Alana Couch :: Blog

New Blog!!

2009-05-07T23:26:00.000-07:00

I've decided to say goodbye to this blog, I've had it for ages and am starting to get a little bored with it :) Now I have a new, prettier-looking blog, with bigger photos and I love it!

Check it out at http://www.alanacouch.com/blog/

Krista & Mike

2009-05-03T09:52:00.000-07:00

Krista and Mike were a breeze to photograph - so spontaneous and fun!! And it was extra cool because Krista and I were friends way back in elementary school but had lost touch until about 6 months ago when she contacted me about her wedding..

eyelash extensions

2009-04-30T10:59:00.000-07:00

Maria Rahmany of Van City Makeup Artist gave me eyelash extensions the other day and now I am in love with them! I was a bit nervous because I thought it would be painful or uncomfortable (or that I'd get my eyes glued shut.. yikes!!), but I just about fell asleep a couple times while she was putting them in, now I can't even feel that I have them!

I thought I'd blog about them because they're perfect for weddings (I wish I'd know about them a few months ago!) because they look WAY more natural than most fake lashes I've seen. And they last three weeks, which is a bonus too!

Here's a few before/afters that Maria took for her blog..

Here's one more that Jin took yesterday (and I'm not wearing any make-up here, just the lashes)

Stacie & Warren

2009-04-28T09:15:00.000-07:00

Stacie and Warren were up for anything, which was great! Their cute little dog Luna also came along for the session (I love including pets in the photos) and she was so sweet

Elaine & Jay

2009-04-26T13:36:00.000-07:00

I had a really tough time choosing images for the blog today... There is no doubt in my mind that this is going to be one FUN wedding!!

This one is for you Jay :P

Ucluelet

2009-04-23T21:28:00.000-07:00

We decided to escape the city for a couple days and headed to Ucluelet... We totally lucked out with the weather and enjoyed a couple lazy days :)

We also ate reallllly well! (one of my favourite things about travel/getting away!) There's a bunch of new restaurants in town, a couple of our favourites were the "Offshore Seafood Restaurant" and "Rooster's Cafe". If you're going over anytime soon, definitely make sure you eat at both!!

I kept myself busy for ages looking around for what the sea had left behind.. it's pretty amazing the patterns that the sea and wind can make in the sand.

This was the view from our room at night!!

Christine & Bernard

2009-04-20T09:02:00.000-07:00

Christine and Bernard have this wonderful tenderness between them which really came through in the photos..

Kristal & Eric

2009-04-12T09:27:00.000-07:00

I could have spent ALL afternoon photographing Kristal and Eric, the camera just loved them! I can't wait for their wedding this August!!

Spring Fun!

2009-04-09T08:55:00.000-07:00

These cousins were SO sweet together.. and they were real troupers too because it was a cold morning!

Their pup was super cute too! Only 6 months old, she is going to be HUGE!

Dekker

2009-04-01T10:33:00.000-07:00

I haven't posted any photos recently of our sweet pup..

Danielle & Matt

2009-03-23T09:02:00.000-07:00

Danielle and Matt were great fun to photograph.. I love photographing goofy people!

they brought these great fighting masks...

Kai

2009-03-18T09:02:00.000-07:00

Such an expressive baby!

We ended the session with some family photos..

I couldn't resist including a nose-picking image :)

Lauren & Jeff!!

2009-03-08T20:47:00.000-07:00

What a great couple to start off the season with.. These two were AWESOME!!

Our wedding photos!!

2009-03-05T16:31:00.000-08:00

Our wedding took place at the Melia Cabo Real resort in Los Cabos, Mexico who did an incredible job in setting up the ceremony and reception sites. I loved what Christina Robson (778-772-8880) did for my hair and make-up!

Our talented photographers, Hollie from Frozen Moment and Mandy from Leap Photographic captured a ton of amazing photos!

We decided to do a 'first look' (seeing each other before the ceremony) so that we could enjoy the cocktail hour with our guests..

You never really know until the day of the wedding, but I was sooo pleased with how our colours went together!!

My maid of honour became ill the day before we were to leave for Mexico and was told she couldn't fly.. Two days later she was given the clear to fly and arrived just in time for the ceremony to surprise us

The reception ended with a trail of sparklers!

Married!!

2009-02-20T13:00:00.000-08:00

I can honestly say that our wedding day was one of the most incredible days of my life. The entire day went better than either of us could possibly have imagined, from the morning with our friends and then our 'first look', to our almost surreal ceremony (which included whales swimming just offshore!) to some really touching and hilarious speeches.. It's hard to put into words what I felt about that day, and really the entire week, which we spent with all our closest family members and friends.

We haven't seen the professional photos yet, but the second I get them I will be making a massive post! In the meantime I leave you with our vows:

You Have Chosen To Exchange Your Wedding Vows In Beautiful Baja Mexico.

We Stand Between The Sea Of Cortez And The Pacific,

Surrounded By The Spirits Of The Sun And Sea,

And In The Presence Of Friends And Family Who Are Here To Surround You With Their Love.

This Ceremony Is A Declaration Of Your Love And Union With Each Other.

