Alan Dickson Photography

Sara&Carl-Stanley Sweethearts

With all the weddings we photograph, there is always a different story in how each couple met.  This one has a nice local flavour to it, very 'rural Thunder Bay.' In earlier days, Sara volunteered at the Oliver-Paipoonge Fire Station. Sometime later, Carl began to volunteer as well, and they seemed to hit it off. Before long they were an item but both still had to finish their schooling. Sara was taking her Masters (and later her PhD), while Carl was working on his Policing. Once that was finished, they were free and clear to get married! They are both from the Stanley area, so country is in their blood and had to be in their photos as well! After the ceremony, we were in for a treat and we all headed over to the Stanley Hotel to have a bite to eat. While living in Thunder Bay all my life, I had never been to the Stanley - not for River Rafting nor for one of their Famous Stanley Burgers - I didn't know what I was missing! Their food is awesome! 3 cheers for their great cooks!!











Seeing that they both volunteered at the Oliver-Paipoonge Fire Station, they decided to have some shots of a pumper truck along with the wedding gang outside of the hotel. And since they frequented the hotel a fair bit during their courtship, why not include the Stanley in a few shots? This wedding was a lot of fun and we had a blast going from spot to spot capturing the history and personality of this couple.





    



Next the special spot where Sara & Carl had their first kiss. The Harstone Bridge is just down the road from the Stanley Hotel, and spans the Kam River. The bridge is very old and has lots of character, making it a great backdrop for our photos. We then finished our day off at the Valhalla Inn. Once again the Valente DJ services were in fine form, getting everybody up dancing to their heart's content. What a day it was, fresh country air, lots of sunshine and a couple happily in love.















Sara & Carl -thank you for choosing me to be a part of your big day and entrusting me in capturing some of the most memorable moments of your lives. Congrats once again!

Keshia&Kyle-Summer Romance

Monday was our second rain date for Keshia & Kyle's engagement shoot, and what an evening it was! The warm weather we are having is giving everybody such a beautiful tan, and that makes for great photos. Keshia & Kyle both love the outdoors and being in the sun, and once we hit the beach, a few tunes on the guitar made for a fun and romantic time. There were a few locations that our good looking couple were interested in.  They wanted the sleeping giant in some of their shots ( a Thunder Bay fave.) and a Lake Superior beach scene for their second location. When we talked about what they liked to do, Kyle said  the outdoors and playing his guitar. Keshia was all for that and with their youthfulness and great smiles they were well on their way for some fantastic shots. Shooting outdoors is such a freeing feeling, as it allows me to use whatever background I like to make that special shot stand out. With their wedding coming up in May 2011, this is just a taste of what's to come. From the hundreds of shots here is just a sneak peak of my favorites:











    











       

Keshia & Kyle - your engagement session was an awesome time. With beautiful weather, warm sunlight and  some nice locations (good choices!) these are images you will both treasure for a lifetime.

Courtney&Jason-Vintage Class

July 9,2010 was a special day for Courtney & Jason and also for me. It was 30 years ago that I shot my first wedding. It was July 1980 at Friendship Gardens. It too was a beautiful day, just like Courtney & Jason's, but these two had an old car that gave it that nostalgic look. When we sat down to discuss the details of the day, they both wanted to go to Friendship Gardens for their photos. I asked them what was special about the park. They said that they like going for walks with their dog and spending time enjoying the beauty. We had done their engagement session a few weeks before, but when it was time for the wedding photos they added a nice old car to the mix to create a look of classic style, not to mention Courtney's stunning wedding gown and Jason's GQ Tux.  Every park or location that we go to is something special for the couple and we try to make it even more special by adding our own mix of fun and excitement. One unexpected visit we had was from a family of ducks! As we photographed Jason and Courtney, they had their own audience of little duckings! Whatever location we decide to go to  I like to cover different spots to photograph in, as in this park we hit 10 different areas to photograph giving the couple a variety to choose from. Their wedding party were all young,  eager and just a great complement to our beautiful couple. After the park we headed off to the Valhalla Inn for the rest of the evening. Frank Valente had the tunes a-pumpin' and the dancing never stopped. He is one DJ that knows how to get the party moving. Here are some highlights:

























This was a wonderful day with a beautiful couple to photograph. Congrats to both Courtney & Jason!

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