Nadia & Dave - July Wedding in Tignish, PEI

wedding date - july 6th, 2019

Nadia and Dave knew each other since they were kids through Nadia's brother and Dave's buddy Dexter. It wasn't until adulthood when Nadia pressed Dexter on what Dave's story was and what he was like. After hearing she was interested, Dave sprang into action and contacted Nad. The romance grew quickly as they saw exactly what they both wanted - and needed - in the other person. Sixteen months and six days after their first date, Dave proposed to Nadia along the beautiful cliffs of North Cape!

I met Nadia & Dave a few years ago when they starting playing on our multisport league and we’ve since become great friends. It was so fun to be invited to photograph their wedding and I loved getting to know them even more throughout the whole process. They are kind and welcoming people who alway make sure everyone is having a great time in their company. From their wedding they really wanted to have an epic, all night long party with friends, family & community there to celebrate and support them and I think they achieved just that! With over 250 people in attendance, the atmosphere was fun and lively despite all the unpredictable downpours throughout the day. They were married in Tignish and had their cocktail hour and reception in a huge Caseley’s tent on family property. I hope you enjoy these photos as much as I do!

Thank you so much Nadia & Dave for having me capture your wedding day, and congrats to the Brothers!

wedding advice from the couple: 

“Make sure you are both bought into it. It is a lot of work so you may as well have fun together planning it.”

Number of guests - 260

Ceremony - St. Simon & St. Jude, Tignish

Reception - tent provided by Caseley’s, private property

Hair - Phyllis Bernard
Makeup - Rebecca Powers
Wedding Dress - Maggie Sottero, With Love Bridal Boutique, Ottawa
Florals - Alberton Florists

Decor - Miss K's Kreations
Cake - Butter
Catering - MJ's Bakery - Tignish
Transportation - Eclipse Entertainment Company
DJ - DJ Dekz
Late Night Food - Up West Fire Fries

2017 Favorites

Sitting down and compiling this collection is always something I look forward to every year. It allows me to look back on everything I've captured that year and choose my personal favorite photos. For many different reasons, these are some of the shots that stand out.

In 2017 we delivered a total of nearly 29,000 photos to wedding, portrait, and commercial clients. Thinking about that number is overwhelming, and thinking of all of that work is too. But year after year I continue to love this creative field that introduces me to so many people, making real connections along the way. To absolutely everyone who trusted and hired me this past year, I appreciate you so much. A huge thank you as well to everyone who followed along or gave support in any way!

2017 seemed to be a year of surprises for my business and I'm so fortunate for all of these opportunities. My favorite photography podcast recorded an episode about me, I hired my first part time employee, was contracted by the New York Times, and was named one of the top 25 most inspiring photographers in Canada. What a ride! 

Without the fun and interesting interactions, dynamics, and relationships of clients, there would be nothing. A photograph aims to tell the story of what happened, so thank you all for providing these amazing stories. 

Enjoy ~

Gloria & Nick - Sparkling NYE Wedding in Charlottetown

Wedding date - December 31st, 2016

Since photographing the wedding of Katie & Greg on NYE 2015, I love the idea of a December 31st wedding. What better way to celebrate and dress up then attending the wedding of two people you love? Or as Gloria put it, what better way to start a new year than to marry your best friend!

Gloria & Nick met in 2008 while both attending UPEI and started dating 3 years later. Shortly after this Nick moved off Island for work as an engineer, but began driving back to PEI every single weekend to visit Gloria. On a cold and rainy day in the Summer of 2015 during their annual hike around Howe Point, Nick used the help of their golden doodle Ollie to propose to Gloria. From there started the wedding planning for NYE!

It is safe to say everyone had such a fun time at this wedding. Gloria & Nick are the type of people you want to be around, and feeding off their energy and enthusiasm was so great. They took every moment as it came, didn't stress about small details, and took the time to enjoy a few limo sociables. It was like hanging out with friends and I love that I was able to capture this day for them. Thank you for the laughs, the hugs, and the espresso shots. 

To Gloria & Nick, here's to many more happy days like this! 