This Marriage Should Provide Spiritual Growth And Discovery For Both Of You,

Expanding Your Capacity For Love, Intimacy, And Joy, And The Intentions You Will Jointly Pledge Today Should Act As A Guide For The Future:

To Explore The World Together

To Always Be Truthful And Love Fearlessly

To Live Your Dreams

To Meet In Unconditional Love

To Be A Happy Family

Love is patient, love is kind

It does not evny, it does not boast, it is not proud

It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no records of wrongs.

Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth

It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, and always preserves.

Love never fails.

Marriage is not always 50-50. You need to realize that there will be a balance in compromise. There will be times when one will need to carry the other, and give more than the other.

“May your days together be good and long upon the earth. Now you will feel no rain . . for each of you will be shelter for each other. Now you will feel no cold . . . .for each of you will be warmth for the other. Now there is no more loneliness. Now you are two persons but there is only one life before you”

May Infinite Happiness Accompany You During The New Life You Are Beginning Together.

counting down the days...

2009-02-05T20:41:00.000-08:00

I can't believe that in less than a week we're going to be MARRIED!! We're back in town for about a week to tend to any last-minute wedding details (I just finished the seating charts this evening!), as well as a ton of client meetings and other errands that need to be done after a month of being out of town.. I'm actually pretty pleased with how much we managed to get done before we left for Brasil because most of what's left to do for the wedding are just small details and anything that doesn't get done won't be the end of the world.. I also want to cram in as many pilates sessions as I can the next few days to look great for the wedding :)

Brasil #2

2009-01-25T17:10:00.000-08:00

Okay, I know I´ve been bad about posting and I apologize! What little time I spend on the computer I´m generally responding to various client emails so I haven´t had a chance to blog but I promise to be a better blogger in February/March :)

Here are a few more images from the trip...

Brasil

2009-01-09T14:31:00.000-08:00

Here's just a few photos from the point and shoot camera of our trip so far..

We started in Salvador...

This is the town we're in now.. the first time I came here was about five years ago and the friend I was travelling with and I had only intended to stay for one night.. The day we arrived we wound up making some local friends and had such an incredible time that I stayed 3 weeks (and I only left because after 8 months of travelling it was about time to be heading home) and he stayed 3 months.. Now is my third time back and it's still one of my favourite places in Brasil, it's starting to get a bit more tourism here, there's a total of 8 bed-and-breakfasts here now instead of the 2 that were here the first time we came, but it still has the same laid back feel it always did.. our days here have mostly consisted of going to the beach and chilling out in hammocks for some much needed R&R.. now that it's almost the weekend I'm looking forward to some dancing at night!

Happy New Year!!

2009-01-01T10:40:00.000-08:00

It's been an incredible year.. We worked with so many awesome couples who we've had a ton of fun with. It's always kinda sad when it's time for them to pick up their final albums, knowing that our work for them is done (well, until they start having babies, of course :P But I know we will keep in touch with many of them..

We're about halfway booked up for 2009 and already have some amazing weddings to look forward to - I can't wait!!

Maybe in 2009 we will combine our love for travel with our love for photographing weddings, here are a few places we would love to photograph weddings this year!:

1. in a European Castle
2. in a Tuscan winery
3. on the beaches of Mexico
4. on the top of a mountain, arriving by helicopter, hot air balloon or any other interesting flying device :)

Although really, anywhere will do :)

Happy New Year!

Fun winter plans

2008-12-19T09:11:00.000-08:00

There's going to be a whole ton going on for us in the next month or two, in a really REALLY good way!! First there's the holidays, my second favourite time of the year (after summer - I love the sun), then we head off to Brasil for our honeymoon (who says the wedding has to be first?), then after a few days back home we're going to Mexico for our wedding!!! I'm so looking forward to it all, this is going to be a WICKED winter! I plan to do my best to keep the blog updated with all our going-ons and will be responding to email while we're gone. And I don't doubt there will be a mongo post after the wedding :)

The other reason for the Brasil trip is for me to hopefully, finish my book that I have been working on for about 5 years now.. or to at least have enough photos for the book, because I'm sure it will take me another couple years to find a Brazilian to write the text (writing is definitely not one of my strong points), as well there are a bunch of negs that I still have to get scanned, find a publisher, etc.. But I'm getting there! The book will be entirely b&w and show the day-to-day life of many Brasilians and although I don't ignore the poverty and hardship that many face, I do focus more on the positive to show what an incredible people they are. Every time I visit Brasil I am completely amazed by the joy and pride that they have in their lives, despite the extreme poverty that many of them live in..

Funny how those with very little can be 10x happier than others with way more.. Maybe a good thing to keep in mind during the holidays

More at www.alanacouchphoto.com

Happy Holidays everyone!!!

