that my friends had gotten me – very hip for the late 90s and I replied “It means, OK bye” as I tend to talk fast sometimes (or I drank too much coffee during that chapter of my life I’m not sure.).   Anyways, he just walked away after my brief first time attempt of a conversation.  Wow… now I thought he was really hot.

After 24 hours, no doubt a couple of rye and cokes, 4 hours of thinking I was a phenomenal dancer on the dance floor of a Whistler pub at 1am, my friends and I ventured back to our hood on Pacific Street to drop off Holster (yes another girlfriend, another nickname) and WHO do I see walking down the street with his friend but the hot stranger I met the day before – on the opposite side of downtown Vancouver no less.  He saw me, I saw him, we waved like we thought we might know each other and HE KEPT WALKING.  I mean come on, what was this guy’s name?  Was he stalking me?  Was I stalking him?  Did I look completely disheveled and hung over? Were the blueberry pancakes still stuck in my teeth?  Did I smile???

About a week and a half later, I went to yet another pub aka established restaurant in Kitsilano after an exhausting game of rec beach volleyball and who walks up to my table but none other than Chris MacKinnon, the man of my dreams.

The rest is history as they say or in this new high tech world, another day another blog (OK no one says that I just made it up)…

I do have to say that I am the happiest I’ve ever been in my entire life.  I am with a man who is not only an incredible human being but is a talented actor and incredible writer who makes me smile even when he’s not in the room.  He makes me speechless when I see how much he loves our kids and is the father I always wanted as a husband and partner.  He encourages and supports me with my photography business and I could not be more appreciative of his sense of humour, beauty (inside and out) and creative mind.

I love you Christopher.  Happy Birthday!

Thanks Dianne for taking our pictures!

Secret looks at each other are beautiful and innocent in their perfect form.  There is an undeniable bond between Heather & John in the way they look at each other.  I love it.

White Point Beach Resort was a gorgeous venue with its stunning beach, outdoor ceremony and reception room with over 180 degree window view of the oceanfront – it just doesn’t get better than this!  And the food was absolutely incredible as well.

We traveled only a few minutes away to Hunt’s Point for some fun wedding party and couple shots at just the perfect time in the late afternoon/ summer evening when the sun was getting ready to say goodnight to our side of the world.  I was elated to hear that Heather & John got to travel around the world a bit on their honeymoon with stops from Iceland, Germany, St Tropez, Scandinavia to Austria!

Here’s to more wonderful new adventures for these newlyweds!

For years I would strain my neck as I drove to get a quick glimpse of this intriguing and mysterious structure much to the chagrin of my husband Chris who would prefer that I keep my eyes on the road 24/7 – understandable I know but sometimes you just can’t help but look.

It’s stunning.

And I finally got the chance to photograph a bride by the name of Milo this past Saturday August 14.  She informed me that it was called the Music Rotunda (perhaps not it’s official name) and that there was a wonderful romantic story behind it. It’s a very special place for her as she grew up near the area.

I can’t believe I’ve been shooting weddings for over 5 years now and never heard of The Hemlock Ravine Park, a park just across the road from the Rotunda that has a heart shaped pond.  As per the VisitorsHalifax.ca website, “When Edward, the Duke of Kent, arrived in Halifax in 1794 to serve as commander in chief of the Halifax Garrison, he was accompanied by his French mistress, Julie St. Laurent. He built an elaborate estate for her here on the property of Governor John Wentworth, overlooking the shore of the Basin. The only one of the estate’s buildings that remains, the tiny, elegant music rotunda, can be seen perched on a hill between the water and Bedford Highway…”

Now please trust me when I say I don’t endorse having a mistress at all, not my thing… but there is just something surreal and interesting about the history and beauty within the HRM itself.

Next time… a groom’s perspective!!

“Bosom Buddies is a group of breast cancer survivors committed to support and care for each other, to paddle as a dragon boat team and to increase our self-esteem while building our physical and emotional health.

So when you see a dragon boat make the spray fly
You should stand and salute as they go gliding by
And may each Bosom Buddy row to this refrain:
The Cancer I’ve beaten is the dragon I’ve slain.

-Jack DeGruchy
October 2000″

Here are just a few images from the morning – more to come next week…

Bosom Buddies Banner

Together

The Ribbon