Jeff Cooke Photography » Weddings

We’ve Got Seconds Till Midnight

Jeff Cooke — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 15:29:00 +0000

We almost missed midnight … but it wouldn’t have been our fault. Much like Tricia + Steve’s New Year’s Eve wedding guests, Jenn and I weren’t really paying attention to the time and just kept following the action. So when the clock was close to counting down, everyone scrambled looking for the bride and groom who just so happened to be sitting at the bar toasting shots with the rest of the wedding party. What followed was a mad dash to the dance floor with horns, beads and hats flying out to guests and before we knew it everyone was yelling 3 … 2 … 1. Our plan to go up on the roof for a champagne toast with fireworks was canceled due to the heavy rain, but it didn’t matter, Tricia + Steve threw a phenomenal party with an incredible group of people who didn’t stop, not even when the house lights came on. What a way to end a fantastic 2011, and I’m so excited for what we have in store for 2012.

Wedding at Onyx

Jeff Cooke — Thu, 24 Nov 2011 14:11:30 +0000

One of my last weddings of the year was an evening spent with Amy, Shamus and their closest friends and family. Onyx (which also happens to be one of my favourite restaurants in Halifax) was the perfect choice to host their intimate wedding reception, and with a little help from Update Events, the mood was set for the Hollywood-Glam-meets-rock’n-roll vibe they were going for … Shortly before the ceremony, I caught a nice moment between Shamus and his proud mother. To me, it really showed the love and support between them and I’m really happy to have it featured up on Moment Junkie …

Run for Cover

Jeff Cooke — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 15:07:22 +0000

Angela + John were originally planning an elopement but gave me a call after deciding to make a quick stop in Halifax for a small, intimate wedding at the Haliburton House. Moments after their ceremony, we all ran for cover after being surprised by a sudden downpour …

Crowd Surfing at the Westin

Jeff Cooke — Wed, 19 Oct 2011 13:39:17 +0000

I’m pretty sure that a few of Maggie + Waleed’s wedding guests woke up with a bit of a headache (along with sore shoulders) … it was a phenomenal day with a reception that certainly rocked the Westin.
At some point in the evening, amidst the dancing and crowd surfing, Maggie lost her bracelet. Although Jenn and I both helped in the search, later on I realized that I happened to catch the exact moment when she noticed it was missing …And of course, we were the last to leave and on our way out, while the staff was busy lifting chairs and combing through rose petals for a bracelet, I caught the couple seconds before the elevator door closed. And by the way, the good news is that the awesome staff of the Westin found Maggie’s bracelet the very next day. Congrats to Maggie + Waleed! For a few more, check out the “Here Comes The Bride” post, or their fun movie theatre engagement shoot …

Jenn + Hans

Jeff Cooke — Mon, 17 Oct 2011 16:32:29 +0000

It was a hot and sunny afternoon, everyone was hungry, tired of dodging the bouquet bombing bees and looking forward to the reception, but I wasn’t expecting to see the entire wedding party take a break to devour fist fulls of McDonalds cheeseburgers. Congrats to Jenn + Hans!

During the reception, there was a slight delay in the scheduled slideshow. I was starting to wonder how many groomsmen it would take to fix the issue (and I’m really not sure how the duct tape was going to help with the problem) … but that’s when the bride stepped in and saved the day.

And be sure to check out their engagement shoot.

Erin + Davey at the Waeg

Jeff Cooke — Fri, 30 Sep 2011 18:10:01 +0000

And check out their engagement shoot at the beach from earlier this summer.

Ashley + Jeff

Jeff Cooke — Sun, 18 Sep 2011 10:58:03 +0000

Ashley and Jeff are both avid cyclists, live active lifestyles and totally embrace everything that life has to offer. Their wedding was definitely an emotional day. Aside from the bride and groom, there were a few other people who played a big part in the day and made a huge impact on me (and many of the guests in attendance): Coady, the ring bearer, along with his Dad and the beautiful memory his Mom (Jeff’s sister) who recently passed away due to cancer. Ashley and Jeff had stressed prior to their wedding that they wanted to make sure her memory was honored in a positive way throughout their day … and they did a superb job. I have to say, they gave us all a lesson on the importance of friends and family that we won’t soon forget.

Check out their engagement shoot …

The Laws of Attraction

Jeff Cooke — Sat, 10 Sep 2011 14:51:25 +0000

We traveled to Ontario earlier this month for Louise and Eduardo’s wedding at the Queenston Heights Resturant in Niagara Falls, set at the foot of Brock’s Monument overlooking the beautiful Niagara River. The bride and groom traveled from Switzerland along with guests who came from all over the world to be a part of their day. And they definitely made the most of their time together with lots of traditional Spanish singing and dancing and heartfelt moments with their friends and family. I really loved how these first two images sort of mirrored each other and you have to admit, for two physicists, they sure had a lot chemistry …

Danke Schön

Jeff Cooke — Mon, 05 Sep 2011 17:54:43 +0000

Erica + Tyler’s outdoor wedding was held at the beautiful Muir Murray Estate Winery, located in Wolfville in Nova Scotia, Canada. This couple has a very sweet love story, actually having met at the ages of 8 & 9. Due to rain earlier in the day (surprise, surprise) their intimate ceremony was moved inside, but the rain soon cleared up and everyone partied until the late hours of the morning. With friends flown in from all over the world, including Germany, where Erica and Tyler currently live, their reception was full of laughs, singing, and DANCING. Their day was also entirely do-it-yourself. From the custom-made seating plan with button name tags, vintage type-written guest book, their fantastic vegan dinner and, of course, the vineyard setting – it was a really fun wedding to be a part of! One memorable moment … while outside for a photo with some sparklers, it somehow ended up as a flash mob dancing to Michael Jackson’s Thriller …

For more of their story, be sure to check out their wedding feature up on Style Me Pretty. Thrilled to have been part of their big day, and equally thrilled to be part of the SMP community!