Chuck, Mandy, Lynden & Brayden

2008-12-16T19:28:00.000-08:00

I just love this family! We wound up doing the majority of the session in the bedroom, just because after about 2 minutes outdoors the boys were chattering their teeth and freezing from the cold (supposedly it was about -10 today..brr!) But it was no problem at all because the light coming into the bedroom was gorgeous! The images all have a very clean and simple look to them that I just love.

babies loooove to touch camera lenses :P

Cheryl

2008-12-15T15:41:00.000-08:00

Normally I don't do 'headshot' type sessions, just because they usually feel a little too formal for me but after chatting with Cheryl when she called the other day I just couldn't say no and am so glad I didn't! It was an absolute pleasure to photograph you and a ton of fun. You are such an incredible and inspiring woman, I could have spent all afternoon chatting with you!

Cans Donated

2008-12-13T10:59:00.000-08:00

Thank-you to all of you who posted comments this past week I will be donating 26 cans of food to my local food bank this weekend!!

Mexican Wedding Balls

2008-12-10T16:20:00.000-08:00

This week's baking.. Perfect for the holidays! (and yum!)

Ingredients:
* 1 cup butter, room temperature
* 2 cups icing sugar
* 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
* 2 cups all purpose flour
* 1 cup pecans, toasted, coarsely ground
* 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Preparation:
Using electric mixer, beat butter in large bowl until light and fluffy. Add 1/2 cup icing sugar and vanilla; beat until well blended. Beat in flour, then pecans. Divide dough in half; form each half into ball. Wrap separately in plastic; chill until cold, about 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Whisk remaining 1 1/2 cups icing sugar and cinnamon in pie dish to blend. Set cinnamon sugar aside.

Working with half of chilled dough, roll dough by 2 teaspoonfuls between palms into balls. Arrange balls on heavy large baking sheet, spacing 1/2 inch apart. Bake cookies until golden brown on bottom and just pale golden on top, about 18 minutes. Cool cookies 5 minutes on baking sheet. Gently toss warm cookies in cinnamon sugar to coat completely. Transfer coated cookies to rack and cool completely. Repeat procedure with remaining half of dough. (Cookies can be prepared 2 days ahead. Store airtight at room temperature; reserve remaining cinnamon sugar.)

When balls are cool roll a second time in icing sugar. Makes about 4 dozen

I had actually made them for a cookie exchange with a few friends... Here are the resulting goodies I wound up with!

2nd shooting

2008-12-06T17:05:00.000-08:00

It's rare that I get to second shoot a wedding these days, just because I'm always so crazy busy with my own weddings, but I had the opportunity to help out Mandy Anderson from Leap Photographic recently and had such a blast!! I even got to shoot the guys getting ready, which I was excited about since I haven't done that in ages!

Here are just a few fun, random images from the day:

Cans for comments

2008-12-04T23:26:00.000-08:00

I always love doing whatever I can to give back, and I also love getting feedback and comments on photos in the blog.. For the next 7 days every person commenting on a post will equal one can of food donated to the local food bank!! It doesn't have to be this post - you can leave your comment on ANY post on the blog! So definitely be sure to comment, and get your friends and family commenting too!

There are a whole group of photographers doing the 'cans for comments' so check out their blogs too, and don't forget to comment! So far there's

Erin Gilmore,

Chris + Lynn,

Amber Hughes,

Lori Miles,

Blue Olive,

Bebb Studios,

CJ Scott,

Lisa Landrie,

Tracey Heppne,

Micheal Wachniak,

Jamie Delaine,

Laura Dolcepics,

Shandro Photo

I'll let you know at the end of the week how many cans everyone helped to raise!

Sara & George

2008-12-01T09:33:00.000-08:00

Sara and George eloped recently, then called their families from the beaches of Hawaii to announce their marriage!! Excellent shock value, I love it!

Their reception was held here in Vancouver at The Lift, which was wonderfully atmospheric..

The gorgeous couple...

My Wedding Shower!

2008-11-24T20:14:00.000-08:00

Jin picked us up a couple t-shirts for Mexico the other day and they wound up coming in handy this weekend..

I had gone out jewellery shopping for the wedding with one of my bridesmaids and when we got back everyone was waiting to surprise me!!! What an awesome surprise, I had soooooo much fun!

Thanks Mandy for taking some photos!

We played this hilarious game where I had to correctly guess what Jin's answers to the questions had been. Every time I answered incorrectly, I had to wear another goofy accessory.

lol.. I'm sure he'll love that I posted this! That's not even what I guessed!

As you can see I got quite a few wrong... oops!

Kai's Birth

2008-11-21T09:12:00.000-08:00

I can see why birth photography is getting so popular.. It was such an amazing and surreal experience to witness a baby's birth and the parents reactions to this new addition. It was completely indescribable..

I had a really tough time choosing images for the blog, just because there were so many incredible images to choose from. One of my favourite images is probably too graphic for the blog, so I will post it here instead.

mom's first look of Kai

dad cutting the umbilical cord

Ella and Kai both had gifts for each other, which I thought was a very sweet way to introduce the two..

Birth Session

2008-11-20T09:41:00.000-08:00

I photographed my first birth session recently which I will be posting soon..

Here I am all ready to start!

Tyler, Keely, Henry, & Avery

2008-11-16T09:02:00.000-08:00

What a FUN family!! And they have three dogs at home! They are going to have so many great memories together to look back upon when they are older...

