Tag Archives: beautiful wedding photography

Springtime Florals, From The Potting Shed

On Sunday, it finally felt like spring was about to make her debut. For months now I’d been meaning to drop in and check out the floral experts at From The Potting Shed, and Sunday, at last, the stars aligned, the sun came out, and we we able to meet the team at their monthly open house. What a breath of fresh air! Visiting this stone cottage was the perfect way to start spring 2017. Finding the location in Galt, Cambridge was a bit of a challenge, but once my husband and I arrived it was easy to see why the business has chosen to call this spot home. The abundant natural lighting alone was enough to make me swoon. Add heaps and heaps of blossoms, and I felt like I’d found a little slice of heaven perched on a hilltop in Cambridge.

My mom is somewhat of an aspiring florist and I had hoped to bring her along for the tour, but that aspect of our plans didn’t work out. Luckily I had my camera bag with me, as we were en route to my grandmother’s birthday party. After our complimentary tour, I couldn’t help but ask the owners if I could snap a few shots, and they were gracious enough to allow me 10 minutes with my camera and their florals. I’m sharing these images because they are beautiful, but also so my mom can see what she missed while she was busy hosting her mother’s birthday party. Thankfully, I know there will be lots of other opportunities to visit FTPS with her in the future.

These folks do some great work, and I’m excited to have them make me up some floral crowns for our upcoming boudoir feature this May. Thank you very much to Elaine, Kathy, Nicole, Bill and the rest of the team for your hospitality, and especially for the little customized bouquet. My grandmother loved it.

The next open house for brides is April 8 & 9 if you want to check out this beautiful business for yourself.

http://www.fromthepottingshed.com/

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They’re Married! Meryl & Bill’s Photo Wall Teasers

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September 24th, 2016 was an idyllic day, one filled with love and sunshine and celebration. A week ago, Meryl and Bill said “I do”, and I was honoured to be there at the Toronto Hunt Club to capture the whole day, from early morning mimosas to late night toasts on the dance floor. You can bet that there are an awful lot more photos to come, but for those of you who just can’t wait, here’s a tiny taste of M & B’s big day and the custom photo wall I created just for the occasion. Congratulations, you two!!! xoxo

May Flowers Mini Photo Shoots

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The flower wall. I had no idea how popular it would become when I started making these giant paper flowers in preparation for our wedding back in the winter of 2014. I experimented and played around and eventually ended up with the combination of white, blue, pink, turquoise, yellow and orange flowers that would be the colour scheme for most of my life for the past 2 years. After all the “I Dos” and hullabaloo, I was left with the wall. THE WALL.

Each individual flower represents at least $5 worth of paper and 1-2 hours of my life. This baby took me so long to make that I knew it had to get set up at least once more so that I could properly photograph it myself. Thus the idea for “May Flowers Minis” was born. I enlisted a handful of gorgeous young ladies for May Flowers portraits and we set out to create joyful photographs that would celebrate springtime 2016. Here is a handful of my favourite shots from our styled mini sessions. Thanks so much to all the lovely ladies that participated in this endeavour.

All The Colour

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Well hello there! Got time for a quick story?

Years ago, while preparing for one of my early art sales, my dad, in an attempt to counsel me, said, “You know Em, you like to make everything really colourful. And that’s cool, but some people don’t have the kind of house that works with that sort of art. Some people like beige.” I gave it some thought and he’s right of course, but I’m too stubborn to let it rest at that, so I replied, “Well if the people want beige, I’m sure there are 100 other photographers in town that can do a great job taking boring photos for them.” I’ve always done things my own way, and I don’t see any reason to stop now. My experiments with more frequent, more stylized mini photo shoots are going well. I want to see my work expand in exciting, more bold, more independent directions. I’m going to stay focused on creating work for clients that I really like and I’m proud of. That means its going to be joy-filled, vivid, fun and always, always, colourful.

It turns out your vibe really does attract your tribe, so in 2016 I’m putting it all out there. My art isn’t for everybody, but those who like it, like it a lot. I’m all about portraits that are packed with a ton of colour, texture, fun angles, and genuine emotions. If you like your life bright, bold and sunny side up, you’re in the right place, and you should be excited because I have a shocking amount of never before seen images coming to the blog soon. Want to collaborate on a shoot? Got feedback? Leave me a comment below, or better yet, shoot me an e-mail, I’d love to hear from you!

xoxo

A Kitchener Waterloo Portrait Photographer’s Top Shots from 2015

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What a year! For me and EBI, 2015 turned out to be a flurry of excitement full of extreme highs and lows, big life changes and unprecedented career opportunities.

The year opened up with elaborate plans for my own “glitter garden party” wedding scheduled for June, escalated with Easter minis, continued with the honour winning a YWCA 2015 Woman of Distinction Award, got complicated when I learned who my true friends were in the spring months, and peaked in June when I vowed (on literally the rainiest, stormiest day in 6 years) to stick with Todd forever. Just our luck.