Karen & Lloyd - Elopement in Avonlea

Karen & Lloyd met and started dating in their home province of Newfoundland 11 years ago. After five years together they decided to pack up and move to Prince Edward Island, to a property they never even saw in person. They now call the Island home, living in between two potato patches just as you would. Inspired by their ongoing happiness and love, they decided to elope this June with a little 5 minute ceremony on the North shore of PEI. With just the two of them, Marsha Weeks, a friend to sign as a witness, and me to sign as the second witness, they had a simple and special ceremony overlooking the water. Being a long time Anne of Green Gables fan, Karen picked the picturesque Avonlea Village for photos of the two of them afterwards. We then spent an hour and a half together, laughing and enjoying their new titles as husband and wife.   

Whether your wedding has so many guests that I can't possibly make my way through them all, or so little that I must sign as a witness, everyone's love is just as special in the end. They said they didn't have one good photo of the two of them, but now there are so many. Thank you to Karen & Lloyd for sharing your happiness with me!

Josie & Nick - November wedding at PEI Brewing Company

Wedding date - November 26th, 2016

Josie & Nick have already been together a whole 12 years, since they were little high school kids in grade 10 and 11! After high school they both completed their university degrees and began 4 years of long distance, which ultimately made their relationship stronger. Being a doctor and a nurse, their careers have taken them from Charlottetown, to Halifax and now to their new home in Kelowna, BC. However, when it came to planning their wedding they returned to PEI for the big day. We started their photos at Josie's parent's home and then headed to the Prince Edward Island Brewery for their wedding ceremony and reception. 

I often get asked if I enjoy photographing my friends, and the answer is always YES! There were so many members of the wedding party, family, and guests that I knew and it made the experience even better. Starting with one of the most real and emotional first looks I've ever captured, Josie & Nick's entire event was a joy to be a part of. Their love is so strong and evident to everyone around them, it really was a beautiful thing to see. Plus, don't they look so great together?!

Congratulations to The Mooneys! 

Makeup - AMP Hair and Makeup Artistry

Hair - Divine Hair Design

Bride's dress - Karma Bridal, Zachary Alexander

Groom's suit - Tip Top Tailors

Florals - Branches & Blooms

Officiant - Brenda Bulger

Band - Vintage

Venue - PEI Brewing Company 

Lindsey & Derek - Married in their own backyard

wedding date - September 27th, 2016

In the winter of 2013, Lindsey & Derek connected in Canmore, Alberta and went skiing for their first date. What was supposed to be a couple hour long date turned into the entire day as they laughed and chatted the whole time, feeling as though they had met each other ages ago. Since then they have been back and forth between Derek's home on PEI, and Lindsey's home in Alberta. When it was time to plan the wedding day, their cottage in Rollo Bay, PEI became the perfect setting. It was a rainy ceremony but with their positive and fun attitudes, it was hardly noticed.

Lindsey & Derek are incredibly laid back and easy to be around. Their wedding day reflected this from the start and the main priority was for guests to be as relaxed as possible. As Lindsey put it - "We broke every rule we could...no assigned seating, ditched the cake and formalities, sat on hay bails and just had a ton of laughs and love." 

One of their favorite moments of the day was when Derek surprising Lindsey with professional highland dancers and bagpipers at the reception! Lindsey used to teach highland dance and it has been a tradition in the family to dance at each other's weddings. They had the entire barn moving so Lindsey and her sister even joined in on the fun. 

I hope you will enjoy all the laughs and moments from this day as much as I did. Thank you another amazing couple, and congratulations to The Hennesseys!