These first two are my favourites from the day..

You guys totally make me want to have four kids!

Raspberry Truffles

2008-11-11T19:10:00.000-08:00

I'm not very handy in the kitchen and Jin generally makes all our meals (the last time I tried to make a meal our place smelled of burnt bean soup for two days!), but I've decided that I should start baking more often because I do enjoy that and I loooove baked goods!! My plan is that once a week I will bake something new, starting today..

My first challenge was raspberry truffles and they turned out delicious!!!

Here's a link to the recipe incase anyone's interested in making some for themselves :)

Brides Against Breast Cancer

2008-11-07T16:15:00.000-08:00

If hanging onto your wedding dress is not something that is a necessity to you then I recommend checking out Brides Against Breast Cancer. They're an organization that accepts bridal gown donations either from brides or bridal shops, and the dresses are sold at their fund-raising events. Proceeds from these events are used to "make wishes and dreams come true for women and men who are losing their fight against breast cancer."

Sounds like a great cause to me and I will definitely be shipping off my dress once I'm done with it

http://www.bridesagainstbreastcancer.org/

Chloe

2008-11-04T12:45:00.000-08:00

Chloe was a treat to photograph.. She hardly fussed at all and was just a little angel..

and so expressive!

A quiet moment with Mom..

Ella, Hollie & Jeff

2008-10-26T15:01:00.000-07:00

I did a short, fun and very casual session with Ella, Hollie & Jeff this week, as Hollie is due in November and didn't have any pregnancy photos yet!!

Hollie will be one of the photographers at my wedding, which I'm veeery excited about!!!!

Wedding update...

2008-10-19T13:07:00.000-07:00

Everything is falling into place for the wedding.. Slowly but surely we are getting everything done and I just keep getting more and more EXCITED!! We do have to be especially on top of things because we're going on our honeymoon before the wedding, and we get back only a week before we leave for the wedding, so if we leave anything until the last minute then probably it won't get done...

Although we're not going to do tea ceremonies, I thought it would be nice to honour Jin's culture by wearing a Chinese dress for the reception.. Also the girls are going to have paper parasols for the photos, which will look SO awesome with their rasberry-coloured dresses!! but wow, they are so delicate I just hope I don't destroy them on the way down to Mexico! (I did buy a couple extras, just in case :)

I especially love the neckline and collar of the dress, which is a bit unique.... everyone will have to wait till '09 to see it though!!

Happy Thanksgiving!!

2008-10-14T09:41:00.000-07:00

We were very well-fed this weekend, two Thanksgiving dinners AND we celebrated our 4-year anniversary on Friday by going to dinner at Guu.. We love trying out new restaurants and had heard great things about it so we decided to check it out - it did not disappoint!! I guess this will be our last year of celebrating our anniversary from when we first started dating since we will instead have our wedding anniversary.. (or it could just be another good excuse to go out for a nice meal :)

Anyways, I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Selina & Kele

2008-10-11T20:42:00.000-07:00

Selina and Kele decided to get some portraits done for the holidays (speaking of which, I can't believe how quickly they're coming!) They also brought along their dogs Maggie and Frosty who were veeery sweet :)

check out those ears!

Updated Studio!!

2008-10-08T14:21:00.000-07:00

It was time to update the walls of the studio and I'd been thinking for a couple weeks about what I wanted to do with the walls and which images I would use.. It's always tough to decide because I have so many favourites, but while designing the layouts for Kylie and Shawn's wedding album, as soon as I finished layout #17 I realized it would look SO great as a trio above the sofa!! Take a look at how it turned out - nothing beats custom framing!

the layout...

the wall... the images are about 13"x19" and the frames are 24"x30"

Naz & Ben

2008-10-02T14:25:00.000-07:00

Naz & Ben's property (complete with horses and a barn!) worked perfectly for their engagement session..

Natalie & Shawn

2008-09-30T18:16:00.001-07:00

What a hot couple!! I can't wait till the wedding next summer!!

I've been really bad about blogging lately..... I will try to be better and post more in October :)

Larissa & Matthew

2008-09-14T18:51:00.000-07:00

What an easy-going and fun group! We could have kept on going forever with Larissa, Matt and their wedding party.. Have a great time in Mexico!

Wedding Planner & Decorator: Reflection Events
Dj: Val Gionis
Cake: BC Cakes
Musician: Musical Occasions
Rentals: Upright Decor
Limousine: Ritz Limousine

Greedy Dekker

2008-09-09T11:36:00.000-07:00

What a goof!

(although in Dekker's defense, he only steals toys so that Mel will come chase him for it and play :)

April & Kevin - Dr. Sun Yat Sen Gardens

2008-09-06T12:58:00.000-07:00

April and Kevin's ceremony was so intimite and personal, it was really incredible to witness.. It was almost as if they were the only two people present..

The hot dog vendor in gastown was so sweet, they'd just finished saying how hungry they were and two seconds later he yelled 'free hotdog for the bride and groom!'