Me and my business hit the ground running in August and the number of jobs I had on the go steadily increased until holiday minis and then the Christmas rush were upon us. After some personal tragedies and the deaths of 2 family members and my beloved bunny, Todd and I had plenty of opportunities to test the strength of our new marriage. I’m pleased to report that through all the various challenges 2015 presented us with, the two of us have become a stronger team than ever. With his support, I shot and edited more portraits for more clients this holiday season than I would have believed possible in the recent past. For weeks on end I was running on coffee and editing around the clock as Todd delivered photo packages for me all over town. I actually had to turn potential clients away in December because there just weren’t enough hours to fit everybody in before the big deadline on the 25th. I would have liked to help those families out, but I admit it also felt like a bit of a milestone for my business to have reached a point where I can afford to turn people away.

At long last, it feels like I’ve got a substantial client base rooting for me, and what excellent clients they are! In a classic example of Murphy’s law, when my new husband and I finally got a chance to slow down on Christmas day, Santa blessed us with food poisoning and we both rang in the New Year in a rather disgusting state.

It truly was a crazy year, full of far more challenges, joys and sorrows than I ever could have anticipated. These are the images, personal and professional, that stick out for me after the last 365 days of living life and pursuing my dreams at full speed.

ebi_9094edit__Emily_Beatty

Thanks so much for being here and for taking a few moments from your busy day to glance at my pictures. Wishing you love, peace and joy in 2016.

Becky & Sean’s Geek Chic Rainbow Themed Backyard Wedding in Elora

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The first time I met with Becky and Sean to discuss wedding photography I tried to play it cool… but secretly I REALLY wanted to work for them. Of course it was the rainbow theme that piqued my interest, but getting to know the bride and groom made me even more excited for their summer 2014 backyard wedding in Elora, Ontario. The two of them are always fawning over each other, just two perfectly matched nerds in love. Sean is warmhearted and jovial, and Becky is sweet as can be, soft spoken and very intelligent. We sampled cupcakes and French macaroons at Honey Bakery in Waterloo, and talked about wedding plans while simultaneously bonding over our love for Harry Potter, music, and the great outdoors.

Right away, I could tell these two had a totally fresh take on wedding planning. They knew immediately that the center piece for each table should be a plasma ball, the draping for behind the head table would be colourful mosiac tapestries painted by the bride’s sister and best of all, every member of the wedding party would wear a different hue from the refracted light spectrum. If you ask the groom where you get a formal rainbow striped vest, he will happily tell you, “My mom made it for me!” When asked why they chose a rainbow theme, they will happily shout, “Because rainbows are awesome!”

Well I’ve gotta say, their wedding was even more awesome. Yep, even more awesome than rainbows. Not even the rain could dampen our spirits. It was a day filled with love, laughter, and light sabers. You have to see it to believe it, but at dusk every single guest participated in an epic, once in a lifetime light saber battle.

Sean and Becky, your wedding day was as unique and special as the two of you, and I wish you both a lifetime filled with all kinds of quirky romantic adventures. Thank you for being different, you rock!

Such great night! Thanks to my second shooter, Stephanie Canada, for having my back throughout Sean and Becky’s wedding. Although I’m only sharing my own photos from the wedding here on the blog, Stephanie contributed plenty of great shots to our collection of images from the wedding. Hope you enjoyed these pictures, thanks for visiting!

Kitchener Waterloo Portrait Photography Prices

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Back in March, I did something called the “Lucky Birthday Sale”. I was able to meet and photograph nearly 20 new families in a short period of time, and using their feedback, I’m currently developing my new portrait packages. (Don’t worry, prices aren’t going up!) Need a quote right now? Sure! Just e-mail emily@emilybeatty.com, let me know what you’re looking for, and I’ll write back with a custom quote, usually within 48 hours.

Looking for information on wedding photography? I accept contracts for just a handful of special weddings each year so that I can pour my heart and soul into each one. Download this e-zine with all the details about EBI wedding photography or visit the website pricing page for more downloadable price sheets and details about the collections I offer.

Looking for more sample portraits before proceeding? Visit the portrait galleries on my website.

Want to talk to a real human before you invest in custom photo art? Call 519 568 9819 to make an inquiry or to book a date for your photo session. Don’t worry, I’m not one of those pushy sales people that will try to give you some long winded sales pitch over the phone, but I will happily answer any questions you may have, make suggestions for your shoot, or give you an on the spot estimate for a shoot.

You can also e-mail emily@emilybeatty.com with your inquiry, or just to say hi. It’s pretty common to e-mail back and forth a few times before actually booking a shoot. With all the other options out there these days, I completely understand if you want to shop around and check out other photographers before committing to a session date. Not everybody enjoys my bold portrait style- but if you have been hunting for unique and eye catching photography and you’re drawn to bright colours like a bee is drawn to honey, than this could be the beginning of something beautiful. Clients with unusual tastes, and alternative lifestyles welcome!