Ceremony venue - private home

Reception venue - Rollo Bay Fiddle Festival

Officiant - brenda bulger

Hair - Kerri Dawn

makeup - amp hair and makeup artistry

flowers - stephanie compton

Band - Larque

Stationary - vistaprint

Transportation - COach atlantic 

Entertainment - The College of Piping

photography - brady mccloskey

Laurence & Peter - Outdoor Wedding at Shaw's Hotel

wedding date - September 4th, 2016

Laurence & Peter wanted the focus of their wedding day to be about celebrating with friends and family in a relaxed and casual atmosphere on beautiful Prince Edward Island. Although Laurence is from Montreal and Peter from Halifax, many of Peter's family is from the Island and it is where they spend a lot of their vacation time during the year. When it came time to plan their wedding, PEI seemed like the natural fit! Many guests travelled from away so the Island became the home base for a week of activities to thank everyone for coming from afar. 

The picturesque Shaw's Hotel provided the wedding venue on a sunny and warm September afternoon. After the backyard ceremony, we escaped to the beach for photos while guests enjoyed lots of time to mingle, drink, and eat some Island seafood chowder. We all gathered again on the back patio for some stories and laughs before heading inside for their incredible meal and more speeches. Laurence & Peter's friends even surprised them after dinner with a hilarious puppet show depicting how they met and fell in love! Then, it was on to the 'Lobster Trap' barn to dance the night away. 

Thank you Laurence & Peter for choosing Prince Edward Island for your beautiful wedding day! 

Venessa & Fabian - Waterfront Wedding in Shediac, NB

Wedding date - September 17th, 2016

Venessa & Fabian met 6 years ago through mutual friends at a NYE party in Halifax, Nova Scotia. After only dating for a short time, they spontaneously booked a trip to the Caribbean which turns out would be the start of many more travel adventures together. The pair were engaged a few years later when Fabian popped the question right before their big European vacation. They spent those next three weeks basking in their engagement bliss!

Their September wedding day was a relaxed and casual affair with the ceremony taking place in Venessa's parent's backyard in the community of Grande-Digue, outside Shediac, New Brunswick. The blue sky, warm breeze, and water views made for an incredible set up. Two friendly and welcoming families came together that day, making for a wonderful time. Fabian and I are first cousins, so their day was even more special for me! Ven & Fabian are just the type of people you want to be around. Their caring and genuine personalities made every guest proud to be a part of their wedding day, one we will always remember. 

Congratulations Venessa & Fabian! 

Reception venue - Notre Centre

Makeup - Irresistible Hair Fashion

Dress - Vera Wang, David's Bridal

Groom's suit - Moore's

Florals - Costco

Decor - Imagination Decor

DJ - DJ Funk

Dessert - Cow's Ice Cream

Photography - brady mccloskey photography

 

2016 Favorites

There are so many Thank Yous to be given at the end of each year. To everyone including all the amazing brides and grooms, the family members who helped organize their family photo sessions, the wedding guests who let me sit with them at their table, the people who showed up nervous to their shoot and left relaxed, the fellow wedding vendors who created beauty, the fiances who helped pick out their partner's outfit, the kids that made us laugh, the limo drivers who took us around, the people that didn't grumble when I asked to take their photo, and to absolutely everyone else who was behind my lens this year......I thank you.

2016 took me near and far, seeing so much and meeting so many. To think of all the amazing experiences and moments I've had the pleasure of being a part of can be overwhelming, but looking back through every folder makes me smile, laugh, and say 'awww' too many times. Thank you to each and every client who trusted me to capture a part of their lives this year. Here's a look back at some of my personal favorites photos from another year of the coolest job ever. 

Enjoy.

Megan & Mitch - St. Dunstan's Basilica Wedding in Charlottetown

Wedding date - September 2nd, 2016

11 years ago back in 2005, Megan borrowed a friend's spare school ID to sneak into Colonel Gray's high school dance. It was here that she first met Mitch. After sharing a few dances, they kept in touch and have been together ever since! Real life high school sweethearts. Wedding planning began 10 years later in 2015 when they got engaged during a Summer trip to Cape Breton. Mitch later surprised Megan by engraving her wedding ring with "it all started with a dance". 

Megan & Mitch wanted their wedding day to be about how everything felt, not how everything looked. This is certainly evident by their expressions, laughter, and happy tears all throughout the day. The amount of emotion was so special to see, and really brought their wedding photos to life. They have the biggest hearts and are loved by so many. Their advice to other couples getting married is to keep things focused on the marriage and not the wedding, as guests are there to celebrate you and your marriage and the rest of the material things will fall into place after that. Very true words.