Flowers: Divine Vines
Chair covers: Coveted Covers
Hair & Makeup: Isabel Kwan
Cake: Orchid Enterprises 604-684-8955

Kylie & Shawn - Redwoods Golf Course

2008-08-31T13:22:00.000-07:00

What a kind, sweet, and (clearly) madly in love couple!! You two were meant for each other!

the beautiful bride..

they had an apple theme!

Justice of the Peace: Jennifer Bateman
DJ: Dance Party Music Services
Décor/Centerpieces: Cinderella Chairs
Florist: Ashberry & Logan
Videographer: Gabriel Colome
Hair: Spa Utopia

Robin & Ravi - Engagement Party

2008-08-25T14:54:00.000-07:00

Robin and Ravi are offially engaged!! Congratulations you two!

getting stuff done...

2008-08-21T20:13:00.000-07:00

well I must say that I'm pretty pleased with myself! I've managed to choose a date, book a resort (it's confirmed - Mexico in winter 2009!!), find and order my dress AND the bridesmaids dresses already!

We have all sorts of plans in mind for the rest.. the ceremony will be on the beach just before sunset, the wedding party will be barefoot and our first dance will be salsa! (a good excuse to get Jin out salsa dancing with me :P )

I figure that the rest of the wedding planning can wait until later in the fall when I have more time for it, since nothing left absolutely NEEDS to be done now (thank goodness for the coordinator at the resort :) what a relief, but I'm also having a ton of fun with it! I can see how a lot of brides wind up in the wedding industry after planning their own wedding..

look at the engagement cake my little sister made us!! she's so cute

Robin & Ravi

2008-08-19T08:51:00.000-07:00

These two were on fire! and I always love it when couples will be goofy and have fun during sessions!

Ajay, Sean, Kiran & Jessey

2008-08-18T11:31:00.000-07:00

What adorable kids!! And well-behaved too, I don't think Ajay cried for more than 5 seconds and Sean was sooo cute :)

Michelle & Shane

2008-08-17T15:36:00.000-07:00

Michelle, Shane and their wedding party were such troupers yesterday.. it was sticky-hot and they were hungry but they were into doing just about anything for the photos and were wonderful to photograph!! Thanks so much guys!

Gown: Isabelle's Bridal
Cupcakes: Cupcakes
Hair: Zazou
Make-up: Carla Gould 416-400-6617

Dylan

2008-08-14T20:58:00.000-07:00

Dylan is such a beautiful baby! and he's going to be crawling all over the place in no time.. :)

Katerina & Ryan - The Hart House

2008-08-10T15:41:00.000-07:00

Katerina and Ryan had a beautiful wedding, and the smiles didn't leave their faces all day!!

I love these ones, the girls were practicing walking down the aisle!

Lucy's dress matched too!

DJ - Garry Robertson Music
Florist - Make Scents

Baby Kaitlynn!

2008-08-07T08:58:00.000-07:00

I photographed Matthew and Maggie's wedding last fall, so it was great to see them again yesterday to photograph their newest addition Kaitlynn! I was amazed by how alert she was throughout the session :)

Surina & Sam - Part 2

2008-08-05T09:11:00.000-07:00

What wonderful people! Sam & Surina are very genuine and down-to-earth and I thoroughly enjoyed the time spent with them!! I had a ton of fun with their wedding party too :)

mmmm...

Design: Wedding Design Studio
Chair Covers: Coveted Covers
Caterer: Original Tandoori Kitchen

Surina & Sam - Part 1

2008-08-03T08:42:00.000-07:00

I love photographing ethnic weddings, especially when there is so much colour and so many interesting details!!

Surina looked stunning...

Welcome Jin!!!

2008-07-31T15:42:00.000-07:00

Jin is now Alana Couch Photography's official second photographer!!

Up until now he was doing the second shooting of about a quarter of my weddings (and a few other very talented photographers were doing the others), but I've recently decided that I would LOVE to have him for them all! So from now on, all weddings booked will receive coverage by both myself and Jin.

Here are just a few of my favourite images taken by Jin:

Inspirational Video

2008-07-29T21:49:00.000-07:00

This isn't at all related to weddings or photography, but it's just so heartwarming that I had to post it..

Dress Shopping!

2008-07-27T17:17:00.000-07:00

Although we're planning a destination wedding, which takes a lot of the decisions out of my hands, 6 months is still not a ton of time to plan a wedding so I'm going to have to be very on top of things..

I really realized that today when I went dress shopping with a friend and all the stores mentioned it takes 4-6 months for the dress!! But I found some absolutely gorgeous dresses, and I actually fell in love with the very first dress I tried on, which was nothing how I had envisioned it would be, but wow was it stunning.. Then at the next store I fell in love with a new dress, also stunning (but completely different from the first and exactly how I'd imagined my dress would be), which I am pretty sure is going to be the one I go with in the end, although I've told myself I'll go look at at least another few stores just incase I find another favourite :)

I really wish I could post some photos but then Jin would find out and that would spoil the fun.. So everyone will just have to wait until February to see!!

I had envisioned that wedding-dress shopping would be very stressful and frustrating to find something I liked or that looked good on me but I had such a great time, I can't wait to go again!

Baby Keenan & Family

2008-07-26T09:19:00.000-07:00

What a cute addition to a beautiful family!

