2016: A year in photos |

I still can’t believe 2016 is almost behind us…where did the time go?! This year was filled with so many new adventures, both personally and professionally. 2015 marked the year I got pregnant. 2016 marked the year I photographed numerous weddings (one of which at NINE months pregnant!), several engagements and families, and obviously the year I had my sweet little man, Smith.

Bride and bridesmaid laughing in front of white door at Temples Sugar Bush Bride and groom in front of rustic shed at Temples sugar bush winter wedding Couple cuddling at the bridge at mer bleue bog Couple sitting on wooden boardwalk on snow covered path during engagement photo session

I traveled to Toronto for Julie and Ghassan’s engagement session! These two were so amazingly kind – they picked me up from the train station, drove me around town for their engagement photos and even gifted Baby N some beautiful swaddle blankets!

Couple in downtown Toronto underneath Gardiner Expressway Couple walking hand in hand on bridge in Toronto

I met Aislinn and Aaron for their engagement session on a cool spring evening, with the most epic of sunsets. You would never have known it was pretty chilly out!

One last wedding at 9 months pregnant, and then it was time to slow things down and wait for Baby N (that’s what he was called before we ever knew he was a “he”) to arrive.

June 1, 2016. Still no baby. I went for a walk in Gatineau Park with a friend of mine and her daughter who claimed this same walk did the trick for her. Then, I scooted home to drop off my car and take the bus downtown for Parliament Hill Yoga. I remember thinking, this might be my last yoga practice with my baby bump. I went to Chapters on the way home and bought myself a book. The Nest, by Cynthia D’Aprix Sweeney. I read half of it that afternoon and evening, until around 8pm when I started to feel what I thought could be the beginnings of labour. At that point, I could no longer focus on the words on the page. I didn’t sleep a wink that night.
June 2, 2016, my heart exploded. Between the pain, the hormones, and the anticipation, when Smith arrived at 9pm that warm evening, I never knew love like that before. He was this perfect little human, and he was all mine.
I just finished reading The Nest last month.

newborn baby foot newborn baby boy

After just five short weeks, not yet having found my groove as a mom, I went back to work. My first wedding back was a whirlwind. I was exhausted, excited, hormonal, overwhelmed and felt as though I was almost in a dream. This could not have a been a more perfect wedding to photograph, after having Smith. The beautiful bride, Jess, has a son herself, and he was such a vital part of the whole day. Between the love notes Jess and Chris read to each other after their reveal, to the candle lighting ceremony unifying them as a family, hormonal or not – I was a mess.

groom reading love letter to bride unity candle ceremony during wedding bridesmaids in blush standing on steps of old house at Stanley's maple lane farm bride with floral crown

Then came a few smaller, intimate weddings. The perfect way to ease back into the swing of things!

bride and groom playing with their son bride and groom by the rideau canal locks bride and groom by canal and laurier bridge Majors Hill Park wedding photos

The rest of the wedding season continued on, smoothly, and with less tears. It wasn’t the fullest of wedding seasons, but all in all I photographed 20 weddings and 11 engagements in 2016. Not too shabby with a newborn baby to deal with.

mother of the bride helping bride into her dress bride and groom at sunset in fields couple and their dog on the farm in front of old tractor engaged couple walking hand in hand in soy bean field on a farm bride sitting in a vintage chair next to green plants wedding party at Strathmere Garden house in Ottawa, Ontario bride and groom at Strathmere Garden house in Ottawa, Ontario sunset photos of bride and groom at Strathmere in Ottawa, Ontario bride and groom in front of corn fields bride and her bridesmaids at majors hill park bride and groom at majors hill park overlooking the parliament buildings bride and groom standing in the leaves of a willow tree bride and groom at the end of a dock at sunset silhouette of bride and groom at sunset groom holding bride's train at majors hill park newly engaged couple cuddling in the wilderness husband and wife to be cuddling at sunset Bride and groom cuddling at sunset couple standing against old brick building with white van driving past bride and groom outside the museum of nature in ottawa