Congratulations Megan & Mitch!

Number of guests - 170

Ceremony - St Dunstan's Basilica

Hair - mary coloris

makeup - Larissa Faith

Dress - Allure Romance, The Wedding Place

Groom's suit - Dow's

Florals - Island Meadow Farms

Decor - Jenn Maxwell

DJ - Aaron Doucette

Reception venue - Delta Prince Edward

Mary & Leo - Backyard wedding in Orwell, PEI

Wedding date - august 26th, 2016

Mary & Leo's relationship took off after they both travelled for a mission trip to Haiti in 2012. During that time they spent many days and nights talking about life and how they both viewed it. After returning to PEI with a new outlook, they spent every day together and began their series of adventures and travels, including a working holiday which took them all across Canada in an old RV. They eventually settled and bought a farmhouse in Pinette, PEI where they now grow turnips and look after their chickens, goats, horses, and more. One night at the farm in 2015, Mary arrived home from work at midnight to find a note telling her to go out to their beloved RV in the backyard. She opened the door to find Leo on one knee with the ring, and the rest was history! 

Mary & Leo's wedding day was focused on the simple thing that is the true core of a wedding - family & friends coming together to celebrate the married couple in a fun and relaxed atmosphere. They are both such chill, easy going people who care so much about everyone around them and it was a real pleasure to experience it all. From their backyard ceremony at a friend's house, to their casual reception outside the barn at their farmhouse, it all felt right and we had a fantastic time. Thank you so much to Leo & Mary for choosing me to document the day! 

Officiant - Pastor Bill Arsenault

Hair - Divine Hair design

Makeup - Nuala Casey

Dress - Sugar & Spice

Flowers - House of Flowers

DJ - DJ Newf

Videographer - Shane Mallard

Photographer - Brady McCloskey Photography

Hannah & Rory - Rollo Bay Fiddle Grounds Wedding Reception

Wedding date - August 13th, 2016

Rory and Hannah have been good friends of mine for years and I was so thrilled to be able to capture their wedding day this past August. Their wedding was the kick off to what our friends called "wedding week", two weddings on back to back weekends for the same friend group. What a blast it was!

Hannah & Rory met while studying music at UPEI and after initially starting off on the wrong foot, they were the couple that everyone (but them) saw coming. Throughout their wedding day their love of music was evident in many of the details, including incredible musicians playing their ceremony music, decor, a personal performance for their first dance, and the reception being held at the Rollo Bay Fiddle Festival grounds. With Rory being a musician in the military, we also photographed him in his Canadian Forces dress uniform in the early evening, a special touch to honor his commitment. 

As you can tell from the massive smiles in their photos, Hannah & Rory fully enjoyed their day and laughed all along the way. The vibes were amazing, and we will always remember the good time we had on August 13th. Congratulations to the O'Donnells! 

Number of guests - 200

Ceremony - St Mary's Roman Catholic Church

Reception - Rollo Bay Fiddle Festival Grounds

Photography - Brady McCloskey Photography

Videographer - Mark MacLean

Ceremony music - Atlantic String Machine, UPEI Chamber Singers, Rebecca Apps (Soprano)  

Wedding dress - The Perfect Pear Bridal

Suits - Moores 

Bridal bouquet - Hearts & Flowers

Makeup - Jacqueline Gormely

Hair - The Dry Bar

Cake - Candi’s Cakes

 

Candice & Logan - Outdoor Clinton Hills Wedding

Wedding date - August 1st, 2015

Clinton Hills is quickly becoming one of PEI's most popular wedding locations, and for good reason! The sprawling property was the perfect setting for Candice & Logan's wedding day this past August on Prince Edward Island. They chose to do a first look followed by photos in several locations including New London and Stanley Bridge. Everyone gathered again at 4pm for their outdoor ceremony in the woods back at Clinton Hills. The shade of the surrounding trees was perfect during that hot sunny day. 