Noa & Andrew - bring back the dress

2008-07-22T22:33:00.000-07:00

I'd really love to start doing more of these because they are soooooo fun!! I was expecting the water to be a lot colder than it was but it turned out it was actually almost warm once you got in.. Thanks guys, I can't wait for you to see all the rest!!

I'm ENGAGED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2008-07-21T08:51:00.000-07:00

When a couple of Jin's friends contacted me a few weeks ago to photograph them in Tofino for their two year anniversary I didn't think anything of it, since I had also photographed them at their first anniversary and wedding..

It became my idea that Jin came along and that we go up a day early to get in a mini vacation before the shoot ( at first he insisted he would not be able to come, but I guess he knew I would try to talk him into it! ). It turned out afterwards that there wasn't an actual photo session planned, the couple wasn't even going to Tofino for the weekend, it had just been a ploy to get me up there without getting suspicious, so Jin could propose!!!! It was SUCH a wonderful surprise and I couldn't have had a bigger grin on my face when I said 'Yes'!!

We've been together almost four years, so it was great timing too. I'm soooo excited to start planning and already have a ton of ideas from things I've seen at weddings I've photographed or by speaking with brides about their weddings... We haven't decided yet when/where we'll have the ceremony but we're leaning towards February in Mexico! Something laid back but a ton of fun! I'll keep you all posted as we figure things out :)

Here's a few shots from the weekend, just on the point and shoot..

here I am the next morning.. I look very happy :)

Laura & Brahm - Cecil Green

2008-07-14T19:59:00.000-07:00

What a fun-oriented wedding! From serving ice-cream cones during cocktails, to games of croquet and bocce ball before dinner, to an entertainer for the children - everyone seemed to be having a blast!

The getting ready part of the day is without a doubt one of my most favourite parts of the wedding day... there's just always SO many great moments..

Florist: The Flower Factory
Hair: Missy
Make-up: Blair Petty
Pianist: Joyce Chen 604-274-9015
Cake: Anne's Gourmet Pantry 604.535.0933

Corinne & Bernie - The Vancouver Club

2008-07-06T11:46:00.000-07:00

Corinne and Bernie have such a wonderful bond with their friends and family. I found it so touching that Bernie's sons were given a special part in the ceremony..

Wedding Planner: Reflection Events
DJ: Hot Wax
Florist: Bloom Room
Trio: West Coast Strings
Make-up: Naama Sireni
Cupcakes: BC Cakes 929-6438 (these were deliiiiicious!!)
Videographer: High End Productions 604-516-9506
Marriage commissioner: Allan Burnette 604-688-0770
Hair Stylist: Lisa Brown 604-985-4743

Michelle & Darren - St. Joseph's Parish

2008-06-30T10:30:00.000-07:00

Michelle and Darren are such a perfect match! Their wedding was a unique blend of their Filipine and Chinese cultures, and elements from each were throughout the day which made it a wonderful wedding to photograph.

This little guy was chilling out at the back of the church with his dad..

Videographer: Estrella Productions
Limo: Ritz Limousines
DJ and Emcee: Ed Lee Music
Florist: Budget Blooms
Cake: Kam's Bakery - 604-874-4041

Mel (caramel)

2008-06-23T20:20:00.000-07:00

My mom got a new puppy the other week, and he and Dekker have become the best of buddies! It's sooo cute watching them play together, Dekker will run around with one of the toys while Mel chases after him trying to steal it.. after a while Dekker will just patiently stand there and let Mel try to pry it away (which never happens) it's too funny!

here's a couple shots from Mel's last visit...

Be a fan!

2008-06-19T21:33:00.000-07:00

I resisted joining facebook for ages, but finally joined a few months ago and found it to be so great to keep in touch with people I meet, and it's also put me back in contact with people I haven't spoken to in years!..

So I decided it was time for Alana Couch Photography to be on facebook too!!

To check out the page or become a fan: click here

To become a friend of mine: click here

:)

April & Kevin

2008-06-14T10:34:00.000-07:00

April and Kevin were so great to photograph, I have a feeling this will be a fun wedding to photograph later in the summer :)

Larissa & Matt

2008-06-09T08:43:00.000-07:00

I was glad that Larissa and Matt were up for some fun, urban locations - those are always my favourites!! They were up for anything, too, which was great :)

Top 10 WPJA Photographer!!!!!!

2008-06-05T22:36:00.000-07:00

One of my images placed #1 in the 'details' category and #10 overall of the latest WPJA contest!!!!

I am just SO honoured! I don't enter contests very often and actually didn't even realize I had placed until I received an email from a friend saying congratulations! lol..

The WPJA contests are incredibly competitive because professional photographers from all over the world enter.. They're a great association because they only accept photographers who are true photojournalists.

Here's their mission statement:

"The Wedding Photojournalist Association (WPJA), an International, membership-based organization, represents professional photographers skilled in the documentation of weddings and events in a candid, unobtrusive style. The WPJA was founded to uphold excellence in the area of wedding photojournalism."