Want to see more samples before committing to a shoot? Click here to visit sample galleries.

If you’re ready to book a session, e-mail emily@emilybeatty.com or call 519 568 9819 to set up a photo shoot at my home studio or another location of your choice.

Top Shots of 2013 by Emily Beatty Imagery

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A Lot of Reasons To Smile

Well one thing is for certain; 2013 was a diverse and colourful year for me. I’m a little sleep deprived, but I’d do it all over again in a heartbeat. I think you’ll agree that the trends that emerge throughout these images are that I unabashedly adore colour, telling a story with my camera, and making photo sessions fun for people- especially little ones.

I was also fortunate to work with a number of other artists, and explore which areas of photography truly speak to my heart. Volunteering my photography skills to the Cambridge YWCA, The KW Polar Plunge, all the events at Steckle Heritage Farm, the Cambridge Relay for Life, Yoga to Beat Cancer, and the Creative Change program run by the Cambridge YWCA Girls’ Center were all terrific experiences that introduced me to new clients and new friends. You can now regularly find my art work for sale at The People’s Gallery in Uptown Waterloo, and on the walls at PUBLIC, the new restaurant run by my buddies at Mama Papa catering. I got to know textile artist Sue Sturdy as I documented her community art exhibit, Colourful Roots, and Cheryl-Anne Webster, creator of the Beautiful Women Project, and collaborated with body painter Alannah Mason to create an exotic yellow portrait series. I also started a new annual community art show at Steckle Heritage Farm called ART BARN.

I’ve learned a million things in the past 12 months, and I can’t wait to implement them to bring you new and exciting photography experiences in the new year. I owe almost all of my success to word of mouth, and the wonderful marketing efforts of my friends, family, and loyal client base. To every one of you, a million times, THANK YOU! This is the best job ever. I hope I’ve brought you at least a handful of smiles this year. May 2014 bring you many, many more.

graffiti in Kitchener with lollipops

Valentine's portraits by Emily Beatty, 2013.

Sue Sturdy and the Secret Garden textile project at PAMA. 2013. Photo by Emily Beatty

Textile artist Sue Sturdy asked me to document her PAMA exhibit, The Secret Garden.

Family Photos at Steckle Heritage Farm. Art by Emily Beatty Imagery 2013

Relay For Life, Cambridge, 2013.

Relay For Life Cambridge, to support the Canadian Cancer Society

family portraits by Emily Beatty

The Beautiful Women Project by Cheryl-Ann Webster.

_EBI0075edit_web All the best to you and yours in 2014. Happy New Year from Emily Beatty Imagery!

Cicely & Dan’s Christmas Themed Wedding in Cincinnati

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Happy Anniversary Cicely & Dan!!!

It’s hard to convey the excitement and the honour I felt when my dear cousin Cicely asked me to help document the biggest day of her life. It’s even harder to believe that it has already been a whole year since Dan and Cicely were wed in a spectacular holiday gala style wedding.

There were dinner parties and old friends, a ton of cousins, tea parties, fancy outfits, indulgent treats, and a festive wedding atmosphere that brought our holiday cheer to a whole new level. What started out as a winter wedding snowballed into an all out Christmas wedding party extravaganza, and I’m certain no one in attendance will ever forget it. From the festive decor to the groomsmen’s kilts, an ice cream bar and an impromptu photo with a group of bar crawling Santas, this was absolutely a one of a kind wedding.

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My mom and Cicely’s dad are brother and sister. We grew up together, but only a few weekends a year- usually in the summer when the American Merritts would come stay with us on the way to the family cottage in Algonquin Park. Dan and Cicely first eyed each other up on the bus route heading to their university 7 or 8 years ago. Since then, I’ve had the pleasure of getting to know Dan, and even his family pretty well, by sharing drinks, stories, some really good meals, and good times at the lake.

I can clearly recall Cic phoning us at a Canadian family gathering to tell us Dan had finally proposed during the 2010 holiday season. My (fabulous) grandmother said, “Well it will be a Christmas wedding then! The bride should wear red. Why not!?!” At the cottage the following summer, we decided that by working together with Cincinnati photographer Kate Foxbower, I could both document Cicely and Dan’s big day AND party like a guest. Thanks to my photography skills, I got to spend the majority of my cousin’s big day with her– an honour I will relive again and again through these photos.

Thanks to Kate Foxbower and Natalie Merritt for assisting me with these photos. They each took a handful of these shots, but the majority I’ve chosen to display are my own. Together, the three of us captured a plethora of memories from the festivities on December 8th, 2012. Here are a handful (OK, a big handful) of my favourite images from the big day. Check back here soon to see part 2 of 2 for all the fantastic party pictures taken at the reception

Enjoy!

December, Christmas wedding in Cincinnati, Ohio by Emily Beatty Imagery. Happy anniversary you two!