A cocktail hour filled with food, drinks, & live music was followed by the reception inside the old barn. Dinner, drinks, & dancing ensued. It was a pleasure to capture the love of Logan & Candice - congratulations to the MacKays! 

To see the video of their day filmed by Serious Media, click here!

Ceremony & reception Venue - Clinton Hills

makeup - faces

hair - blake cassie

flowers - home grown & handmade

catering - murphy group catering

videography - serious media

photography - brady mccloskey photography

Katie & Gregory - Candlelight NYE wedding at PEI Brewing Company

Wedding date - Decemeber.31st, 2015

Katie & Greg often debate about how they met and who made the first move, but they both agree it was during high school and had something to do with basketball. Years later, a week after moving into their new home Greg proposed to Katie at the end of a scavenger hunt. 

It's been said Katie has had her wedding day planned since she was a little girl, and seeing everything come together on their wedding day it was no surprise. The PEI Brewing Company hosted their stunning candlelight wedding ceremony and reception, complete with florals by Prestige Floral and an archway built by Greg himself. It was a rare experience for me because the first time I saw Katie that day was when she walked down the isle. I actually gasped out loud as she was beaming with excitement and looked completely perfect! Greg had his trademark smile to match. 

Their wedding day was filled with great energy and happiness and was an absolute pleasure to be a part of as they are two of the nicest people you can meet. What a way to ring in the New Year!

I hope you all enjoy this wedding as much as I do! 

Number of guests - 145

MAKEUP - REBECCA POWERS, KISS & MAKEUP

HAIR - MARY COLORIS

Dress - Perfect Pear Bridal

Bridesmaid dresses - Chester & Felicity

Groomsmen suits - Roots cardigans & Moores

Cake/Cupcakes - City View Bakehouse

Decor - Unique Events Decor

Wedding Planner - Simplicity Wedding & Event Coordination

Florals - Prestige Floral Studio Weddings

Officiant - Valerie Downe

Invitations - Julie Hanan Design Ltd. 

DJ - MUSIC EXPRESS

Ceremony musicians - Olivia Roberts & Pierce Clark

photography - brady mccloskey photography

Ashley & Kurby - Prince Edward Island Wedding

Wedding date - July 24, 2015

Right after they got engaged last Summer I was thrilled to get the word from Ashley that they wanted me to capture their wedding day. I've know Ashley for many years,  we were babysat together, went to school together, and grew up in the same small town. Everyone who knows her knows what an amazing, bright personality she has and I knew Kurby must have been a special person to match it.

Ashley & Kurby currently live in Alberta (where they met), so many friends and family travelled across the country to celebrate their day in beautiful Prince Edward Island. As a special touch, it was the last ever wedding performed at Ashley's home church, St Alexis Parish in Rollo Bay. After photos we then travelled to Charlottetown for the reception at the Delta Prince Edward Hotel. 

From the many photos and faces of laughter, it's easy to tell this was a day filled with happiness, fun, and pride. Kurby, his parents, family, and friends were all so proud of the wife he had chosen, and the same went for Ashley. They are two very special people with hearts of gold and I wish them all the best in their new lives together. Keep on smiling. 

Congratulations Mr & Mrs Sherbanuk!  

Holly & Steven - East Point Lighthouse wedding

Wedding date - July 25th, 2015

With the prayer beads hung on the line and the outdoor ceremony already set up, we all hoped for a day without rain for Holly & Steven. At the time of their wedding day Holly & Steven were living right beside East Point Lighthouse on a beautiful property overlooking the ocean. They chose this location for their outdoor ceremony and ended up with the perfect day. The sky was moody and blue which made for a striking contrast between the red cliffs and green grass of East Point. 

One of the things that struck me about this pair was their love for their daughter Taylor and how they incorporated her into all aspects of their engagement session, and their wedding day. It wasn't just a couple we were photographing starting their married lives, it was the three of them together, as one. Family was an especially important part of their day and it was an honor to photograph those moments.

Congratulations Holly & Steven! Wishing you a lifetime of happiness.