Anyway here's the image, I loved the judges comments :)

Charleen & Robin - Minter Gardens

2008-06-03T09:38:00.000-07:00

There were so many fantastic details to photograph throughout the day and Charleen looked just gorgeous in her dress!

I think this was one of the sweetest flower girls ever.. such a little chatterbox :)

Joe Buissink Workshop

2008-06-01T15:15:00.000-07:00

All I can say is WOW! I was so amazed by Joe, both by his incredible photography and just by his down-to-earth, super friendly and open personality.. For the photographers out there, if ever you have a chance to take one of his workshops don't hesitate!! He's all about recognizing and capturing the moment and I left the workshop feeling SO inspired.

I also met a ton of other great photographers from all over the US, Canada and the UK who I had a ton of fun with, and who I would definitely love to keep in touch with. We were also incredibly well fed with the tastiest organic meals...mmm!

Here are some photos from the week..

Ai & Phil - Brockhouse

2008-05-30T17:50:00.000-07:00

Ai and Phil are such a sweet and kind couple.. I enjoyed every minute spent with them!

I wasn't sure whether to post this one or not.. I just felt that this image really
sums up a bride's preparation for the wedding.. And I love the hand grabbing the hairspray!

they danced a tango for their first dance!! (how cool is that!?) Jin took this one, it's definitely one of my favourites from the day!

Officiant: Brent Sheppard
DJ: Hot Wax Productions
Cake: Pipedreams
Harpist: Josephine Lee
Flowers: Angela & Gabriel Flowers 604-876-9911
Pianist: Charlene Welk 604-254-8306

Ai and Phil tie the knot!

2008-05-26T09:43:00.000-07:00

I have a ton of amazing images to share from Ai and Phil's wedding yesterday, but they will have to wait until later in the week because I am just heading out to the States for a workshop with Joe Buissink! For those of you who don't know who he is, he's a very well-known celebrity wedding photographer (he photographed the weddings of Jennifer Lopez, Hilary Swank, Christina Aguilera, etc...) I've heard incredible things about his workshops and CAN'T WAIT to be inspired :)

Have an awesome honeymoon guys!

it's barbeque season!

2008-05-24T19:23:00.000-07:00

we bbq year-round, but it's soooo much tastier in the summer! tonight's menu: chicken hamburgers! yum!

hmmm...

2008-05-23T12:58:00.001-07:00

My mom came by for a visit this afternoon and brought her camera so I could burn a disc for her of her photos.. She was taking care of Dekker for us a couple weeks ago while we were at an all day wedding and I came across some photos from that day... I discovered that besides spoiling him, my mom breaks all our 'rules' for Dekker's while she has him :)

The stuffed pig is his special toy for when he visits her place, but he's definitely not supposed to be on the furniture!

Noa & Andrew - Burnaby Lake Pavilion

2008-05-19T20:38:00.000-07:00

These two were HOT! I had a blast photographing them, their fun wedding party and their super kind families this weekend!

Catering: Sugar Mountain Catering
Florist: Garlands Florist
Cake: Tartlets
DJ: Music Maestro

Lauren & Jordan - Minter Gardens

2008-05-11T16:44:00.000-07:00

Lauren & Jordan had a gorgeous ceremony, one thing that made it particularly special was that everyone taking part in the entire day was either close friends or family, from the ministers to the musicians..

Videographer: Hello Tomorrow
Florist: Jan Martens

Charleen & Robin

2008-05-09T09:15:00.000-07:00

I'll be photographing Charleen and Robin's wedding in a few weeks, hopefully we luck out with as great weather as we did for their engagement session!

Laura & Brahm

2008-05-05T09:33:00.000-07:00

Laura and Brahm seemed so comfortable in front of the camera.. I love it when couples get right into the session and really interact with each other like I'm not even there..

Katerina & Ryan

2008-05-04T09:31:00.000-07:00

Katerina and Ryan were an absolute pleasure to photograph. What a wonderful couple!

Satuday Morning Brunch

2008-05-03T11:35:00.000-07:00

homemade blueberry sauce AND homemade waffles....yum!

Gift Certificates

2008-05-02T16:57:00.000-07:00

We have brand new gift certificates for newborn/baby/children sessions!! They're available in any denomination and make excellent gifts :)

The best thing about the certificates (in my opinion) is our packaging for them, which is suuuper cute!

Developmental Disabilities Association

2008-05-01T14:23:00.001-07:00

I've done a whole ton of photo sessions for the Developmental Disabilities Association lately. Most of the sessions were done at their various daycare centres throughout the city and the images will be used in a calendar that will be coming out later in the year..

Here are just a few..

Savvy Bride Show

2008-04-30T15:35:00.000-07:00

If you didn't have a chance to check out the Savvy Bride Wedding Show on the 20th (organized by Kerry of Fairy Godmother Weddings), then definitely make sure you get a chance to next year.. I was there as the roaming photographer of the event and thought it was super well-organized, there were a ton of great vendors (including some tasty food to sample.. my personal favourites!) and everyone seemed to really enjoy themselves checking everything out..

all the earlybirds waiting to get in..

the fashion show...