Drop & Give Me 40!

Jeff Cooke — Thu, 01 Sep 2011 01:41:01 +0000

We recently had the opportunity to photograph a wedding in the Juno Tower at Stadacona Canadian Forces Naval base for a great couple (who I’m keeping anonymous given the work the groom is currently involved with). The groomsmen had an interesting game they’ve been playing since basic training … anytime that someone says the word “mine”, they have to do 10 pushups. For example, one groomsmen would hold up a set of keys and ask who owns them, to which someone replied, “oh they’re mine”. Drop and give me 10! Of course, I ended up participating in the tradition and there were a lot of pushups throughout the day. In fact, at the end of the night, I owed 40 and it ended up being the push I needed to get myself back into a good workout routine. So, the next day, I finally called up a best friend who is one of the owners / trainers over at CrossFit Exertion, signed up and now I’m hooked! As for the couple, they took a break from the pushups and party to check out the stunning views from the top of the tower … and of course we followed along.

The Honeymoon Is Over

Jeff Cooke — Sat, 27 Aug 2011 14:55:59 +0000

Just to clarify, the honeymoon is just technically over, but Mindy & Colin, of course, are still blissful newlyweds! Since Mindy happens to work with my wife, I knew that today is the dreaded first day back in the office after her and Colin’s wedding and Hawaiian honeymoon. I think she had about a month off of work in total, so we thought it might be fun to post a few shots from their gorgeous ceremony and reception at the Lord Nelson Hotel to help ease her into her first day back at work. Welcome back & congrats to the happy couple!!

And be sure to check out their engagement shoot.

Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head

Jeff Cooke — Mon, 22 Aug 2011 18:24:44 +0000

I’m pretty sure that song is the theme of my summer at this point! Marc and Stephanie picked a beautiful location for their wedding day and, even with heavy rain, Grand Pre Winery was gorgeous. The staff served great food, created a warm, intimate atmosphere and, of course, provided amazing, local wine for toasting the couple! We got pretty wet, some of my gear started shorting out and I had to change socks a few times, but it still turned out to be a great day.

And check out their engagement shoot from this past winter. A big thanks to Shelly Baker who stepped in for Jenn to spend the day lugging gear and helping to capture all the festivities (without a pair of rubber boots!).

A Summer Solstice Wedding at Windhorse Farm

Jeff Cooke — Wed, 17 Aug 2011 15:38:41 +0000

Jenn and I headed down to Windhorse Farm in New Germany on June 21st for Tony & Jasmine’s noon wedding vows – at the exact start of summer solstaice. I have to say that a noon wedding on a Tuesday was a first for me, and the beautiful, organic setting/summer solstaice theme perfectly suited the couple and their intimate wedding. We really enjoyed getting to know all of their closest friends and family, tasting some amazing, locally-grown food and, of course, exploring the incredible setting with the newlyweds! What a great way to kick off the summer!

Cheers to Harmonie + Tim

Jeff Cooke — Fri, 29 Jul 2011 12:42:12 +0000

“Woooooohoooooooooooooo!!!!!!” That’s exactly how Harmonie ended her email to me after I told her that I was available to shoot her wedding. And, that’s exactly how Jenn and I felt the entire day working with her & Tim. They choose to have an early evening ceremony with an amazing sunset over their beautiful home in Chester, and we also had time to sneak away to a nearby marina beach for a private toast with a bottle of Dom Perignon and their closest friends. It was a great day spent with a really great family … cheers to the newlyweds!

Sam + Laura

Jeff Cooke — Wed, 20 Jul 2011 15:22:51 +0000

My grandmother, Sadie, was Lebanese and I’ve always had her and the entire Arab family to thank for all the amazing food like grape leaves, hummus, fattayirs, tabbouleh and kafta that I’ve grown to love over the years. Now, after experiencing Sam & Laura’s wedding celebration “week-end”, I’m pretty sure I also have her to thank for the party gene – because Sam and Laura’s wedding proved that the Lebanese culture sure know how to have a good time and we were thrilled to be there for every moment from start to finish.

We started off on Friday by attending the Layliyee (which was a major event in itself) … this pre-wedding party basically consisted of two celebrations: one at the groom’s parents house and the other at the bride’s parents house. During the course of the evening, the groom and his posse of guys bus themselves over to the bride’s party, marching to drums up the street, singing and dancing their way to steal away the bride away. It was one of the craziest moments I’ve ever experienced – but we loved every second of it and had a blast getting to know all of their friends and family. Then on Sunday, after their traditional ceremony at the beautiful Saint Benedict, the entire wedding party hit the reception, again, marching to the beat of a drum that flooded the dance floor with guests, all surrounding the bride and groom to welcome them for the first time as husband and wife. The food, toasts, music, drinking and dancing that followed was filled with lots of pride, culture and, of course, love! I think we finally got home around 3:30 am Monday morning – which in this case seemed to be the perfect time to be packing up from a wedding. So I’m excited to share a few favourites taken from their engagement shoot, Layliyee and wedding celebration. Congrats guys!