I've seen a fair amount of arrangements by Flowerz and each piece is always a completely unique work of art..

we're planning on having a destination wedding when we get married, but if we were to get married here then DEFINITELY I would have wanted a chocolate fountain! YUM!!

Ashley & Sam - Stanley Park Pavilion

2008-04-21T10:02:00.000-07:00

Such a gorgeous wedding, I especially loved the colour combinations Ashley chose.. my new favourites, I think! Have a great time in Mexico guys!!

April 15!

2008-04-16T14:48:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was my birthday!! I'm 26.. getting old :P It's been a great year, they just seem to keep getting better and better!!.. and it was nice to just have a relaxing night last night too (dinner out and a movie) since things have been crazy busy the past few weeks..

Michelle & Darren

2008-04-13T22:03:00.000-07:00

Michelle and Darren's one request for their engagement session was cherry blossoms.. We lucked out with a gorgeous day and the cherry blossoms (and whole bunch of other flowers!) were perfectly in bloom!

Ashley & Sam

2008-04-09T09:53:00.000-07:00

I am just dying to photograph Ashley and Sam's wedding next week because, Wow, these two were AWESOME in front of the camera!!!

Catherine & Mike - Westin Bayshore

2008-04-06T16:07:00.000-07:00

There was much to photograph at Catherine and Mike's wedding... from the gorgeous bride to the handsome men in their police uniforms, the traditional Filipino Catholic ceremony, and even pipers!.. It was a pleasure to take part in your day!

a gift from Mike :)

Cake: The Uncommon Cake
DJ: Danse Muzik DJ Services
Flowers: Flowers Touch
Limo: Ritz Limousines Ltd

Rowing!

2008-04-04T09:50:00.000-07:00

I'm not a huge fan of the gym and prefer to exercise by being outdoors and doing something fun.. That way I don't even notice I'm exercising! I'm a huge fan of the water, especially the ocean, and have always loved kayaking and other water sports. So this week I started rowing lessons with my good friend Jessy. We haven't quite made it off the dock yet (it turns out theres a lot to learn first to make sure we don't tip the boat!) but I already know I'll love it!..

Aila & Zanti

2008-04-01T18:39:00.000-07:00

How cute are these two?! I can only imagine how fun it will be in their house with identical twin girls!

Maria & Nima - UBC Golf Club

2008-03-30T11:02:00.000-07:00

Despite the snow, rain and cold, Maria and Nima still had an amazing wedding... Congratulations you two!

poor Maria was so cold.. but it was worth it :)

Videographer: Laura Ann Cinema
Dancers: Grupo America
Make-up: Rebecca Lee 604-722-8630
DJ: Sana Goldan 604-323-4999
Harpist: Josephine Lee 604-773-5510

Noa & Andrew

2008-03-17T08:42:00.000-07:00

About 15 minutes into the session it started to pour.. thanks so much for being troopers!

Check back later this spring for the wedding!!.. I can't wait!

Ai & Phil

2008-03-16T11:42:00.000-07:00

These two are such a sweet couple and Ai has the most infectious laugh.. I had a blast!

Us!

2008-03-12T16:45:00.000-07:00

My talented friend Hollie from Frozen Moment Photography took some great photos of Jin and I the other day.. We've been doing sessions for each other the past year or so and it's always fun to be on the other side of the camera!

Surina & Sam

2008-03-09T09:54:00.000-07:00

We hit Chinatown for Surina and Sam's engagement session to honour Surina's heritage, and just to go somewhere a little different..

Dekker

2008-03-05T20:30:00.000-08:00

When we got Dekker we promised ourselves two things.. We would never dress him up in doggy clothes and we would never brush his teeth.. So after a visit to the vet this week who pointed out some plaque on his teeth, we found ourselves on the living room floor trying to wrestle a mini toothbrush into his mouth while he tried to lick the chicken flavoured toothpaste off his lips and squirm away from us.. lol, it was quite the scene! I think we maybe managed to get two teeth brushed and then we swore off the process.

The next day we discovered there were instructions that came with the toothbrush explaining that it should be a fun experience for him and it can take up to two weeks to actually get the toothbrush into his mouth... oops! We might take another shot at it but for now have decided to instead feed him special dog food that supposedly cleans his teeth as he eats it...

The 100 Mile Diet

2008-03-03T10:56:00.000-08:00

I read this great book while I was in Asia, called "100 Mile Diet" which I really really recommend.. Nothing to do with dieting, it's the one-year diary of a Vancouver couple who vow to only eat food that is from within 100 miles of their home... It's funny and interesting, and it really makes you think about how much of a 'carbon footprint' that we leave, and especially by eating food that is imported... We've always been good about recycling, not using too much energy, etc, but this really gave me a good push to do more. anyways I won't get too much into it but it's definately a great read!

Catherine & Mike

2008-02-27T09:19:00.000-08:00

Catherine and Mike took no time at all to get right into the shoot and I had a great time with them.. I'm sure the wedding will be every bit as fun!

Lauren & Jordan

2008-02-25T08:57:00.000-08:00

Lauren and Jordan were so natural together.. they made my job